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Chandler Parsons still out Saturday vs Nets
Here’s the Dallas Morning News reporting on a key Maverick:
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Chandler Parsons will miss his fourth consecutive game Saturday when the Dallas Mavericks play Brooklyn, coach Rick Carlisle said Friday.
“Parsons is doing much better, but he’s not going to play (Saturday),” Carlisle said. “He’s out of the boot. He’s doing some shooting and light movement stuff, but he’s not ready yet.”
Parsons suffered a sprained left ankle on Feb. 20.
Nuggets struggling this season, even at home
Here’s the Denver Post reporting on the Nuggets, who through Thursday’s games are 20-37 this season: 12-16 at home, 8-21 on the road:
Once one of the NBA’s most-feared home court advantages, the Nuggets have fallen back to earth at the Pepsi Center in the last two seasons. Since winning a franchise-record 38 home games in the 2012-13 season, the Nuggets haven’t won 38 home games in the last two seasons combined. They are 34-35 in that span, which includes this season’s 12-16 mark. The Nuggets went 22-19 at the Pepsi Center last season.
With 13 home games left, the Nuggets have to go 9-4 in order to avoid having their first losing home record since 2002-03. That team finished 13-28 at home.
Shaw talked about the Nuggets’ challenge to win home games — and fast.
“What starts to happen is guys start to look forward to playing on the road because the home crowd starts to get antsy, and things don’t go well then they start to get on us,” Shaw said.
Rondo says he will leave frustration in the past
Here’s the Dallas Morning News reporting on Mavericks point guard Rajon Rondo, who has had a chip on his shoulder for a long time and isn’t going to change anytime soon. Though, that same chip has helped him succeed at the highest levels, including winning an NBA championship. The Mavs know this. Anyway, here’s the report.
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Rajon Rondo said Friday he had some built-up frustrations with coach Rick Carlisle that led to their heated exchange on Tuesday and subsequent suspension of Rondo, and that conversations with many members of the organization since have helped put everybody on the same page.
In his first interview since the confrontation with Carlisle against Toronto, the Dallas Mavericks’ point guard measured his words carefully, but said he’s as gung-ho as ever about this team’s potential and plans to be a leader in the stretch run and playoffs.
“Definitely, he had some frustrations with me and vice-versa,” Rondo said. “So communication is definitely key in this situation. We’ve had a couple talks since then and we’re going to move forward.”
“The most important thing is communication with coach.”
Erik Spoelstra happy to have Beasley back on Heat
Here’s the South Florida Sun Sentinel reporting on the Heat, who have once again added Michael Beasley to their roster:
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In his first Miami Heat act, Michael Beasley was the consolation prize, as the No. 2 pick in the 2008 NBA Draft by behind Derrick Rose. In his second, he was a novelty, to see if he could fit alongside LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, while also appreciating his bit-part place last season.
In his third act?
“We think,” coach Erik Spoelstra said Friday, “it’s the fit that we need right now. It really felt like a no-brainer.”
This time, there was an all-out embrace, as Beasley met with the full team for the first time since signing a 10-day contract Thursday.
This time, there was an all-out embrace, as Beasley met with the full team for the first time since signing a 10-day contract Thursday.
Kyrie Irving injury update: left shoulder strain
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Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving experienced a left shoulder injury during last night’s game at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland vs. the Golden State Warriors. He did not travel with the team to Indianapolis and received additional examination, including an MRI, this morning at Cleveland Clinic Sports Health, the results of which confirmed a left shoulder strain.
Irving is now listed as Out for the game against the Pacers tonight.
His status will be updated again prior to the Cavaliers game in Houston against the Rockets Sunday afternoon.
NBA to release last-two-minute reports
The National Basketball Association today announced a new transparency initiative relating to its officiating program. Beginning March 2 and continuing throughout the 2015 playoffs, the league will provide play-by-play reports regarding all calls and material non-calls that occur in the last two minutes of close games and during entire overtime periods. This new initiative creates a more specific protocol for commenting on the most scrutinized calls in NBA games.
“Our fans are passionate and have an intense interest in understanding how the rules are applied,” said Mike Bantom, Executive Vice President of Referee Operations. “NBA referees have the most difficult officiating job in sports, with so many split-second decisions in real time. We trust this consistent disclosure will give fans a greater appreciation of the difficulty of the job and a deeper sense of the correct interpretations of the rules of our game.”
The league will release assessments of officiated events in the last two minutes of games decided in regulation that were within five points at the two-minute mark. Also, the reports will include plays from the last two minutes and overtime of OT games. Each play will be reviewed by a senior referee manager or basketball operations manager who will provide the assessments.
Mason Plumlee getting less playing time lately
Here’s the New York Post reporting on the 23-32 Brooklyn Nets, who are mostly trading wins with losses lately and have won five of their last ten games:
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When the Nets acquired Thaddeus Young last week, coach Lionel Hollins switched to a smaller, quicker lineup.
While that decision made sense on several levels, and seems as if it’s going to benefit most of his roster, Hollins basically decided Brook Lopez and Mason Plumlee will not play together anymore. So the two big men are splitting the 48 available minutes at center while surrounded by perimeter threats.
So far, Plumlee has found himself on the short end of that equation. Such was the case in Wednesday’s loss to the Pelicans, when he finished scoreless and with just three rebounds in 13:37, while Lopez finished with 15 points, seven rebounds and four blocked shots in 34:23.
Derrick Rose injury update: Out 4-6 weeks after knee surgery
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The Chicago Bulls announced today that guard Derrick Rose underwent a successful meniscectomy earlier this morning to repair a medial meniscus tear in his right knee. The procedure was performed by Bulls head team physician Dr. Brian Cole at Rush Surgicenter.
“This morning’s procedure went great,” said Chicago Bulls General Manager Gar Forman. “Derrick is expected to make a full recovery and he is anticipated to return to play in four to six weeks.”
Taking history into account, 4-6 weeks sounds pretty optimistic. We’ve been through this before, sadly, but logic suggests D-Rose and the Bulls should take it slow, and ease him back into the mix.
Earl Lloyd, the first black player to play in the NBA, has died
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver released the following statement regarding the passing of Earl Lloyd:
“The NBA family has lost one of its patriarchs. Earl Lloyd, the first African-American to play in an NBA game, was as inspirational as he was understated. He was known as a modest gentleman who played the game with skill, class, and pride. His legacy survives in the league he helped integrate, and the entire NBA family will strive to always honor his memory. Our deepest condolences to the Lloyd family.”
According to Sekou Smith of the NBA.com blog, “Floyd suited up with the Washington Capitols on October 31, 1950. Charles Cooper and Nat Clifton would join him in the 1950-51 season, an arduous journey during those tumultuous times, but one that Lloyd, a former West Virginia State star, survived all of the drama and won a championship in 1955 with the Syracuse Nationals. Lloyd finished his 10-year playing career with the Detroit Pistons and when he retired he was 43rd on the NBA career scoring list with 4,682 points.”
According to the Detroit Free Press, “The 6-foot-5 forward averaged 8.4 points and 6.4 rebounds in 560 regular-season games in nine seasons with Washington, Syracuse and the Detroit Pistons. He missed the 1951-52 season while serving in the U.S. Army. Lloyd played for the Pistons in 1958-60, averaging 8.6 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.3 assists. He also was 22-55 as Detroit’s coach in 1971-72 and the first nine games of the 1972-73 season.”
According to the Washington Post, “a native of Alexandria, Lloyd was one of three black players drafted by the league in 1950; the others were Chuck Cooper and Nat “Sweetwater” Clifton. Lloyd was a ninth-round pick by the Washington Capitols, and in a 2007 interview with The Washington Post, he recalled being surprised to learn of his selection by that team, as he thought of the D.C. area as a “cradle of segregation.” Lloyd came to break the NBA’s color barrier by a quirk of the schedule, as the Capitols began their season before the teams for which Cooper and Clifton played. On Oct. 31, 1950, the 6-foot-6 forward entered a game against the Rochester Royals, paving the way for thousands of black basketball players to come.”
The Heat really enjoy adding Mike Beasley to their roster
Here’s the South Florida Sun Sentinel reporting on the Heat, who have great skill when it comes to adding Mike Beasley to their roster:
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He’s back, perhaps with the third time a charm.
Michael Beasley, 2008 Miami Heat lottery pick who made a one-season encore with the team last season, on Thursday was signed for a third tour with the team, this time to a 10-day contract.
As the Sun Sentinel reported last week, Beasley had been working out at AmericanAirlines Arena after completing his season in China. Beasley has joined the Heat in time for Friday’s game against the New Orleans Pelicans at the Smootie King Center.