Category: NBA Teams

NBA teams blog

Blazers should be fun to watch this season

The Portland Trail Blazers in 2015-16 look nothing like last season’s edition. A lot of key players left, and they’re going to take wins along with them. But as the Oregonian says — and we agree — this year’s Blazers should still be plenty of fun to watch:

Blazers should be fun to watch this season

The latest and perhaps most dramatic example of this came in an exhibition game Sunday night, when the Blazers overcame a 21-point deficit to beat the Utah Jazz in overtime, 116-111, before 16,532 at the Moda Center.

Never mind that three Jazz starters didn’t play. Or that most of Utah’s key rotation players rested for the bulk of the fourth quarter and overtime after building that sizeable lead. The young-and-hungry Blazers refused to end the night without putting on a show, riding the hot hand of CJ McCollum, the prolific scoring of Damian Lillard and the impressive defense of Ed Davis to outscore Utah 50-27 over the final 17 minutes.

“This is a young team, athletic and we have an All-Star point guard, so every night we’re going to be in games,” Davis said. “We’re going to fight, it’s going to be a long season, it’s going to be a lot of up and downs. But every night we’re going to fight and give it our best effort.”

For much of the night, it looked like it would be one of those nights where the effort wasn’t enough. Instead, with more than one memorable highlight and plenty of late-game drama, the effort and success went hand-in-hand.

Austin Rivers still recovering from hard elbow to mouth

Here’s the Los Angeles Times reporting on Clippers guard Austin Rivers, who took a very hard elbow to the mouth that continues to affect him:

Austin Rivers still recovering from hard elbow to mouth

Clippers backup guard Austin Rivers has been to the dentist four times, including getting a root canal Saturday, to repair three teeth that were loosened and one that was knocked out by a wayward elbow from teammate Branden Dawson during a practice in China on Oct. 9.

“As long as they make it look good, that’s all I care about,” Rivers joked before the team practiced Sunday.

The contact happened when Rivers tried to block a layup attempted by Dawson. Rivers said he had never taken a worse blow to his mouth.

“They were kind of just hanging there,” Rivers said of his teeth. “And I had to stick my teeth back in my mouth.”

Reggie Bullock making good impression on Pistons

Here’s the Detroit Free Press reporting on a player who is trying to solidify himself in the league, and currently making the most of preseason:

Barring something unforeseen, Reggie Bullock will be on the Detroit Pistons’ opening-night roster.

Bullock has scored a knockout against the competition in the fight for a roster spot.

He has played so well that he could be part of the team’s plans past this season.

The Pistons face a Nov. 2 deadline to pick up Bullock’s $2.2-million option for the 2016-17 season, and a person with firsthand knowledge of the team’s thought process told the Free Press this past week the move is under serious consideration.

Jazz exercise contract options on Exum, Hood, Burke, Gobert

utah jazz

The Utah Jazz announced today that the team has elected to exercise its third-year team options for guards Danté Exum and Rodney Hood, as well as its fourth-year options on guard Trey Burke and center Rudy Gobert. The options for all four players are for the 2016-17 season.

The 20-year-old Exum (6-6, 190, Australia) is entering his second NBA season after appearing in all 82 games (41 starts) as a rookie and averaging 4.8 points, 1.6 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 22.2 minutes. Exum became only the 10th rookie in Jazz history to play in all 82 games, scoring in double figures in 13 games and leading the team in assists 11 times. He helped the Jazz to a 24-17 record as a starter and was selected to compete in the 2015 Rising Stars Challenge during the NBA’s All-Star Weekend in New York.

Hood (6-8, 206, Duke) is entering his second NBA season after averaging 8.7 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists, hitting .365 (62-170) from three-point range, in 21.3 minutes of 50 appearances (21 starts) during his rookie campaign. The 22-year-old was selected as the NBA’s Western Conference Rookie of the Month during the final month of the season after upping his averages to 16.7 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.1 steals in seven games during April. He scored 20-plus points in three of those games, and five times overall on the season.

Burke (6-1, 191, Michigan), 22, is entering his third NBA season and has appeared in 146 games (111 starts) during his first two seasons, owning averages of 12.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 5.0 assists in 31.2 minutes. He averaged12.8 points, 2.7 rebounds and 4.3 assists in 30.1 minutes per game in 76 games (43 starts) during the 2014-15 season. He scored 10-plus points on 52 occasions and 20-plus points in 11 contests , posting three double-doubles as a second-year player. A 2014 All-NBA Rookie First Teamselection, Burke was chosen to participate in the NBA’s Rising Stars Challenge at All-Star Weekend in each of his first two seasons.

The 23-year-old Gobert (7-1, 245, France) is also entering his third NBA season after appearing in all 82 games (37 starts) in 2014-15 andaveraging 8.4 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.3 blocks in 26.3 minutes while placing third in NBA Most Improved Player balloting and fifth in voting for NBA Defensive Player of the Year. In his second year, Gobert improved both his scoring and rebounding averages by more than six per game over his rookie season, and tallied the second most blocked shots in the NBA (189), including an NBA-best 134 blocks after the All-Star break. Gobert logged 25 double-doubles on the season and became just the third player in Jazz history to block 180-plus shots in a season (Mark Eaton, Andrei Kirilenko). The Jazz finished 22-15 in Gobert’s 37 starts. For his career, Gobert has appeared in 127 games (37 starts), owning averages of 6.2 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.8 blocks in 20.4 minutes .

Exum (fifth overall) and Hood (23rd overall) were Jazz selections in the first round of the 2014 NBA Draft, while both Burke (ninth overall) and Gobert (27th overall) were 2013 first-round picks whose rights were acquired by the Jazz in separate draft-night trades.

Cavs waive Chris Johnson, sign Jack Cooley

Cavs waive Chris Johnson, sign Jack Cooley

The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed forward/center Jack Cooley to a contract, General Manager David Griffin announced today from Cleveland Clinic Courts.

And in a related move, the Cavs have waived Chris Johnson.

Cooley (6-10, 250) appeared in 16 games for the Utah Jazz last season. He also played in 20 games for the D-League’s Idaho Stampede, averaging 16.8 points on .572 shooting, 12.5 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 30.8 minutes per game. Cooley played on the Cavs 2014 Summer League team.

Johnson appeared in four preseason games for the Cavs.

Tristan Thompson remains unsigned

Here’s Cleveland.com with the latest on the Cavaliers and unsigned free agent Tristan Thompson:

It’s the two-week mark of the Tristan Thompson holdout, which means it’s time to give an update on the proceedings.

There’s no communication ongoing between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Thompson’s agents, Rich Paul and Mark Termini, Northeast Ohio Media Group has learned.

In fact, there doesn’t seem to be a sense of urgency from either side in reaching an agreement. And that means Thompson’s stalemate will continue to hover over the organization like a black cloud, a cloud LeBron James considers “a distraction.”

It may be time to signal to the dugout for Cavs owner Dan Gilbert.

Thompson’s presence on and off the court is sorely being missed. Internally, members of the Cavaliers have expressed to each other how it would be such an unnecessary hurdle to try to contend for a title without their best offensive rebounder and most versatile big defender.

Preseason finally begins for Dirk Nowitzki

Here’s the Fort Worth Star-Telegram blog reporting on Mavs veteran Dirk Nowitzki, who finally participated in this year’s preseason action:

Preseason finally begins for Dirk Nowitzki

Dirk Nowitzki dusted off the cobwebs and played in his first preseason game Friday night for the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center. The 18-year veteran punched the time clock for 19 minutes – all in the first half – and collected six points and seven rebounds during the Mavs’ 91-84 defeat at the hands of the Hawks.

The stats notwithstanding, Nowitzki was just elated to get up and down the floor and run the court with his Dallas teammates for the first time since Game 5 of the Mavs’ first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets last April.

Knicks now 4-0 in preseason

Preseason is just a warmup for the regular season, so it doesn’t mean anything. But winning is still nice and stuff. And it sets a positive tone, which might help. Maybe. Or not. Anyway, here’s the New York Post reporting:

In topping the Celtics 101-95 at the Garden in their final home preseason game, the Knicks improved to 4-0 and coach Derek Fisher is hopeful that has meaning.

With expectations of the Knicks being mediocre at best, the club looks to be deeper and more efficient than anticipated.

“It depends on what kind of story you want to write,’’ Fisher said. “You can say it means something and these guys are doing great. Or it’s preseason and doesn’t mean anything. For me personally, I’m in the middle. I think the preseason is preparation for the season. That’s what the ‘pre’ stands for. And you have to prepare to win.

“Guys are doing that. That doesn’t always translate when we open up in Milwaukee (Oct. 28). But in getting the idea there’s a certain way to play the game that leads to winning, that’s good to put in guys’ minds. Hopefully it does carry over.’’

Gordon Hayward day-to-day with back contusion

The following is a medical update on Utah Jazz forward/guard Gordon Hayward:

Hayward has been diagnosed by the Jazz medical staff with a low back contusion, resulting from a fall suffered after being fouled during a shot attempt with 2:18 remaining in the fourth quarter of Monday’s preseason game vs. Portland.

As a result, Hayward will not be able to participate in tonight’s open practice at EnergySolutions Arena. His status moving forward is day-to-day, and further updates will be provided when appropriate.