Category: NBA Teams

NBA teams blog

Nikola Pekovic, still hurting, back for Wolves

Here’s the Minneapolis Star Tribune reporting:

Timberwolves center Nikola Pekovic had his list of answers mentally prepared when he returned to action and the starting lineup Friday after six games away injured.

“No, no, let me figure,” he told reporters. “Yes, I will play tonight. No, I don’t know if they limit me to minutes or not. Yes, I still feel pain. What else?”

Pekovic played for the first time since March 16 because of a lingering condition that the team once called bursitis and now just lists as “sore.” He scored a game-high 26 points in 21-plus minutes as the Wolves blew out the Los Angeles Lakers 143-107.

When asked why Friday was the proper night for his return, Pekovic replied: “Why not? I still got some pain there, maybe a little less than before so I said I’ll just try to play until the end of the season.”

Knicks get blown out by Suns, 112-88

Here’s the New York Daily News reporting on the Knicks, who despite their 30-43 record still have a shot at making the playoffs:

In the immortal words of Phil Jackson, “just awful.”

That phrase, uttered by Jackson following the Knicks’ dreadful performance against the Lakers Tuesday night, applies to just about everything Mike Woodson’s team did on Friday night. From Raymond Felton’s defense to the Knicks’ idea of being in a playoff race, Mike Woodson’s team continues to make a compelling case for why it doesn’t deserve a postseason berth.

“We weren’t ready for them,” Carmelo Anthony said following the Suns’ 112-88 victory. “We weren’t prepared for them and they ran us out of the gym. We didn’t fight. We didn’t have it and they had it in all aspects of the game.”

The Knicks (30-43) have now lost three of their last four and are now two full games behind the Atlanta Hawks with nine games remaining starting with Sunday against Golden State.

“If you ask me, I think we can win all nine games,” said Amar’e Stoudemire, trying to sound optimistic.

Brooklyn Nets keep winning at home

Here’s the New York Daily News reporting on the Nets and their success at home in Brooklyn:

Paul Pierce understands the Nets have made this bed with their ugly start and subsequent hiccups.

But, boy, with the way they’ve been playing lately at Barclays Center, Brooklyn could really benefit from home-court advantage in the playoffs.

The Nets won their 12th straight at home on Friday night, profiting from an effective barrage from downtown in a 108-97 victory over the hapless Cavaliers. It snapped a two-game losing streak, and was a much-needed breeze following three straight overtime games on the road.

Still, the fifth-seeded Nets (38-33) didn’t gain any ground in the division race because the Raptors (41-31) toppled the Celtics. The Nets did, however, move to within 1½ games of the fourth-seeded Bulls (40-32), who were blown out by the Blazers.

Father of Timberwolves rookie Shabazz Muhammad sentenced to prison

Here’s the Los Angeles Times reporting on the father of Timberwolves rookie Shabazz Muhammad:

A federal judge sentenced the father of former UCLA basketball player Shabazz Muhammad to 37 months in prison Thursday, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Las Vegas.

Ron Holmes pleaded guilty in December in U.S. District Court in Las Vegas to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, mail fraud and wire fraud in connection with a $2.5-million mortgage fraud scheme.

Holmes, who played basketball at USC from 1981 to 1985, was also sentenced to five years of supervised release and must pay $1.7 million in restitution. He’s been under house arrest in Las Vegas since late May.

Warriors coach Mark Jackson says he is not worried about extension

Here’s the Bay Area News Group reporting on the Golden State Warriors, whose head coach Mark Jackson recently demoted assistant coach Brian Scalabrine:

Warriors coach Mark Jackson says he is not worried about extension

Warriors coach Mark Jackson said Thursday that not having a contract extension past next season does not bother him.

“There is not a piece of me that’s bothered that an extension has not been agreed upon or anything of that nature,” Jackson said on his weekly radio show on KNBR. “We move forward. I had the deal. They picked up my option for next year, and I think that obviously speaks volumes even though for some folks it doesn’t say anything.”

Jackson also said that he appreciated Stephen Curry’s vote of confidence in response to a Yahoo Sports report on the team’s “increasingly dysfunctional atmosphere” in the wake of assistant coach Brian Scalabrine’s reassignment earlier this week. Curry said he and the rest of the team supported Jackson 100 percent.

“Obviously he’s a guy that had an opportunity and a platform to show his loyalty, his support for me,” Jackson said of Curry. “I don’t take it for granted, and it’s not a surprise because he knows how I feel about him.”

Metta World Peace reportedly interested in returning to Knicks

Here’s the New York Post reporting on former Knicks forward Metta World Peace, a veteran who at this point in his NBA career would be best given limited minutes off the bench as a defensive stopper:

ron artest

It was equivalent to a job interview. Metta World Peace, who lives in Beverly Hills, ran up to Phil Jackson’s Staples Center suite during halftime from his courtside seat for a chat Tuesday night during the Knicks’ 127-96 blowout loss to the Lakers.

World Peace is more than a month removed from a Knicks buyout — one he wouldn’t have asked for had he known the Zen Master was waiting in the wings as team president.

World Peace has told confidants he yearns for a second chance as a Knick after his first stint went sour. When asked if the former Ron Artest wants another shot at New York when he’s a free agent this summer, the confidant told The Post:

“Abso-bleeping-lutely.’’