The Sacramento Bee (Melody Gutierrez) reports: As a response to the bad economy, the Kings will announce season-ticket price reductions today that will cut the cost of some plans by as much as 44 percent for the 2009-10 season. One-third of all tickets in Arco Arena will be $25.50 or less, and the franchise will continue to offer 1,000 tickets at $10 for next season. The move mirrors what most NBA teams have done in recent weeks to reach out to fans struggling to pay their mortgages and retain their jobs… The price cuts will save season-ticket holders an average of $594 and as much as $1,562 for one ticket plan compared to 2008-09 prices. The savings of up to 44 percent will be on a portion of tickets previously priced at $40.50, which will now cost $22.50. The rest of the tickets previously priced at $40.50 will be $36.50, depending on their location.
Category: NBA News Blog
NBA news blog
Chicago Bulls sign Linton Johnson to 10-day contract
The Chicago Bulls today signed forward Linton Johnson III to a 10-day contract. Johnson, a 6-8, 205-pound forward, will be in uniform tonight when the Bulls take on the Orlando Magic at Amway Arena at 6:00 p.m. (CT).
Johnson, a five-year pro, most recently played with the Charlotte Bobcats during the start of the 2008-09 campaign. He appeared in two games with the Bobcats before being waived on Nov. 19, 2008.
The Chicago native will re-join the Bulls for the second time in his career. During the 2003-04 season, he appeared in 41 games with Chicago and posted averages of 4.2 ppg and 4.5 rpg in 17.9 mpg. Johnson has also enjoyed stints with the San Antonio Spurs (member of the 2005 NBA Championship team), New Jersey Nets, New Orleans Hornets, Toronto Raptors, Phoenix Suns and Bobcats. For his career, he has posted averages of 4.0 ppg and 3.4 rpg in 14.5 mpg. He owns career shooting averages of .417 from the field and .699 from the line.
Johnson, 28, was undrafted out of Tulane University.
Chicago’s roster now stands at 14.
NBA suspends Lamar Odom one game
Lamar Odom of the Los Angeles Lakers has been suspended one game without pay for leaving the immediate vicinity of the bench during an altercation, it was announced today by Stu Jackson, NBA Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations.
The incident occurred with two seconds remaining in the third quarter of the Portland Trail Blazers’ 111-94 victory over the Lakers at Rose Garden in Portland last night.
Odom will serve his suspension tomorrow night when the Lakers face the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center.
NBA rules state that players who are benched at the time of an altercation must stay there.
A Lakers-Rockets matchup is always worth watching. Houston has done very well despite not having aging star shooting guard Tracy McGrady, and Los Angeles has looked terrific despite not having young-and-upcoming, starting center Andrew Bynum.
Without Odom, some responsibility to step up falls on the shoulders of Ariza, Josh Powell and DJ Mbenga.
Indiana Pacers have financial problems
The Indianapolis Star (Brendan O’Shaughnessy) reports: The Indiana Pacers are losing about $30 million this season and cannot continue to shoulder the millions of dollars it costs to operate Conseco Fieldhouse. That was the announcement Monday to the Capital Improvement Board from CIB Vice President Pat Early, who has been in discussions with team officials about the financial problems both organizations face. Operating Conseco Fieldhouse costs the Pacers roughly $15 million a year. If the team can’t make those payments, it would fall to the CIB, which already is struggling with a budget shortfall of $20 million this year.
InsideHoops.com editor says: Pacers fans don’t go see their team play. Indiana gets under 14,000 fans per home game. If I owned the team, I’d probably be looking to move or sell right about now. Though, with the current rough economy it’s hard to pull off any of that.
Eduardo Najera done for season
The New York Daily News (Julian Garcia) reports: The Nets found out Monday that they’ll have to go the rest of the season without Eduardo Najera. The veteran forward, who signed with the Nets in the offseason, has a sports hernia and will have surgery sometime over the next week or so. Frank said Najera would not be ready for at least six to 10 weeks, meaning the Nets would have to advance deep into the postseason for him to have a chance to play again. In 27 games, Najera averaged 2.9 points and 2.5 rebounds. He hadn’t played since Jan.31.
Rudy Fernandez injury update
Portland Trail Blazers guard Rudy Fernandez sustained a soft tissue injury to his right upper chest and side area in the third quarter of Monday night’s game vs. the Los Angeles Lakers. X-Rays and CT scan were both negative.
The injury happened at the end of the third quarter as he went up at the rim but was fouled by Trevor Ariza, who was issued a flagrant-2 for his excessive contact.
Fernandez will be kept overnight at an area hospital for observation. He is listed as questionable for Wednesday’s game vs. the Dallas Mavericks.
In 25.9 minutes per game this season, Fernandez is averaging 10.5 points and 2.9 rebounds on 41.8% shooting.
Details about what led to his injury are here.
Trevor Ariza ejected after hard foul on Rudy Fernandez, Video added
UPDATE: Portland G Rudy Fernandez sustained a soft tissue injury to his right upper chest and side area in the third quarter of Monday night’s game vs. the Los Angeles Lakers. X-Rays and CT scan were both negative. Fernandez will be kept overnight at an area hospital for observation. He is listed as questionable for Wednesday’s game vs. the Dallas Mavericks.
INITIAL NOTES:
Monday night in Portland the Trail Blazers were hosting the Los Angeles Lakers. Enjoying a late third quarter 83-55 lead, it was Portland’s night.
Pau Gasol had been the only Laker playing well, shooting 7-of-12 for 18 points and 13 assists. His teammates, including Kobe Bryant (8-of-22, 16 points) were struggling.
With just 0.8 seconds seconds left in the third, a Blazers fast break resulted in Rudy Fernandez catching a pass going right down the middle of the paint. As he jumped at the basket to score, Lakers swingman Trevor Ariza swooped in from behind and swung his right arm sideways in very broad fashion, hitting Rudy’s arms and the back of his head near the neck area.
Ariza really followed through on the swipe, and snagged Rudy’s wrist in the end.
Fernandez totally lost his balance due to the contact and slammed down hard on the court, landing on his back while slightly twisted onto his right side, and crumbled over.
Both teams immediately rushed over, grabbing and pushing each other right in front of the Lakers bench, but I didn’t see any actual punches thrown.
An angry Brandon Roy yelled furiously at Ariza. Others jawed as well. Ariza was yelling stuff at other Blazers, too. He’s out of line here.
It appears that Lamar Odom left the Lakers bench, very briefly, just a few feet away. I’m not sure how far he went. He barely went anywhere.
A flagrant-2 was called on Ariza, which means he’s ejected.
A stretcher has been brought out to safely remove Fernandez, who is lying on his back, from the court. He’s been put down on the stretcher, covered with a blanket, and strapped down onto it securely, which is always an extremely scary sight to see.
Aside from the flagrant-2 called on Ariza, technical fouls were called on Blazers LaMarcus Aldridge, Travis Outlaw and Laker Josh Powell.
Later in the game it was reported by Blazers television that Fernandez has chest pains and is being taken to a hospital.
I’m guessing Ariza could be suspended one game. But that’s no guarantee. But Odom could be suspended for leaving the bench, though I didn’t see if he went far enough away from it to warrant such an action.
Here’s a video of Ariza’s foul on Fernandez:
–Jeff
Bobcats assign Alexis Ajinca and Sean Singletary to D-League
The Charlotte Bobcats have assigned rookies Alexis Ajinca and Sean Singletary to their NBA Development League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce. Ajinca and Singletary are expected to see their first action with the Skyforce on Friday, March 13, against the Reno Bighorns.
A 7-0 center from France, Ajinca has averaged 2.3 points, 1.0 rebound and 0.2 blocks in 5.9 minutes in 31 total games this season. Ajinca was selected by the Bobcats as the 20th overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft. In the two years prior to joining the NBA, Ajinca played professional basketball in France.
In 2007-08, Ajinca averaged 5.0 points and 3.1 rebounds in 10.8 minutes with Hyeres-Toulon in France. Ajinca averaged 7.4 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.7 blocked shots as a member of the French national team that won the Bronze Medal at the 2007 Under-19 World Championship. In 2006, he averaged 6.9 points and 7.5 rebounds to help lead France to the Gold Medal in the Under-18 European Championship.
Singletary, a 6-0 guard from the University of Virginia, has played in 24 games for the Bobcats since being acquired along with Raja Bell and Boris Diaw in a trade with Phoenix in exchange for Jason Richardson and Jared Dudley in December 2008. In 37 total games with the Bobcats and Suns, he is averaging 2.4 points, 0.8 rebounds, 0.8 assists, and 0.3 steals in 8.2 minutes.
Singletary was initially selected by Sacramento as the 42nd overall pick of the 2008 NBA Draft before being traded to Houston and later to Phoenix. He played four seasons at the University of Virginia, averaging 16.9 points, 4.0 rebounds and 4.8 assists in 123 career games. A three-time All-ACC First Team selection, Singletary finished his career as the only player in ACC history with 2,000 points, 500 assists, 400 rebounds and 200 steals.
Josh Howard out two games
Dallas Mavericks forward Josh Howard has a sore left ankle, will remain in Dallas and will miss the next two games in order to have more specialized testing done.
The Mavs don’t play tonight but begin a four-game road trip Tuesday night in Phoenix.
After facing the Suns they’ll visit the Trail Blazers, Warriors and Lakers, so this is a tough time for any key players to be unavailable.
Howard this season in 32.3 minutes per game is averaging 18.0 points (third on the team), 4.9 rebounds and 1.6 assists, shooting 45.6% from the field, with very few steals or blocks.
Warriors waive Marcus Williams
The Golden State Warriors have waived guard Marcus Williams, the team announced Tuesday (March 10).
Williams appeared in nine games this season, averaging 1.3 points and 1.4 assists in 6.0 minutes per game. Despite being healthy, he hasn’t played since January 25, when he received four minutes. The previous game he received one minute.
The Warriors roster now stands at 14 players.
I think Williams can find another NBA job as a backup point guard. But he also could be in danger of falling out of the league in the next season or two (or even now) if he and the next team or two he’s with don’t turn out to be a good fit.
This season was a wasted one for Williams. The Warriors barely used him.
Read fan reaction and discuss your own opinion in this forum thread.
–Jeff