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Houston Rockets guard Kyle Lowry underwent an MRI at Memorial Hermann Sports Medicine Institute this morning which confirmed a sprain of his left knee. Lowry will not play in tomorrow’s home game against Phoenix and will be out at least a week prior to being reevaluated.
For the season, Lowry in 25.0 minutes per game averages 8.7 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.7 assists. He’s been a terrific contributor.
The 25-21 Rockets are currently the 9th seed in the Western conference.
The Boston Celtics announced today that guard J.R. Giddens has been recalled from the Maine Red Claws of the NBA Development League. Giddens appeared in four games for the Red Claws and posted averages of 18.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.0 steal in 31.8 minutes per game.
On the Celtics this season, Giddens in 4.7 minutes per game averages 1.1 points in 21 total outings.
With a record of 29-14, the Celtics currently have the second best record in the Eastern conference.
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Denver Nuggets head coach George Karl will coach the Western Conference All-Stars for the 2010 NBA All-Star Game, to be played on Sunday, Feb. 14, at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
With Dallas’ 112-106 loss at the Phoenix Suns Thursday, the Nuggets (31-14, .689) have clinched at least a tie with the Mavericks (30-16, .652) for the second best record in the conference through Jan. 31. The Los Angeles Lakers’ Phil Jackson coached the West in last year’s game and is not eligible for the honor this season. In the event of a tie, the coach who most recently manned the sideline in an All-Star Game is eliminated. The Mavericks’ Rick Carlisle coached the East in the 2004 All-Star Game, while Karl last did so in 1998 for the West squad. Karl also was the West All-Star coach in 1994 and 1996.
In his six seasons at the helm for the Nuggets, Karl’s 255 victories rank second in Denver franchise history (Doug Moe, 432), while his .620 winning percentage is unmatched. This season, Karl has guided the Nuggets to a tie for the best 45-game start in team history. The Nuggets have won their last eight.
The seventh winningest coach in NBA annals, Karl has amassed 964 victories in his 22 seasons in the NBA, including a streak of 17 straight seasons of .500 or better, which ranks third to Pat Riley (19, 1981-82 to 2001-02) and Phil Jackson (18, 1989-90-present) One of only 10 coaches in NBA history with 900 career wins, Karl is also only the 11th coach in league history to have coached 1,500 games. He has earned nine NBA Coach of the Month honors, fifth most in league history.
The coach of the East All-Stars will be determined by the team with the best record in the conference through games played Jan. 31. Cleveland’s Mike Brown, who coached last year’s East squad, is not eligible to coach this year’s All-Star Game.
The NBA All-Star Game will broadcast live on TNT, ESPN Radio and in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide at 8 p.m. EST on Sunday, Feb. 14, from Arlington.
The AP reports:
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A federal judge ordered Detroit Pistons guard Ben Gordon’s former financial advisors to pay him more than $1.3 million in a dispute over a loan but found there was no breach of their fiduciary duty.
Judge Charles Kocoras handed down the decision Wednesday in a suit Gordon, a former Chicago Bull, filed against California-based Larry Harmon & Associates.
Kocoras ordered Harmon to repay with interest and penalties a $1 million loan from Gordon in 2007 but threw out his claim that the loan and a change in how he paid them – from flat fee to 1 1/2 percent of earnings – represented a breach of the firm’s fiduciary duty to the NBA player.
Utah Jazz general manager Kevin O’Connor announced today that the team has recalled second-year center Kosta Koufos from the Utah Flash of the NBA Development League (D-League). Koufos is expected to be in uniform when the Jazz hosts Sacramento on Friday, January 29, at 7 p.m.
In one game with the Flash, Koufos scored 16 points, pulled down seven rebounds and had one assist in 29 minutes against the Maine Red Claws on Monday night.
In 21 games with the Jazz this season, the 7-0, 265-pound Koufos has averages of 1.3 points, 1.1 rebounds and 0.2 assists in 3.6 minutes. Koufos has been inactive six times this season and DNP-CD 13 times. Koufos last appeared in a game on January 23 against New Jersey, grabbing three rebounds in a 116-83 home win. The center has notched a season-high six points twice this season and also picked up a season-high three rebounds vs. the L.A. Clippers on October 30.
Selected by the Jazz out of Ohio State in the first round (23rd overall selection) of the 2008 NBA Draft, Koufos averaged 14.4 points, 6.7 rebounds and 0.5 assists in his only season with the Buckeyes. The Canton, Ohio native was also named the postseason NIT MVP after leading Ohio State to the 2008 title. Koufos, who holds dual American and Greek citizenship helped lead Greece to a silver medal in the 2007 UMCOR U18 European Championships after averaging 26.5 points, 13 rebounds and 3.5 blocked shots.
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Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James has been fined $25,000 for kicking a water bottle during last night’s game vs. the Minnesota Timberwolves, it was announced today by Stu Jackson, Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations.
The incident occurred with 12.4 seconds remaining in the first quarter of Cleveland’s 109-95 victory over the Timberwolves at Quicken Loans Arena.
The AP reports:
The trial of Cleveland Cavaliers guard Delonte West on weapons charges has been postponed until April 26.
Authorities say West was carrying two loaded handguns, a loaded shotgun and an 8 1/2-inch Bowie knife while riding a three-wheel motorcycle on the Capital Beltway in Maryland in September. Police say he was pulled over after cutting off an officer.
Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey announced today that the team has assigned guard Jermaine Taylor to Houston’s single-affiliation NBA D-League partner the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. In addition, the Rockets have signed Rio Grande Valley guard Will Conroy to a 10-day contract, marking Conroy’s fourth-career Call-Up to the NBA.
Taylor (6-4, 210, Central Florida) has averaged 2.4 points and 0.2 assists in 13 games with the Rockets. A rookie out of Central Florida, Taylor recorded a season-high seven points (2-2 FG, 3-3 FT), one rebound and one steal in just 2:17 of action vs. Atlanta (1/25/10). He also scored five points (5-6 FT) earlier this season at Dallas (11/10/09). Taylor, who had his draft rights acquired by Houston from Washington on June 25, 2009, was selected by the Wizards in the second round (32nd overall) of the 2009 NBA Draft. He also averaged 11.0 points and 2.3 assists in four games (two starts) with Houston in the 2009 NBA Summer League.
“Jermaine has done a terrific job in his role with the Rockets and this opportunity to get extended minutes with the Vipers is the next step in his development,” said Rockets Vice President of Basketball Operations and Rio Grande Valley General Manager Gersson Rosas. “Coach Adelman and his staff have been very impressed with Jermaine’s work ethic and his willingness to learn our system. We want to give him the opportunity to get back into regular game situations and let him apply some of the things he has learned during his time with the Rockets. Jermaine’s athleticism and scoring ability will make an immediate impact on the Vipers.”
Conroy (6-2, 195, Washington) has averaged 13.9 points, 8.4 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 1.46 steals in 13 games (11 starts) with Rio Grande Valley this season. In his first season with the Vipers, Conroy was acquired from the Albuquerque Thunderbirds for Kurt Looby on Dec. 30, 2009. Previously signed as a free agent by the Rockets on Sept. 22, 2009, Conroy averaged 6.0 points and 2.6 assists in five preseason games with Houston. He was waived by the Rockets on Oct. 22, 2009. Conroy also received three Call-Ups during the 2006-07 season, playing in three games after one Call-Up with the Memphis Grizzlies and four games after two Call-Ups with the L.A. Clippers. Overall, he has picked up nine assists and seven rebounds in seven career NBA games.
“We were very impressed with Will during Rockets training camp and he has continued his fine play as a member of the Vipers,” added Rosas on the Conroy signing. “Will is an NBA-caliber guard who will benefit from spending additional time with the Rockets. Since joining the Vipers at the end of December, Will has demonstrated the high level of consistency that we’ve come to expect from him. He will provide the Rockets with additional depth and stability at the guard position.”
Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel reports (via blog):
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Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers chuckles at the notion that Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard is on the receiving end of more physical play than Howard dishes out.
I asked Rivers following his team’s shootaround today whether the Celtics are more physical with Howard than other teams.
“I don’t think so,” Rivers said. “We don’t have ‘Howard Rules,’ I can tell you that. We just go out and play one-on-one defense. We have big guys. We have guys who are very good defenders. I literally get a kick out of all the Howard people [saying Howard is always on the receiving end of physical play]. ”Clearly, people are looking one way. Howard gives out far more punishment than he gets, I can guarantee you that. I actually giggle at that when I hear all the ‘Howard’s getting hit’ talk. It’s a joke to me. That guy hits more than anybody in the league. So, if you’re gonna give it out [you’ve got to be prepared to take it]. That’s the way we look at it.”
The AP reports:
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LeBron James is now shooting with a Golden Arch.
The NBA superstar has agreed to a multiyear partnership with McDonald’s Corp., adding the global fast-food giant to his list of corporate sponsors.
Financial terms were not immediately known.
James will support several McDonald’s programs and promotions as well as Ronald McDonald House Charities, which provides housing to the families of seriously ill children. He has already filmed his first commercial with McDonald’s. It will debut during the Super Bowl on Feb. 7.
James, a six-time All-Star with the Cleveland Cavaliers and reigning league MVP, has other partnerships with Nike, State Farm and Coca-Cola.