NBA News Blog – Page 908 – NBA Blog

Courtney Fortson named D-League Performer of Week

Courtney Fortson of the Los Angeles D-Fenders was today named NBA Development League Performer of the Week for games played Dec. 10-16.

A 5-11, 185-pound guard out of Arkansas, Fortson led the D-Fenders to a 2-0 record for the week, averaging 27.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, 7.0 assists and 46.5 minutes. He scored a team-high 36 points in a 134-124 triple-overtime win over the Reno Bighorns, 134-124, on Dec. 15 to go with a team-high eight assists.

A second-year member of the D-Fenders, Fortson earned two GATORADE Call-Ups during the 2011-12 season and owns NBA career averages of 3.5 points, 1.5 rebounds and 9.5 minutes in 10 games for the Los Angeles Clippers and Houston Rockets.

Other top performers considered include Austin’s Tyler Wilkerson, Bakersfield’s Damion James, Canton’s Jon Leuer, Erie’s D.J. Kennedy, Fort Wayne’s Miles Plumlee, Idaho’s Joel Freeland, Iowa’s Chris Wright, Los Angeles’ Darius Johnson-Odom, Maine’s Shelvin Mack, Reno’s Garrett Temple, Rio Grande Valley’s Tim Ohlbrecht, Santa Cruz’s Travis Leslie, Sioux Falls’ Andrew Goudelock, Springfield’s James Mays, Texas’ Darius Rice and Tulsa’s Jeremy Lamb.

Paul George and David Lee named NBA Players of the Week

The Indiana Pacers’ Paul George and the Golden State Warriors’ David Lee today were named Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for games played Monday, Dec. 10, through Sunday, Dec. 16.

George led the Pacers to a 3-0 week which included wins over Central Division rivals Cleveland and Detroit. George averaged 23.3 points, 7.0 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.3 blocks. He shot .474 from three-point range on the week and ranks eighth in the league with 54 made three-point field goals on the season.

Lee helped the Warriors to a 3-1 record which included wins at Miami and Atlanta. Lee tallied 22.8 points on .606 shooting from the field, 12.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.0 steals. He posted a point-rebound double-double in all four contests and extended his double-double streak to seven consecutive games – the longest such streak in the NBA this season.

Other nominees for the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week were the Los Angeles Clippers’ Blake Griffin, Miami’s LeBron James, Minnesota’s Nikola Pekovic, New York’s Carmelo Anthony, Oklahoma City’s Kevin Durant, Portland’s LaMarcus Aldridge, San Antonio’s Tony Parker and Toronto’s Jose Calderon.

Grizzlies assign Josh Selby to D-League and recall Tony Wroten

The Memphis Grizzlies assigned guard Josh Selby to the NBA Development League’s Reno Bighorns and recalled guard Tony Wroten, Grizzlies General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace announced today.

Selby (6-2, 183) will be assigned to Reno, the Grizzlies’ D-League affiliate, for the first time this season. The 21-year-old enjoyed great success with the Bighorns during the 2011-12 season, posting 25.1 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.9 assists on .475 shooting in 34.1 minutes in eight games (four starts) over three assignments in Reno as an NBA rookie.

Selby will be with the Bighorns for their next game on Dec. 20 at Rio Grande Valley. Drafted by Memphis in the second round (49th overall) of the 2011 NBA Draft, the Baltimore native has logged a total of 15 minutes over five appearances for the Grizzlies this season.

Wroten (6-6, 208) recorded 13.3 points, 3.0 rebounds and 3.3 assists on .370 shooting (.438 three-point shooting) in 22.8 minutes in six games for Reno after being assigned on Nov. 27. The 19-year-old scored a D-League season-high 21 points in his Bighorns debut on Dec. 2 at Santa Cruz and matched that total in his next game on Dec. 7 vs. Bakersfield.

Drafted by Memphis in the first round (25th overall) of the 2012 NBA Draft, the Seattle native has logged a total of eight minutes in three appearances for the Grizzlies during his rookie season.

Memphis hosts the Chicago Bulls at 7 p.m. tonight at FedExForum to tip off a three-game home stand that will also feature matchups on Wednesday, Dec. 19 vs. Milwaukee and Friday, Dec. 21 vs. Dallas.

Spurs re-assign Cory Joseph to D-League yet again

The San Antonio Spurs today re-assigned second-year guard Cory Joseph to the Austin Toros, the Spurs’ NBA Development League affiliate. The assignment is the 53rd of the 2012-13 NBA and NBA D-League seasons, while Joseph is one of 34 NBA players to have been assigned to the NBA D-League this season.

Joseph (6-3, 185) returns to the Toros having played in two games during an earlier assignment when he averaged 12.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 35.5 minutes.

Originally selected by the Spurs with the 29th overall pick of the 2011 NBA Draft out of the University of Texas, Joseph has appeared in nine games for San Antonio this season, averaging 2.1 points, 1.4 assists and 7.2 minutes.

Joseph is expected to join the Toros today and be available tomorrow when the team hosts the Texas Legends at 12 p.m. ET.

Thunder recall Jeremy Lamb and Daniel Orton from D-League, again

The Oklahoma City Thunder has recalled guard Jeremy Lamb and forward Daniel Orton from the Tulsa 66ers of the NBA Development League, it was announced today by Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti.

Lamb has appeared in seven games (all starts) with the 66ers this season, averaging 23.0 points (2nd in the D-League), 4.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.0 steal and 1.1 blocks in 35.9 minutes.

Orton has seen action in nine games (nine starts) with Tulsa this season, averaging 11.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.1 steals, 1.9 blocks and 30.1 minutes.

Trail Blazers recall Victor Claver and Joel Freeland from D-League

The Portland Trail Blazers have recalled forwards Victor Claver and Joel Freeland from the team’s NBA Development League affiliate, the Idaho Stampede, it was announced today by General Manager Neil Olshey.

Portland assigned Claver and Freeland to the Stampede on Dec. 14. The two rookies played in both of Idaho’s games vs. Santa Cruz this weekend in Boise.

Freeland posted averages of 20.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 37.0 minutes in the two contests. Freeland led the Stampede in scoring on Dec. 14 with 22 points.

Claver averaged 6.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 3.0 steals and 34.0 minutes in two games with Idaho. He recorded five steals against Santa Cruz on Dec. 14.

Both players will be available for Portland’s contest vs. New Orleans tonight.

Kyrie Irving suffers broken bone in jaw

A CT scan at the Cleveland Clinic following the Cavaliers game Friday night at Quicken Loans Arena vs. the Milwaukee Bucks revealed that Cavs guard Kyrie Irving sustained a small left maxillary fracture.

Irving did not fly with the team to New York City after the game so he could be fitted with a protective mask.

He will travel to New York City today and will be available to play vs. the Knicks tonight at Madison Square Garden.

According to the Associated Press, “Irving was injured when he was knocked down in the first quarter by Bucks forward forward Luc Mbah a Moute, who was called for a foul. Irving’s face slammed into the floor, and he writhed in pain for several minutes before getting up and making two free throws. He stayed in the game. At the end of the quarter, last season’s NBA rookie of the year sat on the bench with a towel on his face, but he played 36 minutes and finished with a team-high 26 points. Following the game, the Cavs indicated Irving would be on the flight to New York, but a CT scan at the Cleveland Clinic revealed what the team described as “a small left maxillary fracture.”

Dirk Nowitzki making progress in recovery

Dirk Nowitzki ran through a long set of shooting and running drills before Friday’s game at Toronto and went through some of the Mavericks’ shootaround earlier in the day.

The next step in his recovery from arthroscopic knee surgery: taking part in a practice.

That could come next week.

For now, Nowitzki spends a lot of his time running to midcourt, turning around, running back to the corner or the wing outside the 3-point line, and shooting a jump shot.

— Reported by Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News (Blog)

Dion Waiters expected to return Tuesday for Cavaliers

Cleveland guard Dion Waiters is expected to return from a sprained left ankle for the Cavaliers’ game Tuesday night against Toronto.

Waiters, the former Syracuse player taken with the No. 4 pick in the draft, hasn’t played since being injured against Portland on Dec. 1. He has missed seven straight games and won’t play Saturday when Cleveland visits New York. Waiters is second on the team in scoring, averaging 15.2 points.

— Reported by the Associated Press

Hornets forward Jason Smith out at least two weeks

After missing time earlier this year with a left shoulder strain, New Orleans Hornets forward Jason Smith is now out for at least two weeks with a sprained right shoulder, the result of a play in the fourth quarter of Wednesday night’s 92-88 loss at the Oklahoma City Thunder.

With 10:01 to go in the fourth quarter, and the score tied at 62-62, Smith blocked a dunk attempt by Oklahoma City’s Kevin Durant, incurring the injury.

“Jason won’t play; he’s got a shoulder injury that could keep him out for up to two weeks,” Hornets Coach Monty Williams said Friday night. “It’s not a great thing for our team, but in light of what’s going on in the world, we’re doing OK.”Williams said his front-line rotation for the foreseeable future will not change.

— Reported by Jimmy Smith of the New Orleans Times-Picayune