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[OnePiece]

Wade to sit out vs. Spurs to rest sprained ankle

Posted Jan 17 2012 11:51AM


MIAMI (AP) -- Heat guard Dwyane Wade will not play Tuesday against San Antonio because of a sprained right ankle.

Wade has been dealing with at least three lower-leg injuries in recent weeks, and sprained the ankle late in Miami's loss on Friday at Denver. He also has been battling a sore left foot and a strained calf muscle.
Tuesday's game will be the fourth Wade has missed this season. Miami won all three of the previous contests without the 2006 NBA finals MVP, who turned 30 on Tuesday.
Wade did not practice Sunday or Monday, though went through some treatment and conditioning both days. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra says there is no timetable for Wade's return.
Miami next plays Thursday at home against the Los Angeles Lakers

[OnePiece]

Report: Bryant's wife to keep three mansions

Posted Jan 21 2012 3:02AM


SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) -- Records show the wife of Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant will keep their three California homes as part of the couple's divorce plans.

Orange County property records reviewed by the Los Angeles Times show that the three mansions in Newport Coast, valued at $18.8 million total, were transferred into Vanessa Bryant's name since their divorce proceedings began in December.

Vanessa Bryant filed a divorce petition in Orange County Superior Court in December, citing "irreconcilable differences." The couple released a joint statement then saying that they had "resolved all issues incident to their divorce privately."
The Times says neither of the attorneys representing the couple was available for comment.

[OnePiece]

Depleted Pistons sign Walker Russell Jr. from D-League


Posted Jan 20 2012 7:50PM


AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) -- The short-handed Detroit Pistons have reached into the NBA's D-League to fill their depleted backcourt.
The Pistons signed guard Walker Russell Jr. from the Fort Wayne Mad Ants. Detroit coach Lawrence Frank said Russell should see minutes Friday night against Memphis.
Guards Rodney Stuckey (groin) and Will Bynum (foot) were not available, leaving the Pistons with just three healthy backcourt players.
Ben Gordon and rookie Brandon Knight were expected to start for Detroit, which also was missing forward Charlie Villanueva because of an ankle injury.
Russell is the son of former Pistons player Walker D. Russell. The younger Russell was waived by Detroit before the start of the season. He led the D-League with 9.9 assists and averaged 16.6 points in 16 games this season in Fort Wayne.

[OnePiece]

Dwight, Magic GM downplay trade ahead of Lakers game

Posted Jan 20 2012 4:12PM


ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) -- Magic fans will get a glimpse of the present and a possible future Friday when Orlando hosts the Los Angeles Lakers.
Center Dwight Howard's preseason trade request left fans bracing for the worst at the start of the regular season. Howard's agent Dan Fegan is permitted to explore trades with the Lakers, New Jersey and Dallas.
That puts a bigger spotlight on the matchup, given that the Lakers' Andrew Bynum has been the subject of speculation around a Howard trade.
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Magic general manager Otis Smith remains adamant he's in no rush to deal Howard by the March 15 trade deadline. Smith said he and Howard haven't gotten in-depth about his trade request since training camp.
Smith expects Howard and Bynum to have their minds on the court and nothing else.
"I think both of those guys are probably the best two centers in the business right now and will be competing against each other, so I don't know if it's anything bigger than that," he said.
Howard said he's focused on improving the Magic's 10-4 record.
"This game is not about me and (Bynum), it's about our team trying to get better to win," Howard said. "That was a problem back when Shaquille O'Neal played. People tried to make it about me and him. That's not the case. We're just trying to play basketball and trying to win. The only thing that matters is who wins the game."
Provisions in the new CBA give the Magic the ability to offer Howard $30 million more than any other team. Orlando can offer him a five-year contract extension with 7.5 percent annual raises, while other teams are tapped out at offering a four-year pact with only 4.5 percent raises.
So the Magic could keep Howard through the deadline or sign and trade him to the team of their choice.
"Or he could still walk...with a $30 million dollar haircut," Smith said.
Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said he thinks Howard and Bynum are more than equipped for the trade spotlight. He noted Howard has dealt with it all season and Bynum handled it when Bryant flirted with a trade request in 2007.
Howard said he's focused on his job.
"I think most people wouldn't allow whatever their situation is - especially what's going on with me - to stop them from playing their normal way," he said. "It's just getting on the court and putting aside everything that's going on outside and what people are saying, trade rumors or what team I'm going to...Just put it away and go play basketball.
"So when I get out there on the court, it's go as hard as I can for as long as I can and trust my teammates when I get out there."
Smith said the real pressure may be on teammate Jameer Nelson. Howard previously noted a desire to play alongside other point guards, including Chris Paul and Deron Williams.
Nelson and Howard are friends, both entering the league in 2004.
But Nelson has struggled this season, averaging a career-low 8.3 points and shooting career-low 38 percent from the field.
"He has to play better, of course. But through all of this, he is the one taking the pounding," Smith said. "Right now, he's justifying the pounding because he's not playing well. But sometimes we forget in professional sports that they're people. Regardless of what we talk about, they're still human beings."
Smith said Nelson is injury-free, other than foot issues he's dealt with for several seasons.
"So as tough as he wants to be on the outside, on the inside - all of them - he's just a 30-year-old kid," he said. "He still has to work through the mental aspect of him taking a pounding. No, the center didn't come out and directly say it's on Jameer, but basically he has."
Even with needed improvements, Smith said he likes the direction so far.
"A real good team has to overcome a lot of things," he said. "A good team has to overcome a good player not being on par, a good team has to overcome a guy getting to the foul line a bunch of times and missing a lot of foul shots.
"So I imagine if we clear up those things, we'll be a much better basketball team."

[OnePiece]

Bobcats tweak gameplan, move Biyombo to backup center

Posted Jan 20 2012 9:15AM

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- Rookie Bismack Biyombo is beginning to make quite an impression with the Charlotte Bobcats.
Enough so that he's moving up the depth chart.
Bobcats coach Paul Silas said starting Saturday night against Chicago, Biyombo will move to center where he'll backup starter Byron Mullens for the remainder of the season. That's a good move for Biyombo, who had been buried on the depth chart beneath a glut of power forwards including Tyrus Thomas, D.J. White and, at times, Boris Diaw.
The decision comes after Biyombo's most impressive game as a professional Tuesday night at Orlando.
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Biyombo registered his first double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds in the loss to the Magic, and played well on defense. Even though Magic center Dwight Howard scored 25 points, Silas likes the job Biyombo did on Orlando's dominant big man. Biyombo had four blocks and nine defensive rebounds and seemed to frustrate Howard late in the game.

"I was playing him at the power forward spot and I had so many guys there," Silas said. "But now he's going to be my backup center. He's going to play there from here on in. He and Byron will share that spot and Byron will start and Bismack will come off the bench."
Biyombo is only 6-foot-9, but Silas considers him the toughest player on the team.
He showed that against the Magic.
Silas points to one sequence in which Biyombo blocked a shot on one end and raced the floor to finish with a dunk on the other end.
"That's something you don't see every day," Silas said. "He really played hard and played tough. He's probably the toughest player I have on the club. And he deserves more playing time."
That doesn't mean Biyombo is a complete player. Far from it.
He's still learning the American game after spending last season with the Spanish team Fuenlabrada.
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Of all of the first-round picks this year, perhaps nobody needed a training camp and summer league ball more than Biyombo. Simple concepts were foreign to him and it's taken awhile for him to pick them up.
The NBA lockout and a contract rift with Fuenlabrada put him even further behind.
But his performance against the Magic was what the team had been looking for. Biyombo was an encouraging 5 of 5 from the floor against Orlando and made very few mistakes.
But Silas said there's still plenty of work to do, particularly on offense.
"For a while he couldn't even catch the ball and was very nervous offensively," Silas said. "But now, working with (assistant coach) Rob Werdann, he's catching the ball and learning how to shoot, even little baby hooks. But this coming summer we really have to work on his shots. Once he gets confident in his shooting he's going to be really good."
Biyombo is very modest, deflecting all and any praise.
He views himself as a beginner, a kid with so much to learn he can't even choose what he needs to improve on the most.
"I have to get better at almost everything, to be honest with you," Biyombo said. "To me, every day is a learning process. It's going to take a long time, but it's starting to click."
Silas said he loves Biyombo's passion for the game.
"His aggressiveness and toughness and intensity, I like all of that," Silas said. "He's learning. Before he wouldn't be in the right spot or wouldn't rotate correctly, all of those kinds of things. Now it's getting there. I like the way he approaches the game. He wants it. He's working hard every day. That says a lot to me about a guy who was drafted (seventh overall)."
Biyombo said battling Howard was "a good challenge," but clearly he wasn't intimidated.
"He's a tall guy," Biyombo said. "I enjoyed playing against him."
Prior to Tuesday night's breakout game, Biyombo was averaging less than 12 minutes per game with 29 total points and 36 rebounds in 13 games. Strangely, he didn't play against Cleveland the night before the Orlando game.
That made his performance all the more surprising.
"You always have to be ready and stay positive," Biyombo said. "You just never know. I'm always ready and as far as my playing time, that's a coach's decision and something you can't control. I have to get better."
When he does, Silas thinks Biyombo has star potential.
"People are going to be very surprised, I think, in a year or so with his ability to get it done," Silas said.

[OnePiece]

Thunder sign All-Star Westbrook to multiyear extension

Posted Jan 19 2012 1:46PM - Updated Jan 19 2012 4:33PM


OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- The Oklahoma City Thunder signed All-Star point guard Russell Westbrook to a multiyear contract extension on Thursday.
Westbrook was set to become a restricted free agent at the end of the season, meaning the Thunder would have had to match any offer he received from another team. Instead, they locked him up with a new deal 15 games into this season. Terms were not disclosed.

Oklahoma City has the best record in the Western Conference, with Westbrook averaging 20.5 points, 5.5 assists and 5.0 rebounds. He was chosen as an All-Star for the first time last season.
"We are thrilled to solidify Russell's future with the Thunder," general manager Sam Presti said in a statement. "Since we arrived in Oklahoma City, Russell's work ethic, persistence, character, and involvement in our community have helped us establish the standards that we are committed to on a day-to-day basis. He is a valued member of our organization and we look forward to his continued contributions on and off the floor."
Westbrook made the All-NBA second team last season after averaging 21.9 points, 8.2 assists and1.9 steals - ranking among the top 15 in the league in all three categories. The Thunder made it to the Western Conference finals last season, losing to the Dallas Mavericks.
He scored a season-high 36 points in Oklahoma City's 105-102 loss at Washington on Wednesday night.
The Thunder had an off day Thursday during a three-game East Coast road trip and Westbrook was not immediately available for comment. They play Saturday night at New Jersey and the team plans a news conference after returning to Oklahoma City.

[OnePiece]

Dwight Howard and Derrick Rose lead the East All-Star voting while Kevin Durant and Kobe lead the West.


Howard continues to lead in second All-Star Ballot returns

By Official NBA
Posted Jan 19 2012 2:23PM


NEW YORK -- Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic and Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls top the Eastern Conference, while Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers and Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder lead the Western Conference after the second returns of 2012 NBA All-Star Balloting presented by Sprint. Howard, who leads the NBA in rebounding (15.6 rpg), is the overall leader with 1,161,797 votes.
The 2012 NBA All-Star Game, which will air live at 8 p.m. ET on TNT and ESPN Radio in the U.S., and reach fans in more than 200 countries and territories in more than 40 languages, will be played at Amway Center in Orlando on Sunday, Feb. 26, 2012.
Howard paces centers in the East, followed by the Bulls' Joakim Noah (141,683). LeBron James of the Miami Heat leads Eastern Conference forwards with 972,580 votes, followed by Carmelo Anthony (779,945) of the New York Knicks. Rose leads Eastern Conference guards with 1,040,210 votes, followed by Miami's Dwyane Wade (972,015).

Bryant's 1,110,379 votes leads Western Conference guards, with the Los Angeles Clippers' Chris Paul placing second (835,026). Durant's 973,152 votes leads forwards in the West, with Blake Griffin of the Clippers next in line with 619,913 votes. The Lakers' Andrew Bynum paces Western Conference centers with 777,365 votes, followed by the Clippers' DeAndre Jordan (214,883).
2012 NBA All-Star Balloting presented by Sprint gives fans around the world the opportunity to vote daily for their favorite players as starters for the 2012 NBA All-Star Game. There are several ways fans can cast their votes as part of this season's all-digital program, including in 16 languages on NBA.com or by visiting m.NBA.com on any wireless carrier. Fans also can vote through mobile phones by texting the player's last name to 6-9-6-2-2 ("MYNBA") in the U.S. and to 3-8-6-5-7 ("DUNKS") in Canada. Sprint customers in the U.S. can also access the ballot and vote through the new "Sprint NBA Mobile" application, the most comprehensive app in the marketplace for NBA fans.

2012 NBA All-Star Balloting presented by Sprint also includes expanded SMS voting. Fans can now vote for 10 different players per day, per phone number, via SMS voting by sending 10 separate SMS messages, each one with a different player's last name. Fans can vote for All-Stars via SMS at any time by texting from their mobile phones. Message and data rates may apply. Previously, fans could cast one SMS vote for one player per day.
Fans can vote directly on NBA.com or use their Facebook profile information to help create an NBA.com All-Access account, which enables them to complete a ballot. After submitting their All-Star selections, fans will have the ability to share them with their friends on Facebook and followers on Twitter, and encourage others to cast their ballots.
Wireless and SMS balloting, as well as voting on NBA.com, will conclude on Jan. 31. Starters will be announced live on TNT on Feb. 2, during a special one-hour pregame show at 7 p.m. ET featuring Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Shaquille O'Neal and Kenny Smith. The special will air prior to TNT's exclusive doubleheader featuring the Chicago Bulls at the New York Knicks (8 p.m. ET) and the Denver Nuggets at the Los Angeles Clippers (10:30 p.m. ET). There will also be a special one-hour pregrame show on TNT on Feb. 9 to announce the All-Star reserves.
The NBA All-Star ballot lists 120 players -- 60 each from the Eastern and Western conferences -- with 24 guards, 24 forwards, and 12 centers from each conference comprising the list. Voters select two guards, two forwards and one center from each conference. The 120 players on the ballot were selected by a panel of media who regularly cover the NBA: Bill Simmons (Grantland), Sekou Smith (NBA.com), Doug Smith (Toronto Star/PBWA), and Ian Thomsen (Sports Illustrated).
NBA All-Star 2012 in Orlando will bring together some of the most talented and passionate players in the league's history for a global celebration of the game. TNT will televise the All-Star Game for a 10th consecutive year, marking Turner Sports' 28th year of All-Star coverage. NBA All-Star Saturday Night presented by State Farm will feature the Haier Shooting Stars, Taco Bell Skills Challenge, Foot Locker Three-Point Contest, and Sprite Slam Dunk. Other events at NBA All-Star 2012 will include the NBA Rising Stars Challenge, Sprint NBA All-Star Celebrity Game, and NBA All-Star Jam Session. Orlando also hosted NBA All-Star in 1992.
The leaders of both the Eastern and Western Conference players for the second returns of 2012 NBA All-Star Balloting presented by Sprint are below:
All-Star Balloting Presented By Sprint | Eastern Conference
Forwards: LeBron James (Mia) 972,580; Carmelo Anthony (NYK) 779,945; Amar'e Stoudemire (NYK) 281,617; Kevin Garnett (Bos) 268,980; Chris Bosh (Mia) 209,640; Luol Deng (Chi) 166,671; Paul Pierce (Bos) 145,077; Carlos Boozer (Chi) 101,612; Andrea Bargnani (Tor) 93,456; Hedo Turkoglu (Orl) 80,694.
Guards: Derrick Rose (Chi) 1,040,210; Dwyane Wade (Mia) 972,015; Rajon Rondo (Bos) 394,672; Ray Allen (Bos) 274,233; Deron Williams (NJN) 143,941; Jose Calderon (Tor) 84,881; Richard Hamilton (Chi) 64,757; John Wall (Was) 61,160; Kyrie Irving (Cle) 53,300; Joe Johnson (Atl) 40,718.
Centers: Dwight Howard (Orl) 1,161,797; Joakim Noah (Chi) 141,683; Tyson Chandler (NYK) 107,735; Joel Anthony (Mia) 67,210; JaVale McGee (Was) 41,249; Al Horford (Atl) 35,860.
All-Star Balloting Presented By Sprint | Western Conference
Forwards: Kevin Durant (OKC) 973,152; Blake Griffin (LAC) 619,913; Dirk Nowitzki (Dal) 354,434; Pau Gasol (LAL) 327,596; Kevin Love (Min) 232,656; LaMarcus Aldridge (Por) 188,829; Tim Duncan (SA) 133,575; Lamar Odom (Dal) 96,080; Metta World Peace (LAL) 63,055; Danilo Gallinari (Den) 59,646.
Guards: Kobe Bryant (LAL) 1,110,379; Chris Paul (LAC) 835,026; Ricky Rubio (Min) 248,423; Steve Nash (Pho) 188,537; Russell Westbrook (OKC) 167,996; Kyle Lowry (Hou) 132,972; Monta Ellis (GS) 105,926; Manu Ginobili (SA) 79,821; Jason Kidd (Dal) 79,783; Chauncey Billups (LAC) 73,429.
Centers: Andrew Bynum (LAL) 777,365; DeAndre Jordan (LAC) 214,883; Marc Gasol (Mem) 182,992; Nenê (Den) 144,066; Marcin Gortat (Pho) 92,511; Kendrick Perkins (OKC) 66,380.

[OnePiece]

Heat's Curry sees first NBA action since '09

By MIAMI (AP)
Posted Jan 19 2012 9:17PM


Eddy Curry is back on an NBA floor.

The No. 4 overall pick in the 2001 Draft made his Miami Heat debut Thursday against the Los Angeles Lakers, 764 days after his most-recent NBA appearance. Curry checked in with 2:20 left in the first quarter.
Curry had not played since Dec. 17, 2009 for New York against Chicago. He started his career with the Bulls, then played in parts of five seasons with the Knicks. Thursday's appearance was Curry's 11th since the start of the 2008-09 season.
The Heat signed Curry last month. Curry says he has lost more than 65 pounds to get ready for his return to the NBA, plus worked through a hip flexor injury in recent weeks.
Curry is listed at 295 pounds.

[OnePiece]

Wolves' Beasley to miss road trip with lingering foot injury

Posted Jan 19 2012 2:21PM


MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Michael Beasley will not make the Minnesota Timberwolves road trip to Los Angeles and Utah this weekend because of a sprained right foot that has already kept him out of seven straight games.

Beasley has been out of the walking boot for a few days, but he is still not ready to return to game action. The Wolves play the Clippers on Friday night and the Jazz on Saturday night in a challenging back-to-back.
Swingman Martell Webster and center Brad Miller both will make the trip, but coach Rick Adelman says he doubts either will play. Both recently returned to practice for the first time this season. Webster is recovering from back surgery and Miller is working his way back from microfracture surgery on his left knee.

[OnePiece]

Warriors' Brown has surgery on chest muscle


Posted Jan 19 2012 9:21PM


OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) -- Golden State Warriors backup center Kwame Brown is recovering from surgery on his chest muscle that will likely sideline the former No. 1 overall pick for the rest of the season.
The procedure to repair his right pectoralis major was performed Wednesday by Dr. Neal ElAttrache at the Kerlan-Jobe Orthpaedic Clinic in Los Angeles. The large chest muscle attaches to the right shoulder.

Brown will remain in Southern California doing rehab before returning to the Bay Area next week. The Warriors say the injury will sideline Brown at least three months.
He was injured in a victory over the Miami Heat on Jan. 10. In nine games this season, Brown averaged 6.3 points and 6.3 rebounds in 20.8 minutes.
The Washington Wizards selected Brown with the top pick in 2001.