| NBA Player News |
| Date |
Player |
News |
| 1/5/2009 |
Kevin Garnett, PF (Bos) |
Garnett scored a season-low six points in the Celtics' 100-88 loss at New York on Sunday.
Analysis: It was only the second time in 34 games this season that Garnett failed to reach double figures, as he shot 1-of-6 from the field. There's some reason for concern given the fact that the Celtics have lost four of six, but Garnett had shot 62.9 percent and averaged 16.0 points and 9.0 rebounds in the three previous games before Sunday. |
| 1/5/2009 |
Nicolas Batum, G-F (Por) |
Batum scored a career-high 17 points on a perfect shooting night Sunday, although the Blazers lost to the Lakers 100-86.
Analysis: Batum was 6-of-6 from the floor, 3-of-3 from 3-point range and 2-of-2 from the foul line, but it's hard to put much stock in this performance considering the rookie starter has been held scoreless in eight of his last 16 games. |
| 1/5/2009 |
LaMarcus Aldridge, F-C (Por) |
Aldridge led Portland with 22 points and 11 rebounds, but the Blazers lost 100-86 to the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday.
Analysis: It was the seventh double-double of the season for Aldridge, who has been trying to pick up some of the slack offensively with Brandon Roy out. He was just 5-of-18 from the floor in a loss to New Orleans Friday, but he scored 20 points on 9-of-22 shooting in the first game without Roy, a win over Boston last week. |
| 1/5/2009 |
Luke Walton, SF (LAL) |
Walton will be sidelined for at least two weeks by a foot injury.
Analysis: Walton, who started 11 consecutive games before missing Sunday's 100-86 win over Portland, has sesamoiditis in his right foot and will wear a protective boot for a week, the team said Monday. Walton had averaged 5.8 points, 3.1 rebounds and 3.1 assists since moving into the starting lineup. Trevor Ariza started in his place against the Trail Blazers. |
| 1/5/2009 |
Cheick Samb, C (LAC) |
The Clippers acquired Samb of Senegal from the Denver Nuggets on Monday for a conditional second-round draft pick.
Analysis: Samb played in six games with the Nuggets this season, averaging 0.7 points, 1.5 rebounds in 4.0 minutes. He came to Denver on Nov. 3 with Chauncey Billups and Antonio McDyess for Allen Iverson. Samb was assigned to the NBA Development League on Dec. 10 and has averaged 12.4 points, 7.1 rebounds and 3.8 blocks in 10 games. He was drafted 51st by the Los Angeles Lakers in 2006 and played briefly with Detroit. |
| 1/5/2009 |
Paul Davis, F-C (LAC) |
Davis was waived by the Clippers on Monday.
Analysis: Davis appeared in 80 games for the Clippers from 2006-08. This season, he played in 27 games, averaging 4.0 points and 2.5 rebounds in 11.5 minutes. |
| 1/5/2009 |
Fred Jones, SG (LAC) |
Jones was waived by the Clippers on Monday.
Analysis: Jones appeared in five games after signing as a free agent Dec. 28. He averaged 6.6 points and 1.4 assists in 19.6 minutes. |
| 1/5/2009 |
Jason Richardson, G-F (Pho) |
Richardson is facing charges of driving under the influence in an American Indian tribal community in metropolitan Phoenix.
Analysis: Richardson was stopped by a Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community police officer in the early morning of Dec. 21, according to a citation filed in court. Richardson is charged with DUI and for driving with a blood alcohol level above .08. He also has been cited for failure to drive in one lane. |
| 1/4/2009 |
Jose Calderon, PG (Tor) |
Calderon was out for Sunday's game against Orlando after straining his right hamstring on Friday.
Analysis: Calderon left Friday's victory early. It's the same injury that sidelined him for two games in November. Calderon is averaging 13.1 points and is third in the NBA with 8.7 assists per game. Toronto coach Jay Triano said Calderon will likely not accompany the team on this week's road trip to Milwaukee and Washington. |
| 1/4/2009 |
Steve Francis, PG (Mem) |
Francis was on the inactive list Sunday night for Memphis' game against Dallas, but the veteran could return to the court for the first time in more than a year soon.
Analysis: Francis has not played since Dec. 15, 2007, and underwent right knee surgery last February. Some missed flights and family matters delayed his arrival until Saturday, causing him to be on the inactive list Sunday, but he could play against Minnesota on Tuesday. Memphis coach Marc Iavaroni said he is unsure what Francis will bring to his team, especially in the short term. |
| 1/4/2009 |
Dwight Howard, C (Orl) |
Howard matched career highs in both points and field goals, scoring 39 points on 14-of-19 from the field, but the Toronto Raptors overcame Howard's big game to beat the Magic 108-102 on Sunday.
Analysis: Howard hadn't even scored 20 points since Dec. 8 before his huge offensive effort on Sunday. Don't expect many games like this out of Howard, as he's more of an 18-and-12 player than someone who is a 40-point threat. |
| 1/4/2009 |
Anthony Parker, G-F (Tor) |
Parker scored a season-high 26 points and the Toronto Raptors overcame 39 points from Dwight Howard to beat the Magic 108-102 on Sunday.
Analysis: Parker's had an incredibly disappointing season after averaging a career-high 12.5 points last season. He was 13-of-16 on Sunday, but is shooting just 41.4 percent this year and scoring 9.5 points per game. |
| 1/4/2009 |
LeBron James, SF (Cle) |
James had 30 points, 10 assists and six rebounds, but his Cleveland Cavaliers lost 80-77 to the Eastern Conference-worst Washington Wizards despite wiping out a 16-point deficit in the fourth quarter.
Analysis: James had another great all-around game after recording his first triple-double of the season on Friday. With Zydrunas Ilgauskas sidelined for a month, look for James to take over the offense a bit more than usual, resulting in more points, rebounds and assists even if his shooting percentage suffers slightly. |
| 1/4/2009 |
Eric Gordon, SG (LAC) |
Gordon scored a career-high 31 points for the Clippers, but missed a 15-footer over Prince as time expired, and Los Angeles lost 88-87 to Detroit on Sunday.
Analysis: It's been six weeks since Gordon jumped into the starting lineup, and the move is really starting to pay off recently. The rookie is averaging 24.3 points on 49.2 percent shooting in his last four games. |
| 1/4/2009 |
Dirk Nowitzki, PF (Dal) |
Nowitzki led the Mavericks with 28 points, but Dallas lost 102-82 at Memphis on Sunday.
Analysis: Nowitzki has been hot since the beginning of December, shooting over 50 percent in 16 games and averaging exactly what he scored Sunday - 28 points. |
| 1/4/2009 |
Rodney Stuckey, G (Det) |
Stuckey scored 24 points and added six assists on Sunday, and the Pistons pulled out an 88-87 win over the Los Angeles Clippers on the road.
Analysis: Stuckey's new year is off to a great start, as he's averaged 31 points in his first two games. He's averaging 19.2 points on 51.6 percent shooting since joining the starting lineup for good on Dec. 9, and Detroit is 13-3 overall when he starts. |
| 1/4/2009 |
Wilson Chandler, F (NY) |
Chandler scored a career-high 31 points and the Knicks snapped an eight-game losing streak against the sputtering Celtics with a 100-88 victory Sunday night.
Analysis: Under new coach Mike D'Antoni, the second-year man has more than doubled his scoring average from his rookie season. But he hadn't done anything quite like Sunday's performance, when he was 9-of-19 from the field and 11-of-12 from the free throw line against perhaps the league's best defensive team. |
| 1/4/2009 |
Al Harrington, F-C (NY) |
Harrington scored 30 points as the Knicks snapped an eight-game losing streak against the sputtering Celtics with a 100-88 victory Sunday night.
Analysis: Harrington continued his scoring binge since joining coach Mike D'Antoni's team in New York. Harrington has averaged 13.3 points in his career, but he's scoring 22.7 per game with New York, averaging 19.0 field goal attempts - including 7.2 from 3-point range. |
| 1/4/2009 |
Paul Pierce, G-F (Bos) |
Pierce scored 31 points for the Celtics, but Boston still lost 100-88 at New York on Sunday.
Analysis: Boston's recent problems haven't extended to Pierce's statistics. The Celtics have lost four of six, but Pierce is averaging 23.2 points and shooting 55.1 percent from the field over that span. |
| 1/3/2009 |
Marc Gasol, C (Mem) |
Gasol posted his second straight double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds in a 91-80 loss to San Antonio on Friday.
Analysis: Gasol is among the rookie leaders in rebounding, averaging 7.0. |
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