I was on SN590 The Fan in Toronto with Tim Micallef and Sid Seixeiro on Monday afternoon. The topics centered around the NBA in Florida, where kids play baseball year-round and football players grow on trees. I told Tim and Sid that I think Dwight Howard and the Magic can push the Heat to seven games in a playoff series. I also said that while Derek Fisher wants to play for the Heat, they may be better served by a big man. We
A year ago, J.J. Hickson was in the running for the NBA’s Most Improved Player. Now he’s not even an NBA player. Hickson, 23, was waived Monday by the Sacramento Kings, the team announced. Yahoo! Sports reported that Hickson received a buyout. The 6-9 Hickson was a 2008 first-round pick of the Cleveland Cavaliers and was primarily a starter in the 2009-10 and 2010-11 seasons. He was one of the few bright spots in Cleveland’s dismal campaign a year ago, averaging career
Houston Rockets forward Patrick Patterson was fined $25,000 by the NBA on Monday for public criticism of referees. The fine was announced by NBA executive vice president of basketball operations Stu Jackson. Patterson was fined for comments on his Twitter account. The 6-9 forward scored 13 points in Sunday’s 99-86 loss at Phoenix. He is averaging 7.5 points and 4.3 rebounds this season.
Milwaukee Bucks forward Drew Gooden and Los Angeles Lakers center Andrew Bynum were named Players of the Week for the period ending Sunday. Gooden won for the Eastern Conference, leading the Bucks to a 3-0 week by averaging 18.0 points, 9.7 rebounds and 8.0 assists. He had a triple-double with 15 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds in three quarters of a 115-105 win over Cleveland. Bynum won for the Western Conference, helping the Lakers go 3-1 and reclaim first place in
When he met reporters before Sunday night’s game, Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra was asked if the Orlando Magic are a title contender. “Absolutely,” the coach replied. “There is no doubt about it. Anytime you have an MVP candidate like (Dwight Howard) and then personnel that fits, you’re a contender.” Writers covering both teams took that quote and ran with it, but not in the way you might expect. In Orlando, Spoelstra was taken with a grain of salt. From Josh Robbins of the
The Denver Nuggets on Sunday waived center Ronny Turiaf, who should attract some interest from playoff contenders. Turiaf began the season with the New York Knicks, who dealt him to the Washington Wizards as part of the Tyson Chandler deal. He played just four games before breaking his hand and was included in Thursday’s three-team deal that landed Nene in Washington. The 6-10 Turiaf has played backup center minutes for the Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State, New York and Washington in a
Earlier this week, LeBron James said his situation in Cleveland and Dwight Howard’s dilemma in Orlando were not comparable. So true. Where they differed most was that James ultimately made a decision – however foolishly elaborate and narcissistic it may have played out – while Howard was virtually paralyzed by indecision. When Howard finally made up his mind just hours before Thursday’s trading deadline and opted into the final year of his contract with the Magic, a cool breeze of relief wafted through
Pencils down and papers forward, please. Here are my grades on how teams did at the trading deadline. We aren’t going to evaluate whether Dallas was helped or hindered by Thursday’s wheeling and dealing. The Mavericks – and 13 other teams – didn’t make a deal, so consider their grade to be incomplete. Or a withdrawal, if you prefer. No one got an F, although the Nets came awfully close. At the other end of the scale, the Rockets are officially the teacher’s