The AP reports: With Richard Hamilton sidelined with a sore hip, rookies Rodney Stuckey and Arron Afflalo stepped up to help the Pistons end Phoenix’s seven-game winning streak with a 110-105 overtime victory Monday night… Phoenix was unhappy with the officiating all night—Amare Stoudemire picked up a technical in the first quarter—but it was especially disappointed in some late calls… Rasheed Wallace had 23 points and nine rebounds for Detroit, while Stoudemire led Phoenix with 33… InsideHoops.com Stat Notes: Steve Nash had 23 points and 9 assists, Grant Hill had 15 points and 9 rebounds, and Shaquille O’Neal had 12 points and 10 rebounds. For the Pistons, Chauncey Billups had 32 points and 6 assists, and Rodney Stuckey took 12 shots for 13 points.
Category: NBA Teams
NBA teams blog
Mar. 24: Nets 106, Knicks 91
The AP reports: The New Jersey Nets avoided what could’ve been a humiliating sweep, and managed to stay in the Eastern Conference playoff race for one more day. Vince Carter scored 27 points, Richard Jefferson added 26 and the Nets moved within one game of the final playoff spot in the conference with a 106-91 victory over the New York Knicks on Monday night. The Nets also defeated their cross-Hudson rivals for the first time this season after three losses… Jamal Crawford led the Knicks with 26 points, while Zach Randolph had 17 in his return to New York’s starting lineup. Lee finished with 12 points and a game-high 13 rebounds, while Wilson Chandler added 12 points for the Knicks.
Mar. 24: Heat 78, Bucks 73
The AP reports: Chris Quinn stepped into the starting lineup and gave the Miami Heat a huge boost. The second-year guard from Notre Dame, a late replacement for the injured Jason Williams, scored a career-high 24 points to lead the Heat past the Milwaukee Bucks 78-73 on Monday night… Quinn shot 8-of-13 and added four rebounds, four assists and four steals… Michael Redd, who scored 24 points to lead the Bucks, had his shot blocked by Joel Anthony on the ensuing possession.
Sonics sign Eddie Gill to 10-day contract
Sonics General Manager Sam Presti announced today that the team has signed Eddie Gill to a 10-day contract.
The 6-0 guard appeared in 13 games, including one start, with the New Jersey Nets earlier this season. Gill has played in 32 games for the Colorado 14ers in the NBA Development League this year, averaging 18.8 points, 8.4 assists, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.25 steals per game.
Gill has appeared in a total of 180 NBA games over six seasons, averaging 3.1 points per game during that span.
Bulls fine Andres Nocioni
The Chicago Tribune (K.C. Johnson) reports: Andres Nocioni and Jim Boylan literally kissed and made up Monday, with the Bulls’ interim coach hamming it up for the TV cameras and kissing the forward he fined on the head as Nocioni addressed the media. The Bulls fined Nocioni an undisclosed amount on Monday for berating Boylan after he got pulled from a short stint in Saturday’s home loss to the Pacers.
Charlie Bell out at least two weeks
The Bucks woes continue. A bad season gets even worse with the following:
Milwaukee Bucks Director of Player Personnel Dave Babcock announced today that Charlie Bell suffered a torn medial collateral ligament in his right knee during the Bucks win over Cleveland on Saturday, March 22.
Bell will be out for at least two weeks, at which time his knee will be re-evaluated by Bucks orthopaedic physician Dr. John Heinrich, M.D.
More info here.
Donnie Walsh leaving the Pacers
Pacers CEO Donnie Walsh is leaving the team. The Knicks, and possibly the Bucks, reportedly have interest in his services.
The Indianapolis Star (Mike Wells) reports: Indiana Pacers CEO Donnie Walsh announced today he is leaving the franchise. Walsh’s departure means team president Larry Bird will be the sole decision maker in the Pacers’ front office. Walsh, who has been with the Pacers since 1984, has already had conversations with New York about being the Knicks next president if Isiah Thomas is fired. His name has also been linked to the Milwaukee Bucks about their newly vacated general manager position. Walsh voluntarily backed away from day-to-day involvement with the Pacers, leaving Bird in charge of all player personnel moves last summer.
Full info is here.
Kidd partially responsible for Mavs losses
The Dallas Morning News (Tim MacMahon) reports: It’s not fair to point the finger solely at Jason Kidd for the Mavs’ 0-8 record against winning teams since his return to Dallas. There have been too many factors to put all the weight of the losses on his 35-year-old shoulders. But Kidd’s play has been one of the primary factors. Simply put, he hasn’t performed anywhere close to his Hall of Fame standards against playoff-caliber teams. Kidd’s stats in the eight losses: 8.3 points, .353 FG, 5.9 rebounds, 7.8 assists and 2.8 turnovers. His plus-minus over the eight games is a minus-37.
Raymond Felton not rising yet
While young point guards like Chris Paul and Deron Williams are taking over the league, Raymond Felton of the Bobcats has been used inconsistently — but also played inconsistently and not shot well, and doesn’t look like a star just yet.
The Charlotte Observer (Rick Bonnell) reports: If Raymond Felton continues to shoot the way he has the past five games, he’ll finish the season below 40 percent from the field. Felton is 18-of-63, or 28.5 percent, in that span. More telling, still, is Felton’s 3-point shooting in those games: 1-of-11. I don’t think Felton has been coached well this season; he’s been jerked around between the point and shooting guard positions, and no one performs his best with a murky job description. However, he has to do better than he’s done of late, and that should start with more drives and fewer long jump shots.
Suns on impressive roll
Suns.com (Bob Adlhoch) reports: What a difference a couple of weeks can make. The Suns have not just won 7 straight, but have won them in a multitude of impressive ways. They beat the Evil Empire two weeks ago in a playoff-style slugfest that has become the Spurs’ calling card, holding Duncan and Co. to a measly two points over the final 5:30. A few nights later the Suns outran the fastest team in the league, pasting the Warriors with a 10-0 3rd quarter run that Golden State never recovered from. Mixed in with those wins were a couple of boat races that were over by halftime – the Suns led Memphis and Sacramento by 31 points (each) at the intermission. Are you kidding me? I know Memphis is having a rough season, but Sacramento just beat the Lakers in LA and it is unbelievably difficult to post a 30-point lead in the NBA.