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NBA Blog: The NBA basketball news blog section of Inside Hoops
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Lakers guard Steve Blake had an MRI and was examined today by team doctor Steve Lombardo and Dr. Neal S. ElAttrache of the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic. Blake was diagnosed with a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. He is expected to be out a minimum of six weeks.
Blake suffered the injury in the second half of the Lakers @ Washington game on November 26. In 21 games this season (21 starts), Blake is averaging 9.8 points, 3.3 rebounds and 7.7 assists in 31.8 minutes.
Here’s ESPN New York with an update on New York Knicks PG Raymond Felton:
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Knicks starting point guard Raymond Felton missed Wednesday night’s 83-78 win over the Chicago Bulls due to a hamstring ailment, and coach Mike Woodson said he could be out for “a little while.”
Felton aggravated a pre-existing left hamstring injury in the third quarter against Cleveland while driving to the basket on Tuesday. He was removed from the game shortly thereafter and never returned.
“I don’t think we’re at a day to day right now. He’s going to probably be a little while,” Woodson said before tipoff against the Bulls on Wednesday.
Felton has been playing with hamstring and hip soreness for much of the season.
Here’s the Boston Herald on Doc Rivers, who returns to Boston as a visiting head coach tonight:
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Nothing will be normal for Los Angeles Clippers head coach Doc Rivers today in his return to the Garden to face the Celtics, and that unfamiliarity started when he walked into the building this morning.
“It will be strange. I’m used to going in the other doors and through the other side,” joked Rivers, who met with the media for about 15 minutes before the Pacific Division-leading Clippers prepared for their one and only trip to Boston this year. “I’m not used to having shootaround. (It’s) maybe my first shootaround ever at the Garden in the last 10 years. This is strange already.”
Rivers arrived in Boston yesterday and met with some friends for dinner before sitting down and watching the Brooklyn Nets and the Celtics kick off what is being dubbed “Reunion Week” for the Celtics with Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and now Rivers all in different situations.
“It’s going to be a hard night,” Rivers said.
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Charlotte Bobcats President of Basketball Operations Rod Higgins announced today that the team has signed free agent guard/forward Chris Douglas-Roberts and waived forward James Southerland.
Douglas-Roberts, who was playing with the NBA D-League Texas Legends, becomes the fifth D-League Gatorade Call-Up of the 2013-14 season.
A four-year NBA veteran, the 6-7 Douglas-Roberts has played in 161 career games for the Nets, Bucks and Mavericks. He has career averages of 7.5 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 20.3 minutes, while shooting .442 from the field (458-1036) and .833 from the free-throw line (265-318). Douglas-Roberts was selected by the Nets with the 40th overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft.
Douglas-Roberts has also played in 17 career NBA D-League games with the Legends, with averages of 21.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.5 steals in 36.9 minutes. He is shooting .487 from the field (113-232), .407 from beyond the three-point line (22-54) and .889 from the free-throw line (112-126) in D-League action.
In six games for the Legends this season, Douglas-Roberts has averaged 18.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 34.0 minutes, while shooting .472 from the field (34-72), .438 from beyond the three-point line (7-16) and .860 from the free-throw line (37-43).
Southerland signed with the Bobcats on September 5, 2013, after not being selected in the 2013 NBA Draft. He saw action in one regular-season game, playing three minutes.
Yeah, by now you’re probably bored of hearing “Danny Granger set to return!” stories. But this time it’s happening. Probably. At 19-3, the Indiana Pacers don’t seem to need any additional help, but they’ll soon receive it. Here’s ESPN.com on it:
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Danny Granger has played in only five games over the past two seasons for the Indiana Pacers, but he’s hoping to make his return this week.
Granger said he won’t play in Tuesday’s game against the Miami Heat and instead is targeting Friday’s home game with the Charlotte Bobcats as he recovers from a calf injury that’s kept him out of the team’s first 21 games. He was limited to five games last season because of a knee injury.
“There’s a very good chance, hopefully on Friday,” Granger said. “I’m conditioning my legs, getting my wind. The knee is not an issue at all. The calf is pretty good now.”
After Granger experienced several setbacks over the past year, the Pacers aren’t committing themselves as strongly to the return.
This season, the Chicago Bulls have been good defense and getting injured. With Derrick Rose out for the season, some help in the backcourt would be useful. Here’s the Chicago Tribune with more:
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The Bulls have expressed interest in signing D.J. Augustin if the point guard clears waivers Wednesday, a league source confirmed. Yahoo Sports first reported the Bulls’ interest.
Augustin would be signed for a prorated portion of the veteran’s minimum. The Bulls are carrying 13 players and could add one without making a move. However, it’s unlikely they will keep four point guards in Kirk Hinrich, Marquis Teague, James and the possible addition of Augustin.
Deep into luxury tax territory, they certainly will pare one such guard by season’s end, when tax penalties are assessed.
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The Los Angeles Clippers announced Tuesday that they have signed free agent forward Stephen Jackson.
Jackson, 35, joins the Clippers after spending the 2012-13 season with San Antonio, where he averaged 6.2 points 2.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 19.5 minutes per game in 55 games for the Spurs.
A veteran of 13 NBA seasons with New Jersey, San Antonio, Atlanta, Indiana, Golden State, Charlotte and Milwaukee, Jackson has appeared in 849 career games (676 starts) and brings career averages of 15.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.3 steals in 32.1 minutes per game to the Clippers.
Jackson was a member of the 2003 NBA Champion Spurs and has appeared in 72 career playoff games, averaging 13.9 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 33.6 minutes per game.
Originally drafted by the Phoenix Suns with the 42nd overall pick in the second round of the 1997 NBA Draft, he made his NBA debut during the 2000-01 season with the New Jersey Nets where he appeared in 77 games (40 starts) and averaged 8.2 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 21.6 minutes per game.
A native of Port Arthur, TX, Jackson has been named NBA Player of the Week twice and was a recipient of the NBA’s Community Assist Award for the month of March.
Here’s the Philadelphia Inquirer with an update on a key Sixer that remains unavailable:
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Injured 76ers point guard Michael Carter-Williams said Monday night that he’s not sure exactly when he’ll return the court.
The rookie missed his third straight game because of soreness and a skin infection on the front of his right knee. Carter-Williams spent Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights at University of Pennsylvania hospital because of the ailment.
Carter-Williams said he would play “when everyone says it will be OK for me to come back.”
The 22-year-old rookie is on antibiotics and is waiting for the soreness to go away before he takes the court. The Sixers hope he’ll make the two-game trip to Minnesota on Wednesday and Toronto on Friday.
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The New Orleans Pelicans announced today that Tyreke Evans has been diagnosed with a left ankle sprain. The injury occurred during the third quarter of the December 6 game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Evans is expected to miss 1-2 weeks.
In 19 games this season, Evans is averaging 11.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.3 steals in 24.9 minutes per game.
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The Sacramento Kings today acquired forwards Rudy Gay and Quincy Acy along with center Aaron Gray from the Toronto Raptors in exchange for guard Greivis Vasquez and forwards John Salmons, Patrick Patterson and Chuck Hayes, according to Kings General Manager Pete D’Alessandro.
“We’re excited to welcome these additions to our team,” said D’Alessandro. “In Rudy we’ve acquired one of the league’s proven scorers while Aaron and Quincy provide size and depth in our frontcourt. We also appreciate the contributions and efforts that John, Chuck, Greivis and Patrick made to the Kings organization. We all wish them the very best moving forward.”
“We thank Rudy, Aaron and Quincy for their time here. They were great professionals and strong community ambassadors of the Raptors,” said Raptors President and General Manager Masai Ujiri. “The trade gives us good flexibility and more certainty as we plan for our future.”
Originally selected eighth overall by Houston in the 2006 NBA Draft, Gay has accrued averages of 18.0 points (.447 FG%, .344 3pt%, .777 FT%), 5.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.41 steals and 36.1 minutes per game in 530 career contests spanning eight professional campaigns with Memphis (2006-07 – 2012-13) and Toronto (2012-13 – 2013-14). Through 18 contests with the Raptors this season, he registered 19.4 points (.388 FG%, .373 3pt%, .773 FT%), 7.4 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.56 steals, 1.28 blocks and 35.5 minutes per game, leading the team in blocks and ranking second in scoring, rebounding and steals.
Gray, a 7-foot center, has posted averages of 3.5 points (.515 FG%, .562 FT%), 3.8 rebounds and 12.3 minutes per game in 285 career appearances with Chicago (2007-08 – 2009-10), New Orleans (2009-10), and Toronto (2011-12 – 2013-14). Drafted by the Chicago Bulls in the second round (49th overall) of the 2007 NBA Draft, he has played for three teams in a six-year NBA career (Chicago 2007-08 – 2009-10, New Orleans 2009-10, Toronto 2011-12 – 2013-14). Gray saw action in just four games this season.
In Acy, Sacramento receives the 37th overall selection in the 2012 NBA Draft, who has averaged 3.8 points (.539 FG%, .429 3pt%, .783 FT%), 2.6 rebounds and 11.2 minutes per game over 36 career games in two seasons with the Raptors. This season, he has seen action in seven contests as a reserve, posting 2.7 points (.429 FG%, .400 3pt%, .625 FT%), 2.1 rebounds and 8.8 minutes per game.
An 11-year veteran who was in his second stint with the Kings, Salmons is averaging 9.8 points (.434 FG%, .365 3pt%, .801 FT%), 3.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 27.2 minutes per game in 814 career games with Philadelphia (2002-03 – 2005-06), Sacramento (2006-07 – 2008-09 and 2011-12 – 2013-14), Chicago (2008-09 – 2009-10), and Milwaukee (2009-10 – 2010-11). Through 18 games (started eight) this season, he has posted 5.8 points (.350 FG%, .381 3pt%, 7-7 FT), 2.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 24.7 minutes per contest.
Vasquez, who was acquired during the offseason in a three-team trade by Sacramento from New Orleans in exchange for guard Tyreke Evans, averaged 9.8 points (.433 FG%, .320 3pt%, .938 FT%), 1.9 rebounds, a team-high 5.3 assists and 25.8 minutes per game in starting all 18 games for the Kings this season. In his four NBA campaigns with Memphis (2010-11), New Orleans (2011-12 – 2012-13) and Sacramento, Vasquez is averaging 9.0 points (.429 FG%, .325 3pt%, .818 FT%), 2.7 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 24.6 minutes per game in 232 career contests. Born in Venezuela, he was drafted by the Grizzlies out of Maryland with the 28th overall selection of the 2010 NBA Draft.
Signed by the Kings as a free agent on December 23, 2011, Hayes is averaging averaging 4.0 points (.502 FG%, .612 FT%), 5.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 19.3 minutes per game in 568 career contests with Houston (2005-06 – 2010-11) and Sacramento (2011-12 – 2013-14). Through 16 games this season, he has registered 2.1 points (.438 FG%, .714 FT%), 2.9 rebounds and 11.2 minutes per game, including one start.
Patterson, acquired by the Kings last season in a multi-player trade with Houston, has accrued averages of 6.9 points (.410 FG%, .231 3pt%, .563 FT%), a career-high 5.8 rebounds and 24.4 minutes per game in 17 games (started six) this season. Drafted by the Rockets in the first round (14th overall) in the 2010 NBA Draft, he has amassed career averages of 8.2 points (.488 FG%, .341 3pt%, .713 FT%), 4.5 rebounds and 22.3 minutes per game in 204 contests in four seasons with Houston (2010-11 – 2012-13) and Sacramento (2012-13 – 2013-14).