Inside Hoops – Page 997 – NBA Blog

Sixers sign Drew Gordon, waive Malcolm Thomas

Sixers sign Drew Gordon, waive Malcolm Thomas

The Philadelphia 76ers have signed free agent center Drew Gordon from the Delaware 87ers, its NBA Development League affiliate. He is the fourth D-League to NBA “Call-Up” of the 2014-15 NBA Development League season.

In a related move, the Sixers have waived forward Malcolm Thomas.

Gordon appeared in six preseason games for Philadelphia, averaging 7.8 points and 4.2 rebounds in 15.9 minutes per game while shooting 64.5% from the floor. He also played for the Sixers entry in the 2014 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.

Since being eligible for the 2012 NBA Draft, Gordon has played overseas. He spent his final two collegiate seasons at New Mexico after transferring from UCLA. Gordon averaged a double-double in both of his seasons with the Lobos, earning Mountain West All-Conference First Team honors as a senior and Second Team distinction as a junior.

Gordon’s younger brother, Aaron, was the fourth overall pick by Orlando in the 2014 NBA Draft.

With Klay Thompson out, Warriors lose first game of season

Here’s the San Francisco Chronicle reporting on the Golden State Warriors, who at 5-0 heading into Sunday were the final team in the league that hadn’t lost a game yet this short NBA season. But after a battle with the Phoenix Suns, they’re now 5-1.

Throughout his team’s 5-0 start, head coach Steve Kerr had been harping on the Warriors’ unnecessary turnovers, imploring them to make the simple passes rather than dumb plays “that would make a sixth-grader blush.”

At long last, those miscues cost them a game.

The Warriors’ unbeaten record ended in a flurry of turnovers, on tired legs, as a Golden State team down two starters couldn’t hold on to a 13-point lead on the second night of a back-to-back set.

With Klay Thompson injured and Stephen Curry in foul trouble, the Warriors committed a season-high 27 turnovers — and scored a season-low 16 points in the fourth quarter — as the Suns rallied for a 107-95 win.

“It came back to haunt us,” Kerr said of the poor ball-handling. “You’re not going to win in the league turning it over 26 times. … We were our own worst enemy, and we got what we deserved.”

Curry finished with 28 points, 10 assists and 10 turnovers. Draymond Green added 22 points and tied a career high with four blocks.

Video: Top assists of week, from November 2-9

Enjoy this video of the top assists of the week, from November 2-9, 2014:

Sixers begin NBA season 0-7

Sixers begin NBA season 0-7

The Philadelphia 76ers are in serious rebuilding mode, and aren’t expected to win many games this season. With an 0-7 record, they are the only team in the league through Sunday that hasn’t won a game yet. No huge surprise. All part of the plan. The short-term hope in Philly is that point guard Michael Carter-Williams, when he soon returns, at leats helps make things more competitive.

Here’s the Philadelphia Daily News reporting:

The infamous 1972-73 Sixers have company.

For the second time in franchise history, the Sixers are winless through seven games.

Two days after a one-basket loss to the Chicago Bulls, a trip across the border only amplified the 2014-15 Sixers’ futility.

The Atlantic Division-leading Toronto Raptors walked all over the shorthanded Sixers last night en route to a 120-88 victory in front of 18,470 at the Air Canada Centre.

The 32-point loss is the largest margin of defeat for this listless Sixers squad.

“That was not us. We give Toronto credit. We came in here and got manhandled,” Sixers coach Brett Brown said, adding, “we got jumped and we didn’t have any answers.”

Celtics assign Dwight Powell to D-League

The Boston Celtics announced today that they have assigned forward Dwight Powell to the Maine Red Claws.

Powell, a 6’11 forward, appeared in six contests for the Celtics during the preseason and averaged 1.7 points and 1.2 rebounds in 9.0 minutes per game over that span.

The Celtics, who are rebuilding their team and not expected to compete for a spot in the playoffs, are off to a solid start, compiling a 3-3 record in the season, which began less than two weeks ago.

Matthew Dellavedova injured, out 4-6 weeks

Cavs guard Matthew Dellavedova injured, out 4-6 weeks

Cavaliers guard Matthew Dellavedova experienced a left knee injury during the 4th quarter of the Cavaliers game in Portland vs. the Trailblazers on Tuesday, November 4th.

He did not play in the remaining two games of the Cavaliers road trip this past week in Utah and Denver.

After returning to Cleveland, Dellavedova received additional evaluation by Cavaliers Head Team Physician Dr. Richard Parker at Cleveland Clinic Sports Health. The results confirmed a left knee MCL sprain. He is undergoing a period of treatment and rehabilitation and is currently projected to be out of action for four to six weeks.

His status will be updated as appropriate.

Grizzlies waive Kalin Lucas

Grizzlies waive Kalin Lucas, who was receiving no playing time

The Memphis Grizzlies waived guard Kalin Lucas, the team announced today.

Lucas (6-1, 186) originally was signed on Sept. 25 and averaged 3.1 points and 1.0 assists on .429 shooting in 7.9 minutes in eight preseason games for Memphis before he was waived on Oct. 25. The 25-year-old was re-signed on Nov. 4 and did not appear in any regular season games.

Last season, the Michigan State product posted 15.1 points, 2.9 rebounds and 5.0 assists in 29.0 minutes in 29 games (20 starts) for the NBA Development League’s Iowa Energy, now exclusively affiliated with the Grizzlies.

Darrell Arthur suspended for shoving Dion Waiters

Darrell Arthur suspended for shoving Dion Waiters in back during shot

Denver Nuggets forward Darrell Arthur has been suspended one game without pay for shoving Cleveland Cavaliers guard Dion Waiters in the back as he elevated for a layup, it was announced today by Rod Thorn, President, Basketball Operations.

It was a dangerous move by Arthur, whose shove sent Waiters flying.

The incident, for which Arthur was assessed a Flagrant 2 and ejected, occurred with 4.4 seconds remaining in the first period of the Cavaliers’ 110-101 win over the Nuggets at Pepsi Center.

Arthur will serve his suspension on Sunday when the Nuggets travel to Portland to play the Trail Blazers.

To view the play, click on this link.

Steve Kerr and Jason Terry share bball roots

As a player, Steve Kerr was a key role player for squads that won championships. Now he’s coaching one of the key squads in the league.

Guard Jason Terry, now towards the end of his days as a player, still has skills, mostly as a backup guard at this point.

Here’s the Houston Chronicle reporting on their past:

Steve Kerr and Jason Terry share basketball roots

Warriors coach Steve Kerr and Rockets guard Jason Terry go back a long way. Not only did the two both play in the NBA at the same time – early in Terry’s career and near the end of Kerr’s – they also knew each other from summer pick up games in the University of Arizona gym.

“I remember when Jason first got to U of A, I was going back a lot in the summers and I played pick up ball with the guys,” Kerr, also an Arizona alum, said. “He was a sophomore and I was maybe in my fifth year in the league and you could tell he was going to be good right away.”

Terry was familiar with Kerr and would speak with him often. The two became friends over the years and have always kept in touch.

Grizzlies assign Jordan Adams and Jarnell Stokes to D-League

The Memphis Grizzlies today announced that rookie guard Jordan Adams and rookie forward/center Jarnell Stokes has been assigned to the NBA Development League’s Iowa Energy, the Grizzlies’ exclusive D-League affiliate. Both will be available to play in the Energy’s preseason contest tonight in Memphis against the Sioux Falls Skyforce, which tips off at 5 p.m. CT at FedExForum.

Adams (6-5, 209) was selected by Memphis in the first round (22nd overall) of the 2014 NBA Draft after two seasons at UCLA (2012-14), where he averaged 16.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.1 assists and a school-record 2.43 steals on .467 shooting in 30.2 minutes in 69 career games. Adams made his NBA debut on Nov. 3 vs. New Orleans.

The 19-year-old earned First Team All-Pac 12 honors as a sophomore with the Bruins last season, leading the team with 17.4 points and a conference-high 2.64 steals while shooting .485 from the field in 30.1 minutes in 36 games. The Atlanta native totaled a single-season school-record 95 steals, ranking second in the NCAA, and his 626 points marked the second-highest single-season total at UCLA in the last 19 seasons behind Kevin Love (681 in 2007-08).

Stokes (6-9, 263) was selected by the Utah Jazz in the second round (35th overall) of the 2014 NBA Draft and traded to Memphis on draft night for a 2016 second round draft pick. The Memphis native has not yet made his NBA regular season debut.

The 20-year-old played three years at the University of Tennessee (2011-14), averaging 13.0 points, 9.6 rebounds and 1.08 blocks on .530 shooting in 29.7 minutes in 87 games. The 20-year-old left the Volunteers ranked fourth in school history in double-doubles (40), eighth in total rebounds (836) and 14th in blocks (94). He led the Southeastern Conference in offensive rebounding in each of his final two years in Knoxville.