NBA Blog: The NBA basketball news blog section of Inside Hoops
 |
The Boston Celtics announced today that they have assigned forward Dwight Powell to the Maine Red Claws.
Powell, a 6’11 forward, appeared in six contests for the Celtics during the preseason and averaged 1.7 points and 1.2 rebounds in 9.0 minutes per game over that span.
The Celtics, who are rebuilding their team and not expected to compete for a spot in the playoffs, are off to a solid start, compiling a 3-3 record in the season, which began less than two weeks ago.
Cavs guard Matthew Dellavedova injured, out 4-6 weeks
|
Cavaliers guard Matthew Dellavedova experienced a left knee injury during the 4th quarter of the Cavaliers game in Portland vs. the Trailblazers on Tuesday, November 4th.
He did not play in the remaining two games of the Cavaliers road trip this past week in Utah and Denver.
After returning to Cleveland, Dellavedova received additional evaluation by Cavaliers Head Team Physician Dr. Richard Parker at Cleveland Clinic Sports Health. The results confirmed a left knee MCL sprain. He is undergoing a period of treatment and rehabilitation and is currently projected to be out of action for four to six weeks.
His status will be updated as appropriate.
Grizzlies waive Kalin Lucas, who was receiving no playing time
|
The Memphis Grizzlies waived guard Kalin Lucas, the team announced today.
Lucas (6-1, 186) originally was signed on Sept. 25 and averaged 3.1 points and 1.0 assists on .429 shooting in 7.9 minutes in eight preseason games for Memphis before he was waived on Oct. 25. The 25-year-old was re-signed on Nov. 4 and did not appear in any regular season games.
Last season, the Michigan State product posted 15.1 points, 2.9 rebounds and 5.0 assists in 29.0 minutes in 29 games (20 starts) for the NBA Development League’s Iowa Energy, now exclusively affiliated with the Grizzlies.
Darrell Arthur suspended for shoving Dion Waiters in back during shot
 |
Denver Nuggets forward Darrell Arthur has been suspended one game without pay for shoving Cleveland Cavaliers guard Dion Waiters in the back as he elevated for a layup, it was announced today by Rod Thorn, President, Basketball Operations.
It was a dangerous move by Arthur, whose shove sent Waiters flying.
The incident, for which Arthur was assessed a Flagrant 2 and ejected, occurred with 4.4 seconds remaining in the first period of the Cavaliers’ 110-101 win over the Nuggets at Pepsi Center.
Arthur will serve his suspension on Sunday when the Nuggets travel to Portland to play the Trail Blazers.
To view the play, click on this link.
As a player, Steve Kerr was a key role player for squads that won championships. Now he’s coaching one of the key squads in the league.
Guard Jason Terry, now towards the end of his days as a player, still has skills, mostly as a backup guard at this point.
Here’s the Houston Chronicle reporting on their past:
 |
Warriors coach Steve Kerr and Rockets guard Jason Terry go back a long way. Not only did the two both play in the NBA at the same time – early in Terry’s career and near the end of Kerr’s – they also knew each other from summer pick up games in the University of Arizona gym.
“I remember when Jason first got to U of A, I was going back a lot in the summers and I played pick up ball with the guys,” Kerr, also an Arizona alum, said. “He was a sophomore and I was maybe in my fifth year in the league and you could tell he was going to be good right away.”
Terry was familiar with Kerr and would speak with him often. The two became friends over the years and have always kept in touch.
The Memphis Grizzlies today announced that rookie guard Jordan Adams and rookie forward/center Jarnell Stokes has been assigned to the NBA Development League’s Iowa Energy, the Grizzlies’ exclusive D-League affiliate. Both will be available to play in the Energy’s preseason contest tonight in Memphis against the Sioux Falls Skyforce, which tips off at 5 p.m. CT at FedExForum.
Adams (6-5, 209) was selected by Memphis in the first round (22nd overall) of the 2014 NBA Draft after two seasons at UCLA (2012-14), where he averaged 16.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.1 assists and a school-record 2.43 steals on .467 shooting in 30.2 minutes in 69 career games. Adams made his NBA debut on Nov. 3 vs. New Orleans.
The 19-year-old earned First Team All-Pac 12 honors as a sophomore with the Bruins last season, leading the team with 17.4 points and a conference-high 2.64 steals while shooting .485 from the field in 30.1 minutes in 36 games. The Atlanta native totaled a single-season school-record 95 steals, ranking second in the NCAA, and his 626 points marked the second-highest single-season total at UCLA in the last 19 seasons behind Kevin Love (681 in 2007-08).
Stokes (6-9, 263) was selected by the Utah Jazz in the second round (35th overall) of the 2014 NBA Draft and traded to Memphis on draft night for a 2016 second round draft pick. The Memphis native has not yet made his NBA regular season debut.
The 20-year-old played three years at the University of Tennessee (2011-14), averaging 13.0 points, 9.6 rebounds and 1.08 blocks on .530 shooting in 29.7 minutes in 87 games. The 20-year-old left the Volunteers ranked fourth in school history in double-doubles (40), eighth in total rebounds (836) and 14th in blocks (94). He led the Southeastern Conference in offensive rebounding in each of his final two years in Knoxville.
David Lee out with hamstring strain, for two weeks or more
 |
Golden State Warriors forward David Lee underwent an MRI yesterday that revealed a reaggravated strained left hamstring, the injury that sidelined him for the first three games of the season. He will be re-evaluated in two weeks.
Lee scored six points in his season debut before suffering the injury at the 8:51 mark of the second quarter in Wednesday’s 121-104 win over the Clippers.
The Oklahoma City Thunder has signed free agent guard Ish Smith to a contract pursuant to the NBA’s hardship rule, it was announced today by Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti.
Smith (6-0, 175) spent the 2013-14 season with Phoenix where he averaged 3.7 points, 2.6 assists, 1.8 rebounds and 14.4 minutes in 70 games (one start). An undrafted guard out of Wake Forest, Smith owns career averages of 2.9 points, 2.0 assists, 1.4 rebounds and 11.5 minutes in 191 games (eight starts) with Houston, Memphis, Golden State, Orlando, Milwaukee and Phoenix.
The Utah Jazz got quite a thrill in their home arena last night, courtesy of Gordon Hayward, who nailed a beautiful jumpshot at the buzzer to give his squad a win.
The Cleveland Cavaliers, still working to develop team chemistry, are a serious work in progress right now, but still, any win against a team with LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love on their roster is a good one.
Here’s the Deseret news reporting, followed by video of Hayward’s game-winning, buzzer-beating shot:
Sundiata Gaines has some company when it comes to the part of Utah Jazz lore that includes hitting buzzer-beating shots against LeBron James’ teams.
In a moment that encapsulated the Jazz’s better-than-expected play this fall and highlighted the progression of his career, small forward Gordon Hayward lifted the Utah Jazz to one doozy of a 102-100 win over James and the Cleveland Cavaliers with a buzzer-beating dagger.
“This is crazy. We did it for these guys (the fans). This is exciting,” Hayward said on the court in his walk-off interview as spectators screamed and streamers danced from the ceiling. “We are competitors. We fight until the end. We left it all out there tonight.” …
Hayward scored 21 points — matching center Derrick Favors’ offensive output — but none of his seven buckets will be remembered as much as the one that improved Utah to 2-3 while knocking the struggling Cavs down another notch to 1-3.
J.R. Smith suspended one game for striking Glen Rice Jr in groin
 |
New York Knicks guard J.R. Smith has been suspended one game without pay for striking Washington Wizards guard Glen Rice Jr. in the groin, it was announced today by Rod Thorn, President, Basketball Operations.
The incident occurred with 5:45 remaining in the fourth quarter of Washington’s 98-83 win over New York on Tuesday, Nov. 4, at Madison Square Garden.
Smith will serve his suspension tonight when the Knicks visit the Detroit Pistons at The Palace of Auburn Hills.
To view the play, click on this link.