NBA News Blog – Page 1068 – NBA Blog

Kobe Bryant ends bid for scoring title

Kobe Bryant didn’t play in the Lakers’ regular-season finale Thursday night, a meaningless 113-96 loss to the Sacramento Kings at Power Balance Pavilion. Pau Gasol also didn’t play. Neither did Andrew Bynum.

Metta World Peace wasn’t allowed to play because of a seven-game suspension.

Matt Barnes couldn’t play because of a sprained right ankle.

Bryant needed to score 38 points to win the NBA scoring title, but in the end, he decided it was smarter to rest for the start of the playoffs Sunday than to try to overtake Kevin Durant of Oklahoma City.

“He’s been in this league for a long time and he understands the importance of getting some rest and going into the playoffs the right way,” Lakers coach Mike Brown said of Bryant. “He was the one who said at first he wanted to sit.”

— Reported by Elliot Teaford of the Los Angeles Daily News

Charlotte Bobcats played the worst season in NBA history

The Charlotte Bobcats couldn’t even beat a Knicks team resting most of its starters, finishing with the worst winning percentage in NBA history after a 104-84 loss on Thursday night.

J.R. Smith scored 22 points for the Knicks, who pulled away in the second half to clinch the Eastern Conference’s No. 7 seed and a first-round playoff matchup against No. 2 Miami beginning Saturday.

Gerald Henderson had 21 points for the Bobcats, whose 23rd consecutive loss left them with a winning percentage of .106 (7-59) in the lockout-shortened season. The record was set 39 years ago, when the 1972-73 Philadelphia 76ers finished 9-73 (.110) in a full regular season.

The Knicks held out Carmelo Anthony, Tyson Chandler and Baron Davis, while Amare Stoudemire had 21 points over two quarters.

— Reported by the Associated Press

Eric Musselman named D-League coach of year

Los Angeles D-Fenders head coach Eric Musselman was today named the winner of the Dennis Johnson Coach of the Year award, as voted by his fellow NBA Development League head coaches.

Musselman helmed a Los Angeles team that recorded an NBA D-League record 38 victories during the 2011-12 regular season en route to a Western Conference Championship and the first overall seed in the 2012 NBA D-League Playoffs presented by BBVA.

Musselman’s D-Fenders are undefeated in postseason play, and have a chance to secure the 2012 NBA D-League Championship over the Austin Toros tonight in the second game of the best-of-three NBA D-League Finals presented by BBVA. Tip-off is set for 10:00 p.m. ET.

During his first year with the team, Musselman oversaw the development of six top NBA D-League prospects who earned a total of eight GATORADE Call-Ups to the NBA this season, including the 2012 NBA D-League All-Star MVP Gerald Green, now of the New Jersey Nets and Houston Rockets guard Courtney Fortson, who both signed contracts for the remainder of the season with their NBA teams.

Musselman’s D-Fenders led the League in rebounding percentage (.572) and held their opponents to a League-low 44 percent from the field, while its 48 percent from the field was good for second best in the League.

“Eric’s deep knowledge of the game and his unparalleled passion have been evident every step of the way for the D-Fenders this season,” said Chris Alpert, Vice President of Basketball Operations and Player Personnel for the NBA D-League. “Not only was Eric able to achieve a level of on-court success our League has never seen before, he was able to do it while developing top NBA D-League prospects into current NBA contributors. I offer my hearty congratulations to him on a season well done.”

The award is named in honor of the late Dennis Johnson, NBA Legend and former Austin Toros head coach who was enshrined in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in August 2010. In his playing career, Johnson won three NBA titles with the Boston Celtics and Seattle SuperSonics, played in five NBA All-Star games and was named to the All-Defensive First Team six times. He served as interim head coach of the Los Angeles Clippers in 2002, and was in his third season coaching in the NBA D-League when he passed away.

Kevin Love wants Timberwolves roster changes

The Wolves could add Love’s new $13 million salary and still clear more than $12 million for free agency if they let go Beasley, Randolph, Milicic, Webster and retiring Brad Miller. But they still would have to fill out those roster spots, and as many as six NBA teams could have $20 million or more to spend this summer when the Wolves’ best options are difficult-to-sign restricted free agents — O.J. Mayo, Eric Gordon, Nicolas Batum — or perhaps overpaying unrestricted free agents Ray Allen or Landry Fields.

More likely is a trade for a player such as Kevin Martin, who played for Adelman twice and whose $13 million salary Houston wants to shed.

Love said he will lobby management to be “aggressive” in adding veterans. “I think we just need to make some moves,” he said.

Adelman said he believes the team’s young, vibrant nucleus will attract free agents.

“When you look at Kevin and you look at Ricky and the style that we’re going to play, it’s going to be good,” Adelman said.

— Reported by Jerry Zgoda of the Minneapolis Star Tribune

Mike Miller gets quality minutes before playoffs

One of the benefits of the Miami Heat resting LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh at the end of the season has been working Mike Miller into the rotation.

Based on his recent play, Miller has solidified his standing as the Heat’s sixth man going into the playoffs.

“We’re finally starting to see some of the things that we’ve always liked about Mike,” said coach Erik Spoelstra, with the Heat sitting out their regulars in Tuesday’s 78-66 loss to the Celtics, with the Wizards up next on Thursday night in the regular-season finale. “With guys out, we’ve been able to bring the ball to him a lot more and not just for him to run to the corner.

“We’ve had calls for him where there is the responsibility for him to create shots for the team. And I think that’s great for him.”

— Reported by The Sports Xchange

After season-long struggle, Utah Jazz secure spot in playoffs

Moments before a confetti blizzard filled EnergySolutions Arena and prior to Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap embracing each other at midcourt after the buzzer, the raucous and postseason-hungry crowd of 19,911 chanted “Playoffs! Playoffs! Playoffs!”

It was a simple but oh-so-satisfying chant that aptly summed up the night for the Utah Jazz.

The playoff drought — longer for some members of the Jazz than others — is over.

After a postseason off, the Jazz will be back in the NBA’s Big Dance once again after eliminating the Phoenix Suns in a tense and thrilling 100-88 victory Tuesday night at EnergySolutions Arena.

“You know, it’s a credit to these guys,” Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin said.

And from these guys, Corbin was referring to everybody from his coaching staff that helped him build a bridge from Hall of Fame coach Jerry Sloan’s era to his own, to the 15 Jazz players who helped the franchise secure its 25th playoff berth in 29 years.

— Reported by Jody Genessy of the Deseret News

Beno Udrih expected to exercise $7 million Bucks option

Earlier this season, Beno Udrih said he might not pick up the $7.32 million option on his contract for next season.

At the time, Udrih was obviously upset about his lack of playing time. Today, he still isn’t exactly a happy camper, especially considering he’s averaging only 18 minutes a game compared to 35 minutes last season when he played for Sacramento.

But Udrih fully realizes his market value has taken a major hit and that he wouldn’t come anywhere close to making $7 million as an unrestricted free agent this summer.

As such, Udrih, the Bucks’ second-highest paid player, said he will pick up the player option for next season.

— Reported by Gery Woelfel of the Journal Times

Larry Brown had communication problems with Michael Jordan in Charlotte

It was only a few years ago that Larry Brown had the Bobcats in the playoffs, but Charlotte is poised to become the worst team in league history and the coach had some thoughts Wednesday on what went wrong during his tenure there.

Brown said on “The Dan Patrick Show” that he experienced communication problems with team owner Michael Jordan and then was devastated when he was fired.

“It’s one thing for me to get fired, but I have four or five assistants and they’re out there not able to work,” said the 71-year-old Brown, who was named SMU coach this week. “And it was the worst. And when your hero fires you… I just couldn’t believe it. You know I love the guy, think he’s brilliant, but he’s around people who don’t have a clue. And they won’t challenge him. And the more you challenge him, the more you get from him.

“I was sick about it. I haven’t spoken to him since. I don’t like seeing what’s going on.” …

“When I was able to visit with him and pick his brain, he knows, but he’s got people around him that just make you sick,” Brown said to Patrick. “And it was not comfortable. It was almost like there were spies wondering what you were doing and getting back to him. I should have spent more time face to face with Michael because I do see the passion. I think he’s hurt right now.”

— Reported by ESPN Chicago

Spurs recall Cory Joseph from D-League

The San Antonio Spurs today announced that they have recalled Cory Joseph from the Austin Toros of the NBA Development League.

Joseph, a 6-3 guard, has been assigned to Austin three times this season, most recently on March 20. Since then he has helped lead the Toros to the D-League Finals. In the playoffs, Joseph is averaging 11.7 points, 5.4 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.29 steals in 34.3 minutes through seven games. During the regular season, he saw action in 14 games for Austin, averaging 13.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.29 steals in 32.9 minutes. Joseph was named the D-League Performer of the Week for the week of March 19-25. The former Texas Longhorn recorded a triple-double with 15 points, 17 rebounds and 12 assists in a 122-82 win over the Maine Red Claws on March 23

Joseph has seen action in 27 games for the Spurs this season, averaging 1.7 points and 1.1 assists in 7.6 minutes.

Joseph will be available tonight when the Silver and Black visit the Phoenix Suns at 9:30 p.m. on Fox Sports Southwest.

Knicks name Glen Grunwald executive vice president and general manager

The New York Knicks announced today that Glen Grunwald has been named executive vice president and general manager. Grunwald had been serving in this role on an interim basis since July.

“Glen has done a terrific job this season,” Executive Chairman of The Madison Square Garden Company James Dolan said. “He is an intelligent, seasoned executive and we look forward to him continuing in the role of General Manager for many years to come.”

Grunwald joined the Knicks on Sep. 6, 2006 as the team’s senior vice president, basketball operations, following a decade with the Toronto Raptors (1994-2004), including seven seasons as general manager. He has served as New York’s interim general manager since Jul. 1, 2011.

“It has been a great honor to be a part of this storied franchise for the past six seasons,” Grunwald said. “I would like to thank Mr. Dolan for this opportunity and look forward to building on our commitment to give our fans a team that they can be proud of today, and in the future.”