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Raptors assign Nathan Jawai to D-League

The Toronto Raptors announced Thursday they have assigned rookie forward-centre Nathan Jawai to the Idaho Stampede of the NBA Development League. Jawai will continue to be included on the Raptors’ roster and will be placed on the team’s inactive list.

Jawai, 22, has appeared in five games totaling two points and two rebounds in 18 minutes. He was cleared December 17 to begin physical activity after being sidelined since training camp for precautionary reasons as a result of an abnormality detected during normal procedural pre-season cardiac screening.

The club acquired the draft rights to Jawai from the Indiana Pacers on July 9. He was the 41st overall selection in the 2008 NBA Draft. He is the first indigenous player from Australia to be drafted by an NBA team.

Jawai is the third Raptor to be assigned to the D-League. P.J. Tucker was assigned twice to Colorado during the 2006-07 season and Pape Sow was assigned to the Arkansas Rimrockers in the 2005-06 campaign.

Idaho, who is led by head coach Bryan Gates, has been designated as Toronto’s D-League affiliate for the 2008-09 season. In addition to the Stampede, the 16-team NBA D-League includes the Albuquerque Thunderbirds (N.M.), Anaheim Arsenal (Calif.), Austin Toros (Texas), Bakersfield Jam (Calif.), Colorado 14ers (Broomfield), Dakota Wizards (Bismarck, N.D.), Erie BayHawks (Penn.), Fort Wayne Mad Ants (Ind.), Iowa Energy (Des Moines), Los Angeles D-Fenders, Reno Bighorns (Nev.),

Rio Grande Valley Vipers (McAllen, Tex.), Sioux Falls Skyforce (S.D.), Tulsa 66ers (Okla.) and Utah Flash (Provo).

Rocky Mountain News to close

The Denver Nuggets are covered by two main newspapers, the Denver Post and the Rocky Mountain News. The latter, which features fantastic writer Chris Tomasson, is closing in a mere 24 hours. This news obviously stretches way beyond basketball, but in terms of Nuggets coverage this is awful. The Rocky Mountain News reports the following, on themselves:

The Rocky Mountain News publishes its last paper tomorrow. Rich Boehne, chief executive officer of Scripps, broke the news to the Rocky staff at noon today, ending nearly three months of speculation over the paper’s future. He called the paper a victim of a terrible economy and an upheaval in the newspaper industry. “Denver can’t support two newspapers any longer,” Boehne told staffers, some of whom cried at the news. “It’s certainly not good news for you, and it’s certainly not good news for Denver.” On Dec. 4, Boehne announced that Scripps was looking for a buyer for the Rocky and its 50 percent interest in the Denver Newspaper Agency, the company that handles business matters for the papers, because of financial losses in Denver. Scripps said the Rocky lost $16 million in 2008.

Print media continues to lose readers and business to the internet (where you can also find the print product available free of charge). The current very bad economy is affecting businesses around the country and world. These factors and more spell gloomy days for the newspaper business for months and possibly years to come.

–Jeff

Kevin Durant’s college jersey retired

The Oklahoman (Darnell Mayberry) reports (via blog): Kevin Durant had his No. 35 jersey retired last night at the University of Texas and called it an “unbelievable” experience… “I told myself I wasn’t going to cry,” Durant said. ”But once they played a video of highlights from when I was there and then unveiled the jersey I got real emotional. It was one of the best days of my life. I’ve come a long way. A lot of people doubted me when I was growing up. A lot of people doubted me and said I wasn’t going to be anything when I went to Texas. So it feels good to prove all those people wrong and shine some light on the university and also Oklahoma City. So I was excited and it was a great time for me and my family.”

No suspension for Rasheed Wallace, yet

Detroit Pistons veteran forward Rasheed Wallace was set to be suspended due to the NBA’s rule about the number of technical fouls a player is allowed to receive.

But, it won’t happen. Yet. Michican Live (A. Sherrod Blakely ) reports:

Although Wallace picked up his 15th and 16th technical fouls of the season last night — which should have earned him a one-game suspension — a team official learned this morning that two of Wallace’s technicals from earlier this season (Dec. 23 and Feb. 7) have been rescinded.

Both teams played hard.

Bulls to visit President Obama

The White House has announced that the Chicago Bulls team will be visiting with President Barack Obama at approximately 2:45 p.m. CT in the Blue Room of the White House this afternoon.

“The opportunity to visit President Obama at the White House is a great honor for the Chicago Bulls organization,” stated Steve Schanwald, Executive Vice President of Business Operations for the team. “The President has been a fan of the Bulls for many years and we are very appreciative of this opportunity to say hello to him and pay our respects.”

Randolph leads Clippers upset of Celtics

The AP reports: Zach Randolph scored 30 points, including the final three of the game, to lead the Clippers past the defending NBA champions—who have run into injury problems of their own. Already missing Kevin Garnett and Brian Scalabrine, the Celtics lost a bit more of their edge when Paul Pierce dislocated his right thumb in the third quarter, and again in the fourth. He finished with 20 points, but went 7-of-19 from the floor and missed a 13-footer that would have given Boston the lead with 20 seconds remaining… Randolph also had 12 rebounds. Davis had 16 points, seven rebounds and five assists for Los Angeles. Rondo and Ray Allen each scored 17 in the loss.

Wallace and Bobcats beat Kings 98-91

The AP reports: Once a seldom-used Kings reserve, Gerald Wallace returned to Sacramento and enjoyed a starring role. Wallace showed little remorse for the struggling Kings, scoring 27 points to help the Charlotte Bobcats win their first road game in nearly a month, defeating the Sacramento 98-91 Wednesday night… Boris Diaw scored 23 points for Charlotte, which had dropped seven straight road games. Emeka Okafor had 13 points and 11 rebounds, DJ Augustin scored 12 points and Vladimir Radmanovic added 10. Kevin Martin scored 23 points for the disjointed Kings, who added seven new players following last week’s trading deadline. Francisco Garcia had 15 points, newcomer Drew Gooden scored 12 and collected 13 rebounds, and Andres Nocioni added 11 points.

Nuggets end skid, beat Hawks 110-109

The AP reports: For the fourth straight game, the Denver Nuggets trudged off the court, scowls on their faces, dejection in their gait—only this time they won. “I was angry,” explained Chauncey Billups, who scored a season-best 33 points for Denver, which escaped with a 110-109 win over the depleted Atlanta Hawks when Flip Murray’s 14-footer bounced off the rim at the buzzer Wednesday night… The Hawks were without starters Mike Bibby (flu) and Josh Smith (family matter). Bibby was replaced by Murray, who scored 15 points, at point guard, and forward Zaza Pachulia (nine points) took Smith’s place in the lineup. Marvin Williams led Atlanta with a season-best 31 points, Johnson had 26 and Horford 21 points and 11 boards.

No Duncan, but Spurs beat Blazers 99-84

The AP reports: With Tim Duncan sidelined for the second straight game with a leg injury, Tony Parker scored 39 points in a dazzling encore to his 37 the previous night, and the Spurs continued Portland’s misery in San Antonio with a 99-84 win over the Trail Blazers on Wednesday night… Matt Bonner added 15 points and Michael Finley had 13 for San Antonio, which held Portland to 37.6 percent shooting from the floor. It was the second straight night San Antonio held its opponent to under 40 percent, and the Spurs improved to 10-0 when that happens… Brandon Roy had 14 points and LaMarcus Aldridge had 13 for the Trail Blazers.