Great Josh Smith season continues

Ken Sugiura of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports:

Great Josh Smith season continues

Through Wednesday’s games, forward Josh Smith was the only player in the NBA averaging at least 15 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists per game. Since being left out of the All-Star game, a season-long goal of Smith’s, he has been playing arguably the best basketball of his career.

Said Woodson, “He’s playing so much better right now, it’s a joke.”

Woodson said he will write letters to fellow coaches urging them to vote for Smith for the All-Defensive team, just as he wrote to Eastern Conference coaches to make the case for Joe Johnson, Al Horford, Jamal Crawford and Smith for the All-Star team. Woodson said he had never promoted his players in this way until this year.

Said Woodson, “Because we’ve never been good enough.”

Bucks raise season-ticket prices

Don Walker of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports:

Bucks raise season-ticket prices

After holding the line for three seasons, the Milwaukee Bucks are raising season-ticket prices, especially in the high-end seats.

The price for the courtside club seats located behind the benches is $119 per game for a season-ticket package, an increase of $5 a game. Some other high-end seats will go for $94 ($4 increase) and $89 ($4 increase). Some of the lower-priced season tickets are $28 ($1 increase), $18 ($1 increase) and $9 ($1 increase).

In recent years, many professional sports franchises have raised prices on seats but have generally increased prices by a higher percentage for high-end seats while trying to hold down prices on cheaper seats.

Rocky rookie season for Terrence Williams

Colin Stephenson of the Newark Star-Ledger reports:

Rocky first season for Terrence Williams

Coming off his career-high, 21-point scoring output in Wednesday’s loss to Cleveland, Nets rookie Terrence Williams was asked Thursday how he would sum up his first professional season so far.

“Rocky,’’ was the term he chose.

“I really didn’t know what to expect,” he said Thursday. “I tried to come here and use the same game that I used in college, but my shot wasn’t falling. I had to re-evaluate myself as a player and change my game to more so going to the hole, but still do the other little things that I do and love to do, as far as, like, passing, playing ‘D’ and rebounding.”

InsideHoops.com Says:

It’s tough to judge Williams just yet. He’s athletic and shows occasional flashes but for the most part has done what the majority of Nets players did this season — fairly little. In 19.4 minutes per game, Williams is averaging 6.4 points and 3.6 rebounds with 37.8% shooting from the field. But, again, it’s probably best to study his game more closely next year when the team is presumably better.

Maccabi Electra sets Euroleague single-quarter scoring record

Euroleague.net reports:

Besides sealing its ticket to the Quarterfinal Playoffs on Thursday night, Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv also set a new Euroleague record for points in one quarter with 43. Maccabi broke the previous record of 41 set almost 10 years ago and since tied once, both times in the regular season. Maccabi’s record is all the more remarkable for having come in a Top 16 game with qualification on the line and doing all the scoring when it was needed most – in the fourth quarter. Maccabi defeated Montepaschi Siena 97-82.

Thunder assign DJ White to D-League

Oklahoma City Thunder Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti announced today that the team has assigned forward DJ White to the Tulsa 66ers of the NBA Development League.

This season White is averaging 4.8 points and 1.9 rebounds in eight games for the Thunder, but he is yet to make an appearance for Oklahoma City since undergoing successful surgery on January 21st to repair an avulsion fracture in his right thumb.

White appeared in six games (six starts) for the 66ers earlier this season before being recalled by the Thunder on January 8th. In his previous D-League assignment, the 6-9 forward averaged 18.3 points, 11.2 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per contest while with Tulsa.  He tallied four double-doubles and scored 20 or more points twice.

Jason Terry needs surgery on face

Jason Terry needs surgery on face

Mavericks guard Jason Terry is scheduled for surgery tomorrow to address facial injuries sustained in last night’s game vs. Minnesota.  A timetable will be released after the surgery is performed.

Terry (6-2, 180) has averaged 17.0 points, 3.8 assists, 2.0 rebounds and 1.23 steals, while shooting 44.7% from the field and 36.4% from 3-point range.  The reigning 6th Man of the Year is the only Maverick that has played in all 62 games this season.

Wife of Allen Iverson files for divorce

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports:

Wife of Allen Iverson files for divorce

A week after the Philadelphia 76ers’ Allen Iverson announced he was leaving basketball for the rest of the season to be with his sick 4-year-old daughter, the star’s wife filed for divorce in Fulton County Superior Court.

In the divorce petition filed on Tuesday, Tawanna Iverson said her 8 ½-year-long marriage to the guard was “irretrievably broken.” In the petition, Tawanna Iverson asked for temporary and permanent custody of their five children as well as child support and alimony.

She did not ask for a specific dollar amount.

The children range in ages from 17 months to 15 years.

QUICK REACTION FROM INSIDEHOOPS.COM

This is just not Allen Iverson’s year.

In basketball, he hurt his own reputation by making it clear to the world that he’s more focused on his own individual basketball game than he is on being a part of a team, resulting in barely any squads wanting to sign him even though he was clearly more talented than the majority of free agents who were available at the time.

Of course, Iverson was always an individual force on a court. A scorer, who didn’t typically set teammates up do to any sort of special play-making ability, but certainly made their lives easier simply by drawing so much defensive attention. He was also a one-man wrecking crew who could drop 30 on anybody. He also dragged a 76ers squad into the finals that had no business making it that far. He did amazing things on a basketball court.

But, at this point in his career, his refusal to even consider coming off any team’s bench was a bad look.

The Grizzlies-Iverson experiment didn’t go well, and the team has looked very good since it ended.

He was OK on the 76ers but didn’t really help them. They’re not hot without him, though, so that’s not really on him.

But now, actual sad personal stuff: His daughter reportedly has health issues. And now his wife is calling it quits, seemingly at a rough time.

Regardless of his refusal to accept that he’s best used as a supporting scorer and no longer a foundation to build a team around, I have to root for Iverson in his off-court issues clearing up.

And as for Iverson the basketball player, it would be cool to see him latch onto a team next season, actually help them, and go out on a positive note.

— Jeff

Daniel Gibson, Keyshia Cole announce baby boy

The AP reports:

Singer Keyshia Cole and Daniel Gibson, a basketball player with the Cleveland Cavaliers, have announced the birth of their son.

Cole’s publicist, Tresa Sanders, says in a statement to The Associated Press that Daniel Hiram Gibson Jr. was born Tuesday evening. He weighs 7 pounds, 3 ounces (3.2 kilograms).

Jazz to sign Othyus Jeffers to 10-day contract

Utah Jazz general manager Kevin O’Connor announced today that the team will sign guard Othyus Jeffers (pronounced oh-THEE-us) of the NBA Development League’s Iowa Energy to a 10-day contract, pending the outcome of a successful physical.  Jeffers becomes the 18th D-League Call-Up to the NBA this season, and second by the Jazz (Sundiata Gaines).  Following the transaction, the Jazz roster now stands at 13 players.

Jeffers (6-5, 200, Robert Morris University – Chicago) is currently averaging 14.3 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.8 steals while shooting .510 from the field through 22 games (16 starts) with Iowa this season.  Jeffers has led the Energy to a D-League best 30-9 record in his second season with the team, reaching double figures in scoring 18 times and registering a double-double in four games.

He began the 2009-10 campaign with NGC Cantu of the Italian League, the same team current Jazzman Sundiata Gaines played for during the 2008-09 season.  The 24-year-old averaged 9.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.7 steals in nine games with Cantu.

A native of Chicago, he was originally selected by the Iowa Energy in the third round (47th overall) of the 2008 D-League Draft.  In his first year with Iowa (2008-09), Jeffers led the Energy to the playoffs and was named the 2009 D-League Rookie of the Year in addition to being a D-League All-Star selection.  Jeffers was also chosen to play for the D-League Select Team in the 2009 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, where he averaged 20.5 points and 7.0 rebounds.

Kings sign Garrett Temple to 10-day contract

The Sacramento Kings today signed free-agent guard Garrett Temple to a 10-day contract, according to Kings’ President of Basketball Operations Geoff Petrie.

The former Louisiana State product appeared in nine games for the Houston Rockets this season and posted averages of 5.0 ppg (.448 FG%, .667 FT%), 1.6 rpg, and 0.8 apg. Temple (6-6, 190 lbs.) is a former NBA D-League call-up, having averaged 14.9 ppg (.427 FG%, .372 3pt%, .804 FT%), 3.7 rpg and 3.4 apg in 30 games (started 30) with the 2009-10 Rio Grande Valley Vipers before joining the Rockets.

Temple will wear number 17 with the Kings.

Sacramento’s roster now stands at 15.