Heat sign Bobby Jones to 10-day contract

The Miami HEAT announced today that they have signed free agent forward Bobby Jones to a 10-day contract. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Jones, a 6’7”, 215-pound forward, has appeared in 80 NBA games (seven starts) averaging 2.9 points and 1.5 rebounds while shooting 43.9 percent from the field in 8.6 minutes of action. During the current 2007-08 season, Jones appeared in four games with the Houston Rockets, nine games (two starts) with the Memphis Grizzlies and 23 games with the Denver Nuggets. Prior to that, during the 2006-07 season, Jones appeared in 44 games (five starts) with the Philadelphia 76ers.

Jones was originally drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves with the 37th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft. His rights were then traded to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for a second round pick in the 2007 NBA Draft and cash considerations. Jones played four seasons at the University of Washington appearing in 125 career games (106 starts) and averaged 9.8 points and 4.9 rebounds. He earned Honorable Mention All-Pac-10 honors as a senior and finished as the 20th all-time leading scorer in Washington history with 1,226 points while also ranking fourth all-time with 134 career steals.

Eric Snow out 4-6 weeks

Cavaliers guard Eric Snow is expected to be Out for approximately four to six weeks due to arthritic-related symptoms in his left knee. He will undergo medical treatments and rehabilitation during that time period and his status will be updated as appropriate. Snow underwent surgery on his left knee in early October this season to repair a torn medial meniscus. He completed his rehabilitation process and was activated by the Cavaliers for their November 20th game vs. Milwaukee in Cleveland.

InsideHoops gets no Save The Sonics e-mail

By InsideHoops.com editor Jeff Lenchiner

We at InsideHoops get lots of fan mail. Sometimes it’s people helping out with the depth charts, or reminding us to please update a feature. Questions about the league. Opinions about this and that. And then, of course, each day there are emails sent to me from hundreds of beautiful women, asking me to date them, telling me how they love my combination of good looks, fame and amazing lifestyle of travel, sports and fun. This is all expected.

Yet, no one has ever gotten in touch with us about saving the Sonics. Ever. What’s up with that? Just yesterday I got about five emails from some Hawks fans. And two from Clippers fans. Hawks and Clippers fans! Several of them! Yet, nothing about the Sonics or keeping them in Seattle. Who runs the ‘Save the Sonics’ movement? I know one movement is run by a dude named Brian. Never heard from him, though. Are there any other such movements out there? Grassroots stuff. If so, go to the insidehoops.com message board and post about it. Or, if it’s actually big and worthy of attention, email it to me. Go to InsideHoops.com and click ‘contact us’ and you’ll see what to do.

Mavericks notes after destroying Knicks 108-79

With 10 points (2-6 FGs, 6-6 FTs) tonight, Malik Allen produced his highest scoring output since 14 points at SAC (1/22) when he was a member of the Nets.

Dallas improved to 16-2 and when shooting at least 50% from the field. Tonight, the Mavericks shot 52.6% (41-78 FGs, 2-6 3FGs) from the field.

New York’s Renaldo Balkman left the bench with 7:30 to go in the 4th quarter (back spasms) and did not return.

The Mavericks dished out a season-high tying 32 assists (led by Jason Kidd’s 9).

The Knicks scored only 31 1st half points – an opponent season low for the 1st half – on 26.1 percent field goal shooting (12-46 FGs, 2-7 3FGs).

The 26.1 percent set an opponent low for FG shooting in a half.

Over the last 2 games, the Mavs are holding their opponents to just 32.5 points in the 1st half. (NJ shot a then-season-low 37.9% FG)

Tonight’s attendance was 20,203 fans (19,200 capacity). The Mavs have sold out 265 consecutive regular season games at AAC and 303 games including the postseason. Dallas currently owns the longest running sellout streak in the NBA. The Sacramento Kings previously held the streak but failed to sellout their home opener this season. The Mavs are now ranked #10 on the all-time NBA sellout streak list.

Rockets notes after beating Nets 91-73

Tonight’s attendance of 18,271 marks Houston’s 20th sellout at Toyota Center this season.

Houston won 91-73 to capture its 19th victory in a row (1/29/08-3/10/08), which matches the third longest winning streak in NBA history: 33 by the L.A. Lakers (11/5/71-1/7/1972), 20 by the Milwaukee Bucks (2/6/71-3/8/71) and 19 by the L.A. Lakers (2/4/00-3/13/00).

The Rockets have actually won their last 10 consecutive games by a double-digit margin (2/21/08-3/10/08), which equals the all-time record of 10 by the Washington Capitols in Dec. 1946 and 10 by the New Jersey Nets in Jan.-Feb. 2004.

The Nets scored the opening basket of the game, which marked the first time since the 2005-06 campaign that the Nets have held any kind of lead over the Rockets. New Jersey took a 90-77 win at Houston (3/13/06) in the second meeting that season. Houston then scored the opening points in the next three outings and never trailed in any of those games with New Jersey (12/27/06, 3/9/07 and 12/7/07).

Houston kept New Jersey to just 24-of-79 (.304) from the floor to set the 2007-08 opponent lows for field goals made and field goal percentage. The previous lows were 25 field goals (done twice: last 1/25/08 at Portland) and .313 shooting by the Wizards at Houston (2/26/08). The Rockets also held the Nets to 28 points on .209 (9-43 FG) shooting in the first half to set Houston’s opponent low in field goal percentage for a half, eclipsing the .213 (10-47 FG) mark set by the Wizards in the first half at Houston (2/26/08). Houston also limited New Jersey to an opponent quarter-low .158 (3-19 FG) from the floor in the second stanza, surpassing a .167 mark set by the Hornets in the second quarter at New Orleans (2/22/08).

Tonight was the third time this season that Houston has held an opponent to fewer than 30 points in a half. The Rockets gave up just 29 second-half points to the Trail Blazers at Portland (1/25/08) and limited the Wizards to a franchise-low 23 points in the first half vs. Washington (2/26/08).

New Jersey went 0-for-6 from downtown to become Houston’s third opponent this season to go scoreless from beyond the arc. Minnesota was held 0-for-6 from downtown at Houston (1/11/08) and Atlanta was 0-for-5 from 3-point range at Houston (2/9/08).

Tracy McGrady finished with game-high 19 points and four assists, including a 13-point third quarter.

Rafer Alston had 12 points and three assists, snapping his string of consecutive 20-point outings at three games.

Steve Novak registered a career-high 11 points (4-6 FG, 3-4 3FG), surpassing his 10-point (4-4 FG, 2-2 3FG) outing vs. Utah (1/27/08).

Dikembe Mutombo posted six rebounds and a season-high five blocks. Mutombo has now upped his total to 17 blocked shots (2.43 bpg) over his seven starts for Yao Ming.

With a game-high 10 rebounds tonight, Chuck Hayes picked up his 25th career double-digit rebounding performances and his seventh of this season.

Vince Carter finished with a team-high 13 points and three assists. Carter, who topped the Nets with 32 points at New Jersey (12/7/07), had almost the same number of points in that game as the top three New Jersey scorers from tonight’s outing (35 combined points: Carter-13, Jefferson-12 and Harris-10).

Warriors recall Kosta Perovic and assign Patrick O’Bryant to D-League

The Golden State Warriors have recalled rookie center Kosta Perović from the Bakersfield Jam of the NBA Development League and assigned second-year center Patrick O’Bryant to the Jam, Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Mullin announced today.
 
Perović, 23, returns from his second assignment to the D-League this season, the latest of which began on March 3.  During his latest stint with the Jam, the 7-2 center played in two games, averaging 13.5 points and 18.5 rebounds in 35.0 minutes per contest – having tallied 16 points and 18 rebounds against Anaheim on March 7, as well as 11 points and 19 rebounds against Iowa on March 9.  In 21 games overall this season with the Jam, Perović has averaged 9.3 points and 7.0 rebounds in 23.0 minutes per contest.
 
O’Bryant, 21, is being assigned to the Jam for the first time this season.  He has appeared in 22 games for Golden State this season, averaging 1.5 points and 1.3 rebounds in 4.3 minutes per contest.  The 7-0 center appeared in 25 games for the Jam during his rookie season in 2006-07, averaging 12.0 points, 9.6 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 2.88 blocks in 29.6 minutes per contest.
 
Perović and O’Bryant are the only two Warriors player to be assigned to the D-League since the current affiliation system began during the 2005-06 season.  Under the system, NBA teams can assign up to two players who are rookies or in their second season to their D-League affiliate. Players can stay with the D-League team for as long as the team wishes, and be recalled back to the NBA at any time. However, a player can only be sent to the D-League a maximum of three times during the season.

Heat waive Smush Parker

The Miami HEAT announced today that they have requested waivers on guard Smush Parker.

No word yet on the exact buyout agreement, but we’ll post it here and on our rumors page when it’s known.

There is no guarantee Parker gets signed by another team. Not after such public disagreements with Pat Riley and Lakers coach Phil Jackson, two of the game’s most respected coaches.

Parker, who was signed as a free agent by the HEAT on July 27, 2007, appeared in nine games for Miami this season, averaging 4.8 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 20.3 minutes per game.
 
The HEAT roster currently stands at 14 players.

Antawn Jamison speaks

Antawn Jamison on the current home stand: “This is one of the last home stands of the season.  This is an opportunity for us to get some home cooking.  We play a game and get a day off after every game.  At this point in the season, you don’t get many opportunities like that.  Hopefully we can get some healthy bodies out on the court as well.  We can really start to see what type of team we’re going to be heading into the next month and hopefully the playoffs.”

Antawn Jamison on Caron Butler’s play in practice: “He looks quick.  He looks lively.  The key is how he feels later on tonight.  I think he’ll give it another practice before he plays in a game.  He looked pretty good.  We’re going to see what happens once he gets some ice on him and gets an opportunity to rest.”

Antawn Jamison on Caron Butler and Gilbert Arenas: “It’s good to see those guys moving around and getting closer and closer to playing.  We’d like to see them out there but we’ve got to be patient.  It’s almost like Christmas…you’re counting down the days until you can finally open the presents.  It would be nice to see number zero and number three out there on the basketball court.”

Houston Rockets notes

27-3: Houston is 27-3 over its last 30 games, registering 27 wins over a 30-game span within a single season for the first time ever in the club’s history.

Beyond the Arc: Houston connected on 14-of-34 (.412) from beyond the arc vs. New Orleans (3/8/08), setting Houston’s season high in 3-pointers made (prev. high: 13 on 2/24/08 vs. Chicago and 13 on 3/5/08 vs. Indiana) and matching the season best in 3-point attempts (34 on 12/20/07 at Denver and 34 on 3/5/08 vs. Indiana).

Western Conference Player of the Week: Tracy McGrady was named today by the NBA as Western Conference Player of the Week for games played Monday, Mar. 3 through Sunday, Mar. 9. It is his second such honor this season after winning West Player of the Week earlier this season for games played Oct. 30-Nov. 4. Overall, it marks McGrady’s seventh time with the Rockets and the 12th time in his career to be named NBA’s Conference Player of the Week.