Chris Andersen Injury: Cavaliers Forward to Undergo Season-Ending Knee Surgery
December 16th, 2016 by Tyler Conway No comments »
Cleveland Cavaliers big man Chris Andersen suffered a torn ACL during Friday's practice that will require season-ending surgery, the team announced.
Andersen went down untouched during practice, according to the Cavaliers, and will have a timetable for a possible return disclosed after his surgery.
The 38-year-old averaged 2.3 points and 2.6 rebounds per game this season, as he was used sparingly behind Tristan Thompson within the frontcourt.
The lack of play might have been unexpected, though. Signing with Cleveland in the offseason, Andersen could have seen a larger-than-expected role amid some summer departures.
The veteran big man sat out with a shoulder injury and wound up appearing in only 27 games for the Miami Heat and Memphis Grizzlies in 2015-16. Andersen is in the final stretch of his career, but his relationship with star LeBron James helped him land a minimum deal in Cleveland.
The Cavs will have to look for additional options behind Thompson ...
Sevyn Sings National Anthem at 76ers Game in ‘We Matter’ Jersey
December 16th, 2016 by Adam Wells No comments »
Sevyn Streeter returned to the Wells Fargo Center on Friday night to sing the national anthem wearing a "We Matter" jersey prior to the Philadelphia 76ers' game against the Los Angeles Lakers.
CJ Fogler of The Cauldron captured an image of Streeter taking the court in Philadelphia:
On October 26, Streeter was originally scheduled to sing the anthem prior to the Sixers' season opener against the Oklahoma City Thunder before the team pulled her performance because of the shirt she was wearing.
She posted a video on Twitter about the October incident:
Two days after Streeter's scheduled performance, the 76ers issued a formal apology to her for the situation (via USA Today):
We are sorry that this happened. After receiving feedback from our players, basketball operations staff and ownership group, we believe that the wrong decision was made, and Sevyn should have been welcomed to sing. We apologize to her, and in an effort to move the conversation forward, we have reached ...
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Philadelphia 76ers: Live Score, Highlights and Reaction
December 16th, 2016 by Matthew Schmidt No comments »
Julius Randle scored 25 points, Lou Williams added 18 off the bench and the Los Angeles Lakers snapped their eight-game losing streak with a 100-89 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center Friday night.
The Lakers were in front from wire-to-wire and led by as many as 22 points.
Los Angeles jumped out to a 13-0 lead and never looked back.
By halftime, the Lakers led 53-40, and they held off a couple of 76ers rallies during the second half to hold serve.
Philadelphia never got closer than seven points over the final 24 minutes.
Randle put forth a terrific all-around performance, going 10-of-13 from the floor and posting nine rebounds, four assists and three steals to go along with his point total.
Williams represented a steady, veteran presence off the pine, shooting 5-of-12 and making seven of his eight free-throw attempts.
Los Angeles shot 45.6 percent as a team and overcame 20 turnovers.
Joel ...
Dark-Horse Candidates for NHL Awards in 2016-17
December 16th, 2016 by Allan Mitchell No comments »
The NHL season is about 30 games old, and we are seeing award candidates emerge across the major categories. No one can be surprised that Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins is posting an amazing resume or even that Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers is delivering at a high level.
There is probably more than a little surprise over the comeback season of Jakub Voracek of the Philadelphia Flyers, and if he wins the Art Ross Trophy as leading scorer, it will be considered a major upset.
At this point in the season, it is possible to pair unlikely names with major awards on merit. There are still many games to go, but fans in NHL cities have plenty to cheer about from underdog players.
Here's a look at this season's dark-horse candidates for each major NHL individual regular-season award.Begin Slideshow
David West Injury: Warriors PF Reportedly Has Hip Pointer
December 16th, 2016 by Alec Nathan No comments »
Golden State Warriors forward David West was diagnosed with a hip pointer Friday, and there is no timetable for his return.
Shams Charania of The Vertical reported the news and added that the Dubs had concern regarding the severity of West's ailment, which he suffered Thursday against the New York Knicks.
A year after West left money on the table to sign a deal for the veteran minimum with the San Antonio Spurs, he bolted from the defending Southwest Division champions to join the Warriors' evolving powerhouse.
While his role has diminished with age, West's cost-effective signing gave head coach Steve Kerr some peace of mind after the team traded former center Andrew Bogut to the Dallas Mavericks and Festus Ezeli bolted for the Portland Trail Blazers in free agency.
The 36-year-old West is averaging just 3.9 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 11 minutes per contest through 27 games a year after ...
Craig Sager’s Embrace of Life and Career a Model for Every Reporter to Follow
December 16th, 2016 by Ric Bucher No comments »
Charles Barkley and Shaquille O'Neal, in discussing the passing of their TNT colleague, Craig Sager, noted that they'd never heard of anyone who didn't like Sager.
But there was someone, I must admit: me.
Many years ago, when I was an NBA beat writer for the San Jose Mercury News and then the Washington Post, I held a healthy skepticism of any "TV talking head," especially one that called himself a reporter yet wore outrageous look-at-me outfits. I had never had any interaction with Craig other than a courteous nod as we passed each other milling about before an NBA game, and I had no desire to get to know him.
I was a young reporter in an era when the journalistic creed was more conservative, and it offended those journalist sensibilities that he or any reporter should seem to make himself part of the story. (I repeat: This was many, many years ago.)
When ...
Mike Conley Injury Update: Grizzlies PG to Return vs. Kings
December 16th, 2016 by Tim Daniels No comments »
Memphis Grizzlies point guard Mike Conley is set to return from a back injury to play Friday night against the Sacramento Kings.
Grizzlies PR provided an updated injury report, which confirmed Conley will make his return to game action after missing the team's previous nine contests. Grizzlies PR announced he was officially activated ahead of the game.
The 29-year-old Ohio State product suffered the setback Nov. 28 during a game against the Charlotte Hornets. He left the contest in the third quarter after playing just 20 minutes and did not return.
AJ Neuharth-Keusch and Sam Amick of USA Today originally reported the guard was expected to miss at least six weeks while recovering from fractures in his lower back.
In the end, Conley is prepared to make his comeback after less than three weeks. Michael Wallace of the Grizzlies' official website passed along comments from the floor general about his speedy rehab.
"When you see everyone sacrificing and playing ...
Lakers News: Latest Surrounding Possible Trades and Phil Jackson Return
December 16th, 2016 by Joe Pantorno No comments »
It's been a trying time for the Los Angeles Lakers and new head coach Luke Walton. After starting the 2016-17 season at 10-10, which was far better than last year's start in which they didn't get their 10th win until February 2, the Lakers have lost eight straight games.
They've been suffering from the injury bug lately, as both of their starting guards, Nick Young (calf) and D'Angelo Russell (knee), have been sidelined.
With the Lakers looking to stop the skid and right the ship, here is the latest news from both the court and the front office.
Kupchak Gives the Kids the Keys
Despite their struggles, which could be chalked up to inexperience, the Lakers aren't looking to make any moves at the moment to try and turn things around. General manager Mitch Kupchak told Bleacher Report's Eric Pincus:
We're fun to watch. We're very competitive. We love our coaching staff. We love our ...
NY Knicks’ Offense Is Improved, Yet Still Looks Doomed to Mediocrity
December 16th, 2016 by Yaron Weitzman No comments »
NEW YORK — It’s been a strange season so far for the Knicks.
They’re 14-12 and owners of the fourth-best record in the Eastern Conference, yet they’ve also been outscored by 3.4 points per 100 possessions. They join the Oklahoma City Thunder as the only two teams with winning records and negative point differentials.
The defense, which allowed the Golden State Warriors to assist on 41 of 45 buckets Thursday night in a 103-90 win over the Knicks, has been atrocious (107.5 points allowed per 100 possessions, the NBA’s sixth-worst mark).
If not for the offense, which is putting up a solid 104 points per 100 possessions, good for 14th in the NBA, the first couple of months of new head coach Jeff Hornacek’s tenure in New York would have a much different feel.
But one opposing scout who watched the Knicks in person for the first time this week thinks the offense could be ...
Quarter-Season Grades for Each San Antonio Spurs Player
December 16th, 2016 by David Kenyon No comments »
The San Antonio Spurs have seemingly soared past their brief early-season hiccup and returned to a familiar place near the top of the Western Conference.
However, simple results don't tell the entire story.
"We're not playing well, but the good thing is we're getting wins," Manu Ginobili said after San Antonio improved to 16-4, per Paul Garcia of Project Spurs. Since then, the team has rattled off a 5-1 mark and sits at 21-5 for the season.
Part of San Antonio's struggles still stem from the expected adjustment period for a roster restocked with new players. But soon, the Spurs will need to eliminate their issues on a more consistent basis.
Since roles differ across the team, players are not all graded on the same scale. For example, judging Kawhi Leonard and Bryn Forbes using the same criteria would not be fair. Expectations based on previous production and current role serve as the by-player ...