Author: Inside Hoops

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Stephen Curry is banged up, but seems fine

Good news from the Golden State Warriors this afternoon. Not that an injury to Stephen Curry is good news. Rather, that it’s minor, and no big deal.

Curry suffered a left ankle bone bruise during last night’s 106-93 victory at Minnesota, an MRI conducted this morning in Minnesota confirmed. He is listed as day-to-day.

According to Marcus Thompson of the Bay Area News Group, “Warriors point guard Stephen Curry got some good new Thursday. An MRI revealed he sustained a bone bruise in his left ankle, per Golden State. No ankle sprain.”

Sacramento Kings arena working to improve food service

Look. You can’t just attend a sporting event and watch the sport. You have to eat, and drink, and then eat and drink some more. And then halftime comes, and you keep eating and drinking. And on it goes. It’s important. And here’s the Sacramento Bee on the situation at Kings games:

The Sacramento Kings acknowledged they’re having “growing pains” with some of the new services available to fans at Sleep Train Arena.

Most notably, fans have taken to social media to complain about long lines and slow service at the arena’s revamped concession stands. Those stations are offering food from local farms and ranches, along with some local beer and wine.

Fans have generally had good things to say about the quality of the food – but say it isn’t getting to them fast enough.

Zach Randolph leaves Grizzlies game as fiancee goes into labor

If there’s one reason for a professional basketball player to leave right in the middle of a game, this is it. The Associated Press reports:

zach randolph

Memphis forward Zach Randolph left the Grizzlies’ game Wednesday night against the New Orleans Pelicans when his fiancee, Faune, went into labor.

Randolph played 8 minutes of the first quarter and hit his only shot before leaving the arena in the second quarter.

Gerald Wallace still adjusting to life on the Celtics

The Boston Celtics are reconstructing themselves, and there are bound to be some growing pains in the process. Here’s NESN reporting:

Gerald Wallace

Wins do wonders to smooth frayed nerves.

A couple of hours after expressing exasperation with his role and frustration with being taken out of the starting lineup, Gerald Wallace changed his tune after the Celtics recorded their first win of the season with a 97-87 victory over the Utah Jazz on Wednesday. The 13-year veteran even joked a little about his 31-year-old body’s adjustment to the rigors of coming off the bench.

“My back tightened up coming in there,” Wallace said. “It’s a lot different coming off the bench, but other than that, it was a fun experience for me.”

Wallace scored nine points — his second-highest scoring total of the season — in 23 minutes as a reserve as the Celtics hung on after letting their 25-point lead get whittled down to six points in the fourth quarter.

Knicks center Tyson Chandler out 4-6 weeks with injury

The New York Knicks are off to a rough start this season. They’ve been without J.R. Smith, but even so, there are some issues. And now things get tougher due to a major injury. Here’s New York Newsday:

Knicks center Tyson Chandler out 4-6 weeks

Tyson Chandler had returned this season stronger and looking to make amends for his poor playoff performance last year. But Chandler won’t be helping the Knicks anytime soon.

The Knicks said Chandler will be sidelined four to six weeks after suffering a non-displaced fracture of his right fibula in Tuesday night’s loss to the Bobcats. According to the Knicks, Chandler doesn’t have any ligament or nerve damage and won’t require surgery.

But this is a still a huge loss for the Knicks, who have dropped three straight games after winning their opener. Chandler is one of their most indispensible players, and their defensive anchor in the middle.

In Tuesday night’s 102-97 defeat, the Bobcats met little resistance inside and outrebounded the Knicks 51-33. Chandler played just the first 6:35 of the game.

Caron Butler fined $15,000 for obscene gesture

Caron Butler fined $15,000 for obscene gesture

The NBA has rules about how players can express themselves. There is a code of conduct, and it is not to be broken.

Milwaukee Bucks forward Caron Butler has been fined $15,000 for making an obscene gesture during the Bucks’ 105-98 win over the Boston Celtics on Friday, Nov. 1, at TD Garden in Boston, it was announced today by Rod Thorn, President, Basketball Operations.

Butler’s actions occurred with 3:54 remaining in the fourth quarter of the game.

LeBron makes it 500 straight games scoring in double digits

Here’s the South Florida Sun Sentinel, reporting on how LeBron James continues to do some of hte biggest things in the NBA anyone has seen in a long time:

lebron james

With his 10th point in Tuesday night’s game against the Toronto Raptors at the Air Canada Centre, Miami Heat forward LeBron James became the fifth player in NBA history to score in double figures in 500 or more consecutive games.

James reached 500 with a first-quarter dunk.

It is the longest active such streak in the NBA.

Mark Jackson wants Warriors bench to step up

Here’s CSN Bay Area on the Golden State Warriors:

Warriors

“I’ve been very disappointed in the way that those guys have closed out ballgames,” coach Mark Jackson said after the 110-90 win over Philadelphia on Monday. “They’ve had opportunities to play extended minutes and they haven’t made statements with their play.”

It is conceivable, even likely, that there will be no complete second unit, that one or more starters always will be on the floor. Jackson has on several occasions indicated precisely that. And the backups, though not lacking for effort, have given him no convincing reason to reconsider. They gave back nearly half of the 39-point lead they inherited against the 76ers.

Anthony Bennett shooting 0-for-15 in first four NBA games

Yeah, it’s early. The number one pick in the 2013 NBA Draft, playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers, is just four games into his career in the league. And he’s only taken 15 shots so far. But still, it’ll be cool when he finally hits one. Here’s the the Akron Beacon Journal:

Anthony Bennett’s scoring drought is reaching historic levels, but coach Mike Brown is sticking with the No. 1 pick in the draft.

Bennett is 0 for 15 shooting through the Cavs’ first four games, tying him with Olden Polynice, Terence Morris and Reggie Evans for the second-longest games played streak to begin a career without a basket (since the 1985-86 season), according to STATS, LLC.

Should he fail to score a basket in Wednesday’s game at Milwaukee, he’ll tie Joel Anthony for the longest games played drought to start a career. The Heat’s Anthony, ironically another Canadian who like Bennett also attended UNLV, played five full games his rookie year with the Miami Heat before making his first basket. The difference, of course, is Joel Anthony was an undrafted free agent who attempted just two shots in those five games. Bennett is the reigning No. 1 pick in the draft.