NBA News Blog – Page 921 – NBA Blog

More knee surgery for Brandon Roy

The much-anticipated return of Brandon Roy to the Rose Garden will not happen this week after the Minnesota guard and former Trail Blazers legend has scheduled a right knee surgery for this week, The Oregonian has learned.

The arthroscopy will be the seventh of his career, dating back to high school, and the fifth since he has been a professional. It is unknown how long Roy will be sidelined.

A three-time All-Star and former Rookie of the Year for the Blazers, Roy left Portland in December of 2011 when he medically retired because of arthritic and degenerative knees. The Blazers later used the league’s Amnesty Clause to waive Roy, a move that allowed Roy to be paid the remaining $63 million of his contract, while exempting him from their salary cap.

Roy signed a two-year contract with Minnesota in July that pays him $5.4 million this season, with the second year non-guaranteed depending on how many criteria he meets this season, such as games played.

— Reported by Jason Quick of The Oregonian

Lakers hire Dan D`Antoni as assistant coach

The Los Angeles Lakers have hired Dan D’Antoni to serve as an assistant coach, it was announced today by Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak.

The older brother of Lakers head coach Mike D’Antoni, Dan joins the team after spending the past four seasons with the New York Knicks, where he served as an assistant coach on his brother’s staff. Hired by New York on June 20, 2008, D’Antoni helped the 2010-11 Knicks to their first winning season since 2000-01. Prior to his time in New York, Dan served as an assistant coach during Mike D’Antoni’s final three seasons with the Phoenix Suns, helping the team to Pacific Division titles in 2006 and 2007.

Before joining the Suns in 2005, D’Antoni spent three decades as head coach of Socastee High School in Myrtle Beach, SC, where he compiled over 500 wins. D’Antoni, who led the 1968-69 Marshall team in scoring (17.5 points per game), graduated from Marshall in 1970, served as an assistant coach for Marshall’s varsity team during the 1970-71 season and earned a Master’s degree in Principles of Guidance from Marshall in 1972. D’Antoni was later inducted into the Marshall University Athletics Hall of Fame in 1990.

Kevin Durant gets first career triple-double in Thunder win over Warriors

Kevin Durant notched his first career triple-double with 25 points, 13 rebounds and a career-high 10 assists, and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Golden State Warriors 119-109 on Sunday night.

The three-time NBA scoring champion has had growing pains this season as he has tried to improve his floor game, with a bump in his assist number coinciding with an increase in his turnovers, too. He came in averaging four turnovers per game, the fourth-worst in the league…

Stephen Curry led the Warriors with 22 points, and David Lee chipped in 19 points and 10 rebounds.

— Reported by Jeff Latzke of the Associated Press

InsideHoops.com Notes: Russell Westbrook was a monster today, shooting 12-of-22 for 30 points, seven assists and five steals. The Thunder also got 23 points and five assists from Kevin Martin off the bench. Forward Serge Ibaka added 16 points, eight rebounds and two blocks… OKC hit 13-of-20 from three-point range and 22-of-26 from the free throw line… In the loss, the Warriors shot an impressive 52.4 percent.

Toronto Raptors hire Jamaal Magloire as development consultant and community ambassador

The Toronto Raptors announced Sunday that Canadian-born center Jamaal Magloire has joined the organization as a basketball development consultant and community ambassador. Magloire will assist with player development programs, help the coaching staff with individual skill development of players, and appear at organizational events and functions.

Magloire spent last season in a Raptors uniform, becoming the first Canadian to play for the club. He was born in Toronto and attended high school at Eastern School of Commerce.

A veteran of 12 NBA seasons, Magloire owns career averages of 7.2 points, 6.5 rebounds and 22.9 minutes in 680 outings. He appeared in 46 postseason contests, averaging 7.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 19.8 minutes.

Magloire’s best statistical campaign came in 2003-04 when he averaged 13.6 points, 10.3 rebounds and 33.9 minutes in 82 games with the New Orleans Hornets. He was one of only 11 players that season to average a double-double.

Magloire captured Eastern Conference Player of the Month honours in April 2004, averaging 21.7 points and 12.1 rebounds. He was named to the Eastern Conference squad for the 2004 NBA All-Star Game held in Los Angeles, where he totaled 19 points and eight rebounds in 21 minutes.

Magloire was selected in the first round (19th overall) by the Charlotte Hornets in the 2000 NBA Draft. He has seen action with the Charlotte/New Orleans Hornets, Milwaukee Bucks, Portland Trail Blazers, New Jersey Nets, Dallas Mavericks, Miami Heat and the Raptors.

Andrew Bynum reportedly hurt while bowling

The Philadelphia 76ers fear All-Star center Andrew Bynum might have done additional damage to his knees while bowling, according to sources close to the situation.

Multiple sources told ESPN on Saturday that Bynum suffered an unspecified injury this month while bowling. On Friday, Bynum revealed that — on top of the issues with his right knee that could keep him sidelined until January — he also had suffered a “setback” with his left knee.

“I had a little bit of a setback, and we’re just working through some issues with the right knee,” Bynum said before the Sixers beat the Utah Jazz on Friday night. “I kind of have a mirror thing going on with my left knee. I don’t know what’s going on, but the doctors are saying pretty much that it’s a weakened cartilage state.”

There are several activities that are prohibited in standard NBA player contracts, but bowling is not one of them. Bynum is known to enjoy bowling.

— Reported by Brian Windhorst and Chris Broussard of ESPN.com

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Rondo dishes 20 assists, Celtics beat Raptors 107-89

Rajon Rondo made up for lost time in a big way for the Boston Celtics after missing a game because of a sprained right ankle.

Rondo had 20 assists for the second time this season and added six points to help the Celtics beat the Toronto Raptors 107-89 on Saturday.

Jason Terry scored 20 points, Paul Pierce added 19 points and six rebounds before sitting out the fourth quarter, and Kevin Garnett scored 15 points in 17 minutes of playing time.

The Celtics held big leads early and late, but had to survive several surges in between while winning for the fourth time in five games. And any worries Boston fans might have had about Rondo’s ankle were quickly washed away when he had seven assists in the first quarter…

Garnett was 6 for 7 from the field, and Terry 7 of 10, including four 3-pointers in his highest- scoring game as a member of the Celtics. Rookie Jared Sullinger had his first career double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds.

Andrea Bargnani and John Lucas led Toronto with 15 points apiece. DeMar DeRozan, Jose Calderon, Terrence Ross and Linas Kleiza added 10 each for Toronto…

Boston tied its season high for points, matching its total in a 120-107 loss to Miami in the opener.

— Reported by the Associated Press

Steve Nash injury update: Out at least one more week

Lakers guard Steve Nash was examined this evening by Lakers team doctor Steve Lombardo. Nash will be out at least another week and will be reexamined next weekend.

Nash was originally injured in the second quarter of the Lakers October 31st game at Portland. Results of an MRI performed on November 3rd showed a small non-displaced fracture in the head of his fibula (left leg).

Hornets GM Dell Demps agrees to extension

New Orleans Hornets general manager Dell Demps has agreed to a new multiyear contract extension to remain with the club and see through the roster overhaul that he and coach Monty Williams have conducted in tandem during the past two seasons.

”We have a plan, working with coach Williams,” Demps said before Friday night’s tip-off against Oklahoma City. ”We want to achieve sustained success. We’ve got a young core right now. We want to see those guys grow and play together and we want to compete at the highest level.”

The Hornets announced the deal Friday but did not release terms of the contract. Hornets executive vice president Mickey Loomis says Demps ”has a bright future,” and that he and first-year owner Tom Benson ”couldn’t be more impressed” with the direction of the team.

Williams, who received a four-year extension running through 2015-16 last August, said it was important to him to have a GM in place with whom he felt he could work closely.

— Reported by Brett Martel of the Associated Press

Royce White would be OK with walking away from NBA

Houston Rockets rookie Royce White says he is prepared to walk away from the NBA.

Speaking in an interview with ESPN’s Colleen Dominguez, White said he was going to meet with general manager Daryl Morey on Monday to discuss his situation with the team.

The Rockets have said they intend to fine White for every day he remains away from the team or does not attend sessions with a therapist arranged by the team. The Houston Chronicle has reported the Rockets have no plans to trade or release White.

— Reported by ESPN.com

InsideHoops.com Note: Royce White today tweeted this: “I’m not PLANNING to quit, but if its between my HEALTH and BASKETBALL, health takes precedence. You should never choose ANYTHING over it. NBA might be a dream come true, but being UNHEALTHY isn’t, people will know I stood up for myself and what’s right.”

Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard out 10-14 days

The San Antonio Spurs today announced that Kawhi Leonard is suffering from quadriceps tendinitis in his left knee.

The diagnosis was confirmed in an MRI which was performed earlier today.

Leonard is expected to be out of action for 10-14 days. He is not scheduled to travel with the Spurs on the team’s upcoming six-game road trip that begins on Wednesday, Nov. 21 in Boston.