Category: NBA Teams

NBA teams blog

Raptors change starting lineup

Toronto started the season positively, beating the 76ers and then destroying the Nets, but have since dropped three straight games, losing to the Celtics, Bucks and Orlando.

Now, a minor change is being made. The Toronto Star reports:

Yesterday’s move to replace Andrea Bargnani with Rasho Nesterovic in the team’s starting lineup – beginning tonight in Philadelphia – will give Toronto a look much like the one that led it to 47 wins a season ago.

Mitchell went to great lengths to explain it’s not an indictment of Bargnani but rather a chance for him to be better.

“It is not a reflection on how he has played,” Mitchell said of Bargnani, the second-year 7-footer who was given the starting centre’s job on the opening day of training camp. “It’s just … trying to get the most out of all our guys.

Toronto’s defense has been awful so far. Their opponents are shooting 47.8% from the field. They’re also being badly out-rebounded and slightly out-assisted.

Pistons lose to Bulls but Rasheed scores 36

Chicago beat Detroit 97-93 but the huge game Rasheed Wallace put up is worth noting.

Shooting 12-of-24, including three 3-pointers, plus 9-of-11 free throws, Rasheed finished with 36 points and 9 rebounds.

The AP reports: “No one could stop Wallace’s assortment of shots — post-ups on the inside, 3-pointers from the perimeter — although he missed two key shots in the final minute. “Regardless of my game, it ended in an `L,”‘ Wallace said. “I’m old school so it didn’t matter what I did, the team lost the game.”

Magic Johnson says Mavs need to go Chuck Norris on Warriors

Magic Johnson, speaking on TNT, said that Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks should consider punching the Warriors in the face. The Contra Costa Times reports:

Johnson was taping a promotional spot for TNT’s broadcast of Thursday night’s game when he told colleagues Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley what he had in mind for Nowitzki.

“If I’m Dallas, I gotta start a fight,” Magic Johnson said. “No, I’m serious. If I’m Dallas, Dirk has gotta go swing on somebody. Send a message. You know why? Golden State, as we say on the street, punked them. … This game, if I’m Dirk, I will walk up and just smack somebody.”

Don Nelson, who always tells it like it is and serves up the best quotes in the history of coaches, said this to the paper:

“I love Magic Johnson,” Nelson said, “but that’s about the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.”

Someone needs to go tell Stephen Jackson that Magic was just kidding, so he doesn’t show up to games with protection.

Nene to have thumb surgery, out six weeks

Injuries keep striking the Nuggets frontcourt. Kenyon Martin is back in action this season, but the following news just broke:

An examination by a hand specialist in Denver today revealed that Nuggets F Nene has a torn ulner collateral ligament in his left thumb. Dr. Carlton Clinkscale will perform surgery on the thumb tomorrow. Nene is expected to be sidelined for six weeks.

Bucks send Ramon Sessions to D-League’s Tulsa 66ers

Milwaukee Bucks General Manager Larry Harris announced today that the team has assigned rookie guard Ramon Sessions (6-3, 190) to the Tulsa 66ers (Okla.) of the NBA Development League. Tulsa is led by Head Coach Joey Meyer and has served as the Bucks D-League affiliate since the 2005-06 season.

“This is an opportunity for Ramon to see regular minutes and further develop his skills,” said Harris. “Coach Meyer and the Tulsa organization are receiving a talented, young player, and we look forward to watching Ramon’s progress as a member of the 66ers.”

Sessions, 21, was selected by the Bucks with the 56th overall pick in the second round of the 2007 NBA Draft and averaged 5.8 points and 2.5 assists in four NBA Summer league contests. He played three seasons at the University of Nevada as a point guard and earned Second Team All-WAC honors during his junior season, in addition to being a finalist for the Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award. During the 2006-07 season, he was third on the team in scoring (12.3), second in rebounding (4.7) and first in assists (4.7, second in the WAC).

Hawks rookie Al Horford has serious board skills

Coming into the season everyone recognized that big, strong Atlanta Hawks rookie Al Horford had an NBA-ready body. But early in the young season he’s looking like an even better rebounder than expected. Here’s the Atlanta Journal Constitution:

I can’t remember seeing a player (rookie or not) go after rebounds the way Al Horford did last night. He was more than relentless. He was surgical (don’t know if that’s the right word or not) in the way he diagnosed his pursuit of the ball. To get 15 against anyone is something, especially for a guy playing his fourth NBA game. Marvin Williams articulated it better than anyone else could after the game when he said, “Al Horford is a beast. We’ve all said that before, but for a rookie to come in and get 15 boards like that is unbelievable.” I don’t know how you sit this kid down with Zaza Pachulia returning to action Friday night. I just can’t see it being a good thing, Horford going to the bench. I can’t see it.

After four games, Horford is grabbing an extremely impressive 10.8 rebounds in just 29.3 minutes per game.

Phoenix to host 2009 All-Star weekend

Phoenix has been selected as the site of NBA All-Star 2009, NBA Commissioner David Stern announced today. The 58th All-Star Game will be played at the US Airways Center, home of the NBA’s Suns and 2007 WNBA Champion Mercury, on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2009. A worldwide television audience spanning over 200 countries will view the events. Fans in the United States will watch the action on TNT.  Phoenix also hosted All-Star in 1975 and 1995.

Is Shaq all washed up?

The Heat aren’t expected to do much until Dwyane Wade returns from injury, which should be this month, but even so, they are playing even worse than expected. A huge factor is Shaquille O’Neal playing like he’s ready to retire any second.

We’re just four games into the 2007-08 season but in 30 minutes per game Shaq is putting up 12.8 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks.

That’s about the same production Mark Blount put up for the Timberwolves last season.

Shaq is also averaging 4.5 fouls per game, a lot considering his modest playing time so far.

Will Shaq be a bigger, poor man’s Blount by the end of this season? Or sooner? The horror.

Doc Rivers back with Celtics after death of father

Sad spirits in Boston as head coach Doc Rivers recently lost his father. The AP reports:

Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers has rejoined the team after flying to Chicago to be with family following the death of his father.

Rivers said he planned to coach the Celtics in Wednesday night’s home game against the Denver Nuggets and Friday’s game against the Atlanta Hawks. He then planned to return to Chicago.

The Celtics  played at home today where they destroyed the  Nuggets.