NBA News Blog – Page 473 – NBA Blog

Pistons news: Season-ending surgery for forward Jon Leuer

A post shared by Jon Leuer (@jonleuer30) on Sep 14, 2017 at 3:52pm PDT

Forward Jon Leuer has played in just eight games for the Pistons (22-21) this season. And that’ll be it for him in 2017-18. Here’s the Detroit News reporting:

After suffering a sprained left ankle on Oct. 31, the condition worsened, as a later exam revealed bone fragments and other issues. Leuer has missed the last 35 games and has decided to have season-ending ankle surgery, he told The Detroit News on Friday.

Leuer, 28, has scheduled the procedure for next Friday and will have a four-month rehabilitation process.

“It’s extremely frustrating. Disappointing, anger, all those emotions … we were trying to do whatever we could to avoid this,” Leuer told The News. “I knew even a month and a half ago when I saw the specialist that he kind of suggested (surgery) right away, but we wanted to see if we could try to manage the pain and hopefully get through the season.

“As I tried to progress, time and time again, I never even got really close to being able to practice or do full basketball activities.”

Full article

Warriors rookie Jordan Bell injured

The Warriors are an NBA-best 32-9, and outscoring opponents by an NBA-best 9.1 points per game. While the team’s success does revolve around their multiple big-name stars, talented rookie big-man Jordan Bell has contributed very solid play in 14.4 minutes per games. But they’ll be without his services for a while. Here’s the San Jose Mercury News reporting:

The Warriors ruled out rookie forward Jordan Bell for at least two weeks, after an MRI taken on Thursday confirmed he had inflammation in his sprained left ankle.

According to that timetable, Bell will miss at least the next five games beginning when the Warriors (37-9) play the Houston Rockets (31-12) on Saturday. Bell will also sit out for the Warriors’ three-game homestand against New York (Jan. 23), Minnesota (Jan. 25) and Boston (Jan. 27) followed by a game in Utah (Jan. 30). Bell could return as early as Feb. 2 in Sacramento, though the Warriors will not have clarity on Bell’s progress until then. Though the Warriors’ medical staff plans to further analyze Bell’s MRI, they had enough information to offer the initial timetable.

Full article

James Harden returns from injury

A post shared by Houston Rockets (@houstonrockets) on Jan 18, 2018 at 7:54pm PST

The Rockets have their superstar back. James Harden returned to action Thursday in a 116-98 home win against the Timberwolves. Of course, the team also has another superstar in Chris Paul, and a scoring star in Eric Gordon. But the 31-12 squad’s success revolves primarily around the bearded one. Here’s the Houston Chronicle reporting on his return:

James Harden shot badly, but moved well. He played just 26 minutes, and was not happy to be limited to 10 fewer than he averages, but he played with energy. He was active and effective, getting his shot and shots for others easily, but also getting his hands on the ball on the other end. The Rockets would have no complaints with that. They assume Harden will be able to score. He would figure to be able to work the rust off his shot if his body and the rest of his game were up to it. The test was in how well he moved and how long he could play hard after missing more than two weeks and seven games with a strained hamstring. Harden likely returned more quickly that the Rockets’ expected when he was first diagnosed with a Grade 2 hamstring strain. He began that period unable to walk. He spent most of it unable to do anything related to playing basketball. If not for the current technology that allows a medical staff to measure a player’s fitness to return from an injury precisely without checking a calendar, the Rockets likely would have held Harden out for longer. With Harden ramping up workouts on the road trip, they knew he was physically ready to play. But nothing fully simulates a game. Harden made just 3 of 15 shots, but he had seven assists, two steals, two rebounds and no setbacks. The Rockets were happy with that.

Full article

Hassan Whiteside enjoys high school jersey retirement

Here’s the South Florida Sun Sentinel reporting on Heat center Hassan Whiteside, who enjoyed an honor that probably feels truly wonderful to experience:

Hassan Whiteside was the guest of honor, but the Miami Heat center said it was the unexpected guests who made the retirement of his high-school jersey so special.

Whiteside’s No. 32 was retired Thursday at East Side High School in Newark, N.J., with teammates Goran Dragic, Bam Adebayo, James Johnson and coach Erik Spoelstra among those on hand.

“His face when he saw Coach Spo was ecstatic,” Johnson said.

The ceremony came on an off day for the team before Friday night’s game against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center, the third stop on this five-game trip.

Full article

Kris Dunn injury update

Bulls guard Kris Dunn has had a rough couple of days.

After more evaluation today (Thursday, January 18), the Bulls say that Dunn’s two dislocated front teeth have been stabilized and are now splinted with braces. He was also re-evaluated for concussion symptoms, and the results weren’t good, so he’s been placed in the NBA Concussion Protocol.

Dunn won’t travel with the team to Atlanta. He’ll be back in action when cleared of concussion-related issues.

The Bulls are 17-28 this season. Dunn is tied for 3rd in scoring for the squad this season, averaging 13.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, 6.4 assists and 2.1 steals in 29.7 minutes per game. Individually, he’s enjoying an excellent season.

Kings news: Harry Giles not playing this season

Sacramento Kings rookie forward Harry Giles won’t participate in an NBA game this season. Therefore, assuming he plays next season, officially he’ll be a rookie in 2018-19.

The team released a statement today that Giles has made major progress in the four months since starting a plan designed to improve physical strength in his knees. The Kings say Giles is currently “entirely healthy,” and that participation in team practices, skill and strength training have not caused any setbacks.

However, the team says that rather than playing this season, Giles he will continue his rehabilitation, and is expected to play in 2018 Summer League.

According to the Sacramento Bee, “Giles tore his left ACL in 2013 and his right one in 2015 while in high school. This month marks two years since Giles’ last surgery, and that’s considered a benchmark to measure the health and strength of the knee.”

With a 13-31 record, the Kings are at the bottom of the league standings. They’re on a six-game losing streak, and there’s no reason to expect their season to turn around. With total focus on the future, it makes sense to not rush an injured rookie into action.

Thabo Sefolosha undergoes knee surgery

Utah Jazz swingman Thabo Sefolosha (6-7, 220, Switzerland) had surgery on his right knee to repair an avulsion of the medial collateral ligament (MCL). He suffered the injury on January 12 in a game against the Hornets.

In his 12th NBA season, Sefolosha is averaging 8.2 points, his highest scoring average since 2008-09, on 49.2 percent from the field, 4.2 rebounds and 1.4 steals in 38 games (six starts) for the Jazz on the year.

Sefolosha will continue to rehab in Salt Lake City and will be out indefinitely.

Kawhi Leonard is back on the injured list

Kawhi Leonard returns to the injured list

The Spurs began their season with Kawhi Leonard and Tony Parker unavailable due to injuries, and now in mid January the 29-16 squad will be without Leonard.

The team announced today that Leonard will be out for an indefinite period of time, so he may continue recovering from right quadriceps tendinopathy.

“Kawhi has made significant progress and continues to move forward in his rehabilitation,” said Spurs General Manager RC Buford, obviously trying to sound as diplomatic as possible. “This is the best approach for the next steps in his return to play.”

Leonard has managed to play in just nine games this season, but has done big things in very limited playing time, averaging 16.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.0 blocks in just 23.3 minutes per outing.

Only four Spurs are averaging double-digit scoring this season: LaMarcus Aldridge at 22.4 ppg, Leonard, Rudy Gay at 11.5 ppg, and Pau Gasol at 10.4 ppg.

According to the San Antonio Express News, “the Spurs will also face the Nets tonight without Rudy Gay, who Popovich said is “still a couple weeks” from returning from a bout of right heel bursitis. They also will not have Manu Ginobili, who Popovich expects will miss tonight’s game and Friday’s contest in Toronto with a thigh contusion. Pau Gasol (hand) and Danny Green (groin) are planning to play through their bumps and bruises, Popovich said.”

JJ Redick out with leg injury

A post shared by JJ Redick (@jjredick) on Nov 28, 2017 at 1:48pm PST

The Philadelphia 76ers will be without shooting guard JJ Redick for at least the next 10-14 days.

Mid 4th quarter of yesterday’s game against the Raptors, which the Sixers won 117-111, Redick suffered an injury to his left leg. X-rays after the game were negative. An MRI performed today revealed that Redick has bone edema and a small cortical crack in the fibular head of his left leg.

The team says he will be re-evaluated in approximately 10 days to two weeks.

The Sixers are 20-20 this season, placing them 9th in the Eastern conference, behind the 8th place Detroit Pistons (22-20). For the season, Redick is second on the team in scoring, averaging 17.3 points and 3.3 assists per game, shooting 44.8% from the field and 40.5% from three-point range.

Celtics legend Jo Jo White has died

A post shared by Boston Celtics (@celtics) on Jan 16, 2018 at 5:01pm PST

Statement from the Celtics: “We are terribly saddened by the passing of the great Jo Jo White. He was a champion and a gentleman; supremely talented and brilliant on the court, and endlessly gracious off of it. Jo Jo was a key member of two championship teams, an NBA Finals MVP, a gold medal-winning Olympian, and a Hall of Famer. His contributions to the team’s championship legacy may have only been surpassed by the deep and lasting impact that he had in the community. The thoughts and sympathies of the entire Celtics organization are with the White family.”

The Boston Herald reports: Celtic legend JoJo White has passed away at 71 after his battle with cancer. A 2015 Hall of Fame inductee, White was a seven-time All-Star and MVP of the 1976 NBA Finals. He won two NBA titles with the Celtics. White’s No. 10 is retired by the Celtics at TD Garden. He played 10 seasons in Boston before moving on to Golden State and Kansas City to finish his career.

ESPN.com reports: White underwent life-threatening surgery to remove a brain tumor in 2010. With many vocal supporters, he earned induction into the Hall of Fame after a long wait in 2015 and gave a moving speech as part of the induction week where he reveled in the honor. White was also drafted by the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys and MLB’s Cincinnati Reds. He finished his 12-season NBA career playing for Golden State and Kansas City.