New York Newsday (Alan Hahn) reports (via blog): Chris Duhon, who used to regularly log 40-to-48 minutes a game for D’Antoni earlier in the season, played just 25:44 and had five points and three assists with three turnovers. He now has 30 turnovers in his past seven games, which is a concerning average of 4.2 per game. The former Dukie is also struggling with his shooting — 22 for 56 (39.2 percent) from the floor over the past seven games — which, along with the turnovers, points to fatigue. And that doesn’t bode well for the Knicks, with seven back-to-backs (including this weekend’s, which ends tonight against the Nets)… Duhon has played with a sore back for most of the entire season. You often see him trying to stretch it before games and it’s impossible not to notice his lack of explosiveness on drives to the basket (as a result, he almost always will look to pass on the pick-and-roll play, which opponents have picked up on).
In Australia’s Finals, Chris Anstey charged with elbow strike
The National Basketball League (NBL) has announced that Melbourne Tigers’ player Chris Anstey has been cited on a charge of ‘Striking – with elbow’ and will face the NBL Tribunal.
The charge arose from an alleged incident with South Dragons’ player Rhys Carter in the third quarter of the Tigers’ Grand Final game against the Dragons at Hisense Arena on Sunday 8 March.
Anstey was charged after NBL General Manager Chuck Harmison viewed video footage of the incident and decided to refer the matter to the Tribunal.
The Melbourne Tigers have already informed the league office that they wish to have Anstey’s charge heard informally via telephone interviews.
Under League rules regarding Finals games, the charge must now be heard by NBL Tribunal Chairman Ken Madsen prior to the Tigers’ next match, which is Game Four of the Grand Final series on Wednesday 11 March at the State Netball Hockey Centre. A decision in the case is expected to be handed down no later than Wednesday morning.
Kevin Garnett out another week
The AP reports: Boston Celtics All-Star Kevin Garnett will miss at least two more games with a right knee sprain. Coach Doc Rivers said Sunday that Garnett won’t be back “earlier than next Sunday.”
InsideHoops.com note: Without KG and Rajon Rondo (minor ankle sprain), the Celtics today lost to the Orlando Magic, who are without starting point guard Jameer Nelson for the rest of the season.
Parker scores 30, Spurs beat Suns 103-98
The AP reports: Tony Parker scored 12 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter and the San Antonio Spurs sent the sliding Phoenix Suns home winless on their four-game road swing with a 103-98 victory Sunday. Parker punctuated his fourth 30-point game in his last seven outings with a win-cinching runner with 26.2 seconds left… Tim Duncan scored 17 points and helped hold Shaquille O’Neal to 14, his lowest total in his past five games. Shaq had averaged nearly 30 in his previous four outings. Roger Mason had 18 points for the Spurs and Michael Finley had 11, eight of which came in the fourth. Steve Nash led the Suns with 23 points and 11 assists. Leandro Barbosa had 20 points off the bench and hit all four of his 3-point attempts.
No Rondo, Magic beat Celtics 86-79
The AP reports: Dwight Howard scored 18 with 15 rebounds, making a pair of free throws with 13.9 seconds left to ice it after Boston cut a 22-point deficit to three, and the Magic held on to beat the Celtics 86-79 on Sunday… “It was big for (us) to see where we are for the playoffs,” said Magic forward Hedo Turkoglu, who scored 16… Rashard Lewis scored 15 and Rafer Alston had 10 points and eight assists for Orlando, which won its fourth straight… Ray Allen had 17 of his 32 points in the fourth quarter, scoring nine straight to make it 82-79 with 1:22 to play… Stephon Marbury, who made his first start since joining the Celtics on Feb. 27, started and scored four points in 20:30.
InsideHoops.com note: Rajon Rondo didn’t play. He’s out with a minor right ankle sprain.
D-Will scores 25, Jazz beat Raptors 109-101
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.”