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Milwaukee Bucks forward Ekpe Udoh (6-10, 245) underwent a successful arthroscopic procedure to alleviate pain in his right knee on Thursday, General Manager John Hammond announced today.
The procedure was performed by Bucks orthopaedist Dr. Michael Gordon in Milwaukee. Udoh is expected to be sidelined for approximately 4-6 weeks.
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Steve Novak never wanted to be traded by the Knicks, never wanted to leave New York. But the sharpshooter was the key piece in the deal that brought the Knicks new starting power forward Andrea Bargnani.
“I didn’t expect it,” Novak said after the morning shootaround. “ You understand this is the business we’re in. New York felt like home. It was a place I love to play and I miss. I miss those guys. It’s not easy being traded. But there’s no doubt Toronto is a great city and good place to be.”
Novak had his two best seasons with the Knicks – he led the NBA in three-point accuracy in 2011-12 – and was a fan favorite. But for the second straight postseason he was ineffective because defenses wouldn’t give him any room to shoot and ultimately Mike Woodson didn’t give Novak much playing time.
Reported by Al Iannazzone of New York Newsday
Novak was part of the package of players and draft picks that brought Andrea Bargnani to the Knicks and sent him to Toronto in July.
And it’s clear he’s still rankled by the way his career ended, with him riding the bench, fully healthy, in the second round of the playoffs against Indiana, despite pleas to Mike Woodson that he’s ready to play. Soon he was traded to Toronto, a decision that left a bad taste in his mouth.
“It wasn’t like a rift [with Coach Woodson],” Novak said on Friday following his team’s shoot-around at the Air Canada Centre before the Raptors hosted the Knicks. “Obviously he knew the whole time that I wanted to play. I told him when I got healthy- don’t not play me because I’m hurt. I’m ready. And he went another way.”
Reported by Mitch Abramson of the New York Daily News
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James Jones wonders about the fuss. Given the opportunity, this is what he does.
A replacement starter for sidelined Dwyane Wade in the Miami Heat’s exhibition opener, and with additional opportunities amid the limited minutes for the starters in Thursday’s victory over the Detroit Pistons, Jones went into Friday’s exhibition against the Charlotte Bobcats at the Sprint Center at 6 of 10 on 3-pointers in the preseason.
“It’s just from work with the shooters in the offseason,” the veteran swingman said. “Me and Ray [Allen], we get a lot of shots up. The routine, it pays off. And the consistency helps, especially when you get consistent minutes.”
Reported by Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel
An attorney for Thunder center Kendrick Perkins has released a statement proclaiming his client’s innocence in an misdemeanor assault charge stemming from a July altercation outside of a nightclub in Houston.
“Kendrick Perkins did nothing wrong, and I am confident that he will be exonerated,” said Matt Hennessy of DeGuerin, Dickson, Hennessy & Ward. “My client takes these charges very seriously. He is a respectful and kind person and is anxious to address these charges for the sake of his family and his team. We will defend these allegations vigorously in court.”
Reported by Darnell Mayberry of the Oklahoman
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The Detroit Pistons announced today that guard Rodney Stuckey underwent successful surgery to repair a fracture of the distal phalanx on his right thumb. The procedure was performed by Dr. Brian Najerian at DMC Surgical Hospital in Detroit, MI.
Stuckey will wear a splint on the thumb for two weeks and will be re-evaluated at that time.
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The Wolves will play on tonight in Sioux Falls, S.D., against the Bucks without starting shooting guard Kevin Martin, who played just six minutes last night in Toronto because of a sore Achilles.
Martin calls himself day to day, but I’ll bet you he doesn’t play Saturday against the Raptors in a rematch at Target Center, either.
The Wolves don’t play for another eight days after Saturday, so that would give him a good 10 days to rest and heal his body.
Reported by Jerry Zgoda of the Minneapolis Star Tribune
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The Detroit Pistons announced Thursday that guard Rodney Stuckey has suffered a fracture of the distal phalanx on his right thumb. The injury occurred on Wednesday afternoon as a result of the thumb becoming caught inside the door jamb of Stuckey’s vehicle while the door was closing.
Pistons medical staff confirmed the injury this morning following an x-ray. He is scheduled to have surgery on Friday, October 11 and a timeline for his return will be determined following that procedure.
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Before the 76ers left for nearly a week to play two games in Europe, one of the players who made a favorable impression at training camp was Royce White.
The 6-foot-8, 260-pound power forward was acquired in the offseason from the Houston Rockets. But White didn’t make the trip to Europe. He has a well-documented anxiety disorder and an aversion to flying.
White will make his preseason debut Friday when the Sixers meet the Boston Celtics in a 7 p.m. preseason game at the Carpenter Center in Newark, Del.
“I look forward to playing Royce tomorrow,” Sixers coach Brett Brown said Thursday after his team’s first post-Europe practice at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine.
Reported by Marc Narducci of the Philadelphia Inquirer
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Brooklyn Nets point guard Deron Williams said Thursday that he’ll miss the team’s next three preseason games as he continues to recover from a sprained right ankle.
Williams said he will not play against the Detroit Pistons on Saturday, the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday and the Boston Celtics on Tuesday.
Williams could make his preseason debut Oct. 17 against the Miami Heat. The Nets open the regular season on Oct. 30 in Cleveland.
Reported by Mike Mazzeo of ESPN New York
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Just as he spent nearly his entire summer trying to become healthy, Steve Nash has suffered another ailment that he’ll have to monitor.
The Lakers point guard missed the final three quarters of the team’s 104-86 preseason loss Thursday to the Sacramento Kings at MGM Grand Garden Arena because of a sore left ankle after struggling loosen it up during pre-game warmups. Nash described the injury as a “minor thing,” though Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni suggested it could linger throughout the season.
“I’m not concerned,” D’Antoni said. “I think this will happen on and off on all year. But he’s going to give you a good season and good stuff. But we have to take care of him.”
Nash estimated initially feeling pain in his left ankle either a week or two before training camp started Sept. 28, an injury he said had since improved after initially being limited in practices.
Reported by Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News (Blog)