Category: NBA News Blog

NBA news blog

Players of week are L.James, T.Parker

The Cleveland Cavaliers’ LeBron James and the San Antonio Spurs’ Tony Parker today were named the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for games played Monday, Nov. 19 through Sunday, Nov. 25.

James led the Cavaliers to a 3-1 week averaging 36.5 points, 9.5 rebounds and 8.5 assists. He became the first player since Bob Sura (April 9-10, 2004) to post triple-doubles on consecutive nights when he recorded 37 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists in a win over Toronto on Nov. 24, and 30 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in a win at Indiana on Nov. 25. In each of the team’s four games this week, James scored 30-plus points, including a season-high-tying 45 points on Nov. 21 at Minnesota.

Parker led San Antonio to a 4-0 week by averaging 26.5 points, 3.0 rebounds and 8.3 assists. He set his season high with 32 points on Nov. 21 in a win over Orlando and twice tied his season high in assists after tallying nine on Nov. 20 at Atlanta and against Orlando on Nov 21.

Other nominees for Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week were Dallas’ Devin Harris, Golden State’s Baron Davis, Indiana’s Jamaal Tinsley, Milwaukee’s Michael Redd, New Jersey’s Richard Jefferson, Orlando’s Dwight Howard, Phoenix’s Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire, Toronto’s Chris Bosh, and Washington’s Antawn Jamison.

Jorge Garbajosa will have additional left leg and ankle surgery

The Toronto Raptors medical staff has determined that Jorge Garbajosa requires further surgery on his left leg and ankle.

Garbajosa also met with Dr. Mark Myerson in Baltimore today for a consultation. We are awaiting Dr. Myerson’s written report.

No surgery date has been determined and no timing has been established for a return to basketball activity.

Garbajosa will remain on the Inactive List indefinitely.

Ryan Bowen sprains left knee, out 3+ weeks

The New Orleans Times-Picayune reports: “The Hornets announced Monday that forward Ryan Bowen will miss at least three weeks after spraining his left knee in a loss to the Utah Jazz on Friday. Bowen said Monday morning at the team’s shoot-around that the injury occurred while he was going for a loose ball and that an MRI revealed a second-degree MCL sprain with no torn ligaments. “It feels pretty good right now,” Bowen said Monday morning. “It’s loose, it’s wobbly, so I just have to wait for that to tighten up.”

‘Plastic Man’ now a Nuggets player development coach

The Denver Nuggets have hired Stacey Augmon as a player development coach, team Vice President of Basketball Operations Mark Warkentien announced today.

Augmon played 15 seasons in the NBA with Atlanta, Portland, Charlotte/New Orleans and Orlando. In 1,001 career NBA games, he averaged 8.0 ppg and 3.2 rpg.

Discuss this with other fans on the InsideHoops basketball message board.

Celtics recall Gabe Pruitt from D-League

The Boston Celtics announced today that they have recalled rookie guard Gabe Pruitt from their NBA Development League affiliate Utah Flash.

Pruitt averaged 21.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists in 37.0 minutes per game for the Flash in two games. Pruitt hit the game-winner in the season opener for the Flash as they defeated the Anaheim Arsenal 110-109 on November 24 in which he scored 31 points and had eight assists. Pruitt has appeared in two games this season for the Celtics and has averaged 2.0 points per game.

Kenyon Martin knee issues continue: MRI scheduled for Monday

Nuggets F Kenyon Martin did not play in the second half of last night’s game in Houston due to a right knee strain. He is scheduled to undergo an MRI on Monday, after which his status will be determined.

Martin this season in 13 games has been averaging just 8.6 points, 4.9 rebounds and 0.5 assists in 22.2 minutes. Injuries limited him to just 56 games in 2005-06 and only two in 2006-07.

Woman accuses Dennis Rodman of assaulting her at Las Vegas resort

Dennis Rodman was always great at grabbing rebounds. Now he’s being accused of grabbing at something else.

The Associated Press reports: “A former beverage manager at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas has sued Dennis Rodman, claiming the former NBA star assaulted her in March 2006 by rubbing up against her body and slapping her on the buttocks. In her federal lawsuit filed this week, Sara Robinson also accused her former employer of retaliating against her after she complained about Rodman’s behavior. Rodman spokeswoman Shannon Barr declined to comment Saturday.”

Discuss this with other fans on the InsideHoops basketball message board.

Celtics assign Gabe Pruitt to D-League

The Boston Celtics announced today that they have assigned rookie guard Gabe Pruitt to their NBA Development League affiliate Utah Flash. Pruitt is the team’s second assignment to the NBA Development League this season.

Pruitt was averaging 2.0 points and 0.5 assists in 3.0 minutes per game at the time of the assignment. Pruitt appeared in two games this season for the Celtics and was on the inactive list for six games. Pruitt appeared in six preseason games for the Celtics averaging 2.6 points while shooting .444 percent from the field. Pruitt averaged 5.4 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 22.4 minutes per game during the 2007 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.

Duncan moves from C to F on All-Star ballot

The San Antonio Express-News reports: If Tim Duncan’s streak of nine-straight All-Star starts ends this season, it won’t be the fault of Internet votes from China. A seven-person media committee placed Duncan among the 12 Western Conference centers on the official ballot for fan voting, but the NBA, with the committee’s blessing, has overturned that decision. Stressing that Duncan had been voted a starting forward the previous nine seasons, the Spurs formally requested that the NBA consider re-categorizing Duncan as a forward. The league made the change late Wednesday afternoon.

The Associated Press reports: Houston center Yao Ming gets overwhelming support from China and has been elected to start every year of his career. He received the highest vote total in history in 2005, and the fourth-highest ever last season. “It’s great that they did that. … It makes total sense and we’re thrilled that they made that change,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said in San Antonio. “That’s what he’s been, he’s been that way (a power forward) for 10 years. There’s no reason to change it.”

Yao Ming dominates but Rockets lose to Mavs

Yao Ming finished with 30 points, a season-high 15 rebounds and a season-best six blocked shots. Yao, who has had at least three blocks in seven of his 12 games this season, posted his first 30-15 game of the season. Yao also scored at least 30 points in a game in which his counterpart, Gana Diop, was held scoreless. Erick Dampier also played 10:21 off the bench in tonight’s game without registering a point. Yao did this previously against Diop when he scored 36 points vs. Dallas (3/15/06), while the Dallas starting center did not register a point in that contest.