Category: General NBA insight

Andre Emmett named D-League Player of Month for January, 2015

Fort Wayne Mad Ants forward Andre Emmett was today named NBA Development League Player of the Month for games played in January. The award is the first monthly honor for Emmett, who was named NBA D-League Performer of the Week on Jan. 19.

Emmett (6-5, 224, Texas Tech) led the Mad Ants to a 10-2 month in January, including an eight-game win streak to begin the month. Emmett scored more than 20 points in all 12 games, recording four games with 30-or-more points. He posted a 26-point, 11-rebound double-double in a 114-103 road win over the Delaware 87ers on Jan. 10. In January, Emmett averaged 27.3 points on 52 percent shooting from the floor to go with 6.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists.

For the season, Emmett is averaging 21.5 points on 52.5 percent shooting from the field to go with 4.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 32.1 minutes.

Other players receiving consideration for the monthly award were Austin’s Bryce Cotton, Bakersfield’s Archie Goodwin, Delaware’s DJ Seeley, Iowa’s Damien Wilkins, Los Angeles’ Vander Blue, Maine’s Tim Frazier, Rio Grande Valley’s Clint Capela, Reno’s Jordan Hamilton, Santa Cruz’s James Michael McAdoo and Sioux Falls’ Shawn Jones.

The Memphis Grizzlies have signed free agent forward Tyrus Thomas to a 10-day contract as a Call-Up from the Grizzlies’ NBA Development League affiliate, the Iowa Energy, according to Grizzlies General Manager Chris Wallace.

Thomas (6-10, 225) has averaged 14.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.00 blocks in 26.9 minutes while shooting .588 from the field in two games with Iowa this season. The 28-year-old scored a D-League season-high 15 points in his Energy debut on Jan. 16 at Delaware and posted a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds on Jan. 18 vs. Erie.

Drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round (fourth overall) of the 2006 NBA Draft, Thomas holds NBA career averages of 7.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.31 blocks in 19.8 minutes in 400 games (129 starts) over seven seasons with the Chicago Bulls and Charlotte Bobcats (now Hornets). A native of Baton Rouge, La., Thomas led Louisiana State University to the 2006 NCAA Final Four as a freshman in his lone season with the Tigers.

Atlanta Hawks center Al Horford and Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mo Williams today have won the NBA Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week award, respectively, for games played Monday, Jan. 12, through Sunday, Jan. 18.

Horford appeared in three-of-four games during the Hawks’ 4-0 week. He averaged 21.7 points on a league-leading .844 (27-of-32) shooting percentage, and added 8.0 rebounds and 6.3 assists. He posted a triple-double with 21 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists during a 105-87 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Jan. 13. On Jan. 16, Horford shot 8-of-8 from the floor en route to a 22-point night as the Hawks beat the Toronto Raptors 110-89.

Williams helped the Timberwolves to a 2-1 week behind averages of 30.3 points (third in the NBA), 6.3 assists (sixth in the Western Conference) and 39.8 minutes (third in the NBA). Both of Minnesota’s wins came on the road. Williams erupted for an NBA season-high 52 points on Jan. 13 during a 110-101 win over the Indiana Pacers.

Other nominees for the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week were Charlotte’s Bismack Biyombo, Cleveland’s LeBron James, Detroit’s Brandon Jennings, Golden State’s Stephen Curry, Los Angeles Clippers’ Matt Barnes and Blake Griffin, Memphis’ Zach Randolph, and Miami’s Chris Bosh.

The Boston Celtics have waived guard Chris Douglas-Roberts who was acquired from the Los Angeles Clippers on January 15.

The Celtics roster now stands at 14.

The Los Angeles Clippers waived guard Jordan Farmar, the team announced.

Farmar, 28, leaves the Clippers after appearing in 36 games this season with averages of 4.6 points, 1.9 assists and 1.2 rebounds in 14.7 minutes per game. He has career averages of 7.7 points, 2.9 assists and 1.9 rebounds in 490 games (30 starts) in 19.4 minutes.

The Boston Celtics announced today that they have completed a three-team trade with the Los Angeles Clippers and the Phoenix Suns. The Celtics have acquired guard Chris Douglas-Roberts and a 2017 second round draft pick from the Clippers, and forward Shavlik Randolph from Phoenix in addition to a $2.4 million trade exception. The Celtics have traded guard Austin Rivers to the Clippers and the Suns have acquired Reggie Bullock from Los Angeles to complete the deal.

In a related move, the Celtics have requested waivers on guard Nate Robinson.

Randolph, a 6’10” forward, appeared in 18 contests for the Suns this season and averaged 1.1 points and 1.6 rebounds in 6.3 minutes per game during that span. He recorded a season-high six points, four rebounds and three steals against the Oklahoma City Thunder on December 14 and is averaging 2.4 points and 2.5 rebounds in 8.4 minutes per game over his career. Randolph played in 16 games for the Celtics during the 2012-13 season, where he averaged 4.2 points and 4.4 rebounds in 12.4 minutes per game.

Douglas-Roberts, a 6’7” guard, appeared in 12 contests for the Clippers this season and averaged 1.6 points and 1.0 rebound in 8.5 minutes per game during that span.

The Boston Celtics announced today that they have traded guard Jameer Nelson to the Denver Nuggets for guard Nate Robinson.

Robinson, a 5’9″ guard, appeared in 33 contests for the Nuggets this season and is averaging 5.8 points, 1.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 14.1 minutes per game. He recorded a season-high 20 points on 6-11 (.545) shooting from the field, five rebounds, three assists and one steal in 16 minutes on December 19 against the Los Angeles Clippers. Robinson played in 81 games in two seasons for the Celtics (2009-11) and averaged 6.9 points, 1.6 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 16.9 minutes per game during that span.

Nelson, who was acquired from the Dallas Mavericks on December 18, has appeared in six contests for the Celtics this season and averaged 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 1.8 steals in 20.1 minutes per game over that span. For the season, Nelson is averaging 6.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 4.4 assists in 24.3 minutes per game.

A look at this week in the NBA, starting today, Monday, January 12, 2015:

Monday — Pistons at Raptors (7:30 p.m. ET, NBA LEAGUE PASS): Detroit puts its five-game road winning streak on the line against Toronto, which is 15-4 at home. The Pistons haven’t won six in a row on the road since March 2007, and the franchise record is seven.

Tuesday — Spurs at Wizards (7 p.m., NBA TV): San Antonio has won 17 consecutive games against Washington, the longest active winning streak by one NBA team over another, according to Elias. The Wizards, who are 16-4 at home, are seeking their first victory in the series since Nov. 12, 2005.

Wednesday — Clippers at Trail Blazers (10:30 p.m., ESPN): Portland has won four in a row and eight of 10 to move into second place in the West, one game behind Golden State. The Clippers’ Blake Griffin is averaging a career-best 5.0 assists, to go with 22.7 points and 7.7 rebounds.

Thursday — Thunder at Rockets (8 p.m., TNT): Houston defeated Oklahoma City 69-65 on Nov. 16. It was the first time a team won a game with fewer than 70 points since March 2005. Both teams shot less than 30 percent. James Harden led all scorers with 19 points. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook did not play.

Friday — Trail Blazers at Spurs (8:30 p.m., NBA LEAGUE PASS): The teams meet for the first time since Dec. 19, when Portland outlasted the San Antonio 129-119 in triple-overtime. Damian Lillard led all scorers with a career-high 43 points, including 16 after regulation.

Saturday — Hawks at Bulls (8 p.m., NBA LEAGUE PASS): This matchup comes one night after Atlanta visits the Raptors. Chicago and Toronto entered the week trailing the East-leading Hawks by 3.5 games.

Sunday — Pelicans at Raptors (3:30 p.m., NBA LEAGUE PASS): New Orleans’ Anthony Davis is tied for the NBA lead in road scoring at 27.0 points per game. The Pelicans’ visit to Toronto marks the fourth stop on a five-game Eastern Conference road trip.

ESPN NBA schedule changes:

Date	Time (ET)	New Selection	Previous Selection
Wed, Jan. 14	8 p.m.	Washington Wizards at Chicago Bulls	Atlanta Hawks at Boston Celtics
Wed, Jan. 28	8 p.m.	Brooklyn Nets at Atlanta Hawks	Oklahoma City Thunder at New York Knicks
Fri, Feb. 6	7 p.m.	Los Angeles Clippers at Toronto Raptors	New York Knicks at Brooklyn Nets
Fri, Mar. 6	8 p.m.	Phoenix Suns at Brooklyn Nets	Miami Heat at Washington Wizards
Wed, Mar. 18	8 p.m.	Orlando Magic at Dallas Mavericks	Indiana Pacers at Chicago Bulls
Wed, Mar. 25	7 p.m.	Chicago Bulls at Toronto Raptors	Los Angeles Clippers at New York Knicks
Fri., Apr. 3	8 p.m.	Oklahoma City Thunder at Memphis Grizzlies	Detroit Pistons at Chicago Bulls

The Cleveland Cavaliers have acquired center Timofey Mozgov and a 2015 second round pick from the Denver Nuggets in exchange for two protected 2015 first round picks (via Oklahoma City and Memphis), Cavaliers General Manager David Griffin announced tonight.

According to Sports Illustrated, “if two future firsts seems a tall price to pay for a merely functional starting center, that’s because it is. Yet Cleveland maneuvered itself into position to make the most reasonable course correction it could. The Cavs have neither the trade chips nor the future flexibility to make a run at an upper-tier center, effectively locking them into a more limited range of potential upgrades at the position. Mozgov was one of the better options under the circumstances: tall, able to wall off the rim, effective on the glass, competent offensively, and under contract with a team option for next season at a relative bargain.”

This season, Mozgov has appeared in 35 games (all starts) for the Nuggets, averaging 8.5 points on .504 shooting, a career-best 7.8 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 25.6 minutes per game. The 7-1 center from Russia also has nine double-doubles on the year.

Mozgov, who is in his fifth NBA season, has played in 247 career games (115 starts) with averages of 6.4 points on .513 shooting, a .738 mark from the foul line, 4.9 rebounds and 0.9 blocks in 17.2 minutes per game with New York and Denver. He also won a bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics with the Russian National team that was coached by David Blatt.

Cleveland conveyed to Denver its right to Oklahoma City’s protected first round draft pick and its right to Memphis’ protected first round draft pick. The Cavs received Denver’s right to the less favorable of Chicago’s own 2015 second round draft pick and Portland’s own 2015 second round draft pick.