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Houston Rockets guard Luther Head is expected to miss one week due to a sore right foot. Head also sat out Tuesday’s game with the L.A. Lakers (1/13/09).
For the season, Head only playing 14.6 minutes per game and averaging 4.8 points and 1.6 assists on 38.6% shooting.
The AP reports: NCAA president Myles Brand is being treated for pancreatic cancer, and he says the long-term prognosis is “not good.” Brand issued a statement on Saturday, the last day of the NCAA Convention. Brand was not able to attend the convention because of his condition.
USA Today reports: Brand, 66, who has led the Indianapolis-based governing body since January 2003, informed its top-level Executive Committee of the details of his illness on the final day of the associatioin’s annual convention outside Washington, D.C. He didn’t attend the four-day gathering.
The Denver Post (Benjamin Hochman) reports: The Cuban Missed Elbow Crisis has finally come to an end. The NBA decided to fine Mavericks owner Mark Cuban $25,000 for “improper interaction” with Nuggets players at halftime of Tuesday’s game at the Pepsi Center. Cuban walked onto the court and yelled at Nuggets guard J.R. Smith, who earlier threw an elbow that missed the face of Dallas forward Antoine Wright. Smith was not penalized for his actions.
The AP reports: Cuban was angered Tuesday in a 99-97 Denver victory over Dallas and stepped onto the court as the second quarter ended to complain about an elbow thrown by Smith that did not result in a foul, interaction that brought the fine. Cuban also had to be escorted off the court afte the game when he complained about a foul call that set up Chauncey Billups’ game-winning free throws in the final seconds.
The AP reports: Stephen Jackson, who missed four games with a right hamstring strain, had 24 points to help the Golden State Warriors beat the Hawks 119-114 on Friday night. Jamal Crawford scored 29 points, including the go-ahead basket in the final three minutes, and Corey Maggette had 24 points and a season-high 16 rebounds for the Warriors… Joe Johnson scored 25 points for the Hawks, who lost for the fifth time in six games. Maurice Evans added 21 points and Michael Bibby had 20. Atlanta forward Marvin Williams was taken to a hospital after hitting his head on the court during a play in the second quarter and may not make the trip home with the team.
The AP reports: With Dwight Howard a power in the middle, Jameer Nelson and his backcourt mates sharpshooting from outside, the Magic showed their multiple talents with a 109-103 victory over Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night. Howard had 25 points and 20 rebounds, and Nelson scored 15 of his 28 points in the fourth quarter to help Orlando win its sixth in a row. Bryant had 28 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists for Los Angeles, but missed two jumpers in the waning moments… All the Orlando starters scored in double figures, with Rashard Lewis getting 15, Hedo Turkoglu 13 and Courtney Lee 12. Lamar Odom had 17 points for Los Angeles, and Vladimir Radmanovic had 15, all coming on his 5-of-8 shooting treys. Andrew Bynum had 14 points and three rebounds, but scored just two points after halftime and again was outplayed by Howard, who also blocked three shots.
The AP reports: Michael Redd’s scoring binge through three quarters helped the Milwaukee Bucks assume a big lead Friday night, but it was teammate Charlie Villanueva carrying the load in the fourth quarter when the advantage nearly evaporated. Redd scored a season-high 44 points and Villanueva had 15 of his 24 points in the final period for the Bucks, who held off the Kings for a 129-122 victory… Kevin Martin also scored 24 points for the Kings, who have not won consecutive games since early November. Jason Thompson contributed 22 points and 11 rebounds, while Brad Miller had 20 points and nine rebounds, and Beno Udrih scored 14.
The AP reports: Randy Foye made a 20-foot jumper with 1:58 remaining—and one second left on the shot clock—that propelled Minnesota to a 105-103 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Friday night. Foye hit the basket despite being closely guarded by Jason Richardson… Al Jefferson had 22 points and 12 rebounds to lead Minnesota, who bounced back from a loss on Tuesday to win for the sixth time in seven games… Craig Smith had 18 points, Rodney Carney finished with 17 and Foye had 15 for Minnesota. Kevin Love added 17 points and 14 rebounds, seven coming on the offensive end… Shaquille O’Neal and Leandro Barbosa each scored 22 and Amare Stoudemire added 19 for the Suns, who lost for just the third time in their last 11 home games.
The AP reports: LeBron James shook off one of his worst games this season and a blow to his shooting arm to flirt with a triple-double, and the Cavaliers, using a small lineup that had James playing center for a long stretch, extended their home winning streak to 20 by beating the New Orleans Hornets 92-78 on Friday night. James finished with 29 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists one night after he went 8-of-28 and had eight turnovers in an overtime loss against the Bulls. For most of the second half, James was on the floor with four other guards as Brown went with an undersized lineup that flustered the Hornets and led to the ejections of Chris Paul and James Posey… Sasha Pavlovic, making his first start this season, added 19 points, Mo Williams had 17 and Wally Szczerbiak 15 for the Cavs in their final game before going on a four-game trip out West. David West scored 23 and Paul 18 for New Orleans, which was whistled for five technical fouls. Paul and James Posey were both ejected in the final two minutes.
The AP reports: The Thunder haven’t looked this good since moving to town last year. The Pistons haven’t looked this bad since long before that. Kevin Durant scored 32 points as Oklahoma City recorded the first consecutive wins in its brief history, delivering a knockout punch with a 13-point run to start the fourth quarter in an 89-79 win over Detroit on Friday night… “We can’t be satisfied with these two wins that we just got. Yes, they were against good teams, but we can’t be satisfied,” said Jeff Green, who had nine points and 14 rebounds. “We’ve got to keep moving forward.” Chris Wilcox had 17 points and 11 rebounds in a rare extended appearance off the bench, and Desmond Mason added 11 points and 11 rebounds as the Thunder mounted a 52-35 rebounding edge. Prince and Richard Hamilton scored 18 each to lead Detroit, but Prince was injured and on the bench when Oklahoma City pulled away.
The AP reports: After an ankle injury sidelined him for the first 12 games of the season, Deron Williams is starting to like the one of the NBA’s best again. The Utah guard scored 27 points and Ronnie Brewer added 21, leading the Jazz to a 101-91 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday night… Grizzlies forward Darius Miles, who signed a 10-day contract Saturday, made his 10th appearance of the season Friday, placing the remaining $18 million of his salary back on Portland’s payroll… He finished with 10 points and seven rebounds in 14 minutes… Rookie guard O.J. Mayo led the Grizzlies with 23 points and Hakim Warrick and Mike Conley came off the bench to score 15 apiece. Marc Gasol added 12 points and 10 rebounds. Memphis forward Rudy Gay, averaging 18.8 points per game, continued his recent slump. He was held to five points and has scored only 15 points in the past two games.