New Orleans Pelicans Blog – Page 48 – NBA Blog

Austin Rivers banged up, but playing

After rolling his right ankle during Monday’s practice, New Orleans Hornets rookie shooting guard Austin Rivers participated in Tuesday’s practice without limitations. He is expected to start Wednesday night against the Houston Rockets at the Toyota Center.

Rivers said his ankle remains sore but is not serious enough to prevent him from playing. Prior to Monday, Rivers sprained his right ankle twice last month and he suffered a sprained left index finger that forced him to miss last week’s game against the Philadelphia 76ers.

“I just like to play,’’ Rivers said after Tuesday’s practice. “I can’t stand sitting there watching basketball. I have to do something to help.’’

— Reported by John Reid of the New Orleans Times-Picayune

Bobcats trade Matt Carroll to Hornets for Hakim Warrick

Charlotte Bobcats President of Basketball Operations Rod Higgins announced today that the team has acquired forward Hakim Warrick from the New Orleans Hornets in exchange for guard Matt Carroll.

“We are very excited to add a player of Hakim’s ability and overall NBA experience,” said Higgins. “His athleticism allows him to play multiple positions, which will make for a smooth transition into our current roster and style of play under Coach Mike Dunlap.”

Currently in his eighth NBA season, the 6-9 Warrick has career averages of 9.5 points and 4.1 rebounds, along with a career field goal percentage of .494 (1710-3464), in 499 games for the Grizzlies, Bucks, Bulls, Suns and Hornets. He saw action in one game this season for New Orleans, scoring four points in seven minutes played, after being acquired by the Hornets in July in a three-team trade that also involved the Suns and Timberwolves. Warrick, who was originally selected by the Grizzlies with the 19th overall pick in the 2005 NBA Draft, has averaged double-figure scoring in three of his seven previous seasons.

Carroll was acquired by the Bobcats from Dallas with Erick Dampier and Eduardo Najera on July 13, 2010, in exchange for Tyson Chandler and Alexis Ajinca. In 459 career NBA games with Portland, San Antonio, Charlotte and Dallas, Carroll has averages of 6.6 points and 1.9 rebounds, while connecting on .384 from three-point line and .841 from the free-throw line. Carroll, who previously played for the Bobcats from 2005-09, ranks second on the team’s all-time three-point percentage (.384) and free-throw percentage lists (.841). He also ranks third in three-point field goals made (338) and games played (397). Carroll initially signed with the Bobcats as a free agent on Feb. 23, 2005 after being called up from the NBA D-League.

“Matt Carroll has been a consummate professional both on and off the court during his tenures in Charlotte and we would like to thank him for everything he added to our franchise,” said Higgins. “We wish him well in New Orleans.”

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Sixers hold Hornets to franchise low 62 points

Jrue Holiday had 14 points and 12 assists, and the Philadelphia 76ers held New Orleans to its lowest point total ever in a 77-62 victory over the Hornets on Wednesday night.

Evan Turner also scored 14, and Thaddeus Young and Lavoy Allen each added 12 points for the Sixers, who dominated the second half defensively. The Hornets committed 14 of their 24 turnovers after halftime and scored only 25 points during the final two quarters. Young also grabbed 10 rebounds.

Al-Farouq Aminu was the only Hornets player to score in double figures with 10 points to go with a career-high 16 rebounds. Ryan Anderson grabbed 10 rebounds and 7-foot reserve Jason Smith blocked five shots.

The Hornets, who lost for the first time in three games, played without first-round draft choices Anthony Davis and Austin Rivers. Davis was not cleared to return from a recent concussion and Rivers had a sprained finger on his left hand.

— Reported by Brett Martel of the Associated Press

InsideHoops.com notes: This game was an ugly brickfest… Hornets guard Eric Gordon also remains out… This game was a mess… Philly enjoyed a balanced scoring effort… This game was a disaster.

Hornets coach Monty Williams fined for public criticism of NBA concussion policy

New Orleans Hornets head coach Monty Williams has been fined $25,000 for public comments that were critical of the NBA’s concussion policy, it was announced today by Stu Jackson, NBA Executive Vice President Basketball Operations.

Williams’ comments were made prior to the Hornets game against the Chicago Bulls on Saturday, Nov. 3.

More info will be added to this page later today.

Hornets coach Monty Williams not a fan of NBA concussion policy

Monty Williams thinks protecting players from concussions is stupid

New Orleans Hornets coach Monty Williams blasted the NBA’s protocols for determining when a player can return from a concussion, a day after No. 1 draft pick Anthony Davis suffered a mild one.

Williams unloaded before Saturday’s game against the Chicago Bulls, saying, “Now, they treat everybody like they have white gloves and pink drawers and it’s getting old. It’s just the way the league is now.”

His comments came on the heels of Davis leaving Friday’s win over Utah after taking an inadvertent elbow to the head from teammate Austin Rivers in the first half. A Chicago product, Davis stayed back in New Orleans to be examined and did not accompany the team on the trip.

— Reported by the Associated Press

Anthony Davis leaves game with possible concussion

Anthony Davis, the overall No. 1 draft pick of the New Orleans, has left Friday night’s game against Utah and is being tested for a possible concussion and will not return.

Davis had eight points — all on dunks in the first half — six rebounds and two blocks. He was injured with 4:51 left in the first half. The Hornets released an official statement that he will be out for the rest of the game. The Hornets trailed 41-40 at halftime.

— Reported by the Associated Press

Hornets guard Eric Gordon out 4-6 more weeks

ERIC GORDON INJURY UPDATE: YEAH, STILL INJURED

New Orleans Hornets shooting guard Eric Gordon will be sidelined for four to six weeks because of recurring problems with his right knee, a league source confirmed Friday afternoon.

Gordon’s prognosis was determined after he underwent further evaluations with doctors in Chicago on Friday to determine the extent of the problems involving his right knee. Gordon could not be reached for comment but he told Yahoo! Sports on Friday that he would be out for an additional four to six weeks.

Hornets General Manager Dell Demps said through spokesman Harold Kaufman that the Hornets are still gathering information and at this point any prognosis would be speculation. There is no confirmation if Gordon will have to undergo surgery. He required arthroscopic surgery last February and missed all but nine games last season…

Gordon said he began experiencing soreness in his right knee about a month before training camp after participating in volunteer workouts with his teammates. He missed all of training camp and the Hornets’ eight-game preseason schedule.

— Reported by John Reid of the New Orleans Times-Picayune

Hornets guard Eric Gordon out indefinitely with recurring knee problems

New Orleans Hornets shooting guard Eric Gordon will be out indefinitely, Coach Monty Williams said Wednesday morning, though neither Williams nor Gordon could shed any light on the severity of the right knee problem that kept the team’s max money player sidelined through the entirety of training camp.

Gordon was instructed by a member of the Hornets’ media relations staff not to speak with reporters and was escorted to the locker room after shootaround by the team’s security chief.

“He’s going to be out,” Williams said. “The way I understand it, he’s going to be out indefinitely until we get some more clarity on what’s going on so I don’t have to answer these questions every day and give you guys the update. We’ll just go from there.”

— Reported by Jimmy Smith of the New Orleans Times-Picayune

Hornets guard Austin Rivers hurts ankle again

New Orleans Hornets guard Austin Rivers appeared to badly roll his injured right ankle again Friday night with 1:33 remaining in the third quarter of the team’s exhibition finale against the Miami Heat. It is the second time in five days he has sustained an ankle injury.

Rivers sprained his ankle on Monday night in Dallas against the Mavericks.

Rivers appeared to get tangled within himself after slipping as Miami guard Norris Cole, who was guarding Rivers, ran past him. Rivers then fell backward, twisting the ankle again.

— Reported by Jimmy Smith of the New Orleans Times-Picayune

Austin Rivers leaves Hornets game with sprained ankle

New Orleans guard Austin Rivers said he expects to be ready for the start of the regular season after the Hornets rookie sprained his right ankle in a preseason game Monday night.

Rivers did not return after he landed awkwardly on a layup attempt in the second quarter of the Hornets’ 87-74 loss to Dallas. The Duke product, the 10th overall pick in this past summer’s draft, had X-rays on his ankle and those came back negative.

New Orleans coach Monty Williams said Rivers will undergo an MRI on Tuesday. Rivers had surgery on the same ankle in June to remove bone spurs.

— Reported by the Associated Press