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Utah Jazz center Francisco Elson will miss tonight’s contest vs. Golden State. Elson has traveled to Canada to renew his visa (standard procedure) and is required to remain in the country for 48 hours as a part of the process.
Elson is expected to rejoin the team for Friday’s game at New Orleans.
In addition, guard Raja Bell (strained right adductor) and center Kyrylo Fesenko (sprained left ankle) will each be gametime decisions tonight.
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New Jersey Nets forward Damion James underwent successful foot surgery today, December 13, to repair a fractured fifth metatarsal of his right foot, Nets General Manager Billy King announced.
The surgery, which involved the insertion of a screw in James’ foot, was performed at the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan by Dr. Martin O’Malley, and Nets team physician Dr. Riley Williams III.
James will be on crutches for two weeks after which time he will begin rehabilitation. James is expected to be out of action for a period of six to eight weeks.
Currently in his rookie season out of the University of Texas, James has played in 17 games, with averages of 3.1 points and 2.9 rebounds in 12.9 minutes per game.
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The Minnesota Timberwolves recalled second-year guard Jonny Flynn from the Sioux Falls Skyforce yesterday. Flynn appeared in one game for the Skyforce during his second stint in the D-League, dishing out 12 assists to go along with eight points and five rebounds in the Skyforce’s game against Tulsa Friday night.
Flynn, the sixth overall pick by Minnesota in last year’s draft, started each of the 81 games he appeared in as a rookie last season. He averaged 13.5 points, 2.4 rebounds and 4.4 assists as a rookie before missing the season finale with the hip injury that ultimately required offseason surgery. He finished his first NBA season ranked fifth among the league’s rookies in scoring (13.5 ppg), fourth in free-throw accuracy (82.6%), fifth in assists (4.4 apg) and seventh in steals (1.01 spg).
Per NBA rules, a first- or second-year player can be assigned to the team’s D-League affiliate a maximum of three times in a season.
Oklahoma City Thunder Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti announced today that the team has recalled center Byron Mullens from the Tulsa 66ers of the NBA Development League.
Mullens appeared in one game (one start) for the 66ers and recorded 19 points, four rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block in 33 minutes.
Mullens will join the Thunder for tonight’s 6:00 PM game against the Cavaliers at the Oklahoma City Arena.
The New Orleans Hornets apparently were mislead and thought that today’s game in Philadelphia against the 76ers was being played with golf rules, with victory going to whoever scores the fewest points.
In the first half, the Hornets shot just 14.3% (6-of-42) and missed all five of their three-point attempts. They scored just 13 points in the first quarter and 10 in the second.
Chris Paul was solid with 10 points on four shot attempts. But fellow starters Marco Belinelli shot 1-of-6, Trevor Ariza 1-of-9, David West 1-of-6, and Emeka Okafor 0-of-5.
The Sixers shot 45 percent and were led by Andre Iguodala’s 10 points.
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New Jersey Nets forward Damion James has suffered a broken right foot. It is not yet known how much time he’s expected to miss. More details on the injury will be added to this page later today.
The 6-7, 220-pound rookie, who attended Texas, has played limited minutes in his first professional season, averaging 3.1 points and 2.9 rebounds in 12.9 minutes per game.
The 6-17 Nets currently have the worst record in the Eastern conference. They have a higher winning percentage than the Minnesota Timberwolves, Sacramento Kings and Los Angeles Clippers, who are all in the West.
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The Philadelphia 76ers announced today that they have recalled rookie forward Craig Brackins from their NBA Development League affiliate, the Springfield Armor. Brackins was assigned to the Armor on November 30.
In five games for Springfield, Brackins averaged 17.2 points, 8.6 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.80 blocks in 37.4 minutes per game. He has appeared in one game for the Sixers this season, scoring 6 points in 10 minutes of play at Toronto on November 24.
Brackins (6-10, 230) was the 21st overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft by Oklahoma City. His rights were traded to New Orleans along with the rights to Quincy Pondexter in exchange for Morris Peterson and the rights to Cole Aldrich. The Sixers acquired Brackins and Darius Songaila from the Hornets in exchange for Willie Green and Jason Smith on September 23.
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Elliot Teaford of the Los Angeles Daily News reports:
Ron Artest acknowledged during an interview with ESPN what almost every Lakers watcher has assumed since he signed with the team as a free agent during the summer of 2009. He admitted he doesn’t know the Lakers’ offense.
“See, I can’t really understand the triangle,” he said in a story posted Saturday on ESPN.com. “There’s 1,000 plays in the triangle. It’s such a challenge. I get so frustrated about it. So I just stay in my one spot in the corner.
“If I leave my spot, I get yelled at. (Lakers coach) Phil (Jackson’s) gonna say, `What are you doing over there!’ So I just don’t move.”
Artest made his comments Dec. 3 during a day-long visit with Rick Reilly.
The Lakers called off Saturday’s scheduled practice, so Artest was not available for comment. He was the first player to leave the locker room after the Lakers’ loss to the Chicago Bulls on Friday, the first game on their six-game trip.
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Page Six, from the New York Post, reports:
The Knicks’ “Italian Stallion,” Danilo Gallinari, has a new love interest — “Gossip Girl” star Michelle Trachtenberg. The NBA heartthrob and the beauty have been spending time together in some of the city’s hottest clubs over the last few weeks. Sources tell us of the 22-year-old, 6-foot-10 “Gallo” and Trachtenberg: “They are seeing each other, but it is very early days. Michelle seems pretty excited about Danilo and was overheard talking about him at the Knicks game recently, saying she really likes him.”
InsideHoops.com editor says: The other female stars of Gossip Girl want me. They just don’t know it yet. But they will. Oh yes.
Los Angeles Clippers center Chris Kaman will miss a minimum of three weeks due to an aggravated bone bruise and deltoid ligament sprain of his left ankle.
Kaman was examined by team physician Dr. Steven Shimoyama after undergoing an MRI on Dec. 6. He was then was re-evaluated on Dec. 9 by Dr. Richard D. Ferkel.
Kaman will wear a protective boot when not participating in assigned rehabilitation.
The 2010 All-Star has appeared in 10 games this season and is averaging 10.5 points and 7.1 rebounds per game. Kaman originally injured the ankle on Nov. 9 in New Orleans.