Inside Hoops – Page 1172 – NBA Blog

Danny Green injured, out until mid February

The San Antonio Spurs have lost shooting guard Danny Green to a hand injury.

Full story: Danny Green out four weeks with hand injury

Timberwolves bring Shabazz Muhammad back from D-League

The Minnesota Timberwolves today announced the club has recalled rookie guard/forward Shabazz Muhammad from the Iowa Energy of the NBA Development League.

Muhammad appeared in four games for the Energy, leading Iowa to a 3-1 record while averaging 24.5 points, on 57.1% shooting, and 9.8 rebounds per game. He recorded two double-doubles during the stint, including scoring 26 points and hauling in a game-high 12 rebounds vs. Fort Wayne on Jan. 11.

Muhammad was named to the 2014 NBADLeague.com All-Showcase Team after averaging 23.0 points, on 62.5% shooting, and 9.0 rebounds in two games during the D-League Showcase. He made his D-League debut on Jan. 7, tallying 24 points on 9-of-13 shooting and seven rebounds.

Muhammad, originally selected with the 14th overall pick, was acquired by the Wolves in a draft-day trade with the Utah Jazz. He averaged 17.9 points and 5.2 rebounds per game last season at UCLA, leading the Bruins to the Pac-12 regular season championship.

Kings re-assign guard Ray McCallum to D-League

The Sacramento Kings have assigned rookie guard Ray McCallum to the team’s NBA Development League affiliate, the Reno Bighorns, it was announced today by General Manager Pete D’Alessandro.

McCallum, selected in the second round (36th overall) of the 2013 NBA Draft, is averaging 0.9 points (.333 FG%, 1-4 3pt), 0.5 rebounds, 0.3 assists and 2.8 minutes per game in eight appearances off the bench this season with the Kings.

This is McCallum’s second assignment with the Bighorns. In his first stint, McCallum averaged 22.0 points (.455 FG%, .308 3pt%, .667 FT%), 5.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.33 steals and 38.0 minutes per game in three contests. McCallum was assigned on November 21 and then recalled on November 27.

Detroit Pistons recall Peyton Siva and Tony Mitchell from D-League

The Detroit Pistons announced today that the team has recalled rookie guard Peyton Siva and rookie forward Tony Mitchell from the Fort Wayne Mad Ants of the NBA Development League (D-League).

Siva averaged 12.0 points, 2.8 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 2.6 steals in five games (four starts) with Fort Wayne. He recorded 27 points, three rebounds, eight assists and eight steals vs. Iowa (1/3) after having 24 points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals vs. Rio Grande Valley Vipers (12/28). Siva has appeared in 13 games this season with the Pistons averaging 0.3 points, 0.6 rebounds and 0.8 assists in 5.8 minutes per game. The 56th selection in the second round of the 2013 NBA Draft, Siva won an NCAA Championship and was named to the Final Four All-Tournament Team as a senior at Louisville last year.

In six games (five starts) with the Mad Ants, Mitchell averaged 6.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 1.5 blocks in 22.1 minutes per game. Mitchell turned in his best performance of the stint vs. the Iowa Energy (1/3) when he recorded 14 points, nine rebounds, one assist and four blocks. The 37th overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft from North Texas University, Mitchell has appeared in 10 games this season with the Pistons averaging 1.1 points and 1.1 rebounds in 4.0 minutes per game.

Chicago Bulls say they are retooling, not rebuilding

Here’s the Chicago Sun-Times with some fun word clarification regarding the Bulls and their current roster goals:

“Rebuild’’ seems to be a curse word these days around the United Center. That’s why the Bulls’ front office is quick to correct anyone who uses it in the wake of the Luol Deng trade.

Executive vice president of basketball operations John Paxson did so Tuesday when meeting with the media, and general manager Gar Forman took his turn Saturday, speaking to the team’s website during a pregame interview.

“It’s always difficult,’’ Forman said of the decision to send Deng to the Cleveland Cavaliers. “There’s a human element to any transition you make.

“I’ve heard people say it’s a rebuild. It’s not a rebuild. I consider it more of a retooling.’’

Kings destroy Cavs by 44 points

Here’s the Sacramento Bee reporting on the Kings, who unleashed a dominating win yesterday:

Last Sunday, the Kings held a players-only meeting. It’s the kind of meeting that’s praised if wins follow but mocked if losses continue.

Since the gathering, the Kings have won a season-best three consecutive games. So, of course, it was just what the team needed.

Sunday at Sleep Train Arena, the Kings matched the third most lopsided win in franchise history, routing the Cleveland Cavaliers 124-80.

The victory margin equaled a 44-point win over Denver on Dec. 12, 1992, and trailed only a 56-point win over Philadelphia on Jan. 2, 1993 and a 58-point victory over Dallas on Dec. 29, 1992.

The Kings led by 46 points, their biggest advantage of the season, and tallied season highs in points, 3-pointers (15) and blocked shots (eight).

Joakim Noah not happy that Chicago Bulls traded Luol Deng

Here’s the Chicago Sun-Times reporting on the Bulls, who beat the Charlotte Bobcats Saturday for their fifth win in a row:

While Noah wasn’t pointing fingers at his organization for trading Luol Deng to the Cleveland Cavaliers, he wasn’t thrilled with the decision.

“The trade definitely hurt, but we got to move on,’’ Noah said. “But I feel confident in this team. We’re working really hard, but a lot of people say this is a business and all that, but this game is more than a business to me. I put everything I’ve got into this.

“So I feel like Lu was the same way. It was hard for me to digest, but that’s just my perspective, that’s my side of the story. Everyone has a different job, I’m not mad at anybody, I’m not mad at the organization or anything like that. It’s just that my brother isn’t here anymore. I just needed a little bit of time to digest that.’’

Maybe, but digesting the opposition sure hasn’t been a problem for Noah, who seems to be on a crusade to prove everyone wrong since Deng was traded.

Photos: Drake Night at Toronto Raptors game

Saturday night in Toronto, the Raptors beat the Brooklyn Nets 96-80. Making the evening more special? It was Drake Night. According to the Associated Press, “rapper Drake, who is Toronto’s ‘global ambassador,’ was honored with a Drake Night promotion. The Grammy winner announced the starting lineups, and his official DJ Future the Prince performed at halftime.”

Atlanta Hawks sign forward James Nunnally to 10-day contract

The Atlanta Hawks have signed forward James Nunnally to a 10-day contract, it was announced today by President of Basketball Operations/General Manager Danny Ferry.

In 19 starts with the Bakersfield Jam this season, Nunnally has averaged 18.2 points, 4.4 rebounds and 4.0 assists in 33.6 minutes (.448 FG%, .415 3FG%, .853 FT%). Following this week’s NBA D-League Showcase in Reno, NV, he was named to the All-Showcase first team by NBA scouts and basketball operations personnel.

Undrafted in 2012 out of UC Santa Barbara, he also played with the Jam last season, appearing in 49 contests (eight starts) and averaging 10.3 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 19.7 minutes (.430 FG%, .406 3FG%, .884 FT%). Nunnally was with the Phoenix Suns in training camp in 2013, and saw action in three preseason games.

As a senior at UC Santa Barbara in 2011-12, Nunnally put up 15.8 points, 5.9 rebounds and 2.9 assists in 33.8 minutes (.458 FG%, .813 FT%).

Nunnally will wear uniform no. 2.

LeBron James did not appreciate foul from Nets forward Mirza Teletovic

Here’s ESPN New York reporting on a grumpy LeBron James, after the Miami Heat lost in double overtime on the road Friday night against the Brooklyn Nets:

Heat forward LeBron James did not appreciate the way Nets forward Mirza Teletovic fouled him with 8:37 left in the fourth quarter of Brooklyn’s 104-95 double-overtime win against Miami on Friday night at Barclays Center.

“He went around my neck, that was my take,” said James, who scored a game-high 36 points before fouling out for just the sixth time in his career (including playoffs).

“That was not a basketball play.”

James had jumped out in transition and was trying to get to the rim, but he pushed off Nets forward Andrei Kirilenko with his left arm and was called for an offensive foul.

With the play happening at full speed, Teletovic did not realize a foul had been called, so he wrapped up James to prevent him from going up for a layup or a dunk.