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The Utah Jazz announced today that the team has waived guard/forward Patrick Christopher. Following the move, the Jazz roster now stands at 14 players.
Christopher (6-5, 219, California) was called up by Utah from the NBA Development League’s Iowa Energy on Dec. 10 and appeared in four games (one start) for the Jazz, averaging 1.5 points and 1.5 rebounds in 7.3 minutes.
The Miami HEAT announced today that they have waived guard Andre Dawkins.
Dawkins appeared in four games with the HEAT this season totaling three points, two rebounds and one assist in 22 minutes of action while shooting 1-of-6 from the field, all from downtown. He was originally signed as a free agent by Miami on September 23, 2014.
The Dallas Mavericks handled the Nets in Brooklyn Monday. And in that victory, their living legend kept rising on a historical level. Here’s the Dallas Morning News reporting on forward Dirk Nowitzki, who continues to move up the all-time NBA scoring list:
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Dirk Nowitzki labored offensively all night – until he decided it was time to ice the game. It was absolutely fitting that Nowitzki passed Moses Malone for seventh place on the NBA’s all-time scoring list with a 3-pointer in the final minute of overtime. Think about that. Of the nearly 4,000 players who have ever slipped on an NBA jersey, only six have scored more points than Nowitzki. The list is a bunch of one-name wonders: Kareem, Mailman, Kobe, Michael, Wilt and Shaq. And then Dirk. Simply remarkable.
The Portland Trail Blazers have been one of the league’s best teams these first few months, and there’s no reason for their status to diminish anytime soon. Especially with young star guard Damian Lillard showing no fear, especially when it matters most. Here’s the Oregonian with more:
The Blazers’ All-Star point guard added another memorable and clutch performance to his late-game resume, willing the Blazers to a 98-94 victory over the Lakers Monday night before a sellout crowd of 19,827.
Lillard finished with 39 points, six rebounds and five assists and, as he is prone to do, saved his best for when it mattered most. After that All-Star pow-wow with Aldridge, Lillard exploded for 16 of the Blazers’ final 22 points, nailing back-to-back three-pointers before to start the run, before finishing with timely drives and game-sealing free throws. When it was all said and done, he made 5 of 8 shots, including 3 of 5 three-pointers, in the fourth quarter, enhancing his reputation as one of the NBA’s best late-game players.
“He saved out butts again,” center Chris Kaman said.
It wasn’t just the sheer volume of the fourth-quarter scoring that made Monday night’s performance so clutch. It was also the magnitude of some of the shots.
Here’s the Washington Post blog reporting on veteran Wizards guard Andre Miller (4.4 ppg in 12.8 minutes per game this season), a pass-first player with limited leaping ability who still manages to score when necessary:
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Miller understands his skill set. He rarely shoots jumpers — he made his first three-pointer on his fifth attempt of the season Friday — and utilizes a remarkable post-up game to overwhelm point guards who are usually not accustomed to defending in the post. He did it against Westbrook on Friday and against New Orleans’s Austin Rivers on Monday when the Wizards needed it the most.
“I think it’s just the rhythm of the game, how it goes, how it pans out,” Miller said. “It depends on how the defense is playing and what the team needs at the time and I kind of just play from there.”
Here’s the San Francisco Chronicle raving about the 27-5 Golden State Warriors, who have played better basketball than anybody so far this season and finally deserve to be taken seriously in championship-contender discussions:
These are the new Warriors. The ones who demand your attention and all the superlatives you can lavish upon them. The team that doesn’t miss a beat — even when it loses arguably its key player, Andrew Bogut.
“They’re the best team in basketball,” Oklahoma City head coach Scott Brooks said, while refusing to excuse his team for an off night. “They’re a great team. They outplayed us.”
Though their play and the record shows that’s true, it’s still hard to get used to hearing such words spoken about the Golden State Warriors.
This is becoming more than merely a special start. This is now, more than two months into the season, becoming mind-blowing. The Warriors are looking like a championship contender.
The Brooklyn Nets have requested waivers on forward Brandon Davies, General Manager Billy King announced today.
Davies was acquired from the Philadelphia 76ers on December 11, 2014. In seven appearances for the Nets, Davies posted averages of 2.3 points, 1.4 rebounds and 0.3 assists in 6.3 minutes per game.
The New York Knicks are rebuilding, and have suffered lots of injuries all season, and were short-handed yesterday as a trade was being finalized. Still, the team wasn’t expected to lose quite like this. Here’s the New York Post reporting:
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The Knicks finally hit bottom.
Derek Fisher’s Knicks made ignominious history Monday and finally fell to the basement of the NBA, even below the 76ers.
In the wake of Phil Jackson gutting the roster, the Knicks dressed nine players and fell 105-83 to the Grizzlies at FedEx Forum to drop to 5-32.
The Knicks’ loss and Sixers’ victory over Cleveland put the Knicks below Philadelphia with the worst winning percentage in the league (.135), while tying a franchise record with their 12th consecutive loss. The 1984-85 team starring Ken “Animal’’ Bannister also lost 12 games in a row.
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Atlanta Hawks guard Jeff Teague and Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant on Monday were named NBA Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for games played Monday, Dec. 29, through Sunday, Jan. 4.
Teague led the Hawks to a 3-0 week, behind a conference-leading 23.7 ppg, and his 8.3 apg and 2.67 spg were both good for second in the conference. Teague shot .500 or better from the field in all three games, and handed out at least six assists in each contest. On Dec. 30, during a 109-101 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers, Teague scored 23 points on 8-of-13 shooting from the field, and added 11 assists, five rebounds and three steals. At 25-8 (.758), the Hawks stand alone atop the Eastern Conference.
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Durant helped the Thunder to a 2-0 week, which included wins over the Phoenix Suns and Washington Wizards, behind a league-leading 39.0 ppg. He added 9.0 rpg and 4.5 apg, and ranked eighth in the West in three-point field goal percentage with a mark of .556 (10-of-18). On Dec. 31, Durant scored 44 points on 13-of-23 shooting from the field and a perfect 12-of-12 effort from the foul line, as the Thunder topped the Suns 137-134 in overtime.
Other nominees for the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week were Brooklyn’s Joe Johnson, Chicago’s Jimmy Butler, Dallas’ Monta Ellis, Detroit’s Andre Drummond, Los Angeles Clippers’ DeAndre Jordan and J.J. Redick, Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Phoenix’s Eric Bledsoe.
Milwaukee Bucks General Manager John Hammond announced that rookie forward Damien Inglis underwent successful surgery today on his right ankle. The surgery was performed at the Carolinas Medical Center – Mercy in Charlotte, N.C., by Dr. Robert Anderson.
Inglis is expected to miss the remainder of the season while he recovers and progresses through his rehabilitation process. A timeline for his return to basketball activity will be established at a later date.