Inside Hoops – Page 817 – NBA Blog

Paul George playing great for Pacers

The Indiana Pacers are 6-4, and through Friday have won three straight games. Here’s the Indianapolis Star reporting on one of the biggest reasons for the team’s current success:

[Paul] George has become only the fourth player in franchise history to score 26 or more points in six straight games, tying Danny Granger’s feat from Jan. 3-12, 2009 according to STATS, LLC. Over the same six-game stretch, George has scored 176 points, the second-highest mark in his career — in six consecutive games from Jan. 14-24, 2014, he scored 177 points.

Also during the past six games, George has shot 47.5 percent from beyond the 3-point arc, and his rebounding has swelled to 9.5 per game, all while defending the best wing player on the opposing team.

On Friday night, George scored a game-high 29 points on efficient 8-of-17 shooting, another example of how the offense seems to suit him. He’s free to rise up in catch-and-shoot situations or be aggressive within the space and make plays in isolation. And that’s the whole point, as the 2015-16 Pacers are the vessel to launch George back into the NBA cosmos where the stars live.

Allen Crabbe playing well for Blazers

Here’s the Oregonian reporting on the Portland Trail Blazers bench:

Allen Crabbe is emerging as the Blazers’ best and most consistent scoring threat off the bench.

Over the last five games, the backup shooting guard/small forward has reached double figures in scoring four times and is averaging 11.0 points. During the run, he’s shooting 59.5 percent from the field, including 45.5 percent from three-point range, while adding 2.0 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game.

Twice, Crabbe has been perfect from the field, logging a 7-for-7 outing against the Detroit Pistons and a 5-for-5 performance in the loss to the Grizzlies.

Crabbe said he not only feels more confident, but also can see a more confident player when he watches himself on video.

Ty Lawson says he appreciated his time with Denver Nuggets

Houston Rockets point guard Ty Lawson is averaging a modest 10.5 points and 5.6 assists per game as he continues to develop chemistry with his new teammates. Here’s the Denver Postreporting on Lawson and his former team, the Nuggets:

Ty Lawson says he appreciated his time with Nuggets

Ty Lawson was trying out a product in his future while talking about the past. He was sitting in one of the baseline seats at the Pepsi Center, in Houston Rockets garb, with his new business venture on his feet — a pair of big slippers called Sleekers, which are due out later this month.

“It’s a little different, coming through here seven years, just coming back,” he said after Rockets shootaround Friday morning.

Lawson makes his Denver debut in a different uniform in the Nuggets game against Houston. It is the first time he’ll take the Pepsi Center court as anything other than a Nugget, which he was for six seasons.

“It was pretty great,” said Lawson of his time with the Nuggets. “I had a good couple of years here. This team gave me my first opportunity and chance. So I have nothing bad to say.”

Justin Anderson trying to establish himself with Mavs

Here’s the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reporting on Mavs rookie Justin Anderson, who has only been playing eight minutes per game this season, but is starting to get some attention:

After what he was able to accomplish against the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night, Justin Anderson is now on the NBA radar.

That means teams will start game-planning for the Dallas Mavericks rookie, will start getting more physical with him, and will start doing all those nuances to mentally get in his head and get him off his game.

“Look, this is where it gets more challenging because the next opponent looks at the film and then they feature you as part of the film,’’ coach Rick Carlisle said after Friday morning’s shootaround at American Airlines Center. “They’re going to pay more attention to him than the Clippers probably did, and he’s going to have to do the same things.

“Keep it simple, go hard and play within the system.’’

Thunder coach Donovan says Kevin Durant injury is not serious

The OKC Thunder are 5-3 this season, but are currently without the services of Kevin Durant, who through eight games is averaging 28.1 ppg, 7.3 rpg and 3.0 apg. Here’s the Oklahoman reporting the latest:

Thunder coach says Kevin Durant injury is not serious

Thunder coach Billy Donovan said Thursday that Kevin Durant’s injury is “nothing too serious” and that Durant hasn’t been frustrated by his latest injury setback.

On a day when Durant was not made available to the media, Donovan was asked about Durant’s mood since straining his hamstring against the Washington Wizards this week. Durant was third in the league in scoring (28.1 points per game) before the strain, which will keep him sidelined at least 7-10 days.

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist helping Hornets coaching staff

Here’s the Charlotte Observer reporting on injured Hornets small forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, who is still being put to work in an intelligent way by the squad:

You might describe Charlotte Hornets small forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist this season as the NBA’s highest-paid, quality-control scout.

Kidd-Gilchrist is out for the season following shoulder surgery last month to repair a torn labrum. He’s now out of his sling and traveling with the team, something he insisted on doing.

Between his physical rehabilitation sessions, the Hornets have put him to work filling out game reports on what the team does well and what needs improvement.

Kidd-Gilchrist loves it.

“I’m actually on the coaching staff now, so that helps,” Kidd-Gilchrist said during the team’s recent three-game road trip. “I have homework for every game on what I see out on the floor and how can we get better at the defensive end. It’s fun learning the game from the other side.”

Arron Afflalo makes Knicks debut

Wednesday night in Charlotte, the Hornets edged the Knicks, 95-93. Knicks shooting guard Arron Afflako, coming off injury, made his debut and in 28 minutes shot 6-of-13 for 12 points and six rebounds. For more, here’s the New York Post:

Lost amid the commotion over the final frantic 30 seconds and Kristaps Porzingis’ near-miracle buzzer-non-beater was Arron Afflalo’s first game as a Knick.

Putting aside the heartbreaking defeat, it went very well. Afflalo, a key free-agent signing for two years and $16 million, had more bounce than rust, hitting three of his first four shots as the Knicks seized control in the first quarter. Afflalo also hit a big 16-footer with 1:27 left to tie the score, but admitted to fatigue after his big start.

“I haven’t played since training camp,’’ said Afflalo, whose last action was Oct. 21 in the preseason finale in Boston. “Mentally, you feel you can take on the world until you get out there and you’re short on oxygen. It was good for a first game, getting tired battling with those guys in a close game. But I expect myself to be much better Friday.’’ …

With Afflalo, the Knicks seem like a different club. Even point guard Jose Calderon looked a lot smoother playing alongside the 30-year-old vet. Calderon had a nice night, shooting 6-of-9 from the field for 13 points. The Calderon-Afflalo pairing makes sense.

Rockets defense not up to par

Here’s the Houston Chronicle reporting on the Rockets, who are off to a disappointing 4-4 start:

Last season, the Rockets were the NBA’s sixth-rated defensive team, allowing 100.5 points per 100 possessions and were considerably better when Dwight Howard played.

Through eight games this season, they rank 27th, allowing six more points per 100 possessions with opponents making 47.1 percent of their shots, the third-worst field goal percentage defense in the league.

The problem, they said, was made clear when the low-scoring and previously winless Nets burned them for 106 points on Wednesday.

“Effort and rebounding,” Rockets coach Kevin McHale said of the primary issues. “We have not been very good defensively.”

Nets beat Rockets for first win of season

Coach Lionel Hollins and the Brooklyn Nets have been working hard all season with nothing to show for it.

That work finally paid off Wednesday night with their first win of the season.

Bojan Bogdanovic came off the bench to score a season-high 22 points with nine rebounds and lead the Nets to a 106-98 victory over the Houston Rockets…

Joe Johnson added 16 points and 10 assists for Brooklyn. Brook Lopez had 14 points and 12 rebounds.

— AP

Wilson Chandler to undergo season-ending hip surgery

Nuggets forward Wilson Chandler will undergo surgery to repair a labral tear in his right hip and is expected to miss the remainder of the season, Nuggets General Manager and Executive Vice President Tim Connelly announced today.

“Since his arrival in Denver in 2011, Wilson has embraced everything that has been asked of him and more,” said Nuggets President and Governor Josh Kroenke. “No one has worked harder, and to see him miss our entire season is devastating as I know how badly he wants to be on the court helping his teammates. Knowing the person behind the player and the character he has displayed during previous periods of adversity, Wilson will embrace this challenge and come back as a healthy and improved player next season. We look forward to assisting him every step of the way in his recovery.”

“While we are extremely disappointed by the news, we are confident that Wilson will be at full strength to start next season. Wilson is one of the league’s elite workers and we are going to be there for him during this entire process,” Connelly stated.

“I’m incredibly disappointed at this point, I put in so much work over the summer to make myself a better player,” said Chandler. “I was really looking forward to this year, being out there battling with my teammates, being a part of the change. I dedicated my whole summer to self-improvement and all I had on my mind this off-season and preseason was ‘this was my year, I was going to help this team win.’ So this is very frustrating and heart-breaking to say the least. I just want to say thank you to the whole organization for supporting me at a time like this.”

Chandler, 28, has spent the last five years as a Denver Nugget, appearing in 212 games (163 starts) and averaging 13.4 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game. He has played in 445 total games (343 starts) over eight seasons with Denver and New York, owning career averages of 13.7 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.8 assists.

Chandler was originally drafted out of DePaul University by New York with the 23rd overall pick of the 2007 NBA Draft.