Category: NBA News Blog

NBA news blog

TNT to Air 2020 NBA All-Star Game’s Untimed 4th Quarter Commercial-Free

For the first time, TNT’s exclusive presentation of the 69th edition of the NBA All-Star Game 2020 presented by Kia will include commercial-free coverage coinciding with the NBA’s newly formatted, untimed fourth quarter on Sunday, Feb. 16.

The NBA announced a number of changes to this year’s NBA All-Star Game, which airs live at 8 p.m. ET, including a new fourth quarter format that will honor the late Kobe Bryant, who earned 18 NBA All-Star selections and a record-tying four NBA All-Star Game MVP awards.

Additional special elements during TNT’s NBA All-Star Game presentation will include a Los Angeles Lakers-themed tribute to Bryant within the virtual shot clock – displaying a combination of gold and purple accents at 24 seconds and eight seconds remaining on the clock during the fourth quarter, representing Bryant’s jersey numbers.

“Presenting the fourth quarter completely free of any commercial breaks creates a unique opportunity to showcase the new All-Star Game format, provide the best fan experience, and align with the league’s overarching plans to pay tribute to Kobe Bryant this weekend,” said Craig Barry, EVP and Chief Content Officer, Turner Sports.

On Sunday, Team Giannis and Team LeBron will compete to win each of the first three quarters, all of which will start with the score of 0-0 and will be 12 minutes long. At the beginning of the fourth quarter, the game clock will be turned off and a Final Target Score will be set.

There are 19 international players participating in NBA All-Star 2020

A record 19 international players from 15 countries will participate in NBA All-Star 2020, which will reach fans in 215 countries and territories in 47 languages on their televisions, computers, mobile phones and tablets. This includes NBA Rising Stars on Friday, Feb. 14 at 9 p.m. ET, All-Star Saturday Night on Saturday, Feb. 15 at 8 p.m. ET, the 69th NBA All-Star Game on Sunday, Feb. 16 at 8 p.m. ET, as well as behind-the-scenes coverage and interviews throughout the week.

Among the record eight international NBA All-Stars, a record four international players were voted NBA All-Star Game starters: Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks; Greece), Luka Doncic (Dallas Mavericks; Slovenia), Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers; Cameroon; BWB Africa 2011) and Pascal Siakam (Toronto Raptors; Cameroon; BWB Africa 2012). Rudy Gobert (Utah Jazz; France), Nikola Jokić (Denver Nuggets; Serbia), Domantas Sabonis (Indiana Pacers; Lithuania) and Ben Simmons (76ers; Australia) round out the record eight international NBA All-Stars.

Heat sign Gabe Vincent, waive Daryl Macon

The Miami Heat today signed guard Gabe Vincent to a two-way contract, and waived guard Daryl Macon.

Vincent, who was originally signed by the Sacramento Kings on October 3, 2018, has spent the last two seasons with their G League affiliate, the Stockton Kings. He has appeared in 20 games (three starts) this season with Stockton averaging 23.4 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.30 steals and 31.8 minutes while shooting 46.9 percent from the field, 42.1 percent from three-point range and 89.7 percent from the foul line. He helped lead Stockton to a 13-8 record, which was third-best in the Western Conference, while leading the team in scoring average, points, field goals made, three-point field goals made and plus/minus. He played all four years at UC Santa Barbara, appearing in 113 collegiate games (105 starts), finishing as the school’s all-time leader in three-point field goals made (243) and among the Top 10 in points (1,441) and assists (116).

Macon appeared in 17 games (15 starts) this season with the HEAT’s G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, averaging 19.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 31.4 minutes. Additionally, Macon appeared in four games with Miami this season totaling three points and an assist in 14:06 minutes of action.

Blazers’ Skal Labissiere out with knee injury

Trail Blazers forward/center Skal Labissiere has a left knee articular cartilage lesion, the results from a second MRI have confirmed.

The injury occurred at the 10:20 mark of the first quarter of Portland’s game vs. the L.A. Lakers on December 28.

Labissiere will continue his rehabilitation protocol and be re-evaluated in four weeks.

In 33 games (one start) this season, Labissiere is averaging 5.8 points (55.1% FG, 23.1% 3-PT, 75.8% FT), 5.1 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 0.94 blocks. He has scored in double figures eight times and recorded one double-double.

Pacers guard Victor Oladipo plans to return on January 29

Indiana Pacers star shooting guard Victor Oladipo plans to return to action on Wednesday, January 29 for the team’s home game against the Chicago Bulls.

The news came in the form of a video from Oladipo himself that the team shared on social media.

Oladipo’s hasn’t played since January 23, 2019, in a Pacers win against the Raptors. He played 10 minutes, scoring four points, before leaving with injury. Just over a year later, he’ll be making his return from an injury that was reportedly a ruptured quadriceps tendon in his right knee.

The Pacers are already having a very good season. They have a 23-14 record, and have gotten terrific play from offseason addition Malcolm Brogdon. Power forward Domantas Sabonis has emerged as a serious force. And T.J. Warren is scoring in very efficient fashion. It’ll be worth seeing how the Pacers play through early to mid February as they adjust to having Oladipo back in the mix.

Anthony Davis injury is minor

Good news for the Lakers. Anthony Davis has not suffered a real injury. He’ll be back on the court very soon. Possibly as early as tomorrow. The OC Register reports:

The Lakers announced Wednesday morning that an MRI revealed that Davis had a gluteus maximus contusion – in layman’s terms, a bruised backside. He’s expected to travel with the team for a Friday game against Dallas, where he’s listed as questionable…

The new medical findings mean Davis (27.1 ppg, 9.4 rpg, 2.6 bpg) could play in Dallas on Friday or in Oklahoma City on Saturday. The Lakers are 1-1 in games when Davis hasn’t been available, and they blew out the Knicks 117-87 after Davis left the game Tuesday.

The Lakers have been one of the best teams in the NBA this season, and Anthony Davis has been outstanding, putting up huge stats but also performing as well as anyone in the league on the defensive side of the floor.

Rockets waive forward Gary Clark

The Houston Rockets have waived forward Gary Clark.

Clark was eligible for the 2018 NBA Draft and originally signed with Houston in July of 2018. In two seasons as a Rocket, he appeared in 69 games with two starts, while averaging 12.4 minutes played.

Following his senior season at Cincinnati, Clark was named the American Athletic Conference Player of the Year. He was also the AAC Defensive Player in each of his final two seasons with the Bearcats.

Hawks forward Jabari Parker out with shoulder injury

Atlanta Hawks forward Jabari Parker underwent a non-surgical procedure on his right shoulder earlier today at the Emory Sports Medicine Complex.

He will enter a period of rehabilitation and treatment. The Hawks will re-examine him in two weeks.

According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, “Parker has struggled with a right shoulder impingement and has missed five of the Hawks’ past six games, though he played a quiet 15 minutes in the Hawks’ loss in Boston on Jan. 3. He has also battled illness and a throat infection.”

The Hawks are 8-29 this season, which through Monday’s games is the worst record in the NBA. Parker is their third leading scorer, averaging 15.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game, on impressive 50.5% shooting from the field. He has started 23 of 32 games played this season.

Pistons forward Blake Griffin out after knee surgery

Detroit Pistons forward Blake Griffin had knee surgery today and will be out for an indefinite period of time.

The team says that Griffin underwent a successful arthroscopic debridement of his left knee.

A six-time All-Star, Griffin is having an extremely disappointing season, averaging 15.5 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists per outing.

Here’s the Detroit News reporting:

Griffin has struggled this season, missing the last four games; he last played in the loss San Antonio Spurs on Dec. 28, finishing with 12 points on 3-of-16 shooting — with 3-of-10 on 3-pointers. He missed the remainder of the western trip, including a notable matchup against his former team, the Los Angeles Clippers, on Jan. 2.

Last season, Griffin had the highest production, posting a career-best 24.5 points, along with 7.5 rebounds and 5.4 assists and was voted third-team All-NBA. Following a surgical procedure last summer, Griffin was expecting to return in a similar form, but he had setbacks, causing him to be limited in the preseason and then to miss the first 10 games of the regular season…

Griffin is in the third year of a five-year contract worth $173 million.

The Pistons are 13-24 this season, and face major decisions to make in regard to Andre Drummond, who openly plans to test free agency this summer. It wouldn’t be a surprise if they were to make a huge trade or two in the coming weeks, before February’s trade deadline.

Cavs sign Levi Randolph, waive Alfonzo McKinnie and Tyler Cook

The Cleveland Cavaliers made some moves today, signing guard Levi Randolph to a Two-Way contract, and waiving forwards Alfonzo McKinnie and Tyler Cook.

Randolph (6-6, 210) has played in 20 games (all starts) this season with the Canton Charge, the Cavaliers’ exclusively owned and operated NBA G League team, averaging 15.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.3 steals in 36.0 minutes per game. He originally went undrafted in the 2015 NBA Draft after playing four years collegiately at Alabama, where he averaged 9.9 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 30.7 minutes per game over 135 career contests (120 starts).

McKinnie (6-8, 215) was claimed off waivers by the Cavaliers on Oct. 21 and played in 23 games for Cleveland this season. Cook (6-9, 255), who was claimed off waivers by the Cavaliers as a Two-Way player on Oct. 19 and had his contract converted into a standard NBA contract on Jan. 3, played in six games for Cleveland this season.