December 30, 2015 – NBA Blog – NBA Basketball Blog

Al Jefferson to undergo knee surgery

The Charlotte Hornets announced today that center Al Jefferson will undergo arthroscopic surgery tomorrow to address a tear in the lateral meniscus of his right knee. Earlier today, Jefferson underwent a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) which revealed the injury.

The procedure will be completed by Hornets Team Physician Dr. Marcus Cook at Novant Orthopedic Hospital in Charlotte. Jefferson’s recovery time is expected to be approximately six weeks.

The 11th-year center from Prentiss, Miss. is averaging 12.5 points (.482), 6.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 25.2 minutes per game in 19 contests (17 starts). In three years with Charlotte, Jefferson has averaged 18.6 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 32.0 minutes per game. In his first season in Charlotte, he was named to the 2013-14 All-NBA Third Team.

Mitch McGary spending serious time in D-League

Here’s the Oklahoman reporting on a young bruising Thunder forward whose playing time is coming by way of the D-League:

On Tuesday, the 6-foot-10, 260-pound McGary posted his second-consecutive double-double for the D-League Oklahoma City Blue with 14 points and 10 rebounds in 27 minutes in a win over the Idaho Stampede.

The 2014 Thunder first-rounder hasn’t appeared in a game for the Thunder since Nov. 23 and hasn’t been on the Thunder’s active roster for a game since Nov. 27. McGary, however, is getting consistent minutes for the Blue he wasn’t seeing behind the Thunder’s frontcourt logjam of Serge Ibaka, Enes Kanter, Steven Adams and Nick Collison.

In 11 games with the Blue, McGary is averaging 14.2 points, 8.9 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.0 assists in 26.1 minutes per game.

Stephen Curry gets MRI on lower leg

Here’s the San Francisco Chronicle reporting on Warriors superstar Stephen Curry, who is currently banged up and could use a break:

Stephen Curry skipped Wednesday morning’s shootaround to get an MRI on his injured left lower leg, and Warriors interim head coach Luke Walton said there’s a slim chance that the point guard will play Wednesday night against the Mavericks.

Already limping on a strained right calf, Curry injured his left lower leg in Monday’s victory over Sacramento. He could barely limp to his locker after the game, but he moved better from the bus to the team hotel in Dallas on Tuesday night.

Al Horford taking and making three-pointers this season

NBA centers usually can’t hit three-pointers. In practice, maybe. When unguarded and unrushed. But usually not in games. But power forward-sized Atlanta Hawks center Al Horford started tossing around one three-point attempt every other game in the 2013-14 season, and currently in 2015-16 is attempting about three per game, hitting 33.7% Here’s the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reporting:

The center hit a career-high five 3-pointers in the Hawks’ dramatic come-from-behind win over the Rockets, 121-115, Tuesday night. The Hawks overcame deficits of 19 points in the first half and 11 points in the fourth quarter for a victory several players labeled the best of the season.

Horford finished with a season-high 30 points, four off his career-best. He also had a season-high 14 rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block…

Paul Millsap and Horford both said after the game that the Rockets were allowing the Hawks frontcourt players to shoot from long range – until it because apparent they could make them. The Hawks were 14 of 41 from 3-point range in the game as they set a franchise-high for attempts. The frontcourt players were a combined 12 of 23. The backcourt players were a combined 2 of 18.