NBA Blog: The NBA basketball news blog section of Inside Hoops
Tim Buckley of the Deseret News reports:
Jazz starting center Mehmet Okur re-injured his left Achilles’ tendon with just more than eight minutes to go in the second quarter of tonight’s Game 1 in the Utah-Denver first-round NBA playoff series.
Okur will not return for the second half, and according to the team will undergo an MRI exam Sunday.
Oklahoma City Thunder Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti announced today that the team has recalled forward Byron Mullens, guard Mustafa Shakur and guard Kyle Weaver from the Tulsa 66ers of the NBA Development League.
Mullens, who was a 2009-10 All NBA D-League Honorable Mention, appeared in four postseason contests (all starts) with the 66ers, averaging 13.3 points, 9.3 rebounds, 1.25 blocks and 26.3 minutes.
Shakur, who was named to the 2009-10 All NBA D-League Second Team, has averaged 16.0 points on 51.0% shooting from the field, 4.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2.0 steals, 1.0 block and 32.8 minutes in four postseason contests (all starts).
Weaver, has seen action in four games (all starts) in the playoffs, averaging 24.0 points on 51.7% shooting from the field and 57.1% from three-point range, 6.0 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.50 blocks in 40.5 minutes per game.
The 66ers currently trail the Iowa Energy 0-1 in the best-of-three series in the semifinals of the 2010 D-League Playoffs. The two teams square-off Sunday, April 18 in Iowa at 4:00 PM. Should it be necessary, the teams will play in a deciding game Tuesday, April 20 at 7:00 in Iowa.
The AP reports:
Georgetown center Greg Monroe is heading to the NBA, planning to hire an agent and skip his last two seasons of college eligibility.
“It was mentally what I wanted to do,” Monroe said in a statement released by the school Saturday. “I feel like I’m ready to make this step after working with our coaches for two years.”
The 6-foot-11 Monroe was a third-team AP All-American as a sophomore after averaging 16.1 points, 9.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.5 blocks this season.
ESPN reports:
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Lakers center Andrew Bynum, who missed the final 13 games of the regular season with a strained left Achilles tendon, returned to the floor for a full practice Friday for the first time since suffering the injury on March 19.
Bynum practiced with the team ahead of Sunday’s playoff opener against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Staples Center (Noon p.m. PT, ABC) and was pleased with the outcome.
“I felt very good,” he said. “Really, no pain. It went good.”
Lakers coach Phil Jackson was encouraged by Bynum’s effort. “We’re very pleased. He’s certainly not in any space where he feels like he’s back, I’m sure, but we’re pleased he was able to run and play and participate.”
The Journal Times reports:
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Bucks center Andrew Bogut met with the media after Friday’s practice and discussed his recent season-ending hand and wrist injuries.
Bogut, who suffered extensive damage after crashing to the floor after a dunk attempt in a game against the Phoenix Suns on April 3 at the Bradley Center, won’t be picking up a basketball anytime soon.
“It’s going to be a long summer rehabbing,’’ Bogut said. “It’ll be a three-to-four month rehab.’’
Considering the severity of the injuries — Bogut has large cast on his right arm — Bogut won’t be able to play for Australia in this summer’s FIBA World Championship in Turkey. The 24-team tournament runs from Aug. 28 until Sept. 12.
Bogut wouldn’t comment on his status for the World Games. An official announcement is expected to be made in the next three weeks.
Oklahoma City Thunder center Byron Mullens and guard Mustafa Shakur have been re-assigned to the Tulsa 66ers, Oklahoma City’s NBA Development League affiliate, it was announced today. The assignments are the 41st and 42nd times this season that NBA players have been assigned to an NBA D-League affiliate.
Mullens, who has appeared in 27 regular season games with the 66ers this season, rejoins the team for his third assignment of the season. During the regular season, Mullens averaged 15.0 points, 7.5 rebounds and 31.5 minutes, scoring in double figures 23 times and recording five double-doubles. He scored a regular-season high 26 points in a 124-113 road loss to the Idaho Stampede on March 19. In three playoff games for the 66ers, Mullens averaged 14.0 points, 8.3 rebounds and 25.7 minutes.
Selected by the Thunder with the 20th overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, Mullens has appeared in 13 games with Oklahoma City this season, scoring 14 points and collecting 10 rebounds in 54 minutes.
Shakur, a standout at Arizona, returns to the 66ers following an assignment on March 31, the day he was called up to the Thunder from the 66ers. In 47 regular season games, all starts, for the 66ers Shakur averaged 19.2 points, 6.9 assists and 4.5 rebounds in 37.8 minutes. During his tenure with the 66ers, Shakur scored in double figures in 44 games, recording a season-high 34 points in a 106-96 home victory over the Dakota Wizards on March 5. He dished out a season-high 14 assists on Jan. 28, in a 107-104 loss to the Iowa Energy in Tulsa. In three playoff games with Tulsa, Shakur averaged 20.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 37.3 minutes.
Currently in his second stint with the Thunder, Shakur was originally called-up by Oklahoma City on March 16, before being released on March 25.
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Portland Trail Blazers guard Brandon Roy underwent successful arthroscopic surgery today on his right knee to repair a partial tear of the meniscus, it was announced by General Manager Kevin Pritchard.
Roy, who will be sidelined for at least 1-2 weeks, will not travel with the team for the first two playoff games at Phoenix.
Dr. Don Roberts performed the knee arthroscopy this morning at Southwest Washington Medical Center in Vancouver, WA.
The Chicago Bulls’ Derrick Rose and the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Kevin Durant today were named the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Month presented by Kia Motors, respectively, for games played during April.
Rose was second in the Eastern Conference in scoring (25.4 ppg) and added 7.0 assists and 4.1 rebounds, leading the Bulls to a 6-2 record. On April 13, Rose recorded career highs in points (39) and blocks (three), to go along with seven assists and five rebounds, in a 101-93 win over Boston. Rose led the Bulls in scoring six times, including seven games of 20 or more, and averaged 30.6 points in Chicago’s final three games, all must wins for a playoff berth. On April 8, Rose tallied 24 points and 10 assists in Chicago’s 109-108 win over Cleveland.
Durant led the league in scoring (34.6 ppg) and added 7.9 rebounds, 3.4 assists 2.0 steals and 1.6 blocks. On April 3, Durant recorded 23 points, five assists, five rebounds and five steals, leading Oklahoma City to a win at Dallas and the team’s first playoff berth since 2005. Durant followed up that performance with 40 points, nine rebounds, two assists, two blocks and a steal in a win over Minnesota the following night. Durant, who became the youngest player ever to lead the NBA in scoring (30.1 ppg), had a streak of seven consecutive 30-point games to end the season.
Other nominees for Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Month presented by Kia Motors were Dallas’ Dirk Nowitzki, Indiana’s Danny Granger and Orlando’s Dwight Howard.
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Portland Trail Blazers guard Brandon Roy will undergo surgery on Friday to repair a partial meniscus tear in right knee, it was announced today by Trail Blazers General Manager Kevin Pritchard.
“This was not an easy decision to make,” said Roy. “But, if I’m going to be out there, I want to be contributing. If we’re fortunate enough to advance in the playoffs, having the surgery now gives me the best opportunity to help our team.”
Dr. Don Roberts will perform the knee arthroscopy on Friday morning at Southwest Washington Medical Center in Vancouver, WA. A timetable for Roy’s return will be set following surgery, but he’ll be sidelined for at least the first round series vs. the Phoenix Suns.
“This is a setback, but we’ve been overcoming injuries all season long,” said Pritchard. “This is about looking long-term and doing what’s best for Brandon.”
Roy left at the 5:45 mark of the second quarter of Sunday’s game at the Los Angeles Lakers after experiencing pain in his right knee.
The best-of-seven first-round series with the Suns tips off Sunday in Phoenix at 7:30 PM.
The AP reports:
Al Jefferson and Kevin Love are quality pieces of the foundation, as is Corey Brewer, who showed considerable improvement this year. But that’s not enough.
”We don’t have THE block,” president David Kahn said. ”That one block where you can build everything else around.”
They went 15-67, tying the 1991-92 Timberwolves for the worst record in franchise history. They lost 29 of their final 31 games of the season and played in front of sparse crowds that became more disillusioned as the year passed.
Now it’s time to find out if taking those lumps all season long was worth it.
”Now, it’s very hard to say we’re going to get that guy this summer, and I hope we can. … But somehow, some way over the next certain amount of time we’ve got to find our great player,” Kahn said.