The AP reports: Rajon Rondo had 16 points and 10 assists and the Celtics coasted to a 102-86 victory over Milwaukee on Friday night. The Bucks made more moves off the court than on it: They announced the hiring of former Pistons vice president John Hammond as general manager during the third quarter… Kevin Garnett scored 12 points with eight assists, leaving with 5:30 left in the third and Boston leading 72-47… Michael Redd scored 18 for the Bucks, Andrew Bogut had 14 and Ramon Sessions scored eight with 14 assists as the Bucks lost their fifth consecutive game. Michael Ruffin had nine rebounds off the bench despite a sprained ankle.
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Apr. 11: Pacers 85, Sixers 76
The AP reports: Danny Granger scored 15 of his 30 points in the third quarter as the Pacers kept their slim Eastern Conference playoff hopes alive with an 85-76 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night… “We knew Atlanta was winning,” said Granger, who also had 12 rebounds. “We knew we had to have this one.” … While Andre Miller paced the 76ers with 23 points and Thaddeus Young scored 21, three of the young players who have contributed to Philadelphia’s surprising midseason resurgence struggled with miserable nights from the floor. Willie Green (2-for-14), Lou Williams (2-for-12), and Rodney Carney (1-for-11) combined to hit five of 37 shots.
Apr. 11: Raptors 113, Nets 85
The AP reports: After New Jersey was eliminated from playoff contention, Nets coach Lawrence Frank was apologetic for the Nets’ poor play. Carlos Delfino scored 24 points, Chris Bosh had 21 and the Toronto Raptors beat the Nets 113-85 victory Friday night… Vince Carter had 21 points and Devin Harris added 19 for the Nets, who last missed the playoffs in 2001 season… T.J. Ford and Andrea Bargnani each scored 14 as the Raptors rallied from a 14-point deficit in the second quarter to beat the Nets for the third time in four games this season… Toronto’s Jose Calderon finished with 11 points and 10 assists.
Apr. 11: Bulls 100, Cavs 95
The AP reports: While LeBron James made it look easy early on, tying his team record by scoring 24 of his 34 points in the first quarter, the Chicago Bulls eventually found a clear path to the rim and beat Cleveland 100-95 on Friday night… Luol Deng led the Bulls with 21 points. Tyrus Thomas added 20 points and 14 rebounds, Joakim Noah chipped in 17 and 11 for Chicago, and both delivered ferocious dunks that left James and coach Mike Brown saying they were embarrassed… James, who finished 13-for-21 from the field, wowed the crowd midway through the first quarter when he drove up court and past Thomas for a hard dunk, and the acrobatics continued.
Apr. 11: Wolves 102, Magic 101
The AP reports: Ryan Gomes made a pair of free throws with 2.9 seconds remaining to give the Timberwolves a 102-101 victory over the playoff-bound Orlando Magic on Friday night, snapping a six-game losing streak… Minnesota’s Randy Foye had a game-high 25 points and reserve Rashad McCants added 19. Turkoglu scored 23 points to lead the Magic, who were just 8-for-21 from the field in the fourth quarter. Dwight Howard had 20 points and 14 rebounds for his 68th double-double of the season, tying Shaquille O’Neal’s franchise record set in 1992-93, and Rashard Lewis added 18.
Brad Miller has right elbow surgery
Sacramento Kings’ center Brad Miller underwent successful surgery today at the UC Davis Medical Center to remove a bone chip in his right elbow. Dr. Richard Marder performed procedure.
Miller will resume basketball activities in approximately three to four weeks.
Bucks name John Hammond general manager
John Hammond has been named General Manager of the Milwaukee Bucks, the team announced tonight. Hammond brings over 29 years of basketball coaching and administrative experience to the Bucks and spent the past seven seasons in the Detroit Pistons organization as the Vice President of Basketball Operations.
“We are pleased to have John Hammond assume leadership of our basketball operations, effective immediately,” Bucks President Herb Kohl said. “He is a proven NBA talent who has played an essential role in a winning NBA organization. We look forward to John’s contributions to our franchise.”
During Hammond’s seven seasons in Detroit, the Pistons won 50-plus games for all seven seasons, won six Central Division titles, made five consecutive Eastern Conference Finals appearances (2002-03 through 2006-07), and amassed an overall record of 330-158 (.676), including a league-best 64 wins during the 2006-07 season. The Pistons also made two NBA Finals appearances (2004, 2006) and won an NBA Championship (2004) during his six seasons as vice president.
“I want to thank Senator Kohl for the opportunity to be the general manager of the Bucks,” said Hammond. “I had the pleasure of working under one of the best executives in the game today in Joe Dumars and I thank him for the opportunity he gave me to be a part of Detroit’s winning tradition. The Bucks are a history-rich franchise with amazing fans and I look forward to the challenge of bringing a championship back to Milwaukee.”
Hammond’s recent stint with the Pistons was his second. His association with the franchise began in 1994 when he was hired as a scouting director. Doug Collins appointed him as an assistant coach in 1997, a position that he remained in until 1999. When Alvin Gentry replaced Collins as Detroit’s head coach, Hammond was appointed as his top assistant. Detroit made three playoff appearances during Hammond’s tenure as an assistant coach (1996, 1997 and 1999), winning 54 games during the 1996-97 season.
The 53-year-old Hammond worked as a lead assistant coach under Gentry for the Los Angeles Clippers during the 2000-01 season, his second tour of duty with that club. He also worked for the Clippers from 1990-93 as an assistant coach to Larry Brown. The team made two consecutive playoff appearances (1992, 1993) during that time. Hammond began NBA career in 1989 as an assistant coach and scout with the expansion Minnesota Timberwolves, helping assemble their roster during the team’s inaugural season.
Prior to entering the NBA ranks, Hammond spent six seasons as an assistant coach at Southwest Missouri State where he helped lead the school to three consecutive NCAA Tournament berths (1986, 1987 and 1988) and an NIT invitation in 1985. He also spent two seasons at Houston Baptist (1981-83), two seasons at Nebraska (1979-81) and three seasons at the high school level in the state of Nebraska.
Hammond is no stranger to the west side of Lake Michigan. He grew up in Zion, Illinois and attended Greenville College in Illinois where he earned his Bachelor’s degree while lettering twice in basketball and serving as a student assistant coach.
WNBA: Candace Parker and Lisa Leslie now teammates
The AP reports: Los Angeles Sparks coach Michael Cooper couldn’t help but get a little carried away talking about Candace Parker’s arrival and Lisa Leslie’s return. “This is ‘Showtime’ at its best,” Cooper said, referring to the Los Angeles Lakers teams that won three NBA championships in the 1980s. “This is Kareem (Abdul-Jabbar), Magic (Johnson) and (James) Worthy all together.” Parker, the top choice in Wednesday’s WNBA draft and The Associated Press’ player of the year, and Leslie met reporters Friday. Parker joins the Sparks after leading Tennessee to its second consecutive NCAA championship. Leslie, the WNBA’s career scoring and rebounding leader, returns after taking maternity leave last season.
Michael Jordan wins a legal battle
The AP reports: A woman must abide by a previous restraining order to avoid contact with former NBA star Michael Jordan and stop using litigation regarding the order to claim he fathered her child. Crawford County Judge Gordon Miller issued the ruling Thursday in response to motions filed this month by Lisa Miceli, 35, of Meadville, Pa., who was acting as her own attorney. “This is not a paternity suit nor a (child) support action,” Miller said in an eight-page opinion.
Spurs add DerMarr Johnson
The San Antonio Spurs today announced that they have signed guard/forward DerMarr Johnson. Per team policy terms of the deal were not disclosed. The former University of Cincinnati Bearcat was first signed by San Antonio on 12/29. He appeared in three games for Spurs where he averaged 4.0 points on .556 (5-9) shooting. Johnson was waived by the Spurs on 1/7.
He can fast break, but isn’t a particularly good shooter from either two or three-point range.