Tonight is the NBA draft lottery, which is one way to build a team. The other way is free agency, which starts in just over a month. Many teams positioned themselves for this summer, expecting Dwight Howard, Chris Paul and Deron Williams all to opt out and become free agents. But Howard and Paul opted in, and now there is money to spend on a significantly weaker but nevertheless strong class. A handful of teams could be very active this summer. Among playoff
NEWS The Celtics are playing without Rajon Rondo after he hurt his back in Boston’s game against New York the previous night Denver Nuggets forward Wilson Chandler needs surgery to repair a labral tear in his left hip and is done for the season. Baron Davis missed the Knicks’ game at New Jersey on Wednesday night because of a stomach virus and was replaced in the starting lineup by Mike Bibby. Chicago Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau says the team’s leading scorers Derrick Rose and
There are some automatic penalties in the NBA. For example, if you throw a punch at another player, you are suspended at least one game. And if you give someone a “Wet Willy,” you are fined $25,000. That is what Dallas Mavericks guard Delonte West did to Utah Jazz forward Gordon Hayward on Monday night, and NBA executive vice president of basketball operations Stu Jackson ruled on it Wednesday with a $25,000 fine, calling it a “physical taunt.” West was not suspended for the
NEWS Minnesota All-Star forward Kevin Love is out for the fourth straight game because of concussion symptoms Ray Allen’s injured right ankle kept him out of the Boston Celtics’ lineup Tuesday against the New York Knicks. Hornets center Chris Kaman will miss New Orleans’ final five games because of a bruised left tibia. Utah Jazz swingman Gordon Hayward said he initially felt like ripping Delonte West’s finger off and fighting him after he jabbed it into Hayward’s right ear during the second quarter of
Reader Daniel put an end to a two-list losing streak, correctly solving last week’s Bernucca List with the answer of “leading scorers on the losing team in the Finals.” The list actually comprised the last 10 players to turn the trick. So congrats to Daniel as we move on to this week’s list, which is comprehensive but not complete as the research was somewhat time-consuming. See if you can find the common thread among the players listed below. If you think you
All the drama surrounding Vinny Del Negro’s coaching situation evaporated during a five-game homestand that saw the Los Angeles Clippers win all five games. However, most of the team’s struggles have come on the road, where they have dropped five of their last six games. Things won’t get any easier for the Clippers, who play nine of their remaining 14 games away from the Staples Center. Seven of those contests are against teams with a winning record. Chris Paul and the Clippers hope
There is a school of thought that after a slow start, the defending champion Dallas Mavericks are starting to figure things out. There also is a school of thought that after a quick start, the Philadelphia 76ers are coming back to the pack. Both of those notions will be tested when the Mavericks visit the 76ers in Friday’s best NBA game. The Mavericks (19-11) have matched a season high with five straight wins, and there’s not a bad one in the bunch.
Before we look at last night’s games, you might want to add J.R. Smith to your team. It’s being reported that he will sign with the Knicks, and play on Sunday. It’s a great fit; instead of trying to guess between Bill Walker, Steve Novak and Iman Shumpert, you can be fairly confident that Smith will soon be the primary bench scorer. In addition to threes, he’s a decent source of STL and REB. Don’t go overboard dropping a productive