Category: NBA News Blog

NBA news blog

Ray Allen suspended for elbowing Varejao

Ray Allen of the Boston Celtics has been suspended one game without pay for elbowing Cleveland Cavaliers forward Anderson Varejao in the groin, it was announced today by Stu Jackson, NBA Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations.

The incident occurred with 5:05 remaining in the third quarter of the Celtics 107-76 loss to the Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena on Sunday, April 12.

Allen will serve his suspension tonight when the Celtics visit the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia, PA.

Read fan reaction and post your own comments in this forum topic.

Knicks sign Chris Hunter

The New York Knickerbockers President of Basketball Operations Donnie Walsh announced today that free agent forward/center Chris Hunter has been signed to a contract. As per club policy, terms of the deal will not be disclosed. Hunter, a member of the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, became the 24th Call-Up of the 2008-09 NBA Development League season.

Hunter, 6-11, 240-pounds, averaged 19.3 points, 9.4 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 47 games with Fort Wayne this season. The Gary, IN-native registered 21 point-rebound double-doubles in 2008-09 with Fort Wayne and ranked among the league leaders in points and rebounds per game. Following a four-year career at the University of Michigan, Hunter played professionally overseas in Poland and Belgium before signing with Fort Wayne prior to this season.

The Knicks roster stands at 15 players.

Raptors sign Quincy Douby through next season

The Toronto Raptors announced Monday they have signed guard Quincy Douby for the remainder of this season and the 2009-10 season. Per team policy, financial details were not disclosed. The Raptors signed the free agent to consecutive 10-day contracts March 24 and April 2.

Douby has appeared in six games for Toronto, averaging 5.2 points and 1.7 assists in 10.7 minutes. He has averaged 8.0 points, 2.0 assists and 14.0 minutes in the past three games, shooting .667 (10-15) from the field and three-point range (4-6) during that span.

Douby, 6-foot-3, 175 pounds, averaged 18.0 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 28.6 minutes in five games with the D-League’s Erie BayHawks this season. He scored in double figures in all five games, with a high of 23 points at Albuquerque.

Douby, 24, was the 19th selection as an early entry candidate by the Sacramento Kings in the 2006 NBA Draft. He averaged 4.1 points, 1.0 rebounds and 10.7 minutes in 116 career games with the Kings. He posted a career-high 32 points at the Los Angeles Lakers on April 15, 2008. He was released by Sacramento on January 21.

Douby averaged 17.8 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 95 career games at Rutgers University. He finished his career ranked sixth in school history in scoring (1,690) and holds the school record for points scored in a single season (839 in 2005-06). He averaged 25.4 points as a junior, leading the Big East in scoring and finishing sixth nationally. He earned first-team All-Big East honours in his junior season.

Read fan reaction and discuss your own opinion in this forum topic.

Hedo Turkoglu is OK

The Orlando Sentinel (Brian Schmitz) reports (via blog): But there was good news: Hedo Turkoglu, said Van Gundy, has no swelling in his ankle and could have played against the Milwaukee Bucks tonight if the game meant something. He should be ready for the first round of the playoffs this week, which open in Orlando. Turkoglu sprained his left ankle late in Saturday night’s loss to the New Jersey Nets. “He was had very little swelling and no discoloration,” Van Gundy said. “To be quite honest, if this were a game we had to have, I think he could actually go tonight. He and Rashard could both go.”

Euroleague MVP for March/April: Erazem Lorbek

Euroleague.net reports: A former Euroleague Rising Star Trophy winner, all grown up now at age 25, has done the seemingly impossible during March and April – made defending champion CSKA Moscow look even stronger. While CSKA was qualifying for its record seventh consecutive Final Four over the last two months, big man Erazem Lorbek was solidifying his role as the newest major contributor for the Russian powerhouse. During the five victories in March and April with which CSKA reached and then swept through the playoffs, Lorbek led the champs in scoring, index rating or both in every game except one. For his outsized role in keeping CSKA’s back-to-back title hopes very much alive, Lorbek is Euroleague Basketball’s choice as March/April MVP.

Ben Wallace has left knee strain

Ben Wallace left the Cavaliers game last night at home vs. the Celtics in the 2nd Quarter with a left knee contusion and did not return to play. He did not travel with the team to Indiana last night for tonight’s game vs. the Pacers.

Ben was re-evaluated at Cleveland Clinic Sports Health this morning and received an MRI, the results of which revealed a left patella tendon strain.

He will receive treatment and rehab here in Cleveland today and is now listed as Out for tonight’s game in Indiana and Doubtful for Wednesday’s game at home vs. Philadelphia. His status will be updated as appropriate.

Curtis Stinson is D-League Performer of week

Curtis Stinson of the Iowa Energy today was named NBA Development League Performer of the Week for games played the week of April 6, 2009.  Stinson is the second Energy player to earn the honor this season.

Stinston led Iowa to a 2-0 record last week as the team clinched the Central Division title with averages of 21.5 points, 15.0 assists, 9.0 rebounds and 2.5 steals.  His two 15-assist games marked the 19th and 20th time he has reached double-figures in assists this season.

This season, Stinson ranked third in the NBA D-league with 8.4 assists while also adding 16.1 points in 50 games, all starts for the Energy.  The 6-2 guard from Iowa State is playing his third season in the NBA D-League.

Other top performers last week included Albuquerque’s Will Conroy, who averaged 31.0 points and 7.8 assists in four games for the Thunderbirds; Colorado’s Trey Gilder, who averaged 23.3 points and 8.5 rebounds in four games for the 14ers; Austin’s Malik Hairston, who averaged 38.0 points in three games for the Toros; Austin’s Dwayne Jones, who averaged 22.0 points and 18.5 rebounds in four games for the Toros; and Erie’s Maureece Rice, who averaged 28.0 points and 8.0 assists in two wins for the BayHawks.

Nuggets re-assign Sonny Weems to D-League

The Denver Nuggets have re-assigned G/F Sonny Weems to the Colorado 14ers of the NBA Development League, team Vice President of Basketball Operations Mark Warkentien announced today.

Weems, 6-6, 203, has averaged 1.6 ppg in 12 games with the Nuggets this season. In two previous stints with the 14ers this season, Weems has averaged 20.4 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 2.9 apg and 1.05 spg in 19 outings. His second stint was highlighted by several big games, including a 36 point (15-22 FG), nine rebound outburst at Erie on March 27.

This assignment marks the 44th player assignment to the NBA Development League this season and the Nuggets’ fourth to the 14ers in 2008-09.

Weems was acquired by Denver in a draft-night trade with the Chicago Bulls and Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for a 2009 second round draft pick.

Bulls sign DeMarcus Nelson

The Chicago Bulls today signed rookie guard DeMarcus Nelson for the remainder of the 2008-09 season.

Nelson joins the Bulls after playing 20 games in the NBA D-League this season, most recently with the Austin Toros.  He has split the season with the Toros and the Bakersfield Jam.  On the year, he has averaged 19.9 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 4.1 apg and 1.65 spg in 37.5 mpg.  He has made .540 from the field, .420 on three-point field goals and .723 from the line.  The 23-year-old Nelson is the 23rd Call-Up of the NBA D-League this season.

Undrafted out of Duke, the 6-4, 200-pound guard originally signed a free-agent contract with the Golden State Warriors on Sept. 9, 2008.  He appeared in 13 games (five starts) with the Warriors, and averaged 4.1 ppg, 1.8 rpg and 1.0 apg in 13.2 mpg.

Following a four-year career with the Blue Devils, he left Duke as one of six players in school history to record over 1,300 points, 600 rebounds, 200 assists and 125 steals.  In 124 collegiate contests, he averaged 10.8 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 1.8 apg and 1.17 spg in 26.2 mpg.  He also shot .466 from the field, .373 from behind the arc and .586 from the free throw line.  He earned ACC Defensive Player of the Year honors his senior season.

With Nelson’s signing, Chicago’s roster now stands at 15.