It was announced Tuesday that Philadelphia 76ers center Andrew Bynum will miss of what little remains of the NBA season because of knee surgery. Despite Bynum being a free agent at the end of the season and disappointing Philadelphia this year, his Sixers teammates would still welcome him back. More from The Sixers Dish: “After Monday’s win over the Trail Blazers, Thaddeus Young said he would welcome back Bynum – an unrestricted free agent – for next season, assuming he was fully healed from the arthroscopic surgery on both knees. “Many guys have had knee surgeries and things done to them surgically and they’ve come back even better,” Young said. “It’s all about (Bynum) getting back to the gym, getting back his rhythm and getting into the groove of basketball.”
- With Rajon Rondo sidelined with a torn ACL, his backcourt mate, Avery Bradley, has emerged as a young star. This raises the question of what the Celtics should do with the guard tandem this offseason, and if trading one may help advance the future of this team. More from Chris Forsberg of ESPN Boston: “Floated that scenario during a call to Boston sports radio WBZ-FM (98.5 the SportsHub), Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge brushed off the suggestion while stressing how much the team likes the Rondo-Avery Bradley backcourt combination moving forward. “I don’t know what you’re insinuating, because Avery is not Rondo and Avery can also play 2 guard with Rondo and those guys have been extremely effective together,” said Ainge. “I know that we haven’t had them together much this year and I think that Rajon loves playing with Avery Bradley, for a lot of different reasons. I think that combination last year proved to be spectacular, they just did’t get a chance to get together much this year, so it’s a little bit unfair.”
- After a controversial call at the end of the Chicago Bulls game against the Denver Nuggets Tuesday night that left the Bulls on the short end, Tom Thibodeau had some words for the NBA, more from Steve Aschburner of NBA.com: “Chicago’s beef was two-fold. With 47 seconds left in overtime, Nuggets center Kosta Koufas had cleaned up a running layup from Ty Lawson that, to some, still appeared to be dancing indecisively on the rim. That tip put Denver up 116-115 – and it was not reviewed. The reason given? There was no call on the floor of offensive interference. Therefore, nothing to review, per NBA rules.”
Here’s what Thibodeau had to say:
“I don’t understand it one bit. Koufos’ play, I asked why it wasn’t reviewed. … Clearly, it was on the rim, and they told me that because they didn’t make the call, they couldn’t review it. If that is the rule, then that is the rule. I thought we had the video stuff to make sure we got it right. Then down on the other end … they are tough calls for bang-bang plays, but I don’t understand why one is reviewable and the other one isn’t. After watching the replay, and I watched it when it occurred, they never made the call on that either.”
According to Mike Trudell of NBA.com, an ultrasound exam on Pau Gasol Tuesday revealed that he is healing and showing improvement on his right foot. Gasol is expected to return within the next two weeks: Gasol is expected to return sometime in the next two weeks, at earliest on Friday against Washington, depending how he feels throughout the next two days of workouts at the team’s facility. No official date has been marked for a return, but subsequent to the Wizards game, the Lakers have Saturday and Sunday off before a road game at Golden State on Monday.”
- Despite a less than desirable year for the Orlando Magic, first year GM Rob Hennigan ironically saved his job by the move he did not make this offseason: trading for Andrew Bynum. More from Rob Denton of NBA.com: “As it relates to the Orlando Magic, let’s just say that rookie GM Rob Hennigan won’t be getting fitted for glasses anytime soon. When Hennigan made the decision last August to pass on acquiring all-star center Andrew Bynum from the Los Angeles Lakers, it not only saved the Magic from a personnel and PR disaster, but it also likely helped to alter the future of the franchise. While that move would have qualified as an absolute stroke of genius from pro basketball lifers such as GMs Pat Riley, Donnie Walsh, Geoff Petrie or R.C. Buford, it’s especially impressive when you consider that Hennigan – the youngest GM in the NBA – had been on the job just six weeks.”