Los Angeles Clippers Blog – Page 65 – NBA Blog

Clippers re-sign forward Bobby Simmons

The Los Angeles Clippers today re-signed free agent forward Bobby Simmons, whose second 10-day contract with the Clippers expired on March 18th.

In 13 games played for the Clippers this season, Simmons has tallied 3.5 points and 2.7 rebounds per game, while shooting .371 from behind the three-point line.

Simmons, who was the 29th Call-Up from the D-League of the 2011-12 season when the Clippers signed him to his original 10-day contract on February 27th, averaged 13.5 points and 7.6 rebounds in 21 games played for the Reno Bighorns of the NBA Development League this season. Simmons also played ten games for the Bighorns during the 2010-11 season after playing two games with the San Antonio Spurs.

This marks Simmons’ second stint with the Clippers, having last played in Los Angeles during the 2003-04 and 2004-05 campaigns. He turned in his most productive NBA season while with the Clippers in 2004, tallying career-highs of 16.4 points, 5.9 rebounds and 2.7 assists, garnering the NBA’s Most Improved Player award that season.

A nine-year NBA veteran, Simmons has averaged 9.2 points and 3.9 rebounds over his career while connecting on 44% of his field goals and 40% of his three-point field goal attempts.

Chris Paul’s Clippers lose to Hornets

Chris Kaman scored 20 points and the Hornets rallied for a 97-90 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday night, spoiling Chris Paul’s return to New Orleans.

The Clippers were held to 11 points in the fourth quarter as they shot 4 for 23 from the field. Los Angeles also missed its last 19 3-point attempts.

After trailing throughout the first three quarters, the Hornets went ahead with an 11-2 run at the start of the fourth and led the rest of the way.

Jarrett Jack and Jason Smith each scored 17 as New Orleans snapped a five-game home losing streak and won for only the 12th time in 47 games this season.

Blake Griffin had 21 points for Los Angeles, which has lost three in a row for the first time this season. Paul, who forced a trade from New Orleans before the season after six years as the face of the franchise, added 16 points on 5-for-14 shooting.

— Reported by the Associated Press

Bench scoring helps Pacers beat Clippers

In a 2-minute span in the second quarter, Leandro Barbosa showed Indiana Pacers fans why the team traded for him last week. Barbosa scored 12 points in 18 minutes in his Pacers debut, and Indiana beat the Los Angeles Clippers 102-89 on Tuesday night.

Barbosa, acquired in a trade with Toronto, relishes his role as a reserve on what he considers a promising team…

Reserves Barbosa, Tyler Hansbrough and George Hill led a bench that outscored the Clippers’ reserves 50-23. Hansbrough scored 17 points and Hill had 15…

Hill made 6 of 7 shots and had six assists…

Hansbrough made 7 of 10 field goals, helping the reserves make 21 of 35 shots. The bench supported Danny Granger, who led the way with 25 points…

Blake Griffin had 23 points and 10 rebounds, and Paul added 16 points and eight assists for Los Angeles. The Clippers made just 9 of 20 free throws while the Pacers made 24 of 26. Griffin made 2 of 7.

— Reported by the Associated Press

Larry Ellison inquires about buying Grizzlies

Californian Larry Ellison, ranked as the third-richest person in the U.S., has inquired about buying the Memphis Grizzlies with apparent hopes of moving the team to San Jose.

But team owner Michael Heisley today downplayed the possibility of a sale — and of a relocation, citing a lease that ties the franchise to Memphis and FedExForum until 2021.

“I can’t downplay it enough. If it happens I’ll be surprised,” said Heisley, a Chicago-based billionaire who added that talks had not become serious. “It’s in the initial stages. We’ve handled this just like we’ve handled several other dozen requests. My situation in Memphis has not changed a lick. My preference will always be for somebody in Memphis to buy the team. There’s not any interest in Memphis. But we’ve always made it known that if somebody wants to buy the team, we’ll listen. If they’re real buyers we’ll probably be sellers. So far there hasn’t been anyone willing to buy the team under my terms and for my price.”

— Reported by Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal

Clippers recall Travis Leslie from D-League

The Los Angeles Clippers today announced that they have recalled rookie guard Travis Leslie from the Bakersfield Jam of the NBA Development League.

In his four game stint with the Jam, Leslie tallied 12.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 21.0 minutes per game.

The 47th overall selection in the 2011 NBA Draft, Leslie has averaged 1.5 points and 1.0 rebounds in eight games played for the Clippers this season.

CP3, Mo Williams put Clippers past Parker-less Spurs

Chris Paul didn’t need Tony Parker to get up for this game, and Mo Williams didn’t care about the Los Angeles Clippers winning in San Antonio for the first time in a decade.

Steering the skidding Clippers back on course was plenty incentive.

While Parker sat in street clothes with a sore thigh, shelving an All-Star matchup, Paul took advantage with 36 points and 11 assists as the Clippers salvaged the end of a disappointing road swing with a 120-108 win over the San Antonio Spurs on Friday night.

Paul matched a season-high yet he was still nearly upstaged by Williams, who added 33 off the bench and was 7 of 9 from behind the arc—including consecutive makes midway through the fourth that sucked the wind out of a Spurs rally…

Manu Ginobili led the Spurs with 22 points. Parker missed just his second game this season, and was a surprise scratch from the lineup after averaging 28 points his last two games.

— Reported by Paul J. Weber of the Associated Press

Kevin Love drops 39 points on Clippers

Another game won, another All-Star power forward dominated, Kevin Love stepped to the postgame television interview and delivered a bold statement.

“This is my time right now,” Love proclaimed.

It’s getting harder and harder to argue with that.

Love had 39 points and 17 rebounds to carry the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 95-94 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday night.

Darko Milicic had 13 points in a spot start for the injured Nikola Pekovic and Michael Beasley scored all nine of his points in the fourth quarter for the Wolves. But it was Love, the All-Star, 3-point shootout champion and perhaps budding MVP candidate, who put this young improving team on his back and willed them over the .500 mark at 20-19.

He hit a jumper in Kenyon Martin’s face with 1:28 to play, then added what proved to be the game winner by bulling himself to the basket for a little flip shot that has become one of his staples…

Love went 8 for 11 at the line and 5 for 10 from 3-point range and scored nine points on 4-for-6 shooting with four rebounds in the fourth. The versatility and shot-making set him apart from Clippers star Blake Griffin, who had a heck of a game of his own.

Griffin had 26 points and 12 rebounds, but scored just four in the final period. He only took two shots in the period, went 0 for 4 at the line and picked up a costly technical foul when he jawed at referee Ken Mauer after pulling Luke Ridnour to the floor in one of the game’s many collisions near the basket.

— Reported by Jon Krawczynski of the Associated Press

Clippers assign Travis Leslie to D-League

The Los Angeles Clippers today announced that they have assigned rookie guard Travis Leslie to the Bakersfield Jam of the NBA Development League.

The 47th overall selection in the 2011 NBA Draft, Leslie has averaged 1.5 points and 1.0 rebounds in eight games played this season.

Chauncey Billups undergoes surgery on left Achilles tendon

Chauncey Billups

No retirement plans at this time

Los Angeles Clippers guard Chauncey Billups underwent successful surgery today to repair a torn left Achilles tendon.

The surgery was performed by Dr. Thomas Clanton at The Steadman Clinic in Vail, Colorado. Billups is expected to remain in Colorado for approximately four weeks following the surgery before returning to Los Angeles to begin the rehabilitation process.

The injury occurred with 5:48 remaining in the fourth quarter in the Clippers’ 107-102 win in Orlando on February 6th and will sideline Billups for the remainder of the 2011-12 NBA season. In 20 games played this season (20 starts), Billups has tallied 14.9 points, 4.0 assists, 2.5 rebounds and 30.4 minutes per game.

He won’t play again during the 2011-12 NBA season. According to several reports, Billups does not plan on retiring and hopes to resume his pro career once he heals.

Caron Butler gets his Mavs championship ring

The pregame ceremony was brief but heartfelt for Caron Butler , as well as for his former team, the Mavericks.

Butler received his NBA championship ring prior to Monday night’s game between the Mavericks and his current team, the Clippers.

Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle took the public address microphone and reminded the American Airlines Center crowd of the “gruesome” patellar tendon injury in Milwaukee that sidelined Butler last January. Carlisle described how Butler pushed his kneecap back into place and hobbled off the court.

“At that moment, the guy was a legend for life, for me,” Carlisle told the crowd.

Carlisle then introduced Butler as “a Maverick for life” and handed him his ring. Butler was clearly emotional as he stared at the ring, kissed it and acknowledged the cheering crowd. Butler then hugged Carlisle and Mavericks owner Mark Cuban.

— Reported by Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News