'Nasty News - Traversing Time & Space' Vol: 54

Thunder waives F Michael Ruffin; roster now at 16
The Oklahoma City Thunder has waived forward Michael Ruffin, cutting the team's roster to 16 players.

Thunder General Manager Sam Presti announced the roster move on Thursday jsut hours before Oklahoma City's final preseason game against the Sacramento Kings.

The 32-year-old Ruffin has played parts of nine seasons in the NBA. He spent time last season with Portland and previously has played for Chicago, Philadelphia, Utah, Washington and Milwaukee.

nasty daddy · Post #194 » by **nasty daddy** » Thu Oct 22, 2009 6:19 pm

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/sports_ ... uries.html

Lakers suffer more injuries
The Lakers have suffered more injuries during this exhibition season. Center Andrew Bynum came down with a minor right rotator cuff strained during Tuesday night’s game against the Golden State Warriors and was unable to practice Wednesday. The Lakers are listing Bynum as probable for Thursday night’s game against the Denver Nuggets at the Honda Center in Anaheim. “My training staff isn’t anticipating anything prohibiting him from playing,” Lakers Coach Phil Jackson said after practice. “But we’ll see what’s up tomorrow.” Free-agent forward Tony Gaffney suffered a lower back contusion during the game against the Warriors on Tuesday night.On a positive injury note, both Pau Gasol (strained hamstring) and Luke Walton (sore lower back) practiced Wednesday and probably will play Thursday night against the Nuggets.

nasty daddy · Post #195 » by **nasty daddy** » Thu Oct 22, 2009 6:22 pm

http://blogs.dailyherald.com/node/2780

Rose shows progress; Bulls host luncheon
Here’s the daily Derrick Rose ankle update: He showed some progress during Wednesday’s early morning practice. He ran again and made some cuts on his sore right ankle for the first time since suffering the injury on Oct. 2. “I did a lot of cutting drills and high skips -- I couldn’t do that at first,” he said. “So every day it’s improving.”

Rose also described what he needs to overcome before returning to practice. “It hurts. I can’t push off right. I’m not that explosive. I can’t jump that high now,” he said. “Layups, it kind of hurts when I come down. I’ve just got to take my time and let it heal right before I go out there and hurt it again.”

Coach Vinny Del Negro suggested there’s almost no chance Rose will play in Friday’s preseason finale against Washington at the United Center, but Del Negro is more concerned with the ensuing four days of practice leading up to the Oct. 29 season opener against San Antonio.

nasty daddy · Post #196 » by **nasty daddy** » Thu Oct 22, 2009 6:24 pm

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/10 ... .html?_r=1

Hawks Cut Mario West, 2 Centers
The Atlanta Hawks have 13 players on their roster after waiving guard Mario West and centers Garret Siler and Courtney Sims.

West, from Georgia Tech, played the last two seasons with the Hawks. West averaged 2.2 points in five preseason games. Siler, from Augusta State, appeared in two preseason games. Sims, from Michigan, was chosen MVP of the NBA Development League last season. He averaged 6.4 points in three preseason games.

The Hawks cut guards Juan Dixon and Mike Wilks on Tuesday.

nasty daddy · Post #197 » by **nasty daddy** » Thu Oct 22, 2009 6:26 pm

http://lakers.freedomblogging.com/2009/ ... now/23561/

Kelati waived, Gaffney stays for now
The Lakers waived guard Thomas Kelati, a free agent who signed with the team last month. He played in five preseason games, averaging 1.6 points and 1.2 rebounds in 6.2 minutes.

Tony Gaffney, the rookie out of University of Massachusetts, avoided the cut for the time being. Although he is not expected to make the team, Gaffney has impressed the coaching staff.“I do think he has a future in the NBA,” Phil Jackson said. “Maybe not with our team, but definitely in the NBA.”

The Lakers could decide to send Gaffney, who is averaging 3.0 points and 1.8 rebounds in six games, to the D-Fenders.

nasty daddy · Post #198 » by **nasty daddy** » Thu Oct 22, 2009 6:29 pm

http://www.insidehoops.com/blog/?p=4911

76ers exercise options on Marreese Speights, Jason Smith and Thaddeus Young
Philadelphia 76ers President and General Manager Ed Stefanski announced today that the team has exercised the third-year contract option for Marreese Speights and the fourth-year contract options for Jason Smith and Thaddeus Young. “Thaddeus, Jason and Marreese are three of our young players who have done everything asked of them and continue to show improvement every time they step out on the court,” Stefanski said. “We are excited about the way they have developed to this point and we are looking to forward them continuing their careers with the Sixers.”

Speights (6-10, 245) was the 16th overall pick by the Sixers in the 2008 NBA Draft. As a rookie last season, he averaged 7.7 points and 3.7 rebounds in just 16.0 minutes per game while shooting 50.2% from the floor. He would have ranked third among rookies in field goal percentage had he qualified. This preseason, Speights is second on the team in scoring (13.7 ppg) and first in rebounding (8.4 rpg) despite playing just over 20 minutes per game. Smith (7-0, 240) was originally selected by Miami with the 20th overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft, but was acquired in a draft night trade by the Sixers. He missed all of last season after tearing the ACL in his left knee during a workout session in August of 2008. As a rookie in 2007-08, Smith appeared in 76 games, averaging 4.5 points and 3.0 rebounds in 14.6 minutes per game. This preseason, he is averaging 4.6 points and 4.1 rebounds in 16.9 minutes per game.

Young (6-8, 220) was the 12th overall pick by Philadelphia in the 2007 NBA Draft. He averaged 15.3 points last season, up from 8.2 as a rookie in 2007-08. That marked the biggest increase in scoring average of any player in the league last season with a minimum of 50 games played. Over his final 15 games played in 2008-09, Young averaged 21.3 points on 56.3% shooting. For his career, Young is shooting 51.0% from the floor and has 173 steals to 182 turnovers. Speights (22 years old), Smith (23) and Young (21) join Jrue Holiday (19) and Lou Williams (turns 23 on Oct. 27th) as the quintet of Sixers who will be 23 years or younger heading into the season opener at Orlando on Oct. 28th.

nasty daddy · Post #199 » by **nasty daddy** » Thu Oct 22, 2009 6:31 pm

http://www.insidehoops.com/blog/?p=4910

Joe Alexander injures hamstring, out 8-12 weeks
Milwaukee Bucks General Manager John Hammond announced today that forward Joe Alexander re-aggravated his right hamstring injury during rehabilitation exercises this week.

After consulting with Bucks orthopedic physician Dr. Michael Gordon, M.D., Alexander is expected to be sidelined for a period of 8-to-12 weeks. Alexander will be re-evaluated on a regular basis and his status will be updated as necessary. Alexander, 22, originally suffered the injury during voluntary drills prior to the start of training camp on September 17.

In 59 games during his rookie season, Alexander averaged 4.7 points and 1.9 rebounds per game. In the 2009 NBA Summer League, Alexander tallied 16.6 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.4 assists over the five game schedule in Las Vegas.

nasty daddy · Post #200 » by **nasty daddy** » Thu Oct 22, 2009 6:32 pm

http://www.insidehoops.com/blog/?p=4908

Kevin Love has hand surgery
Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kevin Love underwent successful surgery on Tuesday evening to repair a fracture in his left hand (fourth metacarpal). The procedure was performed by Dr. Andrew Weiland of New York City’s Hospital for Special Surgery and involved the insertion of three screws into Love’s hand. The typical recovery time for this type of injury is six to eight weeks.

Love suffered the injury during the third quarter of the Timberwolves’ Oct. 16 preseason game at Chicago. In his four preseason appearances, Love averaged 12.5 points (.471 FG%) and 11.5 rebounds per game.