NBA News Blog – Page 954 – NBA Blog

Blake Griffin still working on jumpshot release

The hitch is not in Blake Griffin’s giddy-up, but in his shooting motion.

Just as the Clippers’ star forward is about to release the ball, he pauses, a hiccup he has tried to stop by working with the team’s new shooting coach, Bob Thate.

During warmups before the Clippers’ 106-104 exhibition loss against Denver on Saturday night in Las Vegas, Griffin’s shooting release looked smoother than before.

But during the game, the holdup in his release reappeared when Griffin went to the free-throw line, where he shot 52% last season. He missed his first four attempts, each hitting the back of the rim.

After his first game-type situation with his tinkered shooting release, Griffin, who made his final two free-throw attempts, was upbeat.

— Reported by Baxter Holmes of the Los Angeles Times

Deron Williams happy with new Brooklyn arena

As for playing in the arena itself, the players were happy with their new surroundings, including Deron Williams. After expressing frustration last season at times with the temporary situation the Nets found themselves in Newark, he is happy to be in Brooklyn and in a basketball-centric arena.

“They did a good job,” Williams said. “It’s built for basketball. It’s not built for hockey, it’s not built for soccer. It’s built for basketball.”

For the other half of the Nets’ All-Star backcourt, the team’s new home has a familiar feeling. Joe Johnson said the sloping of the seats behind the baskets creates a shooting backdrop that reminds him of Philips Arena in Atlanta, where he spent the past seven seasons, something that MarShon Brooks previously had mentioned.

“It is [like Philips],” Johnson said. “It kind of gives you that feeling … I guess that will be a good thing for me.

— Reported by Tim Bontemps of the New York Post

DJ Mbenga being sued over $16K pinky ring

You know you’re a pro athlete when … YOU BUY A $16,000 PINKY RING … just like one former L.A. Lakers player, who’s now being sued for allegedly bailing hard when the bill came.

The guy at the center of the lawsuit is DJ Mbenga — an 8-year NBA vet who rode the bench with the Lake Show when they won 2 NBA championship rings in 2009 and 2010.

DJ is being sued by a Texas jewelry company called Lemmerman’s — which calls itself “The Player’s Choice.”

Reported by TMZ.com

Reality TV show featuring Cavs guard Daniel Gibson debuts this week

He will make a debut of a different sort Tuesday night, when “Keyshia & Daniel: Family First,” his reality show with wife Keyshia Cole, airs at 10 p.m. on BET. He’s not the least bit nervous about that. In fact, he can’t wait for fans to see all eight episodes.

“I’m extremely proud of it because I just think, for some reason, family is not big in America anymore,” he said after practice Sunday as the Cavs prepared to host Italian power Montepaschi Siena tonight at The Q.

“It seems like people have become real materialistic. When they see us, I’m hoping it gives hope to a family atmosphere,” Gibson said. “No person is perfect, but you work together, you work it out, you stick it out . . . that’s what makes a family work. The name says it all.”

— Reported by Mary Schmitt Boyer of the Cleveland Plain Dealer

Joakim Noah kept out second day by personal matter

Joakim Noah has a reputation as a free spirit, but he remained a missing one Sunday.

Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said his starting center missed a second consecutive day of training camp for ‘‘personal reasons.’’

‘‘Just a personal matter,’’ Thibodeau said. ‘‘He’ll be out a couple days. Hopefully he’ll be back [Monday].’’

Noah spent a few weeks in the offseason working with NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, especially on offense, so it would be nice for the Bulls to have him back for the preseason opener Tuesday.

— Reported by Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times

Coach Thibodeau discusses life without D-Rose

How many different ways can Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau be asked about life without Derrick Rose?

If one week of training camp is any indication, Thibodeau is sure going to find out.

‘‘Obviously, Derrick is a great player, but this is not a new thing for us — he missed half the season [last year],’’ Thibodeau said Sunday. ‘‘We found a way to do it last year, and I expect us to find a way to do it this year. This is about the players we have available. They’re more than capable.

‘‘Rip [Hamilton] has been a big shot-maker his whole career, Carlos [Boozer] has been a big shot-maker his whole career, Luol [Deng] has hit some big shots for us, so we have several guys that are capable.’’ …

Life without Rose until maybe February because of his surgically repaired torn left anterior cruciate ligament is atop that list, but it’s not the only concern. Rose isn’t the only key starter who’s been on the shelf for extended amounts of time.

— Reported by Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times

Bulls hope Nate Robinson can lead second unit

The Bulls will rely on Robinson, who signed a one-year, non-guaranteed deal this offseason. With Derrick Rose out of commission until at least the All-Star break, the Bulls re-tooled the point guard position, signing Robinson and Kirk Hinrich and letting C.J. Watson (Brooklyn) and John Lucas III (Toronto) leave via free agency.

Thibodeau said he will rely on the seven-year veteran to lead the team’s second unit and act as a scorer off the bench. Last year Robinson averaged 11.2 points in just 23.4 minutes per game.

“He’s an explosive scorer to come off the bench, knock four, five shots down in a row,” Thibodeau said. “He has to do a good job of leading us. His job as the point guard is to ignite and inspire, and he has to do that in a very positive way. So I think along with his experience, he’s gotten a lot more comfortable running a team.”

— Reported by Mark Strotman of CSN Chicago

Randy Foye says Utah Jazz are great organization

Foye, a 6-foot-4 guard who signed with the Jazz as a free agent in late July, had heard plenty of good things about Utah’s franchise before he came here. And although he’s only been a member of the organization for a couple of months now, the six-year NBA veteran certainly likes what he has seen so far.

“Oh, man, first class, first class, everything is run first class from the top to the bottom,” Foye said Friday morning prior to the fourth day of training camp at Zions Bank Basketball Center. “Everyone is held accountable, no matter who you are. Everyone comes in every day and works hard. This organization is first-class, blue-collar, hard-working guys.

“You know, you hear things about organizations around the league and you always hear ‘Utah Jazz, everything is run first class; everything is done this way.’ And you say, well, they said that about another organization, and I went there and it wasn’t. All those stories that were floating around the league are true here — all the good things.”

— Reported by Randy Hollis of the Deseret News

Swedish national team helps Jonas Jerebko stay versatile

You name it, Jonas Jerebko did it for the Swedish national team this summer.

Point guard, both forward spots, center, fetch Gatorade, sell tickets — whatever was needed, Jerebko did it in leading the Swedes to a 4-4 record in Eurobasket 2013 qualifying.

“All the jokes aside, it was a great experience for me because coach and my teammates let me do a little bit of everything,” Jerebko said Saturday after the Pistons’ open scrimmage at Oakland University.

Entering his fourth season, Jerebko sometimes can be a forgotten man, especially when it comes to media attention given to frontcourt newcomers Andre Drummond and Slava Kravtsov. And his story might not be as compelling as Charlie Villanueva and Austin Daye trying to salvage careers.

— Reported by Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press

Mavs guard Roddy Beaubois suffers sprained ankle

Mavericks’ guard Roddy Beaubois had to be helped off the court with 1:16 to go in the third quarter Saturday after injuring his left ankle.

Beaubois hit the floor and quickly grabbed his left ankle. He could not put any weight on his left foot as Maverick personnel on each side helped him limp off the court to the locker room.

The injury was diagnosed as a sprain, team officials said.

— Reported by Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News