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

[nasty daddy]

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Blogs/Courtsi ... E_CODE=NBA

Nene will not play tonight after suffering a knee contusion that left him on crutches after last night's loss in Milwaukee. However, as reported earlier, Nene is not expected to miss significant time. Something to remember, though, is that Nene has always been a player who has taken his time returning from injuries. It got to a point in previous seasons where George Karl and members of the team's front office became quietly frustrated with Nene.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Blogs/Courtsi ... E_CODE=NBA

An MRI performed on the right knee of Nuggets' center Nene did not reveal any structural damage. The team is officially calling Nene's injury a bone bruise.

Nene will not play tonight against the Celtics and is listed as day-to-day moving forward.

Kenyon Martin, who missed part of Friday's game in Chicago and all of Sunday's game in Milwaukee as a result of back spasms, will be a game-time decision this evening.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.hoopsworld.com/HeadlineStori ... TORY_16643

After the 120-117 loss Sunday to Milwaukee, Dahntay Jones sat stoically and stone-faced. Carmelo Anthony, who scored 33 points for naught, carefully pulled his pants leg over his sore left knee, refusing to be interviewed, a rarity for the star forward. Nene hobbled helplessly on crutches, his right knee throbbing.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.hoopsworld.com/HeadlineStori ... TORY_16643

Jazz coach Jerry Sloan opted to hold practice to give Carlos Boozer one final chance to test his left knee before making his much-anticipated return tonight against Atlanta. Boozer was injured Nov. 19, underwent knee surgery Jan. 9 and has missed 44 games the last three months. "You've got to use as much common sense as possible to get him back ready to play and hopefully have him play well," Sloan said.

Boozer went through the Jazz's full practice Sunday, saying beforehand, "If everything looks good today, I'll play tomorrow." He is expected to start tonight, in what would be the Jazz's first game all season at full strength as a team. Although he had done shooting drills, run through the Jazz's plays and played one-on-one against assistant Tyrone Corbin, Boozer had not had the opportunity to scrimmage until Sunday, the final hurdle remaining to clear before he could return. "The scrimmage will be the funnest part for me today, because it'll give me a chance to test it out against the guys," said Boozer, who expects to play about five minutes a quarter initially as he gets up to speed.

Boozer's return is expected to further bolster the Jazz, who have gone 7-1 in February with victories over the L.A. Lakers, Boston and New Orleans, and are only two games out of the Western Conference's No. 4 playoff seed. "We're rolling," Boozer said. "We beat three of the best teams in the league the last [four] games. We've overcome a lot of things, like All-Star break. Sometimes people go on the All-Star break, come back not ready. Everybody came back ready."

[nasty daddy]

http://www.hoopsworld.com/HeadlineStori ... TORY_16643

Carlos Boozer's return is expected to send Paul Millsap back to the bench. Millsap has averaged 15.9 points and 10.3 rebounds as a starter this season -- including a streak of 19 consecutive double-doubles -- but was accepting of his old role.

"I handle it like any other game," Millsap said. "I'll get used to it after a while. My career has been up and down anyways. It's for the better of the team. Booz is back and I'm going to continue to take my role off the bench."

[nasty daddy]

http://www.hoopsworld.com/TheWireStory.asp?id=16970

Marbury arbitration hearing set for Tuesday
The New York Knicks and Stephon Marbury will go before an arbitrator Tuesday over a $400,000 fine the enigmatic guard incurred for insubordination in late November."We're going to the hearing. We didn't initiate it, but we're going to go," Knicks president Donnie Walsh told reporters prior to Monday's game against the Indiana Pacers. Marbury, 31, has not played this season and was banished by the Knicks on December 1 after the mercurial guard and Walsh failed to resolve their ongoing feud. Marbury was fined for refusing to enter a game against the Detroit Pistons on November 26. "It's not a great situation for anybody," said Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni, who will miss Tuesday's practice to testify. "I hate it for Steph. I hate it for the Knicks. I hate it for everybody. But it's just something we're doing and we'll deal with it and get it over with. There's a lot worse things in the world going on, so we'll just deal with the problem and do the best we can."

The crux of the situation is this: the Knicks won't play him, and Marbury wants out.Marbury has offered to give back $1 million of the remaining $21 million on his contract, which runs out this summer, and drop the appeal of the fine if the team releases him. Marbury said last month he has a verbal agreement to join the defending world champion Boston Celtics, but that the Knicks will not agree on a buyout because they do not want him to win a championship. The Celtics have not commented on the situation. When asked if he would workout a buyout at the hearing Walsh responded: "No, no, no." Marbury will take the offer off the table on March 1, when he would no longer be eligible to be on a playoff roster. Walsh was asked about the possibility of resolving the situation before then. "We'll see," he said. "I haven't an answer for that."

The ugly feud began when Marbury was benched by coach Mike D'Antoni for the first three weeks of the season. The Brooklyn native then was fined after refusing to play when the Knicks' roster was severely shortened by injuries and trades. A lifelong Knicks fan, Marbury has been one of the central figures for a franchise that deteriorated under former coach Isiah Thomas into one the biggest laughingstocks in American professional sports.In the summer of 2007, Marbury testified in court when former Knicks executive Anucha Browne Sanders filed an $11.6 million sexual harassment lawsuit against Thomas and Madison Square Garden.During his testimony, Marbury admitted to making derogatory comments about Sanders while revealing that he had sex with an MSG intern in a truck outside a strip club in 2005. Widely considered a selfish player, Marbury has failed to mesh with numerous star teammates throughout his career, including Kevin Garnett, Shawn Marion, Keith Van Horn, Allan Houston and Steve Francis.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.hoopsworld.com/TheWireStory.asp?id=16968

Warriors C Biedrins to return Monday
Golden State Warriors center Andris Biedrins, who has been sidelined more than two weeks with a sprained ankle, is expected to return to the lineup for Monday's game against the Los Angeles Clippers.

Biedrins practiced Sunday and could play for the first time since suffering the injury on February 6.

Biedrins, 22, is averaging 13.0 points and 11.8 rebounds in 50 games.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.hoopsworld.com/TheWireStory.asp?id=16967

Bulls F Deng has X-rays on wrist
Chicago Bulls forward Luol Deng missed practice Monday to have precautionary X-rays on his injured right wrist.

The injury is not considered serious, and Deng has been listed probable for Tuesday's game against the Orlando Magic. Deng suffered the injury during the first quarter of Sunday's loss to the Pacers.

The fifth-year pro had 13 points and eight rebounds in just over 34 minutes. He is averaging 14.6 points and 6.2 rebounds in 45 games.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.hoopsworld.com/TheWireStory.asp?id=16966

Jazz F Boozer likely to return Monday
Utah Jazz forward Carlos Boozer likely will be in the starting lineup for the first time in more than three months Monday against the Atlanta Hawks.

The two-time All-Star practiced Sunday but has not played since undergoing knee surgery on January 10. "This is the best it's felt since I've been hurt," Boozer told the Deseret News.

Boozer has missed 42 straight games since suffering a strained quadriceps tendon in his left knee during a game against Milwaukee on November 19. Loose cartilage in the knee continued to nag Boozer, who ultimately underwent surgery. Boozer has averaged 20.5 points, 11.7 rebounds in 12 games. The Jazz were 8-4 with Boozer in the lineup and are 25-19 without him.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.hoopsworld.com/TheWireStory.asp?id=16947

Nuggets F Nene has right knee contusion
Denver Nuggets center Nene has been listed as day-to-day after suffering a right knee contusion late in the fourth quarter of Sunday's 120-117 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. An MRI performed Monday did not reveal any structural damage and confirmed the team's original diagnosis of a bone bruise.

The Brazilian suffered the injury in the final minute of Sunday's contest in Milwaukee when he banged knees with Bucks forward Richard Jefferson. Nene, who had 17 points and seven rebounds in 33 minutes before his departure, was on crutches following the game and had ice wrapped around the knee.

Nene is Denver's fourth-leading scorer, averaging 14.9 points and a team-high 7.9 rebounds in 55 games this season.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.hoopsworld.com/TheWireStory.asp?id=16965

Magic C Howard, Lakers F Gasol honored by NBA
Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard and Los Angeles Lakers forward Pau Gasol were named the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week, respectively, on Monday.

Howard averaged 25.5 points and a league-best 15.0 rebounds and 4.3 blocks in leading the Magic to a 3-1 record. The 6-11, 265-pounder recorded a career-high 45 points, 19 rebounds, and eight blocks in a 107-102 victory over Charlotte on Tuesday. It marked the first time a player registered 40 points and 15-plus rebounds and at least five blocks since Shaquille O'Neal accomplished the feat in 2001.

Gasol earned his second straight Player of the Week award by averaging 20.3 points, 10.8 rebounds and 6.5 assists as the Lakers cruised to a 4-0 week. The 7-foot Spaniard notched his third career triple-double with 12 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists in a 96-83 win over Atlanta on Tuesday.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.hoopsworld.com/TheWireStory.asp?id=16964

Rockets G McGrady to have surgery Tuesday
Houston Rockets guard Tracy McGrady will have season-ending microfracture knee surgery on Tuesday. The Rockets announced the decision on Monday, three days after the two-time scoring champion told fans via his personal web site that he needed surgery. Dr. Brian Cole will perform the procedure in Chicago.

McGrady, who has missed 21 games this season due to the injury, had arthroscopic surgery on the knee last May and has not been healthy in the wake of the procedure. He missed most of January for conditioning. McGrady had played in seven of eight games since returning from those two weeks on the sideline. He missed one game with a sprained ankle.

McGrady, who has yet to make it past the first round of the playoffs in his career, has averaged just 15.6 points this season while shooting a career-low 38.8 percent from the field.The seven-time All-Star has yet to play a full campaign with Houston thanks to a myriad of injuries. He came the closest in his first season with the team, when he appeared in 78 contests. The Rockets are 15-6 without McGrady this season.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.hoopsworld.com/TheWireStory.asp?id=16959

Oklahoma star forward Blake Griffin will miss Monday's Big 12 Conference showdown with 15th-ranked Kansas.

Griffin, the Big 12's leading scorer and the nation's top rebounder, still is recovering from a concussion suffered in Saturday's loss to rival Texas. No timetable has been announced for his return. Oklahoma, currently ranked third in the country, updated Griffin's status hours before Monday night's contest against the Jayhawks, who are tied with the Sooners atop the Big 12 standings. Both teams enter the game with 11-1 records in conference play. Woozy after suffering a concussion in Saturday's 73-68 loss at Texas, Griffin did not practice Sunday night although an MRI earlier in the day came back negative.

Griffin did not play in the second half Saturday after getting hit on the nose by the Longhorns' Dexter Pittman while attempting a shot with 7:28 remaining. The 6-10 sophomore appeared groggy as he sat on the bench in the closing minutes of the first half and had cotton packed up his nostril to stop bleeding from his nose. Griffin is averaging 22.0 points and a Division I-leading 13.8 rebounds per game this season.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=11708

Bynum Expendable?
I hosted my weekly chat this morning, and during the course of the rapid-fire Q&A the question came up of whether or not the Lakers should trade Andrew Bynum this summer and let the group that got them to the NBA Finals last year and the best record in the league this season continue to comprise their current rotation. The idea stems from the play of Lamar Odom, who has put up All-Star numbers since taking his place back in the starting lineup. As a starter this season, Odom is averaging 17.2 points, 13.6 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game while shooting 52% from the field. Meanwhile, Pau Gasol, playing back at the center position, is putting up season-highs of 22.3 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game while shooting a season-high 62% from the field.

With that in mind, consider trading Andrew Bynum. Some Lakers fans will angrily say that Bynum is dominant and the best center in the NBA. Blah, blah, blah. You can't dominate from the bench, and historically we've seen that big men who get injured early and often usually continue to suffer injuries throughout their careers. As one regular emailer pointed out to me today, Bynum just underwent his third knee operation at age 21 and has a four-year deal worth around $50 million. Is that a sound investment?

Let's say you could work a deal with the Detroit Pistons and land Tayshaun Prince for Bynum and add-ons. Now you have a premier perimeter defender - much more important in today's NBA - as well as another Finals-tested All-Star caliber player. Meanwhile Detroit could put Bynum out there with a young core and try to build for the future, which is their new goal.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=11708

McGrady To Have Surgery
On Tuesday Houston Rockets guard Tracy McGrady will have microfracture knee surgery on his ailing knee, ending his season and putting his career in jeopardy. Microfracture surgery is usually for younger players whose bodies are better able to recover from the lengthy down time. Even players like Amar'e Stoudemire and Chris Webber struggled at first, and they had the surgery earlier in their careers than McGrady.

All is not lost for the Rockets, who are 15-6 without McGrady on the season and currently riding a four-game winning streak.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.hoopsworld.com/teams/Rankings.asp

1: Los Angeles Lakers
2: Cleveland Cavaliers
3: Boston Celtics
4: San Antonio Spurs
5: Orlando Magic
6: Denver Nuggets
7: Portland Trailblazers
8: Houston Rockets
9: Utah Jazz
10: Dallas Mavericks
17: Detroit Pistons

[nasty daddy]

http://www.hoopsworld.com/teams/Rankings.asp

17 (16) Detroit Pistons 27 - 27 The Pistons are essentially healthy, yet they're being outplayed by the injury-devastated Bucks.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Chat.asp?CHAT_TOPICS_ID=168

Steve in Chesapeake, VA: What free agents should the Thunder look into this summer? They really need a SG and a C, what free agents are available this summer that they should try and sign at these positions?

Bill Ingram: Maybe you can get Andrew Bynum? LOL . . .I'd give a lot of thought to Rip Hamilton, who can be a free agent this summer.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=11702

Walsh and Marbury To Meet: Knicks' president Donnie Walsh is expected to meet "man-to-man" with Stephon Marbury prior to their scheduled arbitration hearing tomorrow, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post. The NBA Players' Association has been preparing Marbury's case, in which he was fined $400,000 for allegedly refusing to suit up for a game. Marbury contends he was never flat out asked to suit up; rather it was a casual offer from head coach Mike D'Antoni, which Marbury declined. Later the Knicks suspended Marbury and fined him while ordering him to stay away from the team. If Marbury and the Knicks cannot reach a buyout agreement before March 1st, Marbury would not be eligible to play in the post-season. Marbury has told the Post that if cannot gain his freedom before March 1st, he would remove all contract concessions from the table. Marbury is said to be willing to give up $1 million of his remaining contract and waive the grievance he has filed. The Knicks are said to be seeking at least a $2 million contract concession and the waiving of the grievance. Both sides are not expected to reach an agreement tomorrow, although it is possible.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=11702

Raptors Work Out Walker: The Toronto Raptors have been looking at options according to Doug Smith of the Toronto Star. The Raptors just prior to the trade deadline took a long look at free agents Antoine Walker and Pops Mensah-Bonsu. Ultimately the Raptors made the deadline deal to acquire Patrick O'Bryant from the Celtics who did not play last night versus the Knicks. The Raptors are keeping their options open regarding additional roster changes, the club currently has 2 open roster spots so adding one or both players on a NBA pro-rated minimum contracts is possible. The Raptors say they are in a holding pattern for now as the try and integrate their new assets acquired at the deadline into the mix.