NBA News/Injuries/etc. (3/15/09)

HacheMan · Mar 15, 2009

</TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD class=subHead vAlign=top colSpan=3>Jazz PG Udrih in, Jackson out Sunday </TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD class=vaLabel colSpan=3>Beno Udrih - G - SAC - Mar. 15 </B> </TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top colSpan=3>Beno Udrih, who has missed the past six games because of a sprained right foot, said he probably will play Sunday against the Wizards.
"I've been running, and there is still some pain, but I'm tired of sitting out," said Udrih, who could start. Backup Bobby Jackson will miss the game after breaking his left cheekbone late in the Kings' OT loss to the Cavaliers on Friday, meaning Will Solomon will also get some extra minutes on Sunday.
Source: Sacramento Bee
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HacheMan · Mar 15, 2009

</TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD class=subHead vAlign=top colSpan=3>Biedrins to miss at least a week with injury </TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD class=vaLabel colSpan=3>Andris Biedrins - F/C - GS - Mar. 15

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top colSpan=3>Center Andris Biedrins will miss at least a week after spraining his left ankle in Friday's win over Dallas.
Ronny Turiaf will start Biedrins' place, making him a safe play in the upcoming four-game week, with Jermareo Davidson likely to get some minutes. In addition, power forwards Brandan Wright and Anthony Randolph could get some extra minutes and big-man production as well.
Source: San Francisco Chronicle
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HacheMan · Mar 15, 2009

</TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD class=subHead vAlign=top colSpan=3>Maggette should play on Sunday </TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD class=vaLabel colSpan=3>Corey Maggette - G/F - GS - Mar. 15

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top colSpan=3>Corey Maggette, who did not play against the Mavs on Friday because of a sinus infection, is expected to play Sunday against the Suns.
Go ahead and get him back in your lineup.
Source: San Francisco Chronicle
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HacheMan · Mar 15, 2009

</TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD class=subHead vAlign=top colSpan=3>K-Mart hopeful to play sometime next week </TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD class=vaLabel colSpan=3>Kenyon Martin - F - DEN - Mar. 15

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top colSpan=3>Kenyon Martin, who has missed five of his last six games with a back injury, missed Saturday's game, but is hopeful to play at some point in the upcoming week.
"I'm hoping he will play next week sometime," Nuggets coach George Karl said. "There's soreness and spasms, and when he plays and cools it down, it locks up a little bit." We'd recommend sitting Martin for the week, while Renaldo Balkman, who had a career-high 22 points to go along with 11 boards and two blocks on Saturday, looks like a decent play.
Source: Denver Post
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HacheMan · Mar 15, 2009

</TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD class=subHead vAlign=top colSpan=3>Turkoglu again a game-time decision on Sunday </TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD class=vaLabel colSpan=3>Hedo Turkoglu - G/F - ORL - Mar. 15

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top colSpan=3>Hedo Turkoglu will be a game-time decision on Sunday because of tendinitis in his left foot.
Turkoglu's injury was previously reported as an Achilles' injury, but it's all semantics at this point. He was almost ready to play on Friday, so there's a good chance he'll suit up
Source: Orlando Sentinel
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HacheMan · Mar 15, 2009

</TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD class=subHead vAlign=top colSpan=3>Rudy Fernandez game-time decision vs. Hawks </TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD class=vaLabel colSpan=3>Rudy Fernandez - G - POR - Mar. 15 -

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top colSpan=3>Blazers guard Rudy Fernandez will be a game-time decision on Sunday against the Hawks.
Fernandez participated in the Blazers' shootaround and walk-through Saturday morning, but continues to experience soreness in his right hip and chest. Keep him benched until we've seen him play without complications.
Source: The Oregonian
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HacheMan · Mar 15, 2009

Daequan Cook - G - Heat

Daequan Cook was not with the team Saturday after having a tooth extracted, but is expected to join them for Sunday's game in Philadelphia.
Cook isn't a strong fantasy play right now, but should still be a decent source of threes. Even with Cook out Saturday, Chris Quinn was on the inactive list for the second consecutive game. Mar. 15
Source: Miami Herald

VenomousSanction · Mar 15, 2009

appreciate the updates Hache

BadCo · Mar 15, 2009

</td> <td align="center">PACERS at TORONTO RAPTORS
Sunday at 12:30 p.m., Air Canada Centre
TV: None Radio: 1070 The Fan
Injury Report presented by Ortho Indy | Playoff picture
</td> <td align="center">

</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#c2c9cd" width="15%">

Jim O'Brien</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#c2c9cd" width="70%">

Scouting Report

For the first time in six weeks, the Pacers have a losing streak. Losses to the Jazz and Hawks mark the first consecutive defeats since early February and were particularly ill-time for an Indiana team clinging to playoff hopes. Danny Granger's return would be a nice lift but is anything but certain. Coach Jim O'Brien termed it a "maybe" on Friday night. The Pacers (28-39) have split two with the Raptors but the teams haven't played since Toronto sent Jermaine O'Neal to Miami for Shawn Marion. With Marion in the lineup they're 2-9 and have lost seven in a row, including a 99-95 overtime loss to Detroit Friday. </td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#c2c9cd" width="15%">

Jay Triano</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center">

T.J. Ford</td> <td align="left">

Point Guard

Though T.J. Ford has torched the Bucks a couple of times this season he hasn't erupted against his other former team. He could be due, considering his recent string of big games. Ford scored 29 in Atlanta including the Pacers' final 14 and has averaged 22.8 points, 6.8 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 1.75 steals while shooting .506 from the field in his last four. Jose Calderon is one of the league's top assist men and a solid shooter but a defensive liability. </td> <td align="center">

Jose Calderon</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#c2c9cd">

Jarrett Jack</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#c2c9cd">

Shooting Guard

A rare off night in Atlanta brought Jarrett Jack's streak of solid performances to an end. He shot 5-of-17 and scored just 10 points and struggled throughout in his worst outing since the All-Star break. The only Pacer to appear in every game this season matches up against Anthony Parker, a defensive-oriented 3-point specialist. </td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#c2c9cd">

Anthony Parker</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center">

Danny Granger</td> <td align="left">

Small Forward

If Granger is going to return, he'll do so against a challenging matchup. But his return isn't certain. O'Brien hinted he might not be ready to play until the team returns home next week for home games against Portland Wednesday and Dallas Friday. Shawn Marion is suffering through one of his worst seasons with modest averages of 12 points and nine rebounds. Though it's certain his stats were inflated by the system in Phoenix, it's just as definite he's better than he's played this year. </td> <td align="center">

Shawn Marion</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#c2c9cd">

Troy Murphy</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#c2c9cd">

Power Forward

Though his string of double-doubles came to an end at 11 in Atlanta, where he scored seven points to go with 14 rebounds, Troy Murphy does have 12 straight double-figures rebounding games, averaging 14.4 in that span. In the last three, he has the odd imbalance of 42 defensive rebounds but zero on the offensive end. He matches up against Toronto's best player having perhaps his best season in Chris Bosh, whose athleticism and length cause matchup problems for most power forwards. </td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#c2c9cd">

Chris Bosh</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center">

Roy Hibbert</td> <td align="left">

Center

Roy Hibbert had 15 points and seven rebounds in Atlanta but spent much of the second half on the bench due to poor defense. At least it wasn't foul trouble this time; he had just two fouls in 28 minutes. Hibbert has averaged 10.8 points, 5.0 rebounds in his last five games. Because the Raptors start 3-point specialist Andrea Bargnani in the middle, O'Brien may opt to go with a smaller lineup with Jeff Foster for defensive matchup purposes. </td> <td align="center">

Andrea Bargnani</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#c2c9cd">

Marquis Daniels</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#c2c9cd">

Bench

The area of the team most feeling Granger's absence is the bench, which has managed just 71 points in the last four games, a 17.8 average and more than 11 fewer than the season norm of 29.1. Marquis Daniels has struggled mightily in his last three starts, averaging just 8.3 points on 11-of-40 (.275) shooting and if Granger returns he could benefit from some time in the sixth man role. The Raptors' second unit is led by Jason Kapono, another 3-point gunner who hit the Pacers for 25 on 11-of-16 shooting in the first meeting. </td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#c2c9cd">

Jason Kapono</td></tr></tbody></table>

BadCo · Mar 15, 2009

SIXERS VS. HEAT

Overall Home Road All-Time Series Trends
This Season 1-2 1-0 0-2 • Heat lead the season series 2-1 after losing five straight to the Sixers entering 2008-09

All-Time 49-34 30-11 19-23 • Philly has won 15 of the past 17 games at home vs. Miami, including five straight

Streaks Lost 1 Won 5 Lost 2 • Both teams have not reached 100 points in the same game since 12/16/05 (11 games)

2008-09 Season Series Stats and Notes
• Sixers are averaging just 89.3 points on 39.1% shooting this season after averaging 99.3 points per game on 48.7% FGs in 2007-08.

• Over the past five meetings, teams are shooting a combined 24.1% from 3-point range… Sixers have just 45 assists to 45 turnovers this season.

• Andre Miller is averaging a team-high 18.7 points; he is shooting 22-of-23 from the line… Andre Iguodala is averaging 9.3 points on 27.3% FGs.

• Dwyane Wade is averaging 25.0 points (52.1% FGs), 7.3 assists, 5.0 rebounds and 2.33 steals… he is also averaging 10.0 free throw attempts.

Miami 106, Philadelphia 83 – AmericanAirlines Center – Miami, FL – November 5, 2008

DATE GAME FG-A PCT 3FG-A PCT FT-A PCT OR-DR-REB AST PF ST TO BS PTS
11/5 PHILADELPHIA 27-72 .375 5-15 .333 24-26 .923 11-33-44 11 21 8 26 4 83
15,103 @ Miami 39-83 .470 6-20 .300 22-28 .786 12-29-41 21 19 18 14 8 106

1st Qtr 2nd Qtr 1st Half 3rd Qtr 4th Qtr 2nd Half Game
Sixers 17 21 38 25 20 45 83
Heat 24 35 59 16 31 47 106
Heat scored the game’s first six points and never trailed at any point; Sixers shot 33.3% from the floor in the first quarter • Miami had eight
different players score in the second quarter and led by as many as 24 • Philly outshot Miami 47.4% to 36.8% in the third and cut the deficit to 12
entering the fourth • Sixers trailed 78-69 with 9:17 remaining in the fourth, but a 12-0 run by the Heat put the game out of reach; Miami outshot
Philly 58.8% to 29.4% from the floor in the quarter and 47.0% to 37.5% for the game • Dwyane Wade had 29 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 5 steals
and 3 blocks in just 34 minutes of play • Thaddeus Young scored 12 of his team-high 19 points in the first quarter • Andre Iguodala was held to 2
points on 1-of-7 shooting in 23 minutes of play • Sixers shot 92.3% from the line but had just 11 assists to 26 turnovers • Heat blocked 8 shots.

Philadelphia 94, Miami 84 – Wachovia Center – Philadelphia, PA – February 7, 2009

DATE GAME FG-A PCT 3FG-A PCT FT-A PCT OR-DR-REB AST PF ST TO BS PTS
2/7 @ Philadelphia 30-69 .435 4-14 .286 30-36 .833 9-31-40 21 18 7 12 6 94
17,216 Miami 34-77 .442 3-19 .158 13-20 .650 9-26-35 23 25 4 15 1 84

1st Qtr 2nd Qtr 1st Half 3rd Qtr 4th Qtr 2nd Half Game
Heat 23 21 44 25 15 40 84
Sixers 26 18 44 19 31 50 94
Sixers scored the game’s first seven points and never trailed in the first quarter; Philly shot 11-of-16 from the floor in the quarter • Miami’s first lead
came at 42-40 with just over two minutes remaining in the half • Heat held Sixers to 22.2% shooting from the floor in the third and never trailed;
Dwyane Wade scored 10 of his game-high 21 points in the quarter • Game was tied at 74 with 9:13 remaining before Philly went on a 10-0 run to
take command the rest of the way; Sixers bench combined for 28 points in the quarter while Wade had 2 points on 0-of-4 shooting • Heat outshot
the Sixers 44.2% to 43.5% from the floor but Philly shot 30-of-36 from the line while Miami was just 13-of-20 • Eight players scored in double-figures
for the Sixers, led by 15 points by Andre Miller and Marreese Speights • Philly’s bench scored 41 points; Royal Ivey had 10 of his 11 pts in the 4th.

Miami 97, Philadelphia 91 – AmericanAirlines Arena – Miami, FL – February 21, 2009

DATE GAME FG-A PCT 3FG-A PCT FT-A PCT OR-DR-REB AST PF ST TO BS PTS
2/21 PHILADELPHIA 33-89 .371 4-18 .222 21-25 .840 15-27-42 13 23 4 7 2 91
19,600 @ Miami 38-74 .514 4-18 .222 17-23 .739 8-30-38 19 22 3 13 7 97

1st Qtr 2nd Qtr 1st Half 3rd Qtr 4th Qtr 2nd Half Game
Sixers 16 24 40 23 28 51 91
Heat 20 20 40 27 30 57 97
Heat led 18-10 with just under three minutes left in the first quarter before the Sixers trimmed the deficit to four entering the second quarter • Philly
was outshot 55.6% to 35.0% from the floor but had nine free throw attempts while Miami had none • Sixers tied game at 45 near the start of the
third before the Heat went on a 7-0 run; Miami never trailed in the quarter • Philly trailed 82-78 with 4:52 remaining but used a 7-0 run to take the
lead; Miami was down 87-84 with 2:52 left before it scored the next eight points to take the lead for good • Dwyane Wade scored 10 of his team-
high 25 points in the fourth; he also had 9 assists and shot 9-of-9 from the line • Andre Miller led all scorers with 30 points while adding 9 assists •
Lou Williams led all reserves with 22 points • Miami outshot Philly 51.4% to 37.1% from the floor • Sixers committed just 7 turnovers but had 13 ast.

BadCo · Mar 15, 2009

Hawks 11-1 with Evans as starter

By SEKOU SMITH
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Mo Evans is not superstitious.
He’s not a big believer in anything he can’t see or touch.

 But even he knows not to mess with the numbers.
The Hawks are 11-1 with Evans in the starting lineup this season, and that includes his three consecutive starts in the past week in place of Marvin Williams, who is out indefinitely with a lower back injury.
“We’re going to have to lose three or four in a row before somebody can convince me that it’s anything but a positive thing,” a smiling Evans said after the Hawks’ victory over Indiana on Friday night. “All I’m doing is the same things I did last year in Orlando, and that’s trying to diagnose the situation on a given night and do what I can to help my team win.”
The Hawks will need Evans to do exactly that Sunday afternoon with Portland and their All-Star guard, Brandon Roy, in town.
Hawks captain and All-Star Joe Johnson usually draws the assignment of guarding the other team’s best perimeter player. Having Evans in the lineup gives Hawks coach Mike Woodson another veteran option in that regard.
A utility man extraordinaire, Evans is capable of doing a little bit of everything the Hawks need from him, such as Friday when he scored 10 of his 15 points in a crucial third-quarter stretch.
His first 3-point shot, with 9:14 to play, pulled the Hawks to within a basket at 54-52, jump-starting their comeback from a 13-point deficit. He drained another 3-pointer with 5:41 to play to give the Hawks the lead (62-60) for good.
His steal and running layup with 4:07 to play sparked an 11-2 quarter-ending run that put the Hawks firmly in control the rest of the way.
That last play might have been his best, Hawks power forward Josh Smith said, because Evans scored on a play in which he peeled back on defense after the Pacers rebounded a missed shot, and Evans stole a pass and finished with a soft shot off the glass while his teammates were up the floor in the other direction.
“That was where the entire game was decided to me,” Smith said, “during that stretch it seemed like whoever found the energy to make those kinds of plays was going to win the game, and Mo stepped up and did what veterans are supposed to do. And it was all pure hustle. You’ve got to love that.”
Hustle like that is what’s kept Evans in the league all these years. He started 47 games in Orlando last season, helping the Magic win the Southeast Division title and a first-round playoff series.
The Magic replaced Evans with a younger and much more expensive role player in Mickael Pietrus, making it easy for the Hawks to land the veteran role player they needed for a minimal price.
Woodson acknowledged that the addition of veterans such as Evans and Flip Murray has allowed him to be more flexible with his lineups and rotations. Both players can play as many as three different positions.
“Mo and really Flip as well, are such a big part of what we’re doing,” Woodson said. “Both of those guys are basically the only new faces we added over the summer, so the toughest part was getting these guys up to speed on our system and defensive coverages. Once we did that everything else seemed to fall into place.
“I think they’ve been pretty good for a while

BadCo · Mar 15, 2009

TRAIL BLAZERS (41-24) AT HAWKS (38-28)
10 a.m. at Philips Arena, Atlanta
(TV on CSN Comcast 37; radio on KXTG 95.5)

Projected starters
No., Name, Ht., Pos., Statistics
Atlanta
10, Mike Bibby, 6-1, PG, 14.9 ppg, 4.9 apg, 3.5 rpg
2, Joe Johnson, 6-7, SG, 21.4 ppg, 6.1 apg, 4.3 rpg
1, Maurice Evans, 6-5, G/F, 6.7 ppg, 2.9 rpg
5, Josh Smith, 6-9, F, 15.1 ppg, 7.1 rpg
15, Al Horford, 6-10, C, 11.4 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 2.5 apg
Portland
2, Steve Blake, 6-3, PG, 10.8 ppg, 4.9 apg, 2.3 rpg
7, Brandon Roy, 6-6, SG, 23 ppg, 5.0 apg, 4.6 rpg
88, Nicolas Batum, 6-8, SF, 5.4 ppg, 2.8 rpg
12, LaMarcus Aldridge, 6-11, PF, 18.0 ppg, 7.2 rpg
10, Joel Przybilla, 7-1, C, 5.3 ppg, 8.3 rpg
About the Hawks: Atlanta, currently the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference, is in the midst of an impressive streak in which it has won four in row while defeating the Detroit Pistons and New Orleans Hornets and ending the Utah Jazz's 12-game winning streak. ... The team has its best record through 66 games in 11 seasons. ... The Hawks have held eight of their last nine opponents below 100 points and have limited their last five opponents to just 88.0 points per game. ... Atlanta has the fourth-best home record in the Eastern Conference (24-7) and has won four in a row at Philips Arena. ... The Hawks rank sixth in the NBA in turnovers (12.8) and eighth in three pointers made (483). ... Horford, who finished with 17 points, 15 rebounds, four assists and three blocks in the Hawks' Friday night victory over Indiana, is averaging a double double (14.8 points, 11.4 rebounds) and is shooting 55.2 percent from the field in his last 13 games. ... All-Star Johnson has been hot of late, averaging 30.3 points and shooting 51.6 percent from the field over the past three games.

Blazers injury updates: Rookie guard Rudy Fernandez, who has missed the past two games, is making progress from his violent fall Monday against the Lakers but continues to experience soreness in his right hip and chest. He participated in the Blazers' shootaround and walk-through Saturday morning before the team left for its five-game trip and is a game time decision against Atlanta. ... For the first time since suffering a chip in his left knee on Feb. 12, rookie center Greg Oden ran full-court sprints on Saturday. Blazers coach Nate McMillan said Oden still had some soreness in his knee but was making progress. If he continues to improve, Oden's next step is making hard cuts and sudden stops. Fernandez and Oden are with the team on its trip.
Series history: The Blazers have won four in a row and 12 of their last 13 meetings against the Hawks, including a 108-98 victory last month at the Rose Garden. Portland owns a 49-44 all-time advantage in the series, but the Hawks lead 29-17 in Atlanta.
Injuries: Oden (left knee) and Martell Webster (left foot) will not play and Fernandez (hip, chest) is a game time decision for the Blazers. Marvin Williams (back) and Speedy Claxton (left knee) are out for the Hawks.
-- Joe Freeman: 503-294-5183; joefreeman@news.oregonian.com

White_Tiger · Mar 15, 2009

Thanks for Info everyone.

BadCo · Mar 15, 2009

Lakers, Mavericks get familiar

By Elliott Teaford, Staff Writer
Updated: 03/14/2009 10:28:56 PM PDT

<script language="JavaScript"> var requestedWidth = 0; </script>
<script language="JavaScript"> if(requestedWidth > 0){ document.getElementById('articleViewerGroup').style.width = requestedWidth + "px"; document.getElementById('articleViewerGroup').style.margin = "0px 0px 10px 10px"; } </script>The Lakers last played Dallas on Nov. 28. They finally meet the Mavericks again this afternoon at Staples Center, and there's a better than average chance they will face them in a first-round playoff series next month.
So, the Lakers are nothing if not curious about the Mavericks.
Oh, they know all about Jason Kidd, Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry.
There is an element of mystery about playing a team they haven't seen up close in nearly four months, however.
Add the prospect of meeting again in the playoffs and there is a heightened sense of anticipation swirling around today's game.
A review of the first two games between the teams revealed little beyond the predictable. Kobe Bryant led the Lakers to a pair of November victories over the Mavericks, scoring 27 points Nov. 11 at Dallas and 35 on Nov. 28 at Staples.
Terry led the Mavericks with 29 points in the most recent game, and Nowitzki had 19 while struggling to deal with fellow 7-footer Pau Gasol's suffocating defense against him on the perimeter and in the low post.
Gasol and Nowitzki will take center stage again today, even as Gasol on Saturday sought to downplay his impact on Nowitzki's play in the last game between the Lakers and Mavericks.
In particular, Gasol discounted the notion that his height and wingspan had a role in holding Nowitzki below his season average of 25.6 points.
"Off night on his part," Gasol said, shrugging. "Great players
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are extremely hard to stop, even if you're playing your best, so you have to make sure you contest shots and stay in front of him and don't let him get too comfortable." Gasol certainly made things uncomfortable for Houston's Yao Ming and San Antonio's Tim Duncan in his last two games. Gasol outscored Yao, 20-16, and did the same to Duncan, 23-16, to lead the Lakers to victories last Wednesday and Thursday.
"We needed a collective effort, and we did it, we got it done," Gasol said when asked about the Lakers' play against the 7-foot-6 Yao. "We did the same thing the next night against San Antonio. Obviously, going into the end of the year and into the playoffs, that's the kind of aggressive mentality you need."
Bynum update

Asked for an update on the progress of Andrew Bynum, from a torn right knee ligament, Lakers coach Phil Jackson stuck to his plan to put off any discussion of the 7-foot center's recovery until next month.
"Maybe I should have a little sign that says, `I'll talk about Andrew in April,"' Jackson said, smiling.
Told that the interest in Bynum among Lakers fans is high, Jackson said, "Yeah, let them stay interested until April and then we'll talk about it."
Bynum was injured Jan. 31, and the Lakers estimated that he would be sidelined for between eight and 12 weeks. He began running on a treadmill last Tuesday and suffered no setbacks, according to a team spokesman.

BadCo · Mar 15, 2009

Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE/Getty Images
Preview: Lakers-Mavericks should have playoff atmosphere

By Dave McMenamin, NBA.com
Posted Mar 14 2009 11:35AM
LOS ANGELES -- The league's last two regular-season MVPs -- the Mavericks' Dirk Nowitzki and the Lakers' Kobe Bryant -- go head to head Sunday (3:30 ET, ABC) in a battle that should have the feel of something more than just a regular-season game.

The Lakers, winners of seven out of their last 10 including two in a row on the road against Houston and San Antonio, are tied with Cleveland for the league's best record, so going 3-0 on the season against Dallas remains an important task.
The Mavericks, who have also won seven of 10, probably punched their playoff ticket by beating Phoenix last week, but would love to improve their postseason position. The Mavs are currently the eighth seed, but trail the No. 3 seeded Rockets by just 2 1/2 games.
L.A., fighting for the right for home court throughout the playoffs, get's a rare home respite down the stretch. Nine of the Lakers' final 17 games are on the road.
A Look at the Numbers
Los Angeles Lakers: 52-13 (29-4 at home), First in West
Pace: 94.6 possessions/game (5th)
Offense: 113.8 points scored per 100 possessions (1st)
Defense: 105.5 points allowed per 100 possessions (6th)

Dallas Mavericks: 40-26 (16-18 on the road), Eighth in West
Pace: 91.7 possessions/game (15th)
Offense: 109.6 points scored per 100 possessions (8th)
Defense: 107.8 points allowed per 100 possessions (15th)

Previous Meetings

Nov. 11 -- American Airlines Center - L.A. Lakers 106, Dallas 99
Nov. 28 -- Staples Center - L.A. Lakers 114, Dallas 107
Five Questions
1. Will this be a first-round playoff preview?

In a word: probably. The Lakers have the No. 1 seed in the West all but locked up with an 8 1/2-game lead over San Antonio with just a month to play. Only 2 1/2 games separate Dallas from the teams seeded Nos. 3-7 in the West (Houston, Utah, New Orleans, Portland and Denver in that order) but you can forget the Mavs catching the Rockets, Jazz or Hornets, who are all playing their best basketball of the season right now.
If Dallas is to move up to the No. 6 or 7 seed, it would have to be by catching Portland, which is without rookie contributors Greg Oden and Rudy Fernandez, or Denver, which is just 4-6 in its last 10 and seems to have abandoned the defensive intensity that had turned the franchise around this year.
The bright side of a Lakers-Mavericks first-round matchup for Dallas fans is the chance for redemption for the Mavs' historic first-round playoff exit in 2007. Back then, the Mavericks were the No. 1 seed and the Warriors were the No. 8 seed making the upset bid. This time, Dallas would be playing the role of Cinderella.
2. What kind of impact will injuries have on the game?
On Friday, the Mavericks lost to the 23-42 Warriors in Golden State 119-110, partially because it was missing Devean George (right knee cartilage injury) and Josh Howard (sore left ankle). Dallas might be better off without George on Sunday, especially since Bryant hit eight of his last 11 shots en route to 35 points the last time the former teammates collided. The former All-Star Howard's 18.0 points and 4.9 rebounds per game averages will be missed, however, as Antoine Wright is a decided downgrade in the starting forward position opposite Nowitzki.
Meanwhile, the Lakers continue to play without the services of Andrew Bynum, who is out with a tear of the medial collateral ligament in his right knee. Bynum had 11 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks and 18, 10 and two in his two games against Dallas in November. The 21-year-old center is rehabbing on schedule and was reported as running on a treadmill last week. He is expected back on the court in April.
3. Can Dallas win a big game on the road?
The Mavericks are just 16-18 away from American Airlines Center this season, making them one of the four probable playoff teams in the West with a sub .500 road record. (Houston, Utah and Portland are the others.)
"We haven't been good basically on the road all season long," Nowitzki said. Indeed, they haven't. Dallas has already dropped games on the road to the Clippers, Grizzlies, Thunder and Kings -- four of the five teams in the West that have already been eliminated from postseason contention.
The Mavericks started off their current four-game road trip with wins in Portland and Phoenix before dropping the Golden State game.
4. How good is Kobe Bryant playing right now?
In the last week or so, LeBron James' triple-doubles and Dwyane Wade's 40-point performances may have stolen all of the MVP spotlight from Bryant, but don't sleep on the season that the Mamba is having. Bryant is as efficient as he's ever been with his 47.4 field goal percentage registering as the highest of his 13-year career and his 86.8 percent from the free throw line is tied with the 2006-07 season as his most accurate season ever.
Bryant is dialed in right now, scoring 31 of his 37 points in the second half against the Rockets to erase a double-digit deficit and then, a night later against the Spurs, scoring 14 of his 23 points in the first half to help the Lakers forge a double-digit lead.
The number that should really delight Lakers' fans is Bryant's measly 36.3 minutes per game, the lowest he's had since he came off the bench in his second year. Bryant has been able to not play at all in the fourth quarter of nine of the Lakers' games this season thanks to large L.A. leads. Every minute of rest should add up as Bryant is coming off that extended Finals and Olympics run last summer that swallowed up any chance for offseason rest.

5. Is it better to come off a win or a loss?
The Lakers are 41-10 this season in the next game following a win while the Mavericks are 16-7 in the next game following a loss. So, while the Mavericks' bounce-back ability is respectable, L.A. is far more likely to continue its winning streak on Sunday than Dallas is to snap its losing ways.
Despite the evidence, the Mavs remain optimistic.
"Every day in the NBA you can look at it one of two ways," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said. "You can look at it as miserably tough or an incredible opportunity. I'm a positive, upbeat person, so I view everything as an opportunity."

BadCo · Mar 15, 2009

Hache Man said:
<table align="center" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td class="vaLabel" rowspan="5" align="middle" valign="top" width="100"> </td></tr><tr valign="top"><td class="subHead" colspan="3" valign="top">Turkoglu again a game-time decision on Sunday </td></tr><tr valign="top"><td class="vaLabel" colspan="3">Hedo Turkoglu - G/F - ORL - Mar. 15

</td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" valign="top">Hedo Turkoglu will be a game-time decision on Sunday because of tendinitis in his left foot.
Turkoglu's injury was previously reported as an Achilles' injury, but it's all semantics at this point. He was almost ready to play on Friday, so there's a good chance he'll suit up
Source: Orlando Sentinel
</td></tr></tbody></table>

Turkoglu says he will be in uniform tonight vs. Jazz

posted by Kyle Hightower on Mar 15, 2009 12:46:27 PM
http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&url=...ys-he-will-be-in-uniform-tonight-vs-jazz.html
Hedo Turkoglu said at this morning's shoot around that after sitting out two games with tendinitis in his left foot, he's going to give it a go tonight against Utah.
Turk said at Friday's shoot around before the Magic took on Washington that it felt better, but decided at game time to rest it.
Mickael Pietrus started in Turkoglu's place the past two games.

BadCo · Mar 15, 2009

Cleveland has had no trouble shutting down New York (28-37) this season.

The Cavs have taken the first three meetings by an average of 19.7 points, holding Mike D'Antoni's up-tempo offense to 95.0 per game.

The Knicks, fourth in the league in scoring (106.3), totaled their fourth-fewest points this season in a 118-82 loss Dec. 3 in their first visit to Cleveland

James had 21 points in just 28 minutes in that game, but in the most recent meeting he scored 52 to go along with 11 assists and nine rebounds in a 107-102 victory Feb. 4 at Madison Square Garden.

Cleveland is 28-1 at home and will be facing a Knicks team that's 10-22 on the road, but three of those victories have come in New York's last three games.

HacheMan · Mar 15, 2009

Good Stuff Badco

<TABLE width="100%" align=center><TBODY><TR><TD class=vaLabel vAlign=top align=middle width=100 rowSpan=5>

</TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD class=subHead vAlign=top colSpan=3>Rasheed Wallace likely to miss more games </TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD class=vaLabel colSpan=3>Rasheed Wallace - F/C - DET - Mar. 15

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top colSpan=3>Rasheed Wallace missed his third straight game on Sunday with a strained left calf, and could miss more.
It sounds very likely that Wallace could miss games at Dallas and Houston on Tuesday and Wednesday. "He's still not able to run yet," said Pistons coach Michael Curry. "I won't say that he's out for the Texas swing, but I doubt it." Bench Wallace for the week if you haven't already.
Source: MLive.com
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

BadCo · Mar 15, 2009

Knowledge is power.

Just layed the points on Lakers as Sunday's are showtime in lala land.

crzbrave · Mar 15, 2009

Caron Butler?

NBA News/Injuries/etc. (3/15/09)

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