NBA FanHouse

Without Lou Williams, Sixers Need to Rely on Defense

Tom Ziller — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST

It has, without a doubt, been a disappointing November for the 76ers. The team didn't figure to get a whole lot better than last season's solid showing (which ended with a 4-2 first round surrender to Marcin Gortat), having lost first-string point guard Andre Miller and adding only 18-year-old point guard Jrue Holiday in the draft. But a 5-10 record out of the gate registers far below expectations, and that mark comes even with new starting PG Louis Williams playing really, really well.

And now even that bright spot is blotted out! Williams broke his jaw on Antawn Jamison's shoulder earlier this week, had it wired shut and will miss up to eight weeks. (He also missed Thanksgiving, tragically. Turkey malt shake, anyone?) In his place, Holiday started Wednesday, a (surprisingly) tight loss in Boston. (The Sixers had lost to Boston by 31 in Philly earlier this month.)

Holiday is pretty raw, even by rookie point guard standards. (Given the success of other rookie PGs this year, in Milwaukee and Sacramento and Denver and New Orleans, perhaps we should rethink our belief structure on the matter. Maybe next year, when John Wall leads the Grizzlies to a 13-0 start.) But Holiday has some defensive promise, even early in his career. It hasn't translated on the court quite yet, but Holiday has been limited to short minutes prior to Lou's injury.

But the rest of the roster is ready to defend. Last year, Philadelphia had the 14th-ranked defense in the league. This year, it's 26th. The absence of Miller surely matters here -- opposing point guards are shooting an effective field goal percentage of 53 percent against Philly this season, versus 51.1 percent last year. The Sixers are still managing to create turnovers, but overall shot defense has been abysmal and defensive rebounding has dramatically fallen (even with elite rebounder Samuel Dalembert playing only slightly fewer minutes).

Other than at the point, where has Philly's defense been weakest? Marreese Speights, for all his offensive gifts, has watched the defense around him crumble, with the Sixers giving up nine points per 48 minutes more when Speights plays. Of course, he also will not be playing for a while, having suffered a torn MCL two weeks ago.

Thaddeus Young, a good defender, has given up too high a shooting percentage at the small forward position (he's been much better defensively at power forward this season -- last season, he was good in both spots), and even Andre Iguodala -- one of the league's top perimeter defenders -- has been allowing opponents to score too easily. You wonder how much of all this comes down to bad luck through the early going, how much can be attributed to Philadelphia starting slowly (per usual) ... and how much should fall on the shoulders of Eddie Jordan, who took over as coach this summer and has a very, very spotty defensive reputation.

Whatever the reason for Philly's bad defense, with Williams out until late January, the 76ers desperately need the defense to bail them out. We'll see if Jordan, Iguodala and Young can get that to happen.

Without Lou Williams, Sixers Need to Rely on Defense originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Fri, 27 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tracy McGrady Reportedly Puts on Uniform, Demands Answers

Tom Ziller — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 07:25:00 EST

Filed under: Rockets, NBA Injuries, NBA Rumors, NBA Coaches

Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! has a half-harrowing, half-hilarious tale out of Minneapolis, where sources say Tracy McGrady put on his uniform Wednesday to confront coach Rick Adelman about the team's timetable for the fallen star's return. Woj reports that McGrady -- who may or may not have told Yahoo! last week that he'd planned on returning Wednesday against the Wolves, a plan the Rockets quickly squelched -- is angry the team is holding him off the court, and wanted answers from Adelman.

What resulted (with McGrady in full uniform after warming up with teammates before the game) was a heated closed-door argument, Woj reports. The writer's sources claim Mac demanded to know why team management wouldn't let him get back on the court sooner than next week's scheduled MRI.

As someone who followed an Adelman-coached team closely for eight years, this is certainly rare -- R.A. feuded with very few players in Sacramento, with only Tony Massenburg standing out in memory. (Adelman and Chris Webber had their moments, but I'd argue no other coach in the league would have survived the troubling end to the 2003-04 season, in which Webber ruined the sparkling Kings by returning from surgery too early, and then blamed Peja Stojakovic for the second round exit. Somehow, Adelman came out of it looking like a white hat.)

But perhaps that's part of the problem -- Adelman is reserved, and has no time for drama. McGrady's situation is fairly dramatic. Adelman's silent insouciance (also seen in the fourth quarter of big games, unfortunately) probably makes McGrady feel underappreciated, or brushed aside.

McGrady's the league's highest-paid player, a former MVP candidate watching his career twinkle out due to chronic back problems and last year's microfracture surgery. This has to be a rough transition for McGrady, especially if what McGrady's people tell Woj is true: that the Rockets are stalling to collect insurance money, some $226,000 for every game the star misses from here on out. If McGrady truly believes that theory, he deserves answers, and Adelman probably owes his player his ear.

I'd be inclined to believe that said claim -- which comes from McGrady's people, mind you -- is not true, and that it's more an issue of Adelman and team management (led by Daryl Morey) knowing that the McGrady era is basically over, and that the New Rockets need to learn to win, lose and play without the epic possession/attention soaker. For all the criticism of what his game has become, McGrady has been surprisingly gracious on the court the last few years, but by his extant standards that's not enough for the newly egalitarian Rockets.

It's too bad, because McGrady's clearly gone from Houston by June 30 (when his contract expires), if not sooner. That would mean that McGrady has left three NBA teams, all of them in less than happy circumstances. I suppose the same could be said of most lightning-rod stars (Shaquille O'Neal certainly included), but that really doesn't make it any less unfortunate. Only McGrady and the Rockets know the truth here -- whether McGrady is being a prat, or whether Houston is doing him wrong -- but no matter what, based on history and preconceived notions, it will reflect poorly on McGrady. It's probably something in between, if in-between even exists in matters of pride. If reports like this persist, though, it's plausible we'll never know, because it's plausible McGrady may have worn that Rockets uniform -- in a visitor's locker room office, mind you -- for the last time.

Tracy McGrady Reportedly Puts on Uniform, Demands Answers originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 07:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pau Gasol to Return Against the Bulls

Brett Pollakoff — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:40:00 EST

Filed under: Bulls, Lakers, NBA Injuries

After missing the Lakers' first 11 games of the season with a hamstring injury, Pau Gasol appears ready to make his return to the court tonight in a nationally televised matchup against the Bulls.

"I think that I'll be able to go tomorrow," Gasol told reporters on Wednesday. "It felt great today and I don't plan on any reason why it wouldn't feel the same way tomorrow."

Gasol's return will be a welcome addition for a team that has struggled offensively on the nights when Kobe Bryant didn't score 40 or more points. Thankfully for L.A., Bryant has managed to do that in four of the team's 11 games so far, and every time it resulted in a win for the Lakers.

Pau Gasol to Return Against the Bulls originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kelenna Azubuike Out for the Season

Matt Moore — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Filed under: Warriors, NBA Injuries

How could this season get worse for the Warriors? Their coach seemingly has no interest in developing their young talent, teaching defense, fighting for wins or managing the team. Their captain had his captaincy revoked after asking for a trade, which he eventually received. Their star is currently asking for a lifeboat and the nearest emergency exit. They don't have cap space for 2010, they're losing games left and right and they've even been hit with swine flu. How could this possibly get any worse?

Oh.

The Warriors announced today that Kelenna Azubuike has a torn patellar tendon in his right knee which will require season-ending surgery.

The fourth-year wing was averaging 13.9 points and 4.6 rebounds per game, and now he's gone.

The Warriors were so depleted following Azubuike's injury, C.J. Watson's bout with swine flu and Stephen Jackson's trade that they only eight players dressed in Tuesday's 114-108 loss to the Cavs. Raja Bell, who came over in the trade for Jackson, would have been available but decided soon after arriving from Charlotte that surgery and rehab would be more enjoyable than playing for the Warriors.

I would say we've reached the low point for the Warriors season -- but it's only November 17th. That's the scariest part of all.

Kelenna Azubuike Out for the Season originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jameer Nelson Out at Least a Month

Tim Povtak — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:05:00 EST

Filed under: Magic, NBA Injuries

This is where good depth can really come in handy.

Veteran Jason Williams, the point guard on Miami's NBA Championship team of 2006, will become a starter once again with a serious contender. The Orlando Magic announced Tuesday that All-Star Jameer Nelson will undergo arthroscopic surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee. He is expected to be out for 4-6 weeks.

Nelson was injured in the fourth quarter of Monday night's victory over Charlotte. Williams sat out last season after retiring prematurely, then signed as a free agent for the veteran's minimum in Orlando, where he already had a home.

Williams, who turns 34 on Wednesday, has averaged 5.4 points and 4 assists in 18 minutes this season behind Nelson. He has 44 assists and just nine turnovers. Anthony Johnson, who hardly has played this season, will become the backup to Williams.

"We're fortunate to have two experienced point guards to lead our team while Jameer is out,'' Magic coach Stan Van Gundy told FanHouse Tuesday afternoon. "I'm expecting both to play at a high level.''

Neither Williams, nor Johnson, who turned 35 earlier this month, is capable of playing big minutes for an extended period at this stage of their careers. Together, though, they should be able to keep the Magic from sinking out of contention. The Magic, who have only 13 players under contract, may explore the possibility of signing another point guard, but it won't happen quickly.

"We won't do anything at the moment. There won't be a knee-jerk reaction,,'' said Magic general manager Otis Smith. "We'll sit back and evaluate the team, see if we can weather the storm. I think we'll be fine, especially because of the way we play, inside-out.''

.The Magic went 7-3 to start the season in the absence of All-Star Rashard Lewis, relying on off-season acquisitions like Ryan Anderson and Brandon Bass to fill the void. Lewis returned from his 10-game suspension Monday night, but it was Nelson who led the team to victory with 16 points

This time it will be Williams and Johnson trying to fill a void.

The Magic also played four of their first 10 games without All-Star Vince Carter, who was out with an ankle injury. Their contention that they are one of the deepest teams in the league will be put to test once again. Although the Atlanta Hawks lead the Atlantic Division, the Magic have stayed in close contention, despite the early injuries.

Nelson's injury was especially crushing to the point guard, who missed the second half of last season -- and their run to the NBA Finals -- after a shoulder injury and surgery just after he was named to his first All-Star team in February.

"I'm disappointed for Jameer,'' Van Gundy said. "After missing so much time last season, he was excited to get this season going.''

Jameer Nelson Out at Least a Month originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:05:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chris Paul Sprains Ankle, Out 1-2 Weeks

Tom Ziller — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 09:11:00 EST

Filed under: Hornets, NBA Injuries

Not the best night for the New Orleans Hornets. In the team's first game under new coach Jeff Bower, supernova point guard Chris Paul was ineffective and reportedly frosty through three quarters, before spraining his ankle and leaving the game, an eventual 86-78 loss to the Blazers. The New Orleans Times-Picayune reports that the ankle injury is severe enough to knock Paul out for up to two weeks.

Despite the Hornets' disappointing start, Paul has been the best player in the league statistically. Paul is averaging nearly 24 points and nine assists per game, and has shot 59 percent from the field and 65 percent from three. Rookie Darren Collison played the fourth quarter of Friday's game and is expected to start Saturday in Atlanta.

UPDATE: Yahoo! is reporting that Paul could be out of action for up to a month.

More Coverage: Fantasy Impact of Paul's Injury

Chris Paul Sprains Ankle, Out 1-2 Weeks originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Sat, 14 Nov 2009 09:11:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Deron Williams, Al Jefferson Missing Games Due to Family Illness

Tom Ziller — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 18:05:00 EST

Filed under: Jazz, Timberwolves, NBA Injuries

Jazz star Deron Williams had to leave his team on a road trip to return back to Salt Lake City due to a family illness. He'll miss tonight's game in Philadelphia, but the Salt Lake Tribune reports he could rejoin the team in time for the Jazz's game in Cleveland Saturday. Jerry Sloan has named rookie Eric Maynor the starter in Williams's place; Andrei Kirilenko will also hilariously serve as a back-up point guard for the shorthanded Jazz.

Similarly, Al Jefferson is out for two games due to a family illness. The Wolves have been in bad shape with Jefferson, the team's best player, and Dallas figures to be an able foe tonight. If nothing else, Minnesota's second tier will have ample opportunity to prove itself in Jefferson's absence -- especially considering Kevin Love is still out.

Deron Williams, Al Jefferson Missing Games Due to Family Illness originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Fri, 13 Nov 2009 18:05:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hasheem Thabeet Breaks His Jaw

Matt Moore — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 02:20:00 EST

Filed under: Grizzlies, NBA Injuries

If ever there were an NBA team that the fates deemed the Murphy's Law exhibition squad, it's the Memphis Grizzlies. Just days after their prized free agent acquisition publicly balked at coming off the bench before leaving for personal reasons, the franchise suffered two devastating losses in one night, not only falling to 1-7 in a blowout loss at the hands of the Portland Trail Blazers but also losing their young franchise center to a broken jaw.

Hasheem Thabeet, the second overall pick in the 2009 draft, was already having a rough start to the season, but that was to be expected since he's regarded as a project. His primary goal was simply to find some playing time and develop for the future. Unfortunately, that's not possible for the foreseeable future after breaking his jaw in a collision with Zach Randolph.

Oh, the humanity.

Thabeet was considered the safe pick for the Grizzlies, who opted for the big man over exhilarating guards Jonny Flynn, Tyreke Evans or European sensation Ricky Rubio. But when he arrived to camp, he was even more of a project than expected. Now he faces a setback that will not only stunt his growth this year but may also make him think twice about throwing himself into the paint to do battle down the road.

To recap Memphis' drama over the last couple of weeks, Allen Iverson is MIA, Zach Randolph just knocked out the number one pick, Rudy Gay wasn't offered an extension and may or may not be feuding with O.J. Mayo.

It's a good thing the Blues is so good on Beale Street. This team's in need of catharsis.

For his part, Thabeet has shown up and done what he was supposed to do. He was struggling offensively and rebounding the ball, but he was able to generate blocks, his biggest asset. For the team with the worst defensive efficiency in the league, losing another defender certainly won't help. It's not yet known how much time he'll miss.

The Thabeet Era will have to wait.

Hasheem Thabeet Breaks His Jaw originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 02:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tracy McGrady Back Next Week? That's News to the Rockets

Tom Ziller — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 09:21:00 EST

Filed under: Rockets, NBA Injuries

This wouldn't be the first time Tracy McGrady announced his plans to the world before discussing them with his team. (It probably will not be the last, either.) Last season, the Rockets learned McGrady had decided to undergo season-ending microfracture surgery through the media. This time, McGrady is telling reporters -- Yahoo! Sports, specifically -- that he plans on making his season debut on Nov. 18 against Minnesota.

Rockets GM Daryl Morey, though, told the Houston Chronicle that McGrady won't play until he's been checked out in a full practice. The next Rockets full practice is slated for Nov. 23. Which is after Nov. 18.

A Nov. 23 MRI and observation had been the plan since September, the Chronicle reports. Really, this might just be a case of overexcitement by the superstar swingman. I hate to look for malice in something which could be a completely innocent mistake.

But ... again, McGrady has a record of making his own decisions. He never really seems to understand what his team's $22 million commitment to him means in terms of a professional relationship. And he certainly appears to be under the illusion that he is the most important Rocket, that the 4-2 Rockets are barely hanging on, waiting for his return. The truth is that the style Houston has employed -- efficient, smart basketball -- is antithetical to McGrady's 30-year-old game. Not that Mac doesn't play smart. But he doesn't play efficiently, which means that he takes too many low-efficiency shots.

Honestly, Morey may very well want to flex his muscles to the world for as long as possible. He put together the wackiest team in the league in the face of catastrophic injuries to his two stars and the team is winning. It has Executive of the Year written all over it (with apologies to Orlando GM Otis Smith). If McGrady comes back and the Rockets keep winning, T-Mac will get an inordinate amount of credit for winning without Yao Ming. But really, it's Trevor Ariza, Luis Scola, Chuck Hayes (!) and Aaron Brooks who are doing it well.

Tracy McGrady Back Next Week? That's News to the Rockets originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 09:21:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Injuries Force Pistons to Speed Up Rebuilding Plans

Matt Watson — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 21:40:00 EST

Filed under: Pistons, NBA Injuries

Until last week, the last time the Detroit Pistons played a game in which neither Rip Hamilton or Tayshaun Prince started was the 2001-02 season -- when Prince was a senior at Kentucky and Hamilton still coming into his own playing alongside Michael Jordan in Washington.

Needless to say, adapting to life without those two mainstays -- Hamilton suffered a high ankle sprain in the season opener, and Prince joined him on the trainer's table with a back injury two games later -- has been an unexpected hurdle for first-year head coach John Kuester, who's now tasked with helping a starting lineup featuring four new additions to the team develop chemistry.

The Pistons haven't offered an official prognosis for either player, but given that Hamilton is still wearing a walking boot 11 days after originally suffering the injury, it seems likely his continued absence will be measured in weeks, not days.

Fortunately, Ben Gordon (24.0 points per game), Rodney Stuckey (16.0) and Will Bynum (11.0) have helped shoulder the scoring load, although the offense has become noticeably more one-on-one oriented without Hamilton's trademark ability to move without the ball.

On average, NBA players are assisted on 55.6% of their made shots -- and Hamilton was assisted on 70.2% of his makes last season. But more often than not, Gordon (assisted on just 41.5% of his buckets through seven games this year), Stuckey (26.2%), and Bynum (14.8%) create their own shots by taking their man off the dribble. There's nothing inherently wrong with that style of play, but less ball movement obviously makes it more difficult for the rest of the players on the floor to get going.

While high ankle sprains can take a long time to heal, Hamilton should be as good as new one he does finally return. Unfortunately, the same is not certain about Prince, who's sidelined indefinitely with a ruptured disk in his back.

Back injuries are always scary, but what makes Prince's ailment especially worrisome is the fact that it looks like it may be a recurring condition. Although he didn't miss a single game in 2008-09, he played through soreness in his back late in the year, which contributed to his absolutely abysmal showing on both ends of the court in Detroit's embarrassing first-round sweep at the hands of the Cavs.

Is last year's soreness related to this year's ruptured disk? It seems plausible, especially given the wear and tear Prince's rail-thin frame has absorbed over the years, which featured an iron-man streak of not missing a single game over six full seasons, not to mention 118 playoff games and two summers playing with Team USA.

The Pistons haven't publicly admitted a connection, but it's possible Joe Dumars suspected Prince might have a chronic condition when he drafted three small forwards (Austin Daye, DaJuan Summers and Jonas Jerebko) in June. It's unclear how long Prince will remain sidelined, but if simple rest and rehabilitation doesn't provide relief, surgery is a possibility. Either way, his return is likely several weeks, if not months, away.

In Prince's absence, Jerebko and Daye, the 39th and 15th overall picks, respectively, have played the bulk of the team's minutes at small forward, with Jerebko starting the last four games and Daye coming off the bench. While they lack experience, they have no shortage of confidence -- if you recall, they each served a one-game suspension in the season opener after separate incidents with opposing veterans in the preseason.

"Jonas, you see him get those extra possessions ... things that can change the momentum of a basketball game," Kuester said after Sunday's win over the 76ers. "Both of those guys are not afraid to mix it up. You think Austin's going to get broken in half, but this kid, he's mentally tough and physically he'll take the challenge."

On Sunday, the duo combined for 17 points and five rebounds. Summers, the 35th overall pick, has appeared in only one game so far, but that's primarily because the Pistons are already playing with a nine- or 10-man rotation on most nights.

There were already questions about whether the Pistons would be able to make the playoffs before Hamilton and Prince went down, so it will be crucial for this team to at least tread water in their absence if they're going to make a postseason push. So far, they've been able to do so, splitting their last four games, including a pair of contests with the Orlando Magic, while sitting 3-4 on the season.

With so many new players still learning how to play together (and rookies learning how to play in the NBA), inconsistency remains a huge problem -- both from night-to-night as well as quarter-to-quarter. But regardless of the situation, Kuester is encouraged by the fact that his players never stop competing -- no matter who's healthy enough to take the floor.

"We had been in control of the game [on Sunday] pretty much the entire time and then all of a sudden [Philadelphia] took the lead," Kuester said, "and probably for certain guys it would be gloom and doom, but this team is sort of figuring it out that, hey, they're never out of anything."

As a result, the Pistons rode a 16-6 run to close the game, earning the actual victory as well as the moral one, and prompting Kuester to quote his college coach after the game. "Dean Smith always said something that was very important and stuck with me. He said, 'It's always better to win and learn from your mistakes than lose and learn from your mistakes.'"

o. Will Bynum's left eye, which was accidentally poked by Marcin Gortat on Nov. 3, is still noticeably red, but he said after Sunday's game that it doesn't affect him on the court -- only when the team goes on the road. "It feels OK, [except] when we get on planes -- the air pressure can get pretty painful," he said. "But, I'm getting better."

Bynum did admit to being scared for a few moments after the injury, in part because he's already had two surgeries on the eye -- one for Lasik, and another for a detached retina two summers ago. Just don't expect him to start wearing goggles -- he said he tried a pair on but wasn't happy with the reduced peripheral vision. The vision helped Bynum find his teammates on Sunday; he finished with a season-high eight assists to go along with a career-high eight rebounds.

o. Speaking of rebounds, Ben Wallace's surprising revival continues: he tallied 16 boards in 30 minutes on Sunday. It's the most rebounds he's had in a game since Feb. 12, 2008 with the Bulls -- a span of nearly 21 months. Ben Gordon, a teammate of Wallace's in Chicago, thinks Wallace is simply more comfortable at the Palace.

"It seems like he's at home here in Detroit," Gordon said. "Playing for those last two teams the last two years, he never really seemed like he was at home. Big Ben is definitely at home here -- he plays with energy, he seems like he's rejuvenated."

Injuries Force Pistons to Speed Up Rebuilding Plans originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 21:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ailing Nets Face Deep-Seated Problems

Matt Moore — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:45:00 EST

Filed under: Nets, NBA Injuries

Monday, the Nets faced practice without Devin Harris (groin), Courtney Lee (groin), Chris Douglas-Roberts (swine flu), Jarvis Hayes (hamstring), Tony Battie (knee), and Yi Jianlian (knee).

That's six guys, three of whom are considered vital components of the young and struggling team, leaving the squad eight players available for practice. And practice they did. Fortunately, one of Yi Jianlian's old nemeses was available to fill in and help out.

That's right. The Chairman was replaced by The Chair.

As we settle back into the season, the have-nots have not only firmly cemented their positions on the bottom rungs of the NBA ladder, but the always predictable worst-case scenarios have befallen not the privileged and entitled but the poor and needy. The Nets are not a good basketball team when at 100 percent health on a good day when the sun is shining and they took their vitamins.

So to have to start the season without their number one (Harris), number three (Yi Jianlian), and number four (CDR) options, is just cruel. These are the hands of fate, and they craft their art most cruelly.

Meanwhile, the Nets coaches are apparently getting a workout, as is the video maven for the team. Perhaps you didn't know they had a video maven. Perhaps you don't know what a video maven is. That doesn't matter right now, because today, he's helping teach weak-side off-ball containment and trying not to get knocked unconscious or worse by the dreaded curse of the 2009-2010 Nets.

On the bright side, if this team was looking for an advantage to legitimately sneak their way to the top of the lottery and the acquisition of John Wall (wait, he's a point), Derrick Favors (wait, they have Lopez), more things to trade for cap space in order to sign LeBron James (there we go), they've certainly found one. Becoming a M*A*S*H* unit isn't good for morale, or ticket sales, but if it gets you where you need to go...

The lottery is painless, it takes on many changes, and the Nets can't do anything but lose...

Ailing Nets Face Deep-Seated Problems originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nets' Douglas-Roberts Has H1N1 Virus

Tom Ziller — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 17:15:00 EST

Filed under: Nets, NBA Injuries

H1N1 has hit the NBA. The Nets announced Saturday afternoon that starting two-guard Chris Douglas-Roberts has come down with the dangerous virus, putting the player out of action and the rest of the team at risk.

Though the Nets have stunk, Douglas-Roberts has had a solid start to the season, a follow-up on a disappointing rookie campaign in which the University of Memphis product got little opportunity for New Jersey. CD-R missed Friday's game at Philadelphia with flu-like symptoms ... a rather prophetic diagnosis.

The Nets are limited to eight or nine players due to injury (Courtney Lee tweaked his groin Friday), so the team can't exactly afford to lose any others to illness. There have been no reports of the virus spreading in Nets locker room, and Nets PR says every precaution has been taken.

Later in the evening, Douglas-Roberts tweeted that he was in good spirits as the Nets hosted the Celtics: Let's go Netttsss!!! Cheering from the bed. I'm the flyest person who will ever have Swine Flu.

Nets' Douglas-Roberts Has H1N1 Virus originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Sat, 07 Nov 2009 17:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bulls' Thomas Breaks Arm Lifting Weights

Matt Watson — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:45:00 EST

Filed under: Bulls, NBA Injuries

Tyrus Thomas will miss the next four to six weeks after breaking his arm in a weightlifting accident, the Chicago Bulls reported Friday afternoon. X-rays confirmed that he suffered a fractured radius in his left forearm, and he's scheduled to undergo surgery Saturday.

It's unclear what exactly happened, but on the surface it sounds like a fluke injury that could have happened to anyone. That said, it's oddly fitting that it happened to Thomas, who's recently suffered through a frustrating string of setbacks, including his team's decision not to offer an extension, inconsistent playing time, alleged arguments with the coaching staff and allegations by the local media that he faked the flu. When it rains, it pours.

Bulls' Thomas Breaks Arm Lifting Weights originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kevin Martin Sidelined Indefinitely

Tom Ziller — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:13:00 EST

Filed under: Kings, NBA Injuries

What a night for Kevin Martin. The dynamic guard for the Kings -- and currently the league's No. 3 scorer -- learned Thursday morning his sore wrist was actually a fractured navicular bone, a pretty brutal injury in terms of risk and recovery. Sources tell FanHouse Martin was strongly recommended by at least two doctors (including Sacramento's team doctor and a separate hand specialist) to undergo reparative surgery or to put the in a cast for 6-8 weeks. The franchise, however, left the decision to Martin, who kept a third option -- play through it wearing a soft cast -- open temporarily.

Martin told reporters he'd sleep on it and make a decision Friday. Sanity has prevailed over machismo, and Martin told the Sacramento Bee's Sam Amick today that playing with a soft cast has been ruled out. Martin will either put a hard cast on the arm, or undergo surgery.

A league insider with specific knowledge of Martin's injury tells FanHouse that doctors told Martin a navicular bone fracture which doesn't heal properly can lead to early onset arthritis, which tends to be problematic to a professional basketball player. Martin is signed with Sacramento through 2012. The Kings, currently 1-4, aren't expected to challenge for anything more notable than the No. 1 pick in the draft this season.

Martin suffered the fracture in Monday's home opener against Memphis. He finished that game with 48 points, and followed it up Wednesday with a 28-point, 11-rebound performance in a losing effort to Atlanta. That Martin played so well before knowing the severity of the injury likely contributed to the guard's consideration of putting off rehab and/or surgery.

Coach Paul Westphal has not announced who will start in place of Martin. The Kings signed Ime Udoka Wednesday, before Martin's MRI. Udoka, 32, has primarily played the two forward positions through his brief NBA career, but is sized like a two-guard. Westphal has attempted to feature rookie starting point guard Tyreke Evans in line-ups with Evans's predecessor Beno Udrih early this season, and that remains a possibility as well. The other option is rookie small forward Omri Casspi, who started in place of Martin for two preseason games.

Martin's actual backup -- fifth-year pro Francisco Garcia -- broke his shooting wrist in a freak exercise ball catastrophe during the preseason. Garcia isn't expected back on the court until February.

Kevin Martin Sidelined Indefinitely originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:13:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bynum Joins Gasol on Injured List

Brett Pollakoff — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:54:00 EST

Filed under: Lakers, NBA Injuries

One of the things that makes the Lakers one of the league's best teams is the size and skill of their two biggest frontcourt players, Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum. But Gasol has yet to play a game for the team in this young season, and now it looks like Bynum will miss some time as well with an elbow injury.

Both players are listed as doubtful for Friday night's game against Memphis, and if neither ends up being able to go, the Lakers will be forced to use some rather interesting lineups.

D.J. Mbenga or Josh Powell will be inserted into the starting lineup, and while both of those guys usually bring a lot of energy, they'll be hard-pressed combined to make up for what Bynum has provided on the stat sheet through the team's first five games.

Bynum has averaged 20 points and over 10 rebounds per game, and neither Powell nor Mbenga can really be expected to to match those numbers individually -- especially offensively. That just means that even more of the scoring load will fall on the shoulders of Kobe Bryant, who's already had to put up 41 and 31 in consecutive overtime games just to see his team barely come out of them with wins.

Thankfully for L.A., neither player is expected to be out for very long. Gasol was medically cleared by both the Lakers' doctors and his personal medical team in Spain to play before Wednesday's game, so he could be back as early as Sunday.

Bynum's injury was one to his elbow on the final play of his team's win in Houston on Wednesday, but an MRI didn't reveal any serious damage. It's officially being called a "strain," and he's listed as day-to-day, but will likely sit out the game against the Grizzlies.

And considering that both of Bynum's serious knee injuries in the last two seasons coincidentally came while playing against this same Memphis team, he's probably not all that broken up about missing this one.

Bynum Joins Gasol on Injured List originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:54:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kings Swap Out Mason for Ime Udoka

Tom Ziller — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:45:00 EST

Filed under: Kings, NBA Injuries, NBA Police Blotter, NBA Transactions

The Kings, seeking a defensive veteran for the small forward position, took on Desmond Mason in advance of training camp. That didn't turn out so well: Mason has been beyond awful on offense (surprising no one who has watched Mason play at any point over the past four years) and didn't make much of a difference for the league's 29th ranked defense.

Five games was enough for the Sacramento front office, as the team waived Mason a day after signing former Blazer and Spur Ime Udoka to a non-guaranteed minimum salary contract. Like Mason, Udoka is known for his defensive skill, having been signed as a sort of Bruce Bowen replacement two summers ago. That didn't really work out, and Udoka was left teamless for opening day after Portland waived the swingman at the end of the preseason.

Mason started Sacramento's first four games before Paul Westphal elevated Andres Nocioni to the spot Wednesday. Nocioni has created another problem: the Argentine veteran was arrested on suspicion of DUI in downtown Sacramento early Thursday morning. He has a court date Monday, and can expect a compulsory two-game suspension by the NBA at some point in the future (though potentially not until the start of next season).

Udoka is a year younger than Mason, which is to say Udoka is still a bit too old for the tastes of this Kings fan. The Kings boast a young roster, with three starters and five rotation players under the age of 23. Team star Kevin Martin is only 26, and Nocioni is the elder statesman of the starting five at 29.

Udoka does have a solid defensive reputation, and in his best pro season (2006-07 with Portland) he shot well from the corners. Martin (who was found to have a hairline fracture in his non-shooting wrist today, and as such could miss a few weeks) has really stepped up his defense this season, but the Kings continue to allow easy shots in the paint and too many open threes. Hopefully Udoka can help there.

Kings Swap Out Mason for Ime Udoka originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mike Miller Is Tougher Than He Looks

Brett Pollakoff — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:24:00 EST

Filed under: Wizards, NBA Injuries, NBA Videos

Mike Miller may not look all that manly to most these days, given his unfortunate choice of hair styles. But after the way he competed in Wednesday night's close loss to the Miami Heat, there's certainly no questioning his toughness.

Miller came out of the game early in the third with an injured left shoulder, and headed to the locker room for some treatment. It was considered a mild sprain at the time, and since it was his non-shooting shoulder, he re-entered the game late in the period.

Miller played through until early in the fourth, when he hit the deck on a drive to the basket, and landed on the already injured shoulder. The man was in visible agony, but as you'll see in the following video, he managed to stay in the game long enough to make the highlights.

After picking himself up off the deck and hitting the free throw, Miller had to stay in the game, because it was Miami's possession. But even after the Heat's turn on offense, the Wizards didn't call a timeout to get Miller out of the game. So, with his one good arm, he catches a pass on the wing, dribbles to the top of the arc, and zips a one-handed pass into the hands of Andray Blatche for an easy two points.

The action begins at the 52-second mark:

That would have been a great play if Miller was a hundred percent; it's an amazing play given the circumstances. The Heat called a timeout immediately after the play, and Miller was done for the night.

In case you're wondering just how painful a shoulder injury like this might be, consider the tears and infamous wheelchair we saw when Dwyane Wade's popped out back in 2007. And after this one, Flip Saunders told the media that Miller would miss the next seven-to-ten days with the injury.

Mike Miller Is Tougher Than He Looks originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:24:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Manu Ginobili Getting Up More Shots ... All Over His Body

Rob Peterson — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Kings, Spurs, NBA Injuries

When it comes to protecting yourself from rabies, it seems as if hand sanitizer won't cut it.

San Antonio Spurs guard Manu Ginobili -- three-time NBA champ, Olympic gold medalist, NBA All-Star, exterminator extraordinaire and scourge of PETA -- has been required to get shots for rabies, the San Antonio Express-News reports, because of his quick reflexes and a chance encounter with a bat on Saturday night:

Ginobili took four shots Monday in the hip and arm, and he is scheduled for four more such sessions over the next month. "It was pretty funny at the time," Ginobili told the San Antonio Express-News. "Now it's not. I got like a million shots for rabies."

If you haevn't been living in a (bat) cave, you know by now a bat flew into the AT&T Center during the Spurs-Kings contest, causing a slight delay and more than a couple of freak-outs. Ginobili, in one of his best on-court moments since finding Robert Horry all alone at the 3-point line in overtime of Game 5 of the 2005 NBA Finals, swatted the bat to the court, scooped up his prey and handed it to a clearly skittish security guard.

What happened next was a matter of debate.

PETA thought it was dead, and they let the world know that Ginobili should have taken pity on the poor creature. But Ginobili didn't kill the bat. Turns out, he stunned it (and the crowd, who gave him a standing O for his Manu-a-mano defense), which is the reason he was getting precautionary rabies vaccinations.

Because someone released the bat into the wilds of central Texas, no one could do a test on the bat to see if it was carrying the disease. Hence, Ginobili will be subjected to series of shots for the next month. On Monday, he sported bandages covering the vaccinations.

"It wasn't so much fun," Ginobili told the Express-News. "But the bat survived. I'm fine. I'm not going to have rabies."

Phew! Though the thought of a rabid off guard caught the Spurs, well, off guard.

"Everybody was worried about H1N1," said Richard Jefferson to the Express-News. "Now you've got rabies to worry about."

Don't worry about swine flu, Richard. You have plenty of hand sanitizer for that.

Manu Ginobili Getting Up More Shots ... All Over His Body originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 11:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Vince Carter Sprains Left Ankle in His Return to New Jersey

Tim Povtak — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 23:12:00 EST

Filed under: Magic, Nets, NBA Injuries

Vince Carter was about to deliver one of those "don't-you-wish-I-was-still-here" games Friday night in New Jersey, when he fell to the floor clutching his left ankle midway in the second quarter.

Carter, traded by the Nets to the Orlando Magic this summer, had 16 points in his first 15 minutes before he left with a sprained ankle. X-rays were negative and he told reporters that "hopefully,'' he could play Sunday in Toronto.

His mother, who was there, described it to the Orlando Sentinel as a "mild sprain.'' It happened on a drive to the basket when he stepped awkwardly on the foot of New Jersey guard Devin Harris.

Coach Stan Van Gundy, in his post-game press conference, told reporters there was considerable swelling, but did not guess how long it would keep Carter on the sideline. After sitting on the bench for a brief time, Carter limped to the locker room and never returned.

"I was ready to sit back and enjoy one of those great shows because he was rolling,'' Van Gundy said. "It's too bad. We had to find another way to win.''

Carter had hit six of his eight shots. He opened the game against his former team with an emphatic dunk when he blew past Nets guard Courtney Lee, who was sent from Orlando to New Jersey in the trade of Carter.

The Magic, with the deepest team in franchise history, had no problem dominating the Nets, even without Carter, the eight-time All-Star. The game just proved how good the Magic are.

Dwight Howard did as he pleased with 20 points and 22 rebounds - the 24th 20-20 game of his career. The Magic got a big game from second-year forward Ryan Anderson, who came with Carter from New Jersey in the trade that cost the Magic, Lee, Rafer Alston and Tony Battie.

Anderson, who is starting in place of Rashard Lewis (serving a 10-game NBA suspension), had 16 points for the second consecutive game.

His mother, who was there, described it to the Orlando Sentinel as a "mild sprain.'' It happened on a drive to the basket when he stepped awkwardly on the foot of New Jersey guard Devin Harris.

Coach Stan Van Gundy, in his post-game press conference, told reporters there was considerable swelling, but did not guess how long it would keep Carter on the sideline. After sitting on the bench for a brief time, Carter limped to the locker room and never returned.

"I was ready to sit back and enjoy one of those great shows because he was rolling,'' Van Gundy said. "It's too bad. We had to find another way to win.''

Carter had hit six of his eight shots. He opened the game against his former team with an emphatic dunk when he blew past Nets' guard Courtney Lee, who was sent from Orlando to New Jersey in the trade of Carter.

The Magic, with the deepest team in franchise history, had no problem dominating the Nets, even without Carter, their eight-time All-Star. The game just proved how good the Magic are.

Dwight Howard did as he pleased with 20 points and 22 rebounds - the 24th 20-20 game of his career. The Magic got a big game from second-year forward Ryan Anderson, who came with Carter from New Jersey in the trade that cost the Magic Lee, Rafer Alston and Tony Battie.

Anderson, who is starting in place of Rashard Lewis (a 10-game NBA suspension) had 16 points for the second consecutive game.

Vince Carter Sprains Left Ankle in His Return to New Jersey originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 23:12:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Harpring's Fate Unknown Until December

Chris Tomasson — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 01:30:00 EST

Filed under: Jazz, NBA Injuries

DENVER -- The Matt Harpring watch has been extended. But Utah officials aren't ready to give up on him.

In late September, just before the start of training camp, the team announced the status of the injured forward would be re-evaluated in six weeks. Now, Jazz general manager Kevin O'Connor says that, with Harpring not available any time soon, the plan is for medical officials to evaluate him and make a decision around mid-December.

"If not by mid-December, it would difficult for him to get back into any kind of shape for the season,'' O'Connor said Wednesday night in an interview with FanHouse before Utah's game at Denver.

So that pretty much has been established as the drop-dead date as to whether Harpring can return this season or might have to retire due to knee and ankle problems. O'Connor said Harpring is back in his hometown of Atlanta doing rehabilitation and won't return to Salt Lake City until "sometime in December.''

Harpring has had two microfracture surgeries on his right knee and has counted more than 10 surgeries on both ankles. In a September interview with FanHouse, Harpring said he wants to continue playing.

"It doesn't matter whether he wants to play. He's got to do it himself,'' said O'Connor, who said Harpring has to get to the point where joints "don't swell up on him.''

O'Connor said Harpring's knees and ankles are both significant concerns. He said caution must be taken because there is a risk of an injury that could affect Harpring after his career if he continues to play.

"It's not like a broken bone,'' said O'Connor, not wanting to elaborate on specifics about long-term possible risk.

O'Connor said Jazz officials would like to have Harpring back this season. But he said they have to be realistic, calling his return "up in the air.''

"We'd like to think (Harpring will play this season), but every time you look at it and you say..., 'We're a month into (the season) already,''' O'Connor said. "And it will be December before we check it out. But I don't want to pinpoint anything. He's got to be healthy.''

Harpring, making $6.5 million in the final year of his contract, has played 11 NBA seasons, the past seven with Utah. He's the team's second-longest tenured player after forward Andrei Kirilenko, entering his ninth Jazz season.

"Maybe if we make the playoffs, he'll be available,'' Kirilenko said of Harpring. "We all know he's a quality player. You want to always have a player like that on the team with his experience. He knows how to play the game. And he's a tough guy.''

It remains to be seen if Harpring's toughness will be enough to bounce back from this adversity.

Chris Tomasson can be reached at tomasson@fanhouse.com.

Harpring's Fate Unknown Until December originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 01:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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