The Charlotte Bobcats’ Stephen Jackson and the Denver Nuggets’ Carmelo Anthony today were named the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for games played Jan. 11-17. - NBA.com
The National Basketball Association announced today that Commissioner David Stern has denied the Atlanta Hawks' protest of their 106-101 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Dec. 30, 2009. In the protest, the Hawks argued that the failure of the shot clock operator to reset the shot clock following a defensive rebound by Atlanta with 1:57 remaining in the game warranted a replay of the game from that point forward. - NBA.com
The trade deadline is Feb. 18, and any team with a payroll above $69.9 will have to pay $1 for every dollar they are above that figure. After trading Hilton Armstrong's expiring contract two weeks ago, the Hornets' payroll is at $70.5 million. The Hornets could be looking to move Sean Marks, Devin Brown or Ike Diogu because all three have expiring contracts, and several teams are interested in those contracts to cut their payrolls. - The New Orleans Times Picayune
Asked after Sunday's loss in Denver if he thought he was more likely staying in Utah than heading elsewhere, Boozer only could voice what he would do in the position of Jazz general manager Kevin O'Connor and chief executive Greg Miller. "If I was them, I wouldn't make a trade," Boozer said. "But I'm not them. I think, I mean, you keep this group together. We're getting healthy, guys are getting better, we're rolling, we've won four out of our last five, which is great. - Salt Lake City Tribune
Arenas is scheduled to be sentenced March 26. He may avoid jail time. The key word is "may." Prosecutors have agreed not to ask for more than six months in jail for Arenas as part of a plea deal, but ultimately, it is the judge's call. Superior Court Judge Robert E. Morin could impose probation, or sentence Arenas to five years in jail. I don't think signing a jailbird will be the end-all for the Magic to break out of their funk. And even if Arenas is a free man, he will shackle the Magic in other ways. He is a scorer, a guy who needs the ball in his hands. He jacks up a lot of shots. Some wild ones too. The Magic already signed that guy. His name is Vince Carter. - Orlando Sentinel
"He's turned into quite a defender, actually," Warriors coach Don Nelson said. "He was not very good when he first arrived. But he's worked hard on it, followed our game plan and he's a pretty darn good defensive point guard right now. ... I don't know if you call (Sacramento's Tyreke) Evans a point guard or not. Other than that, I don't know any rookie point guard who's better than (Curry). I know (Milwaukee's Brandon) Jennings is really good. ... (Curry is the) total package. He's quite a point guard." - Oakland Tribune
Kirilenko signed a maximum extension off his rookie contract on Oct. 29, 2004, back when he was a much more focal player for the Jazz. The past half decade has seen Kirilenko have squabbles with Utah coach Jerry Sloan about his role, and in September 2007 he was quoted in the Russian newspaper Sport Express about wanting to give up the then $63 million remaining on his contract to play in Europe. But 2 ½ years later Kirilenko is more at peace with himself. He now says he actually wants to remain with the Jazz when he becomes a free agent in the summer of 2010. - FanHouse
That's why Pacers coach Jim O'Brien added some levity to it when he leaned back on the wall and opened his arms wide when asked about pushing the right button with second-year swingman Brandon Rush. "I . . . don't . . . know," O'Brien slowly said. "I . . . don't . . . know. We tried everything. You just hope that he's going to have a good game." - Indianapolis Star
Leon Powe did not take part in a full practice on Monday, but is getting closer in his recovery from microfracture surgery on his left knee. "He went through the beginning of practice and looked good," Williams said. "He caught a ball off the rim and dunked. He's moving real well. I don't know the time frame on him. Hopefully, it's sooner rather than later." - Cleveland Plain Dealer
Tyreke Evans, the Sacramento Kings' rookie point guard, and his cousin are among four men who have been named in a wrongful-death civil suit filed in Delaware County. The family of Marcus Reason, who was killed by Jamar Evans, Tyreke's cousin, in November 2007 in a drive-by shooting, is asking for a judgment in excess of $50,000. - Philadelphia Inquirer
Sixers forward Elton Brand is facing a breach of contract suit from a former employee of his computer company Brand IT. According to the lawsuit, filed in Cook County, Ill., Robert Mendralla says that Brand fired him and continued to develop a smart phone GPS concept that he and Brand were to partner in. Brand IT is a division of Brand Enterprises, a California-based corporation with a primary place of business in Illinois. - Philadelphia Daily News
The media viewing portion of practice has just begun, and Kevin Garnett is on the floor scrimmaging with the first team. Garnett has been out with a hyperextended right knee. The Celtics had hoped he could be back by Friday’s game against Portland. - Boston Herald Blog
Eddie Jordan's grip on the head coaching job in Philadelphia wasn't exactly firm when the 76ers walked into Target Center on Monday to face the Minnesota Timberwolves. Blowing a 20-point lead against the team with the second-worst record in the NBA certainly won't help his cause. Jonny Flynn had a career-high 29 points and nine assists and the Timberwolves posted their biggest comeback of the season, a 108-103 overtime win over the 76ers on Monday. - Philly Burbs
The Rockets picked up their option to extend coach Rick Adelman's contract for another season as expected last week, but did not stop there. General manager Daryl Morey said he has begun talks to also sign assistant coaches Elston Turner, Jack Sikma,T.R. Dunn and R.J. Adelman. “We did it (the Adelman extension), and now we're working on bringing the assistants back as well,” Morey said. “They've done an incredible job in very difficult circumstances. To not only have a great game plan every night, but to have brought the players along to help us win now, is a testament to the whole staff.” - Houston Chronicle
But according to a source speaking on the condition of anonymity, the Wizards have not had any discussions or communications with Arenas in regards to voiding the deal, and haven't decided what their course of action is in the situation because the legal process must play out, and then David Stern, who already has suspended Arenas indefinitely, must decide what – if any – additional punishment the player will receive before being reinstated into the league. - Mike Jones Sports
Larry Hughes came clean today, so to speak. The disgruntled veteran guard says that contrary to one report he did attend Sunday's practice, but left the court before the media arrived because he didn't want to address his status. The Knicks had told reporters that Hughes was taking a bathroom break and was unavailable to talk. Hughes has expressed frustration over his limited role, calling it a "joke" following Saturday's loss in Detroit when Hughes played just nine minutes in the second quarter and didn't return. - NY Daily News Blog
"It's regrettable," D'Antoni said. "Negative thoughts around is never good, but it's something we deal with. I don't think it affects us. It's good that players are frustrated and want to play. . . . But it doesn't change my mindset. "He knows why he's not playing: I don't think he can help us. He disagrees with that, which is [his] right. We're making too much of [this]. . . . Guys will squawk. If you win 60 games, guys [will] squawk. If the shrimp cocktail isn't good on the plane, they'll squawk. A lot of places, it just goes over people's head. Here, it becomes a national story. It just doesn't change [my decision] and just go play." - NY Post
About an hour before the Spurs' 97-90 victory Monday at New Orleans, Tony Parker limped through the tunnel toward the court for warm-ups, hobbling on a left foot still painful with plantar fasciitis. Shuffling through the shadows, he looked like a broken-down 57-year-old man, not the hiccup-quick 27-year-old lightning bolt he sometimes still is. “There are good days and bad days,” Parker said. This would be one of the good ones. - San Antonio Express News
Haywood credited the return of Mike Miller for helping the Wizards focus on moving the ball more. Miller was back after missing 25 of the past 27 games with a strained right calf. He has missed 28 games this season, but have to wonder if he would've made a difference had he been healthy for more games. It doesn't matter now, as the Wizards try to move on without Gilbert Arenas. But they should be encouraged that Miller felt fine after scoring 13 points with four assists in just over 24 minutes.- Washington Post Blog
Stackhouse worked out for the Bucks coaching staff on Sunday at the Toyota Center and made a strong impression. "He looked good," Skiles said. "He's not in mid-season shape or anything, but considering he's been out so long, he was in surprisingly good shape, we thought. "We're hoping he can do what he's done in his career, come in and score some points. He's always had a pretty high level of toughness. He's not afraid to attack the rim and get to the line." - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Blog
Brown showed he's quite the dunk contest historian. "Nate (Robinson of the New York Knicks) jumped over Dwight (Howard of Orlando) last year, that was a good one," he said. "The Vince Carter 360(-degree) windmills. The Michael Jordan one, where he tucked it on one side and went under the rim and had to duck his head and then dunked it on the other side. "That was sick." - LA Daily News
Apparently LeBron James has decided not to compete in the Slam Dunk contest Feb. 13 during this year's All-Star Weekend in Dallas. James did not speak to the media on Monday, but an NBA press release on Monday listed the participants as defending champion Nate Robinson of the New York Knicks, Gerald Wallace of the Charlotte Bobcats and former Cav Shannon Brown, now of the Los Angeles Lakers. DeMar DeRozan of the Raptors and Eric Gordon of the Los Angeles Clippers will compete in the NBA All-Star Slam Dunk-In, a single-round slam dunk competition that will be held at halftime of the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge and Youth Jam on Feb. 12. - Cleveland Plain Dealer
Despite his reservations, Robinson finally told the NBA he'd go on Thursday. "I'm an all-around player, but it's cool because people never forget guys who've been in the dunk contest," said Robinson, explaining his decision. "It's cool to be labeled one of the best dunkers ever. My goal is to be the first to win three." - NY Post
About five minutes into a pregame conversation with Mark Cuban last night, a man appeared near the Garden court wearing a T-shirt that sent the Dallas Mavericks owner into laughter. It read: “Free Mark Cuban.” “He’s an old rugby buddy of mine,” Cuban said. The shirt is from an era when the maverick Maverick was regularly fined by the NBA for statements that, while utterly sensible, rocked the league’s boat. He didn’t like a lot of what was happening in the NBA at the turn of this century, and he wasn’t afraid to share those thoughts. - Boston Herald
If he had a vote for NBA Rookie of the Year, Stephen Curry would vote for Tyreke Evans, too. The size. The stats. The courage in late-game situations. The ability to thrust his powerful body into the lane, and somehow, squeeze inside for reverse layups. "I can't think of anyone in a long time who gets to the basket better then Tyreke," Curry said of the Kings' standout rookie after his club's 114-97 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Monday.- Sacramento Bee
Despite dealing with relief efforts after last week's devastating earthquake in his native Haiti, 76ers center Samuel Dalembert continued his strong play yesterday afternoon. In a 108-103 overtime loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, Dalembert played 35 minutes, scored 12 points on 6-for-9 shooting and grabbed 10 rebounds. In his last 13 games, Dalembert is shooting 60 for 85 from the floor. About an hour before yesterday's afternoon tip-off, Dalembert looked worn from what has been a chaotic and demanding stretch. - Philadelphia Inquirer
Rasheed Wallace questioned the call that sent him to the bench for that decisive stretch. But even though he scored only 4 first-half points on 2 of 7 shooting, his absence on the offensive end was just as important as the defensive end, because it gave Nowitzki a vacation on defense. “If you look at all of Dirk’s games, where he went off a lot, he has to guard nobody on defense,’’ Wallace said. “He has to guard dudes that are like the fourth or fifth option.’’ - Boston Globe
The National Basketball Association announced today that Commissioner David Stern has denied the Atlanta Hawks' protest of their 106-101 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Dec. 30, 2009. In the protest, the Hawks argued that the failure of the shot clock operator to reset the shot clock following a defensive rebound by Atlanta with 1:57 remaining in the game warranted a replay of the game from that point forward. - NBA.com
The trade deadline is Feb. 18, and any team with a payroll above $69.9 will have to pay $1 for every dollar they are above that figure. After trading Hilton Armstrong's expiring contract two weeks ago, the Hornets' payroll is at $70.5 million. The Hornets could be looking to move Sean Marks, Devin Brown or Ike Diogu because all three have expiring contracts, and several teams are interested in those contracts to cut their payrolls. - The New Orleans Times Picayune
Asked after Sunday's loss in Denver if he thought he was more likely staying in Utah than heading elsewhere, Boozer only could voice what he would do in the position of Jazz general manager Kevin O'Connor and chief executive Greg Miller. "If I was them, I wouldn't make a trade," Boozer said. "But I'm not them. I think, I mean, you keep this group together. We're getting healthy, guys are getting better, we're rolling, we've won four out of our last five, which is great. - Salt Lake City Tribune
Arenas is scheduled to be sentenced March 26. He may avoid jail time. The key word is "may." Prosecutors have agreed not to ask for more than six months in jail for Arenas as part of a plea deal, but ultimately, it is the judge's call. Superior Court Judge Robert E. Morin could impose probation, or sentence Arenas to five years in jail. I don't think signing a jailbird will be the end-all for the Magic to break out of their funk. And even if Arenas is a free man, he will shackle the Magic in other ways. He is a scorer, a guy who needs the ball in his hands. He jacks up a lot of shots. Some wild ones too. The Magic already signed that guy. His name is Vince Carter. - Orlando Sentinel
"He's turned into quite a defender, actually," Warriors coach Don Nelson said. "He was not very good when he first arrived. But he's worked hard on it, followed our game plan and he's a pretty darn good defensive point guard right now. ... I don't know if you call (Sacramento's Tyreke) Evans a point guard or not. Other than that, I don't know any rookie point guard who's better than (Curry). I know (Milwaukee's Brandon) Jennings is really good. ... (Curry is the) total package. He's quite a point guard." - Oakland Tribune
Kirilenko signed a maximum extension off his rookie contract on Oct. 29, 2004, back when he was a much more focal player for the Jazz. The past half decade has seen Kirilenko have squabbles with Utah coach Jerry Sloan about his role, and in September 2007 he was quoted in the Russian newspaper Sport Express about wanting to give up the then $63 million remaining on his contract to play in Europe. But 2 ½ years later Kirilenko is more at peace with himself. He now says he actually wants to remain with the Jazz when he becomes a free agent in the summer of 2010. - FanHouse
That's why Pacers coach Jim O'Brien added some levity to it when he leaned back on the wall and opened his arms wide when asked about pushing the right button with second-year swingman Brandon Rush. "I . . . don't . . . know," O'Brien slowly said. "I . . . don't . . . know. We tried everything. You just hope that he's going to have a good game." - Indianapolis Star
Leon Powe did not take part in a full practice on Monday, but is getting closer in his recovery from microfracture surgery on his left knee. "He went through the beginning of practice and looked good," Williams said. "He caught a ball off the rim and dunked. He's moving real well. I don't know the time frame on him. Hopefully, it's sooner rather than later." - Cleveland Plain Dealer
Tyreke Evans, the Sacramento Kings' rookie point guard, and his cousin are among four men who have been named in a wrongful-death civil suit filed in Delaware County. The family of Marcus Reason, who was killed by Jamar Evans, Tyreke's cousin, in November 2007 in a drive-by shooting, is asking for a judgment in excess of $50,000. - Philadelphia Inquirer
Sixers forward Elton Brand is facing a breach of contract suit from a former employee of his computer company Brand IT. According to the lawsuit, filed in Cook County, Ill., Robert Mendralla says that Brand fired him and continued to develop a smart phone GPS concept that he and Brand were to partner in. Brand IT is a division of Brand Enterprises, a California-based corporation with a primary place of business in Illinois. - Philadelphia Daily News
The media viewing portion of practice has just begun, and Kevin Garnett is on the floor scrimmaging with the first team. Garnett has been out with a hyperextended right knee. The Celtics had hoped he could be back by Friday’s game against Portland. - Boston Herald Blog
Eddie Jordan's grip on the head coaching job in Philadelphia wasn't exactly firm when the 76ers walked into Target Center on Monday to face the Minnesota Timberwolves. Blowing a 20-point lead against the team with the second-worst record in the NBA certainly won't help his cause. Jonny Flynn had a career-high 29 points and nine assists and the Timberwolves posted their biggest comeback of the season, a 108-103 overtime win over the 76ers on Monday. - Philly Burbs
The Rockets picked up their option to extend coach Rick Adelman's contract for another season as expected last week, but did not stop there. General manager Daryl Morey said he has begun talks to also sign assistant coaches Elston Turner, Jack Sikma,T.R. Dunn and R.J. Adelman. “We did it (the Adelman extension), and now we're working on bringing the assistants back as well,” Morey said. “They've done an incredible job in very difficult circumstances. To not only have a great game plan every night, but to have brought the players along to help us win now, is a testament to the whole staff.” - Houston Chronicle
But according to a source speaking on the condition of anonymity, the Wizards have not had any discussions or communications with Arenas in regards to voiding the deal, and haven't decided what their course of action is in the situation because the legal process must play out, and then David Stern, who already has suspended Arenas indefinitely, must decide what – if any – additional punishment the player will receive before being reinstated into the league. - Mike Jones Sports
Larry Hughes came clean today, so to speak. The disgruntled veteran guard says that contrary to one report he did attend Sunday's practice, but left the court before the media arrived because he didn't want to address his status. The Knicks had told reporters that Hughes was taking a bathroom break and was unavailable to talk. Hughes has expressed frustration over his limited role, calling it a "joke" following Saturday's loss in Detroit when Hughes played just nine minutes in the second quarter and didn't return. - NY Daily News Blog
"It's regrettable," D'Antoni said. "Negative thoughts around is never good, but it's something we deal with. I don't think it affects us. It's good that players are frustrated and want to play. . . . But it doesn't change my mindset. "He knows why he's not playing: I don't think he can help us. He disagrees with that, which is [his] right. We're making too much of [this]. . . . Guys will squawk. If you win 60 games, guys [will] squawk. If the shrimp cocktail isn't good on the plane, they'll squawk. A lot of places, it just goes over people's head. Here, it becomes a national story. It just doesn't change [my decision] and just go play." - NY Post
About an hour before the Spurs' 97-90 victory Monday at New Orleans, Tony Parker limped through the tunnel toward the court for warm-ups, hobbling on a left foot still painful with plantar fasciitis. Shuffling through the shadows, he looked like a broken-down 57-year-old man, not the hiccup-quick 27-year-old lightning bolt he sometimes still is. “There are good days and bad days,” Parker said. This would be one of the good ones. - San Antonio Express News
Haywood credited the return of Mike Miller for helping the Wizards focus on moving the ball more. Miller was back after missing 25 of the past 27 games with a strained right calf. He has missed 28 games this season, but have to wonder if he would've made a difference had he been healthy for more games. It doesn't matter now, as the Wizards try to move on without Gilbert Arenas. But they should be encouraged that Miller felt fine after scoring 13 points with four assists in just over 24 minutes.- Washington Post Blog
Stackhouse worked out for the Bucks coaching staff on Sunday at the Toyota Center and made a strong impression. "He looked good," Skiles said. "He's not in mid-season shape or anything, but considering he's been out so long, he was in surprisingly good shape, we thought. "We're hoping he can do what he's done in his career, come in and score some points. He's always had a pretty high level of toughness. He's not afraid to attack the rim and get to the line." - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Blog
Brown showed he's quite the dunk contest historian. "Nate (Robinson of the New York Knicks) jumped over Dwight (Howard of Orlando) last year, that was a good one," he said. "The Vince Carter 360(-degree) windmills. The Michael Jordan one, where he tucked it on one side and went under the rim and had to duck his head and then dunked it on the other side. "That was sick." - LA Daily News
Apparently LeBron James has decided not to compete in the Slam Dunk contest Feb. 13 during this year's All-Star Weekend in Dallas. James did not speak to the media on Monday, but an NBA press release on Monday listed the participants as defending champion Nate Robinson of the New York Knicks, Gerald Wallace of the Charlotte Bobcats and former Cav Shannon Brown, now of the Los Angeles Lakers. DeMar DeRozan of the Raptors and Eric Gordon of the Los Angeles Clippers will compete in the NBA All-Star Slam Dunk-In, a single-round slam dunk competition that will be held at halftime of the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge and Youth Jam on Feb. 12. - Cleveland Plain Dealer
Despite his reservations, Robinson finally told the NBA he'd go on Thursday. "I'm an all-around player, but it's cool because people never forget guys who've been in the dunk contest," said Robinson, explaining his decision. "It's cool to be labeled one of the best dunkers ever. My goal is to be the first to win three." - NY Post
About five minutes into a pregame conversation with Mark Cuban last night, a man appeared near the Garden court wearing a T-shirt that sent the Dallas Mavericks owner into laughter. It read: “Free Mark Cuban.” “He’s an old rugby buddy of mine,” Cuban said. The shirt is from an era when the maverick Maverick was regularly fined by the NBA for statements that, while utterly sensible, rocked the league’s boat. He didn’t like a lot of what was happening in the NBA at the turn of this century, and he wasn’t afraid to share those thoughts. - Boston Herald
If he had a vote for NBA Rookie of the Year, Stephen Curry would vote for Tyreke Evans, too. The size. The stats. The courage in late-game situations. The ability to thrust his powerful body into the lane, and somehow, squeeze inside for reverse layups. "I can't think of anyone in a long time who gets to the basket better then Tyreke," Curry said of the Kings' standout rookie after his club's 114-97 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Monday.- Sacramento Bee
Despite dealing with relief efforts after last week's devastating earthquake in his native Haiti, 76ers center Samuel Dalembert continued his strong play yesterday afternoon. In a 108-103 overtime loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, Dalembert played 35 minutes, scored 12 points on 6-for-9 shooting and grabbed 10 rebounds. In his last 13 games, Dalembert is shooting 60 for 85 from the floor. About an hour before yesterday's afternoon tip-off, Dalembert looked worn from what has been a chaotic and demanding stretch. - Philadelphia Inquirer
Rasheed Wallace questioned the call that sent him to the bench for that decisive stretch. But even though he scored only 4 first-half points on 2 of 7 shooting, his absence on the offensive end was just as important as the defensive end, because it gave Nowitzki a vacation on defense. “If you look at all of Dirk’s games, where he went off a lot, he has to guard nobody on defense,’’ Wallace said. “He has to guard dudes that are like the fourth or fifth option.’’ - Boston Globe
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