Inside Hoops – Page 773 – NBA Blog

Charles Barkley hops off the Thunder bandwagon

Charles Barkley has been a vocal critic but staunch fan of the Thunder for a long time.

But Thursday night, as the Thunder stumbled to their sixth loss in eight games since the NBA All-Star break, Barkley said he has seen enough. The Inside the NBA TNT studio analyst declared he has jumped off the Thunder bandwagon.

“I’m going to go ahead and say it right now. I’m off the Oklahoma City bandwagon. I am totally off. They are not going to win (the championship). But I will tell you this. You know whose bandwagon I’m on? The Los Angeles Clippers. If Blake Griffin comes back and dominates down low, the L.A. Clippers got a chance of winning a world championship…They’ve got the best leader in Chris Paul. They won’t be making those mistakes that the Thunder make. Chris Paul’s going to get them into something every time.”

Barkley’s biggest beefs with the Thunder through the years have been the team’s reliance on its star tandem of Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant, its shot selection and its poor late-game execution.

— The Oklahoman

Dirk Nowitzki keeps on hitting scoring milestones

With 13 more points, Mavs forward Dirk Nowitzki will have scored 1,000 points in a season for the 16th time in his 18-year career.

“You don’t do things like he’s doing without putting an amazing amount of work and caring into it,” said Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle, who has coached Nowitzki in the NBA longer than any other coach. “It’s not just the physical work on his body and the skill work on his shot…

The only players in NBA history with more 1,000-point seasons than Nowitzki are Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (19), Karl Malone (18), Tim Duncan (17) and John Havlicek (16). Kobe Bryant, Paul Pierce, Shaquille O’Neal, Moses Malone, Robert Parish and Nowitzki all have 15 seasons with 1,000 or more points on their resume.

— Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Sixers sign Christian Wood to 10-day contract

The Philadelphia 76ers called up forward Christian Wood from the Delaware 87ers and signed him to a 10-day contract.

Wood has appeared in 26 games with the Sevens this season, averaging a team-high nine rebounds, as well as 16 points on 52% shooting in 27 minutes per game.

Wood, who went undrafted in the 2015 NBA Draft, signed with the 76ers last September 14. He appeared in 14 career NBA games with the Sixers, averaging four points and two rebounds per game. Wood registered career-highs of 15 points and eight rebounds on November 13 at Oklahoma City.

LeBron not looking to explain Miami trip

LeBron James not looking to explain Miami trip

LeBron James had no interest in justifying using consecutive off days for the Cleveland Cavaliers this week to fly to Miami and spend some of that time working out with former Heat teammate Dwyane Wade.

“I don’t care,” James said after Cavs practice Thursday when asked about the perception of him spending time with a potential playoff foe during the season.

“What do I go there for? Go there ’cause I want to,” James said. “I would love to go to L.A., but I’ll take 2½ [hour flight] over 4½. I’ve got a house in L.A., but it makes more sense for me to go South than go West. But I go because I want to.”

— ESPN.com

Jerami Grant fined for throwing water bottle into stands

Philadelphia 76ers forward Jerami Grant has been fined $10,000 for throwing a water bottle into the spectator stands, it was announced today by Kiki VanDeWeghe, Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations.

The incident occurred with 8:44 remaining in the fourth quarter of the Sixers’ 116-108 loss to the Washington Wizards on Feb. 29 at Verizon Center.

In 26.1 minutes per game, Grant is averaging 9.2 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists.

The Sixers are a league-worst 8-53 this season. Their rebuilding process continues.

Alexis Ajinca has a fractured sternum

$Alexis Ajinca has a fractured sternum$

New Orleans Pelicans center Alexis Ajinca missed tonight’s game against the San Antonio Spurs after being diagnosed with a fractured sternum. An MRI this afternoon revealed the injury, which occurred during the fourth quarter of last night’s game at Houston.

A timetable for his return will be announced following further evaluation.

Ajinca, 7-2, 248, has appeared in 47 contests (nine starts) this season for New Orleans, holding averages of 4.4 points and 4.0 rebounds.

Nuggets sign Axel Toupane to 10-day contract

The Denver Nuggets have signed forward Axel Toupane to a 10-day contract, General Manager and Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly announced today.

Toupane (tu-PON), 6-7, 210, has appeared in 32 games (14 starts) for the Toronto 905 of the NBA D-League this season, averaging 14.6 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.00 steals in 29.7 minutes per game. He is the 25th GATORADE Call-Up of the season so far.

The 23-year-old native of France has played professionally for Strasbourg of the French Pro National Basketball League A since 2011. He went undrafted in the 2014 NBA Draft.

Toupane will wear uniform #6 and the Nuggets roster now stands at 15 players.

Grizzlies re-sign Ryan Hollins

The Memphis Grizzlies today announced the team has re-signed center Ryan Hollins.

Hollins (7-0, 240) has averaged 2.8 points and 2.3 rebounds in 10.8 minutes in 19 games (three starts) with the Grizzlies and Washington Wizards this season. A member of the Grizzlies’ training camp roster, Hollins made five regular season appearances (three starts) for the Wizards and before being rejoining Memphis on Dec. 29 (waived on Jan. 7) and subsequently re-signing again to consecutive 10-day contracts on Jan. 21 and Feb. 1.

The 31-year-old has averaged 3.7 points and 2.2 rebounds in 500 career games (67 starts) over 10 NBA seasons with the Charlotte Bobcats, Dallas Mavericks, Minnesota Timberwolves, Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Clippers, Sacramento Kings, Washington Wizards and Memphis Grizzlies. A native of Pasadena, Calif., Hollins was selected by Charlotte in the second round (50th overall) of the 2006 NBA Draft following his senior season at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Timberwolves sign Greg Smith to 10-day contract

The Minnesota Timberwolves have signed forward/center Greg Smith to a 10-day contract. With the signing, Minnesota’s roster now stands at 14 players.

Smith, 25, has appeared in 16 games with the Raptors 905 in the NBA D-League this season, averaging 12.4 points, on 51.0% shooting, and 8.3 rebounds in 27.9 minutes per game. In 47 career games in the D-League, he has averaged 14.8 points on 60.6% shooting and 8.1 rebounds.

A four-year NBA veteran, Smith spent three seasons with the Houston Rockets (2011-14) before joining the Dallas Mavericks in 2014-15. He holds career averages of 4.2 points and 3.4 rebounds in 12.5 minutes over 131 career games (12 starts).

Smith will wear No. 4.

Grizzlies waive James Ennis

The Memphis Grizzlies have waived forward James Ennis.

Ennis (6-7, 210) has come off the bench in all 13 appearances with the Grizzlies and Miami Heat this season to average 1.2 points in 3.6 minutes. Memphis acquired Ennis with Mario Chalmers from Miami on Nov. 10 for Beno Udrih and Jarnell Stokes.

The 25-year-old California, Long Beach product has averaged 4.4 points and 2.4 rebounds in 75 games (three starts) over two seasons with the Heat and Grizzlies.