Category: NBA Teams

NBA teams blog

Knicks sign Demetris Nichols to 10-day contract

The New York Knickerbockers President of Basketball Operations Donnie Walsh announced today that free agent guard Demetris Nichols has been signed to a 10-day contract. Nichols, a member of the Iowa Energy, became the 14th Call-Up of the 2008-09 NBA Development League season.

Nichols, 6-8, 215-pounds, was selected in the second round (53rd overall) of the 2007 NBA Draft by Portland and was traded to New York on draft night in exchange for a 2008 second-round pick. Nichols averaged 4.8 points in five preseason games with New York before being waived by the club on Oct. 25, 2007. The Boston, MA-native has career averages of 1.1 points, 0.3 rebounds and 3.1 minutes in 16 career games over two NBA seasons with Cleveland and Chicago. The Syracuse product was averaging 20.3 points and 4.7 rebounds per game with Iowa of the NBA D-League this season after being released by Chicago on Nov. 17, 2008.

The Knicks roster now stands at 14 players.

DeShawn Stevenson out 3-4 months after surgery

Washington Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld announced today that guard DeShawn Stevenson had successful surgery to repair a herniated disc.

The procedure was performed this morning by Dr. John Starr at Sibley Memorial Hospital in Washington, DC.  Stevenson is expected to make a full recovery and will begin the rehabilitation process in two weeks.  He will be able to resume basketball activity in three to four months.

Stevenson has missed 29 games this season due to lower back pain.  He averaged 6.6 points and 3.1 assists in 32 games played.

Raptors sign Pops Mensah-Bonsu

The Toronto Raptors announced Friday they have signed centre Pops Mensah-Bonsu to a contract for the remainder of the season. He is the 13th Call-Up of the 2008-09 NBA Development League season and the 131th overall since the league began play in 2001.

Mensah-Bonsu, 6-foot-10, 240 pounds, averaged 26.6 points, 13.0 rebounds and 2.5 blocks in eight games with the D-League’s Austin Toros this season. He recorded six double-doubles, with a high of 39 points at Colorado and three games of 18 rebounds (at Anaheim, Colorado and Rio Grande Valley).

Mensah-Bonsu, 25, was released Wednesday from his 10-day contract with the San Antonio Spurs. He saw action in three contests with the Spurs, averaging 5.0 points and 3.3 rebounds in 6.7 minutes. He appeared in 12 games with the Dallas Mavericks in the 2006-07 season where he totaled 29 points and 22 rebounds in 72 minutes. He also spent part of that season in the D-League with Fort Worth, averaging 15.8 points, 10.4 rebounds and 30.7 minutes in 26 games. He earned 2007 D-League All-Star Game MVP honours with 30 points and seven rebounds.

The native of London, England spent two seasons overseas, playing with Benetton Treviso in 2007-08 and DKV Joventut in 2008-09. He averaged 9.2 points and 8.3 rebounds in 31 regular season games with Benetton. He saw action in just two games with Jovenut before returning to North America to play in the D-League.

A four-year athlete at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., Mensah-Bonsu averaged 12.6 points and 6.7 rebounds in his senior season leading the Colonials to a 26-1 regular season mark and a Top 10 ranking.

Mensah-Bonsu will be available to the team tonight when the Raptors play host to the Miami Heat at Air Canada Centre. Game time is 7 p.m. (TSN/FAN 590)

Amare Stoudemire out until next season

The Arizona Republic (Paul Coro) reports: The out-for-the-season diagnosis for forward Amaré Stoudemire initially left a sliver of hope that the Suns star could return for the playoffs should they qualify. Out means out. And “season” means, “See you next season.” “Not this season, not at all,” said Dr. Pravin Dugel, the Valley eye surgeon who operated on Stoudemire’s detached retina two weeks ago. “The Suns have the same goal – to make sure he can resume his career.

Rockets freeze ticket prices

The Houston Chronicle reports: Rockets season-ticket prices will be frozen or reduced for 98 percent of tickets for the 2009-10 season, CEO Tad Brown said on Thursday, a day before renewal forms will be mailed to current season-ticket holders. Citing the impact of the recession, Brown said that prices for more than 20 percent of tickets currently selling for between $22 and $200, with most in the $40 to $200 range, will be reduced, with some prices cut by roughly 20 percent.

Melo scores 38, Nuggets beat Blazers 106-90

The AP reports: Carmelo Anthony scored 38 points in his return from a one-game suspension for refusing to come out of a game last weekend, and he led the Denver Nuggets past the Portland Trail Blazers 106-90 Thursday night… Brandon Roy scored 22 points for the Trail Blazers, who were trying to ascend to the top of the division this late in the season for the first time since 2001. LaMarcus Aldridge added 19 points despite an upset stomach… The Nuggets had Anthony back in uniform, but were without another starter, Kenyon Martin (lower back), and also backup point guard Anthony Carter (hip), both of whom are day to day.

C.Paul 27p 15a, Hornets beat Mavs 104-88

The AP reports: Tyson Chandler wanted to keep up with Chris Paul on a fast break, but could only stop and watch in amazement when he saw Paul dribble the ball through Jason Terry’s legs at full speed before tossing a pass back to Rasual Butler for a dunk… It was perhaps the best of numerous highlights in the latest dominant performance by Paul, whose 27 points and 15 assists helped the Hornets increase their season-best winning streak to six with a 104-88 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday night… David West scored 19 and Butler 18 for the Hornets, who haven’t lost since Chandler returned to the lineup last week from a left ankle injury—and rescinded trade… Dirk Nowitzki led Dallas with 27 points and Jason Kidd added 13 and Terry 10, but the Mavericks faded during the last 10 minutes as the game turned into a blowout.

Spurs sign Drew Gooden

The San Antonio Spurs announced today that they signed forward/center Drew Gooden for the remainder of the season.  Per team policy, terms of the deals were not disclosed.

Gooden, 6-10, 250 pounds, was waived by the Sacramento Kings on March 1 after being acquired from the Chicago Bulls in a trade on Feb. 18.  This season he has appeared in 32 games, averaging 13.1 points, 8.7 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 29.5 minutes while shooting .460 (166-361) from the field and .869 (86-99) from the foul line.  Gooden has posted 11 double-doubles and has scored in double figures in 22 games, including seven contests with 20 or more.  In 31 games with Bulls, he averaged 13.1 points, 8.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 29.6 minutes, and in his only game with the Kings he posted 12 points and 13 rebounds in 26 minutes.

Originally selected out of the University of Kansas with the fourth overall pick of the 2002 NBA Draft by the Memphis Grizzlies, Gooden has played for five NBA teams (Memphis, Orlando, Cleveland, Chicago and Sacramento).  For his career he has appeared in 491 games, averaging 12.1 points (.470 FG%, .730 FT%), 8.0 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 28.5 minutes. Gooden enjoyed his best season in 2004-05 with the Cavaliers when he averaged a career-high 14.4 points, 9.2 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 30.8 minutes while appearing in all 82 games.

Gooden, 27, has made three trips to NBA playoffs, including the 2007 NBA Finals where the Spurs defeated the Cavaliers.  In 40 career playoff games, he has averaged 10.8 points and 8.7 rebounds in 28.0 minutes.

Gooden enjoyed a stellar collegiate career at Kansas.  In three seasons with the Jayhawks he averaged 15.6 points, 9.2 rebounds, 1.10 blocks and 1.10 steals in 98 games becoming just the second player in school history (Danny Manning) to record at least 1,500 points, 900 rebounds, 100 blocks and 100 steals.  As a junior, Gooden helped lead Jayhawks to the 2002 NCAA Final Four.  Along the way he was named First Team All-America in 2002 by the Associated Press, Sporting News and Basketball News.  He also was named the 2002 Big 12 Player of the Year and a 2002 Wooden Award First-Team All-American.

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Allen Iverson OK with bench role

The Detroit Pistons released the following statement from Allen Iverson following today’s practice.

“I’m disappointed that the soreness I’m feeling in my back is going to force me to miss two weeks of action.  After talking with the doctors at Georgetown yesterday they have told me that treatment and rest is the best course of action right now.  Hopefully my back with heal and I’ll be ready to go following this two-week period.

“My goal is to help this team win a championship and I’ve said that from the first day I arrived here in Detroit.  I’m going to do whatever it takes to help us achieve our goals as a team regardless if I’m starting or coming off the bench.”

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