Inside Hoops – Page 1385 – NBA Blog

Kobe Bryant maxing out his minutes, production

Kobe Bryant will always be associated with the number 81, and with good reason. But here are two more digits tied to Bryant that are just as eye-popping: 79.

As in 79 seconds, the total amount of time Bryant has sat in the Los Angeles Lakers’ last two games — both wins — coming just shy of going the distance and playing the maximum 96 minutes.

Bryant scoring in the 80s as a 27-year-old was one thing. But to play two entire games in a row as a 34-year-old nursing a bum left ankle that exacerbated a bone spur in his left foot? And then to not only play that much time, but to average 21 points, 12.5 assists, 10 rebounds, three steals and one blocked shot? Well, that’s another thing altogether.

“Hopefully all those minutes that he’s playing won’t affect him in a negative way down the road,” Pau Gasol said. “He’s giving it all. He knows the importance of this time of the year, and he’s just fully working and fully playing at his best.”

— Reported by Dave McMenamin of ESPN Los Angeles

Mark Cuban says he would consider taking Brittney Griner in NBA Draft

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban says he would consider drafting Baylor All-American Brittney Griner.

Cuban told reporters before Tuesday night’s game between the Mavericks and the Lakers that if Griner is the best player available, “I will take her.”

The 6-foot-8 Griner finished her college career as the NCAA leader in blocked shots and the second-leading scorer in women’s college basketball history.

Cuban says he has already thought about it and “Right now, I’d lean towards yes, just to see if she can do it. You never know unless you give somebody a chance.”

— Reported by the Associated Press

Cuban: “I’ve thought about it already,” he said. “Would I do it? And right now, I’d lean toward yes, just to see if she can do it.

“You never know until you give someone a chance. And it’s not like the likelihood of any late-50s draft pick has a good chance of making it. If we had tryouts, I would have no problem inviting her to work out and see how she did. No problem whatsoever.”

Cuban said he’s watched Griner play a lot, but hasn’t really been able to draw any conclusions. He said he’d like to see her against tougher competition.

— Reported by Kevin Sherrington of the Dallas Morning News

Basketball world awaits school decision from Andrew Wiggins

Andrew Wiggins is used to facing full-court presses on the court, but, this week, he’s being blitzed off of it as well.

Wiggins, the 18-year-old Vaughan native who is, by all accounts the best non-NBA player in the world, has not yet picked a college destination.

Only Wiggins and one other player — out of 25 at the McDonald’s All-American game — remain undecided, which is why just about all of the other future stars on hand in Chicago this week are trying to get Wiggins to join forces with them next fall.

Florida State, Kentucky, Kansas and North Carolina are the four schools still in the running.

— Reported by Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun

Tough for Mavericks to make playoffs this season

Mathematically, they remain alive. But after the Los Angeles Lakers controlled them all night for a 101-81 victory, the Mavericks must face the grim reality that their playoff hopes bit the dust at Staples Center.

“We knew we were behind the 8-ball all season,” said Dirk Nowitzki. “This was a game we needed to have if we really wanted to make it interesting.”

The Mavericks fell behind by 16 points in the second quarter and never made it up. Their fight was commendable, but their execution and talent level simply wasn’t equal to the Lakers, who rode Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard and Earl Clark to the win.

The Mavericks lost the season series to the Lakers 3-1 and fell to 36-38, 2 ½ games behind the Lakers and Utah Jazz, who are tied for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

— Reported by Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News

Carmelo Anthony scores 50 points on banged-up Heat

On this night, LeBron James couldn’t touch Carmelo Anthony — and Melo should thank Miami president Pat Riley for it.

With James and Dwyane Wade sitting out Tuesday night’s showdown with “minor’’ ailments, Anthony put on a South Beach show with 50 points in 40 minutes.

Anthony carried the Knicks to a 102-90 victory at AmericanAirlines Arena for their ninth straight victory — their longest winning streak since 1993-94.

Anthony had 42 points after three quarters but needed a 19-footer with 16.9 seconds to reach the magical 50 that tied his career high. James had a great view from the bench — as Anthony sank 18 of 26 baskets, made 7 of 10 3-pointers and 7 of 8 free throws.

How’d it look, LeBron?

“He was unbelievable,’’ coach Mike Woodson said. “He refused to let us lose tonight. He wasn’t forcing anything. Some things come easy for a great player and tonight he did everything he was supposed to do to put us in position to win.’’

— Reported by Marc Berman of the New York Post

J.R. Smith scored 14 and Raymond Felton added 10 for New York.

Chris Bosh scored 23 points for Miami, which beat San Antonio on Sunday without James, Wade and Chalmers, but managed only 32 second-half points against the Knicks. Mike Miller scored 18, Ray Allen finished with 16 and Norris Cole had 14 for the Heat, whose 17-game home winning streak was snapped.

The Knicks beat the Heat in three of their four regular-season matchups. They likely would not meet again before the Eastern Conference finals.

— Reported by Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press

Ex-NBA player Javaris Crittenton indicted on murder charges

Former NBA player and Atlanta native Javaris Crittenton was indicted Tuesday on charges of murder and gang activity.

The Fulton County District Attorney’s office said Crittenton, 25, and his cousin, Douglas Gamble, were charged in a 12-count indictment in the death of an Atlanta woman and the attempted murder of another man.

Julian Jones – a mother of two – was shot and killed in southwest Atlanta while walking with a group of people in August 2011. Authorities say that incident and a second shooting were gang-related. Officials say the shootings may have been retaliation after Crittenton was the victim of a robbery in which $50,000 worth of jewelry was stolen.

Crittenton, a former Georgia Tech guard, was drafted by the Lakers in 2007 and has also played for the Washington Wizards and Memphis Grizzlies. He was suspended for 38 games during the 2009-10 season for pulling a gun in the Wizards’ locker room.

— Reported by the Associated Press

LeBron, Wade, Chalmers out for Heat against Knicks

Minor nicks, as Heat coach Erik Spoelstra put it, will keep Miami starters LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Mario Chalmers from playing against the New York Knicks.

Spoelstra ruled all three out for Tuesday night’s game, with James battling hamstring tightness and Wade and Chalmers dealing with right ankle sprains.

”Everybody’s human,” Spoelstra said.

It’s the second straight game in which Miami will miss those three starters. The Heat won in San Antonio 88-86 on Sunday without them. Spoelstra said all three players are improving, and none of them were available for comment after Miami’s shootaround Tuesday morning.
The Heat were expected to keep the same starting lineup from the Spurs game, with Rashard Lewis starting for James, Mike Miller for Wade and Norris Cole for Chalmers.

— Reported by Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press

NBA referee Greg Willard dies of cancer

Greg Willard, a longtime NBA referee who worked more than 1,600 games before he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, has died. He was 54.

Willard died Monday night, according to the league. He was diagnosed with the illness during last season’s playoffs and worked only one more game, a preseason matchup in October not far from his Huntington Beach, Calif., home.

Some NBA players, including three-time MVP LeBron James of the Miami Heat, New Orleans guard Roger Mason and Sacramento center Cole Aldrich, tweeted condolences to Willard’s family, as did Golden State coach Mark Jackson. More tributes were expected in the coming days, including moments of silence in Willard’s memory at all NBA games Tuesday and Wednesday…

Willard officiated 1,494 regular-season games, 136 playoff games, two NBA Finals games, the 2006 All-Star game and Europe Live games in 2006 in Italy, France and Germany in a career that spanned nearly a quarter-century.

— Reported by Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press

Suns, president of basketball operations Lon Babby agree to new contract

The Phoenix Suns today announced that the club has reached an agreement with President of Basketball Operations Lon Babby on a new two-year contract. The deal will keep Babby in his current position through 2014-15.

“Lon has led our front office during this important transition period for the organization and he has my full support as we continue to rebuild,” said Suns Managing Partner Robert Sarver.

Babby was originally named just the fourth basketball president in franchise history on July 20, 2010, after almost 35 years as a practicing attorney with Washington, DC-based Williams & Connolly, LLP, where he was an industry leader in sports and contract negotiations.

Charged with guiding the Suns through a time of transition and building for the future, Babby and his basketball operations staff have placed a premium on building through the draft, demonstrated with the selections of Markieff Morris (2011) and Kendall Marshall (2012), and the acquisition of additional picks that will give Phoenix six first-round and four second-round selections for a total of 10 picks in the next three drafts. In addition, through a series of transactions, the Suns have infused youth by adding Goran Dragic (26), Marcin Gortat (29), Wesley Johnson (25), PJ Tucker (27), Marcus Morris (23) and Michael Beasley (24).

“I greatly appreciate the faith that Robert Sarver and the entire Suns organization have demonstrated with this new contract,” said Babby. “We have begun the heavy lifting needed to rebuild our team. While the transition is often painful, I am entirely confident that we are taking the necessary steps to regain elite NBA status. I fully embrace the opportunity to continue on that path.”

One of the industry’s most successful and well-regarded player agents, Babby began his career in sports representing first the NFL’s Washington Redskins (1977-84) and then MLB’s Baltimore Orioles (1979-94). For the Orioles, he was intimately involved in the senior management of the club. He first served as club counsel and then general counsel, overseeing player contract negotiations, advertising and marketing contracts, labor issues and general business matters, including the construction of Oriole Park at Camden Yards. During his tenure, the Redskins appeared in two Super Bowls, winning in 1983, and the Orioles appeared in two World Series, also winning in 1983.

Nets sign Kris Joseph to 10-day contract

The Brooklyn Nets have signed forward Kris Joseph to a 10-day contract, it was announced today by General Manager Billy King.

Joseph (6-7/215) becomes Brooklyn’s second NBA D-League Call-Up of the season, joining the Nets from the Springfield Armor. In 27 combined games for Springfield and Maine this season, Joseph averaged 18.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.7 steals in 34.0 minutes per game. Acquired from Maine on February 11, 2013, Joseph has started 15 games for the Armor, averaging 19.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.7 steals in 34.1 minutes per game.

The Syracuse University product was selected in the second round (51st overall) of the 2012 NBA Draft by the Boston Celtics. In six games for the Celtics this season, he averaged 1.2 points and 0.8 rebounds in 3.8 minutes per game.