NBA Teams – Page 914 – NBA Blog

Mirza Teletovic medical update: Out for season

Brooklyn Nets forward Mirza Teletovic was taken to a local Los Angeles hospital after experiencing shortness of breath during last night’s game versus the Clippers. Following a series of tests including a CT scan, Teletovic was diagnosed with bilateral pulmonary embolus (multiple blood clots in the lungs). He will remain hospitalized in Los Angeles to undergo further diagnostic testing and to begin treatment, which includes blood thinners being administered. Due to the nature of blood thinners, Teletovic will be unable to play for the remainder of the season. Once he is cleared for travel, he will return to Brooklyn. Further updates on his condition will be provided as necessary.

In 40 games this season, Teletovic posted averages of 8.5 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 22.3 minutes per game. Over 165 career games (11 starts), the third-year pro holds averages of 7.0 points, 3.4 rebounds and 0.8 assists in 16.9 minutes per game.

LaMarcus Aldridge thumb injury requires surgery

JANUARY 24, 2015 UPDATE: LaMarcus Aldridge Changes Mind, Puts Off Surgery, Returns to Lineup: LaMarcus Aldridge (ligament tear left thumb) puts surgery on hold; will play tonight versus Washington.

Bad news for the Portland Trail Blazers: They’ll be without star power forward LaMarcus Aldridge for 6-8 weeks.

A second magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) confirms that Aldridge has a radial collateral ligament tear in his left thumb. He will undergo surgery later this week and is expected to be out for 6-8 weeks.

Aldridge sustained the injury in the second quarter of Portland’s 98-94 win over Sacramento on Monday at the Moda Center.

A three-time NBA All-Star, Aldridge is averaging a team-high 23.2 points (46.2% FG, 51.2% 3PT, 86.3% FT) and 10.2 rebounds to go with 1.9 assists and 1.18 blocked shots in 38 games this season. One of just three players averaging 23 points and 10 rebounds per game, Aldridge was named NBA Western Conference Player of the Week for the weeks ending Dec. 7, and Dec. 21, respectively.

Aldridge passed Jerome Kersey for second on Portland’s all-time rebounding list on Friday at San Antonio. Earlier this season, Aldridge passed Terry Porter for second place on the Trail Blazers’ all-time scoring list. Trailing only Clyde Drexler (18,050 points, 5,339 rebounds) in both categories, Aldridge currently has 11,782 points and 5,095 rebounds in 615 games over nine seasons.

Jrue Holiday out 2-4 weeks with leg injury

The New Orleans Pelicans announced Wednesday that guard Jrue Holiday is expected to miss the next 2-4 weeks. Additional tests by team physicians yesterday revealed that Holiday developed a stress reaction in his right lower leg. Holiday will be held out of basketball activities until his symptoms improve and will be re-evaluated each week.

In 37 games this season, Holiday averaged 15.2 points, 3.5 rebounds and 7.1 assists in 33.7 minutes per game. The 6-4 guard holds career averages of 13.7 points, 3.6 rebounds and 6.1 assists in 369 contests.

The Pelicans are 21-21 this season. They’re 16th in the league in points per game, and 17th in the league in opponents’ points per game. They’re led by Anthony Davis (24.3 ppg, 10.4 rpg, 1.53 spg, 2.95 bpg), Tyreke Evans (17.1 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 5.3 apg), Holiday (15.2 ppg, 7.1, 1.62 spg), Ryan Anderson (14.7 ppg, 5.0 rpg) and Eric Gordon (11.8 ppg).

LeBron James trying to recruit Ray Allen to Cavs

Here’s ESPN.com reporting that LeBron James wants Ray Allen in Cleveland, and recently made an attempt to recruit him:

While the principal reason LeBron James visited Miami during his recent two-week rest period was to seek out warmer weather while he rehabbed strains in his left knee and lower back, he also had another item on his agenda.

During James’ Miami jaunt, the four-time MVP met with free-agent guard and former Miami Heat teammate Ray Allen to try to appeal to the league’s all-time leader in 3-pointers again about joining the Cavs this season, multiple sources told ESPN.com.

Allen hasn’t played since his 18th season ended with a Finals loss for the Heat to the San Antonio Spurs in June.

ESPN Radio’s Ryen Russillo reported last month that Allen’s message to teams inquiring for his services earlier in the season was to check back with him in January and he would make his decision to return or not — and which team to join if he did opt for season No. 19 — in February.

Pablo Prigioni not getting playing time lately

The play of Langston Galloway has bumped Pablo Prigioni to the far end of the bench. For now, at least. Stuff can change. Here’s the New York Post reporting:

Pablo Prigioni getting few minutes for Knicks lately

With the emergence of rookie guard Langston Galloway, veteran point guard Pablo Prigioni remained buried on the bench.

Prigioni did not play for the second straight game Wednesday during the Knicks’ 98-91 victory over the Sixers after not getting in against New Orleans Monday. This after playing just four minutes in Thursday’s game in London. He has one year and $1.7 million left on his pact, but only $300,000 is guaranteed. The Knicks could cut the 37-year-old Argentine without hurting their 2015 cap situation, or deal him to a playoff contender for a draft pick.

Nevertheless, Knicks coach Derek Fisher said Prigioni’s banishment is temporary.

Shawn Marion plans to retire after this season

Here’s the Arizona Republic reporting that Shawn Marion, aka “The Matrix,” will call it a career after this season:

When Shawn Marion headed to the Cleveland bench late in last week’s game at US Airways Center, “The Matrix” was saying goodbye to Phoenix.

Marion said he plans to retire after this season with Cleveland, ending a 15-year NBA career that was mostly spent as a star with the Suns.

When the Suns drafted Marion in 1999, Marion set a goal to play 15 seasons. The 36-year-old believes he could play another three seasons but being away from his first child, 8-month-old Shawn, has convinced him to retire after this season with the Cavaliers.

“I wanted to go out on my terms,” Marion said. “The biggest thing is having a son. I got attached to him. Seeing him periodically is hard. Watching him grow up on pictures and videos is hard.”

Knicks sign Lance Thomas to second 10-day contract

The New York Knicks have signed forward Lance Thomas to a second 10-day contract, it was announced today by President Phil Jackson.

Thomas, 6-8, 225-pounds, has averaged 5.2 points and 3.4 rebounds over 20.4 minutes in 24 games (13 starts) with Oklahoma City and New York. In two games with the Knicks, he is averaging 5.5 points and 3.5 rebounds over 19.9 minutes.

At 6-36, the Knicks have the worst win-loss record in the NBA right now. They head to Philadelphia tonight to face the 76ers.

Taj Gibson says Bulls must practice harder

Here’s ESPN Chicago reporting on the Bulls, who have been playing without center Joakim Noah lately, but still expect to perform a bit better than they have in recent games:

Lost amid Derrick Rose’s frustrated words after Monday night’s latest poor performance against the Cleveland Cavaliers was the fact Taj Gibson may have spoken the most telling words of the entire night.

Gibson doesn’t have the same clout that Rose does, but he is a six-year veteran who gives some of the most honest assessments in basketball. The power forward has been around for the entirety of Tom Thibodeau’s five-year tenure with the Bulls, a fact that made his comments so telling in the wake of one of the worst stretches in the Thibodeau era.

“We got to practice harder,” Gibson said. “We can’t be taking days off. We’re going to go through rough stretches, but we got to practice harder and we got to play with some energy.”

A Thibodeau-coached team playing without energy and not working hard seems incomprehensible given the success that he and his team have enjoyed over his tenure. After all, hard work has defined Thibodeau’s head-coaching career. For four years his players played hard almost every night. They played with a type of intensity and purpose that is not common on a nightly basis in the NBA.

Tony Wroten to see specialist

Here’s the Philadelphia Inquirer reporting on a key member of the Sixers’ backcourt:

76ers backup point guard Tony Wroten will fly to California Wednesday morning to see a specialist about his sprained right knee..

“We need more information to deliver something to the media and to Tony, you know, that he can follow through with.”

Wroten will miss his fifth-consecutive game when the Sixers (8-33) entertain the New York Knicks (6-36) Wednesday at Wells Fargo Center. This is the third time he’s been sidelined with the injury this season.

Rodney Hood out through mid February with foot injury

The following is a medical update on Utah Jazz guard Rodney Hood, who left in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s game at San Antonio with a left foot injury:

After returning to Salt Lake for further evaluation, Rodney Hood was examined by the Utah Jazz medical staff and underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) testing this morning through official Jazz health care partner, University of Utah Health Care. The MRI results showed a recurrence of inflammation in Hood’s left foot. As a result, Hood’s left foot will be placed in a boot for approximately one week during which time he will continue to receive treatment. Following the removal of the boot, Hood will begin conditioning, restricted weight training and light court work. Hood will remain out through the NBA All-Star Break, at which point his status will be reevaluated.

The 22-year-old Hood (6-8, 215, Duke) has appeared in 24 games (five starts) as a rookie, averaging 5.3 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 18.3 minutes. He was originally selected in the first round (23rd overall selection) of the 2014 NBA Draft, becoming the first former Duke player ever to be drafted by the Jazz.