Category: NBA Teams

NBA teams blog

Report: Detroit Pistons will get their own D-League team

Here’s the Detroit Free Press reporting:

The Detroit Pistons are getting an NBA Development League affiliate in Grand Rapids, and they won’t have to share it with any other NBA teams, a person with knowledge of the situation said.

The person told the Free Press that the move to get a D-League team in Michigan and be solely affiliated with the Pistons was pushed for by Pistons owner Tom Gores.

The Grand Rapids franchise, which is expected to debut next season, will relocate from Springfield, Mass., where it is nicknamed the Armor. There was no immediate word about what the Grand Rapids team’s nickname will be.

LaMarcus Aldridge set to return for Blazers

Here’s the Oregonian reporting good news on the Portland Trail Blazers:

LaMarcus Aldridge will play when the Trail Blazers play the Atlanta Hawks, he said Thursday after the team’s shootaround at Philips Arena.

“I’m going,” Aldridge said. “We’ll see how it goes, but I’m going.”

Aldridge has not played since suffering a nasty fall at San Antonio on March 12. After losing that game, the Blazers lost four of their next seven, including all three to start the five-game road trip they are on.

Aldridge held a workout here Wednesday with several of Portland’s post players. He said he still feels some pain in the back when he runs, but he said it’s just time he plays.

Sixers sign James Nunnally to second 10-day contract

The Philadelphia 76ers today announced that they have signed forward James Nunnally to a second 10-day contract. He signed his first 10-day contract on March 17, 2014 and was the 37th  “Call-Up” of the 2013-14 NBA Development League season.

Nunnally has appeared in five games for the Sixers this season. In 35 games for the Bakersfield Jam and the Texas Legends of the D-League, Nunnally is averaging 18.1 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists. The D-League All-Star was also called up by the Atlanta Hawks on January 11, 2014 and appeared in four games.

The 15-56 Sixers are on a 25-game losing streak, and face the Houston Rockets tonight.

Warriors demote assistant coach Brian Scalabrine

Here’s ESPN.com News Services reporting on the Golden State Warriors and Brian Scalabrine:

Warriors demote assistant coach Brian Scalabrine

The Golden State Warriors have demoted assistant coach Brian Scalabrine to their D-League affiliate in Santa Cruz, Calif., with 11 games to play in the regular season for what coach Mark Jackson called a “difference in philosophies.”

Jackson’s Warriors sit in sixth place at 44-27, only 1½ games ahead of the eighth and last spot for the playoffs despite winning 15 of 23 games since the beginning of February.

He said Scalabrine’s reassignment to the Santa Cruz Warriors was his call.

“I made the decision,” Jackson said Tuesday after practice, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. “I’m fortunate enough to have an ownership group and a management group that allows me to pick my staff. We’re just going in a different direction. That’s that.”

Barclays Center announces agreements with ACC and Atlantic 10 basketball

The following is from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York:

Barclays Center announced today a two-year agreement with the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and an extension with the Atlantic 10 Conference (A-10) that secures postseason conference tournaments in Brooklyn’s major sports and entertainment venue through 2021.

The ACC Tournament will be played at Barclays Center in 2017 and ’18. The A-10 will continue to hold its championship at Barclays Center in 2015 and 2016 and then return to the venue for three years in 2019, 2020 and 2021. The ACC and the A-10 will play inter-conference doubleheaders at Barclays Center in 2015, 2016 and 2017. In addition, the A-10 has secured a spot for its teams to participate in the annual BROOKLYN HOOPS™ events at Barclays Center.

“It’s exciting to bring the elite ACC and its storied men’s basketball tournament history to Brooklyn,” said Barclays Center CEO Brett Yormark. “We’re looking forward to extending our Atlantic 10 partnership starting in 2019 through 2021 and creating competitive inter-conference doubleheaders with the ACC and the A-10. I want to thank ACC Commissioner John Swofford and Atlantic 10 Commissioner Bernadette McGlade for their commitment to Barclays Center and to Brooklyn. It’s clear that our position with both Conferences validates Barclays Center as the leading college basketball venue in the country.”

“We are pleased that the ACC Basketball Tournament will be played at Barclays Center in 2017 and 2018,” said ACC Commissioner John Swofford. “Barclays Center has quickly emerged as one of the premier sports and entertainment venues in the world and Brooklyn is a hot spot within the New York marketplace, which is an important part of our league’s new footprint. I appreciate the cooperation and ongoing relationship with Bernadette McGlade and I want to thank Brett Yormark for his tireless efforts as this is an outstanding opportunity for our players, coaches, alumni and fans that continue to support the ACC and our 15 member institutions.”

“Playing the A-10 Championship in Barclays Center is fantastic, and securing a three year extension is a great opportunity for the conference. Working in a collaborative way with Brett Yormark and John Swofford to negotiate a plan that is a win-win for all involved has been a good experience,” stated Atlantic 10 Commissioner Bernadette V. McGlade. “This agreement that creates a scheduling partnership, the ability to play the A-10 Championship in other areas of our footprint and returning to the NY market is exciting, securing a solid future for the A-10.”

The ACC Tournament has been held in seven different cities and 11 venues since the inaugural event in March of 1954. The Greensboro (N.C.) Coliseum serves as host in 2015 and Washington D.C. will host the tournament in 2016.

The Atlantic 10 Men’s Basketball Championship just completed its second year at Barclays Center following six years at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. It has also been held in Cincinnati, Ohio, Philadelphia, Pa. and Dayton, Ohio.

Bucks sign D.J. Stephens to 10-day contract

Bucks sign D.J. Stephens to 10-day contract

The Milwaukee Bucks have signed free-agent guard/forward D.J. Stephens (6-5, 188) to a 10-day contract, General Manager John Hammond announced today.

Stephens joins the Bucks from Ilysiakos in the Greek League, where he signed after going undrafted in the 2013 NBA Draft. The former Memphis Tiger has appeared in 18 games for Ilysiakos and averaged 9.8 points, 8.8 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 2.2 blocks per contest. Stephens has scored in double figures in eight contests, including a season-best 19 points on 8-of-11 shooting in a loss to Panathinaikos on Dec. 2.

The Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year in in 2012-13, Stephens enjoyed a four-year career at Memphis in which he appeared in 129 games and shot 62.7 percent from the field – the second-best career mark in Tigers history. Stephens’ collegiate career peaked during his senior season in which he averaged 7.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game en route to All-Conference USA Third Team honors. His 95 total blocks on the year are the fourth-most in a single season in Memphis history. Stephens’ Memphis teams won the Conference USA Tournament during each of his final three seasons.

Stephens will wear #15 for the Bucks.

Mark Cuban never surprised when Dirk Nowitzki steps up

Here’s the Dallas Morning News blog reporting on the Mavericks, owner Mark Cuban and veteran star Dirk Nowitzki:

Last week, Mavericks owner Mark Cuban sort-of called out Dirk Nowitzki, saying the Mavericks needed more defense and rebounding from the future Hall of Fame forward, especially on nights when he isn’t shooting well.

Tonight, Cuban watched Nowitzki score 32 points, pull down 10 rebounds, add six assists and four steals in a 128-119 overtime victory over Oklahoma City.

Is this what you were hoping for, Mark?

“It’s not a surprise,” Cuban said. “That’s what he does.”

Cuban laughed when asked if he would take credit for lighting a fire under Nowitzki. “No, absolutely not,” he said. “It’s all Dirk.”

Besides, Cuban’s semi-critical comments occurred a full week ago. In between, the Mavericks played four games, two of them overtime losses.

In his most recent game, Sunday’s 107-104 home overtime loss to Brooklyn, Nowitzki shot 2-of-12 from the field and scored only 10 points.

Cuban, though, knew Nowitzki would bounce back.