Author: Inside Hoops

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Geoff Petrie and Justin Williams speak on Williams investigation ending

Geoff Petrie: “We are all gratified  with the outcome of the investigation involving Justin Williams. It has been a  long month for everyone. He will be welcomed back as he rejoins the team for  tomorrow’s practice here in Sacramento. We want to thank our local law enforcement  officials for their thoroughness and  professionalism.”

Justin Williams: “Thank god that it’s  over with and I am looking forward to getting back with the team. I thank my  fans, family, friends, teammates and the Kings organization for sticking with me  through the whole ordeal.”

Eddie Jordan speaks on early season Wizards issues

The Washington Wizards have started the 2007-08 season with one win and five losses. Here’s head coach Eddie Jordan:

On the Wizards’ offense: “As much as people say we can score, we’ve got to execute.  We want to score with efficiency.  We don’t want to take a lot of bad shots that lead to fast breaks, or take bad shots that are not in harmony with the team concept.  You have to play as a team and share the ball.”

On the recent players-only meeting: “What I liked about our team meeting was that it was short.  The short ones are pretty concise and to the point, then let’s go to practice.  There are some that last too long, and it’s just a whole lot of talk.  I felt good when the team said they were going to have a meeting and they came back out in less than 15 minutes.  That was a good sign.”

On leadership: “Coaches appreciate leaders who are consistent every day.  When something needs to be said in the locker room, bus, plane, but certainly in practice and in games, coaches want captains that lead by example and through professional communication.  That’s what we want to see.”

On the play of Gilbert Arenas: “He’s quarterbacking the team and he’s talking.  He’s defending better.  I think it’s because of the emphasis we put on individual and team defense.  He’s getting over screens, he’s helping, he’s in good position, and he’s always in a defensive stance, which is a lot of strain on the legs.”

On the team’s community service event at Andrews Air Force Base: “Our guys have always been out in the community and I think we’ve got terrific character guys.  It’s nothing new and nothing different for us.  It’s not just something they have to do; they do it on their own.”

Al Jefferson starting season extremely strong

Through five games, Al Jefferson is leading the Wolves with averages of 19.6 points (49.4% FG%) and 12.4 rebounds per game. He has registered point/rebound double-doubles in all five contests. Rashad McCants’ 15.0 ppg ranks second on the Wolves in scoring. The third-year pro is shooting the ball at a 51.1% clip from the field, including 50% (8-for-16) from the three-point line. Center Theo Ratliff is averaging a team-best 3.5 blocks per game. The veteran from the University of Wyoming swatted a season-high six blocks against Sacramento on Saturday night. Sebastian Telfair is leading the Wolves with 4.6 assists per game.

Through the first five games, Minnesota center Theo Ratliff leads the league in blocks per game, averaging 3.5 per game.  Wolves Forward Al Jefferson ranks eighth in the league in rebounds per game (12.4).  Third-year guard Rashad McCants ranks amongst the league leaders in three-point shooting, connecting from long range 50% (8-16) of the time.  Wolves 2006-07 second-round draft pick Craig Smith ranks 17th in the NBA in field-goal shooting percentage at 55%.

Early season Pacers notes

The Pacers scored 46 points in the first quarter of the game vs. Denver, Nov. 10, and that was the most the team had ever scored in the first period of an NBA game.

In the game against the Nuggets, the Pacers had three players register double-doubles for the first time this season. In his first start of the season, Troy Murphy led the Pacers with 18 points and added 10 rebounds. Jermaine O’Neal scored 15 points while hauling in a team-best 12 boards and Jamaal Tinsley had 11 points and a season-high tying 10 assists.

In games at Charlotte, Nov. 9, and vs. Denver, Nov. 10, Shawne Williams collected a total of five steals. Those two games were the first of his career with more than one steal.

After starting the season 3-8 from the floor (.375) vs. Washington, Oct. 31, Jeff Foster has shot 13-22 (.591) in the last five games.

Mike Dunleavy has shot 27-50 from the field in the last four games, after shooting 7-17 in each of the season’s first two games.

The Pacers have forced their opponents into an average of 19.83 turnovers per game, which is the highest rate in the league.

Shawne Williams ended the week with double-digit points in consecutive games with 14 at Charlotte, Nov. 9, and a bench-high 12 vs. Denver, Nov. 10. That was the first time this season, and the third time in his career, that he has had 10+ points in two straight games.

Is acting in Dwyane Wade’s future?

D-Wade may get into entertainment, specifically acting and/or producing, in the future. Here’s Sports Business Journal reporting:

The William Morris Agency has signed NBA star Dwyane Wade for marketing work — including representing him in international endorsements surrounding the Beijing Olympics — and for entertainment work, including possibly acting and producing.

“It is a really big deal for us,” said WMA President Dave Wirtschafter, who will head up the team of agents representing Wade at the Hollywood talent agency. “In addition to being a superstar on the court, Dwyane radiates a charisma and accessibility that resonates with audiences across all areas of entertainment.”

Henry Thomas, Wade’s on-the-court agent and head of basketball at sports management and marketing firm CSMG, will continue to represent Wade, and CSMG will work in a partnership with WMA on marketing deals for Wade.

Wade has bigger issues to worry about first, however, Like getting healthy, helping the awful Heat win some games, and getting into Charles Barkley’s Five.

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.