Inside Hoops – Page 820 – NBA Blog

Nets lose to Lakers 104-98, fall to 0-6

The Brooklyn Nets, playing at home, had their best chance of the new season to break their losing streak and enjoy victory. They were up against the Los Angeles lakers who entered the game 0-4. But as three-pointers continued to clank, the Nets lost 104-98 and fell to 0-6 for the season.

In the win for the Lakers, Kobe Bryant (5-of-16) had 18 points, D’Angelo Russell (6-of-9) and Jordan Clarkson (6-of-12) each had 16 points, and Julius Randle (5-of-9) had 14 points with seven rebounds. Roy Hibbert blocked three shots.

In the loss for the Nets, Brook Lopez (8-of-19) had 23 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks, Joe Johnson (8-of-16) had 22 points, Jarrett Jack (8-of-22) had 18 points, seven rebounds and 12 assists, and Thaddeus Young (7-of-15) scored 14. But the Nets as a team shot just 3-of-19 from three-point range.

GAME NOTES

The Nets held the Lakers to 18 points in the first quarter, marking the fewest points the Nets have allowed in a first quarter this season.

Brook Lopez has moved past Richard Jefferson into third place in Nets NBA history in field goals made (2,943), trailing only Vince Carter (3,216) and Buck Williams (3,981).

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson started the first game of his NBA career tonight, and he grabbed an impressive 11 rebounds in 25 minutes.

Deron Williams is used to playing with injuries

Here’s the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reporting on the injury-filled reality of Mavericks point guard Deron Williams:

Deron Williams used to playing with injuries

Because of multiple injuries he’s incurred over the past three years, Dallas Mavericks point guard Deron Williams has become reluctantly accustomed to not being able to shift his game into another gear.

It’s frustrating, to say the least. Especially for a player who earned All-Star credentials from 2010-’12.

“That’s kind of how it’s been for me the last four years,’’ Williams said of injuries that have ransacked his body in recent years. “So at least I’m use to it and I’m just trying to get through it.

“I know, at least this time, it’s nothing serious.’’

Dwight Howard out Friday vs. Kings

Here’s the Houston Chronicle reporting on the 2-3 Rockets:

The Rockets’ hopes that Dwight Howard would be available to play both games of their road trip back-to-back ended before Friday’s morning shootaround began.

Howard was ruled out for Friday’s game at the Sacramento Kings while the Rockets continue to manage his workload in back-to-back games. He is expected to play Saturday against the Clippers in Los Angeles.

Forward Terrence Jones, out since playing the season’s first two games because of a cut eyelid, and Pat Beverley, who suffered a concussion on Wednesday, did not make the trip. Forward Donatas Motiejunas has not yet been cleared to practice since last season’s back surgery.

Dewayne Dedmon to start tonight for Magic

Here’s the Orlando Sentinel with an update on tonight’s Magic lineup:

Dewayne Dedmon started six games during the 2013-14 season and 15 more games last season, so moving into the Orlando Magic’s starting lineup tonight against the Toronto Raptors won’t be new to him.

Still, now that a right-knee bone bruise will prevent Nik Vucevic at least from playing tonight, Dedmon wants to show how much he’s grown since he last started on April 11, 2015.

“It’s definitely an opportunity,” Dedmon said. “I definitely don’t want it to come like this, with the big fella going down. But you’ve just got to take it in stride. You hope he gets back as soon as possible, but it’s definitely an opportunity for me to showcase a little bit.”

Mavs, Chandler Parsons still adjusting

Here’s the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reporting on the Mavericks, who are still in recovery mode as several key players Wes Matthews, Chandler Parsons, among others) are coming off injury and not quite themselves just yet:

Rick Carlisle received a five-year, $35 million contract extension Thursday, but the Dallas Mavericks’ coach probably had a difficult time celebrating the occasion.

The Charlotte Hornets feasted on Dallas’ porous defense all night en route to upending the Mavericks 108-94 in front of a sellout crowd of 19,635 at American Airlines Center.

With the loss, the Mavericks are 2-3 and have dropped both of their home games this season. They also are 0-2 on this homestand, which ends Saturday against the New Orleans Pelicans before they hit the road to play the Pelicans again Tuesday in New Orleans.

Carlisle decided to rest small forward Chandler Parsons in the first half and make the unorthodox move of only playing him in the second half. It was a decision the Mavericks probably regretted.

Dallas was only down 54-53 at intermission, but with Parsons on the floor for 14 minutes in the second half, the Mavericks were outscored by 16 points and looked disjointed.

Clippers assign C.J. Wilcox and Branden Dawson to D-League

The L.A. Clippers announced today they have assigned guard C.J. Wilcox and forward Branden Dawson to the NBA Development League’s Bakersfield Jam pursuant to the Flexible Assignment System.

Wilcox appeared in 21 games last season for the Clippers, averaging 2.0 points and 0.4 assists in 4.8 minutes of play. During the 2015 Orlando Pro Summer League, he posted averages of 14.0 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.4 steals in 32.0 minutes of play.

This is the third Development League assignment for Wilcox who appeared in five games for the Fort Wayne Mad Ants and averaged 13.2 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists during the 2014-15 season.

Dawson, a Second-Team All-Big Ten performer in his final season at Michigan State University finished his four-year career for the Spartans as the all-time leader in blocks (142), fifth in starts (121), sixth in steals (163) and seventh in rebounds (902).

He is one of three players in MSU history with 1,000 career points and 100 career blocks, joining Draymond Green and Adreian Payne.

Both Wilcox and Dawson have yet to participate for the Clippers during the 2015-16 season.

Nuggets sign Kostas Papanikolaou and waive Erick Green

The Denver Nuggets have signed forward Kostas Papanikolaou and waived guard Erick Green, General Manager and Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly announced today.

Papanikolaou, 6-8, 225, appeared in 43 games (one start) in his rookie season with Houston, averaging 4.2 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 18.5 minutes per game. He was originally drafted by the New York Knicks with the 48th pick of the 2012 NBA Draft and was traded to Portland in 2012 and then to Houston on July 10, 2013. From 2011 to 2013, the Greek forward played for Olympiacos and in 2013-14 he played for FC Barcelona in the Spanish ACB league.

Green, 6-4, 185, has appeared in 46 games for Denver over the past two seasons, averaging 3.2 points in 9.1 minutes per game. Green was selected by the Utah Jazz with the 46th overall pick of the 2013 NBA Draft and was traded to Denver on draft night in exchange for Rudy Gobert.

Papanikolaou will be available for tonight’s game vs. the Utah Jazz.

Sixers sign Phil Pressey

The Philadelphia 76ers have signed point guard Phil Pressey after being granted an additional roster spot in accordance with NBA hardship relief.

Pressey has appeared in 125 NBA games with the Boston Celtics, averaging three points, three assists and one steal in 14 minutes per game. While at the University of Missouri, Pressey was named All-SEC First Team after leading the conference in assists. During the 2011-12 season, he led the Big 12 Conference in assists, steals and assist-to-turnover ratio and was named to the All-Big 12 First Team. Pressey is on the active list tonight against Milwaukee and will wear number 26.

The Sixers are on a rebuilding plan that seems to be taking quite a long time. Right now the team’s only clear building blocks are rookie Jahlil Okafor, Nerlens Noel, and not much else.

Raptors 905 jerseys revealed

Raptors 905, the NBA Development League affiliate of the Toronto Raptors, unveiled Wednesday the club’s home and away uniforms for its inaugural season. Both uniforms, revealed in partnership with BMO Bank of Montreal, feature the ‘905’ moniker prominently across the chest of the jerseys in tribute to the Greater Toronto Area.

“With our uniform unveiling, it’s a sign that we’re getting closer to making history as the first Canadian team in the NBA D-League,” said Raptors 905 General Manager Dan Tolzman. “Our team is excited to bring a high level of basketball to Hershey Centre and the 905, and we’re looking forward to seeing our fans come out to support this team, starting with the preseason games later this week.”

For its first season, Raptors 905 will don white home uniforms and red away uniforms, consistent with the regular home and away uniforms of its NBA parent club. The home white uniforms will have red trim and black numbering, while the red away uniforms will have black trim and white numbering. The shorts on both Raptors 905 uniforms will feature the Raptors primary logo on the left leg and a Raptors 905 emblem on the right leg.

Raptors 905 begins its 2015 preseason schedule Thursday, November 5 when the team visits the Windsor Express (National Basketball League of Canada) at WFCU Centre in Windsor, Ontario at 7:30 p.m. The first home preseason contest is scheduled for Sunday, November 8 as Raptors 905 plays host to the Erie BayHawks at Hershey Centre in Mississauga at 2 p.m. Raptors 905 wraps up its preseason Monday, November 9 with a special season seat holder and mini-pack/flex-plan customer only game at its Mississauga Sports Complex Practice Court against the London Lightning (NBLC) at 7:30 p.m.

Nets add Randy Ayers and Bob Bender to scouting staff

Brooklyn Nets General Manager Billy King announced today the additions of Randy Ayers and Bob Bender to the player personnel scouting staff. Ayers was named to the position of college scout, while Bender was named pro scout. Randy Ayers joins the Nets following a five-year stint as an assistant coach with the New Orleans Pelicans, including serving the last four years as the team’s lead assistant coach. Ayers began his NBA coaching career as an assistant coach with the Philadelphia 76ers in 1997 under head coach Larry Brown, helping to guide the Sixers to five consecutive playoff appearances, including a trip to the NBA Finals in 2001. Bob Bender joins the Nets after most recently spending the 2013-14 season as an assistant coach with the Milwaukee Bucks. Before joining the Bucks, Bender spent nine seasons on the bench in Atlanta, serving his final three seasons as an assistant under Larry Drew.