Category: NBA News Blog

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Sacramento Kings suspend DeMarcus Cousins for bad behavior

demarcus cousins

The drama in Sacramento continues.

Kings President of Basketball Operations Geoff Petrie today announced that the team has suspended center DeMarcus Cousins indefinitely for unprofessional behavior and conduct detrimental to the team.

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.

Earlier today, Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee (blog) reported: “Keith Smart is one of DeMarcus Cousins’ biggest supporters. Apparently that doesn’t mean Smart will allow Cousins to speak to him however he likes. And that’s why DeMarcus was left in the locker room for the second half of Friday’s loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. Cousins went at his coach verbally after Smart said something to him at halftime. So Smart decided the Kings were better off without their leading scorer and rebounder. “We’re trying to set a standard for all of our players and all our guys who are here,” Smart said after the game. “When guys don’t fall in line to that we’ve got to move on.”

Nets recall Tornike Shengelia and Tyshawn Taylor from D-League

The Brooklyn Nets have recalled forward Tornike Shengelia and guard Tyshawn Taylor from the Springfield Armor of the NBA Development League, it was announced today by General Manager Billy King.  The two players were assigned to Springfield on December 21.

In the rookies’ first career D-League action last night vs Erie, Shengelia notched a triple double (22 points, 10 rebounds,12 assists), while Taylor poured in a team-high 32 points.

Both players are expected to practice fully with the team today in preparation for Sunday afternoon’s game against the Philadelphia 76ers.

DeMarcus Cousins pisses off coach Keith Smart

DeMarcus Cousins

Keith Smart is one of DeMarcus Cousins’ biggest supporters.

Apparently that doesn’t mean Smart will allow Cousins to speak to him however he likes. And that’s why DeMarcus was left in the locker room for the second half of Friday’s loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.

Cousins went at his coach verbally after Smart said something to him at halftime. So Smart decided the Kings were better off without their leading scorer and rebounder.

“We’re trying to set a standard for all of our players and all our guys who are here,” Smart said after the game. “When guys don’t fall in line to that we’ve got to move on.”

Smart intends to maintain this stance, too. You have to assume that means penalties will escalate if the behavior does not change.

Smart wouldn’t address whether Cousins would play in Sunday’s game against Portland. If he does, another blowup could mean suspensions for conduct detrimental to the team.

— Reported by Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee (Blog)

Clippers win 12th straight game to set franchise record

Clippers win 12th straight to set franchise record

After the Los Angeles Clippers set a record for the longest winning streak in franchise history, Chris Paul was thinking about Ron Harper, Corey Maggette and other former players who endured all that losing.

Paul had 24 points and 13 assists to help the Clippers, for decades synonymous with long losing streaks, break a 38-year-old club mark with their 12th consecutive victory Friday night, 97-85 over the Sacramento Kings.

”Most of those guys have been here through tougher times,” Paul said. ”I know Ron Harper really well. He’s a good friend of mine, and he’s excited for us. We just played against Corey Maggette, and he was excited to see how it is now. So it’s been exciting for me in the short amount of time I’ve been here, especially knowing some of the people who have been with the team for 25 or 30 years and the season-ticket holders. But we can’t be satisfied. We’ve got to keep it going.”

The previous record was set by the Buffalo Braves during the 1974-75 season, when current Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro was 8 years old. The head coach back then was Jack Ramsay, whose formidable roster included Bob McAdoo, Garfield Heard, Randy Smith, Jim McMillian, Jack Marin and Bob Weiss.

That team won 49 games – still a record for a beleaguered organization that has called three different cities home, wasted first-round draft picks on Benoit Benjamin, Terry Dehere, Michael Olowokandi and Darius Miles, and was labeled ”the worst franchise in sports history” by Sports Illustrated in an April 17, 2000, cover story.

— Reported by Joe Resnick of the Associated Press

Eric Gordon injury update: Not ready to return for Hornets just yet

Eric Gordon not ready to return for Hornets just yet

The New Orleans Hornets will get injured shooting guard Eric Gordon back on the bench for moral support Saturday night when the team plays the Indiana Pacers in New Orleans Arena.

But Coach Monty Williams said here Friday that Gordon’s first game action isn’t imminent. “He’s been doing so much rehab now I think it’s a matter of him getting his game condition back,” Williams said after the team’s morning shoot-around in preparation for Friday night’s game against the San Antonio Spurs. “The only way to do that is to play. But there’s some things he can do to build a base before he steps on the floor so that’s what (the Hornets training and strength and conditioning staff) will be doing over the next few days.”

Gordon has rehabilitated and strengthened his ailing right knee in Los Angeles since Nov. 7 and said Wednesday night he’d be playing by the end of the month.

Williams said Friday Gordon had not yet been cleared for contact work.

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

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 in seven games for the Red Claws this season and has posted averages of 20.9 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 2.0 steals in 38.1 minutes per game. At the time of his recall he was ranked fifth in the NBA Development League in points per game.

Brooklyn Nets assign Tornike Shengelia and Tyshawn Taylor to D-League

The Brooklyn Nets have assigned forward Tornike Shengelia and guard Tyshawn Taylor to the Springfield Armor of the NBA Development League, it was announced today by General Manager Billy King.

Shengelia, acquired from the Philadelphia 76ers after being drafted 54th overall in the 2012 NBA Draft, has appeared in five games this season, scoring 10 points with two rebounds.

Taylor, a rookie out of Kansas, has made 10 appearances on the year, scoring 13 points with three steals and two assists.

Both players will be in uniform when the Armor take on the Erie BayHawks tonight at the MassMutual Center in Springfield.

Timberwolves waive Josh Howard, who has a torn ACL

Josh Howard

The Minnesota Timberwolves today announced the team has waived forward/guard Josh Howard after an MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) revealed he has a torn ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) in his right knee. The injury, which will sideline him for the remainder of the season, occurred in the second quarter of the Friday, Dec. 14 contest at New Orleans.

“It’s unfortunate to see Josh’s season come to an abrupt end due to injury,” said David Kahn, Timberwolves President of Basketball Operations. “Due to several injuries, we have an immediate need at the wing position, necessitating today’s transaction. Josh was a consummate professional and important contributor to our team in his short time with us and we wish him the best with his recovery.”

Signed by the Wolves as a free agent on November 16, Howard averaged 6.7 points and 3.3 rebounds in 11 games this season for Minnesota.

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Tim Duncan joins rarefied air at 23,000 points

Tim Duncan joins rarefied air at 23,000 points

The milestone came without fanfare, befitting the low-key superstar who accomplished it.

With a pair of free throws at the 9:15 mark of the third quarter of the Spurs’ loss at Denver on Tuesday, Tim Duncan became the 26th NBA player to reach 23,000 points.

Needing 15 points to hit that plateau, Duncan didn’t stop there. He left the Pepsi Center with his season’s most power-packed box score: 31 points, 18 rebounds, six assists and five blocks.

It was another turn-back-the-clock night in a season full of them for the Spurs’ 36-year-old metronome…

He is one of only six active players to make this list.

— Reported by Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News