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Philadelphia 76ers Guard Andre Miller sustained a right hand third metacarpal contusion and sprain (middle finger) during the game against Milwaukee on Thursday night.
He was examined by team Orthopedist and Medical Director Dr. Jack McPhilemy of Main Line Health.
The X-rays taken on the hand this afternoon were negative and Miller is expected to play tomorrow.
The Sacramento Bee (Sam Amick) reports: With eight games left and the Kings (16-58) on track to be the worst team in the 50-year franchise history, the inability to finish close games has significantly hurt coach Kenny Natt’s chances of returning next season. The Kings have lost 10 consecutive games decided by seven points or fewer, turning the in-house spotlight to matters of coaching creativity and late-game control. Combined with the defensive effort that has continued to worsen after the Dec. 15 decision to fire Reggie Theus and his defensive coach, assistant Chuck Person, Natt’s chances of having his 2009-10 contract option picked up do not appear promising. And according to two sources close to the team, a familiar name from a past Kings coaching search is seriously being considered for the job. John Whisenant, the Monarchs’ general manager, was the front-runner for the Kings’ head-coaching job in 2006 before Eric Musselman was hired. Whisenant now appears to be the unofficial front-runner again if Natt does not return.
The AP reports: The Denver Nuggets reached 50 wins faster than any time in their NBA history Thursday night, when J.R. Smith sank eight 3-pointers and scored 28 points in a 114-104 victory against the Utah Jazz. Smith had 21 points in 15 minutes in the first half, helping turn an 11-point deficit into a 54-43 halftime lead that Denver never surrendered against a team that’s lost six of its last seven road games. Smith’s eight 3-pointers tied a career high, and was one shy of the franchise mark set by Michael Adams in 1991 and tied four years later by Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf. Carmelo Anthony added 23 points for the Nuggets, who are seeking home-court advantage in a playoff series for the first time since 1988. They won for the 10th time in 11 games and improved to 50-26… C.J. Miles led six Jazz in double figures with 19 points.
The AP reports: In the closest thing they’ll have to a playoff game this year, Gilbert Arenas and the Wizards fed off a sellout crowd Thursday night and ended the franchise-record 13-game winning streak of LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. Washington recovered after blowing a 14-point second-half lead and held on for a 109-101 victory… Brendan Haywood, also playing his second game of the season and making his first start after recovering from a major wrist injury, added 12 points and 10 rebounds. The Wizards also received the usual steady contributions from Caron Butler (25 points) and Antawn Jamison (19) and a surprising 17 points on 6-for-8 shooting from Darius Songaila as they snapped a three-game losing streak. MVP candidate James scored 22 of his 31 points in the second half and finished with six assists and nine rebounds for the Cavaliers, but—how’s this for a statistical oddity—he was responsible for all five of his team’s turnovers until Daniel Gibson traveled in the final minute of the third quarter.
The AP reports: Andre Iguodala scored 20 points, Lou Williams had 14 of his 21 in the second half, and Philadelphia rallied from a 13-point first-half deficit to defeat Milwaukee 105-95 on Thursday night. Andre Miller contributed 18 points and 11 assists for the Sixers (39-35), who won their second straight and vaulted past Miami into fifth place in the Eastern Conference playoff race. Marreese Speights had 14 points, Reggie Evans chipped in 13 and Samuel Dalembert added 10 rebounds for Philadelphia, which won its fifth in a row against the Bucks, including all three this season… Ramon Sessions led Milwaukee with his second straight stellar outing, getting 18 points, 10 assists and five rebounds a night after his first career triple-double against the Los Angeles Lakers… Richard Jefferson added 17 points and Charlie Bell contributed 14 for the Bucks (32-45), who have lost seven of eight.
The San Antonio Spurs announced today that they have assigned center Ian Mahinmi to the Austin Toros, the NBA Development League team owned and operated by the Spurs.
Mahinmi is currently recovering from right ankle surgery performed on 1/31. He has yet to see action for the Spurs this season. Mahinmi appeared in one game for the Toros this season where he scored 4 points and grabbed 1 rebound in 20:46 minutes.
The New York Knickerbockers President of Basketball Operations Donnie Walsh announced today that center Courtney Sims has been signed to a second consecutive 10-day contract. Sims was signed to his first 10-day contract on Mar. 23 and has yet to appear in a game for New York.
In his NBA career, Sims has played in a total of four games (three for the Pacers, one for the Suns). He has not yet scored in the league.
The AP reports: Two starters are out and an All-Star is hurting, but the New Orleans Hornets still have Chris Paul to carry them. Paul had 30 points and 14 assists, David West added 19 points, and the Hornets moved closer to the top of the Southwest Division by beating the Los Angeles Clippers 104-98 on Wednesday night… Eric Gordon led Los Angeles with 25 and Zach Randolph added 24 for the Clippers, who lost their ninth straight to New Orleans… David West was limited to three rebounds, but provided enough scoring for a New Orleans team missing injured starters Peja Stojakovic and Tyson Chandler.
The AP reports: Monta Ellis scored a career-high 42 points for the Warriors to overcome Kevin Martin’s career-best 50 for the Kings, and the Warriors snapped a five-game losing streak with a 143-141 overtime victory over Sacramento on Wednesday night… “Like Game 7 of the playoffs,” said Jamal Crawford, who had 15 points and seven assists for the Warriors… Kelenna Azubuike had 27 points and 13 rebounds, hitting another free throw with 4.8 seconds left in OT, and Anthony Randolph added 17 points and 10 rebounds as the Warriors rallied to beat their local rivals despite having just eight healthy players.
The AP reports: A spirited victory over the Houston Rockets may be too little, too late for the Phoenix Suns. Steve Nash had 25 points and 17 assists—with just one turnover—and the Suns held on for a 114-109 victory on Wednesday night… Grant Hill had 23 points, Shaquille O’Neal 22 and Jason Richardson 18 as the Suns won their season-best sixth straight at home… Ron Artest scored 28 for the Rockets, who dropped to fourth in the crowded scramble for playoff positioning in the West, a game behind No. 2 Denver and a half-game behind San Antonio. Yao Ming, in a rugged matchup with O’Neal, had 20 points and 14 rebounds… Shane Battier added 18 points for Houston.