- According to a source, the NBA is hoping to add Lin to its All-Star lineup by having him participate in the Haier Shooting Stars competition during All-Star Saturday night. The competition features one current NBA player, one current WNBA player and one TNT on-air talent and legend on each team. Lin would be the obvious choice, especially since he has become an overnight sensation. He is 5-0 as a starter and the Knicks have won six straight games since Lin became the full-time point guard out of necessity. Lin’s biggest moment came on Tuesday when his last second 3-pointer lifted the Knicks to a 90-87 victory over the Toronto Raptors. New York Daily News
- The NBA is also “doing everything possible” to meet “furious” demand for Lin and Knicks merchandise in China, Mr. Shoemaker said. While the NBA has succeeded in opening only two branded stores in China, it also distributes official merchandise through 2,200 Adidas outlets across the country, as well as through an online store. Lin is in a good position to cash in personally on his newfound popularity in China. Numerous current and former NBA players, including the Lakers’ Bryant and former Knick Stephon Marbury, have found a lucrative sideline in marketing apparel to Chinese basketball fans. Wall Street Journal
- The team announced Wednesday that standout rookie Kyrie Irving has been cleared to return to the court for Wednesday night’s game against the Indiana Pacers. Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving has been cleared to resume game play by Cavaliers Team Physician Dr. AJ Cianflocco of the Cleveland Clinic. Irving suffered a concussion during the fourth quarter of the Cavaliers game at Miami on Feb. 7 and missed the past three games. He will be active for tonight’s game against the Indiana Pacers at The Q at 7:30 p.m. CBSSports.com
- Andrew Perna: Chauncey Billups has had successful Achilles surgery. #Clippers Twitter
- The Orlando Magic may have emerged as a leading suitor for guard J.R. Smith. Smith, who signed in China during the lockout, is expected to be available as a free agent on February 16th. Once he receives a Letter of Clearance, he’ll be free to sign once again in the NBA. While players cannot always be taken by their word on their Twitter feeds, but guard J.R. Smith has six teams listed on his profile: New York Knicks, Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, Chicago Bulls, Indiana Pacers and Magic. HoopsWorld
- Bill Ingram: The reason the Pacers aren’t pursuing JR Smith has everything to do with character, and nothing to do with ability. Twitter
- “What phenomenon?” Williams asked. Finally, after the fifth question about Lin, he cut off the subject. “Ya’ll got anything about tonight? Anything that’s relevant with us?” New York Daily News
- It’s gone from the walking wounded to an apparent contract extension for Joel Freeland over the last month, but the Portland Trail Blazers aren’t giving up hope just yet on luring “the best big man in Europe” to Rip City. In fact, they’re not even sure there is a lot of validity to recent reports stating Freeland is set to sign a contract extension with Spanish club Unicaja Malaga. “Joel is aware of how we feel about him and his future with us and we are aware of Joel and his interest in becoming a Trail Blazer,” Blazers acting General Manager Chad Buchanan told Ridiculous Upside. “When the season is over and we can begin to engage in more serious contract talks with Joel we will do so.” Ridiculous Upside
- Baron Davis sits in his locker, takes in the scene around him. It was a setback suffered by Davis weeks ago that put Lin into the starting lineup, a setback that propelled all of this into motion. “It’s all opportunity,” Davis explains. “That’s what this league is about. You see a lot of players that you wonder why they never have the career. They have the talent but not the career and it’s because of opportunity. A lot of it is right place, right time, right situation. That can make or break somebody’s career.” Yahoo! Sports
- Your answer to the person who says Dwight Howard isn’t connected to his team and has checked out mentally? Stan Van Gundy: “Here’s the thing I have said about it and what we have to avoid and certainly what I think it can become is it becomes a very convenient excuse and when all of that talk went on it was when we were losing 5 out of 6. Then that came. When we started this year 11-4 there really wasn’t anyone saying that. Now that we have won 6 out of 8 with the two losses being in overtime people aren’t saying that, so what was it? He was connected for a while then he wasn’t connected? And now he is connected again? It gets almost ridiculous after awhile. You can have your opinion one way or another that. I’ll give everybody their opinion, but you can’t reasonably keep changing it by the results from week-to-week. Either he is connected with us or he is not. Form your own opinion and go from there.”Sports Radio Interviews