A fan made a sign in disgust about the absence of LeBron James in the previous game, from Matt Eppers of USA Today: “Before their game Wednesday night in Washington, the Heat announced stars Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh would not play while they rest up for Miami’s playoff run. One fan probably wished he’d heard the news earlier. A young man in the Verizon Center crowd Wednesday night displayed a sign that detailed his ordeal to make it to the game, only to see his favorite player on the bench. The sign read: “Gas from NY $150. 2 tickets $660. Hotel room $200. LeBron on the bench … Bullsh!*”… The fan obviously had his heart set on seeing LeBron do something amazing, so it’s likely little solace to him that the Heat beat the Wizards 103-98 to clinch the NBA’s best record, even with James, Wade, Bosh and fellow starter Udonis Haslem sitting out.”
Gerald Wallace suffered a leg injury and had to be helped off the court, from Mike Mazzeo of ESPN New York: “Brooklyn Nets small forward Gerald Wallace suffered a left heel contusion in the second quarter of Wednesday night’s game against the Boston Celtics and had to be carried off the court and into the locker room by teammates Brook Lopez and Reggie Evans. The Nets announced at halftime that Wallace would not return. He left the locker room after the game in a walking boot and is day to day, according to Newsday. Wallace suffered the injury when he tripped over Celtics forward Chris Wilcox while trying to guard Jordan Crawford.”
It appears things have really soured between Doug Collins and the 76ers, from Bob Ford of The Inquirer: “According to multiple league sources, the 76ers organization privately hopes that coach Doug Collins decides not to return for the 2013-14 season and, regardless of his decision, it does not intend to extend his contract – which has one year remaining. It will be an interesting game of cat-and-mouse when this season ends. Collins is unlikely to quit and leave $4.5 million on the table, but he is just as unlikely to agree to coach the lame-duck year of his contract. “I’m entirely focused on trying to win the games we have left,” Collins said Wednesday night before the Sixers played Atlanta at the Wells Fargo Center. “I’m not thinking at all about next season. I haven’t gone there.”… “I think he’s gone at the end of the year. He’ll be moving on,” said one NBA source with intimate knowledge of the situation. “He’ll decide to leave, and they won’t be upset about it. They would like to see it work out that he decides to move on.”
Bad news for Anthony Davis: he is out for the season due to a knee injury, via Zach Harper of CBSSports: “New Orleans Hornets rookie F/C Anthony Davis sustained a sprained Medial Collateral Ligament and bone bruise in his left knee during last night’s contest against the Sacramento Kings. Further evaluations and an MRI performed today by team physicians revealed no additional structural damage. As a result, Davis will miss the remainder of the season. The injury occurred with 5:45 remaining in the fourth quarter of last night’s game at Sleep Train Arena when Davis collided with Kings G Marcus Thornton. Davis (6-10, 220) is averaging 13.5 points 8.2 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks in 28.8 minutes per game this season.”
Iman Shumpert said he understands why Derrick Rose has to take a different approach than him in regards to their respective comebacks from knee injury, from Marc Berman of New York Post: “Shumpert plays his 41st game tonight — half a season. He told The Post recently he understands Rose’s thinking. “I get it,’’ said Shumpert. “He’s a franchise player. He has a lot to do when he comes back. The Bulls are playing good right now. He doesn’t want to come back and mess up the rhythm as he works himself back in. “In my position, when I came back, I got guys we’re going to,’’ said Shumpert, shooting 42 percent from the 3-point line. “We have prime-time guys on this team. [Rose] is that prime-time guy. When he comes back, he has a lot on his shoulders. He’s all about winning. I think if he feels he’s not 100 percent, he doesn’t want to be out there.’’
Carmelo Anthony doesn’t think Derrick Rose should come back unless he is 110% healthy, from Berman: “I wish people would stop rushing Derrick back, please,’’ Anthony said at the Knicks shootaround at Chicago’s United Center. … “He shouldn’t come back until he’s about 110 percent ready. I don’t think he should come back if he’s not ready to go out there and play. If he can’t play at a high level, what’s a couple of months (more) going to do. I don’t think he should come back. That’s just my opinion. I feel bad for him. I know he has to deal with that every day. He has to deal with that question and nobody from the outside knows what he’s going through , what his body is going through. Until he’s 100 percent right, I hope he sits out. ‘’
