Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld announced today that Head Coach Flip Saunders will miss tonight’s game against Golden State due to a family emergency involving his mother.
Assistant Coach Randy Wittman will serve as head coach for tonight’s game.
Hawks recall Pape Sy from D-League
The Atlanta Hawks today recalled Pape Sy from the team’s NBA Development League affiliate Utah Flash according to Hawks Executive Vice President/General Manager Rick Sund.
Originally drafted by Atlanta in the second round (53rd overall) of the 2010 NBA Draft, Sy was assigned to the Flash on December 27. He saw action in 23 games (11 starting assignments) with Utah averaging 8.0 ppg, 3.4 rpg and 1.3 apg in 22.1 mpg (.424 FG%, .737 FT%).
Mehmet Okur still working to return from back injury
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The following is a medical update on Utah Jazz center Mehmet Okur, who has missed the last 14 Jazz games after suffering a strained lower back during the Jazz’s win over Minnesota on January 28:
Okur was seen by back specialist, Dr. Graham Hill, in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, March 1. Following his examination, Dr. Hill cleared Okur to increase and progress his on-court activity. This will continue on an “as tolerates” progression. No timeline for his return can be provided at this time.
Now in his ninth NBA season, Okur (6-11, 265, Yalova, Turkey), who missed the first 26 games of the 2010-11 campaign while recovering from an unrelated Achilles’ tendon injury, has appeared in 13 games (no starts) this season, averaging 4.9 points and 2.3 rebounds in 12.9 minutes per game. The 2007 NBA All-Star holds career averages of 13.7 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.7 assists and had played in over 92 percent of all possible regular season games, including at least 71 games per year, over his first eight seasons (94 percent since joining the Jazz in 2004-05). Okur has appeared in all 82 games for the Jazz twice, including a streak of 233 straight games played spanning from 2004-2007.
Timberwolves expected to offer Kevin Love $70 million contract extension
Kevin Love is an extremely good basketball player. You know it. I know it. The people know it. And the Minnesota Timberwolves reportedly know it.
Charley Walters of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports:
Minnesota Timberwolves All-Star Kevin Love can look forward to a contract extension offer of six years in the $70 million range once a new NBA labor deal is reached, a little birdie says.
The NBA’s collective bargaining agreement expires June 30.
Love, 22, can become a restricted free agent after the 2012-2013 season. The Wolves have no intention of letting him get that far.
Love, who is being paid $4.61 million this season and is signed for $6.1 million next season, leads the NBA in rebounding (15.5 average) and double-doubles (56, five more than Los Angeles Clippers’ Blake Griffin), and ranks 18th in scoring with a 20.9-point average.
Love said Tuesday evening that he likes Minnesota and hopes to remain here.
Keeping Love will be great for the Wolves, though they definitely need to pack more talent around him. He’s a rebounding superstar, but not a top offensive or defensive star who can carry a team into the playoffs on his own.
Read fan reaction and discuss your own opinion in this forum topic.
Dwight Howard says Orlando is the most attracive place for him
Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel reports:
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Dwight Howard better get used to more days like Tuesday.
The Record newspaper, which is based in Bergen County, N.J., reported that New Jersey Nets Principal Owner Mikhail Prokhorov and General Manager Billy King recently spoke with point guard Deron Williams and told Williams that Dwight Howard tops the list of free agents the Nets plan to pursue.
Understandably, a group of writers from New York area news outlets asked Howard before the Magic’s game against the New York Knicks if the Nets are any more “attractive” now with Williams.
“Orlando’s the most attractive place for me right now,” Howard answered, a smile on his face. “They have a sexy new arena, a beautiful franchise, nice banners around here and been in the top four in the Eastern Conference for the past four years. Yes, Orlando’s the most attractive place right now.”
Raymond Felton describes his game
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Chris Dempsey of the Denver Post reports:
Ask Felton what his greatest attribute as a basketball player is and he’ll hit you with one word: leader.
“When you talk about my game, you might say I’m fast off the dribble, I can get in the paint, I pass the ball, whatever. Tenacious defender,”
Felton said Tuesday. “One thing people always say about me is I’m a leader, and that’s what I’ve always been. So, I keep that role everywhere I go.”
And that’s good for the Nuggets. When the 6-foot-1 Felton arrived in Denver a week ago as part of the blockbuster Carmelo Anthony trade with New York, Felton, 26, said Nuggets coach George Karl told him his first task was to lead.
Felton’s leadership showed up big Monday night in a victory over Atlanta, when he took over in the fourth quarter of what was a close game. In the final period, he scored 11 points, grabbed three rebounds and had three assists as the Nuggets pulled away late.
Grizzlies beat Spurs 109-93
The AP reports:
Darrell Arthur and Zach Randolph scored 21 points each and the Memphis Grizzlies took advantage of poor ball handling by San Antonio to defeat the Spurs 109-93 on Tuesday night.
Tony Allen added 20 points, missing only one of his nine shots, and Mike Conley had 18 points and nine assists as Memphis won its season-best fifth straight home game.
Gary Neal was the only Spur to finish in double figures with 14 points. Starters Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and DeJuan Blair had nine points apiece, as they sat out the fourth quarter.
The Spurs (49-11) were playing their first game without starting point guard Tony Parker, who is expected to miss two to four weeks after suffering a strained left calf when the Spurs beat Memphis 95-88 on Saturday night.
San Antonio committed 22 turnovers in the game, one short of its season high.
Timberwolves, Eddy Curry reach buyout agreement
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The Minnesota Timberwolves today announced that the team and recently-acquired center Eddy Curry have agreed to terms on a contractual buyout. Subsequently, the team has placed Curry on waivers. Per team policy, terms of the buyout agreement were not disclosed.
The Timberwolves acquired Curry from New York on Feb. 22 along with Anthony Randolph, cash considerations and a future second-round draft pick from Denver as part of a three-team trade that sent Corey Brewer to the Knicks and Kosta Koufos to the Nuggets. Curry did not appear in a game for the Wolves following the trade.
Knicks re-sign Jared Jeffries
New York Knickerbockers President of Basketball Operations Donnie Walsh announced today that forward Jared Jeffries has been re-signed as a free agent.
Jeffries, 6-11, 240-pounds, returns to New York with career averages of 5.2 points on .431 shooting, 4.3 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 0.50 blocks over 22.8 minutes in 528 games (322 starts). He played in 18 games for Houston this season, averaging 1.5 points and 1.9 rebounds over 7.7 minutes.
The Bloomington, IN native originally signed with New York as a free agent on Aug. 8, 2006, appearing in 236 games (135 starts) with the Knicks, averaging 4.5 points on .434 shooting, 4.0 rebounds and 1.3 assists over 22.9 minutes, before being traded to Houston on Feb. 18, 2010.
Wizards waive Al Thornton
Washington Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld announced today that the team has waived forward Al Thornton after coming to an agreement on a contract buyout.
“The additions of Rashard Lewis and Mo Evans combined with Josh Howard’s return from injury gave us a logjam at the small forward spot,” said Grunfeld. “Coming to terms on a contract buyout with Al was mutually beneficial, as it allows us to clear space in the rotation and allows him the chance to pursue an opportunity with another team.”
Thornton was originally acquired from the L.A. Clippers in a three-team, six-player deal on February 17, 2010. He appeared 49 games for the Wizards this season, averaging 8.0 points and 3.2 rebounds.