MIAMI (AP) -- Dwyane Wade's Olympic banner will be swaying from the ceiling of the Miami Heat's home arena soon. So, too, will one for Tim Hardaway and Alonzo Mourning.
The Heat will raise two banners at halftime of their Jan. 31 game against the Dallas Mavericks: one for Wade, who was part of the 2008 U.S. gold medal team in Beijing, and the other for Mourning and Hardaway, who helped the Americans win gold at the 2000 Sydney Games.
They will be displayed alongside the Heat's division, conference and NBA championship banners.
Wade's banner was unveiled during a ceremony shortly after he returned home from the Olympics in late August, but the Heat opted not to raise it to the rafters until such a time that one also could be presented to honor Hardaway and Mourning.
source : NBA.com
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Heat To honor 3 Olympic Gold Medalists
NBA-Best Magic Get Another Shot At Champ Celtics
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) -- Jameer Nelson believes the Orlando Magic are close to commanding almost as much respect as the Boston Celtics.
Really close, in fact.
"They're a great team. We're a good team," said Nelson, the Magic point guard. "We're trying to get to where they are."
A quick glance at the standings shows Orlando is rapidly closing whatever gap exists between the teams. When the Magic wake up Thursday morning, they'll have the best record in the NBA. Better than LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. Better than Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers. Better than any team, period.
Finding a way remain on that perch into Friday morning, well, that'd be a neat Magic trick.
It's only one of 82 regular-season contests, yet there will be a distinct big-game feel for the Magic on Thursday night when the reigning NBA champion Celtics visit for a matchup of teams jostling for the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference as well as the league's overall best record.
Forgive Magic coach Stan Van Gundy if he wants no part of the inevitable hyperbole.
"I've said all along, and I honestly think it's true: If they'll give us two wins for the Boston game, then I'll make it bigger than the other games," Van Gundy said. "Otherwise, it's not."
At 33-8, Orlando has matched its franchise record for best 41-game start, has won seven straight games and is coming off a road trip where it beat all three division leaders in the Western Conference. No slouches themselves, the Celtics took a 34-9 record and five-game winning streak into Miami on Wednesday night.
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source : NBA.com
Nuggets' Jones Out With Separated Right Shoulder
DENVER (AP) -- Denver Nuggets guard Dahntay Jones suffered a separated right shoulder in pregame warm-ups on Tuesday and was out of the lineup for the game against the Sacramento Kings.
The Nuggets said Jones injured the shoulder in a collision in a pregame workout but the X-rays were negative for a clavicle fracture. Renaldo Balkman will start in his place.
Jones, in his first year with the Nuggets, is averaging 6.2 points, 2.2 rebounds and one assist a game.
source : NBA.com
Bulls' Gooden, Hawks' Horford And Williams Sit
CHICAGO (AP) -- Drew Gooden was sidelined for Chicago's game against Atlanta with a strained left groin, and the Hawks were again without injured forwards Al Horford and Marvin Williams on Tuesday.
It's the second time in the past week that Gooden has missed a game because of the groin problem. The forward also missed eight games recently with a sprained right ankle.
Horford missed his sixth straight game with a bone bruise in his right knee and Williams (concussion) sat out his second in a row, leaving the Hawks with only one healthy regular up front -- Josh Smith.
source : NBA.com
Magic's Nelson And Hornets' Paul Named Players Of The Week
NEW YORK -- The Orlando Magic's Jameer Nelson and the New Orleans Hornets' Chris Paul today were named the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for games played Monday, Jan. 12, through Sunday, Jan. 18. Nelson and Paul also shared Player of the Week honors for the week of Dec. 15.
Eastern Western
Jan. 19 G Jameer Nelson, Orlando Chris Paul, New Orleans
Jan. 12 F Dwight Howard, Orlando G Kobe Bryant, L.A. Lakers
Jan. 5 G Rodney Stuckey, Detroit F Al Jefferson, Minnesota
Dec. 29 F LeBron James, Cleveland G Kobe Bryant, L.A. Lakers
Dec. 22 G Jameer Nelson, Orlando G Chris Paul, New Orleans
Dec. 15 F Al Harrington, New York F Tim Duncan, San Antonio
Dec. 8 G Dwyane Wade, Miami F Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas
Dec. 1 G Devin Harris, New Jersey G Brandon Roy, Portland
Nov. 24 G Dwyane Wade, Miami F Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas
Nov. 17 F LeBron James, Cleveland G Chauncey Billups, Denver
Nov. 10 F LeBron James, Cleveland F Amare Stoudemire, Phoenix
Nov. 3 F Chris Bosh, Toronto G Chris Paul, New Orleans
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source : NBA.com
Grizzlies Sign Miles To Second 10-Day Deal
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) -- The Memphis Grizzlies have signed forward Darius Miles to a second 10-day contract.
Memphis waived Miles on Jan. 7 and re-signed him three days later. That came two days after the Portland Trail Blazers threatened possible legal action against any team signing the free agent.
Miles is back from major knee surgery. His return put Portland on the hook for the $18 million and two years remaining on his deal.
After signing his first 10-day deal on Jan. 10, Miles played three games and averaged 8.3 points and three rebounds.
source : NBA.com
Thunder Making Push To Shed NBA's Worst Record
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Clay Bennett was lauded as a civic hero when he brought Oklahoma City its first major-league sports franchise.
The NBA's arrival in town was something to celebrate, the unveiling of the Thunder nickname a long-awaited event that packed the lobby of a downtown building with anxious fans.
"That was only the beginning," Bennett, the Thunder chairman, said Monday. "Little did I know."
After six months in Oklahoma City, the infrastructure for the Thunder is still being built. The wins have been slow to come. But there are signs of progress.
Oklahoma City is coming off its most impressive stretch yet, playing .500 basketball over the past 10 games to go from league laughingstock to mere mediocrity. No longer is the franchise a shoo-in to have the worst record in the league -- and, along with it, the best odds to emerge from the draft lottery with the No. 1 pick.
The Thunder, once on pace for the worst record in NBA history, have pulled even with the Washington Wizards with a league-worst eight wins and are within striking distance of moving out of last place in the Western Conference. That distinction could be on the line Friday night when the Thunder visit the Los Angeles Clippers, who are 9-31.
"Every day, we're heading in a better direction," Bennett said after announcing that a health care company would sponsor the team's temporary practice facility and a new $25 million training center due to be finished before the 2010-11 season.
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source : NBA.com
