Byron Mullens, Kyle Weaver Assigned to Tulsa
Weaver was in Tulsa last season, and he's a pretty good defender and averaged seven assists per 36 minutes in the D-League (though he didn't shoot particularly well). Mullens was a given to be allocated at some point this season, though he's yet another player ostensibly in front of rookie Latavious Williams now. Expect D.J. White to spend some time with the 66ers this year as well.
about 9 hours ago
Jon L
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#Celtics guard/forward Bill Walker was assigned to the Maine Red Claws, the Celtics’ NBA Development League affiliate.
From Hoops Addict, via Twitter. With the GM's kid calling the plays in Maine, you had to expect the Celtics were going to send down some NBA talent at some point. Walker was assigned to the Utah Flash last year and started 15 games, averaging about 19 points. He had some real problems with getting into foul trouble with Boston, though.
about 13 hours ago
Jon L
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"That guy belongs in the NBA," Nelson said. "Hopefully we find a way to keep him. He’s stronger than anybody I have at that position."
What's that, Don Nelson? You say Chris Hunter is better than Mikki Moore? Well that's...actually not all that controversial. Hunter finished with four points, three rebounds, a steal and a block in 14 minutes and started the second half for Golden State. Good for him, and hopefully this leads to bigger things, because Nelson's right - the guy can play. (Oh, and thanks to G Martz for pointing me towards that quote)
about 16 hours ago
Jon L
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How'd They Do? Last Night's Preseason Boxscores
by Jon L on Nov 21, 2009 12:26 PM EST
in D-League Game Recaps
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Apologies that I can't talk about this game from the perspective of having seen the games, but without them being on Futurecast, here we are. I have seen many of these guys play before, so I'll try to bring that to the recaps of these preseason games.
Dakota Wizards 97, Sioux Falls Skyforce 91
You should expect to win a game when you shoot twice as many free throws as the other team and turn the ball over eight fewer times, and that's exactly what Dakota did. Curtis Withers, the man Coach Rory White called "like Ben Wallace but with better offense" certainly rebounded like Wallace, with seven boards (four on the offensive end) coming in a little under 19 minutes. Darren Cooper came off the bench to make all four of his three-pointers, which was needed because the rest of the team shot only 4-14 from behind the arc. Romel Beck had 13 points and almost nothing else, because he's Romel Beck. Marcus Dove got the start at center and picked up 10 points (though they came on eight shots), eight rebounds and five steals. For the Skyforce, Reggie Williams picked up where he left off in college, leading all scorers with 27 points on 17 shots. I have a feeling he'll be doing that all season. Oh, and he also had six rebounds, four offensive. Greg Stiemsma had 14 points, nine rebounds (four offensive) and two blocks getting the start at center. I wasn't crazy about him last year, but that's very solid. Oh, except for the five turnovers in 25 minutes. Leemire Goldwire also had problems in that department, turning the ball over four times in a little under 19 minutes. Joe Krabbenhoft made both of his threes, Pete Campbell made all three of his, Michael Joiner shot 2-3 from behind the arc...this team will be able to score, no question.
Erie BayHawks 106, Fort Wayne Mad Ants 100
Looking at this game, I think we can call each team's point guard search a work in progress. Kyle McAlarney got the start for the Mad Ants, and he shot the ball okay, 3-5, but he had just three assists in 25 and a half minutes. Former NBA player (and I should add, former NBA shooting guard) Donell Taylor was even worse running things, with two assists and needing 10 shots to get nine points. Taylor had six rebounds, though, and the two players had just one turnover between them (it was Taylor's), and McAlarney's competition Andres Sandoval was slightly better (four assists in a little under 16 minutes), but that problem facilitating spread throughout their teams. Erie had just 15 assists on 34 made field goals and Fort Wayne had 20 on 36. Given how coveted Alade Aminu seemed to be around the draft, I was a little surprised to see Jarvis Gunter got the start ahead of him, but last year's backup to Erik Daniels played very well, making all four of his field goals and grabbing 11 rebounds in a little over 19 minutes. Not having Chris Hunter hurt there, I'd imagine, and Erie's backup John Bryant added nine boards in 21 and a half minutes. Fort Wayne's DeWitt Scott and Erie's Ivan Harris were both three-point shooters last year, but in this game they combined to take only one outside shot, a Scott miss. Odd. Rob Kurz shot the ball terribly, going 1-10 and missing all five of his three-pointers, but he made up in other areas by grabbing 13 rebounds and picking up five assists, three steals, and three blocks. Oh, except that he also turned the ball over five times and fouled out in less than half an hour of playing time. Methinks someone was trying to do too much, perhaps to prove he should be back in the NBA.
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Chris Hunter signs with the Warriors
The Golden State Warriors have signed Chris Hunter, which I believe makes him the first D-League call-up of this season (which hasn't really started yet). While I wouldn't wish a coach like Don Nelson on anyone (the current incarnation, anyway), I like Hunter's game a lot, and here's hoping he gets a real shot with the team.
1 day ago
Jon L
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Tulsa Waives Davis, Parham, Young, McCoy, Johnson
The 66ers have waived Jeral Davis, Tim Parham, Keena Young, Adam McCoy, Mitch Johnson. I thought Young and McCoy were both decent late-round draft picks, but this is how it goes. Davis and Parham were both likely to get cut because Tulsa already had so many frontcourt players.
1 day ago
Jon L
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Hey, there are D-League games tonight!
by Jon L on Nov 20, 2009 10:15 AM EST
in D-League Game Previews
6 comments
Tonight marks the beginning of the preseason! Which means games! D-League games! Okay, let's not go overboard, these are D-League preseason games. But still! Tonight the Sioux Falls Skyforce and Dakota Wizards face off, as do the Erie BayHawks and Fort Wayne Mad Ants. Both games are at 7 pm eastern/6 pm central. I probably won't do this for all preseason games, since they're, you know, preseason games, and because the regular season is only a week away anyway, but let's break them down!
Erie vs. Fort Wayne
Both of these teams bring back a lot of key players from last year's rosters, but I think the Mad Ants' guys are slightly better. I mostly say that because Erie's two best players last season were Erik Daniels and (arguably) Maureece Rice, and neither of those players are around. Fort Wayne, on the other hand, brings back Chris Hunter, who was on the all-D-league second team. Chris Hunter is not with the team in Erie. Interrobang. The BayHawks do have some nice three-point shooting in Ivan Harris, but Fort Wayne can counter that with Ron Howard's excellent perimeter defense.
As for who's joined each team this year, again, I think Fort Wayne again has a bit of an edge. Donell Taylor's defense will likely show itself against a team that may be more perimeter-focused in Hunter's absence, but Rob Kurz is a very good three point shooter, Fort Wayne's other former Notre Dame guys (Ryan Ayers and Kyle McAlarney)) should do well in the D-League, and they've added enough solid pieces that I think they'll be a lot deeper than they were last year. Alade Aminu is probably better than I think he will be, and he's talented enough to some problems for Hunter defensively, but I just don't love the rest of their additions enough to say they'll outperform their counterparts.
One final thing to note is that each team is looking for a point guard to hitch their respective offenses to, with Rice gone for Erie and last year's Mad Ant PG Walker Russell taking his game overseas. McAlarney and Andres Sandoval will be the rotation for Fort Wayne and I expect Derrick Mercer Donell Taylor to get some or all of Erie's minutes at the point (even though he's more of a shooting guard), but the fact that all of them are new to their teams and getting used to running the offenses could be something to watch.
Dakota vs. Sioux Falls
Whereas the last game saw two teams with new point guards, this one has two teams with new coaches. Rory White for the Wizards and Tony Fritz for the Skyforce have solid resumes, but this will be the first time we'll see them run things in the D-League.
As for the returning players, you have to give this one to Dakota, which returns five or six key guys from last year's playoff team, while Sioux Falls no longer has former D-League MVP Kasib Powell. With Blake Ahearn gone, Romel Beck and David Bell will carry more of the scoring load, and they should be able to do it. Bell should, anyway. Beck isn't always consistent offensively, a function of his preference for the isolation game. When he's on, though, he's excellent. Keith Brumbaugh is talented, and David Bailey is a decent option at point guard, but missing Powell hurts.
I think Sioux Falls might have the edge in new additions. While Curtis Withers should be solid for the Wizards and Marcus Dove is a good defender, I'm not entirely sold on D'Lancy Carter, and you can only play so many frontcourt defenders at once. I thought the Skyforce did a good job drafting for scoring with Reggie Williams and Leemire Goldwire, and Raymond Sykes is an athletic dunker, which counts for something at this level. They also have allocation player Joe Krabbenhoft, who (if local news reports are to be believed) is on a few NBA radar screens
So join me tonight, as I OSLB some D-League preseason games while watching Futurecast! Be there! Okay, it looks like none of the preseason games will be on Futurecast. Instead I'll spend the evening thinking about how to tighten up my blogging. Sheesh.
6 comments | 0 recs |
Thunderbirds Waive Bullock, Carr, Kortovich
The Albuquerque Thunderbirds have waived Garrison Carr, J'Nathan Bullock and Brian Kortovich. Bullock spent some time away from basketball to try out for the NY Jets. Carr was the Patriot League player of the year a few years ago and made 45 percent of his threes as a senior.
2 days ago
Jon L
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