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

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http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/dailydime

TUESDAY'S WORST: Detroit Pistons: They were hammered by the Heat -- their seventh consecutive loss -- to fall below .500 for the first time since Nov. 15, 2006

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http://deadspin.com/5160050/dave-bing-w ... ome-reason

Dave Bing Wants To Be Mayor Of Detroit For Some Reason
Here's all you need to know about Dave Bing: He enters campaign rallies to the tune of "The Final Countdown," as an announcer yells: "Here's your favorite Detroit Piston, starting for the City of Detroit!"

The list of things I do not want has always led with "Photos of a shirtless Bobby Cox," but "Being mayor of Detroit" has to be in the top five. Bing, the seven-time NBA All-Star, a point guard who was named one of the league's 50 Greatest Players of all time, wants the job, howeverOn Tuesday Bing won a spot in the Detroit mayoral general election by capturing 29 percent of the vote, to runnerup Ken Cockrel Jr.'s 27 percent, in a special election. The two will face off in May to replace Kwame Kilpatrick, the "Hip Hop Mayor" who resigned in Sept. The resignation was part of a plea bargain in an obstruction of justice conviction stemming from Kilpatrick's affair with one of his top aides. I take it back; Detroit sounds like fun.

The next couple of months should be very interesting, or at least better than watching the actual Pistons. Bing claims that Cockrel has been a part of some dodgy financial dealings, and Cockrel is calling Bing a carpetbagger who only recently moved to Detroit to bank on his fame."There are no iron gates dividing me from the people I live with and the community I live in," Cockrel said in a shot at Bing's previous home in a gated community in Franklin in Oakland County.We should not rest until every major city in America has a former NBA All-Star as mayor.

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http://www.newsday.com/sports/basketbal ... 8104.story

The Knicks today will finally -- and officially -- wave goodbye to the tumultuous Stephon Marbury Era after a buyout agreement was reached Tuesday in Manhattan.

According to several NBA sources, Marbury has already committed to signing with the Boston Celtics once he clears waivers after the mandatory 48-hour period. He could be with the Celtics as early as Friday night's game against the Indiana Pacers in Boston. Marbury, who turned 32 last Thursday, will be eligible for a postseason roster because he was waived before the Sunday deadline. "I'm blessed to be able to move on with my career," Marbury told The Boston Globe last night. "I'm excited about the new beginning."

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http://www.pistonpowered.com/2009/02/ga ... etroit-91/

Fixing the Pistons’ season is no easy task. They have lost seven straight games for the first time in six years. And they are under .500 for the first time since the 2000-01 season.

But here are two simple steps that should help:

Start Richard Hamilton over Rodney Stuckey. And start Jason Maxiell over Antonio McDyess.

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http://www.pistonpowered.com/2009/02/ga ... etroit-91/

Hamilton over Stuckey
Hamilton hasn’t kept it a secret that he would prefer to start. Hamilton, “I didn’t agree with coming off the bench, but I did it to help the team and to win games. But we haven’t won games with me doing that.” Continuing to trot out Stuckey game after game is getting the Pistons nowhere. It has been clear for quite a while that he has hit a wall. There was a hope the All-Star break would rejuvenate him, but Stuckey has scored a total of 21 points n the four games since the six-day layoff. It’s his worst four-game scoring stretch of the season. Many have compared Stuckey to Dwyane Wade, who had 31 points, 16 assists and seven rebounds last night. But it’s abundantly clear Stuckey is miles from that level.

The Pistons are obviously more concerned about the future than the present, and Stuckey will be a key piece going forward. But he’s so overwhelmed right now that extended playing time is not helping to improve his game. And giving Stuckey a starting job he doesn’t deserve yet goes against the vision that won Detroit a title in 2004. Look at that season’s starting lineup. Chauncey Billups was on five teams before coming to Detroit. Hamilton was traded by the Wizards when he was still developing. Tayshaun Prince, a former Southeastern Conference Player of the Year, fell to 23rd in the draft and sat on the bench for most of his rookie season. Ben Wallace went undrafted and was cut by the Celtics, who tried him out as a small forward.

Rasheed Wallace was labeled a cancer in Portland. Everyone of them was overlooked. Stuckey has been coddled. Coming off the bench will force Stuckey to find his agressiveness again. That, not deferring to Iverson, will help him develop. And his playmaking ability will mean Detroit’s bench will still have some punch. Hamilton, on the other hand, is a battle-tested veteran who has the respect of his teammates. He’s only 31, so he could be part of the Pistons’ next generation. Reggie Miller, the player Hamilton is most often compared to, played until he was 39. By starting Stuckey, the Pistons are alienating Hamilton, hurting their present and making Stuckey soft.

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http://www.pistonpowered.com/2009/02/ga ... etroit-91/

Maxiell over McDyess
McDyess hasn’t kept it a secret that he would prefer to come off the bench. McDyess “At this point in my career, I thought I’d just continue to come off the bench and be a role player,” he said. “It’s still kind of tough to know at this age that I am starting. But it’s a good compliment. For me, it’s no problem. I just know I’ve got to do whatever I can, whether I am in there for 10 minutes or 20 minutes.” McDyess, 34, has shown his age this year and is clearly better when he plays limited minutes. In the second game of back-to-backs: 5.7 points, 8.0 rebounds and 0.3 blocks per game.Other games: 8.4 points, 8.8 rebounds and 0.6 blocks per game.

McDyess scored 17 points on 8-of-10 shooting and grabbed six rebounds last night. That performance came a game after he played 26:25 against Cleveland — the fewest minutes he has played in his last 13 games. In the first game after the All-Star break, McDyess scored a season-high 24 points, grabbed 14 rebounds and blocked two shots. Limit his minutes, and McDyess is effective. Otherwise, he’s just burning himself out and not helping the team.

Curry’s biggest problem with Maxiell has been his lack of rebounding. But in his last three games he has averaged eight rebounds (and 10.7 points). Finally seeing consistent minutes, Maxiell has been the jolt of energy the Pistons’ starting lineup could use.

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http://www.pistonpowered.com/2009/02/ga ... etroit-91/

According to 82games.com, a lineup of Iverson, Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince, Maxiell and Rasheed Wallace is secon-worst among the Pistons’ top 20 five-man units. The contingent is outscored by .28 points for every set of offensive and defensive possessions.

But those five have played just 44 minutes together, hardly a reliable sample. And Iverson and Hamilton have played well together as of late. It’s like what Detroit’s doing is working. How much more in sync did the Heat look last night than the Pistons? And Jermaine O’Neal, Jamario Moon and Yakhouba Diawara played a combined 86 minutes last night. A week ago, none of those three were in their rotation.

So, it’s not too late to try mixing up the rotation again. Sticking with what’s not working is obviously not the solution.

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http://www.nypost.com/seven/02242009/sp ... 156713.htm

According to two sources, the Knicks plan to sign Senegalese 7-foot-1 free-agent center Cheikh Samb to a 10-day contract by week's end.

Samb, a second-round pick from last year, was cut by the Clippers last week. He played in 16 games for the Clips.

The Knicks don't have strong interest in Patrick Ewing Jr. right now because they are stocked at that position.

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http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/20 ... -notebook/

Today will mark a week since veteran 7-footer Chris Mihm was traded to the Grizzlies, but he hasn't practiced or appeared with his new team.

There is serious doubt as to whether Mihm will be physically able to play again this season because of an ankle injury. Mihm, 29, has decided to see a specialist regarding his condition.

Because the Griz have Mihm's Bird Rights, they could potentially sign him to any salary and trade the 7-footer to make the finances work in a larger deal. The Griz experienced that scenario last season when the Lakers signed and then traded an idle Aaron McKie to Memphis so that the Pau Gasol deal worked.

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http://www.news-herald.com/articles/200 ... 533599.txt

Cavs guard Eric Snow will see the doctor in a few weeks for the final step in his disability claim. If the doctor says his knee condition is so bad that his career is over, his salary could come off the Cavs' books.

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

Trail Blazers coach Nate McMillan has joined the ranks of the confused and curious in regard to Greg Oden's injured left knee, which caused the rookie center to miss his fourth game in a row on Tuesday. "I'm where everybody else is with it," McMillan said. "I get a daily update and we thought, everybody thought, that he would be moving by now, if not playing. But things just keep getting bumped back."

The injury is a chipped knee cap, suffered when Oden collided with Golden State's Corey Maggette on Feb. 12. At the time, Oden went to the floor in pain, but went on to play about six more minutes. "I just thought I would get some ice and get it over with," Oden said Tuesday. "It turned out to be bigger."

He has been ruled out for today's game in San Antonio, and McMillan said Oden has to show him he can run in Thursday's practice before he thinks about playing him Friday at Minnesota. "It goes from day-to-day, then after the doctors look at him, it's a few more days," McMillan said, shaking his head.

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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... 9022403890

Injured center Brendan Haywood, who has missed the entire season with a right wrist injury, has recently ramped up his level of activity, and the team will have a lottery pick in the NBA draft this summer.

"I want the fans to know that next year, when we're all healthy, we are going to compete for a championship," Arenas said. "This has been a rough season but there's always a blessing in disguise. Teams are kicking us right now but next year, when we're right, they won't be kicking us anymore. I can guarantee that."

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http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/spo ... 79659.html

The microfracture surgery performed on Tracy McGrady’s left knee Tuesday was called a success, with the arthroscope confirming the diagnosis that the ligaments and other cartilage were in good shape.

Speaking of McGrady’s apology to him for the way he handled his announcement about surgery, Rockets coach Rick Adelman said it was “a misunderstanding.”

“He was probably caught up in getting evaluations and deciding on surgery,” Adelman said. “It built up during the week that I was blasting him. I don’t remember doing that. I just said there should have been a better way to do that. I think he probably realized that after the fact.”

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http://www.latimes.com/sports/basketbal ... 3156.story

Kaman has missed the last 42 games this season with the Clippers because of plantar fasciitis of his left foot.

His projected return almost has been a moving target, pushed back so long, so often that Kaman almost became the forgotten man. Except, of course, when his name was mentioned in daily trade rumors through last week's deadline.

Kaman was just getting over a four-day bout with flu, which set him back. He had traveled with his teammates to Phoenix last week before getting sick.

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http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/ar ... le-CR.html

Nash rolls ankle, to be re-evaluated
The Suns led the Bobcats by 15 late in the third quarter on Tuesday night when point guard Steve Nash, who led them with 22 points, rolled his right ankle and had to be helped off. "It's a little swollen and sore, but it's something we'll have to reassess in the morning," Nash said. "If I had to guess, I would say it's not going to be a long-term thing."

The ankle will be re-evaluated today. The Suns were to practice at 11, and word is expected sometime after that.

He went into the locker room to get the ankle re-taped and returned midway through the fourth quarter, hitting a big 3-point shot to give the Suns an eight-point lead with 7:25 to go. He said he willed in that shot, because he had no lift off the ankle and decided to call it a night."When I got out there, I just had no strength," he said. "I could have hurt us. I just thought I wasn't going to help us anymore."

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http://www.sacbee.com/kings/story/1651035.html

Gooden will give it a go for Kings
With the finish line to the Kings' season 24 games away, Drew Gooden has decided to get back in the race. The forward acquired in the six-player trade with Chicago said Tuesday that he will make his Kings debut tonight against Charlotte, a decision that comes with a measure of risk that Gooden is willing to accept. He hasn't played since Jan. 19 because of a groin injury that has been both perplexing and painful.

Gooden, who has seen numerous specialists and been told the injury could be everything from an abdominal strain to a sports hernia, was considering season-ending surgery just days ago before deciding to return to action. But with unrestricted free agency looming in the summer for the seventh-year player, he said his situation is best served by playing until the end. Even if he's not fully healthy. "I've got to roll this thing until the wheels fall off, basically," he said of his body. "I'm going to give it a go, (and) we'll see what happens. It's a big year for me."

Gooden, 27, has been one of the game's steadiest producers in the last five years. Entering this season, he had averaged at least 10.7 points and 8.3 rebounds since 2004-05 while playing at least 79 games in all but one of the four seasons (69 games played in 2007-08 with Cleveland and Chicago).

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http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spur ... _come.html

Missing, in fact, was Tim Duncan, bothered by stiffness in his right knee to the point the team's medical staff decided he should sit out the game. “He wasn't in his locker,” Thomas said, “so I figured something was going on.”

The Spurs won't know what is really going on inside Duncan's right knee until he visits team doctors today.

Duncan had gone through his normal pregame warmup routine about 90 minutes before tipoff, and when he returned to the locker room, he appeared to be in a jovial mood, joking with reporters. But he rubbed the knee vigorously when he sat in his locker, then reported to head athletic trainer Will Sevening.

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http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.c ... 1640IP.DTL

As a relative stranger to injuries and their ensuing comebacks, center Andris Biedrins is playing it safe as he works himself back from a sprained left ankle.

"If we were in the playoffs, I'd probably play a lot more and maybe I would come back even faster than I did," Biedrins said after his 17-minute stint in a 118-105 loss to the Clippers in Monday's return. "But I just want to make sure I will heal and I'll be 100 percent healthy."

Biedrins, who played in all 82 games of the 2006-07 season, missed his only five games of this season after turning his ankle in Phoenix on Feb. 6.

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http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.c ... 1640IP.DTL

Maggette OK: X-rays taken after Monday's game on Corey Maggette's shooting hand were negative. Maggette, whose right hand was hurting earlier this season, aggravated the injury when Baron Davis swiped at him in the first quarter.

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http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball ... ?page=full

The NBA Development League is slated to announce today that it will award a franchise to Portland, Maine, that will begin play next season. The Celtics are expected to end their partnership with the Utah franchise in the D-League and link up with Portland. Former Celtics assistant coach Jon Jennings, who will be the president and general manager of the Portland team, said, "The NBA D-League is such a valuable tool in the development of young talent, and I'm looking forward to showcasing that talent to the fans here in Maine."