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Sixers reassign Craig Brackins to D-League

Philadelphia 76ers forward Craig Brackins was reassigned to the Springfield Armor, the 76ers’ NBA Development League affiliate, it was announced today. The assignment marks the 49th time in the 2010-11 season an NBA player has been assigned to an NBA D-League affiliate, and it is the third and final assignment this season for Brackins, a rookie out of Iowa State.

Brackins (6-10, 230) was assigned on Nov. 30 and Jan. 15. He appeared in 14 games (nine starts) with the Armor, averaging 19.9 points and 9.1 rebounds in 37.2 minutes. Brackins has appeared in three games this season for Philadelphia, averaging 2.7 points in 11.0 minutes.

An early entry candidate for the 2010 NBA Draft, Brackins was selected by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round (21st overall) as part of a draft-day swap with the New Orleans Hornets, who then traded Brackins to Philadelphia in September. In three seasons at Iowa State, Brackins averaged 16.0 points and 7.7 rebounds in 95 games, and was an AP All-America Honorable Mention selection in 2009.

Brackins is expected to join Springfield for its home game against New Mexico on Saturday.

Kevin Love passes Moses Malone with 52nd double-double in row

The AP reports:

Kevin Love passes Malone with 52nd double-double in row

The hardest part of what turned out to be a historic night for Kevin Love was deciding whether he was going to play at all.

With a bulky brace wrapped around his bruised and swollen left knee, the Minnesota Timberwolves star didn’t decide to give it a go until about 20 minutes before tipoff. Once he did, he made extending the longest double-double streak in 37 years look too easy.

Love recorded his 52nd double-double in a row to surpass Moses Malone for the longest such streak since the ABA and NBA merged in 1976 in the Timberwolves’ 101-75 over the free-falling Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night.

Love put up 16 points and 21 rebounds in just 27 minutes to help the Timberwolves win for just the 16th time this season. Love didn’t waste any time extending the streak, reaching double figures in points and rebounds with just under seven minutes to play in the first half.

Grizzlies sign Rodney Carney to 10-day contract

The Memphis Grizzlies have signed swingman Rodney Carney to a 10-day contract, Grizzlies General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace announced today.

A four-year star at the University of Memphis, the 6-7, 205-pound guard/forward returns to the Bluff City after averaging 5.0 points on .421 shooting (45-of-107 FG), including a career-best .459 mark from three-point range (17-of-37 3FG), in 13.2 minutes in 25 games for the Golden State Warriors earlier this season. The Warriors waived Carney on Jan. 4.

Currently in his fifth NBA season, the 26-year-old owns career averages of 6.0 points and 2.0 rebounds on .422 shooting in 15.5 minutes in 297 games (48 starts) with the Warriors, Minnesota Timberwolves and Philadelphia 76ers.

Carney finished his collegiate career with the Tigers ranked third in school history in scoring (1,901 points), second in games played (133) and first in three-pointers made (287). In his senior season (2005-06), Carney posted 17.2 points and 4.3 rebounds, earning the Conference USA Player of the Year Award and leading the Tigers to an Elite Eight appearance in the NCAA Tournament.

Sixers recall Craig Brackins from D-League

The Philadelphia 76ers announced today that they have recalled rookie forward Craig Brackins from their NBA Development League affiliate, the Springfield Armor. Brackins was assigned to the Armor on January 15. His first assignment was from November 30 through December 12.

In 14 games for Springfield, Brackins averaged 19.9 points, 9.1 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.00 blocks in 37.2 minutes per game. Over his final three games with the Armor, Brackins averaged 24.7 points and 11.3 rebounds. He leaves the D-League tied for the seventh-highest scoring average of any player this season.

Stoudemire scores 41 on Sixers

The AP reports:

Apparently not getting enough of a workout, Amare Stoudemire did a few push-ups before heading to the line for some late-game free throws.

Stoudemire wants the New York Knicks to be tougher, and on Sunday he simply overpowered the Philadelphia 76ers.

The All-Star forward matched his season high with 41 points on 17-of-21 shooting in the Knicks’ 117-103 victory, which gave them a split of an important home-and-home series.

“He understands the big moment and the stage,” Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni said. “That’s why he came to New York.”

Rookie Landry Fields added a career-high 25 points and grabbed 10 rebounds as the Knicks rebounded from a 100-98 loss Friday night in Philadelphia to snap a two-game losing streak and win for just the fourth time in 13 games.

Chris Sheridan of ESPN reports:

The only downer on a day of domination for Amare Stoudemire was the technical foul he picked up from referee Bob Delaney for skipping in frustration after he was whistled for a reaching-in foul.

To Stoudemire, it was like being ticketed for driving 56 mph in a 55 mph zone.

To Delaney, a former New Jersey state trooper, it was a violation that probably only merited a warning.

At least that’s what Stoudemire said Delaney told him.

“After talking to him, he really didn’t think that was a bad play on my part. He felt more lenient, toward I might get that one taken away. So I’ll see how it goes,” Stoudemire said after scoring 41 points on 17-for-21 shooting in one of the best games he has played all season, a 117-103 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers that kept the Knicks from falling to .500.

The technical he picked up Sunday afternoon was Stoudemire’s 14th of the season, moving him within two techs of the dreaded No. 16 — which brings with it an automatic one-game suspension, as would technical fouls No. 18, 20, 22, etc.

Nets coach Avery Johnson ejected vs Sixers

The AP reports:

New Jersey coach Avery Johnson has been ejected from the game against the Philadelphia 76ers.

Johnson was tossed with 7:47 left in the third quarter after being hit with two technical fouls for arguing the lack of a call after Nets guard Devin Harris was stripped by Elton Brand.

Replays showed that Brand’s hand never touched the ball and seemed to paw at Harris’ chest.

Sixers re-assign Craig Brackins to D-League

The Philadelphia 76ers announced today that rookie Craig Brackins has been re-assigned to their NBA Development League affiliate, the Springfield Armor. Brackins was first assigned to the Armor on November 30 and was recalled on December 12.

In his first stint with the Armor, Brackins appeared in five games, averaging 17.2 points, 8.6 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.80 blocks. He has played two games for the Sixers this season, scoring a total of 8 points in 21 minutes of play.

Injured Iverson expects to resume career

The AP reports:

Allen Iverson says he expects to continue playing basketball at the highest level possible once he has a lesion in his right leg examined in the United States.

Iverson posted on his Twitter page Friday that he was returning home for examinations, and possibly surgery. Iverson says he has no plans to retire and still loves the game.

InsideHoops.com editor says: Iverson is still playing overseas, in Turkey. I haven’t heard any rumors that he’s headed back to the NBA anytime soon, or at all.

Allen Iverson to have growth removed

Ric Bucher of ESPN The Magazine reports:

Former NBA star Allen Iverson plans to have a growth removed from his right leg in the United States and intends to rejoin his Turkish team in time for the playoffs.

Iverson, who signed a two-year, $4 million deal with the Turkish team Besiktas this fall after no NBA team showed any interest, had tests on the calf three weeks ago to find the cause of persistent pain, his business manager and longtime friend, Gary Moore said Wednesday.

An MRI originally showed a tiny shadow between the two bones in Iverson’s lower leg, but he continued to play. When the pain worsened, a second MRI was taken in the last few days and showed the shadow had doubled in size to a half-penny. Moore said the shadow could be anything from a lesion to a cyst to a tumor…

Besiktas spokesman Kursat Kaplan told The Associated Press on Wednesday the team would assess Iverson’s future after another MRI this week. Iverson, though, Moore said, is proceeding as if the shadow is benign and expects to be back on the court for Besiktas in four to six weeks.

InsideHoops.com editor says: I’m still hoping that Iverson somehow makes his way back to the NBA and goes out on a good note here, but it doesn’t sound likely. He never appeared to back down from his need to start and not be used as a bench reserve. It’s too bad. Anyway, as for Iverson’s current health issue, obviously everyone including myself hopes that it’s a minor, harmless growth that is removed without issue.

Sixers showing life in December

April 9, 2010: Philadelphia 76ers guard Andre Iguodala (9) going up for the dunk while Milwaukee Bucks guard John Salmons (15) looks on during the NBA game between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Kate Fagan of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports:

It’s not quite yet the New Year, but it feels like a different season for the 76ers.

Only a third of the way through the schedule, the Sixers have climbed out of the bottom of the Eastern Conference by going 8-3 in their last 11 games, including Saturday night’s 97-89 road victory over the shorthanded Orlando Magic.

For the Sixers, it was the perfect start to perhaps the most difficult stretch of their season: an eight-game road trip filled almost entirely playoff opponents.

The Sixers, 11-16, know they must keep their heads above water during the next two weeks.

“This stretch we had coming up, was it going to be doom and gloom or was it going to be opportunity?” Sixers coach Doug Collins asked after Saturday’s win, then quickly responded: “It was an opportunity for us.”