Inside Hoops – Page 1167 – NBA Blog

Utah Jazz claim Malcolm Thomas off waivers

The Utah Jazz announced today that the team has claimed third-year forward Malcolm Thomas off waivers.

The 25-year-old Thomas (6-9, 225, San Diego State) was waived by San Antonio on January 23 after appearing in one game this season, scoring two points, grabbing nine rebounds with two blocks in 15 minutes vs. Milwaukee on January 19. He also appeared in 10 games while on assignment with the Spurs’ NBA Development League affiliate, the Austin Toros, where he averaged 15.2 points, 9.4 rebounds and 2.40 blocks. Thomas was signed by the Spurs on Dec. 3 as a D-League call-up from the Los Angeles D-Fenders, for whom he appeared in two games and was averaging a league-best 33.5 points and 15.5 rebounds.

The former San Diego State Aztec has appeared in a total of 16 career NBA games over three seasons with San Antonio, Golden State and Chicago, averaging 1.1 points and 1.8 rebounds in 5.4 minutes. He previously saw action in three games for the Spurs during the 2011-12 season, and spent time with both the Warriors (five games) and Bulls (seven games) in 2012-13. Thomas also appeared briefly in three games for the Bulls in the 2013 NBA Playoffs.

Following the move, the Jazz roster now stands at 15 players.

Derrick Rose hopes to play for Team USA this summer

Here’s the Chicago Sun-Times reporting on injured Bulls point guard Derrick Rose, who despite still working to regain health already may have some firm summer plans:

Derrick Rose issued a statement Thursday that he’d like to be ready to play for USA Basketball in this summer’s FIBA World Cup in Spain, and according to a source close to the situation, because Rose is ahead of schedule in his recovery from knee surgery, he will.

‘‘No doubt he will [play],’’ the source said Friday.

Rose tore the meniscus in his right knee on Nov. 22. The Bulls immediately ruled him out for the season.

He started shooting and taking part in two-a-day workouts during the last week, but his status in returning this NBA season hasn’t changed.

This summer will be a different story after he was one of 28 players named for the 2014-16 USA national team pool Thursday.

Mirza Teletovic scores career-high 34 points for Nets

Here’s the New York Daily News reporting on a fun night in Brooklyn that featured a lot of swishes from outside when Mirza Teletovic touched the ball:

Benched and frustrated for most of his short NBA career, Mirza Teletovic said all along that he only needed a chance.

The Bosnian with a sweet jump shot is now taking advantage.

Teletovic erupted in the second quarter of the Nets’ 107-106 victory Friday night over the Mavericks at Barclays Center, scoring 24 of his career-high 34 points while hitting six consecutive three-pointers. His blazing trail from long distance keyed a 27-12 run by the Nets (19-22), who never trailed in the second half (although things got dicey in the final seconds) and won for the seventh straight time at home.

“It speaks a lot about (Teletovic). He was definitely frustrated last (season) with his lack of playing time,” Deron Williams said. “He had been one of the top players in Europe for a long time, and it was little hit to his ego. He felt like he could contribute and help and he didn’t really get that opportunity. Now that he is, he’s making the most of it.”

Detroit Pistons struggling badly at home

NBA teams, even the bad ones, generally play fairly well in their own arena. But here’s Michigan Live on the Detroit Pistons’ home struggles:

Here’s how absurd this Detroit Pistons season has become: Andre Drummond finally got his first 20-20 game, the Pistons went on a 30-4 scoring run, and the New Orleans Pelicans were playing short in the backcourt and without four of their top six scorers.

And the Pistons still lost.

Eric Gordon’s driving basket with 1.9 seconds left for a 103-101 Pelicans win wrapped another blown fourth-quarter lead for the Pistons, who were up by 10 with less than six minutes remaining.

As the game ended, with Maurice Cheeks bellowing for a timeout his team never called, the head coach was left to stare into the crowd at a fan who lobbed a vile curse at him for having rookie guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope — arguably the Pistons’ best guard defender — on Gordon for the game-winning isolation play.

“I don’t even know what he said,” Cheeks said. “I was focused in on the play itself.”

Cheeks said he stared into the crowd out of sheer dismay after the Pistons (17-26) slipped to 7-15 at home and lost at The Palace of Auburn Hills for the eighth time in their last nine home games.

Sacramento clerk rejects challenge to new NBA arena

The city clerk rejected a ballot measure Friday that would have let Sacramento voters decide whether public subsidies can help build a $448 million downtown arena intended as the future home of the NBA’s Sacramento Kings.

City Clerk Shirley Concolino cited multiple issues with the petitions that would have put the subsidies on the June ballot.

“I’ve never seen a petition with as many flaws as this one,” she told The Sacramento Bee.

Sacramento Taxpayers Opposed to Pork and Voters for a Fair Arena Deal collected nearly 23,000 signatures, an effort that was funded in large part by wealthy Seattle hedge fund manager Chris Hansen. He led a coalition that lost its attempt to buy the Kings and move the team to Washington state.

— Associated Press

Dell Curry not afraid to compete with Stephen Curry in shootout

Here’s the Bay Area News Group on how some famous old dudes feel they’d do in a shooting contest against some famous young dudes:

The Warriors’ Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson have been touted as one of the best shooting duos in NBA history, but might a couple of 40-somethings be able to beat them in a shooting contest?

Dell Curry, Stephen’s father, and former Charlotte Hornets teammate Glen Rice think they can pull it off even against the young guns who have poured in 260 3-pointers a little more than halfway through this season.

“Just shooting, I could hold my own,” Dell Curry told SiriusXM NBA Radio on Friday. “Absolutely. I know Glen Rice could. I would take the old guys in that.

“When I’m shooting against my son, I’m really focused.”

Spurs sign Othyus Jeffers to 10-day contract

The San Antonio Spurs today announced that they have signed guard/forward Othyus Jeffers to a 10-day contract.

Jeffers, 6-5/200, most recently played for the Iowa Energy of the NBA Development League. Through 22 games this season, Jeffers was averaging 22.8 points, 11.4 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 2.50 steals in 38.3 minutes per game while shooting .501 (176-351) from the field. Prior to his call-up, Jeffers ranked sixth in the D-League in scoring, third in rebounding and second in steals per game.

The Robert Morris University product previously saw action in one game for the Spurs during the 2010-11 season. He has also suited up for the Utah Jazz (2009-10) and the Washington Wizards (2010-11) during his NBA career. In 31 career NBA games, the Illinois native has averaged 4.2 points and 2.8 rebounds in 12.7 minutes.

In between NBA stints, Jeffers has played in 162 D-League games, all with the Energy, averaging 19.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.97 steals in 35.8 minutes.

Jeffers will wear jersey No. 7 and will be available tonight when the Spurs begin their three-game road trip in Atlanta.

Photo: Brooklyn Nets alternate home sleeved jersey

The Brooklyn Nets today unveiled their alternate home jersey, which will be worn on Brooklyn Blue Nights at Barclays Center. The team will debut the jersey when they host the Boston Celtics for the first of five Brooklyn Blue Nights on Friday, March 21. The short-sleeve, v-neck jersey features a grey body with blue piping and trim line, and a signature blue Brooklyn wordmark across the chest.

76ers sign Dewayne Dedmon to second 10-day contract

The Philadelphia 76ers today announced that they have signed center Dewayne Dedmon to a second 10-day contract. Dedmon signed his first 10-day contract with the Sixers on January 14, 2014. At the time, he was the 12th “Call-Up” of the 2013-14 NBA Development League season.

Dedmon (7-0, 255) has appeared in five games for the Sixers and is averaging four points, six rebounds and a block in 15 minutes per game while shooting 50% from the floor.

Mark Cuban is probably not going to sell the Dallas Mavericks to you

Here’s the Dallas Morning News blog with an update on Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, who, if you haven’t figured this out yet, kind of likes owning the team:

The Mavericks have been valued at $765 million by Forbes magazine, but that’s a low-ball number as far as owner Mark Cuban is concerned.

“They’re way too low,” he said.

So if somebody showed up with $765 million in his pocket and wanted the team he’s owned since 2000, what would Cuban do?

“I’d laugh at them,” he said. “I think we’re worth well over a billion. I think within the next five years, and this is just a guess, if the economy continues to get a little better and sports still stays in demand, every NBA franchise will be worth at least a billion dollars.”