SportsTicker reports: Alonzo Mourning’s retirement is off just hours after the Miami Heat center made it official. A spokesman for the Heat said a story erroneously was placed on the team’s web site Monday confirming that Mourning will call it quits. The 37-year-old Mourning, who entered his 15th NBA season saying it would be his last, saw it cut short when he tore the patella tendon and quadriceps tendon in his right knee on December 19.
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Andrew Bynum out at least 8 weeks
After MRI tests and an examination by team doctor Steve Lombardo of the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Group earlier today, it has been determined that Lakers center Andrew Bynum suffered a subluxation of the patella and a bone bruise of his left knee in last night’s game. Bynum is expected to be out a minimum of eight weeks. Bynum is expected to make a full recovery.
Bynum suffered the injury with 8:52 remaining in the third quarter of last night’s 100-99 win over the Memphis Grizzlies.
Bynum, in his third year in the NBA, is averaging 13.1 points, 10.2 rebounds and 2.1 blocked shots per game.
Cavs extend Mike Brown’s contract
The Cleveland Cavaliers today extended Head Coach Mike Brown’s contract. The announcement was made today by Cavaliers General Manager Danny Ferry. The Associated Press reports that the deal is a two-year contract extension lasting through the 2010-11 season.
Brown is the winningest head coach in Cavaliers history with a .592 winning percentage (119-82). Brown has also won more playoff games (19) than any coach in Cavaliers history. The Cavaliers won their first Eastern Conference Championship last season and became one of only five teams to win at least 50 games in the last two seasons (Dallas, Detroit, Phoenix, and San Antonio).
“Mike Brown brings his high character, work ethic and talent as a coach with him to work every single day. He has been, and will continue to be, important to our continued growth as a basketball team as we work towards a championship,” said Ferry.
Brown became the 17th Cavaliers Head Coach on June 2, 2005 and became the first Cavaliers head coach to win a playoff series in their first season. Brown came to the Cavaliers after serving as the associate head coach of the Indiana Pacers for two seasons and as an assistant coach with the San Antonio Spurs for three seasons, including the Spurs 2003 World Championship season.
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Andrew Bynum hurt
Los Angeles Lakers center Andrew Bynum hurt his left knee (not his ankle) Sunday night in the third quarter of a game against the Memphis Grizzlies.
Bynum had gone up for a rebound, and there was some sort of contact with Lamar Odom. Bynum’s left knee turned in awkward fashion. Teammates had to help him reach the locker room.
It isn’t known how seriously Bynum is hurt. Let’s hope he turns out OK. He’s been a terrific story this season and a key to Lakers success.
11:33 p.m. ET update: Unofficial, unconfirmed word is that an X-ray was negative, meaning there’s no broken bone, but his MRI will be tomorrow. When there’s an official word we’ll update this blog entry.
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Antawn Jamison cleaning the glass
With 33 rebounds over Washington’s last two games, Antawn Jamison has boosted his rebounding average to a career-high 10.9 rebounds per game. Also averaging 21.3 points per game, Jamison joins Orlando’s Dwight Howard as the only two players in the Eastern Conference that average at least 20 points and 10 rebounds per game. Additionally, with 23 double-doubles to date this season, Jamison has more double-doubles than any other forward in the Eastern Conference, and ranks 6th overall in the NBA.
Caron Butler rocking the charity stripe
Caron Butler enters play having connected on his last 33 free throw attempts. Butler last missed a free throw on December 28th in New Jersey. In that game, Butler missed his first free throw — a technical — but connected on his final three foul shot attempts in that game. He has since made 30 more consecutive free throws over the last seven games, brining his streak to 33 consecutive free throws made. On the season, Butler is 136-of-152 from the charity stripe; a career-high .895 clip.
Joakim Noah benched by teammates
The AP reports: Chicago Bulls rookie Joakim Noah was benched for Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Hawks — by his teammates. They delivered a unanimous vote after the rookie from Florida was involved in a confrontation with assistant coach Ron Adams in practice before Friday’s game at Philadelphia. Noah was inactive for the Philadelphia game for internal disciplinary reasons, but the players told interim coach Jim Boylan one game was not enough.
Shaq returns to practice
SportsTicker reports: Miami Heat center Shaquille O’Neal may be close to getting back into the lineup. O’Neal returned to practice Sunday after spending five days in Los Angeles receiving treatment for bursitis in his left hip, the Palm Beach Post reported.
Marbury misses game with sore ankle
The AP reports: Point guard Stephon Marbury missed the Knicks’ game against the Detroit Pistons on Sunday night because of a sore left ankle. The Knicks don’t believe there was a specific play where Marbury was hurt. He scored 13 points Friday night in a loss to Toronto, then didn’t practice Saturday.
McGrady out 3+ more games
The AP reports: Houston Rockets guard Tracy McGrady is expected to miss three more games as he recovers from a left knee injury. McGrady, averaging 23 points and five assists per game, has sat out the last eight games with strained tendons, tendinitis and a bone bruise in the knee. The Rockets are 6-2 in the stretch without him heading into Friday night’s game against Minnesota.