Austin Daye, Carlos Delfino suspended for fighting

Detroit Pistons forward Austin Daye and Milwaukee Bucks guard Carlos Delfino have each been suspended one game without pay for their roles in an altercation that took place during Wednesday night’s preseason game, it was announced today by Stu Jackson, NBA Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations.

Daye has been suspended for striking Delfino in the face, and Delfino has been suspended for retaliating by swinging at Daye. The incident occurred with 34.1 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter of Detroit’s 113-104 win over Milwaukee at The Palace of Auburn Hills.

Daye and Delfino will serve their suspensions commencing with the first game of the 2009-10 NBA regular season in which they eligible and physically able to play.

Brandan Wright has left shoulder surgery

Brandan Wright has left shoulder surgery

Golden State Warriors forward Brandan Wright underwent successful surgery today to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder, the team announced.  Following the surgery, which was performed by Dr. James Andrews at the Andrews Institute in Gulf Breeze, Florida, Wright’s shoulder will be immobilized for up to six (6) weeks, at which point he will be re-evaluated prior to the next phase of rehabilitation.

Wright, 22, suffered the injury during practice on the evening of Friday, October 2.  A 6-9 forward, Wright appeared in 39 games last season, averaging 8.3 points and 4.0 rebounds in 17.6 minutes per contest.  He missed 41 games due to injury or illness in 2008-09, including 37 games due to injury or pain in his left shoulder.  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.

Hawks exercise option on Al Horford

al horford

The Atlanta Hawks have exercised the contract option for the 2010-11 season on center Al Horford, it was announced today by Executive Vice President/General Manager Rick Sund.

Horford has averaged nearly a double-double as he enters his third pro season, racking up 10.8 points and 9.5 rebounds, while connecting on 51 percent of his field goal attempts.  A unanimous pick for the NBA All-Rookie first team in 2007-08, he also finished second in balloting for league Rookie of the Year honors.

He paced the Hawks in FG shooting last year (53%) in addition to delivering 11.5 points, 9.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists.  In the exhibition opener Wednesday against New Orleans, Horford had 11 points and four rebounds in 18 minutes.

Francisco Garcia breaks right arm

francisco garcia

Sacramento Kings swingman Francisco Garcia today fractured his right forearm during a weight lifting session before practice. He will undergo surgery tomorrow morning. Garcia is currently in his fifth NBA season (all with the Kings).

With a career average of 9.1 points and 3.0 rebounds, Garcia has shown a nice ability to score, but he’s still best used as bench depth.

Jamaal Magloire, Jonas Jerebko suspsended for fight

Detroit Pistons forward Jonas Jerebko and Miami Heat center Jamaal Magloire have been suspended without pay for their roles in an altercation that took place during Monday night’s preseason game, it was announced today by Stu Jackson, NBA Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations.

Magloire has been suspended two games for instigating the altercation and striking Jerebko in the face, and Jerebko has been suspended one game for retaliating and striking Magloire in the face. The incident occurred with 5:04 remaining in the fourth quarter of Detroit’s 87-83 win over Miami at The Palace of Auburn Hills.

Jerebko and Magloire will serve their suspensions commencing with the first game of the 2009-10 NBA regular season in which they are eligible and physically able to play.

Allen Iverson out 3 weeks with hamstring injury

Memphis Grizzlies guard Allen Iverson will miss approximately three weeks after an MRI today revealed a partial tear in his left hamstring, the team announced today.

Iverson suffered the injury during the Grizzlies’ training camp, held in Birmingham, Ala. last week.  The 6-0, 165-pound guard did not play in the team’s preseason opener on Oct. 6 against the Washington Wizards.

A four-time NBA scoring champion and a 10-time NBA All-Star (2000-09), Iverson signed with the Grizzlies as a free agent on Sept. 10, 2009.  The 2000-01 NBA Most Valuable Player ranks second among active players in career scoring behind the Cleveland Cavaliers’ Shaquille O’Neal and 16th in NBA history with 23,983 career points in his 13 NBA seasons.

The Grizzlies host the Oklahoma City Thunder at 7 p.m. tonight in the team’s home preseason opener at FedExForum.

Oct 6: Blazers 98, Kings 86

The AP reports: Greg Oden had 18 points and nine rebounds in the Portland Trail Blazers’ 98-86 victory over the Sacramento Kings in the preseason opener for both teams on Tuesday night… LaMarcus Aldridge had 20 points for Portland and Andre Miller, signed as a free agent in the offseason, came off the bench to score 16 and heat up the competition with Steve Blake for Portland’s starting point guard spot… Rookie Tyreke Evans started for the Kings after bruising his left knee at the start of training camp. The fourth overall pick from Memphis had 12 points and five rebounds in 24 minutes.

Oct 6: Rockets 99, Spurs 85

The AP reports: Trevor Ariza scored nine points in his Rockets debut, helping Houston beat the San Antonio Spurs 99-85 on Tuesday night in the preseason opener for both teams. Carl Landry had 19 points to lead the Rockets, who are beginning the season without the cornerstones of their team. Yao Ming is out for the season after his broken left foot was slow healing, and Tracy McGrady is recovering from microfracture surgery on his left knee, and is not expect back until midseason… Rookie Chase Budinger had 15 points, Luis Scola 13 and Aaron Brooks 12 as the Rockets looked to the young players to step up.

Oct 6: Sixers 107, Raptors 98

The AP reports: Louis Williams scored 17 points, Andre Iguodala added 15 points and eight assists, and the Philadelphia 76ers held on for a 107-98 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday night. Montreal’s Samuel Dalembert added 10 points and six rebounds for the 76ers, whose 23-point lead was cut to five in the fourth quarter. Andrea Bargnani scored 22 points for the Raptors, who played without All-Star Chris Bosh and offseason addition Hedo Turkoglu. Sonny Weems had 10 points, while rookie DeMar DeRozan, Marco Belinelli and Marcus Banks had nine apiece.

Oct 6: Cavs 92, Bobcats 87

The AP reports: NBA icons, All-Stars and A-plus-list celebrities LeBron James and Shaquille O’Neal made their debut as Cleveland teammates on Tuesday night and had immediate chemistry in the Cavaliers’ 92-87 preseason-opening victory over the Charlotte Bobcats. James and O’Neal worked several pick-and-rolls, showing off a two-man game that with a little polish could be unstoppable… James, wearing a pink pair of his signature Nikes for breast cancer awareness month, scored 15 points on 5-of-7 shooting in 14 minutes. O’Neal, who said his goal is to “win a ring for the King” in Cleveland, scored six points and added three rebounds and a block in 15 minutes. Neither played in the second half.