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CJ Fair named D-League Performer of Week through April 5

CJ Fair named D-League Performer of Week through April 5

Fort Wayne Mad Ants forward CJ Fair was today named NBA Development League Performer of the Week for games played Monday, March 30 – Sunday, April 5. Fair joins Andre Emmett as Mad Ants to earn the honor this season.

Fair led the Mad Ants to a 2-0 record last week as the team clinched the Eastern Conference’s fourth seed in the 2015 NBA D-League Playoffs. For the week, Fair averaged 26.5 points on 62 percent shooting along with 12.0 rebounds and 2.0 blocks.

He scored a season-high 28 points to go with 10 rebounds and three blocks in a 98-91 road win over Sioux Falls on April 3. The next night, he posted a 25-point, 14-rebound game against the Skyforce at home.

Fair, who played in all 50 regular season Mad Ants games, heads into the postseason averaging 13.9 points and 5.7 rebounds.

Other top performers considered included Austin’s Kyle Anderson, Bakersfield’s Xavier Munford, Idaho’s Jared Cunningham, Iowa’s Damien Wilkins and Oklahoma City’s Frank Gaines.

Brook Lopez and James Harden named NBA Players of Week through April 5

Brook Lopez, James Harden named NBA Players of Week through April 5

brook lopez

Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez and Houston Rockets guard James Harden today were named NBA Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for games played Monday, March 30, through Sunday, April 5.

Lopez led the Nets to a 3-1 week behind team-leading averages of 20.8 points (sixth in the conference), 10.3 rebounds (fourth in the conference) and 2.0 blocks (tied-fifth in the conference). Lopez shot better than 50 percent in all four contests, and ranked seventh in the East for the week with a field goal percentage of 59.4. He recorded two point-rebound double-doubles, including a 30-point, 17-rebound outing during a 114-109 win over the Toronto Raptors on April 3.

james harden

Harden helped the Rockets to a 3-1 week behind a league-leading 36.8 points. He scored 40-plus twice, raising his league-leading total of 40-point games this season to 10. Harden recorded his second 50-point game of the season when he netted a career-high 51 during a 115-111 win over the Sacramento Kings on April 1.

Other nominees for the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week were Atlanta’s DeMarre Carroll, Brooklyn’s Deron Williams, Cleveland’s LeBron James, the Los Angeles Clippers’ Chris Paul and DeAndre Jordan, San Antonio’s Kawhi Leonard, Toronto’s DeMar DeRozan and Washington’s John Wall.

Carl Landry suspended one game for leaving bench area during altercation

Carl Landry suspended one game for leaving bench area during altercation

Kings forward Carl Landry suspended one game for leaving bench area during altercation

Sacramento Kings forward Carl Landry has been suspended one game without pay for leaving the bench area during an altercation, it was announced today by Rod Thorn, President, Basketball Operations.

The incident occurred with 6:10 remaining in the fourth quarter of the Utah Jazz’s 101-95 win over the Kings on April 5 at Sleep Train Arena.

Landry will serve his suspension on April 7, when the Kings host the Minnesota Timberwolves.

To view the play, click on this link.

Derrick Rose return date remains unknown

Derrick Rose return date remains unknown

Here’s ESPN Chicago reporting on the eventual return of Bulls guard Derrick Rose. This will shock you, but the date this will happen remains unknown at this time:

Derrick Rose return date remains unknown

The Chicago Bulls remain optimistic that Derrick Rose will return in the near future as he continues to recover from a meniscectomy, but they are unsure exactly when.

“Only he knows his body and that’s the big thing,” Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said before Sunday’s game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. “So he’s got to continue to work through it and I trust him. When he says, he’s ready.”

After the surgery, performed on Feb. 27, the Bulls announced that Rose would be out four to six weeks. This Friday represents the six-week mark, but Thibodeau remains noncommittal regarding an exact date for Rose’s return.

Shaun Livingston suspended for hitting Dirk Nowitzki in groin

Shaun Livingston suspended for hitting Dirk Nowitzki in groin

Shaun Livingston suspended for hitting Dirk Nowitzki in groin

Golden State Warriors guard Shaun Livingston has been suspended one game without pay for hitting Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki in the groin, it was announced today by Rod Thorn, President, Basketball Operations.

The incident occurred with 1:28 remaining in the third quarter of the Warriors’ 123-110 victory over the Mavericks at American Airlines Center.

Livingston will serve his suspension tonight when the Warriors visit the San Antonio Spurs.

The New York Post reports: “No one plays post defense and does that in normal post defense,” Cuban said after Livingston, a former Net, essentially reached between the big German’s legs and upper-cutted, resulting in a flagrant foul. “That’s not normal post defense. It was obvious.”

To view the play, click on this link.

Steve Kerr sets NBA record for most victories by a first-year head coach

Steve Kerr sets NBA record for most victories by a first-year head coach

steve kerr

Golden State Warriors Head Coach Steve Kerr has established a new NBA record for most victories by a first-year head coach in league history, notching his 63rd win of the season with tonight’s 123-110 victory over the Mavericks in Dallas. The previous record for wins by a first-year NBA head coach was 62, a mark shared by Paul Westphal (Phoenix, 1992-93) and Tom Thibodeau (Chicago, 2010-11). Kerr’s winning percentage (.829) also ranks as the highest among head coaches in their first full season at the helm, topping Red Auerbach’s debut season with the Washington Capitols (.817) in 1946-47. With tonight’s win, which improved Golden State’s record to 63-13, the Warriors will have home court advantage throughout the 2015 NBA Playoffs.

Kerr, who was hired as the 25th head coach in Warriors franchise history on May 19, 2014, has led the Warriors to franchise records of 63 wins and 28 road wins, guiding the team to its first Pacific Division championship since 1975-76. He was named Western Conference Coach of the Month for games played in both January and March, becoming the first coach in Warriors history to earn the monthly honor twice in a single season. Golden State, which set a new franchise record with a 16-game win streak from Nov. 13-Dec. 14, has won its last 12 games, posting multiple double-digit win streaks in the same season for the first time in franchise history.

With 63 wins, the Warriors have seen a 12-game improvement over last season’s 51 victories, which is tied for the second-largest win total increase of any 50-win team in NBA history. Golden State leads the league in points per game (109.9), assists (27.4), field goal percentage (.477), three-point percentage (.397) and point differential (+10.7).

Rodney Hood set to return after concussion

Rodney Hood set to return after concussion

Rodney Hood set to return after concussion

The following is a medical update on Utah Jazz guard/forward Rodney Hood, who was diagnosed with a concussion after receiving an elbow to the head during the third quarter of the Jazz’s March 30 victory at Minnesota:

Over the last several days under the care of the Utah Jazz medical staff and official healthcare partner University of Utah Health Care, Hood has participated in each step of the NBA-mandated Return-to-Participation Exertion Protocol as part of the league’s Concussion Policy. This process includes a series of steps designed to ensure an athlete exhibits symptom-free behavior before resuming basketball activities. During each step of the process Hood has remained symptom-free, including after his workouts earlier today. As a result, the Jazz medical staff has cleared Hood to play in tonight’s game at Phoenix.

Hawks sign Austin Daye to multi-year contract

Hawks sign Austin Daye to multi-year contract

Hawks sign Austin Daye to multi-year contract

The Atlanta Hawks have signed forward Austin Daye to a multi-year contract, it was announced today by Head Coach Mike Budenholzer. He signed consecutive 10-day contracts with the Hawks on March 15 and March 25.

Daye has appeared in five games with the Hawks, and also played in 26 contests earlier this season with the San Antonio Spurs.