Category: General NBA insight

Golden State Warriors forward Andre Iguodala will be out for a minimum of three (3) games with right knee tendonitis, beginning with tonight’s game versus the Orlando Magic.

Additionally, center Andrew Bogut will miss tonight’s game against Orlando due to left ankle inflammation.

And that’s your Warriors injury report for today.

The Sacramento Kings today signed forward Royce White to a second 10-day contract, according to Kings General Manager Pete D’Alessandro.

White, signed by the Kings to a 10-day contract on March 6, immediately reported to the Bighorns and averaged 8.8 points (.367 FG%, .333 3pt%, .625 FT%), 4.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.50 steals and 24.8 minutes per game in starting four games. Twice White scored in double-figures.

Here’s ESPN Los Angeles reporting that Blake Griffin agrees with many in the basketball world who feel that LeBron James or Kevin Durant will come away with this season’s NBA Most Valuable Player award:

Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin was named the Western Conference Player of the Week for the third time this season on Monday but don’t look for him to start campaigning to win the MVP.

“No, I think the MVP race is a two-man race,” Griffin said. “The stretch of games that we’ve played and we’ve been successful has been a huge team effort. Jamal Crawford was playing out of his mind before he got hurt and guys have stepped up and really done their part. With our team I don’t think it’s one guy that’s making us go.

“I genuinely believe it’s been a total team effort.”

Griffin believes the MVP will eventually go to LeBron James or Kevin Durant but he has at least vaulted himself into the conversation this season, averaging a career-high 24.3 points, 9.7 rebounds and 3.7 assists while shooting 69.9 percent from the free throw line.

Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving experienced an injury to his left biceps during the first quarter of last night’s game in Los Angeles against the Clippers. He did not return to play following the injury.

Irving traveled back to Cleveland with the team and was examined at Cleveland Clinic Sports Health this afternoon by Cavaliers Head Team Physician Dr. Richard Parker. Imaging revealed a strain in the long head tendon of his left biceps.

Irving will now undergo a period of inactivity for his left biceps and be re-evaluated in two weeks. The injury’s response during this period will determine the most appropriate course of treatment and his status will be updated as appropriate.

Check out this video of the top 10 NBA dunks of the week, through March 15, 2014:

Shawn Marion scored 19 points, Vince Carter added 18 and the Dallas Mavericks beat Oklahoma City 109-86 on Sunday night, ending a seven-game regular-season losing streak to the Thunder.

Kevin Durant scored 30 points for Oklahoma City, his 26th straight game of 25 points or more, the longest such streak since Michael Jordan did so in 40 straight games during the 1986-87 season.

Dirk Nowitzki added 17 points and Jose Calderon had 16 points for Dallas, which entered the game tied for seventh in the Western Conference standings. The Mavericks, who begin an eight-game homestand on Monday, became only the third Western Conference team to win this season in Oklahoma City, joining the Portland Trail Blazers and the Los Angeles Clippers.

Dallas’ win over the Thunder was its first since Jan. 2, 2012. In addition to the seven straight regular-season losses to Oklahoma City, the Mavericks also were swept by the Thunder in a 2012 playoff series.

— Associated Press

Gerald Green is back from the kind of “vacation” that no NBA player likes to take.

Markieff Morris had 16 points and 14 rebounds, Green scored 13 of his 28 points in the fourth quarter and the Phoenix Suns won their second straight game, beating the Toronto Raptors 121-113 on Sunday.

Green had joked about being on vacation after scoring just six points in his previous two games, missing 17 of 23 field goal attempts. He had previously scored 10 points or more in a career-best 15 straight games.

“He came in yesterday to practice, worked on his shots and he told us all he was back from his little mini-vacation,” Suns coach Jeff Hornacek said. “When Gerald plays like that, he gets unstoppable. He can make all kinds of shots and I think our guys feed off that when he’s rolling.”

— Associated Press

Ray Allen was somewhat surprised to see how open he was. So was Dwyane Wade, who even took an extra dribble before believing his eyes and sending a 50-foot pass to the best 3-point shooter in NBA history.

Moments later, the Miami Heat were back on track.

Allen scored 14 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter on a milestone day for the veteran, Wade and LeBron James each added 24 points and the Heat closed with a flourish to beat the Houston Rockets 113-104 on Sunday and snap their worst stretch of results since 2011.

“When Ray gets into a rhythm, he’s the best 3-point shooter of all-time,” said Heat forward Chris Bosh, who scored 18 points to help Miami win for just the second time in its last seven games…

Harden finished with 30 points for Houston, which got 21 points and 14 rebounds from Dwight Howard. Patrick Beverley added 15 points and Terrence Jones scored 12 for the Rockets, who’ve dropped three straight.

— Associated Press

Before Phil Jackson can begin reshaping their future, the New York Knicks are trying to make something of this season.

Carmelo Anthony scored 23 points, Tim Hardaway Jr. had 20, and the Knicks beat the Milwaukee Bucks 115-94 on Saturday, giving them a season-high six straight victories as they prepare to welcome Jackson back to the franchise.

“We’ve got to really focus in on what’s the task at hand, and that’s still trying to make this push and not even looking forward to next season at this point,” Anthony said.

Amar’e Stoudemire and J.R. Smith each scored 15 for the Knicks, who easily ended their daytime woes by pounding the team with the NBA’s worst record.

New York began the day 3½ games behind Atlanta for the final postseason spot in the Eastern Conference. But the playoff push has taken a backseat to the news that Jackson was coming in to run the Knicks’ front office — except in the locker room.

— Associated Press

Kenneth Faried scored 24 points, Darrell Arthur led a big effort from Denver’s bench with 18, and the Nuggets beat the suddenly reeling Miami Heat 111-107 on Friday night, handing the NBA champions their fifth loss in six games.

Evan Fournier scored 14, Ty Lawson had 13 and JJ Hickson added 11 for the Nuggets. Denver’s reserves scored 57 points.

Ray Allen scored 22 points for Miami, which fell three games behind Indiana in the race for the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. LeBron James scored 21 points, Dwyane Wade added 19, Mario Chalmers had 16 and Chris Andersen scored 14 for the Heat, who turned the ball over 20 times and shot 7 for 24 from 3-point range.

It was only the fifth win for Denver in its last 18 games.

And for the Heat, it was the first time they’ve lost back-to-back home games since March 2011.

— Associated Press