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Sacramento Kings game protest results: Denied

Sacramento Kings game protest results: Denied

The National Basketball Association announced today that Commissioner Adam Silver has denied the Sacramento Kings’ protest of their 111-110 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on November 13, 2014.

The basis for the Kings’ protest was that Courtney Lee’s game-winning shot should have been disqualified as having been made after time expired. Under league procedures, each team has an opportunity to make submissions in support of its position, and the protesting team is required to establish a misapplication of the official playing rules that had a clear impact on the game’s outcome.

The Commissioner determined that the game officials’ call that Lee’s shot was timely was within their judgment and not a misapplication of the playing rules. Sacramento’s protest therefore did not justify the extraordinary remedy of overturning the game’s result.

Pistons on 6-game losing streak

The Detroit Pistons are off to a very disappointing 3-12 start this season, and have lost six games in a row. Their leading scorer is their point guard, Brandon Jennings, at 16.0 ppg. He’s followed by Greg Monroe at 14.5 ppg, Josh Smith at 12.9 ppg (on 38% shooting), and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope at 11.3 ppg (on 36% shooting). Here’s Michigan Live reporting:

The positives were everywhere for the Detroit Pistons to see, except where it counts on the scoreboard, and that’s where Stan Van Gundy’s frustration was piqued.

The last several days have been a visible downward skid for the Pistons coach’s outward demeanor.

Brief answers, eyes cast downward, struggling to resolve his teachings with the lack of on-court production, have become Van Gundy’s personal public default mode.

The Pistons lost 104-98 Wednesday to the Los Angeles Clippers and Van Gundy, who was accustomed to high-level success in his previous coaching stops, was at a loss in trying to come to grips with a sixth consecutive loss and ninth in 10 games.

“I’ve not been at this point before,” Van Gundy said. “So yeah, it’s hard.”

Mavs re-assign Ricky Ledo to D-League

The Dallas Mavericks announced today that they have reassigned guard Ricky Ledo to the Texas Legends of the NBA Development League.

Ledo (6-7, 200) has appeared in two games (both starts) for the Legends this year, averaging 12.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.5 steals and 33.0 minutes.

Ledo was originally assigned to the D-League on Nov. 20, before being recalled on Nov. 24.

Trail Blazers on 9-game winning streak

Here’s the Oregonian reporting on the Portland Trail Blazers, who have won nine games in a row, and for the 2014-15 regular season have a 12-3 record, which ties them with the Houston Rockets for the fourth best winning percentage in the league through Wednesday’s games:

Go ahead and celebrate the Trail Blazers’ nine-game winning streak.

Feel free to savor a nice little three-game sweep of an East Coast trip and yet another second-half comeback.

But, as you do, take your largest dose of satisfaction in this:

“I don’t think we’ve played our best yet,” LaMarcus Aldridge said.

The Blazers continued their sizzling early-season run Wednesday night, defeating the Charlotte Hornets 105-97 before 16,972 at Time Warner Cable Arena. But afterward, the sentiment in the visiting locker room was that this team, despite everything it has done, has a whole lot of room to grow.

“We’ve had games where we’ve looked really good,” Damian Lillard said. “But I still don’t think we’ve played our best.”

Jeff Teague moving up in Hawks record book

Here’s the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reporting on Hawks point guard Jeff Teague, who is scoring a team-best 18.3 ppg and leading the team in assists with 7.0 apg:

Jeff Teague doesn’t like to talk about his individual accomplishments.

However, his body of work is speaking volumes for the Hawks point guard.

Teague had 24 points and 12 assists in a loss to the Raptors Wednesday. The 20-point, 10-assist effort tied him with Joe Johnson with 18 for sixth on the Hawks’ all-time list. He trails only franchise luminaries Mookie Blaylock (24), Pete Maravich (22), Jason Terry (22), Eddie Johnson (21) and Lenny Wilkens (21).

That’s not bad company.

Thunder waive Sebastian Telfair

Oklahoma City Thunder waive Sebastian Telfair

The Oklahoma City Thunder waived guard Sebastian Telfair, announced Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti.

Telfair appeared in 16 games (one start) with the Thunder this season, and averaged 8.4 points, 2.8 assists, and 1.9 rebounds in 20.5 minutes per game.

The OKC Thunder roster now stands at 15 players, the league maximum.

Michael Carter-Williams slow to get game back

Philadelphia 76ers point guard Michael Carter-Williams is putting up nice stats, but only if you ignore his shooting percentage and turnovers. But more importantly than a bunch of numbers, he still doesn’t feel quite like his usual explosive self just yet. Here’s the Philadelphia Inquirer reporting:

Michael Carter-Williams slow to get his game back

Michael Carter-Williams is in a funk.

The 76ers point guard is not the player he was a season ago, when he won NBA rookie of the year.

“When I’m out there, I don’t feel as explosive,” Carter-Williams said. “I don’t feel like I’m in the passing lanes [defensively]. My steals are down. The little things I did last year are not what I’m doing this year. I need to get back to those things.”

Carter-Williams was sidelined six months after right-shoulder surgery on May 6. He made this season’s debut in a 123-70 loss at Dallas on Nov. 13.

Stephen Curry scores 40 points vs Heat

Stephen Curry scores 40 points vs Heat

The Golden State Warriors, playing on the road, beat the Miami Heat 114-97 Tuesday. They enjoyed an amazing performance from Stephen Curry, who so far in the 2014-15 NBA season is playing as well as anyone in the league. Golden State is now 11-2. Here’s CSN Bay Area reporting:

As good as he had been through 12 games, we knew Stephen Curry was capable of more. The Warriors point guard was going to demoralize some poor team, and soon. The only questions were when and which team.

It was Tuesday night against the Heat in Miami.

Curry went off for 40 points in a 114-97 win at American Airlines Arena. Of his 19 shots, 12 splashed through the net. He was even better on 3-pointers, drilling 8-of-11. Because he could, Curry added seven assists, six rebounds and three steals.

“I thought he played the perfect game,” coach Steve Kerr said, “so I’m pretty happy with everything he did.”

Kevin Martin will miss 6-8 weeks

Kevin Martin has been one of the only Minnesota Timberwolves this season who produces points in a big way, and he’s now out 6-8 weeks after surgery.

On the bright side of things, this puts even more pressure on young Wolves players to step up. While the results aren’t always positive in such scenarios, it could give team management a better sense as to which young players have a bigger upside than the rest.

More info on this injury here: http://www.insidehoops.com/kevin-martin-wrist-surgery-112514.shtml

Kings recall Eric Moreland from D-League again

The Sacramento Kings have recalled rookie forward Eric Moreland from the team’s NBA D-League affiliate, the Reno Bighorns, it was announced today by General Manager Pete D’Alessandro.

Moreland was assigned to the Bighorns on November 21 for the second time this season and scored 10 points (5-10 FG, 0-2 FT) and grabbed six rebounds in a 154-143 loss to the Bakersfield Jam on Friday, Nov. 21.

The 6-10, 218-pound forward from Oregon State is averaging 13.3 points (.581 FG%), 10.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game in three games for the Reno Bighorns.