Inside Hoops – Page 643 – NBA Blog

Chris Murphy named D-League Executive of Year

Santa Cruz Warriors President Chris Murphy has been named the 2017 NBA Development League Team Executive of the Year. NBA D-League President Malcolm Turner made the announcement today at the league’s Sales & Marketing Meetings in Indianapolis. The NBA Development League Team Executive of the Year is determined by peer voting and teams are not allowed to vote for themselves.

Under Murphy’s leadership, the Warriors – the affiliate of the 2015 NBA Champion Golden State Warriors – sold out all 24 regular-season home games at Kaiser Permanente Arena this season. In addition, the team hosted the Oklahoma City Blue at Oakland’s Oracle Arena on Feb. 12 before 17,497 spectators – the third-largest crowd in NBA D-League history – helping spur the league to reach nearly 1.5 million fans this past season (1,469,908).

“Everyone at the Santa Cruz and Golden State Warriors are thrilled for Chris that the D-League has recognized him as one of the top young executives in our industry,” said Golden State Warriors President Rick Welts. “Chris embodies what each of us strives for in our business lives: he’s always up for a new challenge; he sets the foundation for a collaborative and supportive culture that brings out the best in every employee; and he does it with his own engaging personal style.”

Murphy, who advises team and league leaders as a member of the NBA D-League Team Leadership Council, helped Santa Cruz increase its corporate sponsorships 15 percent over the previous season. In addition, he demonstrated the team’s commitment to the Santa Cruz area by having the organization participate in 185 community events, including the Santa Cruz Warriors Get Fit program in partnership with Kaiser Permanente that attracted over 6,500 participants in its first year.

Prior to Santa Cruz, Murphy served as Senior Director of Group Sales for Golden State. He joined the organization in June 2005 and spent 10 years with the NBA team honing his expertise on the ticketing side of the business.

The Warriors wrapped up their fifth season in Santa Cruz with a 31-19 (.620) regular-season record, earning their fourth playoff appearance. Santa Cruz helped develop Golden State assignment players Damian Jones, Kevon Looney and Patrick McCaw over the course of the season, while Dennis Clifford was named an NBA D-League All-Star. For games played in March and April, Jones earned Player of the Month honors and Casey Hill was named Coach of the Month. Phil Pressey and Jabari Brown each earned NBA D-League Performer of the Week honors during the season.

Previous winners of the Team Executive of the Year award include Mike Levy (Canton Charge, 2016), Tim Salier (Austin Spurs, 2015), Jeff Potter (Fort Wayne Mad Ants, 2014), Bill Boyce (Texas Legends, 2013), David Higdon (Bakersfield Jam, 2012), Bert Garcia (Rio Grande Valley Vipers, 2011) and Jon Jennings (Maine Red Claws, 2010).

Kawhi Leonard out for Spurs Game 2 vs Warriors

Here’s the San Francisco Chronicle with a very important update on tonight’s NBA Western Conference Finals Game 2 between the Spurs and Warriors:

Jonathon Simmons will start for the Spurs in Game 2 of the Western Conference finals on Tuesday night, replacing injured Kawhi Leonard in the lineup for San Antonio.
Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich made the announcement during his pregame news conference at Oracle Arena.
Popovich also said Leonard’s status for Game 3 on Saturday night probably would not be resolved until Friday at the earliest. He re-injured his sprained left ankle Sunday in Game 1, though an MRI exam showed no structural damage.

Kevin Durant to debut new Oakland bball courts

Here’s the San Francisco Chronicle reporting on Kevin Durant, who is doing some cool stuff off the court in-between winning playoff games with the Warriors:

Golden State Warriors star Kevin Durant is taking a break from the Western Conference finals to unveil newly refurbished basketball courts for the city of Oakland on Wednesday.

Four courts at Lincoln Square Park in Oakland were renovated as part of the “Build It and They Will Ball” program with the Kevin Durant Charity Foundation. Durant will be on hand at the private opening, where 200 kids from Oakland will get the chance to test out the court, hang out with Durant and take part in a basketball clinic.

New Detroit Pistons logo revealed

The Detroit Pistons unveiled a newly updated primary logo today which the team says brings together the past and future of one of the National Basketball Association’s longest tenured franchises.

The new look will be officially unveiled on the Detroit Pistons podium at tonight’s NBA Draft Lottery.

The Pistons’ new primary logo debuts as a new chapter of the franchise’s history is forming in downtown Detroit. The red, white and blue basketball is symbolic of the Pistons’ brand and this modern version introduces sleek, accurate groove lines, a bold team uniform font and the addition of a chrome outline – providing a nod to the region’s Motor City roots. The updated logo is the result of a six-month design process by the Detroit Pistons’ creative team in collaboration with the NBA and Nike, the official outfitter of the NBA beginning next season.

“The Detroit Pistons new primary logo celebrates the club’s long-standing history in the Detroit sports community, stays true to our brand and reflects a modern design for our future,” said Charlie Metzger, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing and Communications Officer for the Detroit Pistons. “As our organization begins a new chapter in downtown Detroit, this new logo links the franchise’s rich championship lineage with our exciting prospects for the future.”

Allen Crabbe undergoes foot surgery

Portland Trail Blazers guard Allen Crabbe underwent successful surgery to repair a stress reaction of the fifth metatarsal bone in his left foot, it was announced today by president of basketball operations Neil Olshey.

Crabbe is expected to be ready for the start of training camp in September.

The surgery was performed by Dr. Martin O’Malley at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York.

In 79 games (7 starts) this season, Crabbe averaged 10.7 points (48.8% FG, 44.4% 3-PT, 84.7% FT), 2.9 rebounds and 1.2 assists. The NBA’s second most accurate 3-point shooter at 44.4%, Crabbe posted the highest percentage from beyond the arc in franchise history by a player with 100-plus 3-pointers.

Skal Labissiere will host basketball camp in Port-au-Prince, Haiti

Sacramento Kings rookie Skal Labissière announced today that his first Camp S.K.A.L. basketball clinic will tip off this summer in his native Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

Representing skills, knowledge and life, Labissière’s Camp S.K.A.L. will host 50 of the top high school basketball players and coaches in Port-au-Prince July 19-21.

“This will be my first time back home in seven years,” Labissière said. “I’m blessed to be in a place now where I can give back to my Port-au-Prince community and this is just the start of more free Camp S.K.A.L. events there in the future. I look forward to sharing some of the basketball and life knowledge I’ve gained over the years.”

Labissière partnered with Reach Your Dream, a non-profit organization promoting spiritual awareness, self confidence, and innovative thinking for future generations in communities throughout the world. Reach Your Dream helped Labissière relocate to the United States before high school to pursue his educational and basketball goals.

“Without the good people of Reach Your Dream, I wouldn’t be where I am today,” added Labissière. “It’s only fitting, that we work together on Camp S.K.A.L. to provide similar opportunities to the future basketball stars of Haiti.”

Casey Hill moves on from Warriors D-League squad

Here’s the San Francisco Chronicle reporting some Warriors-related D-League news:

Casey Hill, the head coach of the Warriors’ Development League affiliate in Santa Cruz the past four years, has parted ways with Golden State to pursue other opportunities.

“It’s completely amicable,” Hill told The Chronicle in a phone interview. “With the way Coach (Steve) Kerr has his staff structured, understandably so, there’s not much room for me to move in. I think we all kind of decided that the best thing for me was to pursue some other options outside of Golden State. That’s what the plan is.”

After two seasons as a Santa Cruz Warriors assistant coach, Hill took the head job in August 2013.

Tyler Ulis undergoes ankle surgery

Phoenix Suns guard Tyler Ulis today underwent a minor surgical procedure on his right ankle. The surgery was performed by Dr. Martin O’Malley at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City. Ulis is expected to return to full basketball activity in approximately 12 weeks.

Ulis averaged 7.3 points and 3.7 assists in 61 games in his first season with the Suns in 2016-17, earning Kia NBA Western Conference Rookie of the Month honors for April after leading all rookies with 20.7 points and 6.8 assists per game during the month.

Patty Mills to start Game 5 for Spurs

Here’s the Houston Chronicle reporting on the Rockets’ current playoff opponent, the Spurs, who are without starting point guard Tony Parker for the remainder of the postseason:

Guard Patty Mills will move into the Spurs’ starting lineup for Game 5 against the Rockets on Tuesday, replacing Dejounte Murray who had started the two games since Tony Parker’s season-ending injury.

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich did not say if the move was in any way related to the Rockets’ lineup change, with Eric Gordon starting and power forward Ryan Anderson coming off the bench, but was not because of issue’s with Murray’s play.

Warriors sweep Jazz, advance in NBA Playoffs

As pretty much everybody predicted, the Warriors have eliminated the Jazz. As most predicted, it happened in the form of a 4-0 sweep. The Warriors now advance to the Western Conference Finals, where they’ll play the winner of the Spurs vs Rockets series. Here’s the Bay Area News Group reporting:

Now they await the winner of the Rockets and Spurs series, which sits at 2-2. If it ends in six, the West Finals start in Oracle Arena on Sunday. If it extends to seven, the West Finals start in Oracle on Tuesday.

Either way, a rested, steamrolling Warriors team will be awaiting as monster favorites, having won 23 of their last 24 games dating back to mid-March and all eight of their playoff games by margins of 12, 29, 6, 25, 12, 11, 11 and 26 points.

But there were at least tiny moments of adversity on Monday night.

Early on, it didn’t look like it’d be that way. After hitting only one shot in a slow Game 3, Klay Thompson opened the scoring with a pair of jumpers. Then Steph Curry hit a pair of 3s. Then Kevin Durant found Curry on a creative give-and-go layup on a baseline out of bounds play.

Meanwhile, the Jazz offense slumped against a locked in Warriors defense, missing their first 10 two-point shots and going only 6-of-25 in the first quarter. A 12-3 lead became a 21-7 lead became a 39-17 first quarter cushion — similar to the 45-22 first quarter they popped on the Blazers in Game 4.