Raja Bell News: Pro Sports Daily

Bell scores 24, Bobcats beat tired Hawks

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November 7

Charlotte Observer

"Raja Bell scored 24 points and the Charlotte Bobcats looked nothing like the NBA's lowest scoring team in beating the road-weary Atlanta Hawks 103-83 on Friday night. Bell hit 9 of 12 shots, including 5 of 6 from 3-point range, Ronald "Flip" Murray added 15 points in his Charlotte debut, and Gerald Wallace offset a poor shooting night with 18 rebounds in the Bobcats' second straight win. The Hawks struggled defensively and saw their two-game winning streak snapped at the end of a difficult trip that also took them to Los Angeles, Portland and Sacramento. Josh Smith and Jamal Crawford each scored 13 points, but combined to shoot 10 of 27 from the field. The Hawks fell behind by 21 in the ..."

Bell to start tonight

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November 2

Charlotte Observer

"Charlotte Bobcats guard Raja Bell will play and start tonight at home versus the New Jersey Nets, despite not having fully participated in a practice since tearing a ligament in his left wrist. Coach Larry Brown said he'll start Bell, but has no expectation as to how long Bell Will play. Bell has parttially participated in practices -- mostly non-contact shooting, passing and drills. He's yet to test how he'll impede players defensively with the injury. "It felt pretty good yesterday. We came in and worked out,'' Bell said. "I got some passes with the one hand to see if I could catch, and I threw some passes. It felt good. I said once I could do that, I'd give it a shot.''"

Brown: Bell could play as soon as Monday

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October 30

Charlotte Observer

"Charlotte Bobcats coach Larry Brown says shooting guard Raja Bell could play as soon as Monday's home game against the New Jersey Nets. Bell has a torn ligament in his left wrist. As the days pass, he's using less and less wrapping to protect the injury. Now he's down to a neoprene strap that offers some protection but isn't as cumbersome as the heavy bandages he was using earlier in the week. Bell said at Friday-morning shootaround that he needs to go through a full practice, probably Sunday, to test what it will be like when his wrist is jostled while playing defense. He felt a significant twinge of pain Friday when he tried to make a reverse layup with his left hand."

Bell's a gamer who has a hard choice ahead

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October 25

Charlotte Observer

"Who doesn't love a gamer? You know: That big lug in the black-and-white photo, spitting out his teeth on a football field. Bloody, hunched over, and ready to pummel any coach who tells him he's too hurt to play. Of course, you seldom see that guy 20 years later - arthritic, punch-drunk and broke. Raja Bell, the Charlotte Bobcats' shooting guard, won't end up like that. But I couldn't help think of that image Saturday while chatting with Bell about his left wrist. He hasn't made a final decision whether to have surgery to repair that torn ligament, and he won't until he hears back from a hand specialist in Chicago. Surgery could cost him four months of inactivity. But there was Bell, wrist ..."

An update on Raja Bell

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October 24

Charlotte Observer

"I just spoke with Charlotte Bobcats guard Raja Bell, following Saturday practice, about the torn ligament in his left wrist. While Bell has NOT made a final decision on whether he'll have surgery (a procedure that could put him out four months), he's working under the assumption he'll go the rest-and-rehabilitation route. Bell worked out on the sideline, his wrist heavily wrapped in bandages. He worked with a weighted ball and did some shooting -- even launching 3-pointers -- building up a bit of a sweat. The intent of this is to staying shape so that if he's out just a week or two, he'll be ready to play."

Bell may need surgery on torn wrist ligament

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October 22

Charlotte Observer

"Larry Brown is still trying to figure out not just what he has as the Charlotte Bobcats approach the start of the regular season next Wednesday but who he has. Brown and the Bobcats are still waiting to find out whether shooting guard Raja Bell will require surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left wrist suffered Sunday in a loss to the Utah Jazz. Bell plans to seek a second opinion to determine whether he needs surgery, which could sideline him for four months. It's possible Bell can avoid surgery and be available for the Bobcats, who were counting on him in the relatively near future. "We still don't know what the right course of action is," Brown said after practice Wednesday. "Kobe ..."

Bobcats get impressive victory, then grim news

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October 21

Charlotte Observer

"Rookie Gerald Henderson picked the right night to have his best game; at this rate he'll end up the last shooting guard standing. Minutes after the Charlotte Bobcats defeated the Milwaukee Bucks 94-87 Tuesday, coach Larry Brown announced starter Raja Bell has a torn ligament in his left wrist. If Bell chooses to have surgery, he'd miss up to four months in recovery. Bell plans to seek a second opinion from a Chicago hand specialist on whether surgery is warranted. In the alternative, Bell could try rest and rehabilitation. If that's successful, he'd be back on the court much sooner. "It's a (decision) I won't take lightly. I've only had six or seven hours to digest" the latest diagnosis, ..."

Bobcats waiting for Bell to break out of it

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October 18

Charlotte Observer

"Raja Bell has struggled to make shots all preseason, but that failing didn't distinguish him from the rest of the Charlotte Bobcats' guards Saturday. Bell, Raymond Felton and D.J. Augustin combined to shoot 5-of-24 in a 91-87 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers at the Staples Center. After going 3-of-9 Saturday, Bell is 5-of-30 for the preseason. Coach Larry Brown says he's not concerned. "He got good shots,'' Brown said of Bell, a 3-point shooter and defensive stopper. "If he was taking bad shots then maybe I'd be concerned. But those were great looks. "He's putting a lot of pressure on himself, but that's OK.'' The Bobcats (1-4 in the preseason) failed to score in the first five minutes of ..."

Bobcats guard Bell listed as day-to-day with calf injury

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April 5

Charlotte Observer

"Charlotte Bobcats shooting guard Raja Bell's right calf isn't as seriously injured as first thought, and he'll be listed as day-to-day. A team official said Saturday that Bell has a strained calf and will receive treatment. It's uncertain when he'll play again. The Bobcats visit Detroit today. Coach Larry Brown said Bell felt his calf "pop" when he turned to run the other way to play defense early in the third quarter of the Heat's win Friday. He fell to the floor and clutched his right leg. Bell is averaging 13 points since being acquired from Phoenix in December and is Charlotte's top defensive player."

Bobcats suffer blow to playoff hope

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April 4

Charlotte Observer

""Pop" went Raja Bell's right calf muscle. Pop goes the season? It felt that way for the Charlotte Bobcats following a 97-92 home loss to the Miami Heat. They're running out of games and bodies, particularly after losing Bell, their top perimeter defender, early in the third quarter. It would have been a struggle containing Heat guard Dwyane Wade under any circumstances. Without Bell, it was just about impossible. Wade amassed 14 of his 27 points and seven of his 10 assists after Bell left the game. From coach Larry Brown's description, this is no minor injury. "He said his calf popped," Brown said, "so I imagine it will be a while." There isn't a while left. The Bobcats fell to 34-42, two ..."

Bell wings it, scores 18 in Bobcats win

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March 4

Charlotte Observer

"Charlotte Bobcats guard Raja Bell better keep his distance from teammate Raymond Felton the next three days. "If it makes him shoot like that," Felton joked after a 96-80 victory against the Chicago Bulls, "I might have to hit him on that shoulder Friday." Tuesday morning, Bell couldn't lift his right arm above his head. Tuesday night, he made seven of his first nine shots for 18 first-half points. That set the agenda in a game that felt key to what small playoff hope the Bobcats have. Bell has a strain of the biceps tendon near his shoulder. He doubted he'd be effective, but gave it a try and amazed himself. In the two games since his injury, he shot a combined 16-of-26 for 39 points. ..."

Raja Bell finds niche as Bobcats' crowd pleaser

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January 21

Charlotte Observer

"His first three years in the NBA, Raja Bell was labeled a defensive specialist. The past few years, he's been called a 3-point specialist. His true specialty transcends basketball. At least that's how Bell's father sees it. "My dad always says my best attribute is understanding what someone wants and giving it to him," Bell said. That starts to explain how a guy who wasn't drafted is now the Charlotte Bobcats' starting shooting guard. He wasn't even the best basketball player in his immediate family. That was his father, Roger Bell, a former college football player who's now an administrator in the University of Miami's athletic department. When the Philadelphia 76ers first contacted Bell, ..."

Suns trade Bell, Diaw for Richardson

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December 10

Arizona Republic

"The Suns acquired dynamic shooting guard Jason Richardson today in a trade with the Charlotte Bobcats that will also bring second-year forward Jared Dudley and a 2010 second-round draft choice to the Suns in exchange for shooting guard Raja Bell, forward Boris Diaw and rookie point guard Sean Singletary. The deal, pending players passing physicals, brings a new dimension to the Suns' shooting guard position with Richardson, who can hit 3-pointers and be an athletic fit into an uptempo system like he starred in during five seasons with Golden State. The trade call was completed at about 3:45 p.m. Phoenix time today. "He's athletic and gives us a really potent offensive player," Suns General ..."

Barnes, Bell return after daddy duty

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November 11

East Valley Tribune

"Both Matt Barnes and Raja Bell were ready for duty Monday after becoming fathers - Barnes with twins for the first time, Bell with a boy for the second time - a few weeks ahead of schedule. Barnes left the team from Indiana Wednesday night, getting to the Bay Area just before midnight Thursday. About five hours later, his fiancee gave birth to Carter and Isiah Barnes. They came into the world about six weeks premature, but weighing in at six pounds and almost 20 inches long. Mom and children went home from the hospital Sunday night as Barnes headed back to Arizona. "It's the most incredible feeling. Can't get the smile off my face," Barnes said. "I got in some shooting (Sunday night) and ..."