NBA Blog: The NBA basketball news blog section of Inside Hoops
The Sacramento Kings announced today that center Brad Miller will miss the remaining five games of the 2007-08 season due to a stress fracture in his left fibular head and a bone chip in his right elbow.
Miller, currently in his 10th NBA season and fifth with the Kings, is averaging 13.4 ppg (.463 FG%, .311 3PT%, .848 FT%), 9.5 rpg, 3.7 apg, 1.0 spg, 1.0 bpg and 34.9 mpg in 72 contests in 2007-08.
Seattle SuperSonics General Manager Sam Presti announced today second-year center Mouhamed Sene suffered a torn lateral meniscus in his right knee during last Friday’s Idaho Stampede game at Bakersfield of the NBA Development League. The extent of the injury was revealed in an MRI performed yesterday. The team is in the process of scheduling surgery.
Sene appeared in 13 games for the Sonics this season, averaging 2.3 points and 1.2 rebounds in 4.8 minutes per contest. Sene also appeared in 27 games for the Idaho Stampede this season, averaging 12.4 points and 9.0 rebounds in 28.2 minutes per game. The 10th overall pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, Sene has appeared in 41 regular season games in his two seasons with the Sonics and holds career averages of 2.0 points and 1.2 rebounds.
The Miami Heat announced today that they have signed forward Kasib Powell for the remainder of the season. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Powell, a 6’7”, 215-pound forward, has appeared in six games (three starts) for the Heat averaging 6.8 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.33 steals in 25.7 minutes of action. He scored a career-high 15 points at Indiana on Mar. 31 surpassing his previous career-high of 14 points which he set earlier this season at New York on Mar. 26. Additionally, in his three starts with the Heat, Powell has averaged 7.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.67 steals and 2.3 assists in 35.7 minutes of action.
Powell, the 2007-08 NBA Development League MVP, was re-signed after the Heat was granted an injury exemption from the NBA for forward Shawn Marion. Powell was originally signed to a 10-day contract with the Heat on Mar. 22.
The Heat roster currently stands at 17.
The Deseret Morning News (Tim Buckley) reports: Carlos Boozer was asked Monday about the NBA MVP candidacy of New Orleans Hornets point guard Chris Paul, whom the Jazz will see tonight. The Jazz’s All-Star power forward opted instead to endorse another Western Conference guard, Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant. “For what (Paul) does for that team, and the way he affects it, I think (he’s a deserving candidate),” Boozer said. “I think Kobe’s the favorite. If I had to give it to somebody I’d give it to Kobe, or Kevin Garnett because of what he did for Boston. “But I’m not taking anything away from Chris Paul,” he added. “Those are my two. Maybe even (Cleveland’s) LeBron (James) may be ahead of (Paul) a little bit, even though (James’) team has lost a little (too much) for me. Great player, though.”
The Philadelphia Daily News (Phil Jasner) reports: He said the 76ers would make the playoffs. He said they would be in the top five in the East. He said they would finish the regular season with the No. 4 seed. Samuel Dalembert swears he said all of those things. As it turns out, he was closer to the truth than virtually anyone who predicted anything about the Sixers. Dead last? Struggling to win 20 to 25 games? Preparing for one more lonely ride up the New Jersey Turnpike to the lottery? None of the above. Going into tomorrow night’s game against the Detroit Pistons, the Sixers are already holding 39 victories, four more than all of last season. Instead of playing for pride or incentive bonuses or new contracts, they are battling for postseason positioning.
The Boston Globe (Marc Spears) reports: Kevin Garnett’s résumé has a lot more than pro basketball player on it. Garnett worked at Burger King, manned a cash register at a restaurant called Cheers, worked at an Ingles Markets grocery store, and mowed lawns while growing up in South Carolina. He mopped gym floors at a Boys’ and Girls’ Club his senior year in high school in Chicago. But of all the jobs he has held – including playing for the Minnesota Timberwolves – he says his current gig with the Celtics is the least taxing. “Since I’ve been 14, I’ve probably had seven jobs, and since I’ve been working, this is the most rest I’ve ever had in my life,” said the Celtics forward yesterday. “It’s so much that I don’t know what to do with myself. It’s coming at a great time. “You put your heart and soul in this. I’m staying afloat being a vet, being a leader. It’s been good. It’s coming at the right time for this team.”
The Seattle Post-Intelligencer (Gary Washburn) reports: Without question Jeff Green entered the league with an NBA body, lofty résumé from Georgetown University and the tag of the Sonics’ small forward of the future. Just recently has Green lived up to those high expectations, and the pinnacle occurred Sunday night when he dropped 35 points on the defenseless Denver Nuggets in a 151-147 double-overtime win. Green’s numbers have improved exponentially since the All-Star Break. He is averaging 13.5 points, 5.1 rebounds and nearly 39 percent 3-point shooting in the past 26 games compared with 8.6 points, 4.5 rebounds and 15 percent shooting from the 3-point line in the first 49.
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Jeff Caplan) reports: Avery Johnson continues to emphasize the importance for Jason Kidd using dribble penetration to break down defenses. “He’s not programmed necessarily to do those things,” Johnson said. “But we keep prodding him, and we keep talking to him.” After Kidd failed to get off a shot in the second half of Friday’s 112-108 loss to the Lakers, he continued to attack in the decisive fourth quarter against the Suns. Twice he drove past Steve Nash, missing the first layup, but he finished a critical driving layup with 2:51 to play to put the Mavs up by six. Kidd, who Dirk Nowitzki called too unselfish at times, said Kidd’s getting more comfortable with creating for himself.
On Sunday, after the Knicks, playing at home in New York, upset the Orlando Magic, Isiah Thomas was pretty funny in the post-game press conference.
Not during regular game and team discussion, but at the very end of the conference. A reporter asked about Isiah’s memories of playing against Patrick Ewing, a Magic assistant coach and soon-to-be member of the Hall of Fame.
Isiah thought about it, and with a big grin revealed that the prominent thought that comes to mind when reflecting on Ewing’s basketball career is sweat. Reporters were amused.
I was tempted to ask if Isiah ever remembered slipping and falling due to pools of Ewing’s sweat on the floor, but held back.
Los Angeles Clippers guard Shaun Livingston had his left knee re-examined on Monday, April 7 by Dr. James Andrews of the Alabama Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Center in Birmingham, Alabama.
Dr. Andrews examination revealed that Livingston still has some tendinitis that is showing improvement. He will be allowed to pick up the intensity of his on-court workouts by the end of the season. Livingston will continue to maintain strength work and progress with his workouts.
Livingston was originally injured during the first quarter of the Clippers win over the Charlotte Bobcats on February 26, 2007 at STAPLES Center, when he suffered tears to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), medial collateral ligament (MCL) and lateral meniscus. Livingston also suffered a patella dislocation, in addition to a tibia/femoral dislocation. Andrews performed the surgery to repair the injuries on March 13, 2007 at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Birmingham.