The AP reports: Looking like the ‘Sheed who helped the Pistons to the title in 2004, Wallace tied a season high with 25 points and had 10 rebounds to lead the Detroit Pistons to a 98-89 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night. Allen Iverson added 19 points and Antonio McDyess had 14 points and 10 boards off the bench for the Pistons, who had lost two in a row and seven of nine… Al Jefferson had 24 points and six rebounds for the Wolves, who entered the night with the best record (10-2) in the NBA in January and a three-game winning streak. Rookie Kevin Love had 17 points and 10 rebounds, but Minnesota had no answer for Wallace most of the game.
Thunder beat Grizzlies 114-102 in OT
The AP reports: Kevin Durant scored 35 points and led the way as the Thunder recovered after blowing a late 12-point lead to beat the Memphis Grizzlies 114-102 in overtime Wednesday night… Jeff Green added 23 points on a career-high five 3-pointers, Westbrook scored 16 points, and Chucky Atkins had 10 in only his second game since joining the Thunder in a trade three weeks ago. Rudy Gay finished with 25 points to lead Memphis, which lost its 11th straight game and fell to 0-2 under new coach Lionel Hollins. Mayo scored 17 points, and Mike Conley and Marc Gasol added 15 apiece for Memphis. Conley also had a career-high nine assists.
House helps Celtics crush Kings
The AP reports: Eddie House is all warmed up and ready for the 3-point shooting contest on All-Star weekend. All he needs is an invitation. The Boston sharpshooter scored 28 points on a career-high eight 3-pointers, going 8-for-9 from beyond the arc on Wednesday night to lead the Celtics to their ninth straight win, 119-100 over the Sacramento Kings… John Salmons scored 22 points, and Jason Thompson had 21 points and 11 rebounds for the Kings, who lost to Boston by 45 earlier this season. Sacramento is 0-20 against the Eastern Conference—the only NBA team that has been blanked by entire conference so far.
Nate Robinson leads Knicks past Hawks 112-104
The AP reports: Nate Robinson ‘s high-energy, high-flying style is the kind of play that pumps up a crowd. It’s probably not a coincidence that as the backup guard has broken out of a slump, the Knicks are rolling at home. Robinson had another big fourth quarter, scoring 20 of his 24 points in the final 10 minutes, to lead New York past the Atlanta Hawks 112-104 on Wednesday night… Marvin Williams had 28 points and Josh Smith added 26 for Atlanta. Point guard Mike Bibby scored just five points on 2-of-13 shooting… New York’s David Lee had his ninth straight double-double with 17 points and 16 rebounds. Duhon had 16 points and 11 assists.
Calderon big as Raptors beat Nets
The AP reports: With Jose Calderon back in the lineup, the Toronto Raptors are hoping the second half of the season is a lot better than the first. Calderon had 17 points and 11 assists and the Raptors escaped with a 107-106 victory over New Jersey on Wednesday night after Nets point guard Devin Harris missed a wide-open 16-foot jumper at the buzzer… Anthony Parker added 21 points, and Chris Bosh had 18 for the Raptors, who shot almost 56 percent and had six players in double figures. Andrea Bargnani had his streak of 15 straight games of at least 15 points stopped, scoring eight. Vince Carter had 27 points to lead the Nets, who rallied in the final minutes by hitting four of their 15 3-pointers. Harris added 25 points and 10 assists, but he missed the biggest shot of the night after Calderon had left the door open by missing a jumper with about 21 seconds to play.
Balanced Wade helps Heat beat Wizards
The AP reports: Dwyane Wade knew he was on the cusp of a triple-double. He didn’t mind getting a break instead. Wade had 14 points, nine rebounds and nine assists before sitting out the entire fourth quarter, and the Miami Heat pulled away in the second half to beat the Washington Wizards 93-71 on Wednesday night… Daequan Cook and Michael Beasley each had 16 points for the Heat, who’ve won three straight, all against Southeast Division rivals. Udonis Haslem scored 14 points, and James Jones and Mario Chalmers had 10 each for Miami, which closed the game on a 44-21 run… Antawn Jamison had 21 points and 12 rebounds for Washington, an NBA-worst 9-36. Caron Butler added 18 points, and Darius Songalia had 10 for the Wizards.
Ford drives Pacers past Bucks 107-99
The AP reports: T.J. Ford’s driving skills keep improving. Even when Danny Granger isn’t around to help co-pilot—and even though his ailing back still isn’t 100 percent. The veteran guard maneuvered around Milwaukee’s standstill defense Wednesday night, repeatedly exploiting the gaps to match a career high with 34 points and leading the Pacers past his former team 107-99… Ford wasn’t the only Indiana player who exploited the middle of Milwaukee’s defense. Jarrett Jack followed Ford into the lane, finishing with 14 points. Mike Dunleavy and Rasho Nesterovic also had 14 each… So Charlie Villanueva and Richard Jefferson produced the points. Villanueva finished with 28 points and eight rebounds before fouling out. Jefferson added 19 points and guard Ramon Sessions had 16 points.
2009 All-Star rookie game rosters
The 2009 NBA Rookie Challenge game info has been released. It’s the All-Star event that happens on Friday where the best rookies from this year face the best “sophomores” (second-year players) — who were rookies last year.
For some reason the actual official title of the event is the “Rookie Challenge and Youth Jam.” But I have no idea what “youth jam” is or how it relates to this actual game or event. Maybe some youth are dunking nerf basketballs on mini-hoops nearby, before the game, or something.
Anyway, as for the Rookie game, it should be a pretty decent matchup! I hope it turns into the wild dunk fest that usually breaks out, especially at the end. That stuff is fun.
InsideHoops.com provides full NBA All-Star weekend coverage. We’ll begin updating that entire section this afternoon.
Gerald Wallace health update: partial collapsed lung and broken rib
Charlotte Bobcats forward Gerald Wallace was diagnosed with having 30-40 percent of his left lung collapsed and a non-displaced fracture of the fifth rib following a CT-Scan at Centinela Hospital in Los Angeles. He did not accompany the team to Portland.
Wallace had a chest tube inserted into the lung to help restore it to functional capacity, but will remain in the hospital over the next 48 hours for observation. Additional information about his progress and a timetable for his return will be updated in the coming days ahead.
The injury occurred after Wallace was fouled by Lakers center Andrew Bynum as he drove the lane in the fourth quarter with 2:22 left to play in regulation. He was immediately taken off the floor and received x-rays at the arena. Preliminary pictures were inconclusive, which prompted Lakers team physicians to arrange the additional examination.
The Bobcats defeated the Lakers at Staples Center in double-overtime 117-110.
Gerald Wallace hospitalized
Charlotte Bobcats guard/forward Gerald Wallace may have a collapsed lung. The Charlotte Observer (Rick Bonnell) reports: Wallace was injured in the fourth quarter of the Bobcats’ double-overtime victory over the Lakers when center Andrew Bynum hip-checked Wallace to the floor on a drive to the basket. Bynum was called for a flagrant foul, and Wallace had to be helped to the locker room by teammates.
UPDATE: The latest health updates are here.