Inside Hoops – Page 985 – NBA Blog

Video: LeBron, Kevin Love shooting around

LeBron James and Kevin Love shooting around pregame in Madison Square Garden:

Thunder assign Mitch McGary to D-League

The Oklahoma City Thunder has assigned forward Mitch McGary to the Oklahoma City Blue of the NBA Development League, it was announced today by Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti.

McGary, the 21st overall selection of the 2014 NBA Draft, has yet to appear in a regular season game for the Thunder.

Pelicans sign Dante Cunningham

The New Orleans Pelicans announced today that the team has signed free agent forward Dante Cunningham.

Cunningham, 6-8, 230, was the 33rd overall pick out of Villanova in the 2009 NBA Draft by the Portland Trail Blazers. A five-year veteran, Cunningham has appeared in 366 career NBA games (41 starts) with Portland, Charlotte, Memphis and Minnesota, holding career averages of 6.2 points and 3.9 rebounds.

Cunningham will be available for the Pelicans’ game tonight at Golden State. He will wear #44.

New Orleans’ roster stands at 14.

Celtics assign Dwight Powell, Marcus Smart, James Young to D-League

The Boston Celtics announced today that they have assigned forward Dwight Powell, guard Marcus Smart and guard/forward James Young to the Maine Red Claws.

Powell has appeared in one game for the Red Claws this season, an 81-80 win over the Fort Wayne Mad Ants on November 17, and recorded 21 points on 9-16 (.563) shooting and a game-high 17 rebounds in 38 minutes of action. He scored six points in four minutes for the Celtics against the San Antonio Spurs on November 30 and is averaging 2.7 points in 2.3 minutes per game in three appearances with the team this season.

Smart has appeared in six games for the Celtics this season averaging 5.7 points, 2.2 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.0 steals in 17.7 minutes per game. Smart returned to the court against the Detroit Pistons on December 3 after missing the previous 10 games with a left ankle sprain and recorded two assists in just under five minutes of action. He netted a season-high of 12 points against Toronto on November 5.

Young has appeared in two contests for the Red Claws this season and is averaging 21.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.0 block in 34.9 minutes per game. He recorded six points, one rebound and one block in six minutes for the Celtics against the Houston Rockets on November 1 and is averaging 2.8 points in 4.0 minutes per game with the team this season.

Heat assign Andre Dawkins to D-League

The Miami HEAT announced tonight that they have assigned guard Andre Dawkins to their NBA Development League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce.

Dawkins has appeared in three games with the HEAT this season totaling three points and one rebound in 13 minutes of action. He previously appeared in three preseason games with Miami and averaged 10.3 points, 1.0 rebounds and 16.7 minutes while shooting 52.9 percent (9-of-17) from the field and 58.3 percent (7-of-12) from three-point range.

OKC Thunder are finally healthy

Here’s the Oklahoman reporting some good news about the OKC Thunder. That their players are healthy enough to stand up, jump, move around and many other things that are useful when playing pro basketball:

For the first time this season, the Oklahoma City Thunder has its entire roster healthy.

Each of the team’s 15 players participated in Wednesday’s practice, resulting in a packed set of adjacent courts inside the team’s training center, a scene that hasn’t been seen all season.

“It’s great that we have our entire roster able to participate in practice and have the chance to play in games,” said coach Scott Brooks.

Perry Jones, who has been sidelined since Nov. 4 with a knee contusion, became the last player to rejoin the team. His right knee will continue to be monitored but he is now available to play in games. Jones has appeared in only five games this season but was showing promise before sustaining his injury. He scored a career-high 32 points in a three-point road loss to the Clippers on Oct. 30 and had a 20-point performance two nights later at Denver.

Young Magic guard Victor Oladipo still improving

Here’s the Orlando Sentinel reporting on talented young Magic guard Victor Oladipo, who is still on the rise as he develops, and as his team learns how best to utilize him:

During Tuesday night’s 98-97 heartbreaking loss to the same Warriors who decimated the Magic a week earlier, Oladipo markedly improved his decision-making. In one of the most efficient performances of his brief pro career, Oladipo sank 10 of his 14 shot attempts and scored 27 points.

“He’ll continue to work on his game and continue to play with these guys,” coach Jacque Vaughn said. “He’ll continue to learn how to play with that mask on, and things will become more comfortable with him.”

Oladipo has struggled at times to adapt to the point guard spot since the Magic selected him second overall in the 2013 NBA Draft. A natural shooting guard, he had never played the point before, and his first regular season felt like on-the-job training.

Goran Dragic still adjusting to new Suns role

Here’s Arizona Sports reporting on Phoenix Suns guard Goran Dragic, who with an adjusted role isn’t doing quite as big things on the basketball court as he did in 2013-14:

Goran Dragic still adjusting to new Suns additions

Dragic’s numbers have dropped from his All-NBA Third Team performance last season, when he averaged 20.3 points on 50.5 percent from the field and 40.8 percent from three-point range.

One of the main reasons for this decrease is Dragic’s new role on the team. With the arrival of Isaiah Thomas, Dragic has spent most of his time at the shooting guard position, while Thomas and Eric Bledsoe split the point guard duties. Dragic said it’s been a difficult transition for him.

“It’s really hard,” Dragic told Burns and Gambo Wednesday on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM. “It’s hard to explain, but for people working in jobs, let’s say they’re working marketing and then they move them to a different position.”

Jabari Parker, Andrew Wiggins named NBA Rookies of Month for October/November, 2014

Milwaukee Bucks forward Jabari Parker and the Minnesota Timberwolves’ Andrew Wiggins today were named the NBA Eastern and Western Conference Rookies of the Month, respectively, for games played in October/November.

Parker, the second overall selection in the 2014 NBA Draft, ranked first among all rookies in scoring (11.9 ppg). Additionally, among first-year players, Parker ranked second in rebounding (6.1 rpg) and steals (1.33 spg). Parker recorded a career-high 23 points against the Brooklyn Nets on Nov. 19, in a triple-overtime victory. He also recorded double-doubles in two of his first three career games.

Wiggins, the first pick in June’s Draft, ranked second among all first-year players in scoring (11.6 ppg) and first in three-point field goal percentage (.440). Among Western Conference rookies, he ranked first in steals (1.13 spg) and minutes played (28.7 mpg). On Nov. 22 vs. the Sacramento Kings, he led Minnesota with a career-high 29 points during a 113-101 loss.

Other nominees for the Eastern and Western Conference Rookies of the Month were Brooklyn’s Bojan Bogdanovic, Houston’s Kostas Papanikolaou, Minnesota’s Zach LaVine, Orlando’s Elfrid Payton and Philadelphia’s K.J. McDaniels.

Jimmy Butler, Stephen Curry named NBA Players of Month for October/November, 2014

Chicago Bulls guard Jimmy Butler and Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry were today named the NBA Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Month, respectively, for games played in October/November.

Butler led Chicago and ranked ninth in the NBA scoring (21.9 ppg) as the Bulls posted an 11-6 mark, good for first place in the Central Division. He topped the 20-point mark 11 times, including two 30-point outings, raising his scoring average more than eight points from last season, when he averaged 13.1 points. Butler shot .498 from the field while posting seven games with double-figure free throw attempts to rank fourth in the NBA in free throw attempts per game (8.8). Butler also led the NBA in minutes (39.3 mpg).

Curry guided the Warriors to a 14-2 record to start the season, ranking fifth in the NBA in scoring (23.8 ppg) and assists (7.8 apg), seventh in steals (1.94 spg), third in free throw percentage (.923) and second in three-point field goals made (51). He was one of two players in the NBA to shoot at least 49 percent from the field (.496), 40 percent from three-point range (.418) and 90 percent (.923) from the free throw line. Curry posted four 30-point games and one 40-point game. He also dished out at least five assists in all 16 games.

Other nominees for Kia NBA Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Month were Atlanta’s Jeff Teague, Cleveland’s LeBron James, Houston’s James Harden, Los Angeles Clippers’ Blake Griffin and Chris Paul, Memphis’ Marc Gasol, Miami’s Chris Bosh, New Orleans’ Anthony Davis, Portland’s LaMarcus Aldridge and Damian Lillard, Sacramento’s DeMarcus Cousins, Toronto’s Kyle Lowry, and Washington’s John Wall.