Howard Leads Magic Past Wizards

Team	1	2	3	4					Full Time
Wizards	21	18	19	23					81
Magic	27	31	26	22					106

ORLANDO, Fla.(AP) Dwight Howard had a season-high 31 points and 16 rebounds and also blocked three shots to help the Orlando Magic win their fourth straight game, 106-81 over the winless Washington Wizards on Saturday night.

Howard, who leads the NBA in blocked shots, hit 11 of 13 shots and nine of 14 free throws. Mickael Pietrus added 18 points, and Keith Bogans had 13 for Orlando (4-2).

Nick Young had 20 points for the Wizards (0-5), the only team in the Eastern Conference without a victory this season.

The Magic led by as 19 points in the second quarter and 29 in the third.

The Wizards played their reserves backups in the fourth quarter, while the Magic kept many of their starters in the game.

The Wizards are playing without Gilbert Arenas (left knee) and Brendan Haywood (right wrist) and neither is expected back anytime soon.

Caron Butler, the Wizards' leading scorer this season, left the court late in the second quarter with a bloody cut over his left eye, sustained when he hit heads with Pietrus. Butler returned for the second half wearing a bandage. He had 10 points.

The Magic never trailed, opening with a pair of 3-pointers from Pietrus and Hedo Turkoglu. They led 58-39 at halftime after shooting 59 percent.

Notes: The Wizards opened 0-5 last season and still reached the playoffs, becoming the 13th team in NBA history to lose its first five and still finish in the playoffs.


source : NBA.com

Granger Scores 23 To Help Pacers Beat Nets

Team	1	2	3	4					Full Time
Nets	27	24	15	14					80
Pacers	32	17	25	24					98

INDIANAPOLIS(AP) Danny Granger scored 23 points to lead the Indiana Pacers to a 98-80 victory over the New Jersey Nets on Saturday night.

Granger shot just 6-for-17 from the field, but made 10 of 12 free throws for the Pacers (2-3). He entered the game as the NBA's No. 2 scorer.

Indiana guard T.J. Ford nearly had a triple-double, but settled for 13 points, nine rebounds and eight assists. Troy Murphy had 17 points and 10 rebounds, and Jeff Foster added 12 points and 13 rebounds for the Pacers.

Vince Carter led New Jersey (2-3) with 31 points.

New Jersey guard Devin Harris missed the game because of a sprained left ankle. He had a career-high 38 points Friday night in New Jersey's win over Detroit. His replacement, Keyon Dooling, scored 17 points on Saturday.

Indiana held New Jersey to eight field goals in the second half and outscored the Nets 49-29 after halftime.

The teams combined for nine 3-pointers in the first quarter, and the Pacers led 32-27 at the end of the period.

New Jersey shot 50 percent in the first half and led 51-49 at the break. Carter scored 20 points on 7-for-12 shooting in the first two quarters.

The Pacers led 53-51 when Josh Boone couldn't quite gather himself on an alley-oop attempt. Indiana rebounded and pushed the ball down the floor, and Murphy made a 3-pointer to give the Pacers a 56-51 lead.

Granger then stole the ball from Yi Jianlian at the top of the key, drove and split two defenders for a layup and a chance for a 3-point play. His free throw made it 59-51.

New Jersey's first points in the second half came with 7:40 left in the third quarter, but the Pacers maintained control. A 3-pointer by Marquis Daniels increased Indiana's lead to 66-55 midway through the period, and the Pacers led 74-66 at the end of the quarter. New Jersey shot 4-for-20 from the field in the period, and Carter was held to four points.

Indiana started the fourth quarter on an 8-1 run, with all its points scored by Granger, to take an 82-67 lead. The Nets didn't make a field goal in the period until Dooling scored with 5:55 to play. Indiana's Jarrett Jack answered with a 3-pointer to give the Pacers an 86-70 lead.

Notes: Foster surpassed his season high for points with eight in the first quarter. ... Boone had an airball on a free throw with 1:15 left in the first half. ... Indiana G Mike Dunleavy sat out because of a sore right knee, and Pacers C Rasho Nesterovic missed his third straight game because of a sprained right ankle.


source : NBA.com

Rookie Brown Lifts Kings Over Thunder

Team	1	2	3	4					Full Time
Thunder	18	21	25	21					85
Kings	26	29	14	25					94

Sacramento 94, Oklahoma City 85
SACRAMENTO, Oct. 10 (AP) -- Rookie Bobby Brown scored 22 points and the Sacramento Kings beat the Oklahoma Thunder 94-85 in a preseason game Friday night.

An undrafted point guard who played 11 games last year in Germany, Brown was instrumental in Sacramento holding on to its fourth-quarter lead. Brown scored 12 points in the quarter, including two 3-pointers.

Spencer Hawes had 21 points and seven rebounds for the Kings (1-1), while John Salmons had 16 points and Kevin Martin and Francisco Garcia both had eight. Shelden Williams added seven points and 11 rebounds.

Jeff Green led Oklahoma, formerly the Seattle SuperSonics, with 19 points, including eight in the fourth quarter when the Thunder pulled within one point. Damien Wilkins had 14 points, Desmond Mason scored 10 and Johan Petro added eight points and 10 rebounds.

Looking like a team with something to prove following a poor effort earlier in the week in their preseason opener, the Kings scored the game's first points and never trailed in defeating the Thunder (0-2).

It was Hawes, a second-year post player, who had the biggest impact in helping the Kings build a 55-39 halftime lead. Scoring on several smooth inside moves and hitting from the perimeter as well, Hawes had 16 points and five rebounds in 13 first-half minutes.

With the Kings sputtering on offense, the Thunder outscored Sacramento 25-14 in the third quarter to pull within 69-64.

Playing without veteran starters Brad Miller and Kevin Martin, the Kings shot 29 percent in a humbling a 110-81 loss to Portland on Tuesday.

Oklahoma City gave Kevin Durant, last year's NBA's rookie of the year, the night off. He is expected to play Saturday night when Oklahoma City travels to Golden State.

source : NBA.com

Randolph Triggers Trail Blazers? Win Over Hawks

Team	1	2	3	4					Full Time
Hawks	20	19	25	16					80
Trail Blazers	22	25	26	29					102

Portland 102, Atlanta 80

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Oct. 10, 2008 (AP) -- Shavlik Randolph was 9-for-9 from the field and scored 19 points to lead the Portland Trail Blazers to a 102-80 preseason victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Friday night.

Portland rookie Greg Oden, the first pick in the 2007 draft who didn't play last season after having knee surgery, finished with 11 points and five rebounds. He picked up his fourth foul with 2:30 left in the third quarter and did not play the rest of the way.

Randolph scored 12 points in the fourth quarter to help the Trail Blazers (2-1) pull away.

"He can play,'' Trail Blazers coach Nate McMillan said of Randolph. "I knew that from watching him in training camp. He's tricky with the ball and is smart. Tonight he was knocking down his shot.''

Rookie Jerryd Bayless, a first-round pick out of Arizona, scored seven of his 15 points in the final quarter to give the Trail Blazers five players in double figures. LaMarcus Aldridge and Brandon Roy each added 14 points.

The Hawks (2-1) had four players in double figures with Acie Law and Josh Smith each scoring 12 points, while Joe Johnson had 11 and Flip Murray 10.

The Hawks shot only 37.7 percent from the field and missed 12 of 15 three-point attempts, while the Trail Blazers shot 58.1 percent from the floor.

"I didn't like anything about this game,'' Hawks coach Mike Woodson said. "We were too lethargic. We really have got to hold ourselves accountable night in and night out, come out and play with a lot of heart and come out to play to win. Tonight we just really seemed down and own.''

The Trail Blazers (2-1) jumped out to a 15-6 lead midway through the first quarter with Oden scoring five points, including a dunk off an offensive rebound. Portland led 73-64 entering the third quarter and quickly ballooned it to 83-67 as Randolph and Bayless took over in the fourth.

Guard Rudy Fernandez, who led Portland with 15 points Wednesday in a loss to Golden State, was on the inactive list with an ankle injury. The Hawks played without Mike Bibby and Zaza Pachulia, who were both with their wives who had babies this week. They will rejoin the team Sunday for a game against Charlotte.

The game at the new Sprint Center drew 12,457 fans and was the first NBA preseason game in Kansas City since 2001.

source : NBA.com

Smith Lifts Nuggets Past Timberwolves

Team	1	2	3	4					Full Time
Timberwolves	21	18	22	34					95
Nuggets	26	33	19	40					118

Denver 118, Minnesota 95

DENVER, Oct. 10, 2008 (AP) -- The Denver Nuggets' preseason opener was a breeze.

Next, they'll face a gust.

The Nuggets dispatched the Minnesota Timberwolves 118-95 on Friday night, as reserve J.R. Smith finished with 21 points and Chris Andersen grabbed 11 boards.

Now, they're off to Indian Wells, Calif., to play the Phoenix Suns on Saturday in the NBA's first outdoor basketball game in more than 35 years.

The forecast is calling for windy conditions -- better keep those jump shots low.

"I can't wait,'' Smith said. "I have not played outside in a while.''

The exhibition game will be played at the 16,000-seat Indian Wells Tennis Garden, a venue that will be converted into a hoops playground.

However, the outdoor court there won't resemble the type Nuggets coach George Karl played on growing up -- cracked cement courts with drooping baskets. The game won't be played with a lopsided rubber ball like Karl did and will be minus the metal clank after a swish through a chain-linked net.

Still, Karl is intrigued by the idea. The contest follows in the footsteps of the NHL's successful outdoor game on New Year's Day in Buffalo, N.Y.

"It's going to be interesting,'' Karl said. "For me, the playground is a very integral part of American basketball -- from Harlem to the streets of Pittsburgh. That was fun, going to certain courts and the wind blowing and you can't shoot jump shots, so you have to shoot off the backboard. There's all sorts of adjustments you make because of the wind.''

Allen Iverson likes the concept, but won't be launching any floaters into the breeze. Iverson planned to stay behind to get treatment on his swollen left knee, an injury that flared up as he sat on the bench in the fourth quarter.

"I want to be a part of it, I want to play in it,'' said Iverson, who had nine assists in nearly 23 minutes Friday night. "But I can't start off the season struggling with an injury.''

The last time the league staged an outdoor game was when the Suns beat the Milwaukee Bucks in a preseason contest on Sept. 24, 1972, at a baseball stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

"It will be fun,'' Karl said.

Denver (1-0) led by as many as 25 points in the third quarter, before the Timberwolves went on a late spurt, climbing within 13 points midway through the fourth. Andersen's 3-pointer put an end to the rally, and the Timberwolves' two-game preseason winning streak.

Andersen, a fan favorite nicknamed "Birdman,'' was making his return to the Nuggets. He was reinstated by the NBA in early March after being kicked out on Jan. 27, 2006, for violating the league's drug policy. Andersen played five games for the New Orleans Hornets last season.

"He's been anxious, having been out of the game for two years,'' Karl said. "I think he wants to recreate his career. He has impressed me with not making as many mistakes as I thought he would make.''

Al Jefferson grabbed 11 rebounds and scored 10 points for Minnesota (2-1), while Corey Brewer had 13 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter.

Brewer said he spent the majority of the summer working on getting his shooting touch back. This was a step in the right direction.

"I should get a lot of open shots this year and I have got to knock them down,'' he said.

Rookie Kevin Love turned in a nine-point, 11-rebound game, while reserve Blake Ahearn finished with 17 points and Randy Foye chipped in 16.

"They were a little fatigued,'' Timberwolves coach Randy Wittman said of his team. "We played a little bit more their style than our style. We got caught up in their game.''

The Nuggets were without Carmelo Anthony, who bruised his left ring finger in practice Thursday when he had the ball slapped out of his hand. The hand was wrapped in a bandage at a shootaround Friday, but the team said X-rays were negative.

"It's getting better,'' Anthony said after the game.

For as much as he wants to play in the outdoor contest, he doesn't want to risk further injury.

"I'll be a part of it though. I'll be there,'' Anthony said.

He paused, glancing at his hand.

"But I might change my mind,'' Anthony said, grinning.

source : NBA.com

Allen's 25 Points Pace Celtics Over Cavs

Team	1	2	3	4					Full Time
Cavaliers	37	18	24	15					94
Celtics	28	22	23	23					96

Boston 96, Cleveland 94

PROVIDENCE, R.I., Oct. 10, 2008 (AP) -- LeBron James only needed two preseason games to get back into a groove.

The Cleveland star scored 12 points in the first quarter, finishing with 15 in 13 1/2 minutes on Friday night to help the Cavaliers open an early lead before the Boston reserves took over and led the NBA champions to a 96-94 victory.

"It was good. I got out there and got a good rhythm," said James, who played just eight minutes and failed to make a basket in Cleveland's first preseason game. "We got into a good rhythm, and we played well."

Tony Allen scored 25 points, and Leon Powe hit two free throws with 13.6 seconds left to put Boston ahead just as Jed Lowrie's sacrifice fly gave the Red Sox a 1-0 lead in the AL playoffs against Tampa Bay.

Celtics coach Doc Rivers checked on the baseball score with reporters sitting courtside. Updates were also played on the arena scoreboard, and fans begged Rivers to call a timeout down the stretch, so they could watch more of the baseball game.

Allen made 13 of 16 free throws.

"He's going to get to the line," Rivers said. "He attacks off the dribble, he's aggressive, and he's tough to guard."

It was 94-all when Tarence Kinsey missed a jumper with 15 seconds left, and Lorenzen Wright fouled Powe going for the rebound. Powe's free throws gave Boston a 96-94 lead, and Bill Walker blocked Jawad Williams' shot at the buzzer.

The Cavaliers thought he was fouled, but no one really wanted to see a preseason game go into overtime, so no one really complained.

The Celtics are making the rounds in New England this exhibition season, visiting Amherst, Mass., on Wednesday before dropping down to Rhode Island and then up to New Hampshire. The crowd of 9,444 was about 1,000 short of a full house even though the game was up against the opener of the AL championship series.

None of Boston's "Big Three" played more than 9 1/2 minutes, all in the first quarter. Paul Pierce scored eight points, Ray Allen had five and Kevin Garnett scored four.

"I really hadn't planned on playing Kevin and those guys at all tonight," Rivers said. "But I thought because we're right here down the road the fans needed to see them a little bit. And they got a chance to see the other guy, LeBron, who is pretty good, too. I thought they got their money's worth."

After spending his summer at the Olympics helping the United States win the gold medal, James played just eight minutes in Cleveland's exhibition debut on Tuesday, a 104-84 loss to Toronto.

Rivers is also wary of his players' workload, even though none of them played in Beijing. Boston's season didn't end until June 17 after an 82-game regular season and 26 playoff games, including the seven-game victory over Cleveland in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

The budding rivalry might have explained an unusual burst of effort for an exhibition game, with the Cavaliers taking a 37-28 lead after one quarter of All-Star game-style play.

"We scored a lot," Cavs coach Mike Brown said. "But I didn't see much defensive intensity out there."

Celtics center Kendrick Perkins did not play because of surgery for the left shoulder injury he sustained in Game 4 of the NBA finals against the Los Angeles Lakers. Rivers was back after missing Wednesday's exhibition opener, a 98-92 loss to Philadelphia, to attend to a family matter in Orlando, Fla.

Cavaliers guard Sasha Pavlovic did not travel with the team to Providence to continue treatment on his right ankle. He experienced a mild sprain during practice Wednesday and is day-to-day.

source : NBA.com

Lee Powers Knicks Past 76ers

Team	1	2	3	4					Full Time
Knicks	22	38	27	23					110
	38	13	26	27					104

New York 110, Philadelphia 104

PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 10, 2008 (AP) -- David Lee had 19 points and 15 rebounds to lead the New York Knicks to a 110-104 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers in a preseason game Friday night.

Chris Duhon added 19 points and Zach Randolph had 18 to lead six Knicks players in double figures.

Elton Brand led the 76ers with 24 points, Andre Iguodala added 16 and Andre Miller had 12 points and 12 assists.

After struggling in his first preseason game, Brand was dominant in the first quarter, scoring 18 points on 7-for-8 shooting to give Philadelphia a 38-22 lead at the end of the quarter.

The Knicks opened the second quarter with a 23-6 run to take the lead with 4:41 remaining and built a 60-51 edge at halftime. New York extended its lead to 87-77 after three quarters and built an 18-point lead in the fourth.

Sixers starting forward Thaddeus Young left the game late in the third quarter with a left-eye corneal abrasion and Lou Williams left in the fourth with a lacerated chin that required three stitches. Neither returned.

New York played without several key players, including first-round pick Danilo Gallinari (lower back), Allan Houston (quadriceps) and Eddy Curry (coach's decision).

source : NBA.com

New-Look Clippers Surge Past Lakers

Team	1	2	3	4					T
Clippers	36	23	16	32					107
Lakers	30	18	17	15					80

L.A. Clippers 107, L.A. Lakers 80
FRESNO, Oct. 9 (AP) -- Rookie Mike Taylor was 9-of-12 from the field and scored 20 points to lead the Los Angeles Clippers to a 107-80 preseason victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night.

It was the Lakers' worst preseason loss since a 31-point defeat to the Golden State Warriors in 2005 and it kept the Lakers (0-2) winless this preseason. Lakers star Kobe Bryant played 24 minutes and finished with 12 points and three assists. He left midway through the third quarter and did not return.

Baron Davis, who signed the Clippers in the offseason after spending the past three seasons with the Warriors, played 17 minutes and finished with 12 points and seven assists.

Ricky Davis had 17 points for the Clippers (1-1), who led by as many as 13 points in the first half and began distancing themselves again early in the fourth after the Lakers got as close as 79-74 on Jordan Farmar's 3-pointer. Farmar, who finished with 12 points, was one of five Lakers in double figures.

Reserve forward Vladimir Radmanovic led the Lakers with 14 points.

Ricky Davis, who signed as a free agent with the Clippers in the offseason after playing for the Miami Heat, scored 13 points in the first half and was 3-of-5 from behind the arc.

A predominantly Lakers crowd came out to see a rare NBA game in the central San Joaquin Valley. It was the first time the Lakers lost in Fresno, where the team also played in 2004 and 2006.

Taylor led the Clippers' charge in the second half, scoring 16 points. He played with the Idaho Stampede in the NBA Development League last season. Clippers reserve forward Steve Novak was 4-of-6 on 3-pointers and finished with 12 points.

The Clippers were assessed three technical fouls. Clippers reserve guard Jason Hart and the Lakers' Radmanovic were called for a double technical late in the first quarter. Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy received a technical foul in the third quarter.

And rookie DeAndre Jordan was called for a technical after hanging on the rim and yelling after completing a monstrous one-handed dunk in the fourth quarter.

Clippers center Marcus Camby, acquired in a trade with the Denver Nuggets in the offseason, traveled with the team and was in uniform, but did not play. Camby has been recovering from flu-like symptoms during training camp.


source : NBA.com

Barnes Scores 21 Points to Lead Suns over Jazz

Team	1	2	3	4					T
Suns	23	25	25	23					96
Jazz	23	20	22	24					89

Phoenix 96, Utah 89
SALT LAKE CITY, Oct. 9 (AP) - Matt Barnes scored 21 points and Alando Tucker added 19 as the Phoenix Suns beat the Utah Jazz 96-89 on Thursday night.

The Suns, who didn't make a 3-pointer in their opening loss to Atlanta on Wednesday, went 9-of-21 from beyond the arc against Utah (1-1) and didn't trail after the opening minutes of the first quarter.

Raja Bell scored 11 points for Phoenix (1-1).

Kyle Korver scored 16 points and Mehmet Okur had 12 points and eight rebounds for Utah, which opened with a victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday.

Deron Williams, a U.S. Olympian this summer, had nine points and five assists as he played the entire first and third quarters.

Boris Diaw added nine points and eight rebounds for Phoenix, which outrebounded Utah 45-35, the second straight time Utah was outrebounded by double figures.

Phoenix led by as many as nine points in the third quarter and pushed the lead to 14 points late in the fourth quarter, largely because of Tucker. The second-year forward from Wisconsin scored 11 points in the final quarter.

Barnes, an offseason free agent signing, scored eight points in the final quarter for Phoenix, which shot 48.6 percent from the field.

Guard Morris Almond scored 10 points and forward Paul Millsap had a team-best 11 rebounds for Utah.

Both teams struggled from the free throw line, making just 61 percent. Phoenix's Shaquille O'Neal missed his first three free throws and finished with five points.

The Jazz played without All-Star forward Carlos Boozer, who missed his second consecutive game resting a sore left hamstring. The Suns were without Amare Stoudemire (torn iris in right eye) and Leandro Barbosa (family reasons) for the second straight game.

source : NBA.com

Green Scores 18 as Mavericks Hold Off Bulls

Team	1	2	3	4					Full Time
Mavericks	36	26	20	28					110
Bulls	22	22	26	32					102

Dallas 110, Chicago 102


CHICAGO, Oct. 9 (AP) -- Gerald Green scored 18 points to lead six Dallas players in double figures, helping the Mavericks beat the Chicago Bulls 110-102 in a preseason game on Thursday night.

Bulls rookie Derrick Rose, last spring's No. 1 draft pick, played nearly 27 minutes and scored 10 points in Chicago's preseason opener.

Dallas (2-0) never trailed, using an 11-1 run in the first quarter to establish an early edge. Josh Howard scored six points during that span and finished with 10.

The Mavs' lead ballooned to 19 points by halftime, then slipped to seven after the Bulls opened the second half with a 12-0 run. Rose had a pair of long-distance jumpers during the surge, which ended with Dallas guard Gerald Green's 20-foot field goal at the 6:59 mark.

Chicago trailed 82-70 after three quarters but rallied to within six points with 1:56 left.

Luol Deng, Aaron Gray and Darius Washington paced the Bulls with 14 points each, while Drew Gooden and Larry Hughes each added 11.

Dirk Nowitzki scored 15 points for the Mavericks, Antoine Wright and Jose Barea each had 11 and Brandon Bass added 10.

Rose had a slow start in his NBA debut. The former Memphis guard missed his first four field goal attempts before scoring on a right-handed layup with 6:45 left in the second quarter.

Four Chicago players - including regulars Joakim Noah and Ben Gordon - sat out with injuries.

source : NBA.com

October 2008 Transactions

NBA Transaction

Wed,
Oct. 8 L.A. Lakers waive Dwayne Mitchell.

Cleveland waives Lance Allred and Michael Dickerson.

Sacramento waives Zhang Kai.


Mon,
Oct. 6 New Jersey waives Awvee Storey.

Philadelphia waives Andre Emmett, Maureece Rice and Cory Underwood.


Sat,
Oct. 4 Atlanta waives Olumide Oyedeji.

Miami waives Matt Walsh.


Fri,
Oct. 3 Miami signs Shaun Livingston.

Denver signs Juwan Howard.


Wed,
Oct. 1 Chicago re-signs Ben Gordon to a qualifying offer.

Golden State signs Dan Dickau.

Sacramento names Shareef Abdur-Rahim assistant coach.

San Antonio signs Charles Gaines and waives Brian Morrison.

Warriors Stop Trail Blazers in Portland

Team	1	2	3	4					Full Time
Warriors	26	23	28	33					110
Trail Blazers	27	26	25	17					95

Golden State 110, Portland 95 (F)

PORTLAND, Ore., Oct. 8 (AP) -- Kelenna Azubuike scored 18 points, all in the second half, and Brandan Wright added 16 points and the Golden State Warriors defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 110-95 Wednesday night.

Portland center Greg Oden, the first pick of the 2007 draft, scored 14 points and pulled down a team-high nine rebounds. LaMarcus Aldridge also scored 14 points for the Blazers while Jerryd Bayless had 13.

Azubuike, who didn't play during the first half, hit 7 of 10 shots during the second half as the Warriors (1-1) rallied from a four-point halftime deficit.

Golden State, which trailed 78-77 after three quarters, outscored Portland 33-17 during the fourth quarter to pull away. Azubuike scored 11 points during the fourth quarter.

Wright scored 10 of his 16 points during the second half, and tied a team high with five rebounds. Corey Maggette added 15 points for Golden State while Andris Biedrins scored 13.

Portland guard Rudy Fernandez played 36 minutes before leaving the game late in the fourth quarter with an ankle injury. Fernandez hit 5 of 12 shots from the field and led the Blazers with 15 points.

Portland (1-1) was nowhere near as sharp against Golden State as it was during Tuesday's preseason opener, an 110-81 win over Sacramento in which the Blazers had an array of dunks and highlight-reel passes.

Portland committed 25 turnovers and shot just 36.9 percent from the field against the Warriors.

Portland took a 53-49 halftime lead during a ragged first half. Oden did most of his damage during the first half, scoring 10 points while grabbing nine rebounds.

Golden State raced to a 76-66 lead, but the Blazers came alive during the final three minutes of the quarter, outscoring the Warriors 12-1 to take a 78-77 lead into the fourth quarter.

Golden State took command of the game early in the fourth quarter, as the Warriors went on a 15-2 run to establish a 94-83 lead with seven minutes remaining.

Prior to the game, the Trail Blazers announced that guard Martell Webster suffered a left foot injury during Tuesday's game against Sacramento. An MRI confirmed that Webster has a stress fracture in the fifth metatarsal. The team said it would announce a course of treatment, which could include surgery, and a timetable for Webster's return Thursday.

Joining Webster as inactive for Wednesday's game were Steve Blake (hamstring) and Channing Frye (ankle), while guard Brandon Roy was rested and didn't play.


source : NBA.com

Hawks Stage Rally to Defeat Suns

Team	1	2	3	4					Full Time
Hawks	12	25	36	27					100
Suns	21	23	26	26					96

Atlanta 100, Phoenix 96
PHOENIX, Oct. 8 (AP) - Marvin Williams scored 19 points, Josh Smith had 18 and the Atlanta Hawks spoiled Terry Porter's debut as Phoenix coach, rallying to beat the Suns 100-96 Wednesday night.

It was the second victory in two exhibition games for the Hawks, who also defeated Orlando on Monday.

Williams and Smith got lots of offensive support. Ex-Sun Joe Johnson scored 14 points, Flip Murray had 13 and Al Horford and Acie Law 10 each.

Shaquille O'Neal topped the Suns with 21 points and 10 rebounds in 23 minutes. Alando Tucker scored 14, Matt Barnes and Louis Amundson 12 apiece, and Grant Hill 10.

The Suns, playing without Amare Stoudemire (torn iris in right eye) and Leandro Barbosa (personal reasons), showed off their newfound defensive prowess in the first quarter. They held the Hawks to 12 points, just two in the final six minutes, on 29.4 percent shooting (5-for-17). During the period, they also limited Atlanta's reserves to two shots and no points in a total of 19 minutes.

With the subs on the floor for most of the second quarter, the pace picked up and so did the scoring. At halftime, Phoenix led 44-37 as reserve Tucker led the way with 10 points and newcomer Amundson had nine. Starters Williams and Johnson each scored nine for Atlanta. Overall, the Suns' second team outscored Atlanta's No. 2 unit 24-3.

Surprisingly, the Suns, one of the league's most prolific 3-point shooting teams in the league last season, failed to hit from long range, missing all three of their attempts, and they had only four fastbreak points, another sharp contrast to a year ago when they frequently pushed the ball up court under Mike D'Antoni.

Phoenix quickly broke its 3-point drought in the second half, making their first two, one each by Steve Nash and Raja Bell. But with the starters playing most of the minutes in the third period, the Hawks solved the Suns' defense, outscoring Phoenix 36-26 for a 73-70 lead by the end of the quarter. Smith was the catalyst, scoring 10 points, while Zaza Pachulia added eight.

They hung on in the fourth period, building an eight-point lead, 91-83, on a basket by Williams - who also had two 3-pointers in the quarter.

Notes: The Suns will be playing three exhibition games in four days, most unusual for the preseason. Thursday night, they will be at Utah and Saturday they will face Denver at Indian Wells, Calif., in the NBA's first outdoor game in the modern era. ... The Hawks and Suns will meet again Oct. 15 at Atlanta. ... Atlanta guard Speedy Claxton missed Wednesday night's game with a pulled hamstring.

source : NBA.com

McCants Sparks Timberwolves Past Thunder

Team	1	2	3	4					Full Time
Thunder	13	28	22	19					82
Timberwolves	24	16	20	28					88

Minnesota 88, Oklahoma City 82
BILLINGS, Mont., Oct. 8 (AP) - Rashad McCants scored 13 of his 15 points in the fourth quarter and Rodney Carney and Ryan Gomes hit consecutive 3s to help Minnesota spoil the Oklahoma City Thunder's debut with an 88-82 victory Wednesday night.

The exhibition game was the Thunder's first since the team moved from Seattle to Oklahoma City during the offseason.

The Thunder led 71-62 with 9:54 remaining, but McCants scored 11 of Minnesota's next 14 points, tying the score at 76 with a dunk with 4:45 remaining.

Two more free throws by McCants and the consecutive 3s by Carney and Gomes gave the Wolves an 84-78 lead with 2:23 remaining.

A basket by Chris Wilcox pulled the Thunder to 84-80 with 2:11 remaining, but Sebastian Telfair made a basket and two free throws to finish the scoring for Minnesota.

Al Jefferson added 13 points and nine rebounds for the Wolves (2-0) and Corey Brewer finished with 11 points.

Damien Wilkins led the Thunder with 19 points. Wilcox had 17 and Russell Westbrook 13.

Oklahoma City led 41-40 at halftime.


source : NBA.com

Webster Out At Least Eight Weeks With Foot Injury

The euphoric aftermath of the Trail Blazers' electric start to the exhibition season was dealt a somber dose of news Wednesday when Martell Webster, the front-runner to start at small forward, was diagnosed with a stress fracture in his left foot

Webster, who unbeknown to the Blazers had been experiencing discomfort throughout training camp, finally told the team Tuesday night after playing a painful 26 minutes against the Sacramento Kings. The 6-foot-7 sharpshooter had X-Rays taken Tuesday night and underwent magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography testing on Wednesday, which revealed the injury to his fifth metatarsal.

Webster is expected to miss at least eight weeks -- and potentially as many as 20 or 25 games -- but an official timetable for his return will be determined Thursday after he undergoes further examination. The team has not yet determined if Webster will undergo surgery or simply rehabilitate his left foot.

"We lost a piece of this team and I think an important piece," coach Nate McMillan said. "He was one of the guys this year who could help us spread the floor and take some of that pressure off the low-post game and (we were) hoping he would have a big year. We'll have to make adjustments."

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source : oregonlive.com

Lakers Keep An Eye On The Beasts In The East

Western Conference playoff contenders and hopefuls readily acknowledge that the conference is so competitive that the least little slip up can be quite damaging, and with mere minor tweaks of the roster, teams can go from being non-playoff participants to powerful foes in one year.

But the teams in the west also must be wary about what challenges the Eastern Conference could present.

In one brief synopsis – Can the Big Three lead the Boston Celtics on another championship ride?

What will the hiring of head coach Michael Curry do for the talented but self-imploding Detroit Pistons?

Will the Cleveland Cavaliers get over the hump now that superstar LeBron James has a new sidekick in guard Mo Williams?

Do the Philadelphia 76ers figure to be a new player in the mix, now that Elton Brand has left the west for the east?

Or is the Orlando Magic, behind the growing domination of Dwight Howard, posed to reign in the Eastern Conference?

Certainly, the Lakers will have an eye on the east throughout the 2008-2009 season.

Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen all are likely headed for the hall of fame, once they concluded their NBA careers. Each had been an adversary of each other for years.
That is until last summer, when a pair of blockbuster trades by Boston Celtics general manager Danny Ainge brought Garnett from Minnesota and Allen from Seattle to join Pierce, forming what instantly was dubbed, The Big Three, a moniker that head coach Doc Rivers knew was inevitable.

Skeptics insisted that this trio would not be able to coexist peacefully in the locker room or mesh smoothly on the court, the egos supposedly being too grandiose to allow that.
But the doubters were wrong.

And ever since that late June evening when they were pummeled into submission by the Boston Celtics, it has been on the Lakers’ minds to exact comeuppance for that humiliating loss in the NBA Finals and wrest that championship crown from Beantown that they feel rightfully should have been theirs.

In one of the most remarkable one-year turnarounds in professional sports, the Celtics went from a team that failed to make the playoffs and finished with the league’s second-worse record the previous season, to a team that ended the 2007-2008 season with a NBA-best 66-16 record.

How the Celtics did it was a tribute to the coaching and leadership exhibited by Rivers, who had personal loss to deal with during the season, the death of his father. The Big Three’s role in the success boiled down to each of them unselfishly submitting their personal goals for the team’s good.

Prior to last season, Allen had averaged 21.5 points per game, over his 11-year career. He was Boston’s third-leading scorer last season, at 17.4 points.

Garnett had put together a prolific streak of nine consecutive seasons averaging over 20 points and 10 rebounds per game. Last season, he averaged 18.8 points and 9.2 rebounds.
Pierce, who had put up gaudy numbers for mainly pedestrian Celtic teams in previous years, had a streak snapped of seven consecutive years of averaging over 20 points per game.

But Pierce was more than happy with his team-leading 19.6 scoring average since it culminated in the championship that he previously thought he’d never get.

So, here we are, a year later and the Big Three are a year older. Allen is 33. Garnett will be entering his 14th season at the age of 32. Pierce, who idolized the Lakers while growing up in Los Angeles, will turn 31 next month.

Is there enough bounce left in those thirty-ish legs and sufficient mental drive for the Big Three to be the guiding force in a successful defense of their NBA title?

There is ample support to back that trio. Point guard Rajon Rondo played a pivotal role for Boston last season and is growing more confident in directing the offense. The Celtics’ center, Kendrick Perkins, is not counted on to score but he, Leon Powe and Glen Davis relish playing a bruising, physical style.

Key second-unit players Eddie House and Tony Allen are back, and Coach Rivers most certainly will push the development of second-year guard Gabe Pruitt, formerly of USC and rookie swingman Bill Walker.

One of the most intriguing stories for the Celtics going into training camp will be what former Golden State Warriors draft bust Patrick O’Bryant has to offer, and whether former Clipper Darius Miles can resurrect his career, after missing the past two seasons recovering from micro-fracture knee surgery.

When asked whether he expected the Celtics to be a formidable challenge again for the Lakers this season, Lakers coach Phil Jackson’s snappy reply was, “I don’t care about them. I care about us.’’

But it was evident that the Lakers’ Game 6 loss and elimination at the hands of the Celtics still weighed heavily on Jackson’s mind.


During that series, the Lakers were unable to control Garnett on either end of the floor, Pierce was a force offensively and in key situations, played superb defense on Kobe Bryant and overall, the Lakers got outmuscled by the Celtics.


At a pre-training camp session with the media, Jackson scoffed at a suggestion that perhaps the Lakers were too soft as opposed to the Celtics, who plainly were aggressive in the Finals.
“You don’t get to where you are by being a soft team,’’ Jackson said. “Boston was tougher than we were in the last the last game. They deserved it. They got it.’’

source : ocregister.com

WIZARDS NOTES: Thomas Making Up For Some Lost Time

RICHMOND | Late in the Washington Wizards' first practice of training camp, an errant shot ricocheted off the backboard and in an instant, center Etan Thomas exploded upward, snatched the ball from the air and then looked for an outlet.

Saturday's start of the preseason represented the completion of a full circle for the 6-foot-10, 260-pound Thomas. A few days shy of a year ago, the seven-year veteran lay on an operating table, having a leaky aortic valve repaired while his Wizards teammates tipped off camp.

Thomas found himself a helpless bystander last season, even after doctors cleared him to resume running and lifting. A slow-healing sternum prevented Thomas from subjecting himself to contact. In February, Thomas took part in noncontact drills with hopes of returning to help the Wizards down the stretch of the regular season and playoffs. But by the final week of March, the bone was only 50 percent healed.

Finally in June, Thomas received a clean bill of health and readied himself for the start of training camp. He scrimmaged with the Wizards' summer league squad to regain conditioning and polish his skills.

And so when the Wizards headed for Richmond on Friday, Thomas was perhaps the most eager player on the team to begin camp.

"It's just great to be back. I know I'm going to be a little overly excited," Thomas said on Friday. "I think I can make a big difference. I just want to come out and play hard. Be a presence down low, physical, that's what I bring."

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source : washtimes.com

Lakers Get Some Rest And Relaxation

Kobe Bryant took his daughters to see a movie then splashed around with them in the swimming pool, spending a quiet weekend at home.

"We had a blast," he said.

Lamar Odom said he did nothing but "chill-ax." He didn't even watch his beloved New York Yankees lose twice to the New York Mets in the Subway Series.

"I just took my feet off the ground and got some rest," he said.

Pau Gasol and Sasha Vujacic went to the beach, spending a couple of hours on the sand while escaping a Southern California heat wave.

"It was great," Gasol said. "You don't know how happy we were to close the last series in six games and not go to Game7. It gave us a couple of extra days to prepare ourselves, to disconnect and freshen up."

The Lakers returned to the practice court relaxed and recovered Monday, appearing energetic and fit after taking the weekend off following their victory Friday over Utah in the Western Conference semifinals.

"It was a fun practice," said Bryant, the league's newly crowned MVP. "We got up and down (the court). There was a lot of energy to it."

Then the Lakers made plans to meet for dinner and watch the New Orleans Hornets and San Antonio Spurs battle in Game 7 on Monday night.

The Lakers will face the Spurs, a 91-82 winner in the series finale against the Hornets, in the Western Conference finals starting Wednesday night at Staples Center.

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source : dailynews.com

Pistons And Celtics Making History

Teams have a storied past against one another, but this is a new generation

This isn't about history. This isn't about Bird and McHale, Laimbeer and Thomas. This is about right here, right now.

And right now, there is no real history between these Celtics and Pistons. Three regular-season games and six months of anticipation don't make for much history.

"We will start our history (tonight)," Pistons coach Flip Saunders said.

This Eastern Conference finals is about the two best teams in the NBA -- Detroit and Boston -- fighting for a chance at the game's biggest prize. It doesn't have to be any more dramatic than that.

"We haven't been there (NBA Finals) in so long," Pistons guard Richard Hamilton said. "It kind of feels like we've never been there. But this is a new chapter in our book, and hopefully we can make it a good one."

You have the Pistons, the established conference power, playing in their sixth straight conference finals, yet playing to prove their 2004 title wasn't a fluke, playing to validate their status as one of the great teams in history.

Two straight losses in the conference finals have put a cloud over Detroit's legacy that only another ring can dissipate.

"We want the chance to win another NBA title," guard Lindsey Hunter said. "That's the only reason we are here. This matchup is good for the league and it's a historical battle and all of that. But we're trying to make our own legacy. We are trying to get another title so we will be considered a dynasty."

Then you have the Celtics, a constellation of three stars (Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen), each with the same gap in their resume -- no NBA title.

"Detroit has been at the top for the last four or five years," Pierce said. "They have something that we want."


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source : detnews.com

Spurs Kick Hornets And Advance To West Finals

Team	1	2	3	4					Full Time
Spurs	23	28	20	20					91
Hornets	20	22	14	26					82

San Antonio 91, New Orleans 82

NEW ORLEANS, May 19 (AP) -- A title defense endures for the playoff-savvy San Antonio Spurs.

Manu Ginobili scored 26 points, hitting four free throws in the final minute, sending the Spurs to the Western Conference finals with a 91-82 victory over the New Orleans Hornets on Monday night in Game 7 of their second-round series.

Tony Parker added 17 points, including a crucial jumper in the final minute, as the Spurs held off a late rally to become the first team in this series to win on the road.

"We really believed we had a chance to win on the road here,'' said Spurs forward Tim Duncan, who had 16 points and 14 rebounds. "It's just a lot of confidence. A lot of games under our belt.''

With a nucleus of Chris Paul, David West and Tyson Chandler, the Hornets appear destined for greater things, but now is not their time.

"One thing I want them to remember when they start working out next season is how they feel right now,'' said Hornets coach Byron Scott, adding he was proud of his team, which did not make the playoffs last season, for pushing the Spurs as far as it did.

"You have to go through some things before you can really understand how good it's going to feel when you get to that next level,'' Scott continued. "You don't go from not making playoffs to winning a championship. It just doesn't work that way. ... We're headed in right direction.''

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source : NBA.com

Jazz’s Millsap to Have Thumb Surgery

SALT LAKE CITY, May 19 (AP) -- Utah Jazz forward Paul Millsap will have surgery Thursday to repair his left thumb, which was injured during the Western Conference semifinals.

General manager Kevin O'Connor says Millsap has a torn ligament. His recovery time won't be known until Friday.

Millsap's injury occurred last Friday when the Los Angeles Lakers eliminated the Jazz. He scored 15 points.

Hall of Famer Dolph Schayes Celebrates 80th Birthday

May 19, 2008 - He is the most unassuming superstar you’ll ever meet but his play loomed large. For 15 seasons, Dolph Schayes starred for the Syracuse Nationals and was one of the most consistent scorers and rebounders in NBA history. The 6-9 forward-center averaged more than 17 points and 12 rebounds for nine straight seasons.
Schayes joined the NBA in its third year of existence and along with George Mikan, Bob Cousy, Bob Davies, Bob Pettit and Bill Sharman, helped spur the league’s growth in the ’50s.

Schayes led the Nats to three Finals appearances and one NBA title, a grueling seven-game classic versus George Yardley and the Fort Wayne Pistons in 1955. The series produced one of the greatest and most underrated moments in Finals history – the George King steal in Game 7.

Syracuse’s favorite son and Hall of Famer turned 80 today and reflected on the Nats rabid following, King’s steal, the 24-second shot clock innovation, the greatest player of all time and his favorite current NBA player.

NBA.com: The 1955 Finals between the Syracuse Nats and Fort Wayne Pistons seems to be one of more underrated series in Finals history, especially the George King play in Game 7.

Schayes: Obviously, that series was overshadowed because it was between two of the smallest franchises in the NBA and it wasn’t covered universally. There is very little footage of that series and probably the newspapers didn’t go crazy for it. But it was big in Syracuse.

An interesting thing happened in that Fort Wayne didn’t play any games in Fort Wayne during the Finals. The building was being used by some other venue and they played in Indianapolis. In fact, that forced the Fort Wayne Pistons into Detroit because Fred Zollner, the Pistons owner, was so angry he told the mayor of Fort Wayne, “We’re getting out of here. We’re a major franchise in this city, part of the NBA, and we can’t even play in our building.”

Probably a contract was signed years before and they knew at that time they wouldn’t have the building. But still. They had to go to Indianapolis and they played well in Indianapolis. But they didn’t draw because the following was more in Fort Wayne. And they used to play at North High School in Fort Wayne. Then they built the Allen County Memorial Coliseum for the Fort Wayne Pistons. It was a wonderful building. They had an NBA All-Star Game there. But Fred Zollner, who would be the equivalent of a billionaire today, provided pistons for the automobile industry. That was the excuse for moving to Detroit.

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source : NBA.com

Celts Survive LeBron Score 45-Point Onslaught

Team	1	2	3	4					Full Time
Cavaliers	13	27	28	24					92
Celtics	18	32	23	24					97

Boston 97, Cleveland 92

BOSTON, May 18 (AP) -- Paul Pierce hit a shot. Then LeBron James answered. Pierce hit another and so did James.

It was like that all game long, two of the NBA's best trying to carry their teams to the next round. Pierce and the Boston Celtics succeeded, beating the Cleveland Cavaliers 97-92 on Sunday.

Twenty years earlier there was another thrilling shootout in another seventh game of the Eastern Conference semifinals in Boston -- Larry Bird vs. Dominique Wilkins.

And the result was the same: a narrow Celtics victory that sent them to the conference finals against Detroit.

Pierce scored 41 points, James had 45 and Boston remained unbeaten in the playoffs at home, where the first two games against the Pistons will be played Tuesday and Thursday night.

"It is a great feeling," Pierce said. "We knew this was going to be a tough, tough series."

In a seven-game series in which the road team never won, the Celtics had many green-clad fans on their side. Lucky the Mascot held up a sign reading, "ROCK THE GARDEN!" and the crowd roared. Pierce got the loudest ovation when he was introduced with his nickname, "The Truth."

And when the game started, one fan bellowed, "Not today, LeBron!"

It wasn't Wilkins' day on May 22, 1988, even though he outscored Bird in Boston's 118-116 win over Atlanta at the old Boston Garden. Wilkins finished with 47 points, with 16 in the fourth quarter, and Bird had 34, with 20 in the final period.

"I'm very aware of the game," Pierce said. "They don't ever let you forget it when you look up to the jumbotron."

James has seen plenty of highlights of that mano-a-mano tussle.

"We both tried to will our team to victory and, just like Dominique Wilkins, I ended up on the short end and the Celtics won again," he said. "I think the second round of the postseason, Game 7, these fans will finally have an opportunity to forget a little bit about what Larry Bird and Dominique Wilkins did and remember what Paul and LeBron did.

"This will go down in history."

Pierce hit 13 of 23 shots and James went 14-for-29.

Celtics executive vice president Danny Ainge, who played in that 1988 game, called Sunday's shootout "an epic battle."

The Celtics have won 14 straight games at home and have home-court advantage throughout the playoffs. They are 0-6 in the postseason on the road.

"Before the year our goal was to be there in Game 1 at home [in the conference finals] and that's where we are," Boston coach Doc Rivers said. "So we're exactly where we should be."

Home teams are 22-2 in the second round of this season's playoffs. The Celtics never trailed Sunday, but they never were safe until the final seconds.

Pierce hit two free throws with 7.9 seconds left for the final points, then James missed a 3-pointer on the last shot of the game with 4.4 seconds to go.

"I had it going, LeBron had it going and we just didn't let up," Pierce said. "Neither one of us wanted our teams to lose."

Sasha Pavlovic's 3-pointer made it 95-92 with 8.6 seconds left and the Cavaliers immediately fouled Pierce. His first shot hit the rim, hung in the air, then fell through as the crowd roared. Pierce said team patriarch Red Auerbach, who died in October 2006 at age 89, had something to do with that.

"The ghost of Red just looking over us," Pierce said. "I think he kind of tapped it in the right direction. It sort of put a smile on my face."

Pierce's second free throw was much smoother, making it 97-92.

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source : NBA.com

Celtics Top Game 7 Scoring Performances

May 18, 2008 -- Paul Pierce racked up the second most Game 7 points in franchise history on Sunday with 41 as the Celtics edged the Cavaliers to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals.
Pierce's extraordinary scoring performance countered LeBron James'. LeBron recorded 45 to keep Cleveland afloat throughout the decisive contest.

The classic showdown between Pierce and LeBron was very reminiscent of when Sam Jones (47 points) outdueled Oscar Robertson (43) in Game 7 of the 1963 East Finals and when Larry Bird (34) went toe-to-toe with Dominique Wilkins (47) in Game 7 of the 1988 Eastern Conference Semifinals.



source : NBA.com

Debate of NBA Draft: Who's No. 1?

Kansas State's Michael Beasley and Memphis' Derrick Rose are poised be the top two picks in the NBA Draft. But who will be No. 1 is up for debate.

Frank Martin and John Calipari can respectfully agree to disagree on which dynamic young player should be the top pick in next month's NBA Draft: Kansas State's Michael Beasley or Memphis' Derrick Rose.

Understandably, both coaches are a bit biased in this escalating debate.

But Calipari, the University of Memphis' coach, and Kansas State's Martin hold mutual admiration of the franchise-altering impact the other's prized pupil could have in the NBA.

Calipari, who spent three seasons coaching the New Jersey Nets, calls Beasley ``a translator.''

''With my background, I don't care how good you are in college,'' Calipari said. ``I want to know what transfers -- what translates. Does what you do here translate up there to the NBA? With Mike, oh yeah. I'm telling you, the kid is good.''

Martin believes Rose can be a once-in-a-generation type of floor leader.

''Derrick Rose is special,'' Martin said. ``When you've got a point guard who's got what he's got, you're playing for championships.''

The stakes will be just as high at the other end of the spectrum Tuesday in Secaucus, N.J., when the Heat will be among 14 teams at the draft lottery looking for ping-pong balls to bounce the right way and put two lucky teams in position to land one of these top phenoms.

There is Beasley, a 6-10 forward who averaged 26.2 points, 12.4 rebounds and rewrote the Big 12 record books with one dominant stroke of a season at Kansas State. There is Rose, an explosive 6-3 guard who led Memphis to the title game in his lone college season and has drawn early comparisons to elite NBA point guards Jason Kidd, Deron Williams and Chris Paul.

And then there are the rest of the projected lottery prospects, which include Arizona guard Jerryd Bayless, Southern Cal guard O.J. Mayo and Stanford center Brooke Lopez.

The Heat enters the random-but-weighted lottery essentially in pole position. After finishing an NBA-worst 15-67, tying the franchise record for futility, the Heat has a 25 percent chance to land the No. 1 pick and a 46.5 shot at a top-two selection. Under NBA rules, Miami is guaranteed to fall no lower than fourth in the selection order for the June 26 draft in New York.

But there is another set of numbers that is disturbing to the Heat. Only twice in 14 years under the current format has the team with the worst record won the lottery's top pick.

INTERCHANGEABLE

Fortunately, many NBA and college executives, coaches and analysts said the value of this year's lottery grand prize and top consolation parting gift might be interchangeable.

It is not often that two clear-cut franchise-changers headline a draft class, but it has happened two seasons in a row. The energy surrounding Beasley and Rose -- or Rose and Beasley -- is just as strong as the hype entering last year's draft, when center Greg Oden and forward Kevin Durant, the NBA's Rookie of the Year, went first and second to Portland and Seattle, respectively.

''The top two [prospects] this year would be somewhat comparable to last year, which was considered extraordinary,'' said Sporting News senior college basketball writer Mike DeCourcy, who wrote Legends of College Basketball, a book that ranks the top 100 players in history. ``I don't think these two are going to have to take a backseat to many one-twos at all.''

That is considered extremely lofty praise when looking back on recent high-lottery pairings, including Dwight Howard and Emeka Okafor in 2004, LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony in 2003 [although Darko Milicic was drafted second], Allen Iverson and Marcus Camby in 1996 and Shaquille O'Neal and Alonzo Mourning in 1992, among others.

Heat general manager Randy Pfund is among a group of executives with lottery teams who believe Rose and Beasley initially offer more of a No. 1 and No. 1-A option on the board rather than distinguished prospects with a clear amount of separation.

''For most people, that's fairly accurate, that's the early line,'' said Pfund, who estimates the Heat's candidate pool with a top-four pick includes as many as eight prospects beyond Rose and Beasley. ``With one of those two guys, you're going to get a player who will have an immediate and tremendous impact.''

NO FAVORITE

Pfund would not say which of the two the Heat favors at this point if it acquired the top pick. For now, his daydreams alternate with Beasley posting up or Rose running the point in transition alongside Dwyane Wade, Shawn Marion and Dorell Wright.

If there was any difference that could be detected in Pfund's recent breakdown of Rose and Beasley -- any hint which one he would prefer -- it was difficult to discern.

He spoke in waves about Beasley's ability to score and rebound in a potential inside-outside tandem with Wade.

''That image is a nice one,'' Pfund said.

``[Beasley] can be a very nice guy for Dwyane to drive and dish to, or he can post and find Dwyane.''

But Pfund, at times, could barely find the words when trying to describe the potential of a Rose-Wade backcourt pairing, specifically with the Heat's need for a point guard this offseason.

''Rose, to me, in the open court, for me, the possibilities for a player with his quickness, his size, his strength, boy, it's like having a quarterback that can do it all,'' Pfund said. ``The image I have of Rose, with the ball in his hands, pushing it up the court with Wade, Dorell and Marion, that creates a whole new option for you.''

So which option do you take with the top pick? Beasley, a 6-10 forward and first-team All-American who led the nation in rebounding and was third in scoring? Or Rose, a third-team All-American with an upside the size of Mount Everest?

It is still too difficult a call, some say.

But that perception could change once more poking and prodding is done at the NBA's predraft camp this month and subsequent individual team workouts next month.

''A lot of teams will be going through that debate to get into that first position,'' said Portland Trail Blazers general manager Kevin Pritchard, whose team wrestled with a similar decision last year before selecting Oden over Durant. ``It's a little bit of a unique phenomenon -- two players, back to back, looked at heavily for the top two spots. There wasn't a day between the lottery and the actual draft that there weren't media involvement and interviews. You can really, really drill down very deep on two players.''

BANKING ON ROSE

DeCourcy believes Rose will emerge.

''The first thing you want to do is draft a star -- a guy who is going to play in multiple All-Star games,'' he said. ``You want a guy to change the talent level of your team. Rose and Beasley fit that. The difference is, I believe Rose is the most physically gifted point guard to ever play the game. I think he's the most complete athletic package we've ever had.''


source : NBA.com

Lakers’ Ariza Out 8 Weeks; Mbenga Signs

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 21 (AP) -- Lakers forward Trevor Ariza will be out about eight weeks because of a broken right foot, joining center Andrew Bynum on the sidelines.

Ariza fractured a bone in his foot at practice Sunday, and was examined Monday by foot specialist Dr. Ken Jung, who set the timeline for his return. Ariza has averaged 6.5 points and 3.5 rebounds in 24 games since being acquired from Orlando on Nov. 20 for Brian Cook and Maurice Evans.

"It's just another obstacle in the road, but it happens on every team,'' the 22-year-old Ariza said before Monday night's game against Denver. "I think our team has enough character to where we can pull through this time, and I'm sure we'll find a way to win.

"It's definitely tough for anybody who wants to help their team to sit out. But I can't be bitter about it. I can just take the punches as they come, play my part, and just cheer my team on.''

Bynum injured his left kneecap Jan. 13 against Memphis and isn't expected to return before the middle of March. The Lakers also have been playing without center Chris Mihm (sore right Achilles' tendon) and forward Vladimir Radmanovic (sprained right ankle). The Lakers hope both will be back in the next few weeks.

"We'll just have to work our way through this,'' Lakers coach Phil Jackson said . "Trevor was playing really well and he's going to have to sit out a couple months.''

While lamenting his team's latest injury, Lakers forward Lamar Odom said that sort of thing is part of the game.

"Every time we go out there, that could be the last time,'' Odom said. "Hopefully these guys heal fast and get back out there. It's tough, sometimes it takes the breath out of you, especially when you're playing so well. We have to find some way to recover.''

The Lakers entered Monday night's game having won 17 of their previous 21 games, having split two games without Bynum.

Hoping to compensate for the absence of Bynum and Mihm, the Lakers signed free-agent center DJ Mbenga to a 10-day contract. The 7-footer from the Congo was released by Golden State on Jan. 6.

Mbenga was averaging 1.2 points, 1.9 rebounds, 0.63 blocked shots and 8.1 minutes in 16 games with the Warriors. He spent three seasons with Dallas before being waived Oct. 30. He was limited to 21 games last season because of a left foot tendon strain and a torn right anterior cruciate ligament.

source : NBA.com

Anthony Leaves Early with Ankle Sprain

L.A. Lakers 116, Denver 99

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 21 (AP) -- A year ago at this time, the Los Angeles Lakers were flying high after a 100-96 victory over the Spurs at San Antonio, raising their record to 26-13.

That's when a series of injuries and other misfortunes contributed to a slide in which the Lakers lost 27 of their last 43 regular-season games before being eliminated 4-1 by Phoenix in the first round of the playoffs.

While the timing of significant injuries to Andrew Bynum and Trevor Ariza in a week's time and a difficult upcoming schedule might be a cause for deja vu, the Lakers are determined to avoid a similar collapse this season.

That being the case, they considered a decisive 116-99 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Monday night a most important win.

"Absolutely. You have Andrew go down, you have Trevor go down, you get that vibe that, 'Here we go again,''' said Kobe Bryant, who had 17 points and a season-high 11 assists.

"This was a win we really needed to get some momentum back going on the road,'' said Derek Fisher, who shot 10-for-16 including 6-for-7 from 3-point range in scoring a season-high 28 points -- one off his career high.

Jordan Farmar scored 19 points and Lamar Odom added 15 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists for the Lakers (27-12), who outscored the Nuggets 31-8 to finish the third period and start the fourth to take a 108-87 lead.

"It's a good win for us,'' Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. "We just can't make too much out of anything and stay really close into what we're trying to do -- try to force every game to be an opportunity to win, don't give anything away. We know we're going to have to work hard to get some wins.''

The Nuggets played the final 2 1/2 quarters without Carmelo Anthony, who sprained his left ankle midway through the second period. Team spokesman Eric Sebastian said X-rays of Anthony's ankle were negative, and the 23-year-old forward was to be re-evaluated Tuesday in Denver.

Anthony, the NBA's fourth-leading scorer with a 25.8-point average, made a jump shot with 5:58 left before halftime before landing on Bryant's right foot. Anthony dropped to the floor, grabbing his ankle in pain. He left with 13 points and four rebounds.

"It's hurting. We'll see,'' Anthony said. "I don't like to sit out. I'm going to do a lot of rehab, but I don't really want to rush this. We feel like we can't get a break with injuries. Hopefully we can get them all out of the way right now.''

Denver coach George Karl said it was "a substantial sprain.''

"But if Melo comes back quick, we're hopeful for this weekend,'' Karl said. "I don't think he'll play Wednesday, but hopefully we'll get him for the weekend on Friday or Saturday.''

Allen Iverson led Denver (24-16) with 24 points and seven assists. Linas Kleiza added 21 points, Marcus Camby had 18 points and 12 rebounds and Kenyon Martin added 16 points and 11 rebounds for the Nuggets, who lost their fourth straight road game.

The Lakers, already without center Bynum until at least the middle of March, got more bad news before the game, learning forward Ariza would be sidelined about eight weeks because of a broken bone in his right foot - an injury he sustained Sunday in practice.

But they had more than enough to complete a sweep of the season series with the Nuggets, winning the three games by an average of 16.3 points per game while moving within one game of the Western Conference-leading Phoenix Suns.

Bryant attempted only seven shots, making five.

"You've just got to make the defense pay, do what's necessary to win the game,'' he said.

Lakers guard Coby Karl played the final 3:19 to become the third player in NBA history to go against his father, Denver coach George Karl.

"It's the best,'' the elder Karl said of coaching against his son for the first time. "I wish it would have been under more interesting circumstances. I don't have any words for it. He's a tremendous story for the game of basketball.''

Father and son are both cancer survivors.

"It's special playing in the NBA, period,'' said the younger Karl, who scored one point. "Having dad watching you on the sideline and being up by 20 is really good. When the game started, I wasn't even thinking about it -- it was just another game.''

Camby scored 10 points during a 22-10 run to start the third quarter, giving the Nuggets a 79-77 lead. But three 3-pointers by Fisher and another by Farmar sparked a 14-3 spurt that put the Lakers ahead 91-82 entering the final period.

A 17-5 run to open the fourth quarter gave the Lakers their 21-point lead.

Kwame Brown, booed every time he touched the ball during a difficult third quarter in the Lakers' previous game, was cheered early in this one, especially after a pair of dunks in the opening 3 1/2 minutes.

Brown, Bynum's replacement at center, had seven points and a season-high 11 rebounds.

source : NBA.com

Mourning Hasn’t Decided If Retirement Is Official

MIAMI, Jan. 21 (AP) -- Leaning on a long red crutch as he spoke outside the Miami Heat locker room Monday night, Alonzo Mourning made two things very clear.

One, he has not retired.

Two, any path to another comeback will be an extremely long one.

Speaking in specifics about the season-ending injuries to his right knee and right leg suffered last month in Atlanta, Mourning revealed Monday that Heat team physician Dr. Harlan Selesnick was originally concerned simply about his prospects of walking again. Mourning tore the patella tendon and quadriceps muscle in his right leg on Dec. 19 -- ironically, the fourth anniversary of his life-saving kidney transplant.

But his recovery is going well, even though Mourning still cannot drive or work out the way he used to.

"Sounds like somebody is communicating to me,'' Mourning said. "It really does. I hope I read the sign right and make the right decision. But right now, I feel a little helpless sitting on the sideline, because I see so much I can do to help. That's what hurts more than anything.''

The Heat entered Monday night's game against Cleveland with an 8-31 record, worst in the Eastern Conference.

Mourning -- who turns 38 on Feb. 8 -- entered this season saying that this would be his farewell campaign, insisting repeatedly that nothing would change his mind.

Now, he's not exactly talking in absolute terms when the notion of retiring comes up.

"Right now, my focus is just to get healthy,'' Mourning said. "I haven't really thought about if I'm going to retire or not. But my focus is getting healthy, being able to run and walk, and once I overcome that hurdle I'll be prepared to let you know if I'm going to play again.''

Heat coach Pat Riley said he hasn't talked with Mourning about the prospects of the 2008-09 season.

"He's coming to games so we're chatting a little bit, but there's no discussion about that,'' Riley said. "I think you've got to leave that with him. ... But actually, his scars look pretty good. I can't believe how good his knee looks.''

Mourning's kneecap was completely displaced when he tumbled awkwardly to the court in Atlanta, and he also tore the top and bottom of the quadriceps muscle, plus sustained some other injuries.

Mourning, who because of the kidney transplant cannot take anti-inflammatory medication or painkillers other than aspirin -- and suffered for two weeks after this surgery because of that -- said Selesnick told him he'd never seen an injury like it before.

But things are slowly beginning to heal, and Mourning's spirits are high.

"I'm happy and I'm focused right now on my recovery,'' Mourning said. "I really haven't thought too much about basketball.''

source : NBA.com

Wizards’ Thomas Eager to Get Back After Surgery

WASHINGTON, Jan. 21 (AP) -- Gilbert Arenas and Caron Butler did double-takes the other day, unsure if that really was Etan Thomas they saw walk by in the locker room.

Then the two All-Stars did what came naturally: They went over to welcome their Washington Wizards teammate with hugs, a little more than three months after he had open heart surgery.

"It's good to be back. It was a long process,'' Thomas said Monday before sitting on the sideline in a three-piece suit and tie during Washington's 102-84 victory over the Dallas Mavericks. "But it definitely feels great just to be back with my teammates, to be back on the road to coming back to playing.''

He showed up at practice Saturday to say hello and check in with everyone, although he still is waiting for team approval to return to action. Thomas never had any doubt that he would OK, healthwise, and he harbors no doubt that he will wear a Wizards uniform and be out on the court during a game before this season ends.

"I understand when you hear 'open heart surgery,' that doesn't sound like an ankle surgery or anything like that. It sounds really serious, but you just have to really know all the facts,'' said Thomas, a father of two, including a daughter born in December. "If I couldn't come back safely, it wouldn't even be a thought. I love the game of basketball, but I love life, too.''

The 29-year-old Thomas had known since middle school that he had a heart murmur and that it likely would be something he would need an operation for. But he also figured he'd be in his 50s or 60s when that time came.

Instead, it was during a routine preseason physical that he was told surgery now would be a good idea. These days, Thomas said, the largest concern is his sternum, which had to broken as part of the 4 1/2-hour operation in October to replace his leaky aortic valve.

"We're going to give him all of the time in the world he needs to get back to being part of our top guys,'' coach Eddie Jordan said.

What neither Jordan nor Thomas would do is discuss a specific timetable for practicing or playing. As Thomas pointed out repeatedly Monday, it's not up to him; it's up to the Wizards' doctors to determine when he'll be able to do either of those.

"That was the first question I had: Can I safely play? Can I safely practice? Can I safely do all the things that I want to do in returning to the game that I love? And they told me 'Yes,''' Thomas said. "They told me that wouldn't be a problem.''

So now it is a matter of waiting.

He walked out to the court early in the third quarter Monday, greeted by fans with fist bumps and high-fives and warm applause. He sat on the last folding chair on Washington's sideline, then stood on the periphery of the huddle during timeouts, his hands in his pockets.

Thomas is the team's longest-tenured player, having played six seasons for the Wizards. He started a career-high 32 games last season, averaging 6.1 points and 5.8 rebounds, dividing minutes at center with Brendan Haywood.

Their competition for playing time spilled off the court, though, leading to at least two fights. Thomas was suspended by the Wizards after one brawl.

Thomas called that animosity "water under the bridge.''

"No one wants to see anybody in that situation; you're real cold-blooded if you can't feel for someone in that situation,'' said Haywood, who has flourished this season, entering Monday with career-best averages of 10.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.7 blocks.

A moment later, Haywood was asked about playing time and team chemistry and how things might change once Thomas is ready to play.

"Right now we have a pecking order -- myself, then Andray Blatche, then whoever,'' Haywood said. "And at some point, if he works his way into that, then so be it. But right now that's how it's established, and I think that's how it'll continue to be.''