Brooklyn Nets Blog – Page 102 – NBA Blog

Nets sign Sundiata Gaines to multi-year contract

The New Jersey Nets have signed guard Sundiata Gaines to a multi-year contract, Nets General Manager Billy King announced today. Per team policy, terms of the contract were not released.

The 24-year old from the University of Georgia signed the first of two consecutive 10-day contracts with the Nets on February 28, 2011. He has appeared in seven games for the Nets, averaging 5.0 points and 2.9 assists in 14.6 minutes per game. In 21 games with New Jersey, Toronto and Minnesota this season, he has averaged 4.3 points and 1.8 assists in 12.2 minutes per contest.

Over 53 career NBA games, including 32 appearances with Utah in 2009-10, Gaines has averaged 3.7 points and 1.4 assists in 8.9 minutes while shooting .427 (73-171) from the field.

Avery Johnson is confident Nets can keep Deron Williams

Al Iannazzone of the Bergen Record reports (via blog):

Deron Williams

Avery Johnson is confident Nets can keep Deron Williams

Puffy yet quick

No doubt was used a lot at Nets practice today, after coach Avery Johnson uttered those two words on ESPN Radio yesterday after being asked about Deron Williams’ future.

Johnson reiterated it today when he was asked about the Nets’ prospects of signing Williams to a new contract/extension when the time is right.

“I have no doubt and I’m really, really confident that we’ll be able to re-sign him,” Johnson said.

Then Johnson went on to say it’s not really a story. We disagree there.

Williams’ future is the main story around the Nets right now. They’re playing great with straight wins and have a big game tomorrow against the Bulls, which should feature a great point guard battle between Williams and Derrick Rose.

Nets assign Ben Uzoh to D-League

The New Jersey Nets have assigned rookie point guard Ben Uzoh to the team’s D-League affiliate, the Springfield Armor, Nets General Manager Billy King announced today.

Uzoh, who signed with the Nets as a free agent after going undrafted out of Tulsa, has appeared in 32 games with New Jersey, averaging 3.4 points and 1.4 assists in 9.1 minutes. He tallied a career-high 18 points in 22 minutes at Houston on 2/26.

Nets top Celtics for 5th straight win

The AP reports:

Brook Lopez scored 20 points, Deron Williams added 16 and made the clinching 3-pointer, and the Nets extended their longest winning streak in three years to five games with an 88-79 victory Monday night.

Kris Humphries had 16 points and 15 rebounds, following his strong performance against Blake Griffin by turning in one against Kevin Garnett to help the Nets snap a nine-game home losing streak against the Celtics…

Ray Allen scored 19 points and Garnett had 18 for the Celtics, who couldn’t overcome horrible shooting nights from All-Stars Paul Pierce and Rajon Rondo and fell back into a tie with Chicago for the best record in the Eastern Conference.

Knicks season ticket prices will increase by average of 49% for 2011-12 season

The New York Knickerbockers and New York Rangers today released season ticket information for the 2011-12 seasons when Madison Square Garden will debut the first phase of the building’s top-to-bottom Transformation. The company also announced that it will not institute Personal Seat Licenses (PSLs) in the transformed Arena.

For the 2011-12 season Knicks season ticket prices will increase an average of 49%, and Rangers will increase an average of 23%. Knicks tickets have only been raised once in the last ten seasons, including staying flat for the past six, and Rangers ticket prices did not increase for the 2010-11 season. Knicks and Rangers season ticket holders will be contacted directly by their personal relationship manager with specific information on their account.

“Our top priority is to create a world class experience for every person that visits Madison Square Garden. The Garden Transformation will provide our fans with best in class service, new amenities, and outstanding food and beverage offerings. This will be a new state-of-the-art arena with wider concourses, new seats, better sightlines, and improved social settings,” said Scott O’Neil, president, MSG Sports. “Our commitment is for Madison Square Garden to not only be recognized as The World’s Most Famous Arena, but the world’s most spectacular one as well – something our fans, partners and all New Yorkers deserve. While ticket prices for Knicks and Rangers will be increasing, we will continue to offer a variety of price points for our fans and will not be instituting PSLs.”

As a result of the Transformation, the seating configuration in the lower bowl of the Arena will completely change beginning next season, the upper bowl is expected to follow in the 2012-13 season. Season ticket holders will be relocated to new seats accordingly.

“The seating configuration and layout of The Garden will change with the Transformation, and we have been planning for several years with our customers in mind,” said O’Neil. “We have the most passionate and knowledgeable fans in the world and it’s our intent and plan to manage a transparent and smooth seat relocation process – maintaining similar sightlines and upgrading experiences. We have a process in place and dedicated staff to work directly with our customers to ensure that everything is seamless and meets their expectations.”

Nets sign Sundiata Gaines to second 10-day contract

The New Jersey Nets have signed guard Sundiata Gaines to a second 10-day contract, Nets General Manager Billy King announced today. Per team policy, terms of the contract were not released.

The 24-year old from the University of Georgia has appeared in three games for the Nets, averaging 5.7 points and 4.0 assists in 18.3 minutes. In 17 games with New Jersey, Toronto and Minnesota this season, he has averaged 4.3 points, 1.1 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 12.3 minutes per contest.

In 49 career NBA games, including 32 appearances with Utah in 2009-10, Gaines has averaged 3.7 points and 1.4 assists in 8.7 minutes while shooting .431 (66-153) from the field.

In London NBA game, Nets beat Raptors in 3OT

The AP reports:

Travis Outlaw and the New Jersey Nets were up to the challenge of providing excitement for the NBA’s European fans.

The Toronto Raptors more than did their part, too.

Outlaw scored the final eight points for New Jersey in a 137-136 triple overtime win Saturday night that gave the Nets a sweep of their two games in London.

The game featured four missed buzzer-beaters and provided exactly the kind of thrilling finish league officials were looking for when they decided to bring regular-season games to Europe for the first time… Brook Lopez had 34 points and 14 rebounds for the Nets but fouled out in the second overtime.

Deron Williams added 21 points and 18 assists for his fifth straight double-double since joining the Nets from Utah last week.

Sasha Vujacic had 25 points—including six 3-pointers—and Kris Humphries added 20 points and 17 rebounds for New Jersey. Outlaw finished with 14 points.

DeMar DeRozan finished with 30 points for Toronto (17-46) for the second straight night.

In first NBA regular season game in Europe, Nets beat Raptors

The AP reports:

The New Jersey Nets are still far away from their Russian owner’s goal of making the team a global brand and NBA champion. But for now, at least, they’re the league’s most successful team in games played in Europe.

Brook Lopez scored 25 points and New Jersey ended a six-game losing streak with a 116-103 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Friday in the first regular-season game on the continent.

Kris Humphries had 18 points and 17 rebounds and Deron Williams earned his first win since being acquired from the Utah Jazz last week, adding 16 points and 11 assists…

The Nets and Raptors will face each other again at the O2 on Saturday, as the NBA decided to bring regular-season games to Europe for the first time as part of its push to increase its fan base on the continent. The O2 has hosted preseason games for the last four years.

The attendance for Friday’s game was an announced sellout of 18,689, but there were some empty seats.

“I loved the crowd,” said Bargnani, who was the highest-scoring European player on the night. “I really felt the excitement. I was nervous in the first half. I think it’s going to be better tomorrow.”

The unusual venue meant the public announcer had to do some extra work, explaining some of the basic rules every now and then to the British crowd— like pointing out that a player fouled while shooting gets two free throws.

And with crowd support split between the two teams—despite the Nets being listed as the home team—players had the rare experience of being booed by rival fans before every free throw, and then cheered by their own supporters if the shot was good.

Celtics sign Troy Murphy

By Jeff Lenchiner

The Boston Celtics announced today that they have signed forward Troy Murphy. The deal is for the pro-rated value of the veteran’s minimum.

It’s a great move for the Celtics, who are already a championship contender but just added the best player in the league who was available to be signed.

Murphy can shoot and rebound. He stretches the floor and adds yet another offensive weapon to a very diverse squad.

A 6’11” forward, Murphy has posted career averages of 11.8 points, 8.5 rebounds and has shot 39.1% from three-point range in his 10 NBA seasons. Murphy has posted five seasons during which he averaged a double-double (points-rebounds). Murphy recorded one of the best seasons of his career during 2008-09 when he averaged 14.3 points and a career-high 11.8 rebounds to go along with a 45.0% shooting percentage from the three-point line.

Editorial: Losing teams sent to represent NBA in London

By InsideHoops.com

On Friday, March 4 and Saturday, March 5 the New Jersey Nets and Toronto Raptors will play a pair of games in the O2 arena in London, England. It is the first time that regular season NBA games are being played overseas.

It is an unusual matchup to send overseas to represent the league to tens of thousands of sports enthusiasts, many of whom may not be full NBA fans just yet.

Many months ago, as the schedule was being set, it was clear that both squads were going to face difficult 2010-11 seasons. The Nets had just come off one of the worst years in the history of basketball and failed to land top stars in free agency. And the Raptors, already a lottery team, had just lost their best player, Chris Bosh, to the Miami heat in free agency.

While both the Nets and Raptors are perfectly fun to watch, it’s a shame London has to see a matchup of teams whose combined record this season is 34 wins and 87 losses.

One positive is the recent trade New Jersey made bringing Deron Williams onto their squad. He alone is often worth the price of admission.

Also, the teams match up nicely. The games should be competitive, which is always good.

Here’s hoping fans in London get the thrills they deserve.