NBA Teams – Page 764 – NBA Blog

Wizards eye return of Bradley Beal

The Wizards (14-14) have gotten a team-high 19.8 ppg from shooting guard Bradley Beal this season. But Beal has played in just half of the team’s 28 games so far this season. Here’s CSN MidAtlantic reporting the latest:

If all goes according to plan with Bradley Beal, the Wizards are “hopeful” that the shooting guard will begin non-basketball activities this week.

Beal was diagnosed Dec. 11 with what the Wizards called “the beginnings of a stress reaction” in his lower right leg for the fourth time in his fourth NBA season.

“Everything looks good,” coach Randy Wittman said Sunday. “He feels good. … Maybe he’ll start doing something. Obviously, nothing on the court.”

Blake Griffin injured, will be re-evaluated in two weeks

The L.A. Clippers announced today that forward Blake Griffin suffered a partially torn left quad tendon during last night’s win over the Lakers. Griffin underwent an MRI this morning that revealed the injury.

The Clippers leading scorer did not accompany the team to Utah and will be re-evaluated in two weeks.

Griffin is averaging 23.2 points, 8.7 rebounds and 5.0 assists in 30 games (all starts) this season for the Clippers.

Video: Larry Nance Jr scores on his own basket

The Lakers are having a tough season. Here’s Larry Nance Jr generously helping the wrong team:

And, here’s Larry Nance Jr on Twitter having fun with it:

Sorry @SHAQ this happened to be in my stocking today.. Maybe I should take up volleyball as a hobby

A fun Rajon Rondo, DeMarcus Cousins story

Here’s the Sacramento Bee reporting an old story about two key Kings:

Rajon Rondo and DeMarcus Cousins laugh about it now.

Cousins was a rookie known more for being a hothead than a hot talent. Rondo was an All-Star but also known for being a hothead.

So when Rondo’s Boston teammate Kevin Garnett tumbled and landed next to the Kings’ bench and Cousins stood over him, Rondo did what came naturally.

He shoved Cousins.

“That just was just him taking up for K.G.,” Cousins recalled recently. “I respect him for that.”

That respect has grown as the two became teammates this season.

Sixers trade for Ish Smith, waive Tony Wroten

Sixers trade for Ish Smith, and waive Tony Wroten

The Philadelphia 76ers announced today the team has acquired point guard Ish Smith from the New Orleans Pelicans in exchange for two second-round picks.

In a related move, the Sixers waived guard Tony Wroten.

We at InsideHoops.com think this move is good for Smith. After a very good November, he’s been benched in December. In Philly, he has a clear shot at a bigger role.

Smith, a five-year veteran, has appeared in 27 games this season and is averaging nine points, six assists and under two turnovers in 23 minutes per game. He is fifth in the NBA in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.42-to-1), sixth in assists per 48 minutes (12.0) and ranks among the top 20 in assists per game. He is currently the only player in the NBA this season who has at least 150 assists while committing 45 or fewer turnovers.

Smith appeared in 25 games (starting 14) for the Sixers during the 2014-15 season, where he averaged 12 points, six assists, three rebounds and one steal in 27 minutes per game.

Markieff Morris receives two-game suspension

The Phoenix Suns have suspended forward Markieff Morris for two games for conduct detrimental to the team. Morris will serve the suspension in the Suns’ next two games, Dec. 26 vs. Philadelphia and Dec. 28 vs. Cleveland.

According to the Arizona Republic, here’s what happened:

“In one of their more advantageous scenarios of the season, the Suns posted another dreadful loss with play so frightful and no signs of stopping. The bow on Wednesday night’s stocking of coal came when Markieff Morris added to a season of distraction by harkening back memories of Robert Horry’s towel toss at Danny Ainge by tossing a towel toward coach Jeff Hornacek in Wednesday’s fourth quarter.

The Suns lost 104-96 at Talking Stick Resort Arena to a Denver team playing a night after losing at home to the last-place Los Angeles Lakers and was missing five players (two starters) with no backup point guard available.”

Knicks, Robin Lopez chemistry still in development

The Knicks (14-16) are getting 7.4 points, 5.4 rebounds in 23.5 minutes per game from defensive-minded center Robin Lopez. So far, he hasn’t delivered the impact Knicks brass hoped he would. Here’s the New York Post with insight:

The riddle of RoLo continues.

It’s little secret why the Knicks have lost two in a row during an 11-game stretch against winning teams. In both losses, to the Magic and Cavaliers, shooting guard Arron Afflalo was lousy (8 of 25). Carmelo Anthony missed Wednesday’s contest in Cleveland, and reserve power forward Kyle O’Quinn was out both defeats with a sprained ankle, showing how valuable he has become to Derek Fisher.

But one of the more under-the-radar issues is the season’s biggest enigma, starting center Robin Lopez, their most expensive free-agent signing at four years and $54 million. Nobody is more confused than Fisher in his attempt to place Lopez in a role that can positively affect the outcome.

Fisher benched Lopez in Cleveland for the game’s final 13:14. On Monday against the Magic, Fisher stuck with Lopez on Orlando center Nikola Vucevic and got burned for it. So Lopez never saw the Quicken Loans Arena court in the fourth quarter despite the absence of Anthony and O’Quinn.

Video: Stephen Curry drives past Derrick Favors

Look at what Stephen Curry did to Jazz forward Derrick Favors on this one-man fast break:

Wizards sign Jarell Eddie, waive Ryan Hollins

The Washington Wizards announced today that the team has signed guard/forward Jarell Eddie and waived center Ryan Hollins.

Eddie (6-7, 220) went undrafted in 2014 out of Virginia Tech. The former Hokie has spent the last two seasons with the Austin Spurs of the D-League. He has appeared in 11 games (nine starts) with Austin this season, averaging 14.1 points and 4.0 rebounds while shooting .530 from the field and .525 from three-point range in 29 minutes per game. Eddie spent the 2015-16 preseason with the Golden State Warriors, where he appeared in two contests, and played in six games with the Wizards during the 2014 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.

Hollins, who was signed as a free agent on November 30, appeared in five games for the Wizards and averaged 1.6 points in 10 minutes per game.

Brandon Jennings has big praise for Reggie Jackson

Detroit Pistons guard Reggie Jackson is averaging 20.4 points, 4.2 rebounds and 6.4 assists per game this season. Guard Brandon Jennings is just set to return from injury and should be in the mix soon. Here’s Michigan Live with more:

Brandon Jennings was back in uniform and active, though he did not play against the Heat. Jennings said his role until Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy calls upon him is “to be a great leader on the bench and cheer guys on, things like that.” Jennings, who is one of the Pistons’ leaders in social-media use, posted on Twitter that he believes Jackson is the best point guard in the Eastern Conference right now. “He’s definitely living up to what people thought he was going to be. That’s why I say, right now, he’s playing like the best point guard in the East,” Jennings said. “Two-time player of the week, that’s pretty hard to get. We’re over .500 and things like that, so I think he’s doing a great job. Me, I keep it real on Twitter. I don’t care. I say what I feel and I just feel like he’s the best point guard in the East. First-time starter, a guy who’s had a lot of pressure on him, I think he’s handled it really well.”