NBA Blog: The NBA basketball news blog section of Inside Hoops
Pacers forward Jermaine O’Neal will miss a minimum of two weeks, starting with Saturday night’s home game against Sacramento, due to a bone bruise on his left knee.
In 33 games this season the 6-11, 260-pound O’Neal has averaged 15.3 points (just 44.3% shooting), 7.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.2 blocks.
The Hornets are one of my favorite teams in the league to watch. And it isn’t just due to Chris Paul. The entire squad plays beautiful, intelligent basketball, and it’s pleasing to the eye. But the team had lousy fan support in New Orleans even before Katrina messed the city up, and now, even with increased effort from the team to put fans in the seats, Hornets home games are half empty. The New Orleans Times Picayune (John Reid) reports:
Despite the team’s asserted promotional push, a 26-12 record and an amended lease agreement that gives owner George Shinn an opt-out option if the team fails to draw an average of 14,735 fans a game through next season, only 9,882 showed for Wednesday night’s game against the Sonics. Hornets officials are not expecting to see a significant spike at the turnstile for tonight’s game against the Charlotte Bobcats at the New Orleans Arena. The low attendance has caught the attention of NBA Commissioner David Stern, who pushed for the team’s return to New Orleans after it played two seasons in Oklahoma City. “Given the play of the team on the court, I would hope that it would be rewarded by more fan support,” Stern said Thursday. “I’m disappointed in the number, but you know it may take a little time.” Wednesday’s crowd was the fourth-smallest to see a game at the Arena this season. But in the latest attendance count, the Hornets moved from last place to 29th with a 12,205-per-game average. Indiana now ranks last with an 11,960-per-game average after 18 games.
I think it’s safe to say that the Hornets will move again, eventually. Regardless, if I lived in N’awlins I’d see them live as often as I could.
The Golden State Warriors have signed guard C.J. Watson to a second 10-day contract prior to this evening’s game against the Chicago Bulls, Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Mullin announced today.
Watson, who signed his first 10-day with the Warriors on January 8, has appeared in five games with Golden State, averaging 4.4 points and 2.0 assists in 14.8 minutes. Watson began the season with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers of the NBA Development League, where he averaged 26.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.38 steals in 38.1 minutes per contest. At the time of his call-up ranked third in the D-League in scoring and fifth in assists. He was named the NBA Development League Player of the Month for December.
The Memphis Commercial Appeal reports: Griz rookie point guard Mike Conley is averaging 15 points on 50 percent shooting (11-of-22), 2.5 rebounds and seven assists over the past two games. … Of the Grizzlies’ last four games (0-4), two have been decided by three points or less (at Sacramento on Jan. 10 and at Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday) and another was decided in overtime (vs. Cleveland on Tuesday). … Pau Gasol is averaging 27.7 points on 63.2 percent shooting (36-of-57) to go with 13.7 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 2.3 blocks in the past three games. In his last 17 games, Gasol is averaging 21.2 points and 10.3 rebounds.
This is local news for the NYC area:
MSG, a premier sports and entertainment network, will partner with NBC4 HD in New York to air the New York Knicks game against the Boston Celtics on Monday, January 21 at 1:00 p.m.
The matchup will be produced by MSG and air in high-definition. MSG announcers will call the action, with Mike Breen on play-by-play and Walt ‘Clyde’ Frazier serving as analyst. After the game concludes on NBC4 HD, a half-hour post-game show will air on MSG followed by an “In 60” version of the matchup.
New York Knicks basketball is directed by Howie Singer and produced by Spencer Julien. Jeff Filippi serves as coordinating producer for the Knicks.
The Los Angeles Clippers signed guard Guillermo Diaz to a second consecutive 10-day contract today. Signed to his first 10-day contract on Jan. 8, Diaz has appeared in one game grabbing one rebound in five minutes of action.
Diaz was the NBA’s ninth call-up from the NBA Development League and played with the Anaheim Arsenal this season.
In 14 games with Anaheim, Diaz tallied 16.6 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game while connecting on 75-of-154 field goals (.487) and 72-of-84 free throws (.857).
Diaz, the Clippers’ second round selection (52nd overall) in the 2006 NBA Draft, averaged 5.7 points and 1.7 assists in seven contests for the Clippers during the 2007 preseason. Diaz was waived by the Clippers on October 25th, prior to the start of the regular season.
Diaz spent the 2006-07 season in the Czech Republic, where he averaged 20.1 points, 3.1 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 15 games for CEZ Basketball Nymburk. He also played in five games with AEP Olimpiada Patron in the Greek League in 2007, tallying 13.0 points per game.
A 6’2” native from Puerto Rico, Diaz contributed 10.2 points and 3.2 rebounds in five games for the Clippers entry in the 2007 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.
In three years at the University of Miami, Diaz tallied 15.9 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game. Diaz led Miami in scoring as a sophomore and a junior and was named to the All-ACC Second Team following both of those seasons.
InsideHoops.com NewsWire — Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. (TBS, Inc.) and the National Basketball Association (NBA) today announced a ground-breaking expansion of the longest-running league/network programming partnership in professional sports, through which the companies will jointly manage a portfolio of the NBA’s digital businesses that TBS, Inc. will operate out of its Atlanta production facility. The new domestic digital rights relationship, will allow TBS, Inc. and the NBA to further enrich the fan experience through NBA assets that complement the current NBA programming airing on Turner’s TNT. The partnership will be fully effective for the 2008-09 NBA season and run through the 2015-16 season.
David Levy, president of Turner Broadcasting Sales, Inc. and president of Turner Sports, and Adam Silver, NBA Deputy Commissioner and COO, will jointly manage the venture and will appoint a General Manager responsible for the oversight of the NBA digital businesses.
Under the new agreement:
– TBS, Inc. will assume responsibility for programming, marketing and technical operations of NBA TV, the league’s 24-hour digital television network;
– TBS, Inc. will host and operate the NBA.com Network, which includes NBA.com, WNBA.com and NBADLeague.com;
– TBS, Inc. will operate NBA League Pass, the league’s out-of-market game package, and the NBA’s broadband and wireless businesses;
– TBS, Inc. and the NBA will jointly sell advertising for all of the digital assets;
– On-air talent from the Emmy Award-winning NBA on TNT and TNT’s Inside the NBA will appear on NBA TV;
NBA Entertainment, the league’s award-winning production and programming arm based in Secaucus, N.J., will continue to provide content for all of the NBA’s digital businesses.
“This expansion of the longstanding programming relationship between our company and the NBA represents a new strategic business model, and an innovative template for growth,” said Levy. “Turner Broadcasting’s operation of NBA Digital expands the growing Turner digital portfolio and provides the NBA industry-leading digital resources and expertise with which to grow its brand. We’re pleased to deepen our professional relationship with the league, and to pioneer a new success model for the digital age that will create an even richer experience for NBA fans.”
“We think the best way to optimize our suite of digital and television assets in the U.S. is with a media company that can provide us with the scale, expertise and resources to enhance and grow these properties,” said Silver. “Our longtime media partner Turner is an innovative industry leader and our expanded relationship will create opportunities to better serve our fans.”
The current TNT-NBA national television agreement extends their partnership through 2016, for a record 32 years. Turner’s TNT airs 52 regular-season games exclusively on Thursday nights in prime time; airs more than 40 Playoff games; and airs the annual All-Star Game and All-Star Saturday events exclusively. In addition, TNT NBA Overtime, a broadband feature on NBA.com, streams TNT-televised games, highlights and related programming live, delayed and on-demand.
Another honor for the New Jersey Nets’ guard:
USA Basketball reports: In recognition of his outstanding play and leadership on the 2007 USA Basketball Men’s Senior National Team, USA Basketball today announced that New Jersey Nets’ all-star guard Jason Kidd has been named the 2007 USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year. Kidd helped lead the 2007 USA Men’s Senior National Team to a gold medal and 10-0 record at the 2007 FIBA Americas Championship, he averaged a team second best (tie) 4.6 assists a game to help the USA secure its berth in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
“I am very honored to receive this award from USA Basketball,” Kidd said. “I want to thank my teammates and coaches, and to express my gratitude in being selected to represent my country. On behalf of my teammates, we look forward to the challenge that awaits in Beijing.”
Starting in nine of the USA’s 10 games, Kidd added a team third best 1.3 steals per game, 3.3 rebounds per game and 1.8 points per game to go with his team second best assist output. He tied or led the team in assists four times, and his unselfish play was evidenced by a 6-of-10 field goal tally and a 62.5 percent (5-8 3pt FGs) shooting performance from 3-point throughout the 10-game competition.
Among all 2007 FIBA Americas Championship competitors, Kidd ranked first in assist-to-turnover ratio (9.20), second in 3-point field goal percentage and tied for third in assists.
InsideHoops.com was in Madison Square Garden Tuesday as the Knicks hosted the Washington Wizards. Before the game, Antawn Jamison talked about how the Wizards have regrouped during the 28 games since Gilbert Arenas last played. During that stretch, Washington has astounded naysayers by posting a 17-11 record, and now trail before the Orlando Magic by just 1 1/2 games in the Southeast Division.
“Now that Gilbert is not with us, Caron [Butler] has kept this team together -the leader that he is, and the All-Star that he is. It was a beautiful performance by him last night [against the Celtics, in the second of their home-and home series]. Not too many guys could’ve done that. Every opportunity, every situation, he has found a way to get it done. And, he’s having fun, also.
“Caron’s a vocal guy, and tough-minded- and he has got everyone’s attention. We had an opportunity to win a game, and he didn’t want us to give anything less than 100% on the court.
“When Gilbert, Caron and myself [are on the floor], we try to rely on our offense, and not our defense, to win games. We’ll come down the court, and take some quick shots. Play an up-tempo style of basketball. Without Gilbert, we can’t do that.
“We know we must have quality possessions, and take quality shots. And have our opponents play a little more defensively than normal. In the past, it was [all about] our offense. Now, we’re relying more on our defense. That has been the biggest difference.
“We’re in a very unique situation. We have two other guys, besides Gilbert, who have been to All-Star games [Butler and himself], guys with playoff experience, and one guy has won a [championship] ring [Antonio Daniels]. We have a good set of veterans who can tackle these challenges. The thing has helped us is that when we were without Gilbert and Caron during the playoffs last season, a lot of guys, who wouldn’t have normally played, did. So, when [Gilbert] went down again [he is recovering from left knee surgery] -and we know he’s gonna be out for a while- it gave some guys an opportunity to show people what they can do.
“But, we are still a quality team, and [can make a difference] in the conference.”
Wizards president Ernie Grunfeld was formerly the Knicks’ top personnel executive from 1991-99… Knicks forward Jared Jeffries was drafted by Washington 11th overall in 2002… Eddie Jordan was an assistant coach in New Jersey when current Knicks guard Stephon Marbury was a Net… Antonio Daniels was teammates with Knicks forward Zach Randolph in Portland in 2002-03… Daniels and Knicks forward Malik Rose were teammates in San Antonio from 1998-2002… Daniels and Jerome James were teammates in Seattle from 2003-05.