The AP reports: Richard Jefferson scored 24 points Monday as the Bucks beat a Magic team missing Dwight Howard and two other starters, 98-80. Ramon Sessions added 19 points in the home finale for the Bucks, providing a late high note in what has otherwise been a disappointing season for Milwaukee… Courtney Lee had 17 points for the Magic, who shot an ugly 31.8 percent from the field and went only 2-for-18 from 3-point range.
Jarvis Hayes rallys, Nets beat Bobcats
The AP reports: Jarvis Hayes hit two late 3-pointers in a 37-second span and the Nets rallied from a 12-point fourth-quarter deficit against Bobcats backups in posting a 91-87 victory on Monday night. “It was us coming through at the right time,” said Hayes, who finished with 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting, including a perfect 3-for-3 from long range… Rookie Brook Lopez added 18 points and a career-best 20 rebounds, and Vince Carter had five of his 19 points in the final 4:47 as New Jersey won its second straight, but only its fourth in 12 games. Raymond Felton had 19 points as Charlotte lost its third straight and sixth in seven games.
Rose, Gordon lead Bulls comeback win over Pistons
The AP reports: The Pistons blew another fourth-quarter lead in a 91-88 loss to the Chicago Bulls. The defeat means Detroit (39-42) will face top-seeded Cleveland in the first round of the playoffs… Derrick Rose scored 11 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter, while Ben Gordon added 19. Richard Hamilton led the Pistons with 25 points and Tayshaun Prince added 19… Detroit broke open a tie game with an 8-0 run late in the second quarter, and still held a 56-48 advantage at the intermission.
Late Bosh 3 leads Raptors over Wizards
The AP reports: The Wizards were handed their 62nd loss, one short of the franchise record, when Chris Bosh made the go-ahead 3-pointer with 9.9 seconds left Monday night in the Raptors’ 97-96 victory. The Wizards must win their final game on Wednesday in Boston to avoid tying the 2000-01 team with a 19-63 mark… Bosh, who had 25 points and 15 rebounds, converted his first 3-pointer since March 6… Caron Butler scored 28 points and Antawn Jamison had 23. Butler, who gave Washington a 93-80 lead when he hit two free throws with 6:30 to play, missed all four of his shots in the fourth quarter. The final was when his layup attempt was smothered with 0.1 seconds to play.
Cavaliers beat Pacers, clinch home court advantage
The AP reports: LeBron James expects to rest during Cleveland’s regular-season finale, a well-earned reward for leading the Cavaliers to home-court advantage throughout the playoffs. James scored 37 points as the Cleveland beat the Indiana Pacers 117-109 on Monday night to clinch the league’s best record… James’ teammates were strong on Monday. Delonte West scored 20 points, Mo Williams had 18 and Zydrunas Ilgauskas added 16 points and 10 rebounds for Cleveland, which won its fifth straight. Rookie Brandon Rush scored 27 points and Troy Murphy had 17 points and 13 rebounds for Indiana. The Pacers had already been eliminated from the playoff race, but had won seven of 10 and had been playing particularly well on offense. The Cavaliers took the Pacers seriously after Indiana stunned them 96-95 on Feb. 10 at Conseco Fieldhouse.
Raptors sign Quincy Douby through next season
The Toronto Raptors announced Monday they have signed guard Quincy Douby for the remainder of this season and the 2009-10 season. Per team policy, financial details were not disclosed. The Raptors signed the free agent to consecutive 10-day contracts March 24 and April 2.
Douby has appeared in six games for Toronto, averaging 5.2 points and 1.7 assists in 10.7 minutes. He has averaged 8.0 points, 2.0 assists and 14.0 minutes in the past three games, shooting .667 (10-15) from the field and three-point range (4-6) during that span.
Douby, 6-foot-3, 175 pounds, averaged 18.0 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 28.6 minutes in five games with the D-League’s Erie BayHawks this season. He scored in double figures in all five games, with a high of 23 points at Albuquerque.
Douby, 24, was the 19th selection as an early entry candidate by the Sacramento Kings in the 2006 NBA Draft. He averaged 4.1 points, 1.0 rebounds and 10.7 minutes in 116 career games with the Kings. He posted a career-high 32 points at the Los Angeles Lakers on April 15, 2008. He was released by Sacramento on January 21.
Douby averaged 17.8 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 95 career games at Rutgers University. He finished his career ranked sixth in school history in scoring (1,690) and holds the school record for points scored in a single season (839 in 2005-06). He averaged 25.4 points as a junior, leading the Big East in scoring and finishing sixth nationally. He earned first-team All-Big East honours in his junior season.
Read fan reaction and discuss your own opinion in this forum topic.
Hedo Turkoglu is OK
The Orlando Sentinel (Brian Schmitz) reports (via blog): But there was good news: Hedo Turkoglu, said Van Gundy, has no swelling in his ankle and could have played against the Milwaukee Bucks tonight if the game meant something. He should be ready for the first round of the playoffs this week, which open in Orlando. Turkoglu sprained his left ankle late in Saturday night’s loss to the New Jersey Nets. “He was had very little swelling and no discoloration,” Van Gundy said. “To be quite honest, if this were a game we had to have, I think he could actually go tonight. He and Rashard could both go.”
Euroleague MVP for March/April: Erazem Lorbek
Euroleague.net reports: A former Euroleague Rising Star Trophy winner, all grown up now at age 25, has done the seemingly impossible during March and April – made defending champion CSKA Moscow look even stronger. While CSKA was qualifying for its record seventh consecutive Final Four over the last two months, big man Erazem Lorbek was solidifying his role as the newest major contributor for the Russian powerhouse. During the five victories in March and April with which CSKA reached and then swept through the playoffs, Lorbek led the champs in scoring, index rating or both in every game except one. For his outsized role in keeping CSKA’s back-to-back title hopes very much alive, Lorbek is Euroleague Basketball’s choice as March/April MVP.
Russell Westbrook developing
The Oklahoman (Darnell Mayberry) reports on the Thunder: But no matter which direction the front office is leaning on Russell Westbrook, the rookie has shown over the past three games that he’s starting to get it. Only now, after 70-plus games, does Westbrook fully understand what it takes to run an NBA team. Westbrook’s execution still is erratic. But more than ever, he’s slowing down. He’s setting up his teammates first and looking for his shot second. He’s making the simple play rather than the shaky one. Westbrook is averaging a season-high seven assists this month, and his assist-to-turnover ratio stands at 1.91, not great but trailing only January’s 2.03 as his highest ratio in any full month.
Ben Wallace has left knee strain
Ben Wallace left the Cavaliers game last night at home vs. the Celtics in the 2nd Quarter with a left knee contusion and did not return to play. He did not travel with the team to Indiana last night for tonight’s game vs. the Pacers.
Ben was re-evaluated at Cleveland Clinic Sports Health this morning and received an MRI, the results of which revealed a left patella tendon strain.
He will receive treatment and rehab here in Cleveland today and is now listed as Out for tonight’s game in Indiana and Doubtful for Wednesday’s game at home vs. Philadelphia. His status will be updated as appropriate.