Charlotte Hornets Blog – Page 57 – NBA Blog

Pacers score 136, clinch playoff spot

The AP reports:

Granger helps Pacers clinch playoff berth

Danny Granger scored 25 points, and the Indiana Pacers clinched a playoff spot for the first time since 2006 with a 136-112 victory against the Washington Wizards on Wednesday night.

The Pacers needed a win and a Charlotte loss to Orlando to clinch a spot in the postseason. As the Pacers’ game ended, the Orlando-Charlotte game was in overtime, and the Conseco Fieldhouse staff put the game on the Jumbotron. Many fans stayed to cheer to the Magic on to a 111-102 win.

Paul George scored a career-high 23 points and Darren Collison added 15 points and 11 assists for the Pacers, who posted their second-highest point total of the season.

Jordan Crawford scored 29 points and Andray Blatche added 23 for Washington.

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Kyrie Irving to enter 2011 NBA Draft

Duke freshman guard Kyrie Irving will enter the 2011 NBA Draft with plans to hire an agent, head coach Mike Krzyzewski announced Wednesday. The 2011 NBA Draft will be held on June 23 in New York City and Irving is expected to be among the top picks in the draft.

“Our whole program is overjoyed with having Kyrie here for one year and that he has the chance now to pursue a dream of being a high draft pick and a great player in the NBA,” said Krzyzewski. “We are totally supportive of Kyrie, his family and his decision. We look forward to continuing to work with him during the upcoming months leading to his entry into the NBA and afterwards while he is an NBA player. He is a great young man, a terrific student, and a truly amazing representative for our program and for Duke. We love him and are very happy for him and his family.”

Irving, a 6-2 guard from West Orange, N.J., played in just 11 games this season, sitting out 26 contests with a toe injury on his right foot. He averaged 17.5 points, 3.4 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game while shooting .529 (55-of-104) from the field, .462 (18-of-39) from behind the three-point line and .901 (64-of-71) from the free throw line. Irving started the first eight games of the year, averaging 17.4 points, 3.8 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game during that time frame. He returned to action in the NCAA Tournament and averaged 17.7 points, 2.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game in Duke’s three outings.

“I want to thank the entire staff at Duke, especially the coaches,” said Irving. “It was a great experience playing for Coach K. He taught me a lot about the game. Even when I was hurt, I learned a lot. Also a special thanks goes to the medical staff for getting me back on the court for the NCAA Tournament and my teammates for sticking with me throughout the entire year. Duke offered me an experience I could never have imagined.”

He scored a game-high 31 points to go with six rebounds, four assists, two blocks and two steals against No. 6 Michigan State in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. It was just the fourth time in school history a freshman scored 30 or more in a game. He was selected the CBE Classic MVP after averaging 14.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 1.5 steals in the four games. He had 17 points, five rebounds, six assists and two steals in the finals against No. 4 Kansas State. Irving also dished out nine assists against both Princeton and Colgate. In the NCAA Tournament, he scored team highs of 14 points against Hampton and 28 points against Arizona in the Sweet 16.

“This was a special year for me. I love everything about Duke and I’m going to miss it,” added Irving. ”Duke has a special place in my heart. Even though I’m leaving this year, Duke will always be in my mind and my heart. I’m going to miss putting on that No. 1 jersey.”

– Duke Sports Information

Bobcats center Joel Przybilla will not play again this season

Bobcats center Joel Przybilla out for rest of season

Charlotte Bobcats center Joel Przybilla will be sidelined for the remainder of the 2010-11 season after continued pain and immobility in his right knee. Last season, Przybilla had season ending surgery to repair a ruptured patella tendon. He will undergo an additional procedure to remove surgical hardware (wires) that were inserted to help attach and repair the tendon.

A 7-1 center, Przybilla was selected by Houston with the ninth overall pick in the 2000 NBA Draft before having his rights traded to Milwaukee. In 553 NBA games with Milwaukee, Atlanta, Portland and Charlotte, he holds career averages of 4.0 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks, while connecting on .568 from the field. Przybilla has also appeared in 10 career postseason games with the Bucks and Trail Blazers. This season, he has appeared 36 games total, including five with the Bobcats, with averages of 1.8 points and 4.0 rebounds in 14.4 minutes.

The Bobcats acquired Przybilla along with forwards Dante Cunningham and Sean Marks, two first-round draft picks and cash considerations from Portland on Feb. 24 in exchange for Gerald Wallace.

Bobcats sign Garrett Temple for rest of season

Charlotte Bobcats General Manager Rod Higgins announced today that the team has signed guard Garrett Temple for the remainder of the 2010-11 season. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The 6-5 Temple signed his first 10-day contract with the Bobcats on March 7 and his second on March 17. He has appeared in two games for the Bobcats.

Temple joined the Bobcats from the Erie Bayhawks of the NBA Development League, where he was selected to play in the 2011 D-League All-Star Game. In 24 games he averaged 14.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.1 steals in 33.6 minutes. He scored in double figures 18 times, with five games of 20 points or more. Over the last two seasons, Temple has played in 54 career D-League games, with averages of 14.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.3 steals in 34.6 minutes.

In 41 total NBA games with Houston, Sacramento, San Antonio, Milwaukee and Charlotte, Temple has career averages of 3.8 points and 1.0 rebound in 10.9 minutes. This season he played in three games for San Antonio before being released on Nov. 12 and played in nine games for Milwaukee after signing a pair of 10-day contracts beginning on Jan. 25.

Carlos Boozer day-to-day with ankle sprain

The AP reports:

Chicago Bulls forward Carlos Boozer is day-to-day with a sprained left ankle and could be out for as much as a week.

Coach Tom Thibodeau said Thursday that the power forward could be out “anywhere from a couple days to a week” after he was injured in the fourth quarter of Wednesday’s 101-84 win at Charlotte.

Boozer was going for a layup when he was knocked to the floor on a flagrant foul by Kwame Brown. His leg bent awkwardly, his ankle twisting, and he limped off the court.

X-rays and an MRI confirmed the extent of the injury.

“It was a hard foul, but that’s part of it,” Thibodeau said. “You just have to move on, get ready for the next game.”

Michael Jordan thinks Derrick Rose deserves 2010-11 NBA MVP

K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune reports:

Michael Jordan receives massive standing ovations whenever he returns to the United Center, as he will Saturday night for the 20th anniversary celebration of the Bulls’ first NBA championship in a ceremony with former broadcaster Jim Durham as host.

But there might be a few extra decibels involved given what His Airness said about Derrick Rose in a rare interview Wednesday night.

“MVP of the season,” the Bobcats owner said Wednesday night after the Bulls downed his team 101-84. “He deserves it. He’s playing that well, without a doubt.”

Then Jordan offered that sly smile.

“And if he doesn’t get it, now he will see how I felt a lot of those years,” the Bulls’ Hall of Famer said…

“I wish man,” Rose said. “It’s great that he said that. It’s an honor. I’m speechless. But I’m just trying to keep winning. The award will come if we keep winning. I’m just trying to play hard and aggressive and with an edge.”

Sherron Collins missed two flights, so Bobcats signed Temple

The AP reports:

Two missed flights have ended guard Sherron Collins’ chance of returning to the Charlotte Bobcats.

Coach Paul Silas says they planned to bring back the undrafted rookie from Kansas after waiving him, but withdrew the offer last week after Collins missed two flights the team had arranged from his hometown of Chicago.

The Bobcats filled the roster spot Monday by signing guard Garrett Temple of the NBA Development League to a 10-day contract.

InsideHoops.com editor says: In unrelated news, Jessica Alba keeps missing flights to come visit me. Over and over and over. She’s obviously irresponsible or something.

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Bobcats sign Garrett Temple to 10-day contract

Charlotte Bobcats General Manager Rod Higgins announced today that the team has signed guard Garrett Temple to a 10-day contract. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The 6-5 Temple joins the Bobcats from the Erie Bayhawks of the NBA Development League, where he was selected to play in the 2011 D-League All-Star Game. In 24 games played this season with the Bayhawks and the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, Temple averaged 14.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.1 steals in 33.6 minutes. He scored in double figures 18 times, with five games of 20 points or more. Over the last two seasons, Temple has played in 54 career D-League games, with averages of 14.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.3 steals in 34.6 minutes.

Temple has played in 39 career NBA games with Houston, Sacramento, San Antonio and Milwaukee, with career averages of 4.0 points and 1.0 rebound in 11.2 minutes. This season he played in three games for San Antonio before being released on Nov. 12 and played in nine games for Milwaukee after signing a pair of 10-day contracts beginning on Jan. 25.

Temple played four seasons at Louisiana State University from 2005-09, where he was a teammate of Bobcats forward Tyrus Thomas in 2006-07. He concluded his career as the school’s all-time leader in minutes played (4,432) and currently ranks second in the category, while also ranking fourth in assists (482), fourth in blocks (113) and seventh in steals (191). He was not selected in the 2009 NBA Draft.

Trade to Blazers made Gerald Wallace feel betrayed by Bobcats

Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer reports:

Trade made Gerald Wallace feel betrayed by Bobcats

Clearly, ex-Charlotte Bobcat Gerald Wallace hasn’t gotten over the shock and hurt he felt over being suddenly traded to the Portland Trail Blazers last month.

“Basically, you feel betrayed by somebody you love,’’ Wallace told the Observer before Saturday’s Blazers-Bobcats game. “I totally didn’t see it coming. I’d been there seven long years and then you feel like you’re not wanted anymore. That’s a bad situation to be in, especially for me, who committed so much to the organization.

“I understand the situation – it’s a business and they’re looking to start all over. They wanted cap room, and I guess I was the logical answer for them trying to get draft picks.’’

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Bobcats re-sign Dominic McGuire, waive Sean Marks

Charlotte Bobcats General Manager Rod Higgins announced today that the team has re-signed forward Dominic McGuire. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed. In addition, the team has waived forward Sean Marks.

The 6-9 McGuire appeared in 34 games this season (four starts) for the Bobcats, averaging 3.1 points and 3.7 rebounds in 13.2 minutes. He was waived on Feb. 24 in order to create the requisite number of roster spots for the trade in which the Bobcats acquired Joel Przybilla, Dante Cunningham, Sean Marks and two first-round draft picks from Portland in exchange for Gerald Wallace.

Initially selected by the Wizards with the 47th pick in the 2007 NBA Draft, McGuire is in his fourth NBA season, with career averages of 2.5 points and 3.3 rebounds in 15.1 minutes in 234 games played for Washington, Sacramento and Charlotte.

Marks was acquired by the Bobcats on Feb. 24. He did not appear in a game for Charlotte.