NBA Player News Feeds: Recent NBA Player Notes from our Database:
May 17 2012 - Metta World Peace (Lakers), F Metta World Peace said that, while in Sacramento in 2007, he asked Kings management to promote Scott Brooks to head coach. Brooks, now Oklahoma City head coach, joked that if he had gotten the Kings' job, he would've traded the then-Ron Artest. Brooks said he appreciated the support, though, in seriousness.
May 17 2012 - Andrew Bynum (Lakers), C Andrew Bynum was fined $15,000 by the NBA for not making himself available to the media Tuesday in between Games 1 and 2 of the Lakers' series with the Thunder. Bynum spoke to reporters after Games 1 and 2 but did not after practice Tuesday.
May 17 2012 - Devin Ebanks (Lakers), F Devin Ebanks was fined $25,000 by the NBA for his actions before and after being ejected from Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals in Oklahoma City. Ebanks took off his jersey as he was leaving the court. He was ejected after an incident with Oklahoma City's Royal Ivey.
May 17 2012 - Kevin Durant (Thunder), F Kevin Durant took only 15 shots and scored a modest 22 points, at least by his standards, but his final attempt proved the difference in Oklahoma City taking a 2-0 series lead. Durant's one-handed, driving floater with 18 seconds left capped a game-ending rally against the Lakers. Durant made 11 shots, grabbed seven rebounds and dished out a team-high five assists.
May 17 2012 - Thabo Sefolosha (Thunder), G Thabo Sefolosha didn't guard Kobe Bryant for all of Game 2, considering Bryant played 43 minutes to Sefolosha's 20. But while Sefolosha was on the floor, he hounded Bryant, who finished the game shooting just 9-of-25 from the floor.
May 17 2012 - Kendrick Perkins (Thunder), C Kendrick Perkins was back in the starting lineup Wednesday despite being hobbled in Game 1. The veteran aggravated a hip injury he suffered in the first round against Dallas. Perkins played 32 minutes and grabbed five rebounds in game 2.
May 16 2012 - Elton Brand (76ers), F Elton Brand hasn't played in the fourth quarter in the series. He sat out the final 20:21 of the opener, 14:37 Monday and 18:35 in Game 3. Brand has totaled 14 points and nine rebounds in 48 minutes in the three games versus Boston.
May 16 2012 - Lavoy Allen (76ers), F/C Lavoy Allen, a rookie second-round pick, outscored veteran Celtics forward Paul Pierce 22-21 on seven fewer shots in the first two games. Pierce was more like the Pierce of old in Game 3, scoring 24 points to Allen's five.
May 16 2012 - Thaddeus Young (76ers), F Thaddeus Young scored a team-high 22 points on 10-for-16 shooting in Game 3 after not scoring more than eight points in any of the previous seven playoff games. He shot .333 and averaged 5.6 points during that span.
May 16 2012 - Mickael Pietrus (Celtics), F Mickael Pietrus admitted it wasn't an average trip to Philadelphia when the Celtics played the 76ers in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals Wednesday night. The Celt swingman still had some emotions running through him because of the concussion he suffered in his last game at Wells Fargo Center back on March 23.
His feelings for the place were, however, helped by the Celtics' 107-91 victory over the 76ers -- a win that gives Boston a 2-1 lead in the series heading into Friday's Game 4.
In that regular-season game, Pietrus was fouled by Lou Williams as he attempted a shot from the lane. He was pulled back and hit the floor hard. His head didn't strike the court, but the jolt was so intense it caused a serious concussion.
Pietrus was taken from the arena on a stretcher and went by ambulance to the hospital. He wound up missing nearly three weeks.
"That's bad memories," said Pietrus. "But at the same time, I'm glad to be back. It could have been worse.
"Hopefully they're going to cheer for me," he said before the game, "because I almost lost my life."
Williams didn't realize at first how badly Pietrus was hurt.
"I didn't think twice about it," said the 76ers guard. "At first, I actually thought it was his arm or something. Then they told me he was throwing up or whatever and it happened to be a concussion."
Pietrus obviously knew right away that things were bad.
"That was very scary," he said. "When I think of it right now, I'm just happy that I'm OK because it could have been worse. It could have been probably season-ending for me or career-ending. At the end of the day, I'm happy. God protected me."
"I can't watch the replay because it makes me sad," Pietrus added. "I still have that video in my head. Every time somebody falls, it makes me weaker because I'm afraid. That's why I'm always trying not to drive to the basket. Hopefully it's going to be better next year, but right now I'm still afraid of falling again."
May 16 2012 - Ray Allen (Celtics), G Ray Allen is still having a lot of problems with his right ankle.
He has been playing through discomfort that gets severe at times, and he's also trying to keep control of the situation during the team's off hours.
"I try not to think about it," Allen said before Wednesday's game. "Like last night, I got in the hotel and I went down to the health club and I was so tempted to get on the treadmill. But I just said, 'Don't do it. Just leave it alone.'
"I put myself in a good position to be ready for tonight, that's all I can say. That's what I've been told to do."
Allen went 25:26 in Wednesday's win over the 76ers, scoring just four points. He made his only shot from the floor -- a drive -- and hit 1-of-2 free throws. But Allen had four rebounds and helped spread the floor.
May 16 2012 - Rajon Rondo (Celtics), G Rajon Rondo controlled the tempo in Game 3, going for 23 points and 14 assists in the Celtics' win. "I thought he set the tone for us," said coach Doc Rivers. "Rondo was extremely serious in shoot-around this morning, and I thought he set the tone for our mental approach."
May 16 2012 - Kevin Garnett (Celtics), C Kevin Garnett went for 27 points and 13 rebounds in just 30 minutes Wednesday. Rivers had criticized the Celts for not getting the ball to him enough in Game 2, but in this game KG had 17 shots (and made 12 of them) and four assists.
May 16 2012 - Paul Pierce (Celtics), F Paul Pierce missed his first six shots in Game 3 and it appeared he was headed to another off night. But he came back to finish with 24 points and 12 rebounds, hitting six of his last 11 attempts from the floor. Pierce still isn't moving well on his sore left knee, but he was able to play 36:34.
May 15 2012 - Kawhi Leonard (Spurs), F Kawhi Leonard placed fourth in voting for Rookie of the Year, which was the highest finish for a San Antonio player since Man Ginobili also came in fourth in 2003. "He's done a good enough job to make me trust him to be in the starting lineup," Popovich said of Leonard. "I'm happy for him."
May 15 2012 - Manu Ginobili (Spurs), G Manu Ginobili hasn't been at his scoring best during this postseason run, at least until Tuesday. He came off the bench to score 22 points in 27 minutes, easily his best showing of the playoffs so far.
May 15 2012 - Tim Duncan (Spurs), C Tim Duncan had 26 points and 10 rebounds in Tuesday's win over the Clippers. It was his 133rd career playoff double-double, ranking fifth all time. "Tim was solid as usual. He's played like that all year long," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "He's not going to do anything that's going to be on a highlight film for TV, but highlight film for coaches possibly. Just being solid, making a great pass, playing the defense that he did, rebounding; he's the anchor."
May 15 2012 - Chris Paul (Clippers), G Chris Paul had a tough shooting night Tuesday, making only 3 of 13 from the field. Paul did pass out 10 assists and finished with five steals.
May 15 2012 - Eric Bledsoe (Clippers), G Eric Bledsoe tied a career high with 23 points off the bench. Bledsoe also grabbed four offensive rebounds and picked up three steals.
May 15 2012 - Caron Butler (Clippers), F Caron Butler hit all three of his three-point shots in the second half Tuesday. Butler finished with 15 points.
May 15 2012 - Blake Griffin (Clippers), F Blake Griffin scored 15 points on 7 of 17 shooting Tuesday. Griffin also blocked three shots before his knee began to stiffen in the second half.
May 15 2012 - David West (Pacers), F David West scored 14 of his 16 points in the second half Tuesday. He also had 10 rebounds. West has led the Pacers in scoring in both games in the series.
May 15 2012 - Roy Hibbert (Pacers), C Roy Hibbert grabbed a team-high 11 rebounds Tuesday. He's got double figures in rebounds in six of seven playoff games this season.
May 15 2012 - Paul George (Pacers), G Paul George is still struggling from the field (4-of-11), but he grabbed 11 rebounds to go with his 10 points Wednesday
May 15 2012 - Udonis Haslem (Heat), F Udonis Haslem continues to struggle with his shot, shooting 2 of 5 Tuesday against the Pacers. His tentative offensive play had him seeing only 12:18 of action in Game 2.
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