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The San Antonio Spurs today announced that they have waived guard James Anderson.
Anderson was signed by the Spurs on Nov. 21 and saw action in 10 games, averaging 3.4 points and 1.4 rebounds in 9.4 minutes.
The Spurs this season have a 19-8 record, good for 4th in the Western conference.
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The milestone came without fanfare, befitting the low-key superstar who accomplished it.
With a pair of free throws at the 9:15 mark of the third quarter of the Spurs’ loss at Denver on Tuesday, Tim Duncan became the 26th NBA player to reach 23,000 points.
Needing 15 points to hit that plateau, Duncan didn’t stop there. He left the Pepsi Center with his season’s most power-packed box score: 31 points, 18 rebounds, six assists and five blocks.
It was another turn-back-the-clock night in a season full of them for the Spurs’ 36-year-old metronome…
He is one of only six active players to make this list.
— Reported by Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News
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The San Antonio Spurs today announced that they have recalled Kawhi Leonard from the Austin Toros of the NBA Development League.
The forward, who has been sidelined with quadriceps tendinitis, left knee since Nov. 17, was sent to the Toros for a medical rehab assignment on Wednesday.
Prior to the injury, Leonard appeared in nine games for the Silver and Black, averaging 10.6 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.00 steals in 28.9 minutes.
Rap star “Fat Joe” faces up to two years in prison after pleading guilty Thursday to failing to pay taxes on nearly $3 million in income over two years.
The performer, whose real name is Joseph Cartagena, entered the plea in federal court in New Jersey because some of the companies he earns money from are incorporated there.
The 42-year-old Miami Beach, Fla., resident entered pleas to two counts covering years 2007 and 2008 but his sentencing will take into consideration the government’s initial allegation that he failed to pay income taxes for years 2007 through 2010.
— Reported by the Associated Press
The Cleveland Cavaliers have recalled forward Jon Leuer from the Canton Charge, the Cavaliers exclusively owned and operated NBA Development League team, Cavaliers General Manager Chris Grant announced today.
Leuer has appeared in six games (all starts) for the Charge this season, averaging 20.3 points on .545 shooting and 12.3 rebounds in 35.8 minutes per game, helping the Charge go 5-1 in those games. Leuer has played in five games this season for the Cavs, averaging 3.2 points and 2.0 rebounds in 14.4 minutes per game.
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Oklahoma City’s biggest stars displayed a unique version of balanced scoring against Atlanta: Russell Westbrook led the Thunder in the first half and Kevin Durant dominated the Hawks over the final two quarters.
Durant set a season high with 41 points and Oklahoma City held off Atlanta 100-92 on Wednesday night for its 12th straight win.
Westbrook had 27 points – 21 in the first half – and 11 assists. Durant scored 28 points in the second half, including 18 in the fourth, and also had 13 rebounds.
No other Oklahoma City player scored in double figures…
Jeff Teague led Atlanta with 19 points, Josh Smith had 17 points and 12 rebounds, and Al Horford and Lou Williams scored 13 apiece.
Durant was especially strong after Atlanta cut a 16-point deficit midway through the third quarter to 73-69.
Durant slowed Atlanta’s comeback attempt when he dominated a sequence on both ends of the floor, blocking a shot by Smith before throwing down a jam. Smith drew a foul and Durant sank the free throw to push the lead to 85-75.
With about 3 minutes remaining, Durant hit a fallaway jumper. Less than a minute late, he made a spin move and then sank a 3-pointer over the 6-foot-7 Kyle Korver, who was left shaking his head.
— Reported by Charles Odum of the Associated Press
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The Los Angeles Clippers’ franchise record-tying 11th consecutive victory had owner Donald Sterling leading a ”hip, hip hooray” chant in the locker room.
Sterling grabbed the hand of coach Vinny Del Negro and held it up, exhorting his team, ”Let’s hear it for the coach.” Then he told Del Negro, ”Vinny, give me a hug” and the two men embraced.
”Eleven in a row. Not bad, is it?” Sterling said.
Blake Griffin scored 18 points and Jamal Crawford added 17 in the Clippers’ 93-77 win over the New Orleans Hornets on Wednesday night that tied the franchise mark set by the 1974-75 Buffalo Braves.
”That’s pretty special, especially to do it at home,” said Chris Paul, who had 10 points and 12 assists, giving him 5,003 in his career…
DeAndre Jordan added 12 points for the Clippers, whose 19-6 record is tied with New York for second-best in the NBA.
Robin Lopez scored 14 of his 22 points in the first quarter and rookie Anthony Davis added 16 for the Hornets. They lost their ninth in a row and 11th in 12 games while falling to 2-10 on the road. They were the last team to beat the Clippers on Nov. 26…
Paul fed Griffin for a layup late in the second quarter to notch his 5,000th assist, triggering a standing ovation. Griffin got fouled on the play and made the free throw. It came during an 11-0 run that provided the Clippers’ largest lead to that point, 46-30. Paul’s alley-oop pass to Griffin led to a fast-break dunk for the Clippers’ final basket of the half, with them leading 48-38.
— Reported by Beth Harris of the Associated Press
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The San Antonio Spurs today announced that they have assigned Kawhi Leonard to the Austin Toros of the NBA Development League for a medical rehab assignment. Leonard has been sidelined with quadriceps tendinitis, left knee since Nov. 17.
Prior to the injury, Leonard appeared in nine games for the Silver and Black, averaging 10.6 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.00 steals in 28.9 minutes.
Leonard will practice with the Toros today and then be re-evaluated by team doctors. At that point, a timeline for his return will be determined.
The Detroit Pistons announced today that they have recalled rookies Khris Middleton and Kim English from their NBA Development League affiliate, the Fort Wayne Mad Ants.
Middleton averaged 11.0 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 26.3 minutes in three games (all starts). He scored 19 points and grabbed nine rebounds against the Maine Red Claws on 12/14 – both highs for his D-League stint. Middleton was drafted 39th overall in the 2012 NBA Draft by the Pistons. The Texas A&M product has appeared in three Pistons’ games this season averaging 1.3 points, 0.7 assists and 0.7 steals. He scored a season-high four points and recorded two steals at Houston (11/10).
English averaged 18.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 36.7 minutes in three games (all starts). He scored 24 points and grabbed six rebounds against the Maine Red Claws on 12/14 – both highs for his stint in the D-League. English was the 44th pick of the 2012 NBA Draft from the University of Missouri and has seen action in 10 games with the Pistons this season. He scored a season-high eight points twice [vs. Houston (10/31) and at L.A. Lakers (11/4)] and is averaging 3.2 points, 0.5 rebounds and 0.7 assists while shooting 50% (8-16) from three-point range.
Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas will join NBA TV as a studio analyst.
Thomas will debut Friday and make several appearances a month. He’ll also be a regular contributor to NBA.com.
The 12-time All-Star point guard led the Detroit Pistons to two NBA titles. But he’s more recently remembered for his stint running the New York Knicks, who failed to win a playoff game with Thomas as coach or president.
— Reported by the Associated Press