Month: November 2017

Nets put up good fight vs Celtics

The Celtics came to Brooklyn Tuesday and left town with their NBA-leading 13th win in a row. Boston looked great in the first quarter, but then the Nets stepped up and made a game out of it. Here’s the New York Post with more:

Facing the hottest team in the NBA was going to be an uphill climb for the Nets under the best circumstances. But doing it without their two point guards — and arguably two best players — proved too much to handle.

With D’Angelo Russell out indefinitely with a knee injury and Jeremy Lin already sidelined for the season, also with a knee injury, the Nets were game, but woefully shorthanded against the Celtics. And scalding-hot Boston predictably proved to be too much, with the Nets falling 109-102 in a tightly contested affair Tuesday.

Hearing Boston fans take over the Barclays Center was just salt in the Nets’ various wounds, and listening to them serenade New Jersey-bred Celtics star Kyrie Irving with chants of “MVP!” as he took free throws with two minutes left was an added insult. But to be fair, Irving looked the part, dominating in his return from a facial fracture and then giving his shoes to some troops seated courtside.

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And for more on the “relationship” between these two teams, here’s ESPN Boston:

In the aftermath of that late-game alley-oop, the remaining Nets fans were left to watch Brown and Tatum engage in a celebratory body-bump near midcourt. It was a painful reminder of what could have been.

Both Brown and Tatum, along with Irving, were delivered to Boston by direct result of the draft picks the Nets sent the Celtics as part of the 2013 blockbuster that sent Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Jason Terry to Brooklyn.

This was the first time since 2013 that Boston played a game against Brooklyn that didn’t have implications on a future pick, and Celtics fans had often utilized the hashtag #Netspick while basking in Brooklyn’s recent struggles. On Tuesday, Celtics fans simply enjoyed watching the exploits of their past picks.

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Nic Batum set to return for Hornets

The Hornets are about to get a super versatile piece of their roster back in the form of Nic Batum, who reportedly may return as early as tomorrow. Here is the Charlotte Observer reporting:

Barring a “drastic” and unexpected setback, Nic Batum will play — and start — Wednesday against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Charlotte Hornets’ nationally-televised home game Wednesday.

That was coach Steve Clifford’s statement, after Batum practiced for a third consecutive day. He has missed the Hornets’ first 11 regular-season games and most of the preseason, after he tore a ligament in his left elbow Oct. 4. Playing Wednesday (8 p.m., ESPN) would mean Batum returns at the minimum of the projected six to eight weeks he’d miss with the injury.

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Kristaps Porzingis struggles in loss to Cavs

The Knicks were in control of the Cavs Monday in New York. And then the 4th quarter happened, and Cleveland came away with a win. As for Knicks star Kristaps Porzingis, here’s the New York Post reporting:

It was a rare off night for Kristaps Porzingis. Maybe it was LeBron James. Maybe it was the new contraption on his elbow.

With James hounding him at times, Porzingis fell short of his now-usual 30 points. And for the first time he wore a long white right elbow sleeve for his bursitis, a condition that may need postseason surgery.

Previously Porzingis, who has admitted to lingering swelling, had only donned the sleeve during practice so it wouldn’t affect his shooting motion. But after shooting just 7-of-21 for 20 points in the 104-101 Knicks’ collapse, he may ditch it. It was only the fourth time in the 12 games he’s played this season he didn’t score at least 30 points.

“It was for extra protection for the elbow,’’ Porzingis said. “It didn’t help as much. If I fell on it, it hits so hard, the little protection didn’t do anything.’’

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Carmelo Anthony misses game with sore back

The Thunder won on Sunday, against a vastly inferior opponent in the Mavericks. OKC did this without the services of center Steven Adams or forward Carmelo Anthony. Here’s the Oklahoman reporting:

Carmelo Anthony’s back had been bothering him, but not enough to miss a game.

That changed on Sunday, suddenly and late.

Less than an hour before the Thunder tipped off a 112-99 win against the Dallas Mavericks, Oklahoma City announced Anthony would sit with back soreness. Thunder coach Billy Donovan said he didn’t know until about an hour before tip that Anthony would be out.

“The one thing I really admire about Melo is, he loves to play,” Donovan said after the game. “Even for a guy that’s been in the league in his 15th year, he loves to play. He went through the walk-through. He tried to do everything he could to get himself to play.”

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Rudy Gobert out for weeks with leg injury

Rudy Gobert out at least four weeks with leg injury

Jazz center Rudy Gobert was examined Saturday by the Utah Jazz medical staff and underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) testing. The MRI revealed a right tibia contusion.

The injury took place when Heat guard Dion Waiters, while hustling for a loose ball, dove recklessly into Gobert’s legs.

The 7-1 center will be reevaluated in four weeks.

The 2017 All-NBA Second Team center is currently averaging 13.9 points, 10.5 rebounds and a league-best 2.5 blocks per game in his fifth NBA season. He has totaled eight double-doubles on the year and dating back to last season has totaled 244 blocks, the most in the NBA during that span.

The Jazz are 6-7 this season. They have six players averaging double-digit scoring: Rodney Hood, Ricky Rubio, Donovan Mitchell, Gobert, and Derrick Favors. The team faces the Timberwolves tomorrow.

Further updates will be provided when appropriate.

Knicks waive Mindaugas Kuzminskas

The Knicks have waived forward Mindaugas Kuzminskas.

Kuzminskas, 6-9, 215-pounds, averaged 6.3 points over 14.9 minutes in 68 games during his rookie season for the Knicks in 2016-17 after signing as an undrafted free agent on Jul. 9, 2016. The Lithuania-native has appeared in one game this season.

“The respect this franchise has for Mindaugas cannot be overstated,” Knicks General Manager Scott Perry said. “His professionalism and work ethic were greatly appreciated by his teammates, coaches and the entire staff. This decision was extremely tough for us. We wish him nothing but the best moving on with his playing career.”

According to ESPN.com, “Kuzminskas, 28, is in the final season of a two-year contract that was fully guaranteed for $3 million this season. New York needed to open a roster spot to make room for [Joakim] Noah, who will return from a suspension for the use of a banned substance on Monday against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Noah served the final 12 games of the 20-game suspension this season. It was originally issued in late March.”

Stephon Marbury and Jimmer Fredette go at it in China

Here’s the New York Daily News reporting on some basketball fun in China involving players NBA fans will know:

Stephon Marbury doesn’t look like he’s happy about Jimmer Fredette making waves in the Chinese Basketball Association.

The two ex-Knicks got into an altercation during a game in China between the Beijing Fly Dragons and Shanghai Sharks following a hard foul.

Fredette was driving for a layup late in the third quarter when Marbury tried to stop him from scoring. Marbury made contact with Fredette on his way up, knocking the ball out of his hands, and the forward didn’t appreciate it.

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Chris Paul Rockets return should be soon

The Rockets (9-3) have been one of the best teams in the NBA this season, and they’ll soon have Chris Paul, who has played just one game for them so far, back in the mix. Here’s the Houston Chronicle reporting:

Chris Paul may return for Rockets in near future

Rockets guard Chris Paul remains out for the Rockets, but looked significantly closer to a return as he joined the team for Friday’s light practice.

The practice was not much of a test of his readiness to return, still not projected until next week. Friday’s practice between games and before a back-to-back was more of a walk-through than a full practice and not as much of a test as his workouts have been.

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