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The Los Angeles Clippers today announced that they have assigned rookie guard Willie Warren to the Bakersfield Jam of the NBA Development League.
Warren, 21, has appeared in 14 games with the Clippers this season and is averaging 2.2 points and 1.4 assists in 7.8 minutes per game.
The former Oklahoma University standout was selected by the Clippers in the second round (54th overall pick) of the 2010 NBA Draft.
Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal reports:
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Free-agent point guard Jason Williams has agreed in principle to sign with the Grizzlies, according to sources with knowledge of the situation.
Barring an unforeseen development, the 35-year-old will join the team by Monday.
Williams informed Griz management of his decision Wednesday night while the team played on the road against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Orlando Magic waived Williams on Jan. 26. Williams and the Magic agreed to part ways over a lack of playing time. He became a fourth-string player after Orlando acquired Gilbert Arenas in a trade with Washington.
Behind a ridiculous 43 points from Kevin Durant, the Oklahoma City Thunder, playing at home, beat the New Orleans Hornets 104-93.
Durant was sensational. He shot 14-of-19, including 5-of-7 three-pointers, and hit 10-of-11 free throws to get his points. He also had 10 rebounds and five assists.
The AP reports:
The league’s scoring leader hit two free throws, a jumper and a 3-pointer from the right wing, and then a driving foul-line jumper that made it 98-84 with 5:44 to play.
“Durant hit some shots that there’s no defense for,” Hornets coach Monty Williams said. “Some of that stuff is the same thing Chris does, the same thing David does, and you can’t overcome that.
“What I didn’t like was I thought a couple of our guys put their heads down tonight and let that get to them, and I thought some of our bench guys didn’t compete.”
Durant scored 47 points at Minnesota and then 40 against Washington in back-to-back victories last week that both went past regulation, and he shot 14 for 19 from the field in his latest scoring outburst.
“Amazing,” Jeff Green said. “He’s been scoring the ball with ease, getting any kind of shot he wants. He’s been playing well, and hopefully it continues.”
The Thunder and Hornets are both dark horse teams who could pull off an upset or two in the postseason. They’re worth keeping an eye on. Especially OKC, with a guy like Durant on their side.
The AP reports:
New Jersey coach Avery Johnson has been ejected from the game against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Johnson was tossed with 7:47 left in the third quarter after being hit with two technical fouls for arguing the lack of a call after Nets guard Devin Harris was stripped by Elton Brand.
Replays showed that Brand’s hand never touched the ball and seemed to paw at Harris’ chest.
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Oklahoma City Thunder Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti announced today that the team has recalled center Cole Aldrich from the Tulsa 66ers of the NBA Development League.
During his two assignments this season with the 66ers, Aldrich has appeared in 19 games (19 starts) and averaged 10.2 points, 8.4 rebounds and 2.4 blocked shots in 29.2 minutes. Aldrich has recorded three consecutive double-doubles with Tulsa and the 66ers own a 15-4 mark this season with him in the lineup.
Aldrich has joined the Thunder in Oklahoma City for tonight’s 7:00 PM game against the New Orleans Hornets at the Oklahoma City Arena.
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Milwaukee Bucks General Manager John Hammond announced the following medical update on forward Drew Gooden:
“After seeking multiple medical opinions on his left foot (plantar fasciitis), Drew Gooden will undergo treatment beginning today in Los Angeles under the direction of foot and ankle specialist Dr. Richard Ferkel. Gooden is expected to be out of action for four-to-six weeks.”
Gooden has missed 21 games this season with left foot plantar fasciitis, including the last six contests. He is averaging 10.8 points and 6.5 rebounds in 23.6 minutes in 25 games (15 starts) on the season.
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Monday night in Newark, New Jersey, Carmelo Anthony and the Denver Nuggets visited a team that lately has stepped up to show some pride. Despite 37 from Melo, the Nets were hot from the start and came away with a 115-99 win.
New Jersey led by 10 after the first quarter and 13 at halftime. The Nuggets stepped up in the third, but the Nets controlled the fourth for a satisfying win.
Shooting 53.2 percent from the field, winning the rebounding battle 38-27 and the assists category 30-20, the Nets were led by Brook Lopez, who shot 11-of-18 for 27 points (but just four rebounds). Travis Outlaw was on fire in the first half and finished the game with 21. Anthony Morrow was a perfect 6-of-6 off the bench for 18 points. Reserve Kris Humphries scored 15. And starting point guard Devin Harris only scored nine but dished an amazing 18 assists.
The Nuggets got 37 points (12-of-22) from Carmelo Anthony, but he didn’t receive enough help. Chauncey Billups scored 17 but had more turnovers (7) than assists (5). Nene scored 16 but only grabbed three rebounds. Off the bench, J.R. Smith scored 10.
The real story of this game, though, wasn’t the game. It was Carmelo Anthony seemingly no longer being a possibility for the Nets in trade. His quotes after the game were pretty safe; Melo will not say that he’s leaving the Nuggets. Nor that he’d reject the Nets extension desire should they trade for him. He basically made it clear that his future is wide open and still being decided. Melo did want everyone to know that he does consider Denver one of his homes, and he’s perfectly happy there.
But those in the know still consider the Knicks as the most likely destination for Anthony, likely as a free agent this summer, if not in trade before the February deadline.
The Nets can be proud of their win yesterday. And with Melo out of town, it’ll be easier to focus on the actual players on the team, rather than what the roster may someday look like.
The Chicago Bulls’ Tom Thibodeau and the New Orleans Hornets’ Monty Williams today were named the NBA Eastern and Western Conference Coaches of the Month, respectively, for games played in January.
Thibodeau led the Bulls to a 12-4 record on the month, including a 90-79 win over the Eastern Conference-leading Boston Celtics on Jan. 8. The Bulls have gone 11-0 against Central Division opponents, and are the only team in the NBA without a division loss. Chicago’s 44.5 rebounds per game rank second in the NBA, and its 92.0 points allowed per game rank third.
Williams guided the Hornets to a 12-4 mark in January, including a franchise-record 10-game winning streak. New Orleans averaged 7.0 steals last month, and lead the NBA in second chance points allowed (9.71). The Hornets held 9 of 16 opponents under 90 points last month, including the Western Conference-leading San Antonio Spurs in a 75-71 victory on Jan. 22.
Other nominees for Coach of the Month were Boston’s Doc Rivers, Charlotte’s Paul Silas, the Los Angeles Clippers’ Vinny Del Negro, Miami’s Erik Spoelstra, Memphis’ Lionel Hollins, Philadelphia’s Doug Collins and San Antonio’s Gregg Popovich.
The Washington Wizards’ John Wall and the Los Angeles Clippers’ Blake Griffin today were named the Eastern and Western Conference NBA Rookies of the Month, respectively, for games played through January.
Wall led all Eastern Conference rookies in scoring (13.9 ppg), assists (10.5 apg) and double-doubles in the month. He also became the first rookie in NBA history to have nine or more assists in 10 straight games. In addition, Wall’s 168 assists in the month were the most by a rookie since Mark Jackson had 172 assists in 1988.
Griffin led all rookies in scoring (26.0 ppg), rebounding (13.4 rpg) and ranked second in assists (4.4 apg). He became only the fourth rookie over the last 20 seasons to average at least 25 points and 10 rebounds in a calendar month.
Other nominees for the Eastern and Western Conference Rookies of the Month were Detroit’s Greg Monroe, New York’s Landry Fields, Philadelphia’s Evan Turner, Sacramento’s DeMarcus Cousins and San Antonio’s Gary Neal.
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Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey announced today that the team has re-assigned guard Ishmael Smith to Houston’s single-affiliation NBA D-League partner Rio Grande Valley. Smith is the second Rockets player to be assigned to the Vipers and recalled this season. He follows rookie forward Patrick Patterson, who played in nine games for Rio Grande Valley during a month-long assignment (11/9/10-12/13/10).
Smith (6-0, 175, Wake Forest), who was recalled by Houston from Rio Grande Valley on Jan. 24, averaged 12.8 points, 7.0 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 1.75 steals in four games (one start) with the Vipers after his first assignment on Jan. 17. With the Rockets, the undrafted rookie free agent has averaged 2.8 points and 2.2 assists in 26 games (three starts).
