Category: NBA News Blog

NBA news blog

Mike Conley out for remainder of season

 

 

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The Memphis Grizzlies are just 17-31 but are playing decent basketball lately, winning five of their last 10 games. But their journey this season will continue without point guard Mike Conley, who won’t play again until 2017-18.

The Grizzlies announced today that Conley will undergo surgery to smooth a small bone protrusion in his left heel that continues to cause pain and soreness. The team says they expect he’ll a full recovery prior to 2018-19 training camp.

Other Grizzlies Injury News

Chandler Parsons has made progress this week in alleviating soreness in his right knee after overcoming an illness that temporarily slowed his recovery. He remains day-to-day.

JaMychal Green continues to recover from a right ankle sprain and is expected to return within the next week.

James Ennis III continues to recover from a right calf strain and is expected to return within the next week.

Mavs sign Kyle Collinsworth to second 10-day contract

The Dallas Mavericks have signed guard Kyle Collinsworth to a second 10-day contract.

Collinsworth (6-6, 210) originally signed a two-way contract with Dallas on Dec. 19 but was waived by the team on Jan. 10 after appearing in four games. He then signed a 10-day contract with the club on Jan. 13.

The former BYU guard has appeared in six games for Dallas this season, averaging 1.8 points and 1.3 rebounds in 11.7 minutes per game. On the final day of his first 10-day contract (Jan. 22), he recorded four points (2-2 FGs), four rebounds, three assists and two steals in Dallas’ 98-75 win over Washington.

Collinsworth has also played in 55 games (34 starts) for the Mavericks’ G-League affiliate, the Texas Legends, over the past two seasons (2016-18). In 19 games (18 starts) for the Legends in 2017-18, he averaged 11.0 points, 8.6 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.7 steals in 35.7 minutes per game.

After going undrafted in the 2016 NBA Draft, Collinsworth competed for Dallas at the 2016 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. He spent the 2016 preseason with the Mavericks before being waived by the team on Oct. 22, 2016.

A native of Provo, Utah, Collinsworth played four years at BYU and averaged 12.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.6 steals and 30.9 minutes per game in 140 games. He was a three-time First Team All-WCC selection (2014-16) and set the NCAA career triple-double record with 12.

Timberwolves to host Flip Saunders Night on Feb. 15, 2018

Timberwolves to host Flip Saunders Night on Feb. 15, 2018

The Minnesota Timberwolves will host “Flip Saunders Night” at home in Target Center on Thursday, February 15. The visiting team for that game is the Lakers.

That night, the Timberwolves will unveil a permanent banner in Target Center to honor the memory of Flip.

“Flip meant so much to our organization as a coach, but he meant so much more to all of us as a friend,” said Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor. “His impact on our organization and what he meant to the Minnesota basketball community is something that will always be with us. It is appropriate that we honor the man who meant so much to us with of a banner in our home arena that will forever fortify his memory.”

All fans in attendance will receive a Flip Saunders commemorative coin. The back story behind giving a coin is this: One of Flip’s trademarks during his tenure with the Wolves was to create a new team coin each season for players and front office staff, then randomly give them to people he would encounter as a way to include fans on that season’s journey.

“Minnesota has always been our family’s home”, said Debbie Saunders, widow of Flip Saunders. “Flip not only had a passion for the Timberwolves but for basketball in the State of Minnesota. We are incredibly grateful to the Timberwolves for memorializing Flip in such a moving way and having his memory live on inside Target Center forever.”

Saunders compiled an overall record of 427-392 (.521) in 12 seasons covering two different stints with the organization.

Pelicans sign DeAndre Liggins to second 10-day contract

Pelicans sign DeAndre Liggins to second 10-day contract

The New Orleans Pelicans today signed DeAndre Liggins to a second 10-day contract.

The 6-foot-6, 209-pound guard, who signed his first Pelicans 10-day contract on January 10, has appeared in just one game with the Pelicans during that first 10-day stretch, putting up four points, one rebound and one assist in 11 minutes.

The Pelicans are 23-21, which is tied for the 7th best record in the Western conference.

There are currently 18 players on the Pelicans’ roster.

Recent Pelicans-related news: The NBA a few days ago announced that Pelicans teammates Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins were named starters for the 2018 NBA All-Star Game, which will take place on Feb. 18 at the STAPLES Center in Los Angeles.

Pistons news: Season-ending surgery for forward Jon Leuer

 

 

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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:

Warriors rookie Jordan Bell injured

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

 

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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 enjoys high school jersey retirement

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

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.