The Denver Post (Chris Dempsey) reports: Asked how the Nuggets expect to bounce back from their last game, a 44-point pounding at New Jersey, forward Carmelo Anthony had a simple response. “What game?” he said, smiling about Saturday’s game that at the time was no laughing matter. Said guard Chauncey Billups: “I forgot all about that game. I didn’t even know we played Saturday. As a matter of fact, we didn’t play Saturday.” Amnesia might be the best way for the Nuggets to move on from their worst loss this season, but as they practiced Monday at American Airlines Arena, they mixed forgetting with equal parts humor and trust.
Banged-up Bucks beat Rockets 124-112
The AP reports: Charlie Villanueva scored 25 points and grabbed eight rebounds, and Ramon Sessions had 26 points and seven assists to give Milwaukee a 124-112 victory over Houston on Monday night that snapped an eight-game losing streak against the Rockets… Yao Ming finished with seven points on 2-of-8 shooting and Tracy McGrady had three points on 1-of-9 shooting… Richard Jefferson added 25 points, reserve Charlie Bell had 21 and Keith Bogans 13 as Milwaukee (25-29) moved within one win of its season total last year… Aaron Brooks scored a career-high 23 points, Luis Scola and Ron Artest had 20 points apiece and Carl Landry added 16 for the Rockets.
Mayo leads Grizzlies past short-handed Hornets 85-80
The AP reports: O.J. Mayo had 22 points and a career-high 16 rebounds, while Mike Conley scored 18 and handed out eight assists to lead the Grizzlies to an 85-80 victory Monday night… Hakim Warrick had 15 points and a season-high 14 rebounds, while Marc Gasol added 10 points and 10 rebounds for Memphis, which has won two straight and four of its last five. Peja Stojakovic scored 23 points to lead the Hornets, who were without their top three players in Chris Paul, Tyson Chandler and David West. Paul and Chandler were out with injuries, while West was suspended for the game after his flagrant foul against Minnesota’s Mike Miller on Sunday.
76ers rout Suns 108-91 for third straight win
The AP reports: Marreese Speights had a career-high 24 points and Thaddeus Young scored 25 points to lift the Philadelphia 76ers to their third straight win, 108-91 over the Phoenix Suns on Monday night… Andre Iguodala scored 22 points and Samuel Dalembert grabbed 11 rebounds to help the Sixers (26-24) move two games above .500 for the first time this season. They’ve won 13 of 17 and are seven games over .500 since DiLeo took over in December. Amare Stoudemire shrugged off persistent trade rumors and scored 19 points for the Suns. Jason Richardson had 16 and Shaquille O’Neal grabbed 10 rebounds.
Radmanovic helps Bobcats top Clippers 94-73
The AP reports: Vladimir Radmanovic, buried on the bench with the Lakers, scored 13 points and hit three fourth-quarter 3-pointers in his Charlotte debut Monday night, helping turn a close game into a rout in the Bobcats’ 94-73 win over the road-weary Los Angeles Clippers… Emeka Okafor had 19 points and 16 rebounds for the undermanned Bobcats, who were missing starters Gerald Wallace (rib, lung) and Raja Bell (groin)… Zach Randolph had 20 points and 10 rebounds and Eric Gordon scored 17 for the Clippers, who fizzled in the fourth quarter in the finale of a seven-game road trip… Al Thornton shot 3-for-13, Camby 3-for-8 and Davis 1-for-7 in his return to Charlotte, where he began his NBA career with the Hornets.
Al Jefferson tears ACL in right knee
The Minnesota Timberwolves today announced that center Al Jefferson will be out indefinitely after suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee. A Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) study done this morning revealed the extent of the injury, which occurred in Minnesota’s game last night at New Orleans. The date for surgery has yet to be determined.
“This is an unfortunate situation for Al and we wish him a quick recovery,” said Timberwolves head coach Kevin McHale. “Al has been playing at an all-star level all season and has been our go-to-guy on the court. Knowing Al, he will work hard in his rehab efforts to get back on the court as soon as possible. In the interim, I’m confident that the other players on our roster will step up and meet this challenge.”
Jefferson has appeared in all 50 games for the Timberwolves this season with averages of 23.1 ppg (7th in NBA), 11.0 rpg (6th in NBA), and 1.7 bpg. The fifth-year center is one of just three players in the NBA (Dwight Howard, Tim Duncan) to post at least 20 points and 10 rebounds per game this season. Jefferson also ranks fifth in the NBA with 30 double-doubles in 2008-09 and is shooting 49.7% from the field while averaging a career-best 73.8% from the free-throw line. In his five-year NBA career, Jefferson has posted averages of 14.9 points, 8.5 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game.
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Cavs assign Darnell Jackson to D-League
Cleveland Cavaliers rookie Darnell Jackson was assigned to the Erie BayHawks, the Cavaliers’ NBA Development League affiliate, it was announced today. The assignment is the 21st of the 2008-09 NBA D-League season and the first in BayHawks history.
Originally selected in the second round of the 2008 NBA Draft by the Miami Heat, Jackson was acquired by Cleveland in exchange for two second round picks in the 2009 NBA Draft. The 6-9 forward, has seen action in 24 games for Cleveland this season and has totaled 25 points and 29 rebounds.
A four-year contributor at Kansas and a member of the 2008 NCAA Championship squad, Jackson averaged 6.8 points and 4.9 rebounds while shooting .580 from the field in his 125-game NCAA career. Following his senior season, after averaging 11.2 points, a team-high 6.7 rebounds and scoring in double figures on 24 occasions, he was named to the All-Big 12 Third Team and Big 12 All-Improved Team by members of the media.
Jackson is expected to join the BayHawks today and be available tonight when the team hosts the Utah Flash.
Bucks sign Eddie Gill to 10-day contract
The Milwaukee Bucks have signed guard Eddie Gill (6-1, 185) to a 10-day contract, General Manager John Hammond announced today.
Gill, 30, has played 22 games for the Colorado 14ers of the NBA Development League this season and averaged 16.2 points, 8.6 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 1.6 steals in 35.5 minutes per contest. Last season for the 14ers, he averaged 18.0 points, 8.5 assists and 5.1 rebounds in 37 games. Gill began the 2007-08 season with the New Jersey Nets and appeared in 13 games before being waived on December 12, 2007.
A seven-year NBA veteran, Gill began his NBA career with New Jersey in 2001. In 181 career games he has averaged 3.1 points, 1.1 rebounds and 1.1 assists with stints at New Jersey (2001, 2007), Memphis (2002), Portland (2004), Indiana (2004-2006) and Seattle (2008).
Not drafted out of Weber State in 2000, Gill began his professional basketball career with Las Vegas of the International Basketball League. He has also played professionally in the American Basketball Association (Kansas City), the CBA (Dakota), as well as overseas in Italy, Greece and Russia.
The Bucks roster is now at 15 players.
Iverson throws nasty pass
The Detroit Free Press (Carlos Monarrez) reports: On a fast break late in the third quarter, Allen Iverson spotted Richard Hamilton streaking toward the basket and bounced a pass through Grant Hill’s legs. Hamilton took the pass under the basket and scored on a lay-up. “I just saw Rip running,” Iverson said. “I didn’t want to put too much air under it, so that’s why I bounced it. I felt like if I threw a bounce pass it would get there fast enough. I think Grant going for it, trying to steal it, he just added more to the play. It might not have seemed as spectacular if he wouldn’t have tried to stick his foot out there and kick it. It’s a play that I’ve made before, a play that I’ve been practicing since I was kid, since seeing Magic Johnson do it.”
Adam Morrison to wear no.6
The Press-Enterprise (Jeff Eisenberg) reports: Newly acquired Adam Morrison will switch from No. 35 to No. 6, symbolic of his quest for a fresh start with the Lakers. “Some people have forgotten about his skill as a basketball player, but this is an opportunity to start over,” Jackson said. “It’s the Western Conference, he’s a Western kid. It’s a much more hospitable environment for him.”