NBA News Blog – Page 879 – NBA Blog

Hedo Turkoglu suspended 20 games for violating NBA anti-drug program

Hedo Turkoglu of the Orlando Magic has been suspended without pay for twenty games for violating the terms of the NBA/NBPA Anti-Drug Program by testing positive for methenolone, it was announced today by the NBA.

Turkoglu’s suspension will begin tonight when the Magic play host to the Atlanta Hawks at Amway Center.

Statement from Turkoglu: “While I was back home in Turkey this past summer, I was given a medication by my trainer to help recover more quickly from a shoulder injury. I didn’t know that this was a banned substance and didn’t check before taking it. “I take full responsibility for anything that goes into my body. This was a complete error in judgment on my part and I apologize to the Orlando Magic organization, the league, my teammates, and the Magic fans. I know I have let down a lot of people and I am truly sorry for my mistake.”

Statement from Orlando Magic General Manager Rob Hennigan: “Hedo unknowingly took a banned substance. There are more than 125 banned substances on the NBA List, and we spend a lot of time educating our players on the contents of that list and will certainly continue to do so moving forward. We believe this was an honest mistake.”

According to the Associated Press, “Turkoglu is making about $11.8 million this season. He has one more year remaining on his current deal. He was picked as the NBA’s most improved player in 2008 while with Orlando.”

A glance at Brooklyn Nets trade assets

Kris Humphries, who will have a $12 million expiring contract next season, is their main one. Then there’s MarShon Brooks, the highly talented/sometimes mistake-prone 24-year-old swingman who has struggled to gain confidence while playing sporadic minutes. Brooks is making just $1.16 million this season and won’t be eligible for restricted free agency until the 2015-16 campaign.

The Nets also have several future first-round picks at their disposal, and Tyshawn Taylor’s career-high 12-point, 34-minute performance on Monday night only increased his value in a potential deal.

Smith, 27, becomes a free agent at season’s end. He’s averaging 17.1 points and 8.6 rebounds, and would certainly be an upgrade at power forward, assuming the Nets could land him. Just imagine a lineup featuring Deron Williams, Joe Johnson, Gerald Wallace, Smith and Brook Lopez

— Reported by Mike Mazzeo of ESPN New York

Lousy loss cancels shootout, creates lengthy film session for Cavs

Cavaliers practice on Tuesday was easy on the legs, but hard on the eyes. Instead of a rigorous workout, coach Byron Scott turned the day’s practice into a film session that lasted more than two hours.

There was plenty not to like following Monday’s dismal loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, and the Cavs apparently went through it all frame by frame. After it was over, Scott told his players to forget about it and get ready for the San Antonio Spurs, who will carry the league’s best record into Quicken Loans Arena tonight.

“We’re going to throw this game away and focus on tomorrow,” Scott said. “I said my piece as far as some things guys needed to hear. I also said enough of this talk. You’ve got to start doing what you’re supposed to do every single night. It can’t be three or four games where we come out and play hard, then two or three games where we don’t. If you really are serious about winning and getting better as a team, you’ve got to compete every single night. Pretty simple.”

— Reported by Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal

Chicago attorney convicted in slaying of Eddy Curry`s ex-girlfriend, infant daughter

A Chicago attorney was convicted Tuesday night by a Cook County jury of fatally shooting a former girlfriend of ex-Bulls player Eddy Curry and an infant daughter Curry had with the woman.

The seven-woman, five-man jury deliberated a little more than four hours before convicting Frederick Goings, 40, of two counts of first-degree murder.

Nova Henry, 24, and her 10-month-old daughter, Ava, were found shot to death inside their South Loop town house in January 2009. Her 3-year-old son was unharmed.

— Reported by Patrick Svitek of the Chicago Tribune

Lakers may not shake things up in trade department

The Lakers are scrambling just to scrape into the playoffs, but coach Mike D’Antoni sounds skeptical that any move before the Feb. 21 trade deadline would do anything beneficial to the team’s fortunes.

“It would add somebody who doesn’t know what they’re doing and it could take a while,” D’Antoni said. “You’re playing games you have to win and we might not even play them. That’s a hard thing. As an organization, I’m sure we’ll keep looking and talking and if something makes sense, we’ll do it.”

But Lakers fans shouldn’t get their hopes up after D’Antoni spoke with Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak last weekend in Miami.

“We are who we are,” D’Antoni said. “It’s good. We have that mindset. But I’m sure he’s always looking, thinking and talking to everybody.”

— Reported by Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News (Blog)

Celtics guard Leandro Barbosa out for season with torn ACL

The Boston Celtics announced today that guard Leandro Barbosa underwent an MRI this morning at New England Baptist Hospital after his left knee injury last night against the Charlotte Bobcats. The MRI revealed that Barbosa suffered a torn ACL in his left knee. No surgery date has been scheduled and he will be out for the remainder of the season.

Barbosa has appeared in 41 games for the Celtics this season and has averaged 5.2 points, 1.1 rebound, 1.4 assists in 12.5 minutes per game. He has shot 38.3% from three-point range which leads the Celtics. Barbosa posted a season-high of 17 points against Brooklyn on November 15 and has recorded 10 or more points in seven games this season.

According to the Boston Globe, “Barbosa was hurt, like Rondo, in non-contact fashion, twisting the knee awkwardly as he drove to the basket late in the third quarter of the Celtics’ 94-91 loss to the Charlotte Bobcats. Barbosa immediately passed the ball to Jeff Green and then crumbled to the floor near the photographer’s area. He was carried off the floor by head trainer Ed Lacerte and rookie center Fab Melo without placing any pressure on any leg. He was able to walk out of the arena under his own power but a post-game examination indicated that it was a ligament tear.”

Gordon Hayward back soon for Utah Jazz

Gordon Hayward was expected to practice Monday and could return to game action as early as Tuesday, coach Tyrone Corbin said.

The third-year reserve has missed eight games with a right shoulder sprain suffered at the end of the Jazz’s win over Indiana on Jan. 26.

“Hopefully he can have a good practice today,” Corbin said, “and be ready to go tomorrow in the game to get him back on the floor these last two games before the break and get him back acclimated to playing in the games.”

Hayward has played in 44 games, and averages 13.5 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game. The Jazz are 4-4 without him.

— Reported by Bill Oram of the Salt Lake Tribune

Chris Wright named D-League Performer of Week

Chris Wright of the Maine Red Claws was today named NBA Development League Performer of the Week for games played Feb. 4-10.

Wright (6-8, 225, Dayton) averaged 26.3 points while shooting 66 percent from the field to go with 14.3 rebounds as the Red Claws went 2-1 on the week. Wright notched a season-high 27 points in a 108-94 road win over the Springfield Armor before coming out the next night and matching his point total in a 104-94 loss to the Bakersfield Jam. He finished the week with a 25-point outing in a 104-100 win over Springfield in Maine.

A 2013 NBA D-League All-Star, Wright is averaging 17.9 points, 9.5 rebounds and 35.4 minutes in 22 games, all starts, for the Red Claws this season.

Other top performers considered include Austin’s Cory Joseph, on assignment from the San Antonio Spurs, Bakersfield’s Jerel McNeal, Canton’s Kyle Gibson, Erie’s D.J. Kennedy, Fort Wayne’s Tony Mitchell, Idaho’s Carlon Brown, Iowa’s Paul Harris, Los Angeles’ Lazar Hayward, Reno’s Samardo Samuels, Rio Grande Valley’s Glen Rice, Jr., Santa Cruz’s Travis Leslie, Sioux Falls’ Donald Sloan, Springfield’s Carleton Scott, Texas’ Justin Dentmon and Texas’ Rasual Butler.

LeBron James, Russell Westbrook named NBA Players of Week

Miami Heat forward LeBron James and Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook today were named Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for games played Monday, Feb. 4 through Sunday, Feb. 10.

James led the Heat to a 4-0 week, which included wins over the Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Clippers and Los Angeles Lakers. He averaged 31.3 points (second in the league) on .738 shooting from the field (second in the league), and added 6.5 rebounds and 5.8 assists. James scored at least 30 points in all four games and shot better than 61 percent from the field in each contest. His streak of 30-plus point games while shooting 60 percent or better stands at five straight, tied with Moses Malone (1981-82 season) and Adrian Dantley (1979-80 season) for the NBA record.

Westbrook guided the Thunder to a 4-0 week, which included wins over the Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors and Phoenix Suns (twice). He averaged 21.8 points, 6.0 assists, 3.3 steals and 3.0 rebounds. Oklahoma City won each game by 20 or more points as it improved to 39-12 (.765). The Thunder trails the San Antonio Spurs by ½ game for the top record in the league.

Other nominees for the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week were Boston’s Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, Houston’s James Harden, Indiana’s David West, New Orleans’ Greivis Vasquez, Oklahoma City’s Kevin Durant, San Antonio’s Tony Parker, Toronto’s Rudy Gay and Washington’s Martell Webster.

Deron Williams out two games for Nets

Brooklyn Nets guard Deron Williams will miss the next two games, tonight at Indiana and Wednesday vs. Denver, due to synovitis (inflammation of ankle joint linings) in both ankles. Williams received PRP (platelet rich plasma) treatment on both ankles earlier today and is expected to return to action following the All-Star break.

Williams has played in 50 games for Brooklyn this season, posting averages of 16.7 points, 7.6 assists and 3.3 rebounds per game.