The race for playoff positioning is a day-to-day adventure in the ultra competitive Western Conference, and two teams in the thick of it all look to gain ground against each other — despite some separation in Sheridan’s most recent Power Rankings. The Dallas Mavericks — on a three-game winning streak including an impressive win over the Spurs — look to snap their seven-game road skid as they visit the Denver Nuggets in Monday’s best game. It has been a tale of home
I first caught a glimpse of Patty Mills in Shanghai four years ago, and it was a good thing I didn’t blink. The speedster was playing in an exhibition game for Australia against team USA, and twice he outraced Chris Paul downcourt for fast-break layups. That was back when Mills was still playing college ball at St. Mary’s in California, and Mills eventually made it to the NBA with the Portland Trail Blazers before signing in China with the Xinjiang Flying
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
With Thursday’s trade deadline come and gone, two teams with frontcourt injury issues will test whether a midseason roster change was the right decision when the Boston Celtics visit the Denver Nuggets on Saturday. Boston (23-20) learned Wednesday that center Chris Wilcox will miss the remainder of the season, needing surgery on an enlarged aorta, and malcontent Jermaine O’Neal is looking for a buyout. Desperately needing help down low – the Celtics are dead last in the league in rebounding (38.3). Boston
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
The trade deadline had passed at 3PM EST on Thursday afternoon. Everything seemed settled and players could finally take a deep breath and play basketball again. Not so fast. Moments after the official deadline had passed, word arrived out of Denver that they had traded away long-tenured Nene Hilario in a three-team deal, receiving JaVale McGee, Ronny Turiaf and a future second-round pick in the process. The loss of Nene turned out to be too much for George Karl and the Denver Nuggets
Despite suffering a slew of injuries to key players throughout the season, the Denver Nuggets have been deep enough at just about every position to stay afloat in the playoff race. With just about every player back to full strength, the Nuggets may be hitting their stride just in time to fight for home court advantage in the Western Conference. They look to avenge their previous loss to Oklahoma City as Kevin Durant and the Thunder visit in Thursday’s best game. Both
Eight days until the trading deadline. Eight days for the Indiana Pacers to find the missing piece for a legitimate run at the conference finals, or for the Minnesota Timberwolves to acquire the player that makes them a playoff team. Eight days for the Orlando Magic to go all in on Dwight Howard or blow it up and start over. Eight days for the Atlanta Hawks to avoid the luxury tax or the Los Angeles Lakers to add to it. Eight days to