Category: General NBA insight

The Oklahoma City Thunder today re-assigned rookie forward Perry Jones, guard/forward Jeremy Lamb and center Daniel Orton to the Tulsa 66ers, the Thunders’ NBA Development League affiliate. The assignments are a record 91 st , 92 nd and 93 rd of the 2012-13 NBA and NBA D-League seasons, and are three of a record 46 NBA players to have been assigned to the NBA D-League this season.

Jones (6-11, 235, Baylor) has appeared in 12 games for Oklahoma City this season while recording averages of 1.6 points and 1.3 rebounds and 6.7 minutes. In his previous stints with Tulsa, Jones averaged 14.7 points and 4.8 rebounds in six games.

Lamb (6-5, 180, Connecticut) has played in 13 games for the Thunder this season, averaging 1.9 points and 3.8 minutes. In three previous assignments to the 66ers, he averaged 23.0 points and 4.9 rebounds.

Orton (6-10, 255, Kentucky) has made one appearance for the Thunder this season scoring two points in two minutes. Earlier this season he played in 11 games on assignment for the 66ers and averaged 10.9 points and 7.5 rebounds.

All three players are expected to join the 66ers today and be available when the team hosts the Idaho Stampede tonight in Tulsa at 8 p.m. ET.

The San Antonio Spurs today announced that they have assigned guard Nando De Colo to the Austin Toros of the NBA Development League.

This marks De Colo’s second assignment to the Toros this season. In one game for Austin on Dec. 2, the guard posted 14 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals in 39 minutes in a 97-82 win over the Idaho Stampede.

De Colo has appeared in 30 games this season for the Spurs, averaging 3.9 points, 1.7 assists and 1.7 rebounds in 11.9 minutes.

Receiving eight stitches above his right eye might have been painful, but it wasn’t enough to keep Russell Westbrook from practicing his whirling dervish ways Monday night for the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Westbrook returned from the wound to finish with 24 points, nine assists and seven rebounds, Kevin Durant scored 30 points and the Thunder pulled away in the fourth quarter for a 114-96 win over the Phoenix Suns.

”When you see blood, you don’t know what to do,” Durant said of Westbrook. ”I was glad he came back here and got stitched up and was able to play again. He came out there with a lot of anger and it showed on both ends of the floor. He pushed us over the top.” …

Luis Scola scored 24 points to lead Phoenix, which dropped its sixth straight game and fell to the Thunder for the seventh straight time. The Suns haven’t beaten Oklahoma City since December 19, 2010.

Westbrook left the game late in the first half with a cut over his right eye that required stitches. In his absence, the Thunder started the second half with Reggie Jackson at point guard and went on a 12-0 run to seize control. Oklahoma City never trailed again, although Phoenix pulled within two points twice in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter…

Durant recorded his 13th outing this season of 30 points or more, but had a poor shooting night, finishing 11-of-24 from the field. Westbrook, who has struggled with his shot in recent games, finished 7 of 16. Ibaka scored 16 points, Sefolosha added 14 points and Collison had 10 points and nine rebounds for the Thunder.

Goran Dragic added 16 points for Phoenix, while Marcin Gortat had 12 points and 10 rebounds and O’Neal had 12 points.

— Reported by Murray Evans of the Associated Press

The Cleveland Cavaliers have recalled forward Samardo Samuels from the Canton Charge, the Cavaliers exclusively owned and operated NBA Development League team, Cavaliers General Manager Chris Grant announced today from Cleveland Clinic Courts.

Samuels played in two games (both starts) for the Charge, averaging 20.5 points on .567 shooting and 10.5 rebounds in 37.5 minutes per game, helping Canton win both games. Samuels has played in 18 games (one start) this season for the Cavs, averaging 3.2 points and 1.6 rebounds in 10.9 minutes per game.

The New York Knicks plan to have Amar’e Stoudemire come off the bench when he returns to action, ESPN.com reported, based on information from league sources.

Stoudemire could return on Tuesday against the Portland Trail Blazers, and although the team would prefer that he come off the bench, he could be a starter because of injuries to other players.

Carmelo Anthony, who has been starting at the power forward spot this season, missed his second consecutive game on Friday because of a knee injury, and point guard Raymond Felton is out four to six weeks with a fractured right pinky finger.

— Reported by the Sports Xchange

Cavaliers center Anderson Varejao would like to return to action as soon as possible.

Unfortunately for the NBA’s leading rebounder and his team, it’s unclear when he’ll be on the court again.

Varejao will miss at least two more games because of a bruised right knee. He will sit out Friday night’s home game against Atlanta and will not travel with the team for Saturday’s game in Brooklyn so he can get more treatment. Varejao has already missed four games since hurting his knee on Dec. 18 against Toronto.

”I want to be back tomorrow, but I know that’s not possible,” he said before Friday’s game.

— Reported by the Associated Press

InsideHoops.com photo from court level prior to start of Friday night’s Charlotte Bobcats at Brooklyn Nets game.

Jamal Crawford led a dominant performance by the Los Angeles reserves with 22 points and the Clippers defeated the Denver Nuggets 112-100 on Tuesday night, extending their franchise-record winning streak to 14 games.

Matt Barnes added 20 points – one off his season high – as the bench outscored the Clippers starters 64-48 in claiming the NBA’s best record at 22-6, one win better than Oklahoma City which lost to Miami earlier Tuesday.

Kosta Koufos and Jordan Hamilton scored 16 points each for Denver in the finale of a Christmas Day doubleheader at Staples Center. The Lakers, who will play the Nuggets on Wednesday night in Denver, beat the Knicks 100-94 in the first game.

Ty Lawson added 15 points for the Nuggets, who fell to 7-13 on the road, where 22 of their first 32 games are being played.

Crawford’s 3-pointer to open the fourth quarter pushed the Clippers’ lead to 20 points and kept the starters on the bench for the final 12 minutes…

Crawford scored eight points in the quarter. He leads the NBA’s reserves in scoring, and topped 20 points for the 12th time this season.

Chris Paul led Los Angeles’ starters with 14 points; Blake Griffin had 13; and Willie Green 11.

— Reported by Beth Harris of the Associated Press

Reggie Jackson of the Tulsa 66ers was today named NBA Development League Performer of the Week for games played Dec. 17-23.

A 6-3, 208-pound guard out of Boston College, Jackson led the 66ers to two wins while on assignment from the Oklahoma City Thunder, averaging a team-high 32.0 points to go with 8.0 rebounds, 7.0 assists and 37.5 minutes. He led the team in scoring and assists in both games, was the leading rebounder once.

Jackson, who was recalled by the Thunder on Dec. 23, has appeared in 14 games for Oklahoma City this season, averaging 1.9 points, 1.0 rebounds and 6.9 minutes.

Other top performers considered include Austin’s Justin Dentmon, Bakersfield’s Renaldo Major, Canton’s Arinze Onuaku, Erie’s D.J. Kennedy, Fort Wayne’s Tony Mitchell, Idaho’s Sean Evans, Iowa’s Paul Harris, Los Angeles’ Gary Flowers, Maine’s Fab Melo, on assignment from the Boston Celtics, Reno’s Darnell Jackson, Rio Grande Valley’s Tim Ohlbrecht, Sioux Falls’ Demetris Nichols, Springfield’s James Mays, and Texas’ Christian Eyenga.

Andrew Bynum has been cleared to start a six-step rehabilitation process but there is still no timetable when he can return to play for the Philadelphia 76ers.

The 7-foot center hasn’t practiced or played for the Sixers this season because of bone bruises in his knees…

Bynum says ”I’m confident I’ll be on the court this season.” He was acquired in the offseason from the Los Angeles Lakers as part of a four-team trade.

— Reported by Dan Gelston of the Associated Press