Inside Hoops – Page 1188 – NBA Blog

Bucks center Zaza Pachulia injured, out with right foot fracture

$Bucks center Zaza Pachulia injured, out with right foot fracture$

Milwaukee Bucks General Manager John Hammond announced today that Zaza Pachulia (6-11, 240) suffered a right foot fracture on Dec. 4 vs. Detroit. Pachulia’s foot will be immobilized in a walking boot and re-examined in four weeks.

Pachulia, 29, had an MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) exam on Dec. 5 and was examined by team orthopaedic physician Dr. Michael Gordon, who diagnosed the injury. Pachulia has not played in the last two games.

In 17 games this season (11 starts), Pachulia has averaged 6.9 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 25.2 minutes per game. Pachulia ranks fourth in the NBA in free throw percentage (.933), connecting on 42-of-45 attempts from the charity stripe.

Quincy Pondexter (Grizzlies) injured, has stress fracture in right foot

The Memphis Grizzlies announced today that guard/forward Quincy Pondexter underwent a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) this morning and has been diagnosed with a tarsal navicular stress fracture in his right foot. He will be out indefinitely.

Pondexter (6-6, 225), who sustained the injury in the first half of the December 7 game against Golden State, was evaluated at the Campbell Clinic by team physician Dr. Fred Azar.

The 25-year-old has averaged 6.3 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 18.0 minutes in 15 games (two starts) this season, his fourth in the NBA. He scored a career-high 22 points on Nov. 30 vs. Brooklyn.

Drafted by Oklahoma City in the first round (26th overall) in the 2010 NBA Draft, Pondexter holds career averages of 4.5 points, 1.8 rebounds and 0.7 assists in 15.9 minutes in 204 games (17 starts) with Memphis and New Orleans.

Memphis signed the University of Washington product to a multi-year contract extension on Oct. 31.

Cavs recall Carrick Felix and Henry Sims from D-League

The Cleveland Cavaliers have recalled guard/forward Carrick Felix and center Henry Sims from the Canton Charge, the Cavaliers exclusively owned and operated NBA Development League team, Cavaliers General Manager Chris Grant announced today from Cleveland Clinic Courts.

Felix appeared in two games for the Charge this past weekend, averaging 11.5 points and 5.5 rebounds in 22.5 minutes per game. Sims also appeared in two Canton games over the weekend with averages of 15.0 points and 5.0 rebounds in 21.5 minutes.

Raptors will deal Rudy Gay to Kings

The Toronto Raptors and Sacramento Kings have agreed to a trade. Here’s the Sacramento Bee with the details:

Kings general manager Pete D’Alessandro said he owed it to Kings fans to be aggressive after years of suffering through relocation discussions and cost-cutting moves.

The Kings took a bold step away from the frugal ways of the last ownership group by agreeing to acquire forward Rudy Gay as part of a seven-player trade Sunday.

Gay, 27, comes from Toronto with a $17.9 million salary this season and a player option for $19.3 million next season.

The Kings will send Chuck Hayes, Patrick Patterson, John Salmons and Greivis Vasquez to Toronto as part of the deal. Sacramento also gets forward Quincy Acy and center Aaron Gray.

The NBA must approve the trade today to make the deal official. All players also have to pass physicals.

Kobe Bryant critical of his play upon return

Kobe Bryant is back in action for the Los Angeles Lakers. And even if he isn’t quite himself yet, the basketball world (well, most of it) is happy to see him back on the court. Here’s ESPN Los Angeles on Kobe’s return:

Kobe Bryant said he was “pleased” with the way his body responded Sunday, playing in his first NBA game in nearly eight months since tearing the Achilles tendon in his left leg, but the warm and fuzzy feelings ended there.

Bryant was his biggest critic after the Los Angeles Lakers’ 106-94 loss to the Toronto Raptors.

“I’m just insanely critical,” Bryant said after finishing with nine points, eight rebounds, four assists, two steals and eight turnovers in 28 minutes. “There was a bunch of things that I completely messed up on.”

When asked to grade his performance, Bryant gave himself an “F.” And when asked whether he had been “reborn in a new form,” he quipped, “Right now my form is a horse’s a– form.” Bryant was particularly down on himself for being responsible for a hefty portion of the Lakers’ 19 turnovers, which led to 22 points for Toronto.

“I failed miserably at that,” Bryant said after revealing that his personal expectation for his debut was to avoid turnovers. “That was really the biggest thing for me, just trying to take care of the basketball, because I know I’m going to be in charge of making some decisions out there. … Basketballwise, I’m not happy.”

Washington Wizards working rookie Otto Porter into the mix

Here’s the Washington Post Blog with an update on Washington Wizards rookie Otto Porter Jr:

Otto Porter Jr. has joined the Wizards at a time when they have been hit with another wave of injuries, but Coach Randy Wittman has no intention of placing a heavy load upon a rookie who is still getting acclimated to the NBA after missing nearly three months with a strained right hip flexor.

“I can’t get the cart ahead of the horse here,” Wittman said. “I’ve got to make sure he gets comfortable, his conditioning. He said his legs felt like Jell-O out there a little bit, the first time he was out there. Keep monitoring that.”

Wittman inserted Porter at the start of the second quarter of the Wizards’ 109-105 overtime loss to the Milwaukee Bucks, right after Martell Webster ended the first period by missing a desperation three-pointer and spraining his left ankle.

Porter admitted that he was overwhelmed by emotion in his NBA debut.

Michael Carter-Williams hospitalized with skin infection

Here’s the Philadelphia Inquirer with a health report on Sixers rookie Michael Carter-Williams:

The 76ers are saying that Michael Carter-Williams is fine.

It turns out, however, that his right-knee problems are being caused by an infection. The rookie point guard spent Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights at the University of Pennsylvania Hospital because of soreness and a skin infection on the front of the knee.

The 6-foot-6, 185-pounder is being treated by infectious-disease specialist Neil Fishman and the team physician, Brian Sennett. He is listed as day-to-day after missing his second consecutive game, Saturday night against the Denver Nuggets at the Wells Fargo Center.

“More precautionary stuff with our team doctor,” coach Brett Brown said of Carter-Williams’ hospital stay. “It’s a right-knee infection that really is being monitored closely, but nothing to get too overly concerned with.”

Sacramento Kings recall center Hamady Ndiaye from D-League

The Sacramento Kings recalled center Hamady Ndiaye (Ah-meh-dee enj-eye) from the team’s NBA Development League affiliate, the Reno Bighorns, it was announced today by General Manager Pete D’Alessandro. Ndiaye will rejoin the Kings squad in Utah for tonight’s game against the Jazz at EnergySolutions Arena.

Ndiaye recorded seven points (2-4 FG, 3-6 FT), a team-high-tying seven rebounds, two assists and four blocks in 24 minutes starting for the Bighorns in Reno’s first win of the season, a 129-122 victory over the Santa Cruz Warriors last night at the Reno Events Center.

Originally from Senegal, the 7-foot center is averaging 0.2 points (1-6 FG, 0-1 FT), 1.4 rebounds and 5.8 minutes per game in nine appearances this season for the Kings. This was the fourth D-League team Ndiaye has seen action with, having played for the Dakota Wizards (2010-11), Maine Red Claws (2011-12) and Iowa Energy (2011-12).

Ndiaye became the second Kings player to be assigned to Reno this season after Ray McCallum played three games with the Bighorns during his stint from November 21-27.

To improve, Arron Afflalo studied video of Jordan and Kobe

The Orlando Magic are rebuilding, and a losing team, and in such a situation it tends to be easier for a player with talent to stand out more than he normally might on a better team. With that disclaimer out of the way, Magic guard Arron Afflalo is having a terrific season. Here’s OrlandoMagic.com with more:

Afflalo wanted to learn ways to create more space against one-on-one defenders, so he started studying two of the best pure scorers in NBA history in Jordan and Bryant.

“I watched a lot of film on (Bryant), and I always have since I was growing up in L.A.,’’ Afflalo said. “And everybody wants to be Michael Jordan when they are little, so I’ve watched a lot of Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant. They’re the two best in my era. So this summer I watched a lot of their isolation moves and footwork to see how to frame myself up better for shots.’’

The offseason work has paid enormous benefits for Afflalo and the Magic this season. He’s averaging career bests in scoring (22.6 ppg.), rebounds (4.6 rpg.), assists (4.2 apg.) and 3-point shooting (46.3 percent). He’s scored 30 points in a game four times this season, including a career-best 43 points on Tuesday in a double-overtime loss to the Philadelphia 76ers.

Afflalo said the studying of Bryant and Jordan has taught him that sometimes it’s better to take comfortable mid-range jumps rather than driving into the teeth of the defense where shots can be much more difficult to launch.

Kelly Olynyk may return soon for Celtics

After trading Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, the Boston Celtics are building. Yet with a 9-12 record, playing without injured point guard Rajon Rondo, they have done better than expected. And currently lead the woeful Atlantic divison — for now. Here’s ESPN Boston with more good news for the team:

Boston Celtics coach Brad Stevens said that rookie forward/center Kelly Olynyk went through an individual workout on Friday and could return to game action next week.

Olynyk suffered what Stevens had dubbed a “significant” sprain of his right ankle during a loss to the Indiana Pacers on Nov. 23. He was expected to miss two weeks, which would have put him back on the court for Friday’s visit from the Denver Nuggets, but needed additional time to heal. Olynyk will miss his seventh straight game on Friday, but Stevens said he could be back as early as Tuesday’s visit to the Brooklyn Nets.