NBA Teams – Page 1106 – NBA Blog

Michael Carter-Williams set to return for Philly

The Philadelphia 76ers need help, and they’re about to get it in the form of their fantastic rookie point guard. Here’s the Philadelphia Inquirer reporting:

A second straight strong practice has 76ers rookie point guard Michael Carter-Williams feeling ready to return to the lineup for Friday’s game at the Wells Fargo Center against the Brooklyn Nets.

Carter-Williams missed the last seven games with a skin infection and soreness in the front of his right knee.

While he is listed as a game-time decision, coach Brett Brown and Carter-Williams indicated that, barring any setback, he would play Friday.

“Nobody is making a 100 percent commitment that he is playing. We think he is, he has practiced well,” Brown said after Thursday’s workout. “We assume he will be in the lineup.”

Carter-Williams was also making that assumption.

Michael Carter-Williams should return soon for 76ers

The Philadelphia 76ers need rookie point guard Michael Carter-Williams back, in a big way. Fortunately, MCW may return as early as tomorrow. And if not, it should be soon. Here’s the Philadelphia Daily News reporting:

There could be some good news coming for coach Brett Brown and his 76ers, and they sure could use it. Rookie point guard Michael Carter-Williams, who has missed seven games with a knee infection, practiced yesterday and might be available tomorrow night when they host the Brooklyn Nets, a team that drilled them by 36 points Monday, the Sixers’ seventh consecutive loss.

“It went pretty well,” Carter-Williams said about yesterday’s practice at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. “I practiced pretty much throughout the whole thing. I was out there and my wind wasn’t too bad and my knee was feeling good.”

Asked whether he thought he could play tomorrow, MCW said: “I hope so. I hope I get to go out and play. I’m not 100 percent sure yet.”

It can’t be overstated how much his presence would be welcomed. Though backup Tony Wroten has done more than an admirable job of filling in for Carter-Williams, the rookie’s absence has disrupted Brown’s rotation.

Boston Celtics have interest in Omer Asik

The Houston Rockets are expected to trade Omer Asik soon. Here’s ESPN.com reporting some possibilities:

Boston Celtics reportedly have interest in Omer Asik

The day has arrived for the Houston Rockets to live up to their vow to trade disgruntled center Omer Asik.

The Rockets have been telling teams for two weeks that they will trade Asik by Thursday, and according to sources close to the process, they gradually continued to move in that direction Wednesday.

ESPN.com reported Tuesday that the Boston Celtics had emerged as the strongest rivals to the Philadelphia 76ers in terms of Asik’s likely destination. Entering the final hours before the Rockets’ self-imposed deadline, sources said Houston officials spent much of Wednesday weighing the merits of Boston’s offer of forward Brandon Bass, guard Courtney Lee and a future first-round draft pick for the 7-footer from Turkey while also remaining engaged in talks with Philadelphia and leaving open the possibility that other teams could still join the bidding.

The Rockets, sources said, have been interested in prying veteran center Spencer Hawes away from the Sixers along with a future first-round pick, but they won’t know until Thursday whether Philadelphia is prepared to part with that much for Asik or whether Boston’s offer is the best available.

Nuggets forward Jordan Hamilton suspended one game

Denver Nuggets forward Jordan Hamilton has been suspended one game without pay for throwing a punch and making contact with the shoulder of Oklahoma City Thunder center Steven Adams, it was announced today by Rod Thorn, President, Basketball Operations.

The incident, for which Hamilton was assessed a Flagrant Foul 2 and ejected, occurred with 11:01 remaining in the fourth quarter of Denver’s 105-93 loss to the Thunder on Tuesday, Dec. 17, at Pepsi Center.

Hamilton will serve his suspension when the Nuggets visit the Phoenix Suns on Friday, Dec. 20, at US Airways Center.

Sacramento officials presenting arena impact study tonight

Here’s the Sacramento Bee reporting on the city’s quest to build a new downtown arena:

Sacramento city officials will present their draft Environmental Impact Report on the proposed downtown arena to the public tonight. The forum will be held at 6 p.m. in the lobby of City Hall, 915 I St.

The report, released Monday, concluded that a new arena would not cause serious traffic impacts on downtown streets before and after events, partly due to the fact that 10 to 15 percent of fans are expected to travel to games and concerts by public transit and walking.

Rick Carlisle encouraging Shawn Marion to shoot three-pointers

Here’s the Dallas Morning News blog on Mavs veteran Shawn Marion:

Entering Wednesday’s home game against Memphis, Mavericks foward Shawn Marion has attempted 62 three-pointers this season and made 21, a .339 percentage.

Following Wednesday morning’s shootaround at American Airlines Center, Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle and Marion were the last people on the floor, with Marion practicing 3s and Carlisle shagging rebounds.

Why the sudden emphasis with Marion shooting treys? He attempted 73 all of last season. During Dallas’ championship season of 2010-2011, Marion attempted 33 threes and made five.

“He (Carlisle) told me to,” Marion said Wednesday, when asked why he’s shooting more threes.

“I just believe in him,” Carlisle said. “I believe he can do it. I see the stretches in his career where he’s shot it well. I understand that a coach’s belief in a player goes a long way toward the player believing in himself.”

Detroit Pistons trying to move Josh Smith closer to the basket

Here’s Michigan Live on the Detroit Pistons using Josh Smith the way everyone knows they should:

The Detroit Pistons might have found the perfect formula for Josh Smith.

Take fewer outside shots and instead look for more opportunities near the basket.

Pistons’ fans have been clamoring for that all season and the new approach has worked so far as Smith topped the 30-point barrier in back-to-back games against the top two teams in the NBA.

He scored 31 in Sunday’s overtime loss to Portland at The Palace before bagging 30 Monday in a 101-96 victory over the Indiana Pacers, who brought the NBA’s best record into the game and were unbeaten in their first 11 games at Bankers Life Fieldhouse running into the Pistons.

Kevin McHale gets back to work for Rockets

Here’s the Houston Chronicle with an update on coach McHale and the Rockets:

Rockets coach Kevin McHale didn’t waste any time getting things back to normal in the practice gym at Toyota Center on Tuesday.

It was business as usual for McHale, who has been away from the team for a week due to the Dec. 10 death of his mother Josephine in Minnesota.

McHale came in with a list of things to practice, went over his thoughts about the last two games, and worked on getting the Rockets prepared to host Chicago on Wednesday night.

“It’s nice to be back,” McHale said.

His players agreed.

Guard Pat Beverley said the team missed having McHale on the sideline.

“It was good to see his face. Definitely missed him,” Beverley said. “I’m glad he is back, and he came right in talking about the game from his point of view, which is good for this team.”

Houston Rockets discussing Omer Asik trade possibilities

The Houston Rockets and Omer Asik will probably part ways soon. Here’s ESPN.com with a look at some trade scenarios:

The Houston Rockets, as they’ve been telling teams all month, remain on course to trade disgruntled big man Omer Asik by Thursday, according to sources close to the process.

Numerous teams consulted by ESPN.com in recent days have said they are convinced the Rockets will indeed go ahead with a trade headlined by Asik before their self-imposed deadline of Dec. 19, with sources saying Tuesday that the Boston Celtics are increasingly active in the Asik talks.

As a result, the Celtics now are widely regarded as the strongest rivals to the Philadelphia 76ers in terms of the likely destination for Asik, with many rival executives expecting the final form of a trade built around the 7-footer from Turkey to feature at least three teams.

Sources have described the Atlanta Hawks as Houston’s preferred trade partner because the Rockets came to the conclusion last month that, despite their attempts to placate Asik, they eventually would have to give in to the unhappy center’s long-running desire to be moved in the wake of Dwight Howard’s arrival in July. Yet it remains unclear, sources say, how interested Atlanta really is in parting with coveted forward Paul Millsap — who’s considered an ideal frontcourt complement to Howard — in exchange for Asik.

Knicks recall guard Chris Smith from D-League

New York Knicks President and General Manager Steve Mills announced today that the team has recalled guard Chris Smith from the Erie BayHawks of the NBA Development League.

Smith, 6-0, 200-pounds, was assigned to Erie on Nov. 18 and has averaged 11.3 points, on 50.0-percent shooting, 4.5 rebounds and 2.7 assists over 24.7 minutes in six games for the BayHawks.

With a 7-17 record, the Knicks are 4th from bottom in the league. Smith is considered strictly backup material, so he isn’t expected to play much, if at all. The bigger story for the team right now is that center Tyson Chandler should soon return.