The New York Daily News (Frank Isola) reports: The Knicks will get back to focusing on what really matters to the organization, 100 times more than winning in fact; spinning a story.
Stephon Marbury is expected to be at the Garden tonight for the first time since he had season-ending ankle surgery and after the Daily News reported on Thursday that Isiah Thomas had told Marbury not to attend home games… As for Marbury, he has no interest in being around Thomas or James Dolan and the feeling is mutual. But because the season is already in the toilet and the subject of Marbury’s future and his absence from home games is becoming an issue, the Knicks – who are paying him $180,00 per game – are making Marbury show up for work tonight (now there’s a radical concept) to put an end to the speculation.
Category: NBA Teams
NBA teams blog
Al Horford, Luis Scola win Rookies of Month
The Atlanta Hawks’ Al Horford and the Houston Rockets’ Luis Scola today were named the Eastern and Western Conference T-Mobile Rookies of the Month, respectively, for games played in February.
Among rookies, Horford is ranked first in rebounds with 10.6 rpg and double-doubles with 16. He set career highs of 20 rebounds on Feb. 6, vs. Lakers, and 20 points on Feb. 29, vs. New York. In addition, Horford recorded seven double-doubles, including three straight to finish the month. He also became the first Hawk to grab 20 rebounds in a game since Alan Henderson did it on Nov. 26, 2002.
While helping lead his team to a 13-0 record for the month, Scola led all rookies in field goal percentage with .629 percent. He is ranked 15th overall in the NBA this season in field goal percentage with .530. In addition, Scola was ranked third among West rookies in scoring with 11.7 ppg and recorded a career-high five steals vs. Memphis on Fe. 29, 2008, setting the most by a Rockets player in a game this season.
Other nominees for the Eastern and Western Conference Rookies of the Month were the Los Angeles Clipper’s Al Thornton, Philadelphia’s Thaddeus Young, Seattle’s Kevin Durant and Toronto’s Jamario Moon.
Flip Saunders, Rick Adelman win Coaches of Month
The Detroit Pistons’ Flip Saunders and the Houston Rockets’ Rick Adelman today were named the NBA Eastern and Western Conference Coaches of the Month, respectively, for games played in February.
Saunders guided the Pistons to a 9-3 (.750) month, which included wins over a trio of top Western Conference teams – Dallas, Phoenix and Denver. The Pistons recorded a 3.5-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio for the month, dishing out 20-plus assists in nine of 12 games and committing less than 15 turnovers in all 12 contests. The Pistons outscored their February opponents by 9.5 ppg. In a 90-67 win over Dallas on Feb.3, the Pistons held the Mavericks to 23 field goals. In a 116-86 win at Phoenix on Feb. 24, the Pistons recorded 26 assists on a season-high-tying 46 field goals.
Adelman led the Rockets to a perfect 13-0 record in February, marking the second time in team history that Houston recorded an undefeated month (14-0 in Nov. 1993). The Rockets are currently riding an NBA season long 15-game winning streak. The streak, which began on Jan. 29, ties the Rockets’ franchise record which occurred twice before (1992-93 and 1993-94). Houston outscored its February opponents by 12.6 ppg, while limiting them to a .414 field goal percentage.
Other nominees for the Coach of the Month were Boston’s Doc Rivers, Cleveland’s Mike Brown, the Los Angeles Lakers’ Phil Jackson, Philadelphia’s Maurice Cheeks, San Antonio’s Gregg Popovich and Utah’s Jerry Sloan.
LeBron, Kobe win Players of Month
The Cleveland Cavaliers’ LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers’ Kobe Bryant today were named the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Month for games played in February.
James, who wins the award for the second consecutive month, led the league in scoring in February, averaging 30.2 points and adding 8.9 rebounds and an Eastern Conference-best 8.5 assists. Cleveland was 8-6 mark on the month as James became the first player since Magic Johnson (1988) to post triple-doubles on consecutive days twice in the same season (Feb. 19-20 and Nov. 24-25). James became the youngest player to reach 10,000 points with his 19th point at Boston on Feb. 27
Bryant led the Lakers to a 13-2 mark, averaging team highs in points (27.2 ppg), assists (5.9 apg) and steals (2.07 spg). Bryant, who shot .507 from the field, scored at least 30 points on eight occasions and netted more than 40 points twice.
Other nominees for Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week were Detroit’s Chauncey Billups, Golden State’s Monta Ellis, Houston Tracy McGrady, the Los Angeles Clippers’ Corey Maggette, Orlando’s Dwight Howard, Philadelphia’s Andre Miller and San Antonio’s Manu Ginobili.
Cavaliers sign Kaniel Dickens, Billy Thomas to second 10-day contracts
The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed forward Kaniel Dickens and guard Billy Thomas to their second 10-day contracts, Cavaliers General Manager Danny Ferry announced today. Dickens has played nine minutes in three games. Thomas has appeared in four games with Cleveland and scored all nine of his points against Washington on Feb. 22. Both players signed their first 10-day contracts on Feb. 22.
Warriors re-assign Kosta Perovic to D-League
The Golden State Warriors have re-assigned center Kosta Perović to the Bakersfield Jam of the NBA Development League, Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Mullin announced today.
Perović, 23, was previously assigned to the Jam on November 18 before being recalled on January 6. During his most recent sojourn with Golden State, Perović saw action in one game on January 19 at Milwaukee. He finished with four points, four rebounds and a block in seven minutes.
During his previous stint in the D-League, Perović appeared in 19 games (nine starts), averaging 8.6 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.37 blocks in 22.1 minutes per contest.
Perović is the second Warriors player to be assigned to the D-League since the current affiliation system began during the 2005-06 season. Under the system, NBA teams can assign up to two players who are rookies or in their second season to their D-League affiliate. Players can stay with the D-League team for as long as the team wishes, and be recalled back to the NBA at any time. However, a player can only be sent to the D-League a maximum of three times during the season.
Ilgauskas out a week or more
Cavaliers center Zydrunas Ilgauskas missed the game today (Sunday, March 2) versus the Chicago Bulls with a back strain. He will be listed as Out for one week and will be re-evaluated after that with his status being updated at that point. No timeline has been established for his return to play.
Ilgauskas has strained back
Cavaliers center Zydrunas Ilgauskas was examined today at The Cleveland Clinic by head team physician Dr. Richard Parker. He was diagnosed with a strained back and is listed as Out for tomorrow’s game versus the Chicago Bulls at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland. He will be re-examined tomorrow and his status will be updated after that.
Clippers sign Andre Barrett to 10-day contract
The Los Angeles Clippers today signed free agent guard Andre Barrett to a 10-day contract. Barrett comes to the Clippers from the NBA Development League’s Austin Toros, becoming the league’s 16th Gatorade Call-up and the 13th D-League player to be called to an NBA roster this season.
Barrett played 30 games this season for the Bakersfield Jam of the Development League, averaging 18.9 points, 8.8 assists, 3.4 rebounds in 38.2 minutes before being traded to Austin on Feb. 25.
A former stand-out at Seton Hall University, the Clippers will be Barrett’s sixth NBA team. He has averaged 3.4 points, 2.0 assist and 1.1 rebounds in 63 career NBA games over the course of three seasons.
Barrett started his NBA career with Houston in 2004-05, appearing in 27 games for the Rockets and averaging 2.1 points before finishing the season with Orlando.
Barrett played in two games for Phoenix in 2005-06 and then made 17 appearances for the Toronto Raptors that season, averaging a career-best 4.6 points in 15.4 minutes.
The Bronx, New York product played in six games for Chicago last season, averaging 1.3 points.
Yao Ming having season-ending surgery Monday
Rockets All-Star center Yao Ming will undergo season-ending surgery on Monday, March 3rd in order to repair a stress fracture in the tarsal navicular bone in his left foot. The surgery will be performed at Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center by Rockets Team Physician Tom Clanton, who is regarded as one of the nation’s top orthopedic foot and ankle surgeons.
Injuries have really messed Yao and the Rockets up for years now. It’s tough to say how Yao can ever stop getting hurt, considering how huge he is. Hopefully he can somehow stay healthy eventually.