NBA News Blog – Page 1349 – NBA Blog

Jazz 5-0 in preseason for first time ever

The AP reports:

C.J. Miles scored 20 points and the Utah Jazz wore down the Clippers in the fourth quarter in a 103-91 victory Saturday night at Staples Center.

The Jazz are 5-0 in the preseason for the first time in the franchise’s 35-year history. The team’s best overall exhibition mark was 7-1 in October 1994 and October 2003. Al Jefferson, acquired in an offseason trade with Minnesota, had 17 points after scoring 24 points Thursday night in a 108-97 victory over Phoenix.

The Jazz shot 54 percent and outscored the Clippers 46-32 in the paint despite the absence of center Mehmet Okur, still working his way back from surgery in April to repair a ruptured Achilles’ tendon. All-Star guard Deron Williams also missed the game because of a strained right calf. Kyrylo Fesenko sat out because of a sprained right wrist, Francisco Elson was unavailable due to a hamstring problem.

Avery Bradley healing slowly

Chris Forsberg of ESPN reports:

Doc Rivers said after the game that Avery Bradley’s surgically repaired left ankle is still not responding well to rehab and the team is pondering whether to shut him down indefinitely to allow a greater recovery.

For Bradley, it’s the latest setback in a frustrating four-month span as he recovers from arthroscopic surgery that was performed on July 2, the same day he inked his rookie deal with the Celtics.

“I’m more upset for him because this is not the way you want to break into the NBA,” said Rivers.

Dwyane Wade now likely out until Heat season opener

Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports:

The Miami Heat will not be whole until the Oct. 26 season opener at TD Garden against the Boston Celtics.

And for the next few days, the team won’t even be intact in South Florida.

Coach Erik Spoelstra said Friday he no longer is hopeful of getting sidelined guard Dwyane Wade into one of the team’s final three exhibitions.

“That’ll be tough. We don’t want to rush it,” Spoelstra said. “If it was the regular season, possibly. We still have a lot of time. I know everybody’s saying it has to happen right now. But the most important thing is our health. We’ll be patient.”

Hamed Haddadi arrives in Memphis after being detained in Iran

Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal reports:

Grizzlies center Hamed Haddadi has finally arrived at his second home.

The 7-footer, who was detained in his native country of Iran because of a legal issue, arrived in Memphis earlier today after missing the first three weeks of training camp.

Haddadi immediately underwent a team physical and will rejoin his teammates Saturday during shoot-around before the Griz host the Milwaukee Bucks during preseason action in FedExForum.

Bobcats waive Javaris Crittenton

Charlotte Bobcats General Manager Rod Higgins announced today that the team has waived guard Javaris Crittenton. In four preseason appearances, he averaged 3.3 points, 1.8 assists, 1.5 rebounds and 1.3 steals in 13:27 minutes.

Crittenton has played in 113 career NBA games for the Lakers, Grizzlies and Wizards, averaging 5.3 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 16.4 minutes. The two-year veteran was initially selected by the Lakers with the 19th overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft.

The Bobcats roster now stands at 17.

China suspends five over basketball brawl with Brazil

The AP reports:

China’s coach Bob Donewald Jr., manager and three players were suspended by the Chinese Basketball Association on Friday for the ugly on-court brawl with the Brazil team.

The association had earlier apologized for the melee that left Tuesday’s game unfinished and one Chinese player in a neck brace…

Donewald, the American who took charge of the China team six months ago, had been ejected for insulting officials shortly before the fighting started. He was suspended indefinitely, fined 50,000 yuan ($7,500), and given a formal demerit.

Similar punishments were dealt to manager Zhang Xiong, who was fined 30,000 yuan ($4,500), and players Ding Jinhui, Su Wei, and Zhu Fangyu, who were each fined 20,000 ($3,000).

Joey Dorsey suspended for swinging at Brian Scalabrine

Joey Dorsey of the Toronto Raptors has been suspended without pay for one game for swinging his arm at the head of the Chicago Bulls’ Brian Scalabrine, it was announced today by Stu Jackson, NBA Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations.

The incident occurred with 7.3 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter of the Bulls’ 109-90 victory over the Raptors at United Center on Tuesday, Oct. 12.

Dorsey will serve his suspension commencing with the first game of the 2010-11 NBA regular season for which he is eligible and physically able to play.

Nuggets hire Pete D’Alessandro as advisor

The Nuggets announced Thursday that they have hired Pete D’Alessandro as an advisor to executive vice president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri.

D’Alessandro, an attorney, brings more than four years of NBA experience to Denver after serving as assistant general manager and director of basketball operations for the Golden State Warriors from 2004-08.

While with Golden State, D’Alessandro was involved in all player-related basketball matters, including player contracts, salary-cap analysis, and Collective Bargaining Agreement rules and regulations.

Prior to joining the Warriors, he spent seven years as a business manager and representative for a number of NBA players.

D’Alessandro attended St. John’s University, where he worked for four years as video coordinator under Hall of Fame basketball coach and mentor Lou Carnesecca. He later earned his law degree at Nova Southeastern University in Florida.

Share your take on the team on the Denver Nuggets forum.

Rafer Alston seeks NBA comeback

Veteran point guard Rafer Alston wants to continue playing professional basketball. And if he can’t do it in the NBA, the New York native is willing to cross oceans to keep his career going.

On Thursday, Alston’s long-time personal manager and close friend Eddie Lau told InsideHoops.com editor Jeff Lenchiner in an email that the player is in “the best shape of his life and that he is looking for a chance to get back in the NBA as a backup point guard.”

Lau also said that Alston is open to playing overseas, should that be the best opportunity for him.

Several recent reports said that the guard is working out with a team in China, and could sign a contract there.

Alston played for part of the 2009-10 NBA season, with the New Jersey Nets and Miami Heat. His career NBA average is 10.1 points, 2.8 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game.

Wizards fine Gilbert Arenas for lying about injury

The Philadelphia Daily News reports:

The Washington Wizards guard’s latest escapade took place Tuesday, when coach Flip Saunders announced before a preseason game against the Atlanta Hawks that Arenas would miss the contest with a sore left knee.

But Arenas revealed after the Wizards’ 107-92 victory that he pretended to have a bum knee to give teammate Nick Young a chance to start. He told reporters yesterday that he was trying to do Young a favor.

“I lied to coach and told him my knee was sore so he’d start Nick,” Arenas said.

Arenas was fined an undisclosed amount by the Wizards for his deception. It was another blow to the image of a player who is still trying to recover from his 50-game suspension and felony conviction for bringing guns into the locker room last season.

InsideHoops.com editor says: So Gilbert, with his years of injury problems, just now coming off suspension and making his comeback, thought that lying to his coach and pretending to be hurt was a smart move. That’s some brilliant decision-making right there! Seriously, what the heck?

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