Author: Inside Hoops

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Nets sign Billy Thomas

The New Jersey Nets have signed free agent guard Billy Thomas, Nets President Rod Thorn announced today.  Per team policy, terms of the contract were not released.

The 6’5” Thomas played in 12 games this season for the Colorado 14ers of the NBA Development League, averaging 14.9 points 4.7 assists and 4.1 rebounds per game.

Now in his second stint with the Nets, Thomas played in 25 games with New Jersey in 2004-05, averaging 3.7 points and 1.4 rebounds per game.  The following season (2005-06), Thomas appeared in 17 games with the Washington Wizards.  Over his two NBA seasons, Thomas has posted career averages of 3.1 points and 1.2 rebounds in 42 games.

Following his four-year career at the University of Kansas, Thomas’ basketball travels have included stops in Argentina, the IBL, the Philippines, Italy, the CBA, and a previous two-year stint in the D-League with Greenville.

Sonics assign Mouhamed Sene to D-League

The Seattle Sonics announced Sunday that the team has assigned center Mouhamed Sene to the Idaho Stampede of the NBA Development League.

Under the affiliation system with the D-League, NBA teams can assign up to two players who are rookies or in their second season to their D-League affiliate. Players can stay with the D-League team for as long as the team wishes, and be recalled back to the NBA at any time. A player can only be sent to the D-League a maximum of three times during the season.

The Stampede, the D-League affiliate for the Sonics and the Portland Trail Blazers, are coached by Bryan Gates, who worked as an assistant for the Sonics during summer league play in Las Vegas and Salt Lake City this past July. Idaho will play host to Bakersfield on Dec. 26 and Anaheim on Dec. 28.

Paul Davis has major right knee injury

Los Angeles Clippers’ forward Paul Davis had an MRI performed on his injured right knee today in Los Angeles.  The MRI revealed a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and torn lateral meniscus in his right knee.  Davis will be examined by team physician Dr. Tony Daly on Monday morning.

Davis originally sustained the injury in the second quarter of the Clippers’ game last night in Dallas.  He returned to Los Angeles this morning to undergo the MRI.

In 22 games this season, Davis has averaged 2.5 points, 2.1 rebounds and 8.8 minutes per game.

Blazers recall Taurean Green from D-League

The Portland Trail Blazers recalled guard Taurean Green from the NBA  Development League’s Idaho Stampede, it was announced today by Trail Blazers  general manager Kevin Pritchard.
 
 Green, who was assigned to the Stampede on Dec. 10, averaged 19.3 points,  5.3 rebounds, 9.8 assists, 2.0 steals and 37.8 minutes in four games (all  starts) with the Trail Blazers’ D-League affiliate.
 
 Prior to joining the Stampede, Green posted averages of 2.3 points, 1.3  assists and 6.0 minutes in four games with the Trail Blazers this season after  being selected by Portland with the 52nd overall pick in the 2007 NBA  Draft.
 
 The 6-0, 177-pounder spent three seasons at the University of Florida,  where he guided the Gators to back-to-back NCAA National Championships as the  team’s starting point guard.

Blazers on amazing roll

CBS Sports (Tony Mejia) reports: Portland continued its unlikely run, winning its ninth consecutive game by rallying from a 7-point fourth quarter deficit against Toronto behind Brandon Roy’s 25 points, nine rebounds and eight assists. Roy is headed towards a third consecutive Western Conference Player of the Week award and has the Blazers in the playoff hunt through the quarter point of the season. “He’s not just having a hot streak,” coach Nate McMillan said. “What we’re seeing out of him is what he is capable of doing.” Given his production and the steady development of LaMarcus Aldridge, Travis Outlaw and Martell Webster, it’s scary to think what the Blazers would be doing if top draft pick Greg Oden were healthy. As it stands now, they’re right in the chase for the top spot in the Northwest Division.

Part-owner of Kings arrested

The AP reports: A part-owner of the NBA Sacramento Kings was arrested on a domestic violence charge, but his attorney said Friday there was no physical contact or abuse and no violence. Robert Hernreich, of Edwards, faces two counts of second-degree criminal trespass, harassment and domestic violence, all misdemeanors, the Eagle County sheriff’s office said in a statement. The charges stem from an incident Thursday night. Eagle County sheriff’s did not release additional details or immediately return messages left by The Associated Press.

Mourning always fought hard

Yahoo (Adrian Wojnarowski) reports:  Everyone told Alonzo Mourning to walk away with the Miami Heat’s championship two seasons ago. What else was left? Perhaps the parade down Biscayne Boulevard would’ve been a perfect storybook ending for everyone else, but ’Zo’s journey had been so different, so dramatic, maybe it wasn’t perfect for him. His life, his story, had never been neat and tidy this way. So yes, the disturbing tearing of tendons and muscles on Wednesday night was a horrible scene. Mourning crumpled to the floor clutching his knee, his basketball season, his career, over. And then, there was ’Zo. They wanted to carry him off the court, but he bit his lip, climbed to his feet and declared that he’d be damned if they were going to wheel him out of the gymnasium. He threw his arms around his teammates, and Alonzo Mourning, the last tough guy, limped to the locker room.