NBA Daily Results

vs(From the Associated Press) - Chris Bosh had 33 points and 13 rebounds, Andrea Bargnani matched his season high with 28 points, and the Toronto Raptors took advantage of 23 Charlotte turnovers to beat the Bobcats 107-103 on Wednesday night, their season-high fifth straight victory. Marco Belinelli scored 13 points and rookie DeMar DeRozan had 10 as Toronto avenged its worst defeat of the season, a 116-81 loss at Charlotte on Nov. 25— the biggest margin of victory in Bobcats history...Stephen Jackson scored 30 points and Raymond Felton had 23 for the Bobcats, who are 1-14 on the road, the second-worst mark in the NBA. Gerald Wallace had 15 points and 16 rebounds. Bobcats coach Larry Brown was still fuming when he met reporters for an abbreviated postgame media session. “The defense was pretty solid but when you give up 30 points on turnovers on the road, it’s too big a hill to climb,” Brown said before marching back into the locker room.

vs(By TOM WITHERS From the Associated Press) - Varejao made his first career 3-pointer with 17.2 seconds left—as the 24-second shot clock was about to expire—to give Cleveland a disputed 106-101 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday night, the Cavaliers’ 11th victory in 12 games. James scored a season-high 48 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for the Cavs, but the MVP would have dropped to 0-4 in games on his birthday if not for Varejao...Joe Johnson scored 35 for the Hawks, who were held to just 37 points in the second half and left Quicken Loans Arena shaking their heads. “This is a game we should’ve won,” Johnson said. “We had some unfortunate events that happened on the court and it happens. Unfortunately, we have to deal with it.” Atlanta coach Mike Woodson plans to file a protest with the league, contesting that the Hawks were robbed of a late possession by a shot-clock problem.

vs(By ANTONIO GONZALEZ, From the Associated Press) - Carter overcame the hard collision to score 25 points, rallying the Magic for a 117-92 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday night...Carter shook off the pain and never exited, igniting a 17-2 run after the play late in the third quarter that helped Orlando pull away. Dwight Howard had 17 points and 10 rebounds, and Jason Williams added 16 points to help Orlando rebound from its Christmas Day loss to Boston. Brandon Jennings had 20 points, and Andrew Bogut had 15 points and 10 rebounds for the Bucks, who lost for the seventh time in their last eight games...Perhaps fired up that Carter never left the game, the Magic scored 13 straight points during the run to end the quarter with a 79-74 lead. Carter made two jumpers during that stretch, and Matt Barnes hit a pair of 3-pointers— seven straight Orlando made from beyond the arc—to help the Magic set a second-half franchise record with 78.4 percent shooting from the floor.

vs(By CLIFF BRUNT From the Associated Press) - Rudy Gay scored 31 points to lead the Memphis Grizzlies over Indiana 121-110 on Wednesday night, the Pacers’ eighth straight loss. Zach Randolph had 28 points and 13 rebounds, and Marc Gasol added 21 points and 10 boards for the Grizzlies. Indiana already have been missing 2009 All-Star Danny Granger and center Jeff Foster due to injuries. The Pacers played the Grizzlies without forward Troy Murphy because of a sprained ankle and Tyler Hansbrough because of an inner-ear infection...Memphis improved to 9-4 in December. Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins said he doesn’t take any victory for granted...The Pacers had struggled on offense in recent games, but this time struggled to defend. Memphis shot 51 percent from the field and outscored the Pacers 29-17 from the free throw line. Roy Hibbert scored a career-best 25 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, and Brandon Rush added 15 points for Indiana. Memphis point guard Jamaal Tinsley made this loss more bitter for the fans in his first game in Indiana since the Pacers waived him this past summer.

vs(By TOM CANAVAN From the Associated Press) - Brook Lopez had 21 points and 14 rebounds and the Nets snapped a 10-game losing streak with a 104-95 blowout of the New York Knicks on Wednesday night...The Nets had a lot of comfort on the court with a lineup that included Lopez, Yi Jianlian (22 points), Chris Douglas-Roberts (17), Courtney Lee (10) and Devin Harris (17, eight assists and seven rebounds). The group shared the ball especially well, with all five starters taking between 12 and 16 shots as New Jersey (3-29) ended its second double-digit losing streak of the season...Reserve Al Harrington scored 25 to lead the Knicks, who failed in their bid for their first 10-win month since January 2003. David Lee added 24 points and 15 rebounds for New York, which also saw its streak of holding opponents under 100 points end at 11 games.

vs(From the Associated Press) - Deron Williams had 21 points and 12 assists, and the Jazz finally beat the Wolves, 107-103 on Wednesday night...The win was only Utah’s second on the road in its last seven games. One of those victories came at New Jersey...Al Jefferson scored 21 points for the Wolves, who took a 47-46 halftime lead. Boozer scored a quick inside basket and the Jazz opened the third quarter on a 9-1 run. Utah added a 10-0 burst later in the period to build a big enough cushion to survive the Minnesota rally...After going 1 for 10 in the first half, Boozer scored 13 points in the second and finished with 16 points and 12 rebounds...Ronnie Brewer added 20 points, including a dunk over Corey Brewer late in the game that helped slow down the Minnesota surge. Williams also was strong defensively, limiting Jonny Flynn to just seven points after Flynn scored 28 in their last meeting. But Williams knew his team could’ve easily let this one get away.

vs(By BRETT MARTEL From the Associated Press) - West scored six of his 21 points in the last 55 seconds to help New Orleans hold on for a 95-91 victory over the Miami Heat after the Hornets nearly squandered a 15-point, fourth-quarter lead on Wednesday night...Paul had 18 points and nine assists, and Emeka Okafor had 15 points, 14 rebounds and a key block on Udonis Haslem in the final 30 seconds, helping the Hornets end a two-game skid and snap Miami’s three-game winning streak...Dwyane Wade scored 22 points for the Heat, which led 88-87 when Quentin Richardson tipped in Wade’s missed jumper with 59 seconds to go. Richardson made a late 3 to finish with 14 points and pull Miami to 93-91 with 8 seconds left, but New Orleans’ Devin Brown, who scored 16 points, made a pair of free throws to put it away...Haslem had 10 points and nine rebounds in a reserve roll. Jermaine O’Neal scored 12 for the Heat, while Michael Beasley and Arroyo each scored 11.

vs(By BOB BAUM From the Associated Press) - Amare Stoudemire and Channing Frye scored 26 points apiece, and the Suns handed what was left of the Celtics their third straight loss, 116-98 on Wednesday night. Without Garnett to guard him, Stoudemire scored 18 on 9-of-10 shooting in the first quarter and finished 11 of 14 from the field. Foul trouble kept him from adding significantly to his statistics...Eddie House led the Celtics with 19 points, going 5 of 7 on 3s. Ray Allen managed 15 points of 4-of-13 shooting in the final stop of what turned out to be an awful four-game trip...The Suns, who improved to 13-2 at home, never trailed after a 16-0 first-quarter run...Leandro Barbosa added 17 points for Phoenix, coming off a 118-103 home victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday. Rajon Rondo played 33 minutes despite a sore hamstring for Boston and scored 13. It is Boston’s longest losing streak since dropping four straight last Jan. 4-9.

vs(From the Associated Press) - The 34-year-old Iverson showed he still can score, getting 11 of his 20 points in the third quarter. And his presence alone was a factor as the 76ers pulled away in the final period for a 116-106 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night. Lou Williams scored 22 points and Andre Iguodala had 19 points, nine assists and seven rebounds for the 76ers. Both Williams and Iguodala scored 10 points in the fourth quarter, when the 76ers stretched the lead to double digits. Iguodala said part of the credit belongs to Iverson...Rodney Carney and Elton Brand scored 14 points apiece for the 76ers. who connected on 9-of-16 3-pointers...Donte Greene and Omri Casspi each scored 21 points for the Kings, who have lost three of their last four home games. But unlike the previous losses, overtime affairs to Cleveland the Lakers, this loss came against a team that entered the game with only eight wins. Jason Thompson had 15 points and 11 rebounds, and Rodriguez also scored 15 points...The Kings played their second straight game without rookie guard Tyreke Evans, who is nursing a sore ankle and is day to day. Beno Udrih played a rare poor game in his place, shooting 3 of 11, scoring nine points, and committing three turnovers.

vs(From the Associated Press) - Brandon Roy had 25 points, seven rebounds and six assists, and the Blazers beat the Los Angeles Clippers 103-99 despite losing LaMarcus Aldridge to an ankle injury, tying Denver for first place in the Northwest Division...Chris Kaman had 25 points and nine rebounds for the Clippers, and Eric Gordon added 24 points. Rasual Butler scored 15 and Baron Davis had 12 points and 11 assists but shot just 2-of-15. The Clippers have lost three of four. The short-handed Blazers were dealt another setback when Aldridge sprained his left ankle early in the first quarter and missed the rest of the game. Portland is already without guard-forward Rudy Fernandez (back) and forwards Travis Outlaw (left foot) and Nicolas Batum (shoulder). Centers Joel Przybilla and Greg Oden are both out for the season with knee injuries...With Portland missing its usual frontline quartet of Oden, Przybilla, Aldridge and Outlaw, the table was set for Kaman to dominate. Along with Toronto’s Chris Bosh, the Clippers center is one of just two players in the league averaging more than 20 points and 10 rebounds. He made 12 of 19 field goals and hit key shots in the fourth quarter, but Portland rookies Pendergraph, and Dante Cunningham (eight points and three rebounds) and 36-year-old Juwan Howard (10 points and nine rebounds) made him work on both ends of the floor.

T-Mac to Bulls?

Sources suggested the Bulls are open to acquiring McGrady, who is just 30 years old. The 6-foot-8 swingman is the NBA's highest-paid player at $23.2 million, but his contract ends after the season. A trade with the Bulls would almost have to include the expiring contracts of Brad Miller and Jerome James.   - Arlington Heights Daily Herald

A source with knowledge of the situation in Chicago said the Bulls would likely insist on getting either Luis Scola or Carl Landry in a trade, making it a four-for-two deal. The Rockets would get James in addition to Miller, Salmons, and Thomas, while sending McGrady and a forward to Chicago. The Rockets are very high on both Scola and Landry, and that could make this a deal-breaker. It remains to be seen. - HoopsWorld

The Sixers have spoken with Houston Rockets' executives about Tracy McGrady, rehabbing from major knee surgery. More than once. The Rockets didn't seem interested in a deal involving Samuel Dalembert, and they still aren't. They wanted no part of Dalembert's 15 percent trade kicker, and they still don't.  - Philadelphia Daily News

The Pistons aren’t willing to give up what it would take (a package that probably would include Tayshaun Prince and Rip Hamilton) for a cup of coffee with T-Mac. What makes T-Mac’s situation different from the one last season when the Pistons dealt Chauncey Billups for Allen Iverson’s expiring deal?  -  Detroit Free Press

But word on NBA streets is that Houston wants expiring contacts and one or two young players. That's an asking price the Griz can't meet because they aren't willing to part with Rudy Gay or any of their talented core. Plus, the Griz don't have large enough expiring contracts. Stephen Hunter ($3.7 million) won't cut it.  - Memphis Commercial Appeal

The Portland Trail Blazers signed forward Shavlik Randolph to a non-guaranteed contract today, the team announced. With Randolph's addition, the Blazers' roster now stands at 16. Portland has used two NBA hardship exemptions this season.  - Columbian

Whether it’s Bob Cousy, Magic Johnson, Isiah Thomas, Stockton, Jackson, Kidd or other point guard greats, none have had statistics over the age of 35 that have come close to matching Nash today.  “There are not many point guards that have played to 35,” Nash said. It’s not like it’s a huge pool of players. There is a compliment somewhere in there.” Said Thomas: “He has mastered the craft of the point guard position.” -  Yahoo! Sports

Losers of two straight games, the Boston Celtics could be without Kevin Garnett (sore right knee) for Wednesday night's game against the Phoenix Suns, and perhaps longer. The Celtics already will be shorthanded against the Suns. They will be without Glen Davis (mild right ankle sprain) and Paul Pierce (right knee) and could also be missing Rajon Rondo, who is questionable with a sore left hamstring.  -  ESPN.com

To a man on Tuesday, his teammates corroborated his story of texting them immediately after getting hurt and jokingly referred to him as "the clumsy one." "We all laughed about it a little bit," Jordan Farmar said. "We laughed about it today when we saw him for the first time. As long as he's really OK. If they would have told us it was serious there probably would have been some concern."  - Riverside Press-Enterprise

Forman has sworn to people that he hasn’t made one call about a replacement, and multiple sources insist that simply isn’t true. Just Tuesday, Forman was on the phone asking about exiled NBA coach Eric Musselman. He’s telling people he needs a long-term solution for the Bulls. He had already called the Nets two weeks ago on Lawrence Frank. Another report linked the Bulls to Doug Collins.  - Yahoo! Sports

Mike D'Antoni acknowledged publicly for the first time the Knicks have interest in Tracy McGrady, saying the Rockets swingman feels he has plenty left in the tank and the issue is "an intriguing thing that will be evaluated in-depth.'' "It's a name Donnie (Walsh) I'm sure will analyze and look at and see if it makes sense,'' D'Antoni said at the morning shootaround at The Palace today.-  New York Post

The Knicks would obviously love to swing a deal for McGrady if they can move Jared Jeffries' long-term contract to open more 2010 cap space. But the Rockets are looking at 2010's free agent class, too. A third team not interested in 2010 cap space would be needed in such a scenario to grab Jeffries, whose trade value has increased because of his stellar defense.  - New York Post

Special as his skills might still be, without quickness off the dribble or explosiveness at the rim while coming back from microfracture surgery, he was not going to be a guy to build around, and he does not seem suited for the role player job. "The thing people want to write about is who he was two years ago," Adelman said.   -  Houston Chronicle

There is a belief among some rival executives -- or perhaps it's more accurate to call it a hope -- that the Hornets will not be able to resist moving All-Star forward David West before the Feb. 18 trading deadline to ensure that they get comfortably under the tax threshold.  - ESPN.com

At this point, the Nets will have the most money – roughly $25 million depending on the cap figure — to use on a 2010 free agent class that features LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Amar’e Stoudemire, Chris Bosh and Joe Johnson. "We fought hard and obviously sacrificed a lot to maintain the cap space," Vandeweghe said.  -  Bergen Record

Should Salmons exercise his $6.7 million option, the speculation is the Bulls wouldn't be able to offer a maximum contract to any of the big names in the most decorated free agent class in NBA history. That isn't entirely accurate.  But if Salmons opts in, achieving that optimum financial flexibility becomes more difficult and might involve renouncing the rights to restricted free agent Tyrus Thomas.  -  Chicago Tribune

Now back to the 13-man roster minimum, the Suns can keep Collins without added cost. His contract becomes fully guaranteed Jan. 10 but he would have needed to be waived in a week to avoid the guarantee. It was a possibility until the Suns found a savings solution with Tucker, the 29th overall pick in the 2007 draft. "He's a great insurance policy, as he proved early in the season," Suns General Manager Steve Kerr said of Collins, who most-recently played Dec. 11.  -  Arizona Republic

Lee said he never received a phone call from the Pistons last July. Detroit's been racked with injuries and had its big three, Gordon, Richard Hamilton (an abominable 5 of 21) and Tayshaun Prince together last night for just the third time."They were looking for something different -- a big who can step up and shoot the three like Villanueva, and looking for a guard like Gordon," Lee said.  - New York Post

"I'm frustrated, but I'm as frustrated as anybody," Saunders said. "I feel bad for the people that came to the game and had to watch us play like this. We got a responsibility as professional athletes, as entertainers, to go out on the floor and perform at a high level -- especially at home, in front of your home fans."  - Washington Post

Then why did the Pistons’ prized free-agent acquisition Charlie Villanueva play only 12 minutes, going scoreless in the 104-87 blowout at the hands of the Knicks on Tuesday night? Villanueva, who said he was fine afterward, put the focus squarely on Pistons coach John Kuester. “I don’t know what it is,” Villanueva said. “I don’t know. I’m not going to suit up so they can monitor my minutes. I’m suiting up because I feel like I can play. “So that’s a question you’ll have to ask him.”  - Detroit Free Press

Lopez returned to work Tuesday to prepare for Wednesday night’s game against the Knicks, and he explained that he wasn’t miffed at anyone but himself after the substandard, 10-and-7 performance against the Thunder. “It wasn’t so much the calls,” he said of officials, who put him in foul trouble early. -  Newark Star-Ledger

"It would mean a lot because we haven't had an All-Star in New York in a while," Lee said. "I think it would symbolize how things are turning around here, how the franchise is heading in the right direction. It would be positive for the city and the Knicks."  - New York Post

His 10.3 points, 7.1 rebounds and 51 percent shooting from the field are career lows. But you're not going to hear any complaints from the aging superstar. "Nobody wants to see a 37-, 38-year-old man take 20 or 30 shots," he said. "LeBron (James) is going to take most of the shots. I accept that role. "If I was 27 or 28, I'd probably have a problem with that. That's how it is now. He's the man. He's going to take most of the shots."  -  News-Herald

Ron Artest isn’t playing Tuesday night against Golden State, but he’s on track to return from his concussion Friday night against Sacramento. Phil Jackson said Artest is scheduled to go through a workout Wednesday at the Lakers’ training facility — the rest of the team will have the day off — to test his medical condition. If all goes well for Artest and he has no ill effects, he should be able to play Friday night.  - Orange County Register

Celtics vice president of basketball operations Danny Ainge said Tuesday afternoon that he doesn't believe the sprained right ankle suffered by Glen "Big Baby" Davis is as serious as first feared. Davis got mixed up with Golden State's Rony Turiaf with 9:52 left in the game when Turiaf landed on his ankle.   -  Boston Globe

"This team needs a mindset change. This team for the last five years has been known as one of the worst defensive teams in the league, and until we make a commitment..." Saunders said, stopping himself short before hunkering down in front of the microphone.  -  Washington Times

The Wizards had primarily used a zone defense to slow the Thunder in the second quarter, but in the third Oklahoma City found a way around it to make 10 of its 19 field goal attempts - further stoking Saunders' frustrations. "Zone got us back in the game, and we did well playing some zone. And then guys want to come out of the zone and play man-to-man, but they can't guard anybody!" the coach fumed. -  Washington Times

You won't be seeing the Pacers making a youth movement in the lineup, according to Bird. "It's way too early," Bird said. "However Jimmy wants to do it, I'm behind him, but I never throw a season. We compete in every game to win a game and we have to do what's best for us to win."  - Indianapolis Star Blog

He has not had any more success with the Knicks than he did in previous stops with Detroit, Orlando and Memphis. And he said the situation would be the same no matter which NBA team he played on. "I've got to be real," Milicic said. "There is no team in the league that is going to give me the chance that I'm looking for. My only chance is back in Europe. I'm going to do that. I want to be happy. I want to play." - Michigan Live

Sitting in a cramped visitors' locker room after the Nuggets' tough loss here Monday night, Carmelo Anthony looked eerily similar to how he appeared during last season's playoffs: beat up. Melo had ice bags wrapped around his legs. And it's just December, which means Anthony and his teammates are grateful for every day off they can get right now.  -  Denver Post

Don Nelson came away from the game with the impression Biedrins was not ready to play a lot of minutes. "He was better," Nelson said of Biedrins. Biedrins said his timing was off but his conditioning wasn't so bad.  - Bay Area News Group

Pistons fans have embraced rookie Jonas Jerebko. One of the common compliments about this team -- despite the 11-20 record after Tuesday's rout by the New York Knicks -- is the play of the 6-foot-10 forward from Sweden. Fans adorn the head gear of Norse warriors and the Pistons sound a Viking horn whenever Jerebko makes an impact play. - Detroit Free Press

NBA Daily Results

vs(By CHARLES ODUM From the Associated Press) - LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers generated a playoff-like atmosphere at Philips Arena...Mo Williams had 20 points to lead the Cavaliers in their first game against the Hawks since sweeping four games in the second round of last season’s playoffs. Delonte West had 17 points and Zydrunas Ilgauskas added 15 off Cleveland’s bench. James had 14 points, 10 assists and five steals but made only 6 of 20 shots from the field...The Cavaliers led 75-74 entering the final period and stretched the lead to 85-74 before Josh Smith finally ended the Hawks’ drought that lasted 8:48 by scoring with 3:12 remaining. The Hawks were 0 for 10 from the field in the period before the basket...With 4:40 remaining, Woodson looked to the scorer’s table and asked, “Have we scored this period?” He smiled sadly when his fears were confirmed. The Hawks’ agony continued as Joe Johnson, who scored 15 points, missed a free throw. Jamal Crawford, who led Atlanta with 26 points, then missed two free throws with 4:08 remaining. “It was as disheartening as it ever could be,” Smith said.

vs(From the Associated Press) - Flip Saunders has seen enough. Changes are coming for the Washington Wizards. Kevin Durant had 35 points and 11 rebounds, Jeff Green added 18 points and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Wizards 110-98 Tuesday night for the franchise’s first four-game winning streak in 3 1/2 years...Added Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas, who scored 24 points: “Right now, we stink—and we’re showing it. You can sit here and talk about it every day, every game, every loss. But until we can turn it around, we stink.” Saunders wouldn’t commit to specific adjustments, but said everything will be considered. “Spots will be open. If guys don’t like it, that’s fine but that’s the way it’s going to be,” he said. “I’m not going to sit there, stand there and look at that any more. You evaluate for 30 games where you’re at. Right now, where it’s going, it ain’t getting done.”...Antawn Jamison scored 28 points for the Wizards, who have three skids of three or more games this season. Russell Westbrook and James Harden scored 11 apiece for the Thunder. Westbrook had 10 assists.

vs(From the Associated Press) - Tuesday, with the trio on the floor together for the second straight game, the Pistons were routed 104-87 by the New York Knicks. Detroit (11-20) has lost eight straight and fallen nine games under .500 for the first time since the 2000-01 season...David Lee was the star for New York, scoring a season-high 30 points and adding 12 rebounds while Wilson Chandler added 23 points and nine rebounds...New York had lost two in a row and entered the game with the same 11-19 record as Detroit, but hit 51 percent of their shots while holding Detroit to 42 percent...Hamilton had 16 points and Rodney Stuckey scored 15 for Detroit despite combining to shoot just 11 of 34. “We didn’t show up to play in the first half or the second half either,” said Swedish rookie Jonas Jerebko. “We’d play well for three minutes and then play badly for seven. We can’t play like that.”

vs(By RICK GANO From the Associated Press) - Derrick Rose scored 28 points, the Bulls recovered after blowing an early 19-point lead and beat the Indiana Pacers 104-95...After blowing a 35-point lead last week against Sacramento, the Bulls made sure they didn’t fade away Tuesday night, even after Indiana took its first lead in the third quarter...The Pacers, meanwhile, lost their seventh straight. Coach Jim O’Brien got a vote of confidence earlier in the week from team president Larry Bird, but Indiana fell behind by a big margin early for a third straight game...Rose had 18 of his points in the second half. John Salmons added 17 for the Bulls. Roy Hibbert scored 17 for Indiana, which is without injured star Danny Granger. The Pacers also played part of the third quarter and all of the fourth without second leading scorer Troy Murphy, who limped off with a sprained left ankle.

vs(From the Associated Press) - Ginobili scored 14 points, had 10 assists and grabbed nine rebounds to lead the Spurs to a 117-99 victory over Minnesota...Ginobili received plenty of offensive support from Richard Jefferson, who scored 24 points. He made monster dunks, reverse layups and sank four 3-pointers as the Spurs (18-11) rolled to their third straight victory...Roger Mason Jr. added 18 points, including four 3-pointers, for the Spurs who have won nine of 11...Al Jefferson led Minnesota with 20 points. Kevin Love scored 18 and Jonny Flynn 17 for the Wolves (7-25), who have lost 10 straight to San Antonio...On the day they acquired swingman Alando Tucker from the Phoenix Suns, the Wolves fell short in their attempt to win three straight for the first time in nearly a year. Minnesota had no answer for the Spurs’ outside shooting. San Antonio made 50 percent of their 3-point attempts.

vs(By CHRIS DUNCAN From the Associated Press) - Aaron Brooks scored 27 points, Luis Scola added 13 points and 12 rebounds and the Rockets overcame Paul’s triple-double and West’s career game for a 108-100 win over the Hornets. Paul had 16 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists for his 11th career triple-double and first this season. West had 44 points and 12 rebounds, but the Hornets still slipped to 2-13 on the road this season...Shane Battier scored 20 points and Carl Landry added 18 off the bench for the Rockets, who went 12 for 23 from 3-point range and finished with 27 assists...Houston improved to 19-13, a surprising start since the team has played virtually the whole season without All-Stars Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady. Yao is out for the season with a foot injury and the team acknowledged Tuesday that it’s trying to deal McGrady, who was unhappy with his playing time as he tried to come back from offseason knee surgery...The Rockets hit 14 of 18 shots, including five 3-pointers, during an 11-minute stretch between the first and second quarters. The Hornets shot 56 percent (20 of 36) over the first 18 minutes to stay within striking distance.

vs(By GREG BEACHAM From the Associated Press) - Kobe Bryant had a season-high 44 points and 11 assists while making all 16 of his free throws, and the Lakers survived Golden State’s 55-percent shooting for a 124-118 victory over the Warriors on Tuesday night...Pau Gasol had 27 points and 12 rebounds for the defending NBA champions, who relied even more heavily than usual on Bryant to avoid their third loss in four games over the past five days...Bryant came through with 17 points in the fourth quarter, clinching his seventh 40-point game of the season on two free throws with 4:04 left. He has 103 40-point games in his career, third-most in NBA history...Corey Maggette scored 25 points and Monta Ellis added 22 for the Warriors, who beat Phoenix and Boston in the previous three days.

Hart to Phoenix, Tucker to Wolves?

Sources close to the situation have told HOOPSWORLD's Alex Kennedy that the rumored deal that would have sent Jason Hart to the New Orleans Hornets for Devin Brown has been scrubbed entirely. The Timberwolves have instead reached a deal that would land Hart in Phoenix in exchange for Alando Tucker. - HoopsWorld

The Suns traded guard Alando Tucker, a conditional 2010 second-round pick and cash to the Minnesota Timberwolves for veteran Jason Hart. The Suns immediately waived Hart.  - KTAR.com

The Sacramento Kings and Maloof family today signed President of Basketball Operations Geoff Petrie to a multi-year contract extension. Per team policy, financial terms of the contract were not disclosed.  -  NBA.com

Grizzlies forward Rudy Gay was inactive for Monday night's game against the Washington Wizards because of a sprained left ankle, leaving Memphis without its leading scorer. Gay first injured the ankle Dec. 16 in the Grizzlies' 110-97 loss to the Atlanta Hawks. He left the game but played in the four games since, averaging almost 19 points over that span. - NBA.com

The Suns became the only NBA team to defeat the two conference leaders this season. The Lakers, who had defeated Phoenix by 19 and 20 points previously, suffered a 15-point loss for the second time in the past four days.  -  azcentral.com

Bullish on Doug Collins: Money talks and Doug Collins just might be persuaded to listen to a generous offer to coach the Bulls, sources tell us. Vinny Del Negro appears destined to receive his walking papers. Finding the right replacement is the stumbling block. Collins, who coached the Bulls from 1986-89, has a 332-287 career record. - Chicago Tribune

One night after losing to the second-worst team in the Pacific Division, the Celts did the East Bay limbo, managing to go lower than the division’s flounders, the Warriors. Playing well below C’s level, the visitors turned the ball over a season-high 26 times - 22 through three quarters - falling to Golden State, 103-99, last night.  -  Boston Herald

The Lakers' center has struggled since Pau Gasol returned from a hamstring injury, but Coach Phil Jackson remained resolute that the 22-year-old center would improve, nudging aside a reporter's question about possibly inserting Lamar Odom in Bynum's place in the starting lineup.  -  LA Times

Marco Belinelli spent a little extra time Monday after practice working with shooting consultant Dave Hopla, who is with the team for a couple of days. Belinelli has suffered through an extended shooting slump and hopes Hopla can get him back on track. "He's a good guy, everybody talks about him real well and he's an incredible shooting teacher. ... It's better for us to have a guy like that who can help," Belinelli said.  -  Toronto Star

The Boston Celtics still want to see what happens in the future with Glen Davis, the burly power forward who suffered an embarrassing broken right thumb just before the start of the regular season after getting into a fight with a friend.  -  FanHouse

Guard Willie Green was scratched with a sprained left ankle he suffered during the loss in Utah on Saturday. Iverson, who started last night, did participate and went to the far end of the court with Jordan and assistant coach Mike O'Koren for some extra work.  - Philadelphia Daily News

Rondo’s success at the line has been an issue most of the season, but, entering last night’s game at Golden State, he improved to 60 percent in December after shooting 38 percent in November. Yet, even after a 7-of-9 showing in a 103-99 loss to the Warriors last night, he’s last on the team at 55.4 percent.  -  Boston Globe

Brook Lopez fled the locker room and didn’t talk to the media after the Nets were clobbered by Oklahoma City last night, and his teammates could only provide theories. "It wasn’t the type of night he would like," Rafer Alston said after the 105-89 loss. "He always wants to excel for this team and it wasn’t one of his better nights."  The Star Ledger

Sources close to the process told ESPN.com that multiple phone discussions Monday between Rockets general manager Daryl Morey and coach Rick Adelman in conjunction with (Tracy) McGrady's lead agent, Arn Tellem, led to a mutual agreement that both sides would try to hatch a workable trade before the league's annual trading deadline on Feb. 18.  -  ESPN.com

"A lot of times, an opponent will overlook Damp," Kidd said. "My job is to get him the ball and make the game easy. He’s doing the hard part — catching it and putting it in the basket. When he plays like he has been, we’re a different team."  -  Star-Telegram

There have even been rumors Butler, the former Park High School star, could be headed to the Milwaukee Bucks. That would indeed be a great move for the Bucks, who desperately need a prime-time small forward. What's more, Butler has said in the past he wouldn't mind playing in Milwaukee and being closer to his family and friends.  - Racine Journal-Times

A source with knowledge of Monday’s talks said the Rockets would have allowed McGrady to stay, but the guard thought he’d be too much of a distraction to the team. McGrady is making a league-high $23 million in the final year of his contract, and won’t be easy to trade given his large salary and how little teams have seen him play this season. Rival teams say the Rockets are willing to take back long-term money for the right trade with McGrady, but no deal appears imminent.  -  Yahoo! Sports

Bird is exploring trades, but he won't make a move just to appease fans. He is looking toward the summer of 2011, when the Pacers will gain salary cap flexibility as the contracts of Mike Dunleavy and Troy Murphy expire. They will make $22.5 million combined next season.  -  Indianapolis Star

With the Jazz in the market for a third point guard, reporters seeking information about the team's ongoing search quizzed coach Jerry Sloan on Monday. Asked if he would be interested in bringing back any former players -- perhaps someone like Keith McLeod , Brevin Knight or Dee Brown -- Sloan smiled. "Yeah," he said. "I'd take John Stockton back if he was available."  - Salt Lake Tribune

When Rasheed Wallace said three weeks ago that the NBA was headed for a crash to rival the college basketball betting scandal of the 1950s, it seemed fairly certain the league’s lords of discipline would be hitting him with another fine. But there was silence from the big offices, and now it appears that was quite by plan. According to sources, the NBA did contact the Celtics about comments from Wallace and Ray Allen regarding allegations by convicted former referee Tim Donaghy, but it preferred to lend no further publicity to the matter.  - Boston Herald

Any NBA scout will tell you that Yi has poor instincts ("I’d say nonexistent," one says), and most wonder whether he will ever develop in that area. Any NBA scout will tell you that Yi’s assist total this season — two, in 184 minutes — is pretty much what they have come to expect from him. And any NBA scout will bet his check that in two crucial areas — defensive tenacity and overall basketball IQ — the athletic 22-year-old may never be the starting-quality player the Nets hope he will become.  - Newark Star-Ledger

Last season Andersen was much more than just a fan favorite. He led the NBA in blocked and altered shots per minute. The energy he provided was palpable and changed the game. This season, though, Andersen has been struggling to perform at the same level he did a season ago, especially early in the campaign. "I can't deny that early in the season I was a little worried about him," said Denver Nuggets head coach George Karl.   -  HoopsWorld

According to Nuggets coach George Karl, Monday's game against Sacramento will be the last his team plays without point guard Chauncey Billups. Including Monday, Billups has missed the last two games with a left groin strain. "I'm pretty confident that he'll be able to play 100 percent come the first of the year," Karl said.   - Denver Post

The Celtics have some good news and bad news following Monday's 103-99 loss to Golden State on the injury front. The bad news: Glen "Big Baby" Davis left the arena on crutches and told reporters he has a sprained right ankle. He was wearing a protective boot and said he couldn't walk without aid. He could be out for an extended period. He didn't sound positive. X-rays were negative. Davis sprained the ankle in an ugly collision with Golden State's rugged Rony Turiaf, in which Davis was called for the offensive foul.  -  Boston Globe

But as a member of the fraternity, Van Gundy can just as quickly take the Florida Gators football coach's plight seriously. He knows coaching can be dangerous to your health. Relentlessly driven and intense, Van Gundy concedes that he's thought about whether the job could kill him. "Yeah, I definitely have thought about that. I don't see myself dying on the sideline. That's why I don't see Jerry Sloan in me," Van Gundy said, referring to Sloan, the Utah Jazz icon who is the dean of all pro coaches at 21 years with one team.  - Orlando Sentinel

The D.C. police department is investigating the circumstances surrounding Washington Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas taking guns to Verizon Center this month, a police official said Monday. The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing, said police are looking into the original account of the incident released by the team. The District has strict laws that prohibit carrying guns, openly or concealed.  - Washington Post

NBA Daily Results

vs(By MIKE CRANSTON From the Associated Press) - Michael Redd and Andrew Bogut never took off their warmups in the second half of the Bucks’ 94-84 loss to the Bobcats. The team’s second- and third-leading scorers were benched after combining to shoot 1 for 10 and play little defense in a one-sided matchup of teams that figure to contend for one of the final Eastern Conference playoff spots...“I was real surprised,” said Brandon Jennings, who led Milwaukee with 24 points. “I thought once we got it down a little bit, we were going to bring them back in, you know Bogut and Redd and them."...Gerald Wallace had 21 points and 14 rebounds and Flip Murray led a productive bench with 16 points for the Bobcats, who had lost four of five. “Scott Skiles is a good coach,” said Stephen Jackson, who added 12 points for Charlotte. “Obviously he did it for a reason, but it helped us that they weren’t out there.”...“I’m a competitor. Obviously I didn’t like it,” said Redd, who was 0 for 4 before getting benched. “You know what I mean. But at the same time, support his decisions and keep moving. I’ll be in the gym working hard (Tuesday).”...“Nothing surprises me,” Bogut said of Skiles’ decision.

vs(By TOM CANAVAN From the Associated Press) - Durant matched his season high with 40 points and the Thunder defeated New Jersey 105-89 Monday night, sending the Nets to their 10th straight loss—their second double-digit losing streak of the season. The key for the Thunder was the final 17 minutes when they limited New Jersey to 17 points, including 13 in the final quarter...The win was a season-high third straight for the Thunder (16-14)...Former Net Nenad Krstic added 19 points and Russell Westbrook had 16 points and 10 assists. Reserve Nick Collison added 11 points and 10 rebounds...Yi Jianlian matched his career high with 29 points to lead New Jersey, which set an NBA record with 18 straight losses to start the season...Courtney Lee chipped in with 17 for the Nets (2-29), while Trenton Hassell had 14 and Devin Harris had 11 and 11 assists.

vs(From the Associated Press) - O.J. Mayo scored 28 points, Zach Randolph had six of his 23 points in overtime and the Grizzlies beat the Washington Wizards 116-111 on Monday night. Gasol finished with 20, and his two free throws with 9.5 seconds extended the Memphis lead to 115-111, assuring the Grizzlies of their fourth straight home win...Mike Conley scored 22 for Memphis. Randolph had 19 rebounds, and Gasol added 11 boards as the Grizzlies outrebounded the Wizards 54-41 and outscored them in the paint 62-42. Memphis is now 6-0 at home this season against teams with losing records...Gilbert Arenas led the Wizards with 30 points, connecting on 12 of 26 shots from the field, including 5 of 11 from 3-point range. “We just couldn’t get a break,” Arenas said. “We are just not getting the breaks that we need. They are all going against us.”

vs(By BOB BAUM From the Associated Press) - Kobe Bryant used harsh language to describe how badly the Lakers beat the Phoenix Suns twice in Los Angeles earlier this season. “And they returned the favor,” he said...The Suns reserves outscored their counterparts 52-31 to help Phoenix rout the reigning NBA champions 118-103 on Monday night. Amare Stoudemire scored 26 points and Jared Dudley matched his career best with 19 for the Suns. Bryant had 34 points but sat out the final 7:50 when the game was deemed out of reach by coach Phil Jackson...Steve Nash had 16 points and 13 assists for the Suns, who led by as many as 12 in the second quarter, 19 in the third and 22 in the fourth to improve to 12-2 at home...The Lakers were without Ron Artest for the second consecutive game. He sustained a concussion and injured his left elbow in a fall at his house on Christmas Day...The margin matched Cleveland’s 15-point victory over the Lakers in Los Angeles on Friday. Only a late spurt kept it from being the Lakers’ most one-sided loss of the season...Channing Frye had 14 points and a season-high 11 rebounds for the Suns, who fought the much bigger Lakers to a 43-43 standoff on the boards.

vs(From the Associated Press) - Brand scored a season-high 25 points and had nine rebounds in a reserve role as Philadelphia rallied to beat the Portland Trail Blazers 104-93...Brand, a former All Star, hit 11 of 16 shots in 30 minutes. Allen Iverson, returning to the lineup after missing the past four games with a knee injury, made 7 of 11 shots and scored 19 points. Marreesse Speights hit 7 of 8 shots and was one of three Sixers to score 14 points...“Having Allen back helps. He’s a finisher. He can get to the line and get the ball to guy at the right time. We’ve missed that,” Brand said...Portland coach Nate McMillan, noting that the Blazers gave up 60 points inside the paint and 61 second-half points, was disappointed with his team’s lack of urgency after its recent play in wins over Miami, Dallas, San Antonio and Denver...Brandon Roy led Portland (20-13) with 24 points, while LaMarcus Aldridge had 17 points and 12 rebounds.

vs(From the Associated Press) - The revamped Sacramento Kings won only 11 home games a year ago in posting the worst record in the NBA. Win No. 11 this year at home was a special one, 106-101 over the struggling Denver Nuggets on Monday night. It comes after the youthful Kings lost back-to-back games in overtime at home to Cleveland and the Lakers. Andres Nocioni made four 3-pointers and scored a season-high 21 points for Sacramento...Udrih scored 17 points and had seven assists and Donte Greene also had 17 points for the Kings. Jason Thompson contributed 15 points and 11 rebounds...What also felt good afterward for the Kings was making Anthony earn his 34 points. The NBA’s leading scorer this season, Anthony shot 15 of 35 and was 3 of 7 on free throws. He had eight fourth-quarter points, but with Greene in his face late in the game, he missed two straight jumpers...Nene had a season-high 25 points for the Nuggets, who lost their third straight and fifth in six games. Kenyon Martin added 10 points and 12 rebounds. The Nuggets made just 20 of 35 free throws and shot 41 percent overall.

vs(By JANIE McCAULEY From the Associated Press) - Monta Ellis scored 37 points and converted two free throws with 2.3 seconds left, and the Warriors rallied from an early 18-point deficit to hand the Celtics just their second two-game losing streak this season with a 103-99 victory Monday night...Anthony Randolph added 18 points and nine rebounds and scored six straight during an 8-2 run late in the third quarter to put the Warriors ahead. C.J. Watson had six of his career-high seven steals in the second quarter, matching the Warriors’ record for a quarter, and also contributed 11 points and seven assists. Rajon Rondo had 30 points and 15 assists to lead Boston, which had its nine-game road winning streak snapped in a 92-90 loss to the Clippers in Los Angeles on Sunday night. The Celtics couldn’t convert on a final chance in the waning seconds this time. They haven’t won in the Bay Area since Dec. 29, 2003...Celtics coach Doc Rivers called Oracle Arena a tough place to play and win— especially coaching against Nelson’s teams.

McGrady Requesting for a Trade

The Rockets and McGrady came to a "mutual agreement" Monday to seek to trade McGrady, a person with the Rockets with knowledge of talks between McGrady’s representatives and general manager Daryl Morey said. - Houston Chronicle

The Rockets would likely be willing to take back a longer contract if it also got them a player they wanted, but could not make that sort of trade happen when McGrady salary was covered by insurance  -  Houston Chronicle

There are no imminent trades, but rival teams say the Rockets are willing to take back long-term money for the right trade with McGrady. Sources say they’ve shown an interest in Sacramento Kings shooting guard Kevin Martin, but the Kings want to see him play with rookie Tyreke Evans once Martin returns from a broken wrist in January.  -  Yahoo! Sports

The possibility of a contract buyout isn’t expected to be addressed now with McGrady’s agent, because there’s just no motivation for Houston to give him one until the trade deadline passes in February. Unless, of course, T-Mac is willing to give back several million dollars to become a free agent now.  - Yahoo! Sports

Chandler (stress reaction in his left foot) was on crutches at shootaround this morning, and figures to miss at least the rest of this week's games. But coach Larry Brown said he didn't anticipate bringing Ajinca back from D-League assignment with the Maine Red Claws, in reaction to Chandler's injury.  - Charlotte Observer Blog

Despite Tyrus Thomas' big performance in his return (21 points and 9 rebounds), Del Negro said the starting lineup will be the same Tuesday against the Indiana Pacers with Taj Gibson starting at power forward and Thomas coming off the bench. ''Let's just stay with it the way it is,'' the coach said. ''Let's not rush into it. We got a win; let's just focus on that. The starting lineup is what it is for now and we'll stay with that.   -  Chicago Sun-Times

One day after saying the Knicks should release him after the season if they don't play him, the divide between Eddy Curry and Mike D'Antoni is growing. Curry expressed frustration yesterday with the lack of communication from the Knicks coach, who still hasn't talked to Curry since yanking him from the rotation. Curry told The Post on Friday he was debriefed on his non-playing status by Knicks president Donnie Walsh, but hadn't heard a word from D'Antoni.  -  NY Post

Curry does not sound convinced that D'Antoni thinks he's a good fit because he is a low-post player. "I feel like I do [fit in]," Curry said. "[But] it's not my team. I'll keep approaching it as if it is the right fit for me as long as I'm here. They have the power to change it. Until they decide I'm not the right fit by moving me, I'm assuming I'm the right fit."  - NY Post

Chicago Bulls coach Vinny Del Negro said an ESPN.com report that a decision to fire him already has been made is "totally not accurate." Citing sources with knowledge of the Bulls' thinking, Chris Broussard of ESPN The Magazine reported on Sunday night that a decision has been made and the Bulls are just waiting to find Del Negro's replacement.  -  ESPN

The Rockets and Tracy McGrady's agent, Bob Myers, will have discussions at the conclusion of the team's current road trip to decide the next step for the disgruntled former All-Star. According to an NBA front office source familiar with the situation, the only logical step now is for McGrady to formally request a trade.  -  CBS Sports

"To be honest with you, I think our focus is a little bit better on the road than it is at home,” said Kevin Durant when asked how the team’s mindset has changed from last season. "I know that’s kind of difficult to say. . . We’re trying to find our balance between playing better at home and also playing on the road.”  -  NewsOK

The NBA is considering fining Nate Robinson for his agent asking the Knicks to trade the veteran guard. A Knicks source told the Daily News that the league has investigated comments made by Aaron Goodwin in which he criticized Mike D'Antoni for benching Robinson. "I can't allow Nate to rot on Mike's bench and not do anything about it. I can't allow this to happen to his career," Goodwin said Dec. 19. "It's clear that Mike D'Antoni doesn't want to play him."  -  NY Daily News

The Lakers forward, who missed Saturday night's game at Sacramento after sustaining a concussion, visited a neurologist Sunday and was told his condition was improving. But he was not cleared to play, will be revaluated again today and, if cleared, will fly to Phoenix and play tonight against the Suns.  -  LA Times

Yes, that Ricky Davis, whose latest stop in his career has brought him to the end of the Clippers' bench. He's the guy Baron Davis credits with inspiring him to lead the Clippers to their best victory of the year, a 92-90 buzzer-beater over the Celtics that Baron delivered with a hi-arching jumper over Rajon Rondo. "What he said to me before the game really stuck with me," Baron said. "He just told me to be aggressive, don't worry about nobody else out there, just worry about what you've got to do, and I guarantee you that we're going to stay close. You just be aggressive, you just worry about taking care of BD, don't get frustrated and play your game."  -  ESPN

With an expiring contract that has a salary-cap number of $9.15 million, the Los Angeles Clippers' big man might be the most coveted player who could be available as the Feb. 18 trade deadline approaches. While some teams would take anyone with such an expiring contract that has vital signs, Camby also can play.  -  FanHouse