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Celtics assign Brandon Wallace to D-League

Boston Celtics General Manager Danny Ainge announced today that the team assigned rookie forward Brandon Wallace to its NBA Development League affiliate, the Utah Flash.

The 6-9 South Carolina native signed with the Celtics as a free agent on July 10 following a stint with the team during the 2007 NBA Summer League, where he averaged 4.2 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.0 assists in 22.4 minutes per game.  Wallace also saw action in three preseason games for the Celtics, averaging 1.2 rebounds in 4.7 minutes per game.

During his final season at the University of South Carolina, Wallace averaged 9.9 points, 9.4 rebounds and 2.9 blocks in 36.5 minutes per game and was an Associated Press All-SEC Honorable Mention.

Wallace, 22, is the fourth NBA player assigned to the D-League this season, and the second assigned to the Flash, along with Kyrylo Fesenko who is on assignment from the Utah Jazz.  He will join the team in Orem, Utah on Tuesday.

Kidd an assists king

NBA News: New Jersey’s Jason Kidd is averaging 10.5 assists, second only to New Orleans’ Chris Paul (11.1 apg). Kidd has ranked in the top five in assists 12 straight seasons, making him one of only two players in NBA history to finish the season ranked in the top five in at least 12 straight campaigns (Bob Cousy finished in the top five in assists 13 straight times from 1950-51 to 1962-63). Kidd has led the league in assists five times.

Several NBA sophomores are stepping up

NBA News: The top three vote-getters in last year’s Rookie of the Year balloting are acquitting themselves quite nicely during the early going of their sophomore campaigns.

Portland’s Brandon Roy, the 2006-07 Rookie of the Year, is pacing the Trail Blazers in scoring (20.7 ppg) and assists (6.0 apg).

Toronto’s Andrea Bargnani has converted 15 of 30 three-point attempts and is averaging 13.4 points to go along with 4.6 rebounds.

Memphis’ Rudy Gay is averaging a team-high 20.6 points, nearly doubling his rookie average (10.8 ppg).

Other notable second-year performers include, but are not limited to: Roy’s teammate LaMarcus Aldridge, who is averaging 19.2 points and 7.7 rebounds; Golden State’s Kelenna Azubuike, who is averaging 18.8 points and shooting .531 from the field; Utah’s Ronnie Brewer, who is shooting .580 from the field, .429 from beyond the arc and .828 from the line in averaging 15.3 points; Cleveland’s Daniel Gibson, who is shooting .528 from three-point land while averaging 12.4 points; and Gay’s teammate Kyle Lowry, who is averaging 10.8 points and 4.4 rebounds.

Rockets defense has been terrific

The Rockets are still dealing the defense this season, holding their opponents to under 40 percent shooting in consecutive games: .381 (32-84 FG) vs. Milwaukee (11/9/07) and .397 (31-78 FG) at Charlotte (11/11/07). Through Nov. 11, Houston ranks third in the NBA in points allowed per game (89.4) and seven in field goal percentage defense (.425). The Rockets have yet to allow more than 88 points in a home game this season.

Houston has now opened the 2007-08 campaign with a mark of 6-1, which stands as the best start to a season since the 1996-97 Rockets began 6-1.

Rockets send Steve Novak to D-League

Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey announced today that forward Steve Novak has been assigned to the team’s NBDL affiliate, Rio Grande Valley Vipers. Novak was designated an inactive for all six games this season. He is expected to report by Monday, and will remain on the Rockets 15-man roster. In his rookie season with Houston, Novak averaged 1.5 points and 0.7 rebounds in 35 games (one start).

Adam Morrison has successful ACL surgery in left knee

Charlotte Bobcats forward Adam Morrison underwent successful anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction surgery this morning to repair the tear in his left knee. The procedure was performed by team physician Dr. Glenn Perry at Presbyterian Orthopedic Hospital in Charlotte. He will remain in the hospital until Monday before being cleared to begin full rehabilitation.

Morrison suffered the injury with 5:23 left in the third quarter of the Bobcats preseason contest against the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday, Oct. 20. X-rays taken immediately following that game came back negative, but an MRI taken the following day showed a partial to complete tear of the ACL.

The Bobcats will host the Houston Rockets on Sunday, Nov. 11, at 6:00 p.m. (ET) at Charlotte Bobcats Arena. The game can be seen on News 14 Carolina and heard live on WNMX Mix 106.1 FM and across the Bobcats radio network.

Run, Hawks, run

Atlanta is visiting Boston and it’s just the first quarter but what strikes me is how often the Hawks try to run.

Every fast break opportunity, they run. In the half-court they look questionable, though they’re cutting more than last season and hitting those cutters with passes, creating some easy baskets.

When running, they look decent. Fast breaking lets them take advantage of the great athletic ability Josh Smith, Marvin Williams and other young Hawks possess. If they do it as often as possible they’ll be fun to watch and could pull off some wins here and there.

Raptors change starting lineup

Toronto started the season positively, beating the 76ers and then destroying the Nets, but have since dropped three straight games, losing to the Celtics, Bucks and Orlando.

Now, a minor change is being made. The Toronto Star reports:

Yesterday’s move to replace Andrea Bargnani with Rasho Nesterovic in the team’s starting lineup – beginning tonight in Philadelphia – will give Toronto a look much like the one that led it to 47 wins a season ago.

Mitchell went to great lengths to explain it’s not an indictment of Bargnani but rather a chance for him to be better.

“It is not a reflection on how he has played,” Mitchell said of Bargnani, the second-year 7-footer who was given the starting centre’s job on the opening day of training camp. “It’s just … trying to get the most out of all our guys.

Toronto’s defense has been awful so far. Their opponents are shooting 47.8% from the field. They’re also being badly out-rebounded and slightly out-assisted.

Pistons lose to Bulls but Rasheed scores 36

Chicago beat Detroit 97-93 but the huge game Rasheed Wallace put up is worth noting.

Shooting 12-of-24, including three 3-pointers, plus 9-of-11 free throws, Rasheed finished with 36 points and 9 rebounds.

The AP reports: “No one could stop Wallace’s assortment of shots — post-ups on the inside, 3-pointers from the perimeter — although he missed two key shots in the final minute. “Regardless of my game, it ended in an `L,”‘ Wallace said. “I’m old school so it didn’t matter what I did, the team lost the game.”