Damian Lillard named to 2015 West All-Star team as replacement for injured Blake Griffin

Damian Lillard named to 2015 West All-Star team as replacement for injured Blake Griffin

Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard has been named a 2015 NBA All-Star by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver to replace injured Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin, the league announced today.

Lillard was the expected pick as an injury replacement on the West All-Star team. DeMarcus Cousins had already been picked to replace the injured Kobe Bryant. Both Lillard and Cousins are having terrific seasons, and it seemed like a toss-up as to which was more worthy. There’s simply a lot of talent in the Western conference this season.

Lillard, 24, is averaging career highs of 21.6 points (42.9% FG, 34.4% 3PT, 85.7% FT), 4.6 rebounds and 1.49 steals to go with a team-high 6.3 assists in 51 games this season. The NBA Western Conference Player of the Week for the week ending Nov. 16, Lillard is one of just five players averaging 21 points and six assists per game.

The NBA’s late-game scoring leader with 311 points in the fourth quarter, Lillard ranks 13th in scoring, 15th in assists and is sixth in 3-pointers (129).

Lillard is playing in back-to-back NBA All-Star games, becoming the fourth Trail Blazer to be selected twice in his first three seasons (Maurice Lucas, Brandon Roy and Sidney Wicks).

This year’s NBA All-Star Game will mark the 10th time the Trail Blazers will feature multiple players in the game, and the second consecutive year the duo of LaMarcus Aldridge and Lillard earn All-Star honors.

Golden State head coach Steve Kerr, who earned the right to coach the West team because the Warriors had the best record in the conference through games played Feb. 1, will determine Griffin’s replacement in the starting lineup.

The 2015 NBA All-Star Game will tip-off at 5:30 p.m. (Pacific) on Sunday, Feb. 15, from Madison Square Garden in New York. The game will air live on TNT.

Blake Griffin to undergo surgery for staph infection, will miss 2015 All-Star game

The Los Angeles Clippers announced today that All-Star forward Blake Griffin will undergo surgery in Los Angeles on Monday, Feb. 9 to remove a staph infection in his right elbow. Griffin will be re-evaluated after the All-Star break.

Griffin’s procedure is scheduled to be performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache and assisted by Clippers team physician Dr. Steven Shimoyama.

Griffin, 25, is averaging 22.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 5.1 assists while shooting 50.1 percent from the field in 35.3 minutes this season and was recently selected to his fifth NBA All-Star game.

Shortly after this news, it was announced that NBA Commissioner Adam Silver picked Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard as Griffin’s injury replacement on the 2015 Western conference All-Star team.

Kevin Love still finding his place on Cavs

Kevin Love still finding his place on Cavs

Here’s the Cleveland Plain Dealer reporting on Cavaliers power forward Kevin Love, who is averaging 16.8 points, 10.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game this season and is still working to fit in with the squad:

Kevin Love still finding his place on Cavs

On Monday Kevin Love scored a season-low five points on 1-of-7 shooting while pulling down a game-high 15 rebounds in a 97-84 win over the Philadelphia 76ers.

Rather than the Cleveland Cavaliers’ 11th straight victory receiving the bulk of the attention, Love’s ongoing battle to find a level of consistency within the offense stole the spotlight.

Three days later Love quieted the noise with a game-high 24 points and nine boards to lead his team past the robust Los Angeles Clippers. But in Friday’s 103-99 loss to the Pacers, Monday’s version of Love returned as he registered five points for the second time this week to go with eight rebounds.

He was 2-of-8 from the field, 0-for-4 in the second half. His Indiana counterpart, David West, supplied 20 points and a game-high 13 rebounds.

Bucks sign Jorge Gutierrez to second 10-day contract

Bucks sign Jorge Gutierrez to second 10-day contract

The Milwaukee Bucks have signed guard Jorge Gutierrez to a second 10-day contract, General Manager John Hammond announced today.

Gutierrez appeared in four games for the Bucks during his first 10-day contract and averaged 4.5 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 14.8 minutes per game. He made one start for Milwaukee on Feb. 2 at Toronto, and on Feb. 6 at Houston, tied his career high for scoring with 13 points in the game.

Gutierrez signed his initial 10-day contract on Jan. 28.

Kings interested in George Karl

Here’s the Sacramento Bee reporting on the Kings, who would probably benefit from a number of changes, with one possibility as follows:

Kings interested in George Karl

The Kings are engaged in intense conversations with George Karl about their head coaching position, multiple sources have told The Bee.

Assistant Tyrone Corbin replaced Michael Malone on Dec. 14 after the Kings faltered to a 2-8 record during DeMarcus Cousins’ absence due to viral meningitis. The plan was to have Corbin complete the season, conduct an extensive coaching search, and give the incoming coach the benefit of an entire offseason and training camp.

Besides Karl, an ESPN analyst who is known for dramatically improving franchises, particularly in Denver, Seattle and Milwaukee, the list of future candidates is known to include current NBA assistants Alvin Gentry and Nate McMillan, along with head coaches whose job security is thought to be tenuous, among them Tom Thibodeau and Scott Brooks.

Cavs winning streak ends with loss to Pacers

Cavs winning streak ends with loss to Pacers

Here’s ESPN Cleveland reporting on the Cavs, whose 12-game winning streak did not extend to 13 games thanks to hard work by the Indiana Pacers:

It’s a given that all streaks eventually come to an end. Yet, certainly, the fact that the Cleveland Cavaliers’ ended at 12 on Friday night, with a 103-99 loss to an Indiana Pacers team that is 13 games under .500, could be construed as a disappointment.

The loss prevented the Cavs from tying their franchise record of 13 wins in a row (set twice in 2009-10, the last season of LeBron James’ first stint in Cleveland), and, considering they squandered a nine-point lead with eight minutes to go in the fourth, it’s fair to say they blew an opportunity to set a record Sunday at home against the struggling L.A. Lakers.

Yes, the Cavs need as many wins as they can over these final 30 or so games in the regular season to bolster their position in the Eastern Conference standings. The streak did wonders, moving Cleveland into a virtual tie with Chicago for fourth and just a half game behind the slumping Washington Wizards for third, but there is still plenty of ground to make up to catch Toronto (three games ahead at No. 2) and Atlanta (eight games ahead at No. 1 and coming off an impressive 124-116 win over Golden State on Friday).

Chris Paul fined for criticizing referee

Chris Paul fined for criticizing referee

Chris Paul fined for criticizing referee

Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul has been fined $25,000 for public criticism of officiating, it was announced today by Rod Thorn, President, Basketball Operations.

Paul made his comments following the Clippers’ 105-94 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday, Feb. 5, at Quicken Loans Arena.

According to the Associated Press, “the penalty is in line with others the NBA has levied for being critical of officials. Paul was given a technical by Lauren Holtkamp on Thursday night and afterward said the call was ”ridiculous” and seemed to imply that one of the NBA’s two female officials may have been in over her head, saying ”this might not be for her.”

Greg Monroe`s grandmother passes away

Here’s Michigan Live reporting some sad news for Greg Monroe on a day where he shined especially bright on the basketball court:

Greg Monroe's grandmother passes away

Greg Monroe’s bittersweet day ended with a choked-up disclosure Friday that the Detroit Pistons big man compiled his first 20-20 game on the same day his maternal grandmother died.

Monroe’s All-Star break figures to be melancholy when family join in New Orleans to celebrate Althea Dixon’s life, but he started the memorials early with a personal milestone in the Pistons’ 98-88 win over the Denver Nuggets, before 17,035 at The Palace of Auburn Hills.

Monroe later recounted some childhood memories of his grandmother, who surely would have been proud of his 21-point, 21-rebound night.

“Just playing hard,” the understated Monroe said. “A couple good bounces but just playing hard.”

Timberwolves sign Lorenzo Brown to second 10-day contract

Timberwolves sign Lorenzo Brown to second 10-day contract

Timberwolves sign Lorenzo Brown to second 10-day contract

The Minnesota Timberwolves today announced the team has signed guard Lorenzo Brown to a second 10-day contract. He was previously signed to his first 10-day contract on Jan. 28.

Brown, 24, has appeared in four games (one start) with Minnesota, averaging 4.0 points, 3.8 assists and 2.3 rebounds in 24.3 minutes per game. He played a career-high 47:55 against Cleveland on Jan. 31, dishing out a career-high nine assists.

Originally drafted by Minnesota with the 52nd pick in the 2013 NBA Draft, Brown appeared in three preseason contests with the Wolves before being waived on October 25, 2013. He signed with Philadelphia a month later, averaging 2.5 points and 1.6 assists in 8.6 minutes over 26 games.

Brown started this season in the NBA D-League, playing in 19 games (17 starts) with the Grand Rapids Drive and averaging 16.8 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game. For his efforts, Brown was named to the NBA D-League All-Star team yesterday. In his career, Brown has appeared in 39 games (31 starts) in the D-League and holds career averages of 17.1 points, 5.1 assists and 4.8 rebounds in 31.5 minutes per game.

Rajon Rondo still injured, out at least three more games

Rajon Rondo still injured, out at least three more games

Rajon Rondo still injured, out at least three more games

The Dallas Mavericks announced today that Rajon Rondo will miss the next three games (against Portland, L.A. Clippers and Utah) as he continues to recover from the orbital fracture to his left eye and nasal fracture he suffered at Orlando on Saturday, January 31.

No timetable has been set for his return and the Mavericks will release more information as it becomes available.