Heat sign Michael Beasley for remainder of season

Heat sign Michael Beasley for remainder of season

Heat sign Michael Beasley for remainder of season

The Miami HEAT announced today that they have signed forward Michael Beasley for the remainder of the season.

Beasley has appeared in 10 games with the HEAT this season averaging 9.5 points, 3.9 rebounds and 22.9 minutes while shooting 42.4 percent from the field. He has scored in double-figures five times, including a season-high 18 points vs. Sacramento on March 7, and grabbed a season-high nine rebounds at Toronto on March 13.

Beasley, who was signed to a 10-day contract by the HEAT on February 26 and then re-signed to a second 10-day contract on March 8, was originally drafted by Miami in the first round (second overall) in the 2008 NBA Draft. The six-year NBA veteran has appeared in 419 career NBA games (199 starts) averaging 13.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 24.8 minutes while shooting 45 percent from the field.

Former NBA player Jack Haley dead at 51

Former NBA player Jack Haley dead at 51

Here’s the Orange County Register reporting sad news about a former NBA role player:

Former NBA player Jack Haley dead at 51

Former NBA player Jack Haley, who grew up in Orange County and took up basketball relatively late before playing at UCLA and with the Lakers, died Monday, according to the Orange County Coroner Divison on the Orange County Sheriff’s website. He was 51.

The coroner’s site said Haley died at Los Alamitos Medical Center on Monday afternoon and that there were no signs of foul play.

His family said in a statement released by the Lakers that an autopsy was performed and found heart disease as the cause of death.

Haley grew up in Seal Beach and attended Huntington Beach High before taking up basketball at Golden West College and moving on to UCLA. He then managed to stick around the NBA from 1988 through 1998, even though he played in only 341 games and started only 54.

Road to playoffs about to get tougher for Pacers

Road to playoffs about to get tougher for Pacers

Here’s the Indianapolis Star reporting on the Pacers, who have played excellent basketball for a long stretch of time and have their eye on the postseason:

The Indiana Hoosiers aren’t hearing Brad Stevens’ footsteps. The Indiana Pacers are.

It is not only Stevens’ Boston Celtics creeping up on the Pacers, though. Indiana, Boston and Miami are tied for seventh in the Eastern Conference at 30-36. Charlotte, which was to play the Los Angeles Clippers late Tuesday night, was a half-game behind at 29-36.

No more than two of those four — Indiana, Miami, Boston, Charlotte — will make the NBA playoffs.

The once-moderate schedule confronting the Pacers? That’s over…

The combined winning percentage of the Pacers’ remaining opponents is .512. Of the six teams with a realistic shot at the No. 7 and 8 playoff spots, only the Brooklyn Nets (.523) have it tougher. But Brooklyn, which visits the Pacers on Saturday, has 11 home games out of 17 remaining; the Pacers have seven at home, nine on the road.

Serge Ibaka out 4-6 weeks after knee surgery

Serge Ibaka out 4-6 weeks after knee surgery

Serge Ibaka out 4-6 weeks after knee surgery

Oklahoma City Thunder forward Serge Ibaka underwent successful arthroscopic surgery today to address right knee soreness, Thunder Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti announced.

“After monitoring the soreness in Serge’s knee and having taken several intermediate steps to assess and manage the discomfort, it was determined that the necessary next step in the evaluation was to see a specialist to discuss options to help alleviate the soreness and swelling he had been experiencing,” said Presti. “During the consultation with Dr. David Altchek, his recommendation, in agreement with Thunder medical personnel, Serge and his representatives, was for Serge to have arthroscopic surgery to remedy the problematic area.”

Ibaka will be out approximately four to six weeks.

According to the Oklahoman, “the team initially treated Ibaka’s discomfort with medication and a modified practice schedule to allow him more time to rest. Ibaka then had his knee drained earlier this month to address what Presti called “roughening underneath his kneecap,” but that process resulted in swelling, stiffness and limited mobility.”

This season, Ibaka has recorded 17 double-doubles, while averaging 14.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.42 blocks and 33.1 minutes in 64 games (all starts).

Greg Monroe out tonight with knee strain

Greg Monroe out tonight with knee strain

Greg Monroe out tonight with knee strain

The Detroit Pistons announced this morning that forward/center Greg Monroe will miss tonight’s game vs. Memphis with a right knee strain. The injury occurred during Monday’s practice and was confirmed following an MRI exam.

Monroe will be re-evaluated on Wednesday to determine his status for Detroit’s game at Philadelphia.

Clippers sign Nate Robinson to second 10-day contract

Clippers find Nate Robinson fun to have around

Clippers sign Nate Robinson to second 10-day contract

The Los Angeles Clippers announced today they have signed guard Nate Robinson to a second 10-day contract.

Robinson has appeared in five games for the Clippers, averaging 4.0 points, 1.4 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 14.6 minutes.

A nine-year NBA veteran, the Seattle native has played in 612 career games (106 starts) with averages of 11.1 points, 3.0 assists and 2.4 rebounds in 22.6 minutes with New York, Boston, Oklahoma City, Golden State, Chicago, Denver and Los Angeles.

Originally drafted with the 21st overall pick in the 2005 NBA Draft by the Phoenix Suns before being traded to New York on draft day, Robinson is a three-time NBA Slam Dunk Champion (2006, 2009, 2010) and was a key contributor in helping Boston reach the 2010 NBA Finals. He spent three years at the University of Washington where he was a two-time first-team All-Pac-10 performer.

Jarvis Threatt named D-League Performer of Week through March 15

Rio Grande Valley Vipers guard Jarvis Threatt was today named NBA Development League Performer of the Week for games played Monday, March 9 – Sunday, March 15. The honor is the first of Threatt’s career.

Threatt (6-2, 165, Delaware) led Rio Grande Valley to a 2-0 week and averaged 25.0 points on 55 percent shooting, to go with 12.5 assists, 9.0 rebounds and 2.0 steals. On March 15, Threatt notched a triple-double with 18 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds in a 131-125 win over the Santa Cruz Warriors. It was the fourth triple-double in Vipers franchise history, joining Will Conroy, Gary Talton and Toure’ Murry. The win ended Santa Cruz’s 11-game winning streak.

Threatt has appeared in 27 games and is averaging 10.8 points, 4.3 assists, 3.0 rebounds and 1.1 steals.

Other top performers considered included Bakersfield’s Jerel McNeal, Canton’s Arinze Onuaku, Maine’s Omari Johnson and Tim Frazier, Santa Cruz’s Mychel Thompson and Texas’ Dwight Powell.

Dwight Howard participates in some of Rockets practice

Dwight Howard participates in some of Rockets practice

Here’s the Houston Chronicle reporting on the Rockets, who will be happy to welcome Dwight Howard back when he’s ready to return, even if they’ve shown a terrific ability to play and win without him:

Dwight Howard participates in some of Rockets practice

Rockets center Dwight Howard was able to go through a lot of practice with the team on Monday, said coach Kevin McHale.

There is still no date set for Howard’s return but he is getting closer, after being out the last 22 games with edema in his knee.

“We didn’t have a really hard practice, but he was able to do some things and he looked good,” McHale said.

Kyrie Irving, Anthony Davis named NBA Players of Week through March 15

Kyrie Irving, Anthony Davis named NBA Players of Week

kyrie irving

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving and New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis today were named NBA Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for games played Monday, March 9, through Sunday, March 15.

Irving helped the Cavaliers to a 3-0 week behind a league-best 37.3 points. The fourth-year guard added 4.7 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 2.3 steals as the Cavaliers posted road victories over the Dallas Mavericks, San Antonio Spurs and Orlando Magic. Irving led the league in three-point percentage (.867) last week. He recorded his second 50-point game of the season on March 12, when he netted a career-high 57 points during a 128-125 overtime win over the Spurs.

anthony davis

Davis led the Pelicans to a 2-1 week, with averages of 31.3 points (second in the league), 10.0 rebounds (tied-10th in the West), 6.0 assists and a league-leading 4.7 blocks. Davis posted two point-rebound double-doubles and handed out five or more assists in all three games. He tallied 36 points, 14 rebounds, seven assists and nine blocks during the Pelicans’ lone loss of the week, a 118-111 double-overtime loss to the Denver Nuggets on March 15.

Other nominees for the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week were Denver’s Kenneth Faried, Indiana’s Rodney Stuckey, the Los Angeles Clippers’ DeAndre Jordan, Oklahoma City’s Russell Westbrook, Portland’s LaMarcus Aldridge, San Antonio’s Kawhi Leonard and Tony Parker, Utah’s Rudy Gobert and Washington’s John Wall.

Bucks sign Chris Johnson to second 10-day contract

Bucks sign Chris Johnson to second 10-day contract

Bucks sign Chris Johnson to second 10-day contract

The Milwaukee Bucks have signed forward Chris Johnson to a second 10-day contract, General Manager John Hammond announced today. Johnson appeared in five games for the Bucks during his first 10-day contract and averaged 4.6 points and 2.0 rebounds in 20.0 minutes per game.

Johnson signed his initial 10-day contract on March 6.