Hooped Up

Brandon Jennings, playing in only his seventh NBA game, scored 55 points in Milwaukee’s win over Golden State on Saturday night. He set the record for fewest games into an NBA career with a 50-point game. Wilt Chamberlain had held that distinction for 50 years and two days; he scored 55 points on Nov. 12, 1959, in the eighth game of his NBA career.

Jennings is the fifth rookie in NBA history — and the first since 1968 — to score at least 55 points in one game. The other four — all of whom later won the rookie of the year award and eventually earned induction to the Basketball Hall of Fame — were, in chronological order, Elgin Baylor, Chamberlain (who did it three times), Rick Barry and Earl Monroe.
ESPN

The Sixers are expected to be without top reserve Marreese Speights for six to eight weeks. Speights, a 6-foot-10 forward/center, partially tore his left MCL when he banged knees during the fourth quarter of Saturday’s 94-88 loss to the Bulls.

“It’s disappointing for him and the team,” said team president Ed Stefanski. “The good news is there’s no operation involved. He should be back as good as ever.”

Speights averaged 13 points, 6.4 rebounds, 23.4 minutes and shot 60.5 percent from the field in the first 10 games for the 4-6 Sixers.
Philly Blurbs

A source with knowledge of the situation says the Kings are discussing a trade with New Orleans that would send Kenny Thomas to the Hornets and bring center Emeka Okafor to Sacramento.

The deal would be ideal for the Hornets, as Thomas’ expiring contract worth $8.7 million is just the kind of contract that would trim their enormous payroll.

The question, of course, is whether the Kings see Okafor as a big man solution worth the five years and $62.5 million left on his deal.
The Sacramento Bee