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

[nasty daddy]

http://www.detroitnews.com/apps/pbcs.dl ... 00417/1127

Pacers forward Danny Granger will miss up to three weeks because of a partial tendon tear in the sole of his right foot, the team said. An MRI conducted in Minneapolis revealed the tear. The injury occurred in the first half Wednesday at Charlotte.

Granger pulled up after a Charlotte turnover and came out of the game during a timeout with 10:50 left in the quarter.

Granger had been playing with pain in his right knee for several weeks, and he played 11 minutes in the All-Star Game to avoid making it worse. He also participated in the 3-point shootout during All-Star weekend.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.detroitnews.com/apps/pbcs.dl ... 00417/1127

Spurs guard Manu Ginobili will be out 2-3 weeks because of a stress reaction in his right ankle.

The team announced the injury to Ginobili's right distal fibula, saying it was diagnosed after X-rays, an MRI and a CT scan. It's not the same ankle that Ginobili had surgery on last summer after the Olympics, forcing him to miss the first 12 games of the season.

Ginobili missed Tuesday's loss at New York. He didn't play Thursday against the Pistons nor will he at Washington on Sunday, when the Spurs wrap up an eight-game stretch.Ginobili is the third-leading scorer for the Spurs, averaging 16.1 points off the bench.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.detroitnews.com/apps/pbcs.dl ... 00324/1127

Pierce keeps on fighting
Celtics forward changes his game, but his fierce intensity remains the same. Boston Celtics forward Paul Pierce is known as one of the fiercest competitors in the NBA. He's been that way his entire life. "Growing up and playing in the parks, playing at the YMCAs, sometimes you had to fight just to get on the court," Pierce told reporters during last weekend's All-Star Weekend festivities. "It's just my competitive nature." It was that competitive nature that drove him to keep working after being cut from his Inglewood (Calif.) High School varsity team as a freshman and a sophomore. He would often drive to the school at 5:30 in the morning with a few friends to work on his game with Scott Collins, a policeman and assistant basketball coach at the school.

It was that competitive nature that drove him to work so hard that he became a star at Inglewood High during his junior and senior seasons. After being selected as a McDonald's All-American as a senior in 1995, Pierce attended the University of Kansas, where the crime and delinquency studies major averaged 16.4 points and 6.3 rebounds per game in three seasons before entering the NBA draft. Pierce has averaged 22.9 points and 6.3 rebounds over his 11-year NBA career, and he has shown no signs of slowing down. After losing about 10 pounds last offseason, the 31-year-old small forward is in better shape than he was last season. "It's definitely great, because (winning a championship) was my ultimate goal," said Pierce. "It's something that you always dreamed of. I believe we can do it again. I put it behind me. It's in the history books now and we're just trying to do it again." Pierce has been through a lot of ups and downs in his 11-year career -- from being selected to the NBA All-Rookie First Team in 1999, to the 2000 stabbing at a Boston nightclub that nearly ended his life, to becoming a member of the 2002 USA basketball team and being a seven-time All-Star, to winning the NBA title in 2008 and being named the MVP of the Finals. "These years are the most fun of my life, knowing that I'm in my 11th year and the down slate of my career, as far as I'm not going to play 11 more years, so these are the most fun years right now," he said.

Pierce is averaging 19.9 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.8 assists this season. He said that he is still capable of scoring 25 every night, but with fellow All-Stars Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen on the team, he doesn't have to. "Each and every day you wake up and go to practice, you appreciate the fact that you get to play with two Hall of Famers like (Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett)," Pierce said. Several times this season, including in Boston's game last week at Dallas when he scored 18 of his 31 points in the fourth quarter, Pierce has shown his uncanny knack for performing late-game heroics.He said that there is a fine balance in knowing when to take over a game and when to let his teammates lead the way. "I've gotten a feel for this team and a feel for the game," Pierce said. "I think at this point in my career I understand what I have to do. "I don't go in there, into the game saying, 'Tonight I have to score 30 points,' because that may not be what the game needs. There are going to be nights where it needs my rebounding, my defense, my passing and not so much my scoring."

[nasty daddy]

http://www.nba.com/2009/news/02/19/king ... index.html

The Minnesota Timberwolves have agreed to trade guard Rashad McCants to the Sacramento Kings for forward Shelden Williams in a swap of disappointing lottery picks, two people with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press on Thursday.

The Wolves also got rookie guard Bobby Brown from the Kings and sent rarely used center Calvin Booth to Sacramento.

McCants was the 14th overall pick in 2005. He is averaging 9.1 points per game, but has appeared in only six games since Jan. 1.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.nba.com/2009/news/02/19/gino ... index.html

Spurs' Ginobili out 2-3 weeks with injured right ankle
Manu Ginobili started the season dealing with an injury to one ankle. Now the San Antonio Spurs super-sub is sidelined because of the other one.

Coach Gregg Popovich said Thursday before the Spurs played in Detroit that Ginobili is expected to be sidelined for 2-3 weeks. "It's a stress reaction, not a stress fracture, which is important," Popovich said. "If it had been a stress fracture, there's no way he could have been playing, and certainly not as well as he has been."Ginobili had X-rays, an MRI and a CT scan, and Popovich said the results were encouraging. "The new bone is already starting to lay down, which means the healing process is underway," he said. "We're thinking that it will be 2-3 more weeks from tonight."

Ginobili had surgery on his left ankle last summer after the Olympics, forcing him to miss the first 12 games of the season. The current problem caused him to miss Tuesday's loss at New York. "We'll handle it the same way we did the last time," Popovich said. "Whoever we've got left is going to play. I can't tell you who will get which minutes -- I'm going to do it on the fly."

[nasty daddy]

http://www.nba.com/2009/news/02/19/gran ... index.html

Pacers' Granger out up to three weeks with foot injury
Indiana Pacers All-Star Danny Granger will miss up to three weeks with a partial tendon tear in the sole of his right foot, the team said Thursday.

An MRI conducted Thursday in Minneapolis revealed the tear. The injury occurred in the first half of Wednesday night's game at Charlotte. Granger pulled up after a Charlotte turnover and came out of the game during a timeout with 10:50 left in the quarter. "That last shot I took right before I left the game, it felt like something popped in my foot," he said after the game. "I thought I had just pulled it. I ran down to the other end, and that's when I just walked to the bench and said, 'I've got something wrong."'

Granger had been playing with pain in his right knee for several weeks, and played just 11 minutes in the All-Star game to avoid making it worse. He also participated in the 3-point shootout during All-Star weekend.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.nba.com/2009/news/02/19/nels ... index.html

Magic guard Nelson has season-ending shoulder surgery
The Orlando Magic say All-Star point guard Jameer Nelson will miss the rest of the season after having shoulder surgery.

Nelson had a successful procedure performed Thursday by Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Ala. and the Magic said he would need an estimated four to six months of rehabilitation.Nelson dislocated his right shoulder and tore his labrum on Feb. 2 against Dallas. Before that, he had been selected to his first All-Star Game after averaging 16.7 points.

The Southeast Division-leading Magic made a trade to replace Nelson before Thursday's deadline, acquiring Rafer Alston from Houston in a three-team deal that also included Memphis.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.nba.com/2009/news/02/20/garn ... index.html

Garnett injures leg during game against Jazz
Boston forward Kevin Garnett was injured late in the second quarter of the Celtics' game at Utah on Thursday night and went hopping on one foot toward the locker room.

The Celtics said he strained his right knee and would not return. Garnett injured his right leg while going up for an alley-oop late in the first half. He landed gingerly and motioned immediately to the bench for a substitute, then hopped on his good foot toward the locker room.

There was no immediate word on how serious the injury was or whether Garnett could return to the game.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.detroitnews.com/apps/pbcs.dl ... 00419/1127

All (mostly) quiet at trade deadline
Knicks make deals with Bulls and Thunder, but big names stay put as teams count pennies. Shaquille O'Neal and all the other big names stayed put on trade deadline day, with owners perhaps scared of making moves that added salary in an uncertain economic climate.

The Cleveland Cavaliers were among the suitors that reportedly reached out to Phoenix to inquire about O'Neal, but they couldn't close a deal for him or any other big man they sought to battle defending NBA champion Boston.

Amare Stoudemire and Vince Carter headlined the stars who had space on the rumor mill in recent weeks but went nowhere, with teams having to balance a player's impact on the court with his effect on the wallet. "If anybody hasn't figured out that the economy is hitting every company in the country and in the world, they're not very bright," Dallas owner Mark Cuban said Wednesday. "Of course it's hitting everybody and everybody has to be considerate of it."

[nasty daddy]

http://www.detroitnews.com/apps/pbcs.dl ... 00419/1127

• The Chicago Bulls traded unhappy guard Larry Hughes to the New York Knicks for Tim Thomas, Jerome James and Anthony Roberson. Chicago also traded guard Thabo Sefolosha to the Oklahoma City Thunder for a 2009 first-round draft pick.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.detroitnews.com/apps/pbcs.dl ... 00419/1127

• The Minnesota Timberwolves shipped Rashad McCants and center Calvin Booth to Sacramento for forward Shelden Williams and point guard Bobby Brown.

The Sacramento Kings continued their salary cap purge with their third trade in a week. Sacramento sent Brad Miller and John Salmons to the Bulls on Wednesday for Andres Nocioni, Drew Gooden, Michael Ruffin and Cedric Simmons.

The Kings immediately sent Ruffin to Portland for Ike Diogu and cash.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.detroitnews.com/apps/pbcs.dl ... 00419/1127

• The Knicks also acquired Chris Wilcox from Oklahoma City for Malik Rose and cash considerations in a swap of forwards with expiring contracts.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.detroitnews.com/apps/pbcs.dl ... 00419/1127

Indiana Pacers guard-forward Danny Granger will miss up to three weeks because of a partial tendon tear in the sole of his right foot, the team said.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.insidehoops.com/blog/?p=3538

Jameer Nelson has season-ending shoulder surgery
Orlando Magic General Manager Otis Smith announced that Magic All-Star point-guard Jameer Nelson underwent season-ending shoulder surgery Thursday afternoon. The procedure, performed by Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Alabama, was successful and rehabilitation is estimated at four-to-six months. Nelson dislocated his right shoulder and suffered a torn labrum on Feb. 2 vs. Dallas.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.insidehoops.com/blog/?p=3535

Celtics recall J.R. Giddens from D-League
The Boston Celtics announced today that they have recalled rookie guard J.R. Giddens from their NBA Development League affiliate Utah Flash. Giddens was reassigned to the Flash on February 5 and has appeared in three games since his second assignment with averages of 17.0 points and 3.0 rebounds per game. Giddens has appeared in 15 games for the Flash this season with season averages of 17.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.27 steals and 1.40 blocks per game.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.insidehoops.com/blog/?p=3532

Manu Ginobili out 2-3 weeks
The San Antonio Spurs today announced that Manu Ginobili has a stress reaction of his distal right fibula. The injury was diagnosed after a series of examinations including X-rays, an MRI and a CAT scan. Ginobili is expected to be out for two-to-three weeks. For the season, Ginobili in 27.2 minutes per game is averaging 16.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.53 steals.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.insidehoops.com/blog/?p=3533

Danny Granger out 2-3 weeks
The Indiana Pacers announced Thursday that forward Danny Granger will be out 10 days to three weeks with a partial tendon tear in the sole of his right foot. The injury occurred in the first half of Wednesday night’s game at Charlotte. An MRI conducted Thursday in Minneapolis revealed the tear.As the heart of the Pacers, Granger this season in 36.2 minutes per game is averaging 25.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.54 blocks per game. Though he’s only shooting 43.4% from the field, Granger is nailing an impressive 39.8% of his three-point attempts. With 22 wins and 34 losses, the Pacers are currently last in the Central division and are the 13th seed in the 15-team Eastern conference.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.insidehoops.com/blog/?p=3534

Jarvis Hayes has thumb injury
An MRI examination of Nets’ forward Jarvis Hayes’ left thumb revealed partially torn ligaments, which he suffered during last night’s game at Dallas. Hayes will wear a splint for a week after which time his status will be reevaluated. A key bench contributor for the 22-31 Nets this season, Hayes in 25.3 minutes per game is averaging 8.4 points and 3.8 rebounds per game

[nasty daddy]

http://www.insidehoops.com/blog/?p=3529

Bulls trade Larry Hughes to Knicks for 3 players
The New York Knickerbockers President of Basketball Operations Donnie Walsh announced today that guard Larry Hughes has been acquired from the Chicago Bulls in exchange for center Jerome James, guard Anthony Roberson and forward Tim Thomas.

Hughes, 6-5, 184-pounds, was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers with the eighth overall selection in the 1998 NBA Draft out of Saint Louis University. The St. Louis, MO-native has career averages of 14.7 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.50 steals in 648 career games (479 starts) over 11 NBA seasons with Chicago, Cleveland, Washington, Golden State and Philadelphia. Hughes, who was acquired by Chicago in a six-player deal on Feb. 21, 2008, averaged 12.2 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 68 games with Chicago and Cleveland during the 2007-08 season. He is averaging 12.0 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.20 steals over 26.4 minutes in 30 games (six starts) during 2008-09 campaign.

James, 7-1, 285-pounds, signed with the Knicks as a free agent on Aug. 2, 2005 after spending four seasons with the Seattle Supersonics. He averaged 2.5 points and 1.8 rebounds in 90 career games with New York. The Florida A&M product, who is in his 10th NBA season, has career averages of 4.3 points and 3.1 rebounds in 358 games with New York, Seattle and Sacramento. He is averaging 3.0 points and 1.5 rebounds in two games during the 2008-09 campaign. On Jan. 18, James ruptured his right Achilles and is expected to be out for the remainder of the season. Roberson, 6-2, 195-pounds, signed as a free agent with the Knicks on Jul. 24, 2008. The Saginaw, MI-native averaged 4.7 points and 11.0 minutes in 23 games this season. Thomas, 6-10, 240-pounds, was acquired by the Knicks, with Cuttino Mobley, from the Los Angeles Clippers on Nov. 21 in exchange for Zach Randolph and Mardy Collins. Thomas averaged 9.6 points and 3.1 rebounds over 21.5 minutes in 36 games (one start) in his second stint with New York. The Villanova product, who also played for the Knicks from 2003-05 before being traded to Chicago on Oct. 4, 2005, has career averages of 11.7 points and 4.2 rebounds in 788 games over 11 seasons with New York, Los Angeles Clippers, Phoenix, Chicago, Milwaukee and Philadelphia.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.insidehoops.com/blog/?p=3536

Bulls trade Thabo Sefolosha to Thunder, who waive Saer Sene
The Chicago Bulls announced today that the team has traded guard Thabo Sefolosha to the Oklahoma City Thunder for a 2009 first-round draft pick.

Sefolosha (6-7, 215), in his third season in the NBA, has played in 43 games (14 starts) this season, and averaged 4.5 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 1.5 apg, 17.1 mpg, .434 from the field, .300 from behind the arc and .840 from the line. Originally drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round (13th overall) of NBA Draft 2006, his draft rights were traded by Philadelphia to Chicago for the draft rights to Rodney Carney (16th overall) and cash considerations (June 28, 2006). Sefolosha has played in 183 regular-season contests (40 starts) with Chicago, and tallied averages of 5.0 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 1.4 apg and 16.6 mpg. During his time in a Bulls uniform, he shot .428 from the field, .328 from behind the arc and .684 from the free-throw line. Sefolosha, 24, also appeared in nine playoff games with the Bulls, and averaged 3.3 ppg and 1.9 rpg in 11.0 mpg. “We are excited to add Thabo to our team,“ said Oklahoma City Thunder Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti. “With this trade we add another defensive-minded perimeter player that we feel has the opportunity to grow with our organization.”

Oklahoma City owns three first round picks in the 2009 NBA draft. The Thunder holds the rights to its own pick, the Denver Nuggets pick acquired in the Johan Petro trade and the San Antonio Spurs pick received in the Kurt Thomas deal. Chicago will get the least favorable of the Denver and San Antonio picks. To make room for Sefolosha on the 15-man roster, the Thunder waived Mouhamed Sene.