NBA Today - Feb. 13
Tue, Feb 13, 2007
By Associated Press
Tuesday, Feb. 13
Dallas at Milwaukee (8 p.m. EST). The Mavericks have won seven in a row.
STARS Monday
- Carmelo Anthony and J.R. Smith, Nuggets. Both scored 28 points and Denver beat Golden State 123-111.
SIDELINED
Steve Nash has withdrawn from Sunday's All-Star game because of lingering inflammation in his right shoulder. The league's two-time defending MVP has missed the last 3 1/2 games because of the injury. Phoenix said Monday he won't play at Seattle on Wednesday night, the club's last game before the All-Star break.
LEGAL TROUBLES
Minnesota Timberwolves rookie Randy Foye was cited early Monday for disorderly conduct after police found him in an SUV at a gas station while two of his family members fought outside. Foye, speaking to reporters in a conference call Monday, said he was driving when two of his younger cousins started arguing, prompting him to pull over and tell them to get out and settle the matter. The citation, Foye said, was for the noise caused by the fight. He apologized to the team and his fans for the negative publicity, but stressed he did nothing wrong. ... Deon Willford, the man who hit former Indiana Pacers guard Stephen Jackson with a car during a fight outside a strip club last fall, was convicted of felony battery and failure to stop at a scene of an accident, a misdemeanor, on Monday. Jackson, who now plays for Golden State, left the courtroom after testifying to catch a flight to Denver. He showed up at halftime of the Nuggets 123-111 win over the Warriors on Monday night and was on the court when the second half started.
STREAKING
Detroit won its seventh straight, 92-74 over the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday. It was also the Pistons eighth consecutive win over the Clippers. ... The Jazz beat Atlanta 102-76 on Monday, Utah's fifth straight win overall and ninth consecutive over the Hawks.
SNAPPED
Atlanta's five-game road winning ended in Utah on Monday, 102-76.
SPEAKING
''I feel like he came straight for my face. In the NBA, there's always hard fouls taken, but I really think it's crossing the line when you start taking shots at somebody's head.'' - Atlanta's Marvin Williams after Rafael Araujo hit the Hawks forward with a forearm to the head in Utah's 102-76 win on Monday. Williams sustained a bloody nose and Araujo was assessed a flagrant foul and ejected.
Davis to undergo knee surgery
Mon, Feb 12, 2007
By Associated Press
DENVER -- Golden State guard Baron Davis will undergo surgery on his left knee Tuesday, coach Don Nelson said.
''He is not with the team. He will have surgery tomorrow,'' Nelson said before the Warriors' game against the Denver Nuggets on Monday night.
Denver won 123-111, covering as 9 1/2-point faves handing the Warriors a third straight ATS loss. The total hit the over.
''The surgery is to clean out some debris in his left knee. We won't know the length of time he'll be out until they go in there,'' Nelson said. ''We won't make a roster move. We won't do anything until after the surgery.''
Davis is averaging a team-best 20.7 points and 8.7 assists but hasn't played since getting hurt Feb. 3 in a game against Charlotte.
LSU's Davis injured
Tue, Feb 13, 2007
By Associated Press
JACKSON, Miss. -- LSU forward Glen Davis has a strained quadriceps muscle and may not be available for Wednesday's game at Mississippi.
Coach John Brady said Davis hasn't been ruled out of the game, but is receiving treatment for the injury he suffered Saturday in a win over Arkansas.
Davis leads the Southeastern Conference with 10.7 rebounds per game and is second in scoring with 17.9 points per game. Brady said the Tigers (14-10, 3-7 SEC) need Davis' presence if they hope to beat the SEC Western Division-leading Rebels (16-8, 5-5) in Oxford.
Ole Miss is coming off a 75-69 win over then-No. 18 Alabama and Brady called the Rebels the most improved team in the league.
"Everybody has injuries this time of year," Brady said. "But we need him playing, and we need him playing at full speed to have any success at all."
Nets Jason Kidd missed practice Monday and has been added to the injury report as questionable (back) for tonight's game.
Bucks Michael Redd (knee, missed 18 games) said after practice Monday that he would not play in either of the two remaining games before the all-star break.
Miami's Jason Williams is out for Tuesday's game and likely till after the All Star break.
Nash's Shoulder Will Sideline Him Through Break
In THE ARIZONA REPUBLIC, Doug Haller writes "Steve Nash's right shoulder injury
has sidelined the point guard through the All-Star break, slowing the Suns'
frantic pace and their high-speed pursuit of the Western Conference's top
postseason seed. Nothing presents a bigger obstacle to their championship hopes
than Nash's health. With him, the Suns might be the best in the league. Without
him, they struggle against teams they usually dominate."
Riley Expected To Make Heat Return This Week
In the SOUTH FLORIDA SUN-SENTINEL, Ira Winderman reports "Pat Riley will return
to the bench next week, taking over from interim coach Ron Rothstein. According
to a source familiar with Riley's plans, Rothstein will coach tonight's home
game against Portland. Riley is expected to announce his return at an 11 a.m.
Wednesday news conference at AmericanAirlines Arena. The Heat, 13-17 when Riley
stepped aside, have gone 12-9 under Rothstein."
Yao May Be Back Ahead Of Projected Return
In the HOUSTON CHRONICLE, Jonathan Feigen writes "Rockets center Yao Ming said
Monday he expects to return to Rockets practices within two weeks, a few days
ahead of the March 1 date the Rockets had planned, with a return to games in
'early March.' Tests on Yao's fractured right leg show him to be progressing on
schedule. He has been running on a treadmill, in which Rockets trainers can
limit the weight he puts on the leg, and walking through moves and jump shots."
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) - Two Illinois basketball players were injured when their car struck a tree and one was in critical condition Tuesday.
Brian Carlwell, a 6-foot-11 freshman center, was in critical condition at an Urbana hospital, according to Carle Foundation Hospital spokeswoman Debra Inman. He had a severe concussion, Illinois sports information director Kent Brown said.
Jamar Smith, a 6-foot-3 sophomore guard, was treated and released from the hospital. He suffered a concussion, Brown said.
Smith, 19, was driving the car late Monday night when it crossed the center line and struck a tree, according to University of Illinois police Sgt. Vanessa Horsman.
"The accident is still under investigation," Horsman told The (Champaign) News Gazette. "We're trying to determine why he crossed the street and struck a tree."
Illinois coach Bruce Weber spent the night in the hospital with Carlwell.
"We just hope and pray Brian is going to be OK," Weber said.
Smith averages 8.1 points per game for the Illini. Carlwell, 19, averages 1.7 points and 1.4 rebounds per game.
Cavs center not traveling with team
Tue, Feb 13, 2007
By Associated Press
CLEVELAND -- Cavaliers center Zydrunas Ilgauskas did not travel with the team to Utah on Tuesday and may miss Cleveland's final two games before the All-Star break because of personal matters.
Ilgauskas did not practice as the Cavaliers prepared for a two-game trip to play the Jazz (Wednesday) and the Los Angeles Lakers (Thursday) before the NBA's regular season pauses for All-Star weekend in Las Vegas.
The 7-foot-3 Ilgauskas is the only Cavs' regular to start all 51 games this season.
He has struggled at times in Cleveland's offense while averaging 11.7 points and 8.2 rebounds. But in his last four games, Ilgauskas is averaging 12.3 points and 11 rebounds.
Until Ilgauskas returns, Cavs coach Mike Brown said he would start Anderson Varejao, who scored 11 points in the fourth quarter to help the Cavaliers beat the Lakers on Sunday.
Kidd to miss next two games; All-Star Game, too?
Associated Press
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Jason Kidd will miss the next two games for the New Jersey Nets with a strained lower back, and his status was uncertain for Sunday's NBA All-Star Game.
The All-Star point guard will be out for Tuesday's game against San Antonio and Wednesday's game in Toronto before the All-Star weekend in Las Vegas.
The Nets had no immediate information on whether Kidd would play for the East in the All-Star Game.
Kidd had played in all 52 games this season for the Nets (25-27), a feat matched only by guard Vince Carter, and has averaged 36.6 minutes.
Kidd had 10 points and nine rebounds Saturday as the Nets extended their winning streak to three by beating the Orlando Magic.
He was replaced late in the third quarter by Marcus Williams, who took control of the game, finishing with 12 points and seven assists. Kidd saw some action in the fourth quarter.
Kidd is averaging 14.3 points, eight rebounds and 8.7 assists this season.
Bucks Michael Redd (knee, missed 18 games) said after practice Monday that he would not play in either of the two remaining games before the all-star break.
Bucks Mo Williams has been added to the injury report as questionable (shoulder) and said he does not know if he'll be ready to go tonight.
Bucks could be without there starting backcourt tonight. ???