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The Toronto Raptors announced today forward Patrick Patterson will be sidelined with a right ulnar collateral sprain. Patterson aggravated his elbow during Friday’s game versus Sacramento. He will be reevaluated in seven-to-10 days.
Patterson has averaged 9.7 points, 5.2 rebounds and 23.4 minutes since being acquired by the Raptors from Sacramento on December 9.
The Raptors face the Minnesota Timberwolves tonight at Target Center at 7 p.m. ET (Sportsnet ONE/Sportsnet 590 The FAN).
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Washington Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld announced today that the team has signed forward Drew Gooden to a second 10-day contract.
Gooden, who was originally signed by the Wizards on February 26, has averaged 4.0 points and 3.3 rebounds in 11.0 minutes over three games.
The veteran big-man provides frontcourt depth for the 32-29 Wizards.
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The Miami Heat announced today that they have signed guard DeAndre Liggins to a second 10-day contract. Per club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Liggins, who was signed to a 10-day contract by the HEAT on February 25, appeared in one game with Miami totaling two points and one rebound in 1:24 minutes while shooting 1-of-1 from the field in a, 124-107, win against Charlotte on March 3.
Liggins, a 2014 NBA Development League All-Star, appeared in 35 games (34 starts) with the HEAT’s NBA D-League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, earlier this season and averaged 14.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 2.54 steals and 40.3 minutes while shooting 39.8 percent from the field.
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Milwaukee Bucks guard O.J. Mayo has been suspended one game without pay for forcibly striking New Orleans Pelicans center Greg Stiemsma in the throat, it was announced today by Rod Thorn, President, Basketball Operations.
The incident, for which Mayo was assessed a Flagrant Foul 2 and ejected occurred with 1:52 remaining in the first quarter of Milwaukee’s 112-104 loss to the Pelicans on Friday, March 7, at Smoothie King Center.
Mayo will serve his suspension tonight when the Bucks host the Washington Wizards at BMO Harris Bradley Center.
To view the play, click on this link.
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The Boston Celtics announced today that center Vitor Faverani had successful left knee arthroscopy to repair a torn lateral meniscus at the New England Baptist Hospital. The procedure was performed by Celtics team physician Dr. Brian McKeon and was assisted by Jason Rand, PAC. Faverani will not return this season.
According to ESPN Boston, “Celtics coach Brad Stevens said what was planned as a simple scope soon turned into a pretty major repair. “When they went in and scoped his knee, they found a meniscus tear,” said Stevens. “The way it was explained to me, it was near the root. That was the source of his major discomfort the past couple weeks. And so, it’s going to be a pretty significant rehab and so that was obviously not good news.”
Faverani, a 6’11” center, has appeared in 37 games during his rookie season for the Celtics where he averaged 4.4 points, 3.5 rebounds and 0.73 blocks in 13.2 minutes per game. He recorded a season-high of 13 point against Toronto on October 30 and recorded season-highs of 18 rebounds and six blocks against Milwaukee on November 1. Faverani also appeared in four games for the Maine Red Claws of the NBA Development League on assignment this season where he averaged 12.8 points, 9.0 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.0 block in 25.0 minutes per game.
Five seconds into the second half, Chris Paul picked up a steal and Matt Barnes finished after Paul missed a reverse layup.
Less than a minute into the third period, the Clippers had run off six points to hike their lead to 39 points and then, finally, there were some boos for the Lakers at Staples Center.
There might not have been enough fans left by the end to release their frustration after the Clippers scored a 142-94 thrashing that was about as lopsided as any NBA game could be.
“We took a body blow and it looked like it just took us to our knees,” Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni said. “For whatever reason, maybe we couldn’t finish and make plays or anything. They smelled blood in the water and they killed us.”
It was the Clippers’ largest winning margin in their history, eclipsing the previous mark of 45 points. The Lakers equaled the worst loss in their history.
— Los Angeles Daily News Clippers blog
Blake Griffin had 20 points and 11 rebounds during three thunderous quarters by the Clippers, who routed the Lakers 142-94 Thursday night to extend their winning streak to a season-best six games. It was the most lopsided victory ever for the Clippers’ franchise and the most one-sided loss in Lakers history.
”Since Day 1, there’s always going to be something to talk about since we both play here in this building. During the game, all the fans were yelling: ‘It’s still a Laker town.’ And it is – no secret,” Clippers point guard Chris Paul said. ”But we just have to worry about us and keep playing. It’s going in the right direction. We don’t want to get too high or too low. We just want to try to keep getting better.”
Darren Collison had a team-high 24 points while starting at shooting guard for the injured Jamal Crawford. Paul added 13 points and 11 assists for the Clippers, who have won the teams’ last two meetings by a combined 84 points.
— Associated Press
The Clippers had a 64-33 rebounding advantage and increased their lead in the Pacific Division to 4 1/2 games over Golden State.
The Lakers are one defeat away from clinching the franchise’s first losing season since 2004-05 – when newly hired coach Rudy Tomjanovich resigned midway through the team’s 34-48 season.
— Associated Press
The Clippers had eight players score in double figures en route to a 142-94 blowout of the Lakers on Thursday night at Staples Center. The 48-point margin was the worst defeat in Lakers history and the largest win in Clippers history. The 142 points were a season high for the Clippers.
— Sports Xchange
The Clippers blew the game open in the second quarter. They enjoyed a 29-4 run, and they took a 58-31 lead after a dunk by Griffin. The Clippers outscored the Lakers 44-13 in the quarter for a 73-40 advantage at the half. They also outrebounded the Lakers 22-5 in the second period. Overall, the Clippers had a 64-33 edge on the boards, including a 16-4 difference on the offensive end.
Collison outscored the entire Lakers team 14-13 in the second quarter.
Collison said the Lakers’ 116-103 victory in the season opener between the teams in October provided additional motivation for the Clippers in the past two meetings.
— Sports Xchange
The Orlando Magic have signed center Dewayne Dedmon and guard-forward Adonis Thomas each to a second 10-day contract, General Manager Rob Hennigan announced today. Dedmon and Thomas both originally signed 10-day contracts on Feb. 25.
Dedmon (#3, 7’0”, 255, 8/12/89) has appeared in two games with Orlando, averaging 2.5 ppg. and 1.5 rpg. in 2.2 minpg. He has played in 17 combined games this season with Golden State, Philadelphia and Orlando, averaging 2.5 ppg. and 3.1 rpg. in 9.4 minpg. He also appeared in 15 games with the Santa Cruz Warriors of the NBA Development League, averaging 15.2 ppg., 13.1 rpg., 1.3 apg., 2.33 blkpg. and 1.53 stlpg. in 33.7 minpg.
Thomas (#8, 6’7”, 235, 3/25/93) has appeared in three games with Orlando, averaging 2.3 ppg. and 1.0 rpg. in 7.6 minpg. He played in 26 games (21 starts) with the Springfield Armor of the NBA Development League, averaging 16.2 ppg., 4.2 rpg. and 1.3 apg. in 35.1 minpg., while shooting .469 (38-81) from three-point range.
Not drafted by an NBA team in 2013, Dedmon played in 51 games (49 starts) during his two-year career at USC, averaging 7.1 ppg., 6.7 rpg. and 1.67 blkpg. In 2012-13 as a redshirt junior, he appeared in 31 games (29 starts), averaging 6.7 ppg., 7.0 rpg., 2.13 blkpg. and 1.10 stlpg. in 22.3 minpg. He led the Trojans in rebounding and blocked shots. Dedmon did not play organized basketball until his senior year of high school due to religious reasons and played one season at Antelope Valley College in his hometown of Lancaster, CA, before transferring to USC.
Also undrafted in 2013, Thomas played in 55 games (44 starts) during two years at the University of Memphis, averaging 10.7 ppg., 4.0 rpg. and 1.5 apg. in 27.5 minpg. He was named to the Conference USA All-Tournament Team in 2013.
Orlando’s roster stands at 14 players.
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The Milwaukee Bucks have signed free-agent forward Tony Mitchell (6-6, 216) to a 10-day contract, General Manager John Hammond announced today. Mitchell is the 28th “Call-Up” of the 2013-14 season from the NBA D-League.
Mitchell has spent the better part of the last two seasons with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, Milwaukee’s affiliate in the D-League. After going undrafted out of the University of Alabama in 2012, Mitchell signed with Fort Wayne and appeared in 48 games during the 2012-13 D-League season, averaging 21.9 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game. Mitchell was named the D-League Rookie of the Year and earned All-NBA D-League First Team honors following the season.
After appearing in 11 games for the Jilin Northeast Tigers in China last fall, Mitchell returned to the Mad Ants in January and has averaged 19.4 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.2 blocks in 27 appearances (7 starts) this season. Mitchell is a two-time NBA D-League Slam Dunk Contest champion after successfully defending his 2013 crown at NBA All-Star Weekend in New Orleans last month.
Mitchell will wear #18 for the Bucks.
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Charlotte Bobcats President of Basketball Operations Rod Higgins announced today that the team has signed center Justin Hamilton to a 10-day contract. Hamilton joins the Bobcats from the Sioux Falls Skyforce of the NBA D-League, becoming the 29th Gatorade Call-Up this season. He will wear No. 41. The Bobcats roster now stands at 15 players.
In 37 games played for the Skyforce this season, the 7-0 Hamilton is averaging 19.3 points, 9.2 rebounds, 2.0 blocks and 1.5 assists in 35.8 minutes, while shooting .491 from the field (269-548), .385 from beyond the three-point line (30-78) and .812 from the free-throw line (147-181). He has scored in double figures 34 times, including 21 games of 20 points or more and three contests with 30 points or more, and recorded 16 games with double-figure rebounds, tallying 16 double-doubles.
Hamilton leads in the D-League in offensive rebounding, while ranking fifth in blocks, sixth in rebounding and 16th in scoring. He played for the Futures team in the 2014 D-League All-Star Game, scoring 20 points on 8-12 shooting, including 2-4 from beyond the three-point line, and 2-2 free-throw shooting.
Hamilton was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers with the 45th overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft before having his rights traded to the Miami Heat. He spent the 2012-13 season playing internationally, first for KK Cibona in Croatia and later for VEF Riga in Latvia.
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The Chicago Bulls announced today the team has signed free agent guard Jimmer Fredette for the remainder of the season.
“We are very excited to add a player like Jimmer to our roster,” said Chicago Bulls General Manager Gar Forman. “We’ve followed him closely throughout his collegiate and professional career, and believe he’ll be the type of player that will fit in with our group and be an asset to the team.”
Fredette (6-2, 195) is currently in his third year in the NBA and spent two-plus seasons playing for the Sacramento Kings. He appeared in 41 games this year with the Kings and averaged 5.9 ppg, 1.5 apg, 1.1 rpg in 11.3 mpg, and shot .475 from the field, .493 from downtown and .895 from the free throw line. Fredette was drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks with the 10th pick in the 2011 NBA Draft (his draft rights were traded by the Bucks to the Sacramento Kings in a three-team deal with the Charlotte Bobcats).
In two-plus seasons with the Kings, Fredette played in 171 regular season games (seven starts) and averaged 7.0 ppg, 1.5 apg and 1.1 rpg in 15.0 mpg, and shot .416 from the field, .402 from behind the arc and .855 from the free throw line.
Fredette will wear No. 32 and will be available for Chicago’s game today versus New York.
Chicago’s roster now stands at 13 players.