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

[nasty daddy]

http://www.torontosun.com/sports/basket ... 6-sun.html

Minnesota Timberwolves have been dealing with some pretty big changes of their own. Having lost centre Al Jefferson for the remainder of the year with a torn ACL, the T-Wolves are looking to replace Jefferson's offensive contributions. They have lost four of the five games since his injury. That's not surprising considering he was their points (23) and rebound (11) leader when he went down.

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

D-League Center Samb Could Join Knicks
D-League 7-foot center Cheikh Samb impressed the Knicks during a tryout Monday and could be signed to a 10-day contract by the end of the week.

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

Hayes Set To Return Wednesday For Nets
Jarvis Hayes wants to play Wednesday, but said it would be smarter if he waits until Sunday.

Hayes has partially torn ligaments in his left thumb. He’s shot the past two days with a splint on his hand, but said he’s in pain.

"I’ll probably do a little bit more damage if I played," Hayes said. "I’m willing to take that chance. We’re in a playoff race."

[nasty daddy]

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baske ... ry_th.html

D-League 7-foot center Cheikh Samb impressed the Knicks during a tryout Monday and could be signed to a 10-day contract by the end of the week.

[nasty daddy]

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

NBA sources continued to say last night that 7-footer Mikki Moore will join the Celtics once he clears waivers today at 10 a.m.

The 11-year veteran, who played for the C’s in 2002-03, was waived by Sacramento after the deadline last Thursday, meaning he doesn’t clear the 48-hour business-day period until today. At that point, sources say Moore, who has a number of high-profile suitors, will select the Celts.

Moore is on the West Coast and could fly to Los Angeles today to get his physical. While a number if logistical issues have to be worked out, he could be with the team tomorrow night against the Clippers.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.nj.com/nets/index.ssf/2009/0 ... amewi.html

Jarvis Hayes has taken one look at the calendar and the standings and made up his mind: He's playing sometime during this homestand, aching thumb and all. So the Nets' reserve wing, who tore ligaments in his left thumb at Dallas a week ago, is going to wrap it up and face the consequences.

He said he might try to play Wednesday night against Chicago, but a more realistic return would be Sunday against New Orleans, because it would give him four more days to let the anti-inflammatories do their work. But he also has to deal with the possibility that he could do further damage to it.

"The last thing I need now is surgery," Hayes said. "Because if it gets banged again, it'll need surgery."

[nasty daddy]

http://www.northjersey.com/sports/nets/40205242.html

Eduardo Najera continues to avoid seeing a specialist and having surgery on his strained right abdominal. But if he waits too long and needs surgery he could miss the remainder of the season.

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

Hawks Recall Players From D-League
The Hawks recalled guard Thomas Gardner and forward Othello Hunter from the NBA Development League Monday.

Gardner appeared in two games with the Anaheim Arsenal and averaged 23.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.0 assist. Hunter appeared in two games and averaged 8.3 points, 10.0 rebounds and 1.3 blocks.

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

O'Neal Apologizes After Poor Perfomance
Not only does accountability begin at home for Heat center Jermaine O'Neal, but it also begins the moment he leaves the court after a bad game.

O'Neal, who said he apologized to teammates after a subpar outing in Sunday's loss at Orlando, vowed to atone Tuesday against Detroit.

O'Neal continued a stretch of up-and-down play when he missed eight of 10 shots and finished with six points and two rebounds against the Magic. In three games since joining the Heat, he has had one, 10 and two rebounds. O'Neal has been his biggest critic. ''I don't make excuses,'' said O'Neal, who gets $21 million this season and $23 million next season.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/bask ... rticleFull

NBA sources continued to say last night that 7-footer Mikki Moore will join the Celtics once he clears waivers today at 10 a.m.

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

Mike Dunleavy Might Miss Rest Of The Season
For the first time since Mike Dunleavy was shut down with an ongoing knee problem, an Indiana Pacers official acknowledged Monday his season is likely over.

Pacers coach Jim O'Brien said before Monday's game against the New York Knicks that he doesn't "think there's much question that (Dunleavy's) done for the year."

"I think he's done for the year," O'Brien said. "That's where I think he is. Whether he thinks he is or somebody else does, I'm proceeding as if he's going to be done for the rest of the year."

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

Barkley To Serve Jail Time For DUI
Charles Barkley will serve time in jail after pleading guilty Monday to charges of driving drunk.

According to Scottsdale court records, the 45-year-old former NBA star pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor charges related to the same drunken-driving arrest.

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

A.I The Blame For Pistons Season Struggles?
It's one thing to have mismatched personnel. It's one thing to execute poorly, to miss assignments and open shots. It's one thing to be beaten by a superior opponent.

It's another to play a game you have loved your entire life, a game that has afforded you riches beyond your wildest dreams, and be utterly miserable doing it.

The Pistons are all of those things right now. They still haven't adjusted to playing with Allen Iverson. Their execution has been atrocious at both ends of the floor. They have been beaten by any and all opponents.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/baske ... 18142.html

O'Neal, who said he apologized to teammates after a subpar outing in Sunday's loss at Orlando, vowed to atone Tuesday against Detroit.

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http://www.ohio.com/sports/cavs/40188707.html

Injury update: Pavlovic shot a little with the team today. Brown stuck to a four- to six-week timetable for Pavlovic's return after he suffered a high ankle sprain Feb. 10 against the Los Angeles Lakers.

West said his wrist was a little stiff after Sunday's return to the lineup. No other issues were reported today.

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http://www.ajc.com/hawks/content/sports ... hawks.html

The Hawks recalled guard Thomas Gardner and forward Othello Hunter from the NBA Development League Monday.

Gardner appeared in two games with the Anaheim Arsenal and averaged 23.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.0 assist. Hunter appeared in two games and averaged 8.3 points, 10.0 rebounds and 1.3 blocks.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.ohio.com/sports/cavs/40188707.html

Milwaukee Bucks forward Charlie Villanueva won't face NBA sanctions for his actions in Friday's game against the Cavs, a league spokesman said. Officials assessed Villanueva a flagrant foul-2 and ejected him after a play against Anderson Varejao that led to a neck-grabbing altercation with Cavs center Zydrunas Ilgauskas.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.indystar.com/article/2009022 ... 8/SPORTS04

For the first time since Mike Dunleavy was shut down with an ongoing knee problem, an Indiana Pacers official acknowledged Monday his season is likely over.

Pacers coach Jim O'Brien said before Monday's game against the New York Knicks that he doesn't "think there's much question that (Dunleavy's) done for the year." "I think he's done for the year," O'Brien said. "That's where I think he is. Whether he thinks he is or somebody else does, I'm proceeding as if he's going to be done for the rest of the year."

Team officials had shied away from talking about Dunleavy because he's currently seeking outside medical opinions about his knee. "He's looking at all his options," O'Brien said. "It's disappointing for him, and also something that's difficult for the franchise to deal with because he makes a lot of money, deservedly so, but you're operating on a situation where if you don't have somebody like that, that you're operating on less of a budget. That's a difficult situation."

[nasty daddy]

http://www.indystar.com/article/2009022 ... 8/SPORTS04

A mid-afternoon bout with the flu put Pacers point guard T.J. Ford in street clothes with Dunleavy and Danny Granger.

Ford took part in the team's morning shootaround, but became ill afterward. Rookie Brandon Rush started in Ford's place.

Swingman Marquis Daniels started despite missing the shootaround with a similar illness.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.nba.com/2009/news/02/24/2009 ... index.html

The Orlando Magic's Dwight Howard and the Los Angeles Lakers' Pau Gasol today were named the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for games played Tuesday, Feb. 17, through Sunday, Feb. 22.

Howard averaged 25.5 points, a league-best 15.0 rebounds and 4.3 blocks in leading the Magic to a 3-1 week. Howard led Orlando in scoring twice and in rebounding in all four games. His 45-point, 19-rebound, eight-block effort in a 107-102 win over Charlotte on Feb. 17 marked the first time a player tallied 40-plus points, 15-plus rebounds and five-plus blocks in a game since Shaquille O'Neal on March 23, 2001 as a member of the Lakers. The 45 points also marked a career high for Howard. Gasol won his second straight Player of the Week Award after guiding the Lakers to a perfect 4-0 mark. Gasol averaged 20.3 points on .635 shooting from the field, 10.8 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 1.0 blocks. In a 96-83 win over Atlanta on Feb. 17, Gasol recorded his third career triple-double with 12 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists. The next night, Gasol tallied 24 points, 13 rebounds and five assists in the Lakers' 129-121 win at Golden State.

Other nominees for the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week were Cleveland's LeBron James, Houston's Yao Ming, Indiana's Troy Murphy, Los Angeles Lakers' Lamar Odom, Miami's Dwyane Wade, Milwaukee's Richard Jefferson and Charlie Villanueva, New York's Nate Robinson, Portland's Brandon Roy and Utah's Deron Williams.