NBA News Blog – Page 920 – NBA Blog

Chauncey Billups returns tonight for Clippers

Chauncey Billups returns to action for Clippers

Chauncey Billups health update: He’s back!

The Los Angeles Clippers today announced that five-time NBA All-Star guard Chauncey Billups will return to action on Wednesday, Nov. 28 against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Billups appeared in 20 games for the Clippers last season before suffering a torn left Achilles tendon on Feb. 6 in Orlando.

“We are all excited to have Chauncey back,” Clippers head coach Vinny Del Negro said. “I know how hard he has worked to get to this point and we are looking forward to incorporating him into the lineup.”

In his injury shortened 2011-12 season, Billups averaged 15.0 points, 4.0 assists, 2.5 rebounds and 30.4 minutes per contest. Billups shot 36.4 percent from the field, 38.4 percent from behind the three-point line and 89.5 percent from the free throw line.

Billups averaged 16.8 points, 5.4 assists and 2.6 rebounds in 32.1 minutes in 72 games with Denver and New York during the 2010-11 season. He was traded to the Knicks on February 22, 2011 and was later claimed by the Clippers off of waivers on December 12, 2011.

The 15-year veteran point guard was an NBA All-Star in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 and named to the All-NBA Second Team in 2005-06 and the All-NBA Third Team in 2006-07 and 2008-09. Billups helped lead the Detroit Pistons to the 2003-04 NBA Championship and was selected the 2004 NBA Finals MVP for his stellar play in the series.

Originally drafted by the Boston Celtics with the third overall pick of the 1997 NBA Draft after a standout career at the University of Colorado, Billups has appeared in 1,002 career NBA games for Boston, Toronto, Denver, Minnesota, Detroit, New York and the Clippers, averaging 15.5 points, 5.5 assists and 2.9 rebounds per game.

The 6-foot-3, 210 pound Colorado native was also a member of the gold medal winning USA Team at the 2010 FIBA World Championship and the 2007 FIBA Americas Championship.

Virginia Beach unveils NBA arena plan

The Virginia city that’s reportedly trying to lure the Sacramento Kings has sketched out a tentative financing plan for a new arena, including huge public subsidies.

Mayor Will Sessoms of Virginia Beach, Va., told his City Council late Tuesday that the city would contribute $195 million and the state will be asked to contribute $150 million toward the effort.

Of the state’s contribution, $70 million would go toward arena construction and $80 million to help with team relocation expenses.

— Reported by Dave Kasler of the Sacramento Bee

Mayor Will Sessoms has offered the first glimpse into how a deal to build an 18,500-seat arena and bring a professional sports team to the city might be structured. The big takeaways: It would be paid for mostly with public funds but might not happen at all.

In a quick message to the City Council at the end of its regular meeting Tuesday, Sessoms laid out what the three players – the city, the state and a private company – would bring to the table to build the arena now estimated to cost $300 million.

The city would contribute $195 million. The state will be asked for $150 million, of which $70 million would be for the arena, and Comcast-Spectacor, the Philadelphia-based sports and entertainment company that would lease and operate the arena and is working to recruit the pro sports team, would put in $35 million.

— Reported by Aaron Applegate of the Virginian-Pilot

Private funding holding up Timberwolves Target Center deal

Six months after the Vikings stadium deal paved the way for a public/private renovation of Target Center, Minneapolis’ chief negotiator says the Timberwolves and the arena’s operator still won’t say how much they will pay.

The “implementation committee” for the estimated $100 million renovation of the city-owned building has already met twice. But the city’s lead official on the project, Jeremy Hanson Willis, expressed frustration Tuesday night that there wasn’t a deal.

“We’ve said that we need to have significant private contribution in order for us to do this renovation,” Hanson Willis said after a meeting of the committee. “And we don’t yet have confirmation about to what degree the private sector is going to contribute to this.”

— Reported by Eric Roper of the Minneapolis Star Tribune

Grizzlies assign guard Tony Wroten to D-League

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

Wroten (6-6, 208) has totaled one rebound and one steal in eight minutes through three appearances in his rookie season with Memphis.

The Grizzlies drafted the 19-year-old in the first round (25th overall) of the 2012 NBA Draft after one season at the University of Washington. In his lone season with the Huskies, the Seattle native became the first freshman in school history to earn First Team All-Conference honors, ranking fifth in the Pac-12 in scoring (16.0 points), eighth in assists (3.7) and second in steals (1.9).

Memphis will conclude its season-long five-game home stand this week when the team hosts the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday, Nov. 28 and Detroit Pistons on Friday, Nov. 30.

Utah Jazz now 6-0 at home

After pulling a no-show in the first half, the Utah Jazz’s defense arrived in time to help them stay perfect at home.

Backup power forward Derrick Favors hit three clutch free throws down the stretch, and center Al Jefferson scored 28 points as the Utah Jazz rallied to beat the Denver Nuggets 105-103 Monday night at EnergySolutions Arena.

But it was Utah’s defense down the stretch that sealed its sixth straight home win.

Jazz wings Randy Foye and DeMarre Carroll prevented Denver guard Ty Lawson from getting off a game-tying attempt in the final 3.6 seconds, and time ran out on the Nuggets.

“I knew they were going to try and get it to Ty Lawson or Gallo (Danilo Gallinari),” Carroll said. “When I saw Ty drive, I’ve been playing against him all summer, I knew he was going to try and make something happen and go to the goal. I just tried to collapse. He saw me and time ran out.”

— Reported by the Sports Xchange

Lakers did not call Brian Shaw during coaching search

Shaw won three championships as a Lakers player under Jackson and was part of two more on Jackson’s coaching staff from 2005 to ‘11. Shaw returns to Staples Center on Tuesday as the associate head coach of the Indiana Pacers, the right-hand man of coach Frank Vogel.

Shaw didn’t get a phone call from the Lakers after they fired Brown on Nov. 9.

“I’m in a good situation here in Indy, a situation where I have a job,” he said. “After how things ended for all of us in L.A. at the end of that last season I was there, there’s no reason for me to get my hopes up about anything because if that was the case, something different would have probably been done initially.”

Shaw interviewed to replace Jackson after the 2010-11 season. He found out he didn’t get the job after seeing media reports of Brown’s hiring.

— Reported by Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times

Jazz guard Mo Williams wearing walking boot

Mo Williams remained in a walking boot Monday, as he missed his second consecutive game with a right foot injury he suffered in Friday’s 104-102 win over Sacramento.

The Jazz point guard, as of Monday, had not resumed basketball activities, but said he targeted Wednesday’s game at New Orleans for his return.

“It’s mostly the twisting and turning aspect of it,” Williams said.

The veteran landed awkwardly on his foot defending a 3-pointer by Sacramento’s Aaron Brooks in the first quarter Friday. He returned to the game in the second quarter but played less than two minutes. He did not dress for the Jazz’s loss at Sacramento on Saturday.

— Reported by Bill Oram of the Salt Lake Tribune

Nets take first Brooklyn matchup with Knicks in overtime

The Nets won the crowd – and the game.

Things sure looked and sounded different for them in their first matchup against the New York Knicks in Brooklyn.

The Nets pulled out a 96-89 overtime victory on Monday night, tying the Knicks for first place on a breakthrough night for their franchise.

With their fans outnumbering and at times outchanting the Knicks’ counterparts for a change, the Nets improved to 7-1 in their new home, sending this new-look rivalry off to a stirring start before a sellout crowd of 17,732…

Jerry Stackhouse, wearing the No. 42 Jackie Robinson made famous in Brooklyn, hit the tiebreaking 3-pointer with 3:31 left in overtime as the Nets controlled the extra period of a playoff-like game that neither team led by more than seven.

Brook Lopez had 22 points and 11 rebounds, and Deron Williams added 16 points and 14 assists as the Nets tied the Knicks atop the Atlantic Division at 9-4.

Carmelo Anthony had 35 points and 13 rebounds, but was only 10 of 16 at the free throw line. Tyson Chandler finished with 28 points and 10 boards, but no other Knicks player was in double figures.

Raymond Felton was just 3 of 19 from the field, but the Knicks had to stick with him with fellow point guard and former Nets star Jason Kidd out with back spasms.

— Reported by Brian Mahoney of the Associated Press

Kings guard Aaron Brooks fined for throwing mouthpiece into stands

Sacramento Kings guard Aaron Brooks has been fined $25,000 for throwing his mouthpiece into the stands immediately following the Kings 104-102 road loss to the Utah Jazz on Nov. 23. The fine was announced today by Stu Jackson, Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations.

Brooks is averaging 8.0 points and 2.0 assists per game for the Kings this season, and has started five of the 13 games he’s played.

Houston Rockets recall guard Scott Machado from D-League

Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey announced today that the team has recalled guard Scott Machado from Houston’s single-affiliation NBA D-League partner Rio Grande Valley.

Machado (6-1, 205, Iona), who was assigned to Rio Grande Valley on Nov. 13, averaged 16.0 points, 8.0 assists and 5.0 rebounds in two starts with the Vipers. In Friday’s season opener against Bakersfield (11/23/12), Machado posted 20 points, eight assists and seven rebounds. In the second meeting with the Jam (11/24/12), he added 12 points, eight assists and a pair of steals.