NBA News Blog – Page 1312 – NBA Blog

Marcus Camby out three weeks after knee surgery

Portland Trail Blazers center Marcus Camby underwent successful arthroscopic surgery to repair a partial medial meniscus tear in his left knee this morning, it was announced by General Manager Rich Cho.

Dr. Don Roberts performed the surgery in Vancouver, Wash., and Camby is expected to miss approximately three weeks.

“We’re pleased with the outcome of today’s surgery, and look forward to seeing Marcus back on the court soon,” said Cho. “In the meantime, we have confidence in our frontcourt players to step into the void left by Marcus and help us continue to win games.”

In 39 games (all starts) this season, Camby has averaged 5.9 points, 11.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.87 blocks in 28.7 minutes. He ranks fifth in the NBA in rebounds and 10th in blocked shots per game.

Camby is the only player in the Western Conference averaging at least 11.0 rebounds and 1.50 blocks. He has grabbed at least 10 boards in 26 games and led the team in rebounding a team-high 28 times this season.

InsideHoops.com editor says: It’s good news that Camby will only miss around three weeks. The injury was considered minor at the time of discovery so it isn’t surprising that he won’t be gone too long.

GM: Blake Griffin will always be with Clippers

Some may take this more as a threat than a promise, but the Clippers obviously hope to keep young star forward Blake Griffin forever and the team GM is putting word out now about it.

Ramona Shelburne of ESPN reports:

It’s impossible to predict where Blake Griffin will be in the summer of 2014, when he will become an unrestricted free agent.

But as far as the Los Angeles Clippers are concerned, he’s not going anywhere.

“I can guarantee you he will only ever be a Clipper,” general manager Neil Olshey said of his prized rookie. “If [Oklahoma City Thunder general manager] Sam Presti arrived on Kevin Durant’s doorstep at midnight on July 1st with an extension, understand that Blake Griffin lives two blocks away from me in Manhattan Beach so it’s going to be a much shorter commute for me.”

Of course, every team in the league will be hoping Griffin makes it onto the open market, someday. But there’s nothing anyone can do about it right now.

DeMar DeRozan to replace Brandon Jennings in 2011 dunk contest

NBA.com reports:

Brandon Jennings, the Milwaukee Bucks point guard who has missed 14 games with a fractured fifth metatarsal bone in his left foot, has withdrawn as a contestant in the Sprite Slam Dunk Contest at All-Star Weekend, NBA.com has learned.

While Jennings is on track to return to the Bucks’ lineup within the next two weeks, the risk of re-injury while practicing for and participating in the dunk contest apparently caused the player and the Bucks to reconsider his involvement, sources said. A league spokesman declined to comment Wednesday and information on Jennings’ likely replacement could not be confirmed.

However, the NBA announced Thursday morning that Toronto’s DeMar DeRozan – the runner-up in last year’s Sprite Slam Dunk Contest — will replace Jennings this year in Los Angeles.

Jennings, 21, hurt his foot against in an awkward spill at San Antonio on Dec. 15 and struggled to play on it three nights later against Utah. The second-year guard had surgery on Dec. 20, with an expected layoff of four to six weeks. The Bucks, 10-15 when Jennings went down, are 5-9 since.

InsideHoops.com editor says: No knock on Brandon here but I have no idea why he was chosen in the first place. Obviously he’s super-athletic, but he rarely dunks. What are the odds he would suddenly turn out to have a 50-inch vertical leap when the dunk contest began? Anyway, DeRozan is a nice addition.

Mavericks sign Sasha Pavlovic to second 10-day contract

The Dallas Mavericks announced today that they have re-signed forward Sasha Pavlovic to a second 10-day contract.

Pavlovic (6-7, 235) is a seven-year NBA veteran and joined the Mavericks as a free agent on January 10. He saw action in five games for the Mavericks with one start and averaged 4.0 points and 1.2 rebounds in 15.6 minutes per game.

The native of Bar, Yugoslavia holds career averages of 5.5 points, 1.9 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 16.5 minutes in 457 career games (128 starts) with Utah, Cleveland, Minnesota and Dallas. He was also a member of the Serbia and Montenegro 2004 Olympic Team that competed in Athens, Greece.

Mo Williams out due to hip issue

Yesterday, Cavaliers guard Mo Williams underwent additional testing at the Cleveland Clinic and it has been determined that his recent symptoms are the result of moderate inflammation of his left hip joint.

Therefore, he underwent a cortisone injection today which will require a period of rest and then rehabilitation prior to returning to basketball activities.

No firm timetable has been set for his return to play.

Lil Wayne is angry at LeBron and Wade

Andy Greene of Rolling Stone magazine reports:

In the new issue of Rolling Stone — on stands and online in the digital archives on January 21st (subscription required) — Lil Wayne opens up for the first time about his time in prison. During his eight month stint in Building C-76, cell 23 at Rikers Island, Weezy worked as an SPA (suicide prevention aide), listened to a lot of music on the radio (oldies and Hot 97) and played countless games of Uno with his cellmates in the Protective Custody division.

When Wayne sat court-side at a recent Miami Heat/New Orleans Hornets game he was upset that Lebron James and Dwyane Wade never came over to talk to him. “Them niggas never speak to a nigga,” he says. “They don’t chuck me the deuce or nothing. Nigga spent all that money on them fucking tickets … Come holla at me. We sit right by them little bitch-ass niggas. At least come ask me why I’m not rooting for you.”

InsideHoops.com editor says: Lil Wayne is about three feet tall. Maybe LeBron and Wade simply didn’t see him. Just kidding, folks. Anyway, this is obviously a pressing issue. I hope reporters with access to the Heat in the coming days ask about it. The people need to know.

Rafer Alston to sign in China

By Jeff Lenchiner

Streetball legend and former NBA player Rafer Alston has found a new job in basketball, and it’s taking him overseas.

Alston’s longtime manager and close friend Eddie Lau told InsideHoops.com that the guard is traveling to China today where he will sign a contract to play for the Zhejiang Guangsha Basketball Club.

In other news, in addition to his other roles, Lau is now also Alston’s agent.

Alston began his NBA career in 1999, playing for Milwaukee. He went on to play Toronto, Miami, Houston, Orlando and New Jersey, and had a career average of 10.1 points, 2.8 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.2 spg.

Known in Rucker Park and other famous playgrounds as “Skip to my Lou,” Alston has great flair to his game. Over his years as a professional, he learned how to separate Alston the NBA player from Skip, the kid in the playground. It’ll be interesting to see footage of how he performs overseas.

Marcus Camby will have surgery on left knee

Portland Trail Blazers center Marcus Camby will undergo arthroscopic surgery later this week to repair a partial medial meniscus tear in his left knee, it was announced today by General Manager Rich Cho.

“The MRI taken earlier today did not show anything significant,” said Cho. “However, a more thorough review tonight from our team physician did reveal a partial tear.”

The exact date for Camby’s arthroscopy has yet to be determined. A timeline for his return will be set following surgery.

InsideHoops.com editor says: This is nuts. When will the Blazers knee injuries end? I’m not going to hurl unwarranted accusations at the training staff, but I’m certainly tempted to at least suggest that perhaps a change be considered. The good news is, Camby’s injury sounds minor, so maybe he’ll be out just a few weeks. I’m totally speculating there. Anyway, all the best to Blazers fans. And on the lighter side, I’ll suggest that perhaps from now on, Blazers practices should be held at local hospitals.

What’s your reaction? Share it in this forum topic.

Hawks sign Damien Wilkins to second 10-day contract

The Atlanta Hawks today signed guard/forward Damien Wilkins to a second 10-day contract, according to Executive Vice President/General Manager Rick Sund.

Wilkins has appeared in 17 games off the bench for Atlanta this season, averaging 2.4 ppg, 1.5 rpg, 0.7 apg and 0.7 spg (.452 FG%, .684 FT%) in 11.7 mpg. The seventh-year veteran signed his first 10-day contract on January 8, 2011. He was originally signed by the Hawks on December 3, 2010, and waived on January 5, 2011.

Blake Griffin drops 47 and 14 on Pacers

Frank Burlison of the Los Angeles Daily News reports:

Griffin scored a career-high 47 points in just 36 minutes as the Clippers held off the Pacers 114-107 in front of 15,863 on Monday at Staples Center that seemed almost sluggish before Griffin began unleashing his ever-expanding scoring repertoire.

Griffin was whistled for charging into the Pacers’ Tyler Hansbrough just 44 seconds after the opening tip.

That proved to be one of the few times something good didn’t happen for coach Vinny Del Negro’s team when the ball was in Griffin’s hands.

Griffin, who grabbed 14 rebounds for his 27 th consecutive double-double, hit a 10-foot jump hook on the Clippers’ next possession and he was off and running – even if, at least until the fourth quarter, his team wasn’t.

In just eight minutes and 10 seconds on the floor, he went 5 of 7 from the field and made each of his three free throws for 13 points in a first quarter that ended with the Pacers ahead 31-26, largely because of former UCLA guard Darren Collison’s 17 points.