With one game remining in the NFL season, the NBA is making its customary schedule shift from heavy to lighter on Saturdays and light to heavier on Sundays, with some allowances for the compression of the lockout. As a result, Saturday’s slate has just six games, and the best of a weak bunch has the slumping New York Knicks visiting the surging Houston Rockets. Yes, this isn’t exactly a marquee matchup, especially with Knicks star Carmelo Anthony again sitting out with multiple
NEW YORK — Kevin Jones tested the NBA waters after his junior season at West Virginia. After getting feedback from NBA executives, the 6-foot-8, 260-pound Mount Vernon, N.Y., native opted to return for his senior season, and it has turned out to be a wise move. Jones leads the Big East in both scoring (20.9 ppg) and rebounding (11.6 rpg) and is the odds-on favorite to be named Big East Player of the Year. “Not once have I really thought about that,” Jones,
It’s not too often that a player who has clearly helped a team win gets waived. But that’s what happened Saturday to Mike James. The Chicago Bulls decided four point guards were too many and waived James, an 11-year veteran with a championship ring who was signed out of the D-League earlier this month. The Bulls had considerable injury issues at point guard when Derrick Rose and C.J. Watson both were sidelined. They first turned the reins over to John Lucas III
Chris Kaman of the New Orleans Hornets did not attend Friday night’s stunning 93-67 trouncing of the Orlando Magic, and general manager Dell Demps released a statement saying the team is actively trying to trade the 7-foot center with an expiring $14.03 million contract. “We had a conversation with Chris and expressed that the Hornets are going to go in a different direction. We mutually decided for a number of reasons that we are not going to play Chris as we
// After the Orlando Magic’s shameful performance Thursday night vs. Boston, in which they blew a 27-point lead, scored 25 points in the second half and lost to a severely shorthanded team, Jason Richardson said the team was developing a soft reputation. After Friday night’s debacle in New Orleans, coach Stan Van Gundy said it all. From Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel: “If this isn’t rock bottom, what is? The Orlando Magic completed a forgettable week Friday night, falling to the
Highlight Performance: Paul Pierce, BOS– Although Pierce producing is nothing new, the 13-year veteran produced yet another outstanding night, posting 28 points, 10 rebounds, 8 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocked shots. He has been on a tear the last 4 games, and he has been great in both the assists and rebounding categories. With Rondo and Allen both out with injuries, the Celtics should continue to rely on him for production, and therefore his huge production spike may not be
BARCELONA — At the end of last season, Olimpia Milano fans had every reason to fret. A poor showing in the Italian League was rough enough on its own, but when it left them without a Euroleague license, the Italian powerhouse had the look of an organization that had bottomed out. Then the Euroleague issued a reprieve: a wild card berth. Milano would play in the continent’s toughest competition after all. Once the news was official, Milano cracked open the piggy bank
The three-star approach seems to be working for the Miami Heat. For the New York Knicks, not so much. The rivals meet Friday night in Miami, the best game on a schedule of 13. While the Heat may be getting back one of their stars, the Knicks will be without one of theirs. Miami’s lineup could include Dwyane Wade, who averaged 28 points vs. New York last season but has missed the last six games with a sprained left ankle. The Heat