The Los Angeles Times (Mike Bresnahan and Broderick Turner ) reports: Andrew Bynum is expected to be sidelined six to 10 more weeks because of a torn medial collateral ligament in his right knee, which keeps Gasol and Odom in the forefront of every discussion if the Lakers want to stay ahead of the Celtics and Cavaliers. Since Bynum went down seven games ago, Gasol and Odom have stepped up their production. Both have played at a high level with Bynum out, increasing their scoring, rebounding and minutes. Jackson was asked whether the Lakers needed Gasol and Odom to sustain their pace. “Yeah,” Jackson said. “It takes the load off Kobe scoring.”
Category: General NBA insight
General NBA insight
Pacers notes
Positive-leaning team notes on the Indiana Pacers:
A leading candidate for the NBA’s Most Improved Player Award, Danny Granger is on course to become the first player in NBA history to improve his scoring average by at least five points a game in three consecutive seasons. Granger is fifth in the NBA this season with an average of 25.5 ppg, which is nearly six points per game more than his average (19.7) of a season ago.
T.J. Ford headed into the All-Star break with his best assists game of the season, having dealt 13 against the Bucks in Milwaukee, Feb. 11. Ford has handed 10 or more assists three times this season and has averaged 7.2 assists per game in his last six games.At Milwaukee, Feb. 11, Troy Murphy’s 23 points included five 3-pt field goals, giving him a career-high 104 3-pointers this season, and giving the Pacers at least two players with 100+ 3-pt FGS for the second straight season. Indiana had more than one player with at least 100 3-pt field goals in the same season just two times in their first 30 NBA seasons.
Over his last 25 games, Murphy has shot 64-132 from long distance (.485) and he is now 11th in the NBA with a career-best 43.5 percent from beyond the 3-pt arc.
Rockets-Nets team connections
Rockets guard/forward Tracy McGrady is a cousin of Nets guard Vince Carter.
Houston center Dikembe Mutombo played two seasons with the Nets (2002-03, 2003-04) prior to joining Houston.
New Jersey forward Eduardo Najera was selected by Houston in the second round of the 2000 NBA Draft.
Nets forward/center Stromile Swift played the 2005-06 season with the Rockets.
New Jersey forward/center Sean Williams is a native of Houston.
Jermaine O’Neal to wear No.7
The South Florida Sun-Sentinal (Ira Winderman) reports: Jermaine O’Neal will wear No. 7, Shawn Marion’s former number, with Jamario Moon to wear No. 8, which means the Heat will not, after all, be retiring Antoine Walker’s number. (Moon wore No. 33 in Toronto, which soon will be retired in honor of Alonzo Mourning. The late Alec Kessler is the only other Heat player to have worn No. 33.)
Shaq would happily join Knicks
The New York Daily News (via blog) reports: From what I gather from people close to Shaquille O’Neal is that the Suns center would welcome a trade to the Knicks if such a deal could be worked out. Shaq’s contract – he’ll earn $20 million next year in the final season of his deal – fits into the Knicks’ free agent plans for 2010… But with Eddy Curry not expected to be much help this season, the Knicks are looking to make a move for a big man. The Sacramento Bee reported today that Brad Miller, who Donnie Walsh once had in Indiana, remains on the Knicks’ radar.
Pistons to change lineup
The Detroit Free Press reports: Pistons coach Michael Curry is shaking up his starting lineup coming out of the All-Star break. Curry said Antonio McDyess will become a starter again and Amir Johnson will come off the bench. “As I talked about going into the break, I’m going to start him instead of Amir,” Curry said of McDyess. “Hopefully Amir will play better with some second line guys. Hopefully we can be more solid defensively, especially when we have the help with ‘Dyess in there and also to stay consistent.
Suns to run again
Good news for all NBA fans: The Suns are going to be fast again. The roster doesn’t allow them to quite be what they were several years ago but this is still positive. The East Valley Tribune reports: Gentry promised a return to the fast-paced style that best utilizes the team’s talent, particularly the skills of playmaker Steve Nash. “We are who we are and I think we have to go back to trying to establish a breakneck pace like we’ve had in the past,” Gentry said at a news conference announcing his promotion.
Dwyane Wade All-Star fashion
The Cleveland Plain Dealer (Mary Schmitt Boyer) reports on 2009 NBA All-Star weekend: Miami’s Dwyane Wade sported an interesting look as the assistant coach of the rookie team. He wore a yellow V-neck sweater under a blue sport coat, with a bow tie and glasses. Oh, and there was that blue “Wade” band-aid over some stitches he recently took under his left eye. “It was a combination of a lot of different things,” Wade explained of the outfit. “It was a tribute to one of my assistant coaches in Miami — Keith Askins. He wears a bow tie. So I told him during the season, ‘I’m going to show you how to wear it.’ “Also, I just wanted to try something new, being conservative. I brought the glasses because I was a coach so I thought I would look smart.”
Danny Ainge on his later playing days
The Boston Globe (Marc J. Spears) reports: “I was fortunate enough to play in the heyday of the Celtics in the ’80s,” Danny Ainge said. “As things were going downhill, I was fortunate to play with Portland for two years and go to the Finals and also play for Phoenix for three and go to the Finals. Those experiences helped me and taught me there is more than one way to win and different personalities. “I feel fortunate that I had a chance to play with Kevin Johnson, Dan Majerle, Tom Chambers, and Charles Barkley. It was different than in Boston.” Ainge joined the Suns as a free agent before the 1992-93 season, as did Barkley, now a Hall of Famer. Phoenix had the league’s best record (62-20) that season and advanced to the Finals to play Michael Jordan and the Bulls. In Ainge’s sixth and last Finals appearance, the Suns lost the series in six games. The Suns were eliminated by Houston in the second round of the playoffs in 1994 and ’95.