NBA News Blog – Page 904 – NBA Blog

LeBron James, Chris Paul named Players of Week

Miami Heat forward LeBron James and Los Angeles Clippers point guard Chris Paul today were named Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for games played Monday, Dec. 17, through Sunday, Dec. 23.

James led the Heat to a 3-0 week behind averages of 25.3 points (third in the conference), 7.7 assists (fourth in the conference), 8.0 rebounds and 1.67 blocks (eighth in the conference). He led Miami in rebounding in all three games and has opened the season with 20-plus point efforts in the Heat’s first 24 games, matching the longest streak since Karl Malone opened the 1989-90 season with 24 consecutive 20-plus point outings.

Paul helped the Clippers to a 4-0 week behind averages of 16.3 points, a conference-leading 11.3 assists, and 3.50 steals, which tied for the conference lead with the San Antonio Spurs’ Kawhi Leonard. Paul posted three point-assist double-doubles and collected two five-steal games for the Clippers, who have won 13 consecutive games.

Other nominees for the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week were Houston’s James Harden, Indiana’s David West, Los Angeles Lakers’ Kobe Bryant, New York’s Carmelo Anthony, Portland’s J.J. Hickson and Toronto’s Jose Calderon.

Boston Celtics sign forward Jarvis Varnado

The Boston Celtics today signed Sioux Falls Skyforce forward Jarvis Varnado for the sixth Call-Up of the 2012-13 NBA Development League season. Varnado joins more than 100 players with NBA D-League experience currently on NBA rosters.

Varnado (6-9, 210, Mississippi State) has appeared in 10 games for the Skyforce, averaging 14.0 points, 10.0 rebounds, 30.5 minutes and a league-leading 3.9 blocks. Varnado finished with six double-doubles and recorded season-highs of 21 points and eight blocks on Nov. 30 at Springfield. He tallied a season-high 16 rebounds at Austin on Dec. 22. For his efforts, he was named NBA D-League Performer of the Week on Dec. 3.

Originally selected by the Miami Heat in the second round (41st overall) of the 2010 NBA Draft, Varnado was a four-year contributor at Mississippi State where he was named the NABC Defensive Player of the Year (2010) and was a three-time SEC Defensive Player of the Year (2008, 2009, 2010). Varnado finished his 141-game collegiate career as NCAA’s all-time leading shot blocker with 564 career blocks.

Varnado is expected to join the Celtics today and be available on Dec. 25 when the team travels to face the Brooklyn Nets in a Christmas Day match-up at 12 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Sacramento Kings end suspension of DeMarcus Cousins

The indefinite suspension by the Sacramento Kings of center DeMarcus Cousins didn’t last very long.

The Kings reinstated Cousins, effective immediately. Cousins practiced with the team in Sacramento today.

Cousins, currently in his third NBA season, is averaging a team-high 16.6 points (.414 FGs, .200 3FGs, .769 FTs), 9.5 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.35 steals per game through 23 contests.

According to Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee, “Cousins was reinstated Monday morning in time for the team’s practice. The Kings had suspended Cousins on Saturday morning after he met with basketball president Geoff Petrie and coach Keith Smart following an argument the center had with Smart during a road loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night. Cousins apparently was so profane and personal in his verbal confrontation with Smart in front of teammates during halftime that Smart benched Cousins and left him in the locker room for the second half of the defeat at Staples Center. Cousins said Friday night that he was wrong and “shouldn’t have responded back” to Smart.”

Chris Wilcox could miss a month with a thumb injury

The Celtics will enter their critical four-game road trip beginning Tuesday with just 11 active players, as once again keeping their centers healthy remains difficult.

At practice Sunday, coach Doc Rivers revealed that Chris Wilcox will miss perhaps a month with a sprained ulnar collateral ligament in his right thumb, sustained in Tuesday’s loss to the Chicago Bulls.

Wilcox attended the team’s Christmas party for local children with a brace on his right hand. With his absence, the Celtics have one true center on the roster — Jason Collins — despite having addressed the position in the offseason.

President of basketball operations Danny Ainge re-signed Wilcox and added Darko Milicic and Collins, and drafted Syracuse’s Fab Melo for support. Milicic left the team after less than a month to be with his ill mother in Serbia and Melo is playing for Maine of the NBA Development League.

— Reported by Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe

Boston Celtics recall Kris Joseph from D-League

The Boston Celtics announced today that they have recalled forward Kris Joseph from their NBA Development League affiliate, the Maine Red Claws.

Joseph, a 6’7 forward, has appeared one game during his most recent assignment against Erie on December 22 and recorded 10 points and seven rebounds in just over 37 minutes of action. He has posted averages of 19.5 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.88 steals in his eight contests for Maine this season.

Mo Williams out with right thumb injury

The Utah Jazz announced Sunday that guard Mo Williams will be out indefinitely with a right thumb injury.

Williams, who sustained the injury on Saturday, is averaging 12.9 points and 6.7 assists this season in 24 games, all starts.

The extent of Williams’ injury is unknown, according to the Salt Lake Tribune.

— Reported by the Sports Xchange

Warriors re-assign Kent Bazemore and Jeremy Tyler to D-League

The Golden State Warriors have assigned guard/forward Kent Bazemore and forward/center Jeremy Tyler to the Santa Cruz Warriors of the NBA Development League, the team announced today. Both players are slated to join Golden State’s D-League affiliate in time for the team’s first-ever game in Santa Cruz tonight against the Bakersfield Jam at Kaiser Permanente Arena (5:00 p.m. tipoff).

Bazemore, 23, has appeared in 14 games with Golden State this season, registering six points in 21 total minutes. He was previously assigned to Santa Cruz once this season, registering 27 points, nine rebounds, one assist, five steals and one block in 33 minutes of the team’s 101-95 season-opening victory at Reno on November 30.

Tyler, 21, has appeared in nine games for Golden State this season, averaging 1.3 points in 2.1 minutes per contest. He also has made one D-League appearance this season, registering five points, six rebounds, one assist and one steal in 29 minutes of the team’s 95-79 victory at Reno on December 2.

Dallas Mavericks sign Chris Douglas-Roberts

The Dallas Mavericks announced today that they have signed free agent guard/forward Chris Douglas-Roberts. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Douglas-Roberts (6-7, 210) has played in 11 games (all starts) for the Mavericks’ D-League affiliate Texas Legends this season, and has averaged a league-high 22.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.9 steals in 38.5 minutes per game. In those 11 contests, he has shot 49.4 percent (79-160 FGs) from the field, 39.5 percent (15-38 3FGs) from 3-point range and 90.4 percent (75-83 FTs) from the line.

The 6-7 guard/forward spent the 2012 training camp with the Los Angeles Lakers, where he averaged 4.0 points and 8.3 minutes in four games. He played for Virtus Bologna of the Italian League in 2011-12.

Douglas-Roberts was originally selected by the New Jersey Nets in the second round (40th overall pick) of the 2008 NBA Draft. The three-year pro has appeared in 155 NBA games (53 starts) for the Nets and the Milwaukee Bucks and holds career averages of 7.7 points and 2.2 rebounds in 20.6 minutes.

Douglas-Roberts played three seasons at the University of Memphis (2005-08) and earned first-team All-American honors as a junior. He declared for the NBA Draft following his junior season.

The Mavericks’ roster now stands at 15 players.

OKC Thunder recall Reggie Jackson, Perry Jones, DeAndre Liggins from D-League

The Oklahoma City Thunder has recalled guard Reggie Jackson, forward Perry Jones and guard DeAndre Liggins from the Tulsa 66ers of the NBA Development League, it was announced today by Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti.

Including his 37-point (14-of-19 FGs) performance last night versus the Canton Charge, Jackson has appeared in three games (all starts) with the 66ers this season, averaging 28.0 points, 7.3 rebounds and 8.3 assists in 38.0 minutes.

Jones has seen action in four games (all starts) with Tulsa this season, averaging 11.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 30.3 minutes.

Liggins has appeared in five games (all starts) with the 66ers and recorded averages of 11.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.40 steals in 36.4 minutes.

Wizards waive Shaun Livingston and Earl Barron

Washington Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld announced today that the team has waived guard Shaun Livingston and center/forward Earl Barron.

Livingston, who was originally signed as a free agent on November 15, averaged 3.7 points, 2.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 17 games (four starts). Barron, who was originally signed as a free agent on September 19, averaged 2.5 points and 3.9 rebounds in 11 games (one start).

The Wizards roster now stands at 13.