NBA Blog: The NBA basketball news blog section of Inside Hoops
In announcing that Jae Crowder will be sidelined by a high ankle sprain, Boston Celtics head coach Brad Stevens suggested the fourth-year swingman would miss “a couple of weeks minimum.”
It’s the “minimum” part that left some Boston fans a bit uneasy. While even two weeks is a lengthy period for the team to navigate without possibly their best two-way player, a small sample of recent high-ankle sprains across the NBA suggests a recovery timeline that trends closer to 4-6 weeks.
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Maine Red Claws guard Tim Frazier was named NBA Development League Performer of the Week today, for games played Monday, March 7 through Sunday, March 13. It’s the second straight nod for Frazier and the fifth of his career.
The 6-1, 170-pound Frazier (Penn State) helped the Red Claws to a 3-0 week averaging 12.7 points on 60.0 percent shooting to go with 9.7 assists (second in the league), 7.3 rebounds and 1.0 steal.
Last year’s NBA D-League MVP returned to Maine after starting the season with the Portland Trail Blazers and has led the team to a 7-1 record since his return. Through eight games, Frazier is averaging 15.0 points on 55.7 percent shooting to go with 9.4 assists, 9.1 rebounds and 1.4 steals.
Other top D-League performers considered for the weekly honor were Bakersfield’s Xavier Munford, Grand Rapids’ Henry Sims, Iowa’s D.J. Stephens, Maine’s Corey Walden, Sioux Falls’ Rodney McGrunder and Texas’ Tu Holloway.
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The Utah Jazz today announced the following health update on forward Gordon Hayward, who has been suffering from plantar fasciitis in his right foot:
In consultation with the Jazz medical staff, it has been determined that the best course of action is for Hayward to undergo a period of treatment and rehabilitation. As a result, he will not to play in tonight’s game vs. Cleveland. He is considered day-to-day, and further updates will be provided when appropriate.
Hayward (6-8, 225, Butler) has appeared in all 66 Jazz games this season (all starts), and leads the team in scoring (20.1) and assists (3.7), while adding 4.9 rebounds in a team-high 36.2 minutes per game. He is one of just four players in the NBA averaging at least 20.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists while shooting at least 35.0 percent from behind the three-point line. The 25-year-old career Jazzman was originally selected by Utah in the first round (ninth overall selection) of the 2010 NBA Draft.
The Minnesota Timberwolves have promoted three staff members to leadership positions, including two to vice president positions.
Mike Welch has been promoted to Timberwolves and Lynx Vice President of Corporate Partnerships, Lindsay Milne to Timberwolves and Lynx Vice President of Marketing and Charlie Romans to Timberwolves Director of Membership Sales.
“We are extremely proud to announce the promotions for these three outstanding individuals,” Timberwolves President Chris Wright said. “As we look ahead to our future and what lies ahead, we are very excited to have Mike, Lindsay and Charlie leading three critical areas of our organization. They are passionate about our brands, are vested in who and what we are and they help drive our culture every day.”
In his new role, Welch will lead the day-to-day operations of the Corporate Partnership Sales and Activation teams.
As Timberwolves and Lynx Vice President of Marketing, Milne will oversee Timberwolves and Lynx branding, advertising, digital media, creative services, merchandising and events.
As Director of Timberwolves Season Memberships, Romans will oversee the day-to-day operations of the season membership team with an emphasis on growing the team’s season membership numbers.
The Denver Nuggets have signed Raptors 905 guard-forward Axel Toupane to a second 10-day contract.
Toupane signed his initial 10-day contract with the Nuggets on March 3. In five games with the squad, he is averaging 4.6 points, 1.0 assists and 13.4 minutes.
In 32 games (14 starts) with Raptors 905 in the D-League this season, Toupane is averaging 14.6 points, 5.6 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 29.7 minutes. He has scored in double digits 26 times, has led the team in bench scoring on 11 occasions and has recorded two double-doubles.
The Golden State Warriors today clinched the 2015-16 Pacific Division title by virtue of the Cavs’ 114-90 win over the Los Angeles Clippers this afternoon, giving the franchise its first back-to-back Pacific Division crowns since the club won consecutive division titles in 1974-75 and 1975-76.
Golden State has earned the franchise’s fourth Pacific Division championship since the NBA began using the current divisional format in 1970-71. Warriors Head Coach Steve Kerr is the first head coach to win back-to-back division titles in his first two years at the helm since Tom Thibodeau earned consecutive Central Division titles with the Chicago Bulls in 2010-11 and 2011-12. Among the four major professional sports leagues, the Warriors are the first Bay Area team to earn consecutive division crowns since the Oakland Athletics won back-to-back West Division titles in 2012 and 2013.
The Minnesota Timberwolves have signed center Greg Smith to a second 10-day contract.
Smith signed his initial 10-day contract with the team on March 2. In a limited role, he has averaged 2.8 points and 2.2 rebounds in 10.7 minutes per game over six contests with Minnesota.
The Memphis Grizzlies have signed guard Ray McCallum and center Alex Stepheson to 10-day contracts pursuant to the NBA’s hardship rule.
McCallum (6-3, 190) has appeared in 144 career games (43 starts) with the Sacramento Kings and San Antonio Spurs and averaged 5.9 points, 2.0 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 18.0 minutes during his three-year NBA career. He played 31 games (three starts) for the Spurs this season and recorded 2.2 points, 1.0 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 8.3 minutes before he was waived on Feb. 29.
The 24-year-old has competed in 16 games (all starts) in the NBA Development League with the Reno Bighorns and Austin Spurs and posted 18.4 points, 3.7 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.63 steals in 37.3 minutes. He completed six assignments to Austin this season and averaged 17.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.33 steals in nine contests.
A 2010 McDonald’s All-American, McCallum was drafted by Sacramento in the second round (36th overall) of the 2013 NBA Draft following a three-year collegiate career at the University of Detroit Mercy where he played for his father, Titans head coach Ray McCallum, Sr. He was a three-time All-Horizon selection and was named the 2013 Horizon League Player of the Year after averaging 18.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.94 steals in 36.6 minutes in 33 games (all starts) as a junior.
Stepheson (6-10, 270) appeared in 31 games (all starts) for the D-League’s Iowa Energy and was named a 2016 D-League All-Star after averaging 15.9 points, a league-high 13.8 rebounds and 1.35 blocks in 34.2 minutes. The D-League leader in double-doubles (26) this season, Stepheson signed with the Los Angeles Clippers to the first of two consecutive 10-day contracts on Feb. 20 and totaled two points, two rebounds and two blocks in 11 minutes over three contests.
Since finishing his collegiate career at the University of Southern California, the 28-year-old has played professionally in Greece, Slovenia and Turkey. During the 2014-15 season, he averaged 12.3 points and a league-leading 9.2 rebounds in 26.8 minutes over 29 games (21 starts) for Istanbul Buyuksehir Belediyesi.
Undrafted in the 2011 NBA Draft, the Los Angeles native made three appearances for the Dallas Mavericks during the 2015 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas and also played three games for the Grizzlies during the 2015 preseason.
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After missing the last three games with left foot soreness, Memphis Grizzlies point guard Mike Conley received an additional examination yesterday, which revealed Achilles tendonitis. Conley will remain out and will be re-evaluated in 3 to 4 weeks.
Conley has appeared in 56 games (all starts) this season for the Grizzlies and averaged 15.3 points, 2.9 rebounds, a team-high 6.1 assists and 1.20 steals in 31.4 minutes. He’s a crucial part of the team. This injury is a big blow to the squad.
The Oklahoma City Thunder announced today that assistant coach Monty Williams will not return to the team this season after the passing of his wife Ingrid last month.
Oklahoma City Thunder Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti:
“The most important thing for Monty during this time is for him to be with his family, and the most important thing for us as an organization is to support him as a person, in any way that we can. Even though Monty will not return to the team this season, his presence will be felt by all of us within the program and we will remain close with him and his family.”
Oklahoma City Thunder Head Coach Billy Donovan:
“I have really enjoyed my relationship with Monty, and clearly we will miss him, but we value and embrace that it is critical he is there for his family at this time and our focus is on doing whatever we can, in any small way, to help him. He and his family will continue to be in our thoughts.”