The AP reports: Struggling to wake up when the game began, the Utah Jazz were wide-eyed and ready to go once the fourth quarter arrived. Deron Williams had 25 points and nine assists, Mehmet Okur had 19 points and 11 rebounds, and the Utah Jazz beat the Toronto Raptors 109-101 on Sunday for their 11th straight win… Kyle Korver matched a season-high with 20 points despite a fitful, and brief, night of rest… Paul Millsap had 18 points and 11 rebounds, and Andrei Kirilenko scored 18 for the Jazz, who have won eight straight over Toronto… Chris Bosh had 30 points and 10 rebounds for the Raptors, with Andrea Bargnani scoring 20 and Jose Calderon adding 10 points and 11 assists.
Jazz assign two to D-League
Utah Jazz general manager Kevin O’Connor announced Saturday that the team has assigned second-year guard Morris Almond and second-year center Kyrylo Fesenko to the Utah Flash of the NBA Development League (D-League). The two are expected to be in uniform as the Flash host the Idaho Stampede on Monday, March 9 at 7:00 p.m.
In 25 games this season (one start) the 6-6, 215 pound Almond has averages of 3.7 points, 1.4 rebounds and 0.3 assists. Almond has been inactive 19 times this season and DNP-CD 18 games. The guard notched a career-high 12 points and six rebounds in a 99-94 win on December 2 at Sacramento.
Selected by the Jazz out of Rice in the first round (25th overall selection) of the 2007 NBA Draft, Almond secured his place in the D-League record books last season when he broke the league single-game scoring record with a 53-point performance on Jan. 30 at Bakersfield. Almond also earned the inaugural NBA Development League Impact Player of the Year Award which is given to a player who joins a D-League team following the start of the season. The award honors an athlete who made the greatest contribution following his in-season acquisition.
In 18 games this season (one start) the 7-1, 278 pound Fesenko has averages of 2.4 points, 1.8 rebounds and 0.2 assists. Fesenko has been inactive 30 times this season and DNP-CD 14 games. His best outing of the season came at Houston on December 12 when he picked up his first career double-double, scoring 12 points with 11 rebounds in 34 minutes of action. Fesenko, who makes his second trip to the D-League this season, was last assigned to the Flash on January 6 and appeared in eight games (all starts), averaging 12.5 points, 9.6 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 27.3 minutes per contest.
Originally selected by Philadelphia in the second round (38th overall selection) of the 2007 NBA Draft, the Jazz acquired Fesenko’s rights in a draft night deal that sent the draft rights to Herbert Hill (55th overall pick) and trade considerations to the 76ers.
Shaun Livingston joins Tulsa in D-League
The Tulsa 66ers announced today they have acquired the fourth overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft, point guard Shaun Livingston.
Livingston, at 6 foot 7 inches, has played in 149 regular season NBA games, including 60 starts for the Los Angeles Clippers from 2004-07. He played in four games for the Miami Heat earlier this season. He has career averages of 7.3 points, 4.7 assists, 3.1 rebounds while shooting 44 percent from the field and 71 percent from the free throw line.
The Peoria, Illinois native led Peoria Central High to Class AA state titles in both 2003 and 2004 and was named Illinois Mr. Basketball as a senior in 2003-04, while also named to the 2004 McDonald’s All-America Team. Livingston became the fourth Illinois Mr. Basketball to jump directly from high school to the NBA, joining Darius Miles, Kevin Garnett and Eddy Curry.
Livingston will wear jersey number 14, and will be in uniform for tonight’s game against the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. In order to make room on the roster for Livingston, the 66ers released guard Derrick Dial due to an injury.
Tyrus Thomas sets a Bulls blocks record
The Chicago Tribune reports on Bulls forward Tyrus Thomas: The third-year forward set a franchise record Friday night by blocking at least one shot in his 24th consecutive game. The previous record of 23 had been shared with Ben Wallace (Jan.-March 2007) and Jawann Oldham (March-April 1985). Thomas set the mark with a second-quarter block of Luc Mbah a Moute’s layup attempt. During the streak, Thomas, who had two blocks Friday, has 49 overall.
Josh Smith and Mike Woodson have issues
There were rumors in the past that Atlanta Hawks forward Josh Smith and coach Mike Woodson have a bit of a problem. Nothing crazy, but things flare up every now and then. That’s become clear recently, especially Friday in Charlotte.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Sekou Smith) reports:
And Hawks coach Mike Woodson benched starting power forward Josh Smith after halftime, the result of a heated disagreement between the two in the locker room during the break. Smith refused to comment after the game, and Woodson said it was a “coach’s decision” and that Smith’s status for tonight’s game against Detroit would be determined later. “That was coach’s call,” Hawks captain Joe Johnson said. “This is coach’s team. Whoever he wants to play plays, and if he doesn’t want you to play, you don’t play.” … “Josh played well in the first half,” Mo Evans said. “It didn’t have nothing to do with his basketball playing abilities. It’s the off-the-court, internal stuff that causes all the drama.”
Eddy Curry returns to practice
The New York Post (Marc Berman) reports: Knicks center Eddy Curry was back on the practice court for the first time in nearly two months yesterday, but Mike D’Antoni made it clear he likely won’t be back in the rotation. Curry, who last practiced Jan. 9 in Houston because of a lack of conditioning and two sore knees, has played two minutes and 38 seconds this season. He could suit up tonight versus the Bobcats. But his role now – and for the forseeable future – is to play garbage time as the Knicks immerse themselves in a playoff race, two games out of eighth place in the Eastern Conference. They have no time to experiment with their 6-foot-11, 300-pound former franchise player, who has become an albatross – by far Isiah Thomas’ worst personnel move.
Lakers notch 50th victory against Minnesota
The AP reports: Some nights, it’s about nothing more than just getting through the game for the Los Angeles Lakers. That was certainly the case Friday, when Kobe Bryant scored 23 points, Pau Gasol added 21 and the Lakers beat the slumping Minnesota Timberwolves 110-90 to become the first NBA team to reach 50 victories… Ryan Gomes scored 20 points and rookie Kevin Love added 18 points and 14 rebounds for Minnesota, which dropped its eighth in a row and fell to 10-20 on the road. Sebastian Telfair had 18 points after missing the last two games with a sore right groin… Mbenga tied his career high with five of the Lakers’ 14 blocked shots. They also had eight steals against a Minnesota team that is missing Al Jefferson and got zero points from Mike Miller in nearly 33 minutes.
Williams rallies Jazz past Nuggets
The AP reports: Trailing Denver by 19 points, the Jazz were a mess—turning the ball over repeatedly and making just half of their foul shots until something sparked Utah just before halftime. Utah scored 17 straight points over the end of the second period and beginning of the third and rallied for a 97-91 victory over the Nuggets on Friday night… Deron Williams scored 12 of his 25 points in the third quarter and also had 11 assists, his 11th straight game with 10 or more… J.R. Smith led Denver with 27 points. Carmelo Anthony was in foul trouble much of the game and finished with 20. Chauncey Billups added 12 points for the Nuggets, who knew they blew a great chance to win a division game on the road.
Brooks’ career night carries Rockets over Suns
The AP reports: Forget Yao Ming vs. Shaquille O’Neal. Aaron Brooks and Steve Nash put on the real show in Houston on Friday night. Brooks scored a career-high 30 points and drove past O’Neal for the winning basket in the Rockets’ 116-112 win over the Phoenix Suns. Nash shook off a poor first half to score a season-high 32 points, but the Suns dropped their fourth straight road game. O’Neal scored 17 on his 37th birthday for Phoenix, which slipped three games behind Dallas in the race for the No. 8 playoff spot in the West… Nash went 1-for-10 from the field in the first half and said he was bothered by the sprained right ankle that kept him out three games. He went 13-for-17 with nine assists in the second half, single-handedly keeping Phoenix close.
Gooden sits as Spurs roll over Wizards
The AP reports: Drew Gooden left the Chicago Bulls and their losing record last month before spending a couple weeks in woeful Sacramento. Watching his first game with the San Antonio Spurs on Friday night, Gooden said he can get used to this kind of winning. Tony Parker scored 19 points, Michael Finley had 12 and the Spurs treated Gooden to a dominant performance in a 100-78 victory over the Washington Wizards while San Antonio’s newest power forward sat on the bench in street clothes… Ime Udoka scored 13 points and reserve George Hill had 12 for San Antonio. The Spurs are more likely to have their hands full Sunday against Phoenix, and Thursday when they host the Los Angeles Lakers in the final meeting of the West’s top two teams.