NBA News Blog – Page 1440 – NBA Blog

NBA fines Kevin Garnett

Boston Celtics forward Kevin Garnett has been fined $25,000 for publicly criticizing game officials and for using inappropriate language during a postgame interview, it was announced today by Stu Jackson, NBA Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations.

Garnett was fined for comments he made following the Celtics’ 109-104 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday, March 31.

The Boston Globe on April 3 reported:

After watching the Thunder go to the free throw line 34 times to 17 for the Celtics, and seeing Kevin Durant make more free throws by himself than the Celtics (15 to 13), Garnett told reporters, “I thought we were playing Michael [expletive] Jordan tonight the way he was getting the whistle. Durant damn near shot more free throws than our whole team. That’s game.’’ Asked if he thought it was fair that players are fined for speaking their minds, Celtics coach Doc Rivers joked, “I’m not going to give an opinion, because I want to keep my money.’’

Marc Gasol, Ronnie Brewer to miss remainder of season

The Memphis Grizzlies announced today that center Marc Gasol and guard/forward Ronnie Brewer will miss the team’s remaining eight games of the 2009-10 regular season due to injury.

Gasol, a 7-1, 265-pound center, missed five games from March 16-24 after suffering a partially torn neck muscle during a game on March 13 vs. Denver and re-aggravated the injury in his second game back on March 31 vs. Dallas.

One of the leading candidates for the NBA Most Improved Player Award, Gasol has posted career highs in points (14.6), rebounds (9.3, T-16th in the NBA) and blocks (1.58, 13th) while shooting a franchise-record 58.1 percent (4th) from the field in 69 games this season. The Barcelona, Spain native leads all second-year players in rebounding and field goal percentage.

Brewer, a 6-7, 227-pound swingman, suffered a partially torn right hamstring on Feb. 19 vs. Miami, his first game with the Grizzlies after being acquired from the Utah Jazz at the trade deadline one day earlier. The four-year NBA veteran initially missed 13 games with the injury from Feb. 21-March 13 and has only played in four games since, last on March 22 at Sacramento.

The former University of Arkansas Razorback has averaged 8.8 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.57 steals in 58 total games with the Grizzlies and Jazz this season.

Memphis (38-36) will host the New Orleans Hornets at 7 p.m. tonight at FedExForum. The Grizzlies need just four more victories to post the club’s first winning record since the 2005-06 season.

Evan Turner wins AP college player of year

The AP reports:

Ohio State junior swingman Evan Turner is the runaway choice as The Associated Press’ college basketball player of the year.

The 6-foot-7 Turner, who averaged 20.3 points, 9.2 rebounds and 5.9 assists, received 54 votes from the 65-member national media panel…

Kentucky freshman John Wall received nine votes, while Da’Sean Butler of West Virginia and Luke Harangody of Notre Dame each got one.

Dwight Howard owns paint in win over Mavs

The AP reports:

Dwight Howard dominates paint in win over Mavs

Dwight Howard regularly dominates in the paint for the Orlando Magic. The X-factor for the Magic is their 3-point shooting.

Howard had 17 points, 20 rebounds and five blocked shots, and his teammates converted 14 of 24 attempts from 3-point range as the Magic atoned for an earlier loss to Dallas with a 97-82 victory over the Mavericks on Thursday night.

Reserve Mickael Pietrus had a season-high 24 points, making all six of his 3-point attempts, and Vince Carter added 19 points to help Orlando win for the 14th time in 16 games…

Dirk Nowitzki scored 24 points to lead the Mavericks, whose three-game winning streak ended. Jason Terry and J.J. Barea had 16 points apiece in reserve roles for Dallas.

Nowitzki’s fellow starters—Shawn Marion, Brendan Haywood, Caron Butler and Jason Kidd—combined for only 20 points.

Spencer Hawes season over

An MRI performed today on the left knee of Sacramento Kings center Spencer Hawes revealed a deep bone contusion and an irregular signal in the joint line. Hawes is going to seek a second opinion from Dr. Lawrence Holland in Seattle tomorrow morning. Holland previously performed surgery on Hawes’ left knee prior to his rookie season.

Hawes will miss the team’s remaining six games of the 2009-10 season.

Wizards sign Cedric Jackson to ten-day contract

Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld announced today that the team has signed guard Cedric Jackson to a ten-day contract. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not announced.

As the NBA’s 32nd GATORADE call-up from the D-League this season, Martin (6-3, 190 lbs.) has averaged 16.4 points and 7.4 assists (including a season-high effort of 34 points and 13 assists vs. Dakota on Feb. 26th) in 34 games (24 starts) for the Erie Bayhawks. Jackson also appeared in eight NBA games this season (three for San Antonio, five for Cleveland), and saw his teams go 8-0 in those contests. A rookie out of Cleveland State, Jackson is best remembered for connecting on a game-winning three-pointer from three-quarters court in a Cleveland St. upset win at Syracuse during the 2008-09 NCAA season.

Jackson will be in uniform tonight in New Orleans (8:00 pm on CSN, 106.7 The Fan, and 1370 Sports Radio in Baltimore) and will wear uniform #9.

Thunder assign Mustafa Shakur to D-League

Oklahoma City Thunder Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti announced today that the team has assigned guard Mustafa Shakur to the Tulsa 66ers of the NBA Development League.

Shakur, who was signed by the Thunder on March 31, has not appeared in a game for Oklahoma City. In 43 games (all starts) this season with the Tulsa 66ers, Shakur is averaging 20.4 points while shooting 49.8% from the field (312-626 FG) and 40.3% from beyond the arc (50-124 3FG), 7.1 assists, 4.6 rebounds, 2.33 blocks and 39.0 minutes while helping guide the 66ers to a 25-21 record. Tulsa currently owns a half game lead over Reno for the eighth and final D-League playoff spot.

He is expected to be in uniform tonight when the 66ers match-up with the Toros in Austin at 7:30 PM.

NBA fans given Most Valuable Player vote

NBA fans now have one small vote in the league’s Most Valuable Player award voting. The league is giving fans as a collective group the equivalent of one vote out of 125 for who wins the award. More details here.

I am OK with fans getting one small voice here, but it probably shouldn’t ever be made any larger than this. Because team fan bases are not created equal. Some players will always be more popular than others, regardless of how good they are. It’ll never be even, impartial or fully fair.

While tons of fans will vote in honest fashion, many others will just vote for their favorite star whether he’s actually MVP-worthy or not.

And I hate to remind you of what worldwide fans do regarding Yao Ming in NBA Fan All-Star voting.

So, this is nice. Good to get the fans as a group slightly involved. Maybe in the future it should be raised to 1/100th of the voting. But not more than that. And for now, 1/125th is good.

Timberwolves assign Nathan Jawai to D-League

The Minnesota Timberwolves today announced the club has assigned second-year forward Nathan Jawai to the Sioux Falls Skyforce of the NBA Development League. Jawai has appeared in 39 games for the Wolves this season, averaging 3.2 points and 2.7 rebounds in 10.6 minutes per game.

Jawai was previously assigned to Sioux Falls on Feb. 19 and recalled on Feb. 21. He appeared in two games for the Skyforce, averaging 6.0 points and 3.0 rebounds in 25.0 minutes per game.

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. Sioux Falls, the D-League affiliate for Minnesota and Miami, is led by head coach Tony Fritz and is in second place in the East Conference with a 30-18 record.

Sioux Falls plays back-to-back away games against the Bakersfield Jam on April 2 and April 3 to complete its regular-season schedule. Sioux Falls clinched a playoff berth on March 25. The 2010 NBDL Playoffs are set to begin as early as April 7.

Thunder sign Mustafa Shakur

Oklahoma City Thunder Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti announced that the team has signed guard Mustafa Shakur. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Shakur, who was originally signed to a 10-day contract by the Thunder on March 16, is a free agent call-up from the Tulsa 66ers, NBA Development League affiliate of the Oklahoma City Thunder. During his first stint with Oklahoma City Shakur did not see action in five games.

Since his return to Tulsa, Shakur has appeared in three games and helped lead the 66ers to a 2-1 record. This season, the D-League Western Conference All-Star averaged 20.4 points while shooting 49.8% from the field (312-626 FG) and 40.3% from beyond the arc (50-124 3FG), 7.1 assists, 4.6 rebounds, 2.33 blocks and 39.0 minutes in 43 games (all starts).

With his signing, Shakur becomes the 31st Gatorade Call-Up from the D-League this season. He will wear uniform #11.