'Nasty News - Traversing Time & Space' Vol: 27

[nasty daddy]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3924298

Miller extends streak despite strain
Philadelphia 76ers guard Andre Miller extended the NBA's longest current streak of games played to 502 on Saturday, facing the Miami Heat three days after straining his right calf. He's missed only three games in his 10-year career, the last of those coming Jan. 24, 2003, when he was with the Los Angeles Clippers and sat out against the Minnesota Timberwolves for personal reasons. "Knowing Andre's personality, I don't think [the streak] even matters to him," 76ers coach Tony DiLeo said.

Detroit's Tayshaun Prince has the second-longest current streak of consecutive appearances, at 465. Derek Fisher (304) of the Los Angeles Lakers is third and the 76ers' Samuel Dalembert (who played in his 244th straight on Saturday) is fourth.

Miller is averaging 15.8 points and 6.4 assists this season.

[nasty daddy]

http://slamonline.com/online/media/slam ... p-classic/

Basketball analysts aren’t afraid to throw around monikers like “man-beast,” “baby-Shaq,” and the overused phrase “he has a great motor.” Every time Digger Phelps and Jay Bilas throw those around the scouting reports, most basketball people roll their eyes and find reason to down on the kid. Don’t let that happen with Josh Smith.

Josh is huge. Right now he’s 6-10, 270 pounds, so he’s bigger than just about everybody he plays. Hell, in kindergarten, he was taller than his teacher—Smith was already 5-feet tall. Allow yourself to be immersed in the many “man amongst boys” lines that Brent Musburger shouts to the nation.

As a sophomore in high school, he was already solid in the stat sheet for his team. He averaged 21 points and 9.8 rebounds for Kentwood—he also scored that 21 per on 74 percent shooting. He already holds the Kentwood record for rebounds in a season and shooting percentage. He isn’t done yet. He wants to break the career scoring and rebound record held by Detroit Piston dynamo, Rodney Stuckey. Josh does have something going for him- more time.

Clip in the link above^. Please note: this isn't the same Josh Smith of the Atlanta Hawks either.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/gamecenter ... 20_CLE@MIL

With Cleveland leading 92-89 with 6:54 remaining, Villanueva delivered a hard foul on the Cavaliers' Anderson Varejao. Ilgauskas went after Villanueva and a shoving match ensued, with officials assessing a flagrant foul-2 on Villanueva and ejecting him.

Ilgauskas was called for a technical foul and initially was ejected as well, but officials allowed him to stay in after a review. "I thought the way that he fouled Andy was unnecessary, and I was trying to protect my teammate," Ilgauskas said. "After that, he grabbed me by the throat, the whole melee went down."

Skiles said Villanueva's ejection was the "right call." But Skiles questioned Varejao's reaction to the initial foul. "I hope they'll launch an investigation to find the sniper that shot Varejao," Skiles said. "I thought there was some acting involved."

[nasty daddy]

http://www.nba.com/2009/news/02/21/curr ... index.html

Arrest in deaths of Curry's ex-girlfriend, her baby
Police said Saturday they had arrested a suspect in the slayings of the former girlfriend of New York Knicks' player Eddy Curry and her baby.

Police spokeswoman Laura Kubiak confirmed Saturday that one person was in custody. Kubiak said police believe the person under arrest killed Nova Henry and her infant daughter, Ava, who were found dead of multiple gunshot wounds in their apartment on Jan. 24. Henry was the mother of ex-Chicago Bulls player Curry's 3-year-old son. The boy was found unharmed at the scene. Knicks spokesman Jonathan Supranowitz said by e-mail to The Associated Press: "I am sorry. Eddy has no comment."

Kubiak said she could not confirm details of the arrest. The Chicago Tribune reported Saturday that Henry's mother, Yolan Henry, said a detective informed her after midnight that a Chicago man, a more recent boyfriend of her daughter's, was in custody. "I feel relieved that I don't have to walk outside and wonder if he going to hurt my grandson," Yolan Henry told the newspaper. At Henry's funeral last month, she had told mourners: "Whoever did this and whatever did this, it's going to be taken care of by God."

[nasty daddy]

http://blog.mlive.com/fullcourtpress/20 ... happy.html

Stein also corrects his figures about the Pistons salary cap numbers and the Alex Acker trade.

The trade Detroit made to send Alex Acker to the Clippers for a future swap of second-round picks did better than get the Pistons within $20,000 of the luxury-tax threshold. It actually got them $479,649 under the $71.2 million tax line because, according to NBA front-office sources, $500,000 in potential All-Star bonuses to Rasheed Wallace and Richard Hamilton also will be dropping off Detroit's payroll along with Acker's $711,517 salary. The Pistons were $731,868 over the NBA's tax line before shedding Acker's contract. But they now also will be able to shed the $250,000 bonuses in Wallace's and Hamilton's contracts, which were deemed "likely" bonuses and thus counted against Detroit's cap. Yet since neither made it to the All-Star Game, Detroit will get to subtract an additional (and crucial) $500,000 when the league does its official tax calculations in June.

Well, that clears things up right there. Likely bonuses are always added to the players salaries until the incentive doesn't happen. Mr. Stein shouldn't feel too bad, we all make mistakes. My apologies to readers of Full-Court Press for not delving a little deeper and realizing that "likely" bonuses are added into the players salaries and only come off the cap after not achieved.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/bask ... position=1

Kevin Garnett sidelined 2-3 weeks
But knee injury not serious. Kevin Garnett will be out 2-3 weeks after being diagnosed with a posterior muscle strain of the right knee late last night.

According to Danny Ainge, the injury is not considered serious. The Celtics [team stats] simply are taking a cautious approach with a player who pushes his limits.

Garnett initially was scheduled to be examined this afternoon, but he was instead checked when he landed in Boston last evening.

[nasty daddy]

http://blogs.charlotte.com/inside_the_n ... -spot.html

Nothing imminent on 15th roster spot
The Charlotte Bobcats are looking to fill their open 15th roster spot, now that the trade deadline has passed, but nothing is imminent, general manager Rod Higgins said at shootaround Friday.

They're looking for a big guard out of the developmental league who can play both positions. But with the roster as healthy as it's been in months, there's no great sense of urgency to fill that spot.

[nasty daddy]

http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindblazer ... ely_o.html

Blazers' Martell Webster likely out for rest of regular season
Trail Blazers forward Martell Webster will likely miss the rest of the regular season recovering from a left foot injury, according to the team's athletic trainer. "If he has a shot at playing, it will be the playoffs,'' said Jay Jensen, the team's athletic trainer. "We'll have to see how he does. But considering where we are in the season, and his past history with the foot, I think it would be a fair statement to say it's unlikely he will play in the regular season.''

Webster, a projected starter at small forward when training camp opened, suffered a stress fracture in his fifth metatarsal on his left foot during the Blazers' first preseason game on Oct. 7. He had surgery to insert screws into the foot, then returned to the court on Dec. 7 in Toronto. But after playing five minutes, Webster suffered another stress fracture in the same spot.

Webster has been wearing a protective boot, which he will sport until at least March 3, when he receives his next set of X-Rays. If he is cleared to remove the boot on March 3, the team plans to hold him out a month while he swims, bikes and lifts weights. That would place his return to the practice court at April 3. The regular season ends April 15. "Conceivably could he get ready to play at the end of the season? Maybe,'' Jensen said. "I know we all want him back, and want him back in a quick way, but I don't want this thing to happen again. So we are going to take (the recovery time) out longer this time.'' After the December injury, the Blazers took X-Rays of the foot every two weeks. Now, they take X-Rays once a month. The last X-Ray on Feb. 3 showed progressive bone growth, or healing, particularly on the top of the bone. However, the side and lower part of the fifth metatarsal (the outermost bone in the foot) are taking a longer time to heal. "It's healing, it's just slow,'' Jensen said. "But it's definitely healing.''

[nasty daddy]

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/ar ... reeye.html

Amaré likely out for regular season
Suns All-Star power forward Amaré Stoudemire is expected to miss the rest of the regular season after undergoing surgery this morning to repair a partially detached retina in his right eye.

Stoudemire could return to physical activity in eight weeks but a team press release said that would “depend upon his healing process” and that his surgeon, Dr. Pravin Dugel of Spectra Eye Institute in Sun City, stressed that recoveries are on a case-by-case basis. The eight-week mark is two days after the Suns' regular-season finale.

Stoudemire appeared to injure the eye in the first quarter of Wednesday's Suns win at the Los Angeles Clippers. He was bothered by the eye during an inbound play and then continued motioning toward it after trying to block an Al Thornton slam. He came out of the game briefly but re-entered and finished with 42 points, his second best scoring game of the season. “We are very glad to hear that Amaré should have a 100 percent recovery relative to his vision and his long-term prognosis is excellent,” Suns General Manager Steve Kerr said in the team's press release. “Obviously, it is very disappointing to lose him at this time. We are all very excited about the progress the team is making but Amaré's health and the health of all our players is our No. 1 concern."

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http://blogs.chicagosports.chicagotribu ... s-out.html

New Bulls out
Coach Vinny Del Negro confirmed Brad Miller and John Salmons are out for Friday's game against Denver. Sacramento, which plays in Mempis Friday, hasn't completed its physicals for Andres Nocioni and Drew Gooden, meaning the trade isn't yet official.

Del Negro also confirmed a Tribune report that Jerome James' ruptured right Achilles tendon will keep him in New York. It's likely James never will report to the Bulls and his contract will be covered by insurance.

The Bulls will dress eight players against the Nuggets.

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http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2 ... f-billups/

As the Nuggets prepare for the stretch run, coach George Karl is intent on keeping point guard Chauncey Billups as fresh as possible.

Karl said Friday that adding a backup point guard to the roster could allow Billups to sit out practices and conserve energy for the postseason.

"My whole thing with Chauncey is, we've just got to be real careful with him," Karl said. "You don't want Sandy Koufax throwing batting practice."

[nasty daddy]

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/basketba ... 21.article

General manager John Paxson has left the door open for Ben Gordon to remain with the Bulls. Gordon, who will be an unrestricted free agent July 1, turned down two long-term contract extensions. He rejected a five-year, $50 million offer in October 2007, and a six-year, $58million offer last October. He signed a one-year qualifying offer of $6.4 million. "In our minds, we have not ruled out keeping Ben Gordon at all," Paxson said. "There may have to be another move in the summer that makes sense. Even though the last two years we've tried to hammer out deals and it hasn't worked, I understand his value in what we￯﾿ﾽre trying to do and his ability to score. That￯﾿ﾽs important. But that's down the road. There's nothing we can do today to definitively know what may happen. But I respect and value Ben."

[nasty daddy]

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/basketba ... 21.article

Chris Bosh was asked if a report this week that Chicago was his No. 1 destination when he becomes a free agent in 2010 was true. "No," Bosh told the Globe and Mail of Canada. Bosh also has been linked to New York, Cleveland, Miami and Detroit.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=11680

Now that the trade deadline has officially passed and the All-Star Game seems like a distant memory, it's time to start talking about the season that really matters – the postseason. Let's look forward to Spring and attempt to predict how the Eastern Conference playoff picture will look on the final day of the regular season:

#6 - Detroit Pistons (27-26): There are few constants in life - Death, taxes, and the Pistons in the Eastern Conference… Something many Motown residents had considered a rite of Spring – their basketball team advancing deep into the playoffs - looks like it probably won't happen this year. Incredibly, Detroit has won at least two playoff rounds and reached at least the ECF each of the last seven seasons dating back to 2001. (As a comparison, the Knicks haven't won a single playoff game during that stretch.) However, this season the Pistons seem rudderless (largely a result of the Chauncey Billups trade) and are misfiring on all cylinders. A first round matchup with either of the first three seeds (CLE, BOS, ORL) would have the Pistons scheduling tee-times a lot earlier than usual.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Chat.asp?CHAT_TOPICS_ID=164

eric in : could the bulls possibly make the 6th seed in the east or higher

Preetom Bhattacharya: How about we focus on the eigth seed first? In any case, if the Pistons continue to slide and Milwaukee can't propel up a little, then I can see the 7th seed as a possibility. Getting to 6 is goin to take a seriously strong run by the Bulls.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=11682

Garnett Out, Mikki Moore On Radar
The Boston Celtics all season have been looking for a veteran big man who can play minutes sparingly, the same way P.J Brown did last season for the world champs. Now with Kevin Garnett banged up and out for the next 2-3 weeks, Celtics President Danny Ainge has made it known that there is some interest in free agent forward-center Mikki Moore, who clears waivers Monday. Ainge had gone on the record a few times this season about needing another big body. Having Moore playing behind Garnett and Perkins would help take heavy minutes off the shoulders of K.G and keep him healthy.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Chat.asp?CHAT_TOPICS_ID=164

Andrew Foster in Australia: hey im a die hard rockets fan and wanted to know who do you think the rockets should have traded tmac for rip and tayshaun? seeing as the pistons wanted to free up space and rockets wanted to make a deal?

Preetom Bhattacharya: No, that Rip and Tayshaun deal isn't the one I'd go for. Between Rip, Prince, Battier, and Artest, good luck figuring out your starting lineup. At this point, I think so lowly of T-Mac that I would have dealt him for an expiring contract (Iverson?) and enjoyed the cap space over the summer to pick up small pieces that can help.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=11675

It still cracks me up when I hear people say the Nuggets "fell into" the Billups trade.

Can you imagine what people would be saying if last November's trade had been reversed?

People would be lifting Joe Dumars up on a pedestal and saying he "fleeced" the Nuggets.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.hoopsworld.com/HeadlineStories.html

Amar'e Eye Injury is Actually Really Serious
Valley retinal surgeon Dr. Pravin Dugel first saw Suns star Amaré Stoudemire on Thursday night on a referral from team ophthalmologist Jay Schwartz, who examined Stoudemire's right eye that afternoon.

Dugel, with Retinal Consultants of Arizona, said Stoudemire's vision was disturbed as badly as 20/50 and he had blood in his eye. It was clear he had a "very large" retinal detachment on the nasal side. The ragged tears indicated they were caused by trauma. Stoudemire was struck near his eye Wednesday while fouling Al Thornton but that was not a sole cause.

"People have to understand this is something very serious," Dugel said. "For him, activity isn't hitting a tennis ball or jogging. That's what makes this thing a lot more tenuous."

[nasty daddy]

http://www.hoopsworld.com/HeadlineStories.html

Lowry, Cook Excited to Join Rockets
In Memphis, Kyle Lowry was a backup point guard for a team that in his three seasons rarely escaped last place. Then Thursday, he got the word he had been traded to a team in the thick of the playoff race willing to give up its starting point guard of four seasons to get him. It was, he said, a good day. “I’m loving it and happy,” Lowry said Friday, a day after the Rockets dealt Rafer Alston to Orlando in a three-team trade to get Lowry. “In Memphis, they gave me the opportunity to get to the NBA. To get to a team that has a chance to make the playoffs, we have a better team. I’m coming here to be a great player.”

The Rockets expect no less, having pursued Lowry, 22, since the 2006 NBA draft.Lowry, 6-0 and 175 pounds, did not know until they finally landed him how long the Rockets had wanted to plug him in at point guard. The Grizzlies did not have the consistent playing time for Lowry they likely anticipated when he was drafted. The next season, they drafted Mike Conley. In last season’s draft, they acquired O.J. Mayo, who has been increasingly moving toward playing point guard.

Brian Cook, 28, acquired from Orlando in the deal, ran into even more difficulty finding playing time. With Hedo Turkoglu and Rashard Lewis at the forwards, the Magic lead the NBA in 3-pointers made and attempted, removing the value of Cook’s specialty. He played in just 21 games, averaging seven minutes and three points. The Rockets are 10th in the NBA in 3-point shooting percentage, but did not have a power forward or center with that sort of shooting range. “I’m very ecstatic to be here,” Cook, 6-9 and 250 pounds, said. “Everybody knows I can shoot the basketball. I’m going to try to come here and spread the floor for the big fella.”