Latest headlines - nba news !!

[OnePiece]

Grizzlies pick up option on Quincy Pondexter

Posted Jan 24 2012 8:42PM
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) -- The Memphis Grizzlies have picked up the third-year option on Quincy Pondexter's contract, guaranteeing his deal through the 2012-13 season.
The Grizzlies announced the move Tuesday.
The guard-forward has averaged 4.4 points, 2.1 rebounds and 14.9 minutes since Memphis acquired the 6-foot-6 Pondexter from New Orleans on Dec. 24. The Grizzlies sent Greivis Vasquez to the Hornets in the deal, and Pondexter tied his career-high with 14 points on Jan. 8 at the Los Angeles Lakers.
Pondexter was a first-round pick, 26th overall, by New Orleans in 2010 out of Washington where he was the all-time leader with 136 games played.

[OnePiece]

Durant on movie scenes: 'I'm just playing basketball'

Posted Jan 24 2012 8:40PM


OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Kevin Durant wasn't sure at first that he wanted to be a movie star and a basketball star.
It took some peer pressure and some encouragement from his mother, but now Durant is bringing Hollywood to Oklahoma City for a few days. The two-time NBA scoring champion filmed scenes from the upcoming movie "Thunderstruck" Tuesday at the team's home arena, including the pivotal sequence when his basketball skills are magically switched with a clumsy teenager.
Warner Bros. crews have spent the past few days filming in Oklahoma City and plan to finish up after the Thunder's game Wednesday night.
Durant says he's nervous to find out what people think of his acting but he's pleased with the experience regardless.
However, he doesn't think he'd want to do it again, saying "I'm just playing basketball."

[OnePiece]

Nets' James sidelined for season after foot surgery


Posted Jan 24 2012 8:35PM


EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) -- New Jersey Nets forward Damion James will miss the rest of the season after undergoing surgery to replace a screw in his right foot.
Nets General Manager Billy King announced Tuesday that James had the surgery earlier in the day at University Health Center in Indianapolis. Dr. David Porter replaced the screw in James' fifth metatarsal.
James had the screw originally inserted on Dec. 13, 2010. He aggravated the injury in a game earlier this season.
The second-year pro from Texas averaged 4.9 points and 4.7 rebounds in seven games, all starts.

[OnePiece]

Toe injury to keep Bobcats' Augustin out four games

Posted Jan 24 2012 6:00PM


CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- The Bobcats have announced guard D.J. Augustin is expected to miss the next four games with a right toe injury.
Augustin saw Charlotte orthopedist Dr. Bob Anderson on Tuesday and the diagnosis confirmed an inflammatory condition of the sesmoid bones that lie in the flexor tendons on Augustin's right big toe. The injury has been bothering Augustin for months, but he re-aggravated it during Sunday's game at New Jersey.
With Augustin out of the lineup, rookie Kemba Walker will start at point guard and Gerald Henderson will move back to the shooting guard spot. Derrick Brown will get the start at small forward.
Augustin is averaging 13.6 points and 6.6 assists per game for the Bobcats this season.
The Bobcats host the New York Knicks Tuesday night.

[OnePiece]

Deng has torn wrist ligament, hopes to avoid surgery

Posted Jan 24 2012 6:01PM


DEERFIELD, Ill. (AP) -- Chicago Bulls forward Luol Deng hopes he won't need surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left wrist.
Deng was injured in the fourth quarter Saturday against Charlotte and figures to miss at least a few more games after sitting out Monday's win over the New Jersey Nets. He said the wrist is still sore, but the pain has eased "a lot" the past few days.
"I know it's a bad injury and it sounds terrible, but really, I think it will fine," Deng said Tuesday. "We've got a good team, and I think I'm going to be fine."
Even so, surgery remains a possibility, and coach Tom Thibodeau said he is "week to week." He said Deng did some dribbling with his left hand and shooting at practice on Tuesday, although Deng disputed that.
One thing that can't be argued is this.
Losing Deng for an extended time would be a blow for the Bulls even though they've dealt with their share of injuries while building a league-best 16-3 record. A key contributor on both ends, he's averaging 15.9 points per game and 7.5 rebounds, but Chicago has been playing through bumps and bruises all season.
Richard Hamilton has been limited by a groin problem in his first season with the Bulls, and Derrick Rose missed four straight games because of a sprained left big toe that could be an issue for him the rest of the season. Taj Gibson has missed the past two games because of a sprained left ankle. Joakim Noah sat out Saturday with a similar injury.
Now, Deng's out. For how long? That depends on his pain tolerance.
"I'm just trying to get it down to a certain level where I can play again," Deng said. "I'm really confident in the fact that I'll be out there, hopefully soon."
Deng said he opted against surgery for now after consulting with doctors because he believes the Bulls "have a very good chance of doing something special" and he believes he will be fine without it. Besides eyeing a deep playoff run, he's also set to play for Great Britain in the London Olympics this summer.
He sidestepped the question when he was asked how much time he would need to recover from surgery, saying he didn't want to think about it, but he might need an operation if the wrist flares up after he returns.
"I feel like without the surgery, I'll be fine," he said. "I just know that I can do with it and what I can't do. I'm going to be very effective out there. There are going to be days where it's sore. We're going to try control (the pain). Everybody's body responds differently. I'm fairly confident that I'll be able to handle it."
Deng suffered the same injury to his right wrist late in his 2004-05 rookie year and had season-ending surgery. Dr. Susan Craig-Scott performed the operation back then and consulted with him this time, but one difference is this one is to his non-shooting hand.
"There have been a number of players that have played with it," Thibodeau said. "Again, it's your comfort level. It's your pain tolerance. All those things factor into it."

[OnePiece]

Kings recall Tyler Honeycutt from D-League

Posted Jan 24 2012 4:36PM


SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) -- The Sacramento Kings have recalled rookie forward Tyler Honeycutt from Reno of the NBA Development League.
President of basketball operations Geoff Petrie announced the move Tuesday.
Honeycutt averaged 5.9 points and 2.9 rebounds in 10 games with Reno. He played one game with the Kings before being sent down.
Honeycutt was drafted in the second round last June after leaving UCLA following his sophomore season.

[OnePiece]

Struggling Wizards fire head coach Saunders
Posted Jan 24 2012 12:35PM - Updated Jan 25 2012 6:08AM


WASHINGTON (AP) -- Seeking different strategies at both ends of the court and improvement from a roster filled with young players such as John Wall, the NBA-worst Washington Wizards fired coach Flip Saunders on Tuesday after a 2-15 start and replaced him with assistant Randy Wittman.
"I'm not the miracle-maker here," said Wittman, who was given the top job through the end of the season. "We've got to change our outlook on how we play. Sometimes, when you have such a young team, players get a little confused, I think, when the word `development' is used; that they're going to be able to develop just playing. Development has to happen on the practice floor."
The Wizards fell to 0-7 on the road with a 20-point loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday. Washington's next game is at home Wednesday against the Charlotte Bobcats.
A 25-minute news conference Tuesday with Wittman and team president Ernie Grunfeld ended with Grunfeld answering a question by saying: "Just because you're losing, you're not a loser."
<p>Your browser does not support iframes.</p>

It began with him explaining the coaching switch.
"I felt like at this time, our players were not responding, and I think we needed a different voice. This doesn't change our overall plan, which always has been very transparent for us, which is to build through the draft, get salary-cap space going forward and develop our young players," Grunfeld said. "They probably haven't developed as quickly as we'd like for them to develop. That's something we need to continue to work on."
He and Wittman spoke about playing a faster-paced, running game on offense and perhaps using more press tactics on defense. They also emphasized that younger players - no names were mentioned, but JaVale McGee, Andray Blatche and Nick Young might have been among those being referenced - need to understand that floor minutes are not guaranteed.
"We have to develop these kids, there's no question about it," Wittman said. "There comes a point, if you know you're going to be out there, you'll play whatever way you want to play. And I think that has to change a little bit."
Grunfeld said the coaching change was his decision, although he got approval from owner Ted Leonsis - whose NHL team, the Washington Capitals, fired coach Bruce Boudreau in November.
<p>Your browser does not support iframes.</p>

"Any time you rebuild, you have to go through some tough times, and that's what we're going through now," Grunfeld said. "We're trying to build a foundation right now."
Saunders was in his third season with the Wizards, going 51-130. When he was hired, the roster featured All-Stars Gilbert Arenas, Antawn Jamison and Caron Butler, but the franchise is now starting over around point guard Wall, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2010 draft.
But there is not a lot of help for Wall, and the Wizards have been prone to inconsistent play, often failing to even be competitive this season.
Talking about Wall, Wittman said: "He is a talented player that I think I need to coach - and he has to be willing to be coached. And if he does that, that's where good players become great players."
Acknowledging he's been a part of the coaching staff during the recent struggles, Wittman said: "This is a black mark on all of us, absolutely."
Back in December, before the lockout-shortened season began, Saunders tried to look on the bright side, saying he could envision how the young Wizards might be able to improve on their 23-59 record from 2010-11.
"I want to compete for the playoffs," Saunders said then.
But Washington got off to a franchise-worst 0-8 start - half of the losses were by at least 18 points - before beating the Toronto Raptors. Curiously, the Wizards' only other victory came against Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Saunders tried tinkering a bit with the lineup and sought ways to motivate players, including making Blatche a captain for the season-opening game. But nothing seemed to get things going in the right direction; after a loss in Game 1, Blatche openly questioned how he was being used on offense.
Before joining the Wizards, Saunders coached 13 NBA seasons with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Detroit Pistons, reaching the conference finals a total of four times.
He was hired by Washington in April 2009, and given a four-year contract.
Wittman gets his third job as an NBA head coach, after going 100-207 - a .326 winning percentage - with Minnesota and the Cleveland Cavaliers. Wittman was drafted by Washington with the 22nd overall pick in the 1983 draft.
Perhaps mindful that he's working in the nation's capital, Wittman threw out quite a non sequitur during the news conference, mentioning Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney while answering a question about what Wizards' fans might be thinking these days.
"I'm not running against Romney. I'm not getting any votes here. I'm not looking for votes," Wittman said. "I'm looking to get this team going in a positive direction."

[OnePiece]

Rose back in lineup despite sprained left toe

Posted Jan 23 2012 9:11PM


CHICAGO (AP) -- Bulls star Derrick Rose says his sprained left big toe might bother him the rest of the season. It didn't keep him out of Monday night's game, though.

The reigning NBA MVP was back in the lineup for Chicago against Deron Williams and the New Jersey Nets after missing the previous four games, but Bulls forward Luol Deng sat out with a sprained left wrist.
Besides Deng, the Bulls were also without Taj Gibson (sprained left ankle). Joakim Noah (sprained left ankle) returned to the lineup after missing a game. Backup guard John Lucas III has also been bothered by a strained left groin.
Nets guard MarShon Brooks was a late scratch because of a sore right Achilles tendon and was replaced in the lineup by Anthony Morrow.
Rose said the toe "is never going to be right this year." But he said he "felt decent" during Monday's shootaround and was able to start.
The news on Deng wasn't great, with coach Tom Thibodeau saying he was "still consulting some doctors" and remains day to day after being injured late in Saturday's game against Charlotte. Asked if Deng would need surgery, Thibodeau said, "I don't know. I don't think so, would be my guess."
Losing Deng for an extended period would be a big blow for a team that entered Monday's game with the league's best record. He tore a ligament in his right wrist near the end of his 2004-05 rookie season.
"You can't say enough about what he brings to our team in all areas," Thibodeau said. "You start with his leadership and toughness and the fact that he's our best defender, guards multiple positions. He plays to win."

[OnePiece]

Wolves' Johnson out versus Rockets with illness

Posted Jan 23 2012 9:16PM


MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Minnesota Timberwolves forward Wes Johnson missed Monday night's game against Houston because of an illness, giving rookie Derrick Williams his first career start.

Johnson's absence left the injury-plagued Wolves without a healthy small forward on their roster. Michael Beasley is out with a sprained right foot and Martell Webster has yet to play this season because of a back injury.
The Timberwolves chose Williams with the second overall pick and projected him as a player who could fit in at either small or power forward. But in this lockout-shortened season, coach Rick Adelman has had Williams playing almost exclusively at power forward to ease his transition.
Williams is coming off one of his best games when he scored 15 points and grabbed eight rebounds in a loss at Utah.

[OnePiece]

Celtics minus Allen, Rondo, three bench players

Posted Jan 23 2012 7:54PM - Updated Jan 23 2012 8:08PM


BOSTON (AP) -- The Boston Celtics were without starters Ray Allen, Rajon Rondo and three bench players, severely depleting their roster for Monday night's game against the Orlando Magic.
Boston coach Doc Rivers delivered the news about an hour before the game.

Allen jammed his left ankle in the second quarter of Sunday's win at Washington and didn't return.
Starting point guard Rondo will be missing his third straight after taking a hard fall and bruising his right wrist last Wednesday.
Rondo was sitting in the middle of Boston's locker room, watching tape of the Magic and said he felt "much better" with wrist wrapped in ice.
He said it was up to the training staff about 15 minutes before Rivers said he was out.
Fowards Mickael Pietrus (shoulder) and Chris Wilcox (left calf) and guard Keyon Dooling (right knee) were also out.
Rivers also said Pietrus hurt his shoulder in Sunday's win and it bothered him when he came to shootaround Monday morning.
"I'd be surprised if (Rondo and Dooling) don't play Thursday," Rivers said.
The teams meet again in Orlando.
"He had trouble lifting his hand above his shoulder to shoot," he said.
Avery Bradley and Sasha Pavlovic were the starting guards along with regulars Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Jermaine O'Neal.