NBA Teams – Page 2412 – NBA Blog

Some positive-slanted Pacers notes

In the Pacers’ two wins last week, Mike Dunleavy scored a career-high tying 36 points in each game. That is the first time that a Pacers’ player has scored 30+ points in consecutive game since Jermaine O’Neal did so in four straight games during the 2004-05 season. In the game at Toronto, Feb. 29, Dunleavy tied a career-high with six 3-pt field goals–his most ever with the Pacers.

In the last three games of this past week the Pacers averaged 36.3 free throw attempts per game and outscored the opposition, 88-58, from the line. Through the first 57 games, the Pacers averaged just 24.0 free throw attempts per game and had been outscored, 1,347-1,053, at the line.

When the Pacers scored 122 points at Toronto last Friday and followed that up with a season-high 128 points vs. the Bucks Sunday, they scored 120+ points in consecutive games for the first time since 1993.

With just six more 3-pt field goals made this season, Kareem Rush will become the third Pacers’ player to have hit 100 or more this season. That will be the first time in franchise history that three players have ever hit 100 or more 3-pt field goals in the same season.

With 10 steals and just nine turnovers vs. the Bucks on Sunday, Mar. 2, the Pacers had more thefts than turnovers for the first time this season. Indiana has averaged 12.0 turnovers per game in the last 15 games, compared to an average of 16.69 topg in its first 45 games.

Bucks to honor Brian Winters March 18

On Tuesday, March 18, during halftime of the Bucks/Heat game at the Bradley Center, the Milwaukee Bucks will continue their season-long, 40th anniversary celebration of the greatest players to ever put on a Bucks uniform when they honor Brian Winters and re-dedicate his #32 retired jersey banner. The ceremony will be the fifth of the season so far: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar – Nov 21; Sidney Moncrief – Jan 19; Junior Bridgeman – Feb 9; Bob Lanier – February 20.

Winters joined the Bucks in 1975 from the Lakers along with Junior Bridgeman, David Meyers and Elmore Smith in exchange for Karee Abdul-Jabbar and Walt Wesley. The South Carolina alum went on to play eight seasons in Milwaukee and averaged 16.7 points, 2.7 rebounds and 4.3 assists throughout his 582 games wearing his #32 Bucks jersey.

An All-Rookie selection with the Lakers, Winters was an All-Star in his first season in Milwaukee when he averaged 18.3 points, 3.2 rebounds and 4.7 assists. He was also an All-Star in 1978 with averages of 19.9 points, 3.1 rebounds and 4.9 assists. His 19.9 points and 4.9 assists that year were both career-highs. Winters had his share of individual success, but the Bucks also advanced to the postseason in six of his eight seasons with the squad.

Winters still ranks among the franchise leaders in points (9,743, eighth), field goals (4,131, sixth), games (582, fifth), assists (2,479, third), minutes (18,422, fifth), steals (718, fifth), free throw percentage (.843, ninth) and three-point field goal percentage (.363, tenth). One of the league’s best shooters during his playing days, Winters’ numbers probably would’ve been boosted had he had the three-point line his entire career. It came into existence after he had been in the league for five seasons.

Winters’ #32 was originally retired on October 28, 1983.

Pistons sign Theo Ratliff

Detroit Pistons President of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars announced today that the club has signed center Theo Ratliff.

“We are pleased to add Theo Ratliff to our roster,” said Dumars. “Theo will give us a solid veteran presence in the locker room and add depth to our front line. Having started his career here in Detroit, he understands the culture of our organization and what is expected.”

Ratliff was waived by the Minnesota Timberwolves on February 29. In his first year with the Wolves, he appeared in 10 games (six starts) this season and posted averages of 6.3 points (.511 FG%), 3.9 rebounds and 1.9 blocks in 21.4 minutes per game. He missed 45 games due to soreness in his right knee, and underwent arthroscopic surgery on Dec. 18.

The 13-year NBA veteran began his career in Detroit, playing two-plus seasons (1995-97), averaging 5.4 points and 3.9 rebounds in 175 games. In 689 NBA contests with Detroit, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Portland, Boston and Minnesota, he has career averages of 8.0 points (.497 FG%), 6.2 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game.

Celtics sign Sam Cassell

The Boston Celtics announced today that they have signed guard Sam Cassell. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

A terrific aging point guard with an engaging personality and sweet mid-range jump-shot, Cassell is expected to play back-up behind starting point guard Rajon Rondo.

Cassell, a 6’3”, 193 pound guard, is in his 15th season in the NBA. Cassell was averaging 12.8 points and 4.7 assists in 25.4 minutes per game this season for the Los Angeles Clippers in 38 games. The former All-Star has appeared in 115 career post-season games and has posted career averages of 13.6 points and 4.9 assists in his playoff career. Cassell has posted career averages of 15.9 points, 6.0 assists and 1.07 steals in 976 career games.

Gordan Giricek joins Suns

As expected thanks to a zillion newspaper reports saying it was going to happen, the Suns have signed Gordan Giricek. No word if Giricek will invite Jazz coach Jerry Sloan to his house to celebrate.

Giricek isn’t exactly a speed demon, but the dude can shoot. He shot a career-best 42.6 percent from beyond the arc in 2006-07 with the Jazz and owns a 36.7-percent career three-point average. And in the 24 playoff games he’s played, Giricek has hit 46.3% of his threes.

Suns sign Linton Johnson to second 10-day contract

The Phoenix Suns signed forward Linton Johnson to a second 10-day contract yesterday, the team announced.

The 6-8, 205-pound Johnson signed his first 10-day contract with the Suns on Feb. 22, 2008. The four-year NBA veteran has averaged 2.3 points, 2.8 rebounds, 0.5 assists and 10.0 minutes in four games with Phoenix.

The Suns (39-20) sit just 2.5 games out of the top spot in the highly-competitive Western Conference and tonight kick-off their two-game road swing through Portland and Denver by taking on the Trail Blazers (31-29) at the Rose Garden. Slated to tip-off at 8 p.m. Phoenix time, the game can be seen on My45 or heard on Sports 620 KTAR.

Gilbert Arenas, Eddie Jordan mini-interviews

Washington Wizards star Gilbert Arenas has returned to practice. Here’s what he said today:

Gilbert Arenas on practice: “It felt good. I was surprised about my wind…I wasn’t as tired as I thought I was going to be. I was just excited to get out there and play basketball.”

Gilbert Arenas on his knee: “My knee is fine so far. We’ll see how it acts tomorrow after a day of rest.”

Gilbert Arenas on regaining his confidence: “Little by little it comes back, the more you play, the more you interact on the floor, the more you watch. Just to go out there and do things you are used to doing…you just have to get your confidence back little by little.”

Gilbert Arenas on the team’s potential with a healthy roster: “We know how good we are. We showed it last year when we were blowing teams out and playing great basketball. They are still playing great basketball without me and Caron (Butler), and that shows a lot.”

And here’s Wizards coach Eddie Jordan:

Eddie Jordan on today’s practice: “It was great…the guys were active and were into it. Gilbert (Arenas) had a good first practice, and Etan (Thomas) practiced today and had some physical contact.”

Eddie Jordan on Gilbert Arenas: “We are trying to allow him to come into practice and do a lot of non-contact drills, and when we do get into contact, we want to allow him to see where the contact is coming from. So we limited back screens and pick-and-roll screens when he can’t see it. We want him to react to seeing a screen coming, and as we move along we will get him in more normal situations. I thought he handled it well.”

More from Eddie Jordan on Arenas: “What was great was that Gil brings energy. His passing was phenomenal. The way he found people with his passing was phenomenal. His team got a lot of easy baskets in practice, not just Antawn (Jamison) and Brendan (Haywood), but also (Oleksiy) Pecherov and Dominic (McGuire).”

Eddie Jordan on the Orlando Magic: “They are a good team and I hope that we have some kryptonite somewhere in our lineup, because Superman (Dwight Howard) is pretty good, and they have a good supporting cast around him. They are good all the way around and they have a good coaching staff, so it is going to be a great challenge for us.”

Kapono forgot how to hit threes

The Toronto Sun (Steve Buffery) reports: Jason Kapono still is among the NBA leaders in three-point percentage, having nailed 50 threes in 99 attempts (51%). But in the past 19 games, he has been a complete non-factor from beyond the arc, and that has the Raptors faithful wondering why general manager Bryan Colangelo went out and signed the former UCLA star to such a long-term deal. Kapono has not made a basket from three-point range in 11 straight games. His last three-point shot made came on Feb. 4 in Miami, when he went 1-for-2.

Pistons to honor Jack McCloskey

Jack McCloskey, General Manager of the Detroit Pistons from 1979 to 1992, and the architect of the Bad Boys’ two World Championship teams in 1989 and 1990, will be honored in a retirement ceremony at halftime on March 29 versus the Cleveland Cavaliers. A banner with his name will be raised to the rafters that night, the team announced today.

McCloskey, nicknamed “Trader Jack” for his many astute trades during his tenure as the clubs’ GM, assembled the Pistons’ teams, which brought two NBA World Championships here in 1989 and 1990. Jack’s banner will join Owner Bill Davidson, Coach Chuck Daly, and players Isiah Thomas, Bill Laimbeer, Vinnie Johnson and Joe Dumars from that era who previously were honored. From earlier Pistons’ teams, both Dave Bing and Bob Lanier had their numbers retired.

The Pistons’ teams assembled by McCloskey made nine straight playoff appearances, with five straight trips to the Eastern Conference Finals, three NBA Finals, and those two World Championships.

In the draft McCloskey, would select a pair of future Hall of Famers in Isiah Thomas (1981) and Joe Dumars (1985). Then in 1986 he drafted both Dennis Rodman and John Salley. But his nickname “Trader Jack” was acquired because of the shrewd trades he pulled off with other NBA teams. Most notably, Jack traded for Bill Laimbeer and Vinnie Johnson. Later McCloskey acquired Rick Mahorn, James Edwards and Mark Aguirre, all via the trade route. That group of players would comprise the World Championship Teams of 1989 and 1990. McCloskey would hire another future Hall of Famer Chuck Daly in 1983, and he would coach the Bad Boys.

During the halftime ceremony on March 29 versus the Cavaliers, among those to honor the former Pistons’ General Manager will be, former coach Chuck Daly, current Pistons’ President of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars, WNBA Detroit Shock Head Coach Bill Laimbeer, Shock Assistant Coach Rick Mahorn, and the “Microwave” Vinnie Johnson.

Chris Andersen reinstated to NBA

The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association today granted the request of Chris Andersen to be reinstated as an NBA player, after Andersen was expelled from the league on January 27, 2006, for testing positive for a prohibited substance under the NBA/NBPA Anti-Drug Program.

The rights to Andersen’s playing services belong to the New Orleans Hornets, provided that the team tenders a player contract to Andersen within the next 30 days. If the Hornets do not make such a tender, Andersen will become an unrestricted free agent eligible to sign with any team.