Stoudemire 10 for 10, Knicks crush Kings 120-81

amare stoudemire

Amare Stoudemire sat through the sluggish start, and had one thought in mind when it was his turn to change it.

”Dominate,” he said. ”Dominate is the main objective. That’s the only thought that I think when I go in the game.”

That’s exactly what Knicks did. Really, really dominate.

Stoudemire was 10 for 10 from the field for 21 points, and New York unleashed a 38-4 run on Sacramento in the first half and clobbered the Kings 120-81 on Saturday night for its fourth straight victory.

The Knicks actually trailed by 10 when Stoudemire entered in the first quarter, then went on to challenge the franchise-record victory margin of 48 points and kept alive Mike Woodson’s chances of coaching the Eastern Conference All-Star team.

It was an awesome display by New York in front of some special guests: 150 children, their families and teachers from Sandy Hook Elementary School. The Knicks didn’t even need much from leading scorer Carmelo Anthony, who tied a season low with nine points and had his run of 20-point games snapped at 31, the longest single-season streak in franchise history…

J.R. Smith scored 25 points and Steve Novak added 15 as the Knicks made 19 3-pointers. Tyson Chandler had 11 points and 20 rebounds, becoming the first Knicks player with consecutive 20-board games since Marcus Camby on Dec. 8 and 11, 2001…

DeMarcus Cousins had 25 points and nine rebounds for the Kings, who were horrible from all areas of the court, missing shots right at the rim on offense and often not even getting anywhere near the Knicks’ 3-point shooters on defense.

— Reported by Brian Mahoney of the Associated Press

Bulls beat Hawks 93-76 with 3 starters held out

Luol Deng

Luol Deng and Taj Gibson were exhausted and determined to stay on the floor. They kept playing in the final minutes, long after the Chicago Bulls had secured another win.

Deng said the starters in a patchwork lineup were determined to finish what they started.

Deng had 25 points and 14 rebounds, and the short-handed Bulls used their stifling defense to shut down the Atlanta Hawks in a 93-76 victory on Saturday night.

Playing without injured starters Kirk Hinrich, Joakim Noah and Carlos Boozer, Chicago dominated near the basket and got a lift from the frenetic play of Nate Robinson. The Bulls used only eight players for the second straight night, but it was more than enough for an impressive road win.

Deng, Gibson and Jimmy Butler each logged more than 45 minutes. Robinson topped 40 minutes as the Bulls had a strong answer for their 89-83 loss at the Nets on Friday night…

Gibson had 19 points and a career-high 19 rebounds…

Butler added another double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Robinson went 4 for 6 from 3-point range and finished with 20 points.

The Hawks had no answer for Deng, who had five assists, four steals and two blocks. He had seven offensive rebounds…

Josh Smith led Atlanta with 19 points and 13 rebounds but his only basket in the second half was a 3-pointer. Jeff Teague scored 16, and Al Horford had 14 points and 12 rebounds.

— Reported by Charles Odum of the Associated Press

Bobcats forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist suffers concussion

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist

Bobcats forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist was taken to Houston’s Memorial Hermann Hospital tonight after getting hit in the head during the team’s game against the Rockets.

Kidd-Gilchrist, who was alert and had movement in all extremities before leaving the Toyota Center, underwent precautionary X-rays and a CT scan, all of which were negative for head and neck injuries. He does have a concussion and will remain hospitalized overnight for observation.

The injury occurred at the 10:42 mark of the fourth quarter when Kidd-Gilchrist collided with teammate Jeffery Taylor.

New Pistons guard Jose Calderon waiting for work visa

jose calderon

New Detroit Pistons guard Jose Calderon isn’t expected to have his work visa cleared in time for Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers, which brings his availability Monday against the New York Knicks into question, too.

Calderon has watched a shootaround, a game and a practice.  He has taken notes and studied plays.  He can fly on the team plane late Sunday afternoon.

But the Spaniard can’t work with the team until his visa situation is resolved and with Sunday’s game followed by a road game the next night, there is some question whether Calderon could play Monday against the Knicks.

The Pistons traditionally don’t have a game-day shootaround for a back-end game but that’s predicated upon playing the night before.  Sunday’s 1 p.m. tipoff could alter Monday’s plan.  It’s akin to traveling after a practice, the night before a game, like any other single-game road trip.

— Reported by David Mayo of Michigan Live

Barclays Center celebrates its one-millionth guest

Good thing she wasn’t a season-ticket holder.

Allison Barlow scored big at the Brooklyn Nets game Friday when she became Barclays Center’s 1 millionth customer — earning her two free tickets for every event there for a year.

Jaws dropped, lights flashed and streamers exploded in the air as the modest mom passed through the turnstile for her second Nets game at the arena — leaving her husband and friends who accompanied her stunned.

“I didn’t even know what was happening,” said Barlow, 50. “It’s kind of like a dream.”

— Reported by Corinne Lestch of the New York Daily News

Paul Pierce wants Billy Hunter gone from NBA Players Union

paul pierce

Celtics forward Paul Pierce, the team’s union representative, called for the removal of NBPA executive director Billy Hunter after Hunter was placed on a leave of absence Friday by the union and president Derek Fisher…

An independent investigation into union practices discovered several misdoings but nothing illegal. Hunter was found to have hired his family members, invested union money into a fledgling bank that employed his son, agreed to a contract extension without the vote of the entire union membership and purchased gifts for executive committee members using union money…

“I think with the way things been going with the association, with all the accusations, I think it’s finally time for some change,” he told the Globe after the Celtics’ 97-84 win over the Orlando Magic. “A lot of the players been unhappy with what’s going on and so I think it’s time.”

— Reported by Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe (Blog)

Greg Oden meets with Boston Celtics

Greg Oden meets with Boston Celtics

The Celtics are hoping to move up the list of teams that interests former No. 1 overall pick Greg Oden after the two parties met Saturday afternoon in Boston.

Oden, a former prodigy who was supposed to change the Portland Trail Blazers franchise, has had microfracture surgeries on both knees and decided to take this season off to get those knees healthy as he attempts another return.

Oden has played a total of 82 games since entering the NBA in 2007 and has not been completely healthy since missing his entire rookie season with his first microfracture surgery. He last played on Dec. 5, 2009 with Portland, sustaining another serious knee injury that cost him two seasons.

— Reported by Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe

NBA fines Mavs coach Rick Carlisle $25,000

Dallas Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle has been fined $25,000 for public criticism of officiating, it was announced today by Stu Jackson, NBA Executive Vice President Basketball Operations.

Carlisle made his comments post game following the Mavericks’ 100-97 loss to the Golden State Warriors on Jan. 31 at Oracle Arena.

According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, “Carlisle sent texts to reporters today, letting them know that he is in complete agreement with the NBA’s decision to dock him a few thousand dollars. “I spoke to the NBA office today and agreed that I should be fined for my comments following the Golden State game,” Carlisle texted. “In this league we all have challenging jobs, and the job of the officials is one of the toughest. “Those postgame remarks about the officiating were not appropriate and I accept the fine.”

Jose Calderon will start at PG for Pistons

jose calderon

Pistons coach Lawrence Frank immediately declared that Calderon will become his starter after working out some kinks with the player’s work visa, which kept Calderon in street clothes Friday against the Cleveland Cavaliers, and perhaps a couple of quick practices.

“It’s no different than in football when you’ve got a quarterback,” Frank said.  “It’s no knock on anything that you’ve got now.  It’s just that Jose is really elite at it.  He understands how to get guys the ball in the right place at the right time.  Plus, he loves doing it.  That’s his instinct.  His instinct is to give.  His instinct is to get everyone involved.”

Calderon has ranked in the top three in NBA assist-to-turnover ratio for three consecutive years.  His 4.44 ratio ranks fourth in the league this season.

“He’s a giver,” Frank said.  “He makes other people feel real good about their games.”

Calderon was acquired Wednesday in a three-team trade, in which the Pistons sent Tayshaun Prince and Austin Daye to the Memphis Grizzlies.

Frank said having Calderon and Brandon Knight in the starting backcourt, and Will Bynum and Rodney Stuckey on the reserves — all of whom have extensive point-guard experience — gives the Pistons “four guards that can all come with a basket-thrust mentality.”

— Reported by David Mayo of Michigan Live

Delonte West leaves D-League team in limbo

delonte west

West, the colorful journeyman guard who has been out of basketball since his detrimental conduct caused the Mavericks to release him just before the season opened, has left the D-League’s Texas Legends in limbo. The Legends claimed West on Jan. 25 after he put his name in the D-League player pool, but he has yet to report to Frisco.

A source said it’s up to West whether he will play for the Legends, who are still open to having him on the team and continue to list him on the roster on the team’s website. West has complicated the process by parting ways with agent Dan Fegan.

West, 29, a valuable role player during his lone campaign in Dallas last season, had hoped to earn another chance with the Mavs via his performance and behavior with their D-League affiliate. However, Mavs owner Mark Cuban publicly declared that wasn’t a possibility hours after the Legends acquired West’s rights.

— Reported by Tim MacMahon of ESPN Dallas