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
Kyle Lowry out 2-4 weeks with bacterial infection
The bottom of the Western Conference playoff race just opened up a bit wider. The Houston Rockets, who currently hold the eighth and final spot in the West, announced Monday that will be without do-it-all point guard Kyle Lowry for two to four weeks due to a bacterial infection. The Rockets played New Jersey over the weekend, and Lowry was taken to a New York hospital with an illness. He underwent tests that revealed the infection and will remain hospitalized until Tuesday,
Notes from around the NBA: March 4, 2012.
Rajon Rondo had 18 points, 17 rebounds and 20 assists Sunday against the Knicks. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the last player to record a triple-double with at least 17 in each category was Magic Johnson, who had 24 points, 17 assists and 17 rebounds on April 18, 1989. The last player to exceed Rondo’s performance in each category was Wilt Chamberlain, who had 22 points, 25 rebounds and 21 assists on Feb. 2, 1968. With performances like the one
Friday’s game of the night: Denver at Houston
The Rockets have struggled offensively out of the gates after the All-Star break. Facing the Nuggets at home may just be the cure they needed, because Denver is the worst defensive road team in the league. The Houston Rockets (21-15) look to regain their offensive form against the Denver Nuggets (19-17) as both teams fight for playoff positioning in the Western Conference in Friday’s game of the night. The odds favor Houston (the line is 3.5) as they sit 15-4 at home this
Sheridan: Stern ducks question on “veto” of CP3-to-Lakers deal
// ORLANDO — Shall we call him “Daffy,” “Donald,” or “Floyd Mayweather?” Which “duck” moniker is most fitting? Because NBA commissioner David Stern, asked a fair question tonight by yours truly at his annual All-Star news conference, did the finest bob-and-weave in NBA history while refusing to answer whether squashing the trade that would have sent Chris Paul to the Lakers was the right thing to do. Here is a transcript of the back-and-forth: Q. It’s been two months now since you vetoed the
Bernucca: How Stern helped Lin land in New York
Did David Stern unintentionally direct Jeremy Lin to the New York Knicks? The commissioner vetoed the first Chris Paul trade, which would have sent Houston Rockets point guard Goran Dragic to the New Orleans Hornets. The Rockets had five point guards in training camp – Lin, Dragic, Kyle Lowry, Jonny Flynn and Bulgarian combo guard Ibrahim Jabeer, who did not play in either preseason game. Lin didn’t exactly burn, either, getting eight total minutes. Lowry, Dragic and Flynn had guaranteed contracts, so the
Kevin Love suspended two games for stomping Scola, apologizes
NEW YORK — Busy morning in Stu Jackson’s office, with another suspension announced in addition to the one given to Lakers coach Mike Brown. Kevin Love of the Minnesota Timberwolves won’t have a double-double Tuesday night or Wednesday night when the Wolves play a back-to-back set against Sacramento and Memphis. The Timberwolves forward was hit with a two-game suspension Monday by NBA vice president Stu Jackson “for driving his foot into the upper body and face of the Houston Rockets’ Luis Scola
Saturday night’s all right for fightin’
Guys were losing their cool all over the league Saturday night. Coaches, players, winners, losers – it didn’t matter. Things got out of control in Utah, Minnesota and Indiana, and fines and suspensions should be coming. Let’s start in Salt Lake City, where Lakers coach Mike Brown totally lost it in the fourth quarter of a 96-87 loss to the Jazz. LA trailed, 72-68, and Pau Gasol had possession at the top of the circle. Utah guard Earl Watson came from his blind