Don Nelson to use Acie Law as small forward

The Golden State Warriors have lots of talented small and medium-sized players, and not a lot of good big dudes. Which is why they tend to play small-ball. But coach Don Nelson tends to take that concept to a whole other level.

Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle reports:

The Warriors were already planning on playing small for stretches, but no one saw this coming. Nelson said this week that 6-foot-3, 202-pound Acie Law would get the majority of his minutes at small forward.

“He’s a natural there. He’s just small,” Nelson said. “But I think that’s about the only spot I have unless there’s an injury or something.”

Law is one of five point guards under contract with the Warriors.

A 6-foot-3, 202-pound player at small forward? I am 6-3 and around 205 pounds, which means in Don Nelson’s system I might be a slightly undersized power forward and play alongside “center” Corey Maggette.

Kevin Love out six weeks with broken left hand

Kevin Love out six weeks with broken left hand

The AP reports: Minnesota forward Kevin Love fractured a bone in his left hand during the Timberwolves’ 94-90 preseason loss to the Chicago Bulls on Friday night and will likely miss about six weeks.

InsideHoops.com editor says: The report says Love’s hand hit Oleksiy Pecherov’s elbow, causing the injury. This obviously hurts the Timberwolves, who rely on Love as one of their key young building blocks. It puts even more pressure on Al Jefferson, who already receives huge attention from defenders.

Trail Blazers exercise four player options

The Portland Trail Blazers exercised their fourth-year option on center Greg Oden and third-year options on the contracts of guard/forward Rudy Fernandez, forward Nicolas Batum and guard Jerryd Bayless.

The moves, announced today by General Manager Kevin Pritchard, keep all four players under contract through the 2010-11 season.

Portland selected Oden with the No. 1 overall pick and acquired Fernandez via trade in the 2007 NBA Draft.

The Trail Blazers acquired Batum and Bayless in 2008 draft day trades.

NBA fines Stan Van Gundy for public criticism of replacement refs

NBA fines Stan Van Gundy for public criticism of replacement refs

Orlando Magic head coach Stan Van Gundy has been fined $35,000 for publicly criticizing game officials, it was announced today by Stu Jackson, Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations.

Van Gundy was fined for comments he made that appeared on Thursday, October 15.

The Orlando Magic have also been fined $35,000 for Van Gundy’s actions.

Reggie Evans sprains left foot

Raptors forward Reggie Evans sustained a left mid-foot sprain during the second quarter of Wednesday’s game against Boston in Hartford, Connecticut. No timetable has been set for his return to game action, although it is likely that he misses the remainder of the preseason.

Evans has averaged 7.2 points, 4.8 rebounds and 16.8 minutes in five preseason games. He had a high of 11 points October 9 at Minnesota and nine rebounds October 7 versus Philadelphia.

LeBron James has the flu

The AP reports: LeBron James didn’t get any sympathy from his teammates when he came back to work after spending two days sick in bed. They ran the other way. “You come back around and everyone is like, ‘Ugh, you got the cooties,'” James said Thursday. “They don’t want to be around you.” James and two Cleveland teammates have tested positive for Influenza A, and are being treated as if they have the H1N1 virus by the Cavaliers, who are being proactive in dealing with a flu bug that already has sickened six players.

InsideHoops.com editor says: Maybe LeBron is faking it because he was afraid of having to see DeShawn Stevenson’s crazy tattoos.

Flip Murray out for rest of preseason

The Charlotte Bobcats announced today that guard Ronald “Flip” Murray will miss the remainder of the team’s preseason games due to a left shin injury. Murray missed Monday’s preseason game at Atlanta with inflammation in that area. He was evaluated on Tuesday by team physician Dr. Glenn Perry, who concluded that Murray shows early signs of a stress reaction.

No timetable has been set for his return and the team will continue to monitor and limit his activity until the injury improves. During his senior season at Shaw University (2000), Murray suffered a stress fracture and had a steel rod placed in the tibia bone.

The Bobcats will travel to Los Angeles this weekend to take on the Lakers on Saturday, Oct. 17, and either the Clippers or Utah Jazz on Sunday, Oct. 18, at Staples Center.

NBA fines Larry Brown, Lionel Hollins for behavior towards replacement refs

Memphis Grizzlies head coach Lionel Hollins and Charlotte Bobcats head coach Larry Brown have each been fined for improper conduct towards game officials, it was announced today by Stu Jackson, Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations.

Hollins has been fined $25,000 for publicly criticizing game officials following the Grizzlies loss to the Orlando Magic on October 12 at FedEx Forum.

Brown has been fined $35,000 for verbally abusing game officials and failing to leave the court in a timely manner following his ejection with 3:23 remaining in the third quarter of Charlotte’s game vs. Atlanta game on October 12 at Philips Arena.  Brown has been fined an additional $25,000 for publicly criticizing the referees following the game.

The Charlotte Bobcats have also been fined $60,000 for Brown’s actions.

Warriors exercise options on Brandan Wright and Anthony Randolph

Warriors exercise options on Brandan Wright and Anthony Randolph

The Golden State Warriors announced today that the team has exercised the fourth-year contract option on forward Brandan Wright and the third-year contract option on forward Anthony Randolph, which are both for the 2010-11 NBA season.

Wright, 22, underwent successful surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder on October 9 and will have his shoulder immobilized for up to six (6) weeks, at which point he will be re-evaluated prior to the next phase of rehabilitation.  A 6-10 forward, Wright appeared in 39 games last season, averaging 8.3 points and 4.0 rebounds in 17.6 minutes per contest.  Overall in two NBA seasons, the University of North Carolina product has appeared in 77 games, averaging 6.2 points, 3.3 rebounds and 13.8 minutes per contest.

Randolph, 20, appeared in 63 games last season, averaging 7.9 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.17 blocks in 17.9 minutes during a rookie campaign in which he was the youngest player in the NBA.  The 6-11 forward started 22 games last season, averaging 10.6 points, 8.5 rebounds and 25.7 minutes in those assignments.

Under the terms of the NBA’s current collective bargaining agreement, the first two years of a first round draft pick’s contract are guaranteed, while the third and fourth year of the contract are the team’s option.  Wright was selected with the eighth overall selection in the 2007 NBA Draft by the Charlotte Bobcats and later acquired by Golden State, while Randolph was selected by the Warriors with the 14th pick in the 2008 NBA Draft.