NBA News/Injuries/etc. (3/19/11)

HacheMan · Mar 19, 2011

Kobe Bryant - G - Lakers

Kobe Bryant is still battling a sore ankle and neck, leaving his status for Sunday's game uncertain.
Kobe vowed to fight through the injuries, and we're inclined to believe him, but confirmation won't come until tomorrow. Phil Jackson wasn't very helpful on Saturday, saying, "He's doing OK today. We're haven't talked about tomorrow yet." Mar. 19 - 4:15 p.m. ET
Source: Mike Bresnahan on Twitter

HacheMan · Mar 19, 2011

Baron Davis - G - Cavaliers

Baron Davis will not play on Saturday due to ongoing back pain.
Davis is day-to-day and while he recovers Ramon Sessions will continue to log heavy minutes as the team's starting PG. Cleveland's next game is Monday vs. the Magic. Mar. 19 - 3:15 p.m. ET
Source: Jason Lloyd on Twitter

HacheMan · Mar 19, 2011

Blake Griffin - F - Clippers

A knife-wielding intruder ran onto the court before Saturday's matinee game between the Clippers and Cavaliers -- police responded and shot him with rubber bullets.
It's unclear whether there were any players on the court during this event, but it sounds like the situation is under control. Mar. 19 - 3:10 p.m. ET

HacheMan · Mar 19, 2011

Andre Miller - G - Trail Blazers

The Blazers expect Andre Miller (personal) to play on Saturday, though his flight arrives in Portland at 5pm and he might miss the beginning of the game.
Rudy Fernandez would start if Miller isn't around by tipoff, though the Rose Garden isn't very far from the airport so ideally it won't come to that. Stay tuned. Mar. 19 - 1:57 p.m. ET

HacheMan · Mar 19, 2011

Mike Dunleavy - G/F - Pacers

Mike Dunleavy will have X-rays and be re-evaluated in 10 days, a checkup that could determine whether he'll return for any regular season games.
Dunleavy is four weeks into his projected 6-8 week timetable for recovery, but the nine-year vet is itching to help his team make the playoffs for the first time in his career. Fantasy owners shouldn't be interested in him, as he'll be rusty and play limited minutes even if he does return in two weeks. Mar. 19 - 1:39 p.m. ET
Source: Pacers.com

HacheMan · Mar 19, 2011

Andrei Kirilenko - F - Jazz

Andrei Kirilenko (back) will be a limited participant in Saturday's practice, and remains a game-time decision for Sunday vs. the Rockets.
AK saw a chiropractor on Friday and didn't practice the day before -- ideally we'll hear later today how his back responds, but may not know until just before tipoff. Mar. 19 - 1:31 p.m. ET
Source: Jonathan Rinehart on Twitter

HacheMan · Mar 19, 2011

Devin Harris - G - Jazz

Devin Harris (hamstring) will practice on Saturday but is a game-time decision for Sunday.
Harris played through the injury on Wednesday and Utah hasn't played since, so presumably he'll be ready to suit up. Half of Utah's roster is listed as a game-time decision, including Paul Millsap, Ronnie Price and Francisco Elson, Raja Bell, and Andrei Kirilenko. Mar. 19 - 1:27 p.m. ET
Source: Jonathan Rinehart on Twitter

HacheMan · Mar 19, 2011

Deron Williams - G - Nets </TD></TR><TR><TD>

</TD></TR><TR><TD class=bodyCopy>Deron Williams, Nets GM Billy King and coach Avery Johnson will meet later today in Washington DC to discuss Williams’ wrist injury and how to proceed for the rest of the season.</TD></TR><TR><TD>

</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>The Nets don't want to pressure Williams, but he is being made the face of the franchise (with massive billboards and season-ticket drives). Johnson said the decision will be made collectively, and could include "Deron continuing to play and we just continue to treat him, just resting him for tomorrow’s game (against Washington) and maybe Monday, or maybe shutting him down for 3-to-5 days and see if his wrist calms down a little bit." He didn't reject the idea of shutting Williams down for the season, but reiterated that surgery isn't a solution for strained tendons. Grab Jordan Farmar and watch how this plays out.
Mar. 19 - 1:20 p.m. ET</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>

</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>Source: NY Daily News</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

HacheMan · Mar 19, 2011

Nene Hilario - F/C - Nuggets </TD></TR><TR><TD>

</TD></TR><TR><TD class=bodyCopy>Nuggets coach George Karl will undergo minor surgery this week to replace a filter in his chest that prevents blood clots.</TD></TR><TR><TD>

</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>Karl said he feels great, and this is simply a 'maintenance' procedure -- no word yet on whether he'll miss any games, but the Nuggets' rotations shouldn't change either way.
Mar. 19 - 1:15 p.m. ET</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>

</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>Source: Alex Kennedy on Twitter</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

HacheMan · Mar 19, 2011

Gilbert Arenas - G - Magic </TD></TR><TR><TD>

</TD></TR><TR><TD class=bodyCopy>Gilbert Arenas intends to play Monday after missing Friday's game with tightness in his left calf.</TD></TR><TR><TD>

</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>Arenas couldn't get loose and said he wouldn't even have played if it were the playoffs. Orlando's mid-season trade to acquire him isn't looking too great, especially considering he's owed truckloads of money through 2013-14.
Mar. 19 - 10:22 a.m. ET</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>

</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>Source: Orlando Sentinel</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

HacheMan · Mar 19, 2011

Rajon Rondo - G - Celtics </TD></TR><TR><TD>

</TD></TR><TR><TD class=bodyCopy>Rajon Rondo brushed off talk about injuries causing his recent struggles.</TD></TR><TR><TD>

</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>"It’s simple, I’m just missing shots," said Rondo. "That seems to be the biggest thing that stands out." He added that Boston's offense feels out of sync, but as long as his injuries aren't serious (he says they aren't) the Celtics should soon rediscover their swagger.
Mar. 19 - 10:17 a.m. ET</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>

</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>Source: Boston Globe</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

HacheMan · Mar 19, 2011

Dwyane Wade - G - Heat </TD></TR><TR><TD>

</TD></TR><TR><TD class=bodyCopy>Dwyane Wade and LeBron James both said they wouldn't mind more rest as the Heat gear up for the playoffs.</TD></TR><TR><TD>

</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>"I wouldn’t mind giving up four of my 40 minutes I’ve been playing lately, but I feel good," said Wade. "I would love to see other guys get in there and really come in and take some minutes." LeBron offered similar sentiments -- we're not too concerned about a dip in production, though an eventual DNP-CD isn't out of the question.
Mar. 19 - 10:14 a.m. ET</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>

</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>Source: Miami Herald</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

HacheMan · Mar 19, 2011

Jason Kidd - G - Mavericks </TD></TR><TR><TD>

</TD></TR><TR><TD class=bodyCopy>Jason Kidd admitted that in the event of a lockout next season he would consider retirement.</TD></TR><TR><TD>

</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>"If there was a lockout and if there was no season, I probably would walk away," said Kidd. "At 39, 40 years old, that is just too much for me to train and get back in shape." Add this to the growing list of reasons why a lockout would be a disaster.
Mar. 19 - 9:53 a.m. ET</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>

</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>Source: ESPN Dallas</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

HacheMan · Mar 19, 2011

Jordan Farmar - G - Nets </TD></TR><TR><TD>

</TD></TR><TR><TD class=bodyCopy>Nets guard Jordan Farmar has a sore ankle but doesn't sound likely to miss any games.</TD></TR><TR><TD>

</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>This is worth mentioning but doesn't change Farmar's immediate status or his rest-of-season projection -- with Deron Williams (wrist) ailing, he could become a must-start player overnight.
Mar. 19 - 9:39 a.m. ET</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>

</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>Source: Newark Star-Ledger</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

HacheMan · Mar 19, 2011

Brook Lopez - C - Nets </TD></TR><TR><TD>

</TD></TR><TR><TD class=bodyCopy>Brook Lopez is "fine" despite needing seven stitches on Friday to close a cut on his chin, the result of an elbow from Andrew Bogut.</TD></TR><TR><TD>

</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>"I think more than anything our pride’s a little banged up," said coach Avery Johnson, "because we’ve been playing better basketball than what we’ve shown the last two nights." Lopez scored 25 points in the losing effort.
Mar. 19 - 9:37 a.m. ET</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>

</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>Source: Newark Star-Ledger</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

HacheMan · Mar 19, 2011

Mario Chalmers - G - Heat

Heat PG Mario Chalmers is ready to play on Sunday despite taking a shot to his neck Friday against the Hawks.
Mar. 19 - 6:01 p.m. ET

HacheMan · Mar 19, 2011

Raymond Felton - G - Nuggets </TD></TR><TR><TD>

</TD></TR><TR><TD class=bodyCopy>Raymond Felton (sprained ankle) will not play vs. the Heat on Saturday, and coach George Karl said he could miss a couple games.</TD></TR><TR><TD>

</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>This is terrible news for Felton's owners, as an indefinite string of DNPs could prove disastrous in fantasy playoffs. Ty Lawson should get all the minutes he can handle, while guys like J.R. Smith, Aaron Afflalo and Wilson Chandler can mop up any extra playing time.
Mar. 19 - 6:31 p.m. ET</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>

</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>Source: Brian Windhorst on Twitter</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

HacheMan · Mar 19, 2011

Joel Przybilla - C - Bobcats

Joel Przybilla (knee) did not play on Saturday against the Spurs, and there is no timetable for his return.
It's his sixth-straight game out, and though Kwame Brown hasn't done much to distinguish himself, he'll get every opportunity to do so with nobody to challenge him for minutes. Mar. 19 - 8:15 p.m. ET
Source: NBA.com

HacheMan · Mar 19, 2011

Tony Parker - G - Spurs

Coach Gregg Popovich said before Saturday's game against the Bobcats that he will probably rest his key players, as it is the second game in a back-to-back.
â€œItâ€™s late in the year, and back-to-backs are probably not the best idea for some of our players at this point,â€� Gregg Popovich said. He goes onto explain in detail why he might be resting his guys, but this isn't news. Owners of Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, and Antonio McDyess should downgrade their prospects tonight, and give an upgrade to George Hill, Gary Neal, and DeJuan Blair. Mar. 19 - 8:12 p.m. ET
Source: NBA.com

HacheMan · Mar 19, 2011

Tim Duncan - F/C - Spurs

Tim Duncan (rest) will not play on Saturday against the Bobcats, and Tiago Splitter will get his first NBA start in his place.
DeJuan Blair's role off the bench gets further solidified as we watch Splitter get the nod, which makes sense as the Spurs gather themselves before the playoffs. While Blair should be hands-off in most cases, a gamble on him tonight is getting better odds with this news. Splitter, despite starting, is a riskier play than Blair, but also has a shot at producing in a one-game stint. Mar. 19 - 7:55 p.m. ET
Source: Joe McDonald on Twitter