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The Miami Heat announced that forward Udonis Haslem underwent successful surgery today on an internal fixation repair of the Lisfranc ligament. The one hour procedure was performed by specialist Dr. Tom Sangiovanni as well as HEAT team physicians Dr. Harlan Selesnick and Dr. James Losito at Doctors Hospital in Coral Gables.
He will be out indefinitely.
It’s been reported that Haslem will likely miss months of action.
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The San Antonio Spurs today announced that they have waived guard/forward Danny Green. Green was signed by the Spurs on November 17 and appeared in two games, averaging 3.0 points in 4.5 minutes.
The Spurs roster now stands at 12.
The Miami Heat announced today that they have signed free agent center Erick Dampier. Per club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Dampier, a 14-year NBA veteran, has appeared in 921 regular season games (749 starts) and averaged 7.8 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.46 blocks and 25.1 minutes while shooting 49.7 percent from the field. Last season he appeared in 55 games (47 starts) for the Dallas Mavericks and averaged 6.0 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.40 blocks in 23.3 minutes of action while shooting a team-best 62.4 percent from the field. Besides leading the team in field goal percentage, he finished second on the team in blocks (77) and offensive rebounds (128) while finishing fourth on the squad in defensive rebounds (272) and total rebounds (400). He currently ranks among the Mavericks’ all-time leaders in field goal percentage (1st – .591), blocks (4th – 546), offensive rebounds (4th – 1,224), defensive rebounds (7th – 1,987) and total rebounds (7th – 3,211).
Additionally, he has appeared in 57 postseason games (36 starts) and averaged 4.8 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.04 blocks and 22.2 minutes while shooting 54.1 percent from the field.
The Heat has waived guard Jerry Stackhouse. Stackhouse appeared in seven games (one start) and averaged 1.7 points, 1.0 rebounds and 7.1 minutes.
ESPNLosAngeles.com reports:
With expectations so high going into the season after team president Pat Riley assembled his dream team, the pressure is on Erik Spoelstra to deliver. When the Heat struggled to an 11-10 start to the 2005-06 season, Riley shocked the league by replacing Stan Van Gundy on the Miami bench. He hadn’t coached since the 2002-03 campaign but led the Heat to the NBA championship.”The scenario that sits kind of behind the scene, is that eventually these guys that were recruited — Bosh and James — by Pat Riley and Mickey Arrison, the owner, are going to come in and say, ‘We feel you [Riley] can do a better job coaching the team. We came here on the hopes that this would work,’ and whatever, I don’t know,” Jackson said. “That’s kind of my take on it, is that eventually if things don’t straighten out here soon, it could be the Van Gundy thing all over again.”
The two-time defending champion Lakers are cruising along again at 12-2. The Boston Celtics, whom they faced in the 2010 Finals, are still the beast of the East, according to Jackson.
“The Celtics have a defense you have to plan for. Their defense is overwhelmingly a factor in the ballgame,” Jackson said. “They’re going to smother. They’re going to really contest. They’re going to body guys. There’s going to be double-teaming underneath the free-throw line. There are a lot of things that go on there that you have to start planning for.
The Oklahoma City Thunder have signed forward Nick Collison to a multi-year contract extension, it was announced today by Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti. Per team policy, the terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
“Nick Collison has shown an unwavering commitment to our organization through his willingness to accept various roles and his dedication to his teammates throughout his seven-year career with our franchise,” said Presti. “He brings a smart, physical, and hard working approach to our defense and is one of our most active players in the community. We are thrilled that Nick will remain a core member of our team and continue his career with the franchise that drafted him.”
Collison is currently averaging 4.5 points and 4.0 rebounds in six games since returning from a bruised right knee that caused him to miss the first eight games of the season. The 6-10 Kansas University product holds career averages of 7.7 points and 6.6 rebounds in 460 career NBA games, all with the Thunder organization. Collison entered the 2010-11 season among the franchise’s all-time career leaders in rebounds (8th, 3,013 career rebounds), blocks (10th, 309 career blocks), field goal percentage (3rd, .529) and games played (9th, 454 career games).
“I am thrilled to continue my career with the Thunder organization,” said Collison. “I have spent many years with the franchise and I am excited to continue building with this group of players. I am looking forward to what the future holds for this team and community.”
Collison, originally drafted 12th overall in the 2003 NBA draft by the Oklahoma City franchise, was an Associated Press First Team All-America selection and Big 12 Player of the Year as a senior at Kansas. He was also named to the 2003 NCAA All-Final Four Team after leading Kansas to the Championship Game. The Iowa Falls native left KU as the second leading scorer (2,097 points) and third leading rebounder (1,143 rebounds) in school history.
The Miami Heat have been hit with a few key injuries, losing Mike Miller before things even got started, and a few days ago losing Udonis Haslem for what coudl be months.
Haslem, a power forward, provides rebounding, defense and toughness that few players on the current roster are able to replace.
Also, center Joel Anthony, who had been starting, hasn’t lived up to the Heat’s high hopes and now spends plenty of time on the bench.
Enter free agent center Erick Dampier.
Ken Berger of CBS Sports reports:
Erick Dampier has a one-year offer from the Miami Heat and is expected to sign it Tuesday, CBSSports.com has learned.
The 35-year-old center arrived in Miami Monday night and, pending his passing of a medical exam, will join the team to replace Udonis Haslem, who is out until at least February with a torn ligament in his foot. The deal is for one year at the prorated veteran’s minimum, according to a person with knowledge of the situation.
The Heat will have to release a player to create a roster spot for Dampier, likely Dexter Pittman or Jamaal Magloire.
It’s a good move for the Heat, and not particularly shocking. The team has reportedly been considering adding Dampier for a long time now, long before Haslem’s injury.
Read fan reaction and share your own opinion in this forum topic.
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The Toronto Raptors announced Monday rookie forward Ed Davis will participate with the Erie BayHawks of the NBA Development League for a short-term rehabilitation and conditioning stint. Davis sustained a meniscus tear in his right knee prior to the start of training camp and has been cleared to resume game action. He will continue to be included on the Raptors roster, but will be placed on the team’s inactive list.
“This is a great opportunity for us to gauge where Ed is physically with regard to his knee and his overall basketball conditioning,” said Raptors President and General Manager Bryan Colangelo. “This is a perfect example where the D-League can be used as a ready-made and convenient tool in getting an injured player back on the court.”
Davis, 21, was the 13th overall draft choice by Toronto in the 2010 NBA Draft. The 6-foot-10, 225-pounder from the University of North Carolina averaged 12.6 points (3rd on the team) and 6.0 rebounds (2nd on the team) in the 2010 NBA Las Vegas Summer League. He shot .632 (24-of-38) from the field and tied for the team lead with nine blocks.
Davis is the fifth Raptor to play in the D-League. Solomon Alabi joined the BayHawks on November 15. Nathan Jawai was designated on two occasions in the 2008-09 season to the Idaho Stampede. P.J. Tucker was assigned twice to the Colorado 14ers during the 2006-07 season and Pape Sow was assigned to the Arkansas Rimrockers in the 2005-06 campaign.
Erie, which is led by head coach Jay Larranaga, has been appointed as Toronto’s D-League affiliate for the 2010-11 season.
Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld announced today that the team has signed guard/forward Alonzo Gee. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not announced.
Gee (6-6, 220 lbs.), who appeared in five games this season for the San Antonio Spurs, returns to Washington following an 11-game stint with the Wizards last season. Gee averaged 7.4 points and 3.0 rebounds in 16.5 minutes during those 11 games, including a career-high 19-point effort at Charlotte on March 26.
Gee was initially signed to a ten-day contract by the Wizards last season on March 7 and was inked to a second ten-day contract on March 18 before signing with San Antonio for the remainder of the season. Gee was waived by the Spurs on November 16.
Hudson appeared in six games for Washington this season, totaling two points, six assists and one rebound in 26 minutes of play. Hudson was initially signed on September 24.
Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic reports:
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The addition of forward Hedo Turkoglu and other individuals’ drop-offs have turned the Suns into arguably the NBA’s worst defense. They entered Sunday as the second-worst scoring defense (109.0) to Minnesota and were tied with Sacramento for the worst defensive field-goal percentage (48.9).
The Suns are 9-19 when guard Steve Nash does not play, and he is expected to miss a third consecutive game Monday at Houston because of a groin strain. Nash is no defensive savior, but he could at least lead by example with effort.
Gentry told the team that Grant Hill gave the necessary effort Saturday but had few followers. Charlotte scored 30 more points than its season average after it had played Friday at Miami.
“We better rethink who we are, and we better start playing hard, and we better start competing,” Gentry said.
The Suns have faced 10 playoff teams in 13 games and are playing their seventh game in the past 11 days Monday.
Have an opinion? Share it on the Phoenix Suns forum.
The AP reports:
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Gasol scored 28 points without missing a shot, Kobe Bryant added 20 points and the Lakers took a 30-point lead in the first half of their fourth straight victory, 117-89 over the Golden State Warriors.
Gasol went 10 for 10 from the field, 8 for 8 from the free-throw line, and had nine rebounds and five assists. Until Gasol shredded Golden State’s shoddy interior defense, Charles Barkley and Matt Barnes were the only players ever to produce games of at least 20 points, five rebounds and five assists without missing on at least five shots from the field and the line.
“Matt told me, ‘Welcome to the club,'” Gasol said. “I said, ‘Happy to be in there.’ It’s kind of weird that it happened that way. It’s weird, but it’s obviously a good sign.”
Barnes scored 24 points and hit seven shots — five 3-pointers — without a miss at Minnesota on Friday night. While Barnes was impressed by Gasol’s copycat effort, he noted the 7-foot Spaniard’s advantages as well.
“He was playing against little midgets, though,” Barnes joked. “That’s not something you play for, but 10 for 10, 8 for 8, he topped me. It’s amazing.”
