NBA Blog: The NBA basketball news blog section of Inside Hoops
The San Antonio Spurs today announced that Ime Udoka returned to San Antonio this morning due to tarsal tunnel syndrome in his right ankle. Udoka received anti-inflammatory shots today which are designed to decrease the inflammation in the ankle.
Udoka will miss the remaining two games on the Spurs current three-game road trip. He is expected to be available when the Spurs return home to take on the Boston Celtics on Monday, March 17.
The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed center Lance Allred from the Idaho Stampede of the NBA Development League to a 10-day contract, Cavaliers General Manager Danny Ferry announced today. The signing of Allred marks the 18th Call-Up of the 2007-08 D-League Season.
In 38 games (all starts) with the Stampede, Allred has averaged 16.2 points on .512 shooting, 10.0 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 29.6 minutes per game. The 6-foot-11, 250-pound center was named to the 2008 D-League’s Red All-Star Team and was also the winner of the D-League’s Dream Factory Friday night inaugural game of H.O.R.S.E.
The 10-day contracts of Kaniel Dickens and Billy Thomas expired. The roster now stands at 14.
The Miami HEAT announced today that guard Dwyane Wade underwent shock wave therapy on his left knee yesterday. The procedure lasted 20 minutes and was performed by HEAT team physician Dr. Harlan Selesnick.
Wade will be limited to passive exercise for the first 30 days after which he can slowly return to basketball related activities. Wade initially had surgery on the left knee on May 15, 2007 and has been bothered by tendinitis in the knee.
Wade has appeared in 51 games (49 starts) for the HEAT this season, averaging a team-leading 24.5 points (5th in the NBA), a team-leading 6.9 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 1.71 steals in 38.3 minutes per game.
Wade, who made his fourth consecutive All-Star appearance earlier this season, has shot 46.9 percent from the floor, 28.6 percent from three-point range and 75.8 percent from the foul line.
The Los Angeles Clippers today signed free agent guard William “Smush” Parker. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not released.
Parker appeared in nine games for the Miami Heat in 2007-08, averaging 4.8 points, 1.7 assists and 2.1 rebounds per game before he was waived by the Heat on March 10. Parker has played in 255 career NBA games and has career averages of 9.2 points, 2.8 assists and 2.5 rebounds per game.
The former Fordham University star joins the Clippers after appearing in all 82 games for the Los Angeles Lakers in 2005-06 and 2006-07. A four-year NBA veteran, Parker has had stints with the Cleveland Cavaliers (66 games in 2002-03), Detroit Pistons (11 games in 2004-05), Phoenix Suns (5 games in 2004-05) and Lakers (164 games in 2005-2007).
Parker was not drafted in the 2002 NBA Draft after leaving Fordham University following his sophomore year. The Newark, New Jersey native originally signed with Cleveland in 2002-03, and also played with Aris Thessaloniki in the FIBA Europe League before splitting the 2004-05 campaign with Detroit and Phoenix. The Lakers signed Parker prior to 2005-06, and he proceeded to enjoy his finest season, becoming the only Lakers player to start all 82 games while averaging 11.5 points and 3.7 assists, and finishing ninth in the NBA in total steals (140). The next year Parker started 80 of 82 games for the Lakers, averaging 11.1 points and 2.8 assists while ranking eighth in the NBA in steals-to-turnovers ratio (0.78).
Washington Wizards swingman Nick Young shot 9-of-15 for 22 points in a win over the Wizards yesterday. Here’s what he said today:
Nick Young on how he felt after scoring a career high 22 points: “I slept pretty well. I talked to my mom. She said I played a good game yesterday. I was kind of excited.”
Young on how his friends and family reacted to last night’s game: “They were surprised. They knew I always had a little bit of talent and they were just happy to see me play hard.”
Young on playing Cleveland: “We’re playing at home. We’re in a playoff race. We need a win. We need all the wins that we can get. We’re just going to out there and play hard.”
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.
Sonics General Manager Sam Presti announced today the team has re-signed guard Mike Wilks to a second 10-day contract.
Wilks for his career averages 2.5 points and 1.2 assists in 9.5 minutes per game. This season he played just one game for the Sonics and scored 2 points.
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.
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.
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.