NBA News/Injuries/etc. (2/5/12)

[HacheMan]

<table border="0" cellSpacing="0" cellPadding="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td>Luol Deng - F - Bulls </td></tr><tr><td>

</td></tr><tr><td class="bodyCopy">Luol Deng has been assured that playing won't make his wrist injury any worse, so his level of activity is basically a matter of pain tolerance.</td></tr><tr><td>

</td></tr><tr><td class="vaLink">"I felt it, [and] I’m going to feel it," Deng said after returning and playing 41 minutes on Saturday. "I really was cautious at the start of the game. As the game went on, just playing basketball, I didn’t really think about it until I fell [in the fourth quarter]." Deng scored 21 points and looked great.
Feb. 5 - 9:48 a.m. ET</td></tr></tbody></table>

 

[HacheMan]

<table border="0" cellSpacing="0" cellPadding="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td>Derrick Rose - G - Bulls </td></tr><tr><td>

</td></tr><tr><td class="bodyCopy">Derrick Rose said his back tightened during the second quarter of Saturday's game, but he doesn't expect it to be a serious problem.</td></tr><tr><td>

</td></tr><tr><td class="vaLink">Rose played well the rest of the way, but there's always a danger the back will lock up on him overnight. In the absence of a pessimistic update, we're expecting him to play in Monday's game vs. the Nets.
Feb. 5 - 1:29 a.m. ET</td></tr><tr><td class="vaLink">

</td></tr><tr><td class="vaLink">Source: AP</td></tr></tbody></table>

 

[HacheMan]

<table border="0" cellSpacing="0" cellPadding="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td>Dwyane Wade - G - Heat </td></tr><tr><td>

</td></tr><tr><td class="bodyCopy">Dwyane Wade said he wants to score more in the mid-range, rather than attempt so many difficult, acrobatic shots near the basket.</td></tr><tr><td>

</td></tr><tr><td class="vaLink">"Other years, I always had the ball where I could see everybody at the top of the key and I am able to decide what shot I am going to shoot," said Wade. "And now I was kind of put in a different position." He's on pace to shoot a career-low 45 percent from the field, but is confident that he'll find his rhythm before long.
Feb. 5 - 9:57 a.m. ET</td></tr><tr><td class="vaLink">

</td></tr><tr><td class="vaLink">Source: Palm Beach Post</td></tr></tbody></table>

 

[HacheMan]

<table border="0" cellSpacing="0" cellPadding="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td>Raymond Felton - G - Trail Blazers </td></tr><tr><td>

</td></tr><tr><td class="bodyCopy">Raymond Felton (left foot sprain) is questionable to play in Monday's game vs. the Thunder.</td></tr><tr><td>

</td></tr><tr><td class="vaLink">X-rays were negative and Felton sounded optimistic after the game. "Most likely I'll be out there [on Monday]," Felton said. "It's kind of hard to keep me off the court." Ideally we'll know his status after Monday's shootaround.
Feb. 5 - 10:28 a.m. ET</td></tr><tr><td class="vaLink">

</td></tr><tr><td class="vaLink">Source: The Oregonian</td></tr></tbody></table>

 

[HacheMan]

<table border="0" cellSpacing="0" cellPadding="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td>Brandon Bass - F - Celtics </td></tr><tr><td>

</td></tr><tr><td class="bodyCopy">Brandon Bass (knee) will not play on Sunday.</td></tr><tr><td>

</td></tr><tr><td class="vaLink">There was no indication that Bass' knee was an issue, and it seems he succumbed to the wear-and-tear of the season. JaJuan Johnson and Chris Wilcox will be leaned on to provide frontcourt support.
Feb. 5 - 11:25 a.m. ET</td></tr></tbody></table>

 

[HacheMan]

<table border="0" cellSpacing="0" cellPadding="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td>Jermaine O'Neal - C - Celtics </td></tr><tr><td>

</td></tr><tr><td class="bodyCopy">Jermaine O'Neal (knee) will be active for Sunday's game.</td></tr><tr><td>

</td></tr><tr><td class="vaLink">J.O. had an MRI on Saturday which was taken as a precaution, and it appears it didn't show anything too worrying.
Feb. 5 - 11:26 a.m. ET</td></tr><tr><td class="vaLink">

</td></tr><tr><td class="vaLink">Source: Gary Washburn on Twitter</td></tr></tbody></table>

 

[HacheMan]

<table border="0" cellSpacing="0" cellPadding="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td>Derrick Rose - G - Bulls </td></tr><tr><td>

</td></tr><tr><td class="bodyCopy">Derrick Rose (stiff back) was a partial participant in Sunday's practice, but said he will play in Monday's game vs. the Nets.</td></tr><tr><td>

</td></tr><tr><td class="vaLink">Rose's back tightened up during Saturday's game but he played through the ailment and was quite effective. He's averaging 13.0 assists in the past two games.
Feb. 5 - 3:24 p.m. ET</td></tr><tr><td class="vaLink">

</td></tr><tr><td class="vaLink">Source: K.C. Johnson on Twitter</td></tr></tbody></table>

 

[HacheMan]

<table border="0" cellSpacing="0" cellPadding="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td>Luol Deng - F - Bulls </td></tr><tr><td>

</td></tr><tr><td class="bodyCopy">Luol Deng (wrist) practiced fully on Sunday without incident.</td></tr><tr><td>

</td></tr><tr><td class="vaLink">Deng played 41 minutes in his return on Saturday, and coach Tom Thibodeau said he'll play as many minutes as he can handle. Make sure he's in all active lineups.
Feb. 5 - 3:22 p.m. ET</td></tr><tr><td class="vaLink">

</td></tr><tr><td class="vaLink">Source: K.C. Johnson on Twitter</td></tr></tbody></table>