The AP reports: Without Michael Redd’s scoring punch, the Milwaukee Bucks hope a stifling defense can carry them into the playoffs. It was good enough to shut down the Toronto Raptors. Charlie Villanueva had 26 points and 13 rebounds, Richard Jefferson added 17 points and the Bucks beat the Raptors 96-85 Friday night, their first win since leading scorer Redd suffered a season-ending knee injury… Bogut returned to the lineup against the Raptors after missing eight games with back spasms and scored 13 points. Luke Ridnour added 15 points for Milwaukee.
Iguodala, Green lead Sixers past Wizards
The AP reports: Willie Green scored a season-high 20 points, Andre Iguodala also had 20 and the Philadelphia 76ers kicked off a seven-game homestand with a 104-94 win over the pesky Washington Wizards on Friday night. The Sixers built a 15-point lead in the first half, then watched it evaporate against the worst team in the NBA once Dalembert was lost with a sprained left ankle… Thaddeus Young filled in with 18 points and nine rebounds in 43 minutes… The Wizards gamely rallied and briefly went ahead late in the third quarter, only to lose their fifth straight game. Antawn Jamison had 25 points and 15 rebounds for the Wizards, Caron Butler scored 20 points and Dominic McGuire had 16.
Dunleavy leads Pacers past Heat
The AP reports: Danny Granger’s partner is back. Mike Dunleavy scored a season-high 30 points, and the Indiana Pacers beat the Miami Heat 114-103 on Friday night. Dunleavy, a leading candidate for the league’s most improved player award last season, missed the first 34 games this season with a sore right knee. He had struggled with his shot since his return, but found his form against Miami. He was 10-for-18 from the floor, including 4-for-8 on 3-pointers… Dwyane Wade scored 24 points for the Heat, who had their three-game winning streak snapped. Mark Blount scored 17 points, and Michael Beasley had 11 points and 11 rebounds for Miami.
Celtics beat Pistons for 10th straight win
The AP reports: The Boston Celtics finally got a game. The result, though, was the same. Kevin Garnett scored 22, Paul Pierce had 20 points and Ray Allen added 14, leading Boston to an 86-78 win over the Detroit Pistons on Friday night. The Celtics, who have won 10 straight, took their last seven by double digits, including three victories by 20-plus points… Detroit’s Allen Iverson scored 19 points, moving past Hall of Famer Charles Barkley and into 16th place on the NBA’s career scoring list.
Spurs recall Malik Hairston from D-League
The San Antonio Spurs announced today that they have recalled Malik Hairston from the Austin Toros of the NBA Development League (D-League).
Hairston is currently the fifth leading scorer in the D-League with 21.1 points per game. In 23 games for the Toros this season he has also averaged 5.4 rebounds and 3.8 assists. Hairston was named D-League Performer of the Week on 12/22 after helping lead the Toros to three straight wins while averaging 24.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.3 assists
Hairston was signed by the Spurs on 12/22 and was inactive for three games before being returned to Austin on 12/26. He was selected by the Phoenix Suns with the 48th overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft and was acquired by San Antonio in exchange for the draft rights to Goran Dragic. He spent training camp with San Antonio where he averaged 5.3 points and 4.5 rebounds in six preseason games before being waived on 10/26.
Tarence Kinsey out 3-5 weeks
Cavaliers guard Tarence Kinsey left last night’s game at Orlando with 1:21 remaining in the fourth quarter with a right ankle sprain. He was re-evaluated at Cleveland Clinic Sports Health today. He is estimated to be out three to five weeks. His status will be updated as appropriate.
Tracy McGrady has minor ankle sprain
The Houston Chronicle (Jonathan Feigen) reports: The Rockets’ run of relatively good health could be over after one game. Tracy McGrady left Friday’s practice with a sprained left ankle. The injury is not considered serious, with McGrady listed as “a game-time decision” to play Saturday against the Golden State Warriors.
No All-Star spot annoys Carmelo Anthony
Denver Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony was an All-Star starter last season. This year, he’s not even on the team as a reserve.
Averaging 21.1 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.6 assists on 43.7% shooting (his lowest field goal percentage since 2004-05), Melo has played in just 31 of Denver’s 46 games. His missed action due to injury certainly played a big role in being left out.
Still, the proud player isn’t going to pretend he didn’t want to make it.
The Rocky Mountain News (Chris Tomasson) reports:
“A little bit,” Anthony told the Rocky Mountain News on Friday morning in his first public comments about whether he was disappointed in not being selected Thursday to the NBA Western Conference All-Star team. “But it ain’t nothing I can control. It is what it is. I’m happy for Chauncey (Billups) making it, though.” Billups, a guard, was selected by Western Conference coaches as an All-Star reserve for the Feb. 15 game in Phoenix. But Anthony, after being selected the past two years, was left off after missing 10 games with a broken right hand. “Of course,” Anthony said when asked if he didn’t make the team because of his injury. “I didn’t think I did nothing wrong. My game didn’t do nothing wrong. That’s the only thing that could have (cost Anthony). It is what it is. There’s nothing I can complain about.”
There aren’t any small forwards on the entire West All-Star team.
I think had Melo not missed so many games he’d have been picked ahead of Hornets power forward David West.
Chris Douglas-Roberts reminded of his place
Chris Douglas-Roberts is a rookie guard on the New Jersey Nets. And just because his shoulders look like they were put on backwards doesn’t mean he doesn’t deserve respect.
Still, rookies have to know their place. Especially those who will have to keep working hard to prove they belong in the league.
The New York Daily News (Julian Garcia) reports:
Rookie guard Chris Douglas-Roberts was knocked down a peg by assistant coach Doug Overton Thursday. During a drill that only a few players were participating in, Overton screamed, “Shut the — up. You’re a rookie!” Douglas-Roberts then stood with his shirt pulled up over his face while he waited to get back on the court. He looked to be on the verge of tears as he returned to the locker room after practice ended.
That’s tough love, folks.
Teammates call Mo Williams an All-Star
Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Mo Williams is having a great season, but wasn’t named an NBA All-Star reserve.
Shooting 46.7% from the field, Williams is averaging 17.0 points, 3.3 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game.
Orlando Magic point guard Jameer Nelson, who did make the All-Star team, is shooting better than Mo Williams, getting more steals and dishing more assists.
Still, it’s somewhat close. And Mo’s teammates are outraged. The Cleveland Plain Dealer (Mary Schmitt Boyer) reports:
“It’s a tragedy,” Ben Wallace said. “I think it’s an injustice. It’s a fraud. We’ve got the best record in the league, and we’ve only got one guy going. You always make it the next year, after the year you were supposed to make it. It’s a travesty and a sham and a mockery. It’s a shamockery.” Said LeBron James: “It just shows the disrespect that basketball in Cleveland continues to get. I haven’t seen the All-Star list yet, so I can’t comment on who’s in it. But it’s definitely disrespectful that we continue to do work every year with nothing to show for it. They always say when you win, individual accolades will take care of itself. But sometimes it doesn’t happen.
I like that. A sham, and a mockery. A shamockery. I’m going to go outside now and start yelling those words at random strangers on the street here in NYC, while waving my arms around wildly. But not tell them what I’m actually outraged about. This has nothing to do with Mo or Jameer. It just sounds fun.