NBA Teams – Page 1108 – NBA Blog

Omri Casspi loving NBA life with Houston Rockets

Here’s the Houston Chronicle on Israeli forward Omri Casspi, who has been a great fit as a supporting cast member of the Rockets this season:

A career that had gotten off to a promising start in Sacramento had seemed to hit bottom in Cleveland. He did not know where basketball would take him next but had begun to accept that he could be headed back to Europe, rather than back to Sacramento this weekend as such a vital part of the Rockets rotation.

Then with one voice message that he still won’t delete from his phone, everything changed. With that call, he not only knew where his career was headed, the confidence that had become so fractured, taking much of his game with it, was revived. All that had gone wrong seemed to have been made right again.

“Coach (Kevin) McHale left me a message over the summer when they started recruiting me and we started talking,” Casspi said. “I still have it. He said he wanted me to play the three and the four. He explained I could spread the floor and help the team win and that he liked the way I compete. That was one of the main reasons I came here. I still have that message and I still listen to it once in a while.

“It was the first time I really talked to a coach that really talked to me. This team was obviously was supposed to be good whether I was going to be here or not. But to be a part of the team that can compete and compete for a championship, after what I’d been through, and then he left me this message that said he loves me and wants me to come and play hard and help and do the things I do. That was just an emotional day, you know.”

Brandan Wright back soon for Mavericks

Here’s the Fort Worth Star-Telegram blog on the 13-10 Dallas Mavericks, who are set to enjoy some added depth:

Brandan Wright said he likely will see his first action of the season Saturday night when the Dallas Mavericks host the Milwaukee Bucks at 7:30 at American Airlines Center.

The Mavs’ center played in the preseason opener against New Orleans, then suffered a small non-displaced fracture of his left shoulder during an Oct. 8 practice session. Since then, Wright has gone through a litany of treatment sessions in an effort to get his shoulder back up to speed.

“If everything goes well tomorrow I should be able to go (Saturday),” Wright said after today’s practice. “I feel alright.

Mike D`Antoni suggests Pau Gasol needs to play harder

There’s drama in Los Angeles. Here’s the Los Angeles Daily News blog on an interesting Lakers situation:

Pau Gasol still doesn’t like how he’s featured in D’Antoni’s offense. He didn’t speak to reporters following morning shootaround Friday here at Chesapeake Energy Arena, but the Lakers’ forward in recent days has attributed his 14.4 points per game average on a career-low 41.7 percent shooting toward D’Antoni’s system not featuring him enough in the post.

D’Antoni’s response?

“It’s also a nice excuse not to play hard,” D’Antoni said. “That’s a classic, ‘I don’t know what I’m supposed to do.’ Well, you don’t have trouble getting up to the paystub line. You know what you need to do to get your check. You know what to do. They will. They’ll figure it out.”

“That’s one thing. They don’t want to do it that way. I understand that. That’s when you have to accept it or not. But there’s no reason not to play hard.”

Ty Lawson set to return for Nuggets

Here’s the Denver Post on the Nuggets getting healthier and stronger:

Nuggets guard Ty Lawson is over a hamstring injury and officially set to go for Friday’s game against the Utah Jazz. That’s just in time to face a Jazz team that looks wholly different from the one the Nuggets beat on Nov. 11 in Utah — a victory that at the time kicked off a stretch of 10 wins in 12 games.

The differences between that Utah team and this one start at point guard.

Rookie point guard Trey Burke, a lottery pick out of Michigan, returned to the team not long after that early November matchup, and he’s been the catalyst for a Jazz team that has put a much more competitive product on the court of late.

“We talked about with the team, don’t expect to see the same Utah team we saw a month ago,” Nuggets coach Brian Shaw said.

Warriors center Jermaine O`Neal out after wrist surgery

Golden State Warriors center Jermaine O’Neal underwent successful arthroscopic surgery this morning to address a torn ligament in his right wrist, the team announced.

Following the procedure, which was performed by Dr. Jeff Yao at the Stanford Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine Clinic, O’Neal will begin rehabilitation immediately and his progress will be monitored throughout the recovery process.

O’Neal has appeared in 17 games this season (one start), averaging 6.2 points and 4.5 rebounds in 18.6 minutes per contest.

It isn’t clear how long O’Neal will be out. Usually, an NBA team provides an estimate after surgery takes place, but perhaps it’s not yet known by the squad how much time the veteran may miss.

Atlanta Hawks recall John Jenkins from D-League

The Atlanta Hawks have recalled guard John Jenkins from the Bakersfield Jam of the NBA Development League, it was announced today by President of Basketball Operations/General Manager Danny Ferry.

Jenkins was assigned to Bakersfield on December 6, 2013. He appeared in four games for the Jam, all starts, and averaged 21.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.0 steals in 36.3 minutes (.418 FG%, .800 FT%).

Jenkins will be in uniform and available tonight against the Wizards.

Warriors center Jermaine O`Neal injured, needs wrist surgery

Warriors center Jermaine O’Neal will undergo arthroscopic surgery tomorrow (12/13) to address a torn ligament in his right wrist. A timetable for his return will be determined following the procedure.

O’Neal, who did not play in last night’s game against the Dallas Mavericks due to a sprained right wrist, has appeared in 17 games this season (one start), averaging 6.2 points and 4.5 rebounds in 18.6 minutes per contest.

Lakers guard Steve Blake injured, out at least six weeks

Lakers guard Steve Blake had an MRI and was examined today by team doctor Steve Lombardo and Dr. Neal S. ElAttrache of the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic. Blake was diagnosed with a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. He is expected to be out a minimum of six weeks.

Blake suffered the injury in the second half of the Lakers @ Washington game on November 26. In 21 games this season (21 starts), Blake is averaging 9.8 points, 3.3 rebounds and 7.7 assists in 31.8 minutes.

Knicks guard Raymond Felton out with hamstring issue

Here’s ESPN New York with an update on New York Knicks PG Raymond Felton:

Knicks starting point guard Raymond Felton missed Wednesday night’s 83-78 win over the Chicago Bulls due to a hamstring ailment, and coach Mike Woodson said he could be out for “a little while.”

Felton aggravated a pre-existing left hamstring injury in the third quarter against Cleveland while driving to the basket on Tuesday. He was removed from the game shortly thereafter and never returned.

“I don’t think we’re at a day to day right now. He’s going to probably be a little while,” Woodson said before tipoff against the Bulls on Wednesday.

Felton has been playing with hamstring and hip soreness for much of the season.

Doc Rivers coaches in Boston as a visitor tonight

Here’s the Boston Herald on Doc Rivers, who returns to Boston as a visiting head coach tonight:

Nothing will be normal for Los Angeles Clippers head coach Doc Rivers today in his return to the Garden to face the Celtics, and that unfamiliarity started when he walked into the building this morning.

“It will be strange. I’m used to going in the other doors and through the other side,” joked Rivers, who met with the media for about 15 minutes before the Pacific Division-leading Clippers prepared for their one and only trip to Boston this year. “I’m not used to having shootaround. (It’s) maybe my first shootaround ever at the Garden in the last 10 years. This is strange already.”

Rivers arrived in Boston yesterday and met with some friends for dinner before sitting down and watching the Brooklyn Nets and the Celtics kick off what is being dubbed “Reunion Week” for the Celtics with Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and now Rivers all in different situations.

“It’s going to be a hard night,” Rivers said.