Category: NBA Teams

NBA teams blog

Spurs re-assign Ian Mahinmi to D-League

The San Antonio Spurs announced today that they have re-assigned rookie Ian Mahinmi to the Austin Toros of the NBA Development League (D-League).

Mahinmi, a 6-11, 230-pound center was recalled by the Spurs on Jan. 28 but did not see any action in his most recent stint with the Silver and Black.  For the season he has appeared in six games for the Spurs, averaging 3.5 points in 3.8 minutes per contest.  Mahinmi finished with a season-high 12 points and two blocks in 12 minutes of action vs. Milwaukee on Nov. 11.

In 24 games with the Toros, Mahinmi is averaging 18.0 points, 7.7 rebounds and 1.20 blocks in 30.4 minutes. He currently leads the D-League in field goal percentage, shooting .644 (154-239) from the field.  He set career-highs with 32 points and 17 rebounds in a 90-79 win at Utah on Dec. 21.  Mahinmi tied his points-high with 32 points at Tulsa on Jan. 27.

Mahinmi will be available tonight when the Toros take on the Utah Flash at 7 p.m. at the Austin Convention Center.

Bucks recall Ramon Sessions from D-League

The Milwaukee Bucks have recalled guard Ramon Sessions from the Tulsa 66ers of the NBA Development League (D-League), General Manager Larry Harris announced today. Sessions was assigned to the D-League on November 8, 2007.

Sessions appeared in 24 games (17 starts) with Tulsa, averaging a team-high 21.1 points (6th in the D-League), a team-high 7.6 assists (3rd in the D-League) and 6.5 rebounds (19th in the D-League) in 36.2 minutes per contest. His points, rebounds and assists add up to 35.2 per game, eighth in the league. Sessions is the only player to be named the D-League Performer of the Week twice this season, claiming the award on November 26, 2007 and January 28, 2008.

A 6-3 guard out of Nevada, Sessions was the 56th overall selection by the Bucks in the 2007 NBA Draft. He has been on assignment in Tulsa for the entire D-League season. He was joined by Bucks teammate David Noel on January 20. Sessions played in five preseason games with the Bucks, averaging 1.4 points, 1.0 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 7.0 minutes of action.

The NBA Development League also includes the Albuquerque Thunderbirds (N.M.), Anaheim Arsenal (CA), Austin Toros (TX), Bakersfield Jam (CA), Colorado 14ers (Broomfield), Dakota Wizards (Bismarck, N.D.), Fort Wayne Mad Ants (IN), Idaho Stampede (Boise), Iowa Energy (Des Moines), Los Angeles D-Fenders (CA), Rio Grande Valley Vipers (TX), Sioux Falls Skyforce (S.D.) and Utah Flash (Provo).

Byron Scott to coach West All-Stars

New Orleans Hornets Head Coach Byron Scott will coach the Western Conference All-Stars for the 2008 NBA All-Star Game, to be played on Sunday, Feb. 17, at New Orleans Arena in New Orleans. Scott will join Boston’s Doc Rivers, who earned head coaching honors for the Eastern Conference All-Stars on Jan. 21, when the Celtics defeated New York, 109-93.

With Dallas’ 96-90 loss tonight to Boston, Scott and the Hornets (32-13, .711) clinched the best winning percentage in the conference through Feb. 3, earning him the spot as head coach of the West All-Stars. Scott’s achievement marks the 10th time in NBA All-Star history that a coach will be on his home court and the first time since Paul Westphal (Phoenix) in 1995.

Head coaches for the East and West All-Star teams are based on teams with the best winning percentage in each conference. Last year’s coaches – Phoenix Head Coach Mike D’Antoni and Washington Head Coach Eddie Jordan – are not eligible to coach in the 2008 All-Star Game.

This season marks Scott’s fourth year as head coach of the Hornets. Scott joined the Hornets on May 28, 2004 after three-and-a-half seasons in New Jersey, where he guided the Nets to The Finals following the 2001-02 and 2002-03 seasons. In 2002, Scott coached the East All-Stars in Philadelphia, making this his second appearance as an All-Star head coach.

Wizards coach Eddie Jordan discusses the team

Wizards head coach Eddie Jordan at practice today:

On tomorrow’s game: “I am looking forward to tomorrow’s game to see how disciplined we will be in the first five or six minutes. We need to have a good tempo, manage the game properly, and try to get good looks. We can make adjustments after that.”

On the Utah Jazz: “We have one of the best executing teams in the league coming in. They are very physical and are one of the best coached teams in the league. They are one of the best teams in the West. They may not have the glamour like some of the others, but they get the job done. They are very good.”

On Dominic McGuire: “He is beginning to do what he does best. He isn’t getting out of the realm of his strengths. He comes off the bench and gives us good energy. He is going to get offensive rebounds, run the floor, get deflections and tip-ins, and defend well. He is a good sized athlete that we like to have on this team. Every good team in the league has this sort of guy. He can probably cover three or four positions.”

On Caron Butler: “We are going to see him in shootaround tomorrow. We’ll go about an hour, run the offense and get into a four or five minute segment of live action. We’ll see how he reacts after that.”

On Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison possibly being named All-Stars tonight: “I hope. I don’t know. I would think Caron (Butler) is a shoe-in and Antawn (Jamison) has a very good chance. Anything can happen though. I am hoping they both make it.”

On the team: “It is a combination of both good front office and good coaching. We are picking and developing the players well. Ernie (Grunfeld) has done an excellent job of acquiring guys such as Antawn (Jamison), Gilbert (Arenas) and Caron (Butler). I think our coaching staff has done a good job putting them in situations where they can be highly successful and develop them at the same time. It is a combination of the entire organization doing a good job. That is what this league is all about.”

Canada coach says Steve Nash hasn’t ruled out summer play

Fiba.com reports: Canada coach Leo Rautins revealed on Thursday that NBA superstar Steve Nash has not ruled out playing for the national team this summer. The Phoenix Suns all-star led Canada at the Sydney Olympics in 2000 but last played for his country at the FIBA Americas Championship in 2003. Rautins, after learning that Canada had been drawn with Korea and Slovenia in Group C for the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament, said Nash, a two-time NBA MVP, could still play. “You are always hoping he (Nash) will play but I’m preparing as if he’s not,” Rautins said to FIBA.Com.

Bobcats to sign Earl Boykins

The Charlotte Observer reports: The Charlotte Bobcats have come to terms with a free-agent point guard Earl Boykins and an announcement of his signing is expected later today, the Observer has learned. Boykins, who played for Denver and Milwaukee last season, is somewhat undersized at 5-foot-5 but has been a dynamic scorer.

Discuss this with other fans on the InsideHoops basketball forum.

LeBron minor ankle sprain, game-time decision for tonight

Cavaliers forward LeBron James experienced a right ankle sprain with 23.3 seconds remaining in the second quarter in last night’s Cavaliers game in Portland versus the Trail Blazers. He returned to start the second half and played the remainder of the game.  He traveled with the team to Seattle following the game, was re-evaluated this morning and is currently listed as a game-time decision for tonight’s Cavaliers-SuperSonics game.

Al Thornton flashes of stardom

NBA.com reports: If pressed to summarize Al Thornton’s rookie season the word to use would probably be inconsistent. But if you were to describe his performance on Wednesday, terms like magnificent, amazing and phenomenal would come to mind. The rookie out of Florida State put together his best night of the season as he notched a career-best 33 points to power the Clippers past the Hawks. With L.A. clinging on to a three-point lead and 14.9 seconds left on the clock, Thornton rejected a driving layup by fellow first-year player Acie Law to seal the deal.

Biedrins is a difference-maker

NBA.com reports: Andris Biedrins may not have had the best numbers on Wednesday, but he certainly made a big difference off the bench in a big win for the Warriors. Biedrins poured in 14 points on a scorching 6-of-7 night from the field to power the Warriors past the Hornets, ending their nine-game winning streak. The defeat snapped two additional streaks for the Hornets. They were previously 20-0 when scoring at least 100 points and 15-0 when Chris Paul and Tyson Chandler had double-doubles in the same game.