Paul Millsap gets stitches for cut on head

The Atlanta Hawks are 44-30 this season, which is the third best record in the Eastern conference — though the Boston Celtics are only half a game behind them. Their best player this season has been power forward Paul Millsap, who caught a shot to his head but will keep on playing. Here’s the Atlanta Journal Constitution reporting:

Paul Millsap gets stitches for cut on head

Atlanta Hawks power forward Paul Millsap sported a big bandage over his left eye.

It was the protective covering for a cut that required 10 stitches to close, sustained in Saturday night’s win over the Pistons. The injury won’t force him to miss Monday night’s game against the Bulls.

“It was just a head bump,” Millsap said Monday morning at Hawks shootaround. “Hurts like hell. It wouldn’t affect me at all. … Everything is good to go.”

Pistons sign Lorenzo Brown to second 10-day contract

Pistons sign Lorenzo Brown to second 10-day contract

The Detroit Pistons have signed guard Lorenzo Brown to a second 10-day contract.

Brown, a 6-5, 189-pound guard holds NBA averages of 3.3 points, 2.3 assists, 1.7 rebounds and 13.2 minutes in 63 career games with the Philadelphia 76ers, Minnesota Timberwolves and Phoenix Suns. He was signed to two 10-day contracts with the Phoenix Suns this season and averaged 2.5 points, 1.4 assists, 0.9 rebounds and 7.6 minutes in eight games.

A second-round selection (52nd overall) by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2013 NBA Draft, Brown most recently played for the Detroit Pistons NBA Developmental League affiliate, the Grand Rapids Drive. In 25 contests with the Drive, he averaged 18.3 points, 5.9 assists, 5.5 rebounds and 2.1 steals.

Sixers waive Sonny Weems, sign Christian Wood to 10-day contract

The Philadelphia 76ers have “called up” forward Christian Wood from the Delaware 87ers and signed him to a 10-day contract.

Wood has appeared in 32 games with the Sevens this season, averaging a team-high nine rebounds, as well as 17 points on 53% shooting in 29 minutes per game.

Wood, who went undrafted in the 2015 NBA Draft, signed with the 76ers last September 14. He has appeared in 14 career NBA games with the Sixers, averaging four points and two rebounds per game. Wood registered career-highs of 15 points and eight rebounds on November 13 at Oklahoma City.

In a related move, the team has waived guard-forward Sonny Weems.

Blake Griffin begins serving suspension

Blake Griffin begins serving suspension

The L.A. Clippers announced today that forward Blake Griffin has been medically cleared for all basketball activities and will begin serving his four-game, team-imposed suspension on Sunday, March 27 when the Clippers play the Denver Nuggets.

Griffin has missed the last 41 games with a partially torn left quad tendon and right hand fracture, and will return to action on Sunday, April 3 against the Washington Wizards.

In his 30 games this season, Griffin is averaging 23.2 points, 8.7 rebounds and 5.0 assists in 34.9 minutes

Grizzlies sign Xavier Munford to second 10-day contract

The Memphis Grizzlies have signed guard Xavier Munford to a second 10-day contract.

Munford (6-3, 180) has appeared in five games with the Grizzlies after signing his first 10-day contract with the team on March 16 and has averaged 2.4 points, 1.6 rebounds and 0.8 assists in 10.2 minutes. The 23-year-old was called up from the NBA Development League’s Bakersfield Jam, where he appeared in 41 games (37 starts) and averaged 20.4 points (.490 FG/.412 3P/.811 FT), 4.2 rebounds, 6.4 assists and 1.00 steals in 33.7 minutes. A 2016 D-League All-Star, he ranks sixth among qualifying players in assists per game and 11th in scoring average.

Undrafted in the 2014 Draft, Munford transferred to the University of Rhode Island as a junior and completed his collegiate career with averages of 17.1 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 35.5 minutes in 61 games (all starts) over two seasons. The New Jersey native led the Rams in scoring in each of his two years with the program.

Chandler Parsons undergoes season-ending knee surgery

Dallas Mavericks forward Chandler Parsons underwent arthroscopic surgery today to address an injury to his right medial meniscus. The surgery was performed by team physician Dr. Daniel Worrel at The Carrell Clinic in Dallas.

Parsons will miss the remainder of the 2015-16 season.

The Mavericks are 35-36 this season and currently the 7th seed in the Western conference. They are in a very tight playoff race against the 6th seed Trail Blazers and 8th seed Rockets, with the Jazz very close in the 9th spot.

Parsons (6-10, 230) finished the year with averages of 13.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 29.5 minutes in 61 games (51 starts). He shot 49.2 percent (320-of-651) from the field and 41.4 percent (104-of-251) from 3-point range.

Over his final 30 games of the season (since Jan. 12), Parsons averaged 18.3 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.1 assists in 34.3 minutes. He shot 52 percent (204-of-392) from the floor and 47.5 percent (75-of-158) from deep in his last 30 games.

Pelicans sign Jordan Hamilton to 10-day contract

Pelicans sign Jordan Hamilton to 10-day contract

The New Orleans Pelicans have signed forward Jordan Hamilton to a 10-day contract. This brings their team roster to 17. They were able to exceed the usual 15-player maximum after receiving an injury hardship exception from the NBA.

The 6-7, 220-pound Hamilton most recently played for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers (D-League), appearing in 14 games and averaging 14.9 points on .497 shooting from the floor, 9.4 rebounds and 3.9 assists in 29.2 minutes per outing.

Selected 26th overall by Dallas in the 2011 NBA Draft out of the University of Texas, Hamilton has appeared in 140 career regular season games with Denver, Houston and the Los Angeles Clippers, holding averages of 5.5 points and 2.6 rebounds in 12.8 minutes per contest.

Hamilton will wear #25 for the Pelicans.

His signing marks the 36th “Call-Up” from the D-League this season.

The Pelicans are 26-45 this season and have been a huge disappointment, partially due to their level of play but certainly injuries played a huge factor in their struggle. The team recently announced that star forward Anthony Davis won’t play again this season. Davis recently had knee surgery, while playing through a long-time shoulder injury.

Nuggets sign Axel Toupane to multi-year contract

The Denver Nuggets have signed Axel Toupane to a multi-year contract.

The 6-7, 210 swingman appeared in 11 games for Denver, averaging 3.0 points and 1.3 rebounds in 13.8 minutes per game. He previously played in 32 games (14 starts) for the Toronto 905 of the NBA D-League this season, averaging 14.6 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.00 steals in 29.7 minutes per game.

The 23-year-old native of France played professionally for Strasbourg of the French Pro National Basketball League A from 2011 through 2015. He went undrafted in the 2014 NBA Draft.

The Nuggets are 30-42 this season and technically still in the race to qualify for the 2016 NBA playoffs, though they’d have to go on a big run to make that happen and get lucky as well. Not likely.

Meyers Leonard having season-ending shoulder surgery

Meyers Leonard having season-ending shoulder surgery

Portland Trail Blazers forward Meyers Leonard will undergo surgery to repair his injured left shoulder and as a result will miss the remainder of the season.

The surgery is scheduled to be performed on Friday, April 8 by Dr. Neal ElAttrache at the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic in Los Angeles.

Through 61 games this season, Leonard is averaging 8.4 points and 5.1 rebounds per game.