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Kevin Durant drops monster game on Knicks

As dominant a force as Oklahoma City Thunder star Kevin Durant has already proven to be, he’s still capable of raising the bar even higher. The latest example came today vs the Knicks. Here’s New York Newsday reporting:

The NBA’s two best scorers squared off Sunday. Carmelo Anthony struggled putting the ball in the basket, and Kevin Durant showed he can do that and so much more.

He controlled the game on the offensive end and played smothering defense on Anthony. Durant had 41 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists as he led the Thunder to a 112-100 victory over the Knicks at Chesapeake Energy Arena.

“He makes it look easy,” Anthony said. “When he gets it going like that, he’s hard to stop.”

Durant has emerged as the MVP front-runner and has the Thunder atop the Western Conference with a 41-12 record. He’s always been a dominant scorer, but his playmaking and defense have improved.

“In order for us to be a good team,” Durant said, “I have to be a two-way player, and I’ve realized that these past few years.”

Cavaliers struggling to rebuild as hoped

The Cleveland Cavaliers need talent. They have Kyrie Irving, and if he sticks around long-term is an excellent building block. But the rest of the roster is largely a question mark. Here’s the Boston Globe with more:

With the good luck he has brought the Cleveland Cavaliers at the NBA draft lottery, maybe team owner Dan Gilbert should appoint his son as the team’s next general manager because everything following the lottery has been an abject failure.

The Cavaliers were given a plethora of draft resources, including two No. 1 overall picks with Nick Gilbert present, to rebuild following the departure of LeBron James. But so far the results have been abysmal.

Cleveland was tabbed as a cinch playoff team this season, expected to attract James to perhaps return as a free agent. The Cavaliers were the vogue pick to rise in the Eastern Conference, led by their charismatic star point guard, Kyrie Irving, and a talented and youthful supporting cast.

Yet the product has been painfully disappointing. Irving has taken a step back, apparently caught up with stardom and his next destination, according to those close to the team. Fellow lottery picks Tristan Thompson and Dion Waiters have been average at best, while last spring’s No. 1 overall pick, Anthony Bennett, has registered a Ryan Leaf-bust type of first season.

No Timberwolves trade expected, for now

Here’s the St. Paul Pioneer Press reporting on the Timberwolves, who for now aren’t expected to make any trades. Of course, most teams don’t exactly admit it in advance. Still, here:

Don’t expect the Timberwolves to make a trade before the deadline February 20.

Flip Saunders, the Wolves president of basketball operations, told Wolves Now that he has talked with representatives of teams to gauge interest, “but I’m not hearing anything imminent.”

Saunders said there is a reluctance to deal around the league because of the perception that this year’s draft class is strong. Buzz has centered on possible top picks being Kansas’ Joel Embiid and Andrew Wiggins, Duke’s Jabari Parker, Oklahoma State’s Marcus Smart, Kentucky’s Julius Randle and Dante Exum of Australia.

Wolves guard Kevin Martin injured, out with broken thumb

The Minnesota Timberwolves today announced that an X-ray taken this morning at TRIA Orthopedics in Bloomington, Minn. on Kevin Martin revealed a non-displaced fracture of the distal phalanx in his left thumb. Martin will be sidelined indefinitely and a further update will be provided when appropriate.

The injury happened in the closing minutes of last night’s 98-91 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans.

The 6-7 guard has appeared in 48 games this year for the Wolves, averaging 19.0 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 32.3 minutes per game.

Mike Finley selling a house in Texas

Here’s Realtor.com reporting on former NBA star Mike Finley, who is trying to sell a house in Texas:

Mike Finley selling a house in Texas

After selling off an “NBA Showtime” arcade game and other assorted artifacts from his playing career at his Dallas residence in October, the retired shooting guard has slashed the price of his house in San Antonio.

The former Mavericks and Spurs great had hoped to bank as much as $1.5 million when began shopping the half-acre property in 2011. Since then, however, Finley has shaved nearly $400,000 off his original ask — including a February adjustment of nearly $200,000 — bringing the current listing price to $1.099 million.

Of the amenities found inside Finley’s 5,421-square-foot spread, none stand out more than his in-house movie theater, which looks primed for a marathon reel of his career highlights. Other luxuries within the four-bedroom, four-bathroom include various living rooms, a game room, a large kitchen and a master suite with walk-in closets.

Chris Kaman does not care if Lakers keep or trade him

Here’s ESPN Los Angeles reporting on center Chris Kaman, who hasn’t been used much by the Lakers this season, even with their imperfect roster and constant injuries:

Chris Kaman does not care if Lakers keep or trade him

After receiving consistent playing time in all three games of the Los Angeles Lakers’ 2-1 trip, Chris Kaman admitted that it was the first time he had fun playing basketball in a long time.

But he also admitted that if he doesn’t make it past the upcoming Feb. 20 trade deadline and finish out the season as a Laker, it won’t faze him.

“I don’t care, I honestly don’t care,” Kaman said when asked if he has thought about the possibility of the Lakers trading him. “It’s not something that I want to do, but it’s not going to make me go to sleep at night and have to stay awake all night tossing and turning thinking about it. I don’t care. If they want to trade somebody, trade me, trade the next guy, it don’t bother me. It’s part of the business. The sooner that you realize it’s a part of the business, the better off you’re going to be. Just let it roll and let it happen. I’m not going to try to stop anything.”

Miles Plumlee replaces Pero Antic in 2014 Rising Stars Challenge

Miles Plumlee replaces Pero Antic

Phoenix Suns center Miles Plumlee has been selected to replace injured Atlanta Hawks center Pero Antic in the 2014 Rising Stars Challenge event at All-Star Weekend in New Orleans. Plumlee is averaging 9.3 points, 8.6 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in 49 games (all starts) for the Suns.

Plumlee will compete for TEAM HILL, for which Grant Hill is serving in the role of general manager. The head coach for Team Hill will be Nate McMillan of the Indiana Pacers’ coaching staff. On the sidelines for TEAM WEBBER, for which Chris Webber is serving in the role of general manager, will be Rex Kalamian of the Oklahoma City Thunder’s coaching staff.

The BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge will be televised live nationally on TNT at 9 p.m. ET on Friday, Feb. 14, from Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, and also will be broadcast live on ESPN Radio, while NBA.com will make live audio available to fans in multiple languages.

Boston Celtics sign Chris Johnson

The Boston Celtics announced today that they have signed guard/forward Chris Johnson to a multi-year contract.

Johnson, a 6’6” guard/forward, has appeared in eight games for the Celtics and has averaged 7.6 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in 21.6 minutes per game.

He posted a career-high 12 points against Brooklyn on January 26 and recorded a career-high four steals against Washington on January 22. He is currently shooting 40.0 percent from the three-point line which is tops on the Celtics since he signed his original 10-day contract with the Celtics on January 17.

Johnson had appeared in 20 games for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers of the NBA Development League earlier this season where he had averaged 19.4 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.0 block in 37.2 minutes per game.

Kevin Love playing through pain

Here’s the Minneapolis Star Tribune with an update on Timberwolves star Kevin Love:

Kevin Love playing through pain

Kevin Love still is recovering from Tuesday night’s nasty fall, but said after this morning’s shootaround in New Orleans that he will play tonight against the Pelicans in that 8:30 pm ESPN game.

“I’m feeling a little bit better, still pretty sore,” he said. “But I’m going to give it a go tonight.”

Love said he’s “very stiff, very sore” from his whiplashed neck down through his back and into his hip, on which he landed after getting fouled hard by Lakers center Robert Sacre while going to the basket late in Tuesday’s victory.

“Our training staff does a good job, so they’ll get me ready to play by tonight,” Love said. “I’m not going to talk about it too much, just keep my mindset that I’m going to play and play well.”