[/h4][h4]Most Valuable Player Watch[/h4]
1. Dirk Nowitzki
Dallas MavericksG MIN FG% 3P% FT% STL BLK RPG AST PTS PER 24 36.3 .564 .434 .849 0.7 0.9 7.8 2.3 25.2 25.2 Nowitzki has moved ahead of the field. He just powered Dallas to 12 straight wins, and is averaging more points and shooting better than in his 2006-07 MVP season. (Last week: 4 | Team record: 19-5)
2. Deron Williams
Utah JazzG MIN FG% 3P% FT% STL BLK RPG AST PTS PER 26 38 .478 .352 .860 1.3 0.2 4.0 9.8 23.0 25.0 Amare Stoudemire and Dwyane Wade aren't the only players filling up the stat sheet these days. D-Will is averaging almost 29 points and nine assists over his past five games. (Last week: 2 | Team record: 18- 
3. Derrick Rose
Chicago BullsG MIN FG% 3P% FT% STL BLK RPG AST PTS PER 22 38.3 .460 .421 .761 1.0 0.5 4.4 8.3 24.7 21.9 The only thing that might slow the best player in the East during the first quarter of the season might be the injuries he suffered Monday against the Pacers. (Last week: 3 | Team record: 15-
4. Dwight Howard
Orlando MagicG MIN FG% 3P% FT% STL BLK RPG AST PTS PER 22 35 .577 .000 .550 1.1 2.4 12.0 1.0 21.5 24.6 He posted his signature game of the season in a loss to the Blazers last week, exploding for 39 points and 15 rebounds. He's also averaging a career high in points. (Last week: 1 | Team record: 16-
5. Amare Stoudemire
New York KnicksG MIN FG% 3P% FT% STL BLK RPG AST PTS PER 25 37.4 .533 .556 .793 0.9 2.0 9.1 2.5 26.2 23.7 Say what you want about New York's early schedule, but Stoudemire has been great. He's had a franchise-record eight straight 30-point games for the streaking Knicks. (Last week: 7 | Team record: 16-9)
6. LeBron James
Miami HeatG MIN FG% 3P% FT% STL BLK RPG AST PTS PER 26 37 .468 .337 .774 1.4 0.5 5.9 7.2 24.0 24.7 You can knock James for wanting to be the man next to the man instead of simply the man, but you can't diss his value to the Heat, who have won nine in row. (Last week: 9 | Team record: 18-
7. Russell Westbrook
Oklahoma City ThunderG MIN FG% 3P% FT% STL BLK RPG AST PTS PER 25 36.8 .446 .290 .873 2.1 0.4 5.3 8.8 23.6 25.4 If you went by just the numbers, Westbrook belongs near the top. He's second in PER, and in the top 10 in the league in points, assists, steals and double-doubles. (Last week: 5 | Team record: 17-
8. Manu Ginobili
San Antonio SpursG MIN FG% 3P% FT% STL BLK RPG AST PTS PER 23 32 .458 .368 .902 1.8 0.3 3.6 4.8 20.0 24.1 One way I judge MVP candidates is by team success. Ginobili has emerged as the leader of the league-leading Spurs and is averaging a career high in points per game. (Last week: 6 | Team record: 20-3)
9. Kobe Bryant
Los Angeles LakersG MIN FG% 3P% FT% STL BLK RPG AST PTS PER 24 33.4 .440 .314 .845 1.4 0.2 5.3 4.7 26.7 25.1 Pau Gasol has carried the load at times, but by firing in 25 of his 32 points after intermission in a win against the Nets on Sunday, Bryant showed that L.A. is his team. (Last week: NR | Team record: 17-7)
10. Rajon Rondo
Boston CelticsG MIN FG% 3P% FT% STL BLK RPG AST PTS PER 19 38.7 .530 .357 .432 2.4 0.2 4.6 13.7 11.2 19.6 He might not average as many points as other elite guards, but is anyone better at making the game easier for others? It is hard to argue against Rondo. (Last week: NR | Team record: 19-4)
Previous editions: Nov. 16 | Nov. 23 | Nov. 30 | Dec. 7
[h4]Most Improved Player Of The Year Watch[/h4]
By Dave McMenamin | ESPN Los Angeles
Hibbert
1. Roy Hibbert, Pacers: Hibbert looks like a different person -- he's gone from Sherman Klump to Buddy Love. The third-year center's numbers are up across the board, and the Pacers are actually winning games. They'd be the seventh seed in the East if the playoffs started today.
2. Michael Beasley, Timberwolves: The former No. 2 pick is finally starting to get it. He is tied for 15th in the league in points per game with a 21.3 average. Now he must work on his consistency. Beasley has scored 25 points or more 10 times but also 16 points or fewer nine times. If Minnesota is going to rise from the muck it's mired in down at the bottom of the standings, Beasley will have to show up every night.
3. Kevin Love, Timberwolves: Beasley's teammate, who was ranked No. 1 in this space a week ago, gets pushed down based solely on my philosophy for the award. Love was already really good last season. Same goes for Luis Scola, Russell Westbrook and Derrick Rose. They all were too good in the past to warrant the award this season.
T-4. Jrue Holiday, Sixers, and .J. Augustin, Bobcats: Point guard is the hardest position to get a handle on in the league, and these two young ones have done it under the watchful eyes of demanding coaches in Doug Collins and Larry Brown, respectively. Holiday's assists are up from 3.8 to 6.8 per game, and Augustin's are up from 2.4 to 6.3. Each has increased his scoring by more than five points per game, too, meaning each is helping out with more than 10 points of additional offense this season.
5. Shannon Brown, Lakers: Brown is approaching the coveted 50-40-90 club that features MVP mavens Larry Bird and Steve Nash. The fifth-year guard is averaging 10.6 points on 47.7 percent shooting from the field, 46.3 percent from 3 and 91.2 percent from the line. For more on the story behind his improvement, read this story I wrote for ESPNLA.com.
[h4]Defensive Player Of The Year Watch[/h4]
By Chris Forsberg | ESPN Boston
Garnett
1. Kevin Garnett, Celtics: There were times last season that a return to this spot seemed impossible. Healthy again, Garnett leads the league this season in defensive rating (92.6) and he's super active again on defense, as evidenced by a 31.3 percent defensive rebounding rate, which, if maintained, would be the highest of his career (and he led the league four times from 2004 through 2007).
2. Dwight Howard, Magic: Orlando opponents are averaging a league-low 17.7 attempts at the rim and shooting just 59.2 percent there. Want to know why? No one wants Howard (second in the league in defensive rating, third in blocks per game) to pin his shot to the glass.
3. Chris Paul, Hornets: No truth to the rumor that Paul was originally cast in the role of Swiper the Fox on the children's program "Dora the Explorer." In Boston, we are awed at Rajon Rondo's theft ability, and Paul (3.2 steals per game) is averaging nearly one more steal per game than Rondo (2.4) this season.
T-4. LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, Heat: We were going to give this to only James at first, but opponents are shooting a league-worst 42.7 percent against the Heat this season and the pair's stats are so frighteningly similar on defense, we have to include both. Forced to pick, Wade might even get the nod at this juncture. He's able to gamble more with James, and it's paying off.
5. Glen Davis, Celtics: Twenty-seven charges drawn in 23 games?! How is this not a bigger story? Davis is too undersized to be an elite shot-blocker or rebounder, but the way he is using his body this season has been amazing. Go ahead, complain about a Boston bias (just be happy Kendrick Perkins is sidelined following offseason ACL surgery, or he'd probably be on this list as well).
[h4]Coach Of The Year Watch[/h4]
By Maurice Brooks | ESPN.com
Popovich
1. Gregg Popovich, Spurs: Everyone keeps waiting for the Spurs to fall off this season, but Pop won't let that happen. San Antonio is fourth in the league in assists by buying into his team-first approach.
2. Rick Carlisle, Mavericks: The key to the Mavericks' hot start, which included a 12-game winning streak before losing to the Bucks on Monday? Dallas is getting stops. Carlisle has emphasized defense, and the team has obliged.
3. Mike D'Antoni, Knicks: He has the Knicks looking like the old Suns. They have won eight games in a row and are averaging a league-best 108.5 points per game on the season.
4. Tom Thibodeau, Bulls: Who knew his first season with Chicago would be so easy? He is getting a career season out of Derrick Rose, has overcome a key injury to Carlos Boozer, and has led Chicago to six straight wins and first place in the Central Division.
5. Jerry Sloan, Jazz: All Sloan-coached teams do is win. Utah is currently 18-8, a half-game in front of the Thunder in the Northwest.
Milwaukee's shocking comeback from 20 points down to beat Dallas on the road Monday night not only ended the league's longest winning streak but also was a sign of a larger trend: The East is less of a doormat than it used to be.
Now that the Mavs' 12-game winning streak has been scotched, it's not clear which item is more shocking: that we still have three teams with winning streaks of at least eight games or that all three of them reside in the pro basketball basement known as the Eastern Conference.
In fact, the East's status as a doormat is quietly reversing after a horrific start, with the conference a quasi-respectable 15 games behind the pace of the West, or about one win per team. Tuesday's Power Rankings shows it to be a closer fight than that. Eastern teams own the top two spots in the Power Rankings as well as five of the top nine and eight of the top 16.
The biggest difference between conferences right now is at the very bottom, where lowly Cleveland brings up the rear and four of the bottom five teams are in the East. According to our playoff projections, the top eight teams in each conference will finish with identical records -- but lottery teams from the West will have a 22-game advantage.
But back to those winning streaks. The current beasts in the East are Boston, Miami and New York, which are riding streaks of 10, nine and eight games, respectively. We want to break down the winning streaks, looking at two factors for each team: how impressive the win streak is and how likely the team is to keep it going.
Miami (18-8, nine straight wins): It's hard to find a @@!** in the armor of this streak. Not only have the Heat won nine straight, but five of the nine have come on the road, and all nine have been by double figures. Miami's average scoring margin on the streak is a jaw-dropping plus-17.1.
And the Heat have been doing it with defense; they haven't allowed 100 points in a game since Nov. 13. Plus, despite the worries about their interior defense, they're up to second in the NBA in defensive efficiency. The recent upticks in output from Dwyane Wade and LeBron James have both moving up the player efficiency rating leaderboard as well.
The one asterisk on Miami's streak is that the opposition hasn't exactly been stout. Other than an impressive 13-point win at Utah, the Heat haven't been facing powerhouse teams during this stretch. But actually, Miami's average opponent has been much better than that of New York or Boston. The nine Heat victims are 100-108 (.481) when not playing Miami, a far better record than the clubs vanquished by New York and Boston. (News flash: Winning streaks tend to come when the schedule piles up easy opponents.)
How long can this streak go? As well as the Heat are playing, it could last a while. Miami has three games on its December slate that seem losable -- road games in New York on Friday and Los Angeles on Christmas Day as well as a home game against Dallas on Monday.
If the Heat get through those, the sky is the limit. After facing the Lakers, Miami will have eight straight games against teams with losing records before a mid-January trip to Denver and Chicago; by that point, the win streak would be at 23 games.
Of course, chances are the Heat will falter before then, with the smart money being on the Lakers to snap the Heat's streak at 14 games on Christmas. But be forewarned: The way the schedule lines up, this streak has the potential to be a looooooong one.
Boston (19-4, 10 straight wins): Based on recent history, the Celtics' win streak will end in Indiana on Dec. 28. I say this not out of any great affinity for the Pacers but because of Boston's amazing pre-Christmas track record in the Kevin Garnett era and its rather ordinary post-Christmas performance.
In the four seasons since Garnett arrived, the Celtics are a ridiculous 91-15 (.85in games on or before Christmas but a more pedestrian 106-57 (.650) afterward. Last season was their most extreme yet, as they ran their record to 23-5 after an impressive Christmas Day win in Orlando before limping home at 27-27.
The current win streak has been impressive. The Celtics began it with a 23-point beating of the Hawks in Atlanta -- a team that swept them 4-0 in last season's series -- and added double-digit wins at home over Denver and Chicago and a 31-point smackdown of Charlotte. Although there were a couple of narrow skate-bys -- at home against Portland and on the road in Philadelphia -- the Celtics' scoring margin has been plus-14.6 points per game. However, it has come against a fairly easy slate -- their opposition has a record of 101-127 (.443) when not playing Boston.
Like Miami, Boston has a schedule that could allow its streak to extend for quite a while. The Celtics have a back-to-back against New York and Atlanta this week -- not easy, but survivable -- and will visit Orlando on Christmas. If they get through those games, and if we put their post-Christmas history aside, their next tough test would be Jan. 5 in Boston against the Spurs. By then they'd be carrying a 20-game winning streak.
New York (16-9, eight straight wins): Break up the Knicks! New Yorkers are head over heels for their club after a lost decade of nonstop suffering, and with reason. The Bockers shockingly own the league's fourth-best road record at 10-4, while free-agent pickups Amare Stoudemire and Raymond Felton may both wind up on the All-Star team.
As for their current win streak, it doesn't quite stack up with that of Miami or Boston. New York has had two wins that were truly impressive: a solid road win in New Orleans and a 17-point beatdown of Toronto on the road. Otherwise, the Knicks have been winning close games against terrible teams -- Detroit in overtime, Washington by six, New Jersey by 11, Toronto by three, Minnesota by seven -- before surviving Sunday's close shave against a stronger Denver squad.
Their scoring margin in the streak is plus-8.2 points against opposition with a combined record of 71-111 (.390) when not playing the Knicks. That largely explains why New York has moved up to only 14th in the Power Rankings: With the exception of the New Orleans game, these were all contests they should have expected to win.
As for the streak's legs, it's going to be very difficult to extend it much further. New York plays four of its next five at home, but the level of competition ratchets up dramatically. The next two opponents are the top two teams in the Power Rankings, Boston and Miami. Based on those ratings, they will be a seven-point underdog in both games. If they somehow survive both, they'll get a freebie at Cleveland before returning home for tough games against Oklahoma City and Chicago.
It would be nearly miraculous if the streak reached 13 games, then, and it certainly won't get much further. New York ends the month with the dreaded Florida trip, visiting both Miami and Orlando. Not only is the Knicks' streak likely to end very soon, but also they'll be hard-pressed to win more than two or three of their next seven games.
Of course, nobody expected the Knicks to be on a long win streak in the first place. That they're even in the same sentence with Boston and Miami is a victory in itself.
http://[h3][/h3][h3]Hickson to be benched?[/h3]
12:28PM ET
[h5]J.J. Hickson | Cavaliers [/h5]
Heading into their bout with Miami on Wednesday night, the Cavs are losers of eight straight.
During the losing streak, coach Byron Scott has removed J.J. Hickson from the starting lineup and inserted Antawn Jamison in at power forward in his place.
And now it's looking like Hickson may pick up a DNP-CD.
"(Scott) said he will again 'experiment with some things' in the Miami game -- and the talk around practice indicated the experiment might include benching promising young forward J.J. Hickson," wrote Sam Amico of FOXSports Ohio. "Hickson is a good guy who works hard, but he hasn't really grasped the offense and too often has been rubbed the wrong way by his coach's well-intentioned prodding. Occasionally, he seems like an outcast among his teammates."
If this is just a one-game thing, it shouldn't affect the Cavs' lineup too much. But if Hickson is planted on the bench for a few games, Leon Powe is likely in line for more minutes going forward.
It's possible either Hickson or Jamison could be dealt by the trade deadline, which would also affect minutes at power forward for the team as well.
-- Ryan Corazza
[h5]ESPN's Chad Ford[/h5]
Many Cavs in play for trades
http://[h3]Lin may head to D-League[/h3]
11:44AM ET
[h5]Jeremy Lin | Warriors [/h5]
Rookie point guard Jeremy Lin earned a contract with Golden State on the back of a strong Summer League performance.
Lin has played in 16 of the team's 25 games this season, and is seeing 8.4 minutes a contest. But with the recent signing of backup PG Acie Law, it looks like Lin may soon head to the D-League.
According to Matt Steinmetz of Comcast SportsNet Bay Area, GM Larry Riley had this to say about Lin heading to to the D-League: "It's possible. I'd say that's something that's on the table."
The first year of Lin's two-year contract with the Warriors is guaranteed, so if sent to the D-League for some seasoning, he would likely come back up at some point and stick with the team for the remainder of the 2010-11 season.
-- Ryan Corazza
http://[h3]New York's play with Randolph[/h3]
11:20AM ET
[h5]Anthony Randolph | Knicks [/h5]
Now that the Nets have stockpiled some picks in an apparent effort to strengthen their offer to the Nuggets for Carmelo Anthony, it's looking like the Knicks might be able to pull a similar move if necessary.
"Here's reception I'm getting around NBA: If Nets can get a (first-round draft pick) for (Terrence Williams), the Knicks can definitely get one for Anthony Randolph if need be," tweeted Alan Hahn of Newsday.
As ESPN's Chris Sheridan reported earlier this week, the Knicks are looking to acquire a No. 1 pick via trade to bolster their offer as well.
And with Randolph pretty much out of the rotation for New York, he would be a logical piece to flip for one.
-- Ryan Corazza
[h5]Chris Sheridan[/h5]
What a Nuggets-Knicks deal might look like
http://[h3]Union considers decertification[/h3]
10:28AM ET
[h5]League Issues [/h5]
[img]http://assets.espn.go.com/photo/2007/0720/nba_logo_65.jpg[/img]
UPDATE: Union president Derek Fisher told ESPNLosAngeles.com that the Lakers will vote on decertification in the near feature.
Billy Hunter spoke with The New York Times on Tuesday and said decertification is "pretty far off."
"Decertification is just one of the options that the union would have in the event of a protracted lockout, that's all," Hunter said.
----
The NBA and its players are in the midst of negotiating a new collective bargaining agreement. The Sports Business Journal reported on Monday that players have started the process to decertify the union, just in case the owners decide to lockout the players.
"If the owners are going to lock the players out, the players want to have the option of decertifying the union and asserting their antitrust rights to stop the lockout," a source close to the NBPA said. "This would keep the game going, not just for the fans but for the players and everyone else."
According to the report, two teams have voted for decertification after discussing the issue with NBPA Executive Director Billy Hunter.
The players will have to also consider the negative affects a decertification could have for them.
From The New York Times: "Decertifying the union would prevent a lockout, but at great risk. The league would be able to impose work rules, and the players would be surrendering all their union protections, as well as the benefits they have won in the past, such as minimum contracts, guaranteed salaries and their pension."
Agent Mark Bartelstein (Priority Sports and Entertainment) is telling his clients to vote for decertification.
"It's not something anybody really wants to do," Bartelstein said. "But you've got to keep the option available to you."
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Telfair and the Knicks[/h3]
10:18AM ET
[h5]Sebastian Telfair | Timberwolves [/h5]
UPDATE: According to The New York Times, the Knicks and Wolves have talked on several occasions about Telfair.
Flynn returned to the active roster on Tuesday, so a deal for Telfair could be made at some point, if Flynn shows he is completely healthy.
-- Nick Borges
----
Jonny Flynn is expected to make his NBA debut next week, which has led to speculation that the Wolves will try to reduce the number of point guards -- four -- on the team. Flynn will get his starting spot back when he returns and Luke Ridnour will be his primary backup. That leaves Sebastian Telfair and Sundiata Gaines.
According to the Pioneer Press, head coach Kurt Rambis said the Wolves might only keep two point guards, depending on how well Flynn returns to full strength.
"We have to see what the best two-guard situation is for us," Rambis said.
Gaines will probably be the first to go since his contract is not guaranteed, although they may elect to keep him since he doesn't expect to play as the third point guard.
Telfair wants to play, so the Wolves could waive him outright, negotiate a buyout, or trade him.
One team that is looking for a point guard with an expiring contract is the Knicks. They aren't in a hurry to do something now, but that could change next week when over 100 players are eligible to be traded for the first time this season.
New York could try to work out a trade for Telfair, which would give Minnesota a pick or cash. The Knicks could also sign him, if the Wolves waive the Brooklyn native.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Smith to the Bulls?[/h3]
10:17AM ET
[h5]J.R. Smith | Nuggets [/h5]
The Nuggets could look a lot different, if they decide to trade Carmelo Anthony. There is a very good chance the team will look to deal Chauncey Billups and J.R. Smith, too.
In fact, ESPN.com's Chris Sheridan reports a source told him the Nuggets have had discussions about sending Smith to Chicago.
Smith and Nuggets head coach George Karl have conflicts each season and the team may decide to finally part with the shooting guard. He is in the final season of his three-year contract, so it's not impossible to find a new home for Smith.
A trade of Smith for Keith Bogans and Ronnie Brewer does work in the ESPN Trade Machine.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Melo rumor refuted[/h3]
10:16AM ET
[h5]Carmelo Anthony | Nuggets [/h5]
Denver's ABC TV affiliate (KMGH) reported Tuesday night that the Nuggets and Nets have the parts in place for a deal that would send Carmelo Anthony to New Jersey.
According to the report, New Jersey would send rookie Derrick Favors, Troy Murphy and two first round picks to the Nuggets for Anthony.
When asked about the rumor, vice president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri told FanHouse that it was not true.
"It's terrible," Anthony said. "There's no truth to it."
Anthony is expected to play for the Nuggets against the Spurs on Thursday.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Taylor to the Kings[/h3]
10:16AM ET
[h5]Jermaine Taylor | Rockets [/h5]
ESPN.com reported Tuesday night that Jermaine Taylor and cash considerations will be sent to the Sacramento Kings for a conditional second round pick on Wednesday.
The trade will be made to open a spot on the roster to acquire Terrence Williams from New Jersey.
The Rockets paid $2.4 million to acquire the draft rights in 2009 for the shooting guard. Taylor was the No. 32 pick in the draft.
The Rockets will probably never get the conditional second-round pick from the Kings. The Rockets, according to the Houston Chronicle, only get the pick if it lands between 56-60 in the 2011 NBA draft.
"I'm OK with it," Taylor said. "The only thing that's bugging me is no one told me anything yet. I had to hear it like this. I look at it as an opportunity to start over and go someplace else and play. I don't know whether to go in the other locker room or get dressed right here.
"I know what kind of player I am, and I know if I get a chance, I'll be a great player. That's what I'm looking forward to."
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Vujacic trade saves Lakers money[/h3]
10:15AM ET
[h5]Sasha Vujacic | Lakers [/h5]
According to ESPN.com, the Lakers, Nets and Rockets will complete a three-player trade on Wednesday.
Terrence Williams will go from New Jersey to Houston, Joe Smith will go to the Lakers and Sasha Vujacic will head to New Jersey.
The Nets will also get a 2011 No. 1 pick from the Lakers and a 2012 lottery-protected pick from Houston.
The Lakers did the deal to lower their tax bill and team payroll. The Lakers will save about $8.7 million after the trade.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Nets load up to land Melo[/h3]
10:10AM ET
[h5]New Jersey Nets [/h5]
The New Jersey Nets feel they have the best package for Carmelo Anthony. The Nets can offer Troy Murphy's expiring contract, rookie Derrick Favors and multiple draft picks.
The Nets will have even more picks to offer the Nuggets after they complete a three-team trade with the Rockets and Lakers on Wednesday. The Nets will land the Lakers No. 1 pick in 2011 and a future No. 1 pick from the Rockets that is lottery-protected through 2017.
In addition to their own picks, the Nets also have Golden State's first round choice that is protected 1-7 in 2012 and 2013 and 1-6 in 2014.
There is a lot of conjecture about Anthony's future and the Nets hope these extra picks will convince the Nuggets to make a deal.
The Knicks, Bulls and Rockets all have interest in Anthony, so we can expect all three teams to try to top what the Nets can offer.
According to Yahoo! Sports, owner Mikhail Prokhorov and head coach Avery Johnson are confident they can convince Anthony to sign the $65 million extension.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Wall's lingering tendinitis[/h3]
9:41AM ET
[h5]John Wall | Wizards [/h5]
Rookie John Wall has already missed eight out of 23 games this season and Tuesday it was due to tendinitis in his right knee.
Head coach Flip Saunders says Wall has been struggling with tendinitis since summer league. Saunders also said the problem may not go away.
"If every guy in our league sat out a week because of tendinitis, we might have to forfeit some games, because everybody has some kind of tendinitis, just the way they are," Saunders told The Washington Post. "I don't think, with his situation, that he's ever going to be pain-free from that, so what we're going to do is monitor him."
Wall is listed as day-to-day.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]MRI for Morrow[/h3]
9:07AM ET
[h5]Anthony Morrow | Nets [/h5]
Nets starting shooting guard Anthony Morrow is scheduled to have an MRI Wednesday, after feeling his hamstring "pop" twice Tuesday night. It happened during his pregame workout and after visiting with the team trainer.
"I came back out, made a move on the other end and it popped again," Morrow told The Record. "So it's pretty much like a strain. I don't know how bad it is.
"I'll get an MRI tomorrow. So I hope and pray it's not too bad. They said it didn't feel like it was a tear or anything. That's good news."
Nets head coach Avery Johnson replaced Morrow with Stephen Graham in the starting lineup.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Landry will consider the Rockets[/h3]
6:46AM ET
[h5]Carl Landry | Kings [/h5]
Power forward Carl Landry is set to become an unrestricted free agent in July and he told the Houston Chronicle on Tuesday that he'd consider re-signing with the Rockets.
"The fans here were great to me," Landry said. "I had great support. This is a place I enjoyed. I'd consider it, definitely, but that's so far away I haven't thought about that yet. I'd consider every team. It was my dream to play in the NBA, not for a certain team."
Landry played for Houston from 2007 though February of last season before he was traded to Sacramento.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Bruised tendons bothering Noah[/h3]
5:55AM ET
[h5]Joakim Noah | Bulls [/h5]
According to the Chicago Tribune, Bulls center Joakim Noah is dealing with bruised tendons in his right hand and they can't heal because it keeps getting hit.
The team has reportedly discussed the possibility of not playing Noah, but as of Tuesday he was expected to be in the lineup on Wednesday when the Bulls travel to Toronto.
The Bulls could start Kurt Thomas, Omer Asik, or maybe even Taj Gibson at center, if Noah needs a night off.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Drew may rest Evans[/h3]
5:18AM ET
[h5]Maurice Evans | Hawks [/h5]
Maurice Evans' surgically repaired right knee is still causing him some issues at times, so head coach Larry Drew says he may rest him on off days and game days.
"There is a high probability as the season wears on he may not play on back-to-back nights," Drew told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "From what I am told, that may be a little bit too much on his knee. Now that Damien Wilkins is here I am able to buy Mo a little time with his minutes. I certainly don't want to do anything that will be a setback."
Evans has played in 18 games, after missing the first eight of the season while he was still recovering from the knee surgery.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Carroll sent to Dakota[/h3]
4:36AM ET
[h5]DeMarre Carroll | Grizzlies [/h5]
According to The Commercial-Appeal, the Grizzlies assigned DeMarre Carroll to the D-League's Dakota Wizards on Tuesday and he should play for them on Friday.
Carroll has not played that much for Memphis this season and he may be released by the team at some point. His 2011-12 team option was declined in October and he will be an unrestricted free agent in July.
He was the No. 27 pick in the 2009 NBA draft.
[/h4][h4]Most Valuable Player Watch[/h4]
1. Dirk Nowitzki
Dallas MavericksG MIN FG% 3P% FT% STL BLK RPG AST PTS PER 24 36.3 .564 .434 .849 0.7 0.9 7.8 2.3 25.2 25.2 Nowitzki has moved ahead of the field. He just powered Dallas to 12 straight wins, and is averaging more points and shooting better than in his 2006-07 MVP season. (Last week: 4 | Team record: 19-5)
2. Deron Williams
Utah JazzG MIN FG% 3P% FT% STL BLK RPG AST PTS PER 26 38 .478 .352 .860 1.3 0.2 4.0 9.8 23.0 25.0 Amare Stoudemire and Dwyane Wade aren't the only players filling up the stat sheet these days. D-Will is averaging almost 29 points and nine assists over his past five games. (Last week: 2 | Team record: 18-
3. Derrick Rose
Chicago BullsG MIN FG% 3P% FT% STL BLK RPG AST PTS PER 22 38.3 .460 .421 .761 1.0 0.5 4.4 8.3 24.7 21.9 The only thing that might slow the best player in the East during the first quarter of the season might be the injuries he suffered Monday against the Pacers. (Last week: 3 | Team record: 15-
4. Dwight Howard
Orlando MagicG MIN FG% 3P% FT% STL BLK RPG AST PTS PER 22 35 .577 .000 .550 1.1 2.4 12.0 1.0 21.5 24.6 He posted his signature game of the season in a loss to the Blazers last week, exploding for 39 points and 15 rebounds. He's also averaging a career high in points. (Last week: 1 | Team record: 16-
5. Amare Stoudemire
New York KnicksG MIN FG% 3P% FT% STL BLK RPG AST PTS PER 25 37.4 .533 .556 .793 0.9 2.0 9.1 2.5 26.2 23.7 Say what you want about New York's early schedule, but Stoudemire has been great. He's had a franchise-record eight straight 30-point games for the streaking Knicks. (Last week: 7 | Team record: 16-9)
6. LeBron James
Miami HeatG MIN FG% 3P% FT% STL BLK RPG AST PTS PER 26 37 .468 .337 .774 1.4 0.5 5.9 7.2 24.0 24.7 You can knock James for wanting to be the man next to the man instead of simply the man, but you can't diss his value to the Heat, who have won nine in row. (Last week: 9 | Team record: 18-
7. Russell Westbrook
Oklahoma City ThunderG MIN FG% 3P% FT% STL BLK RPG AST PTS PER 25 36.8 .446 .290 .873 2.1 0.4 5.3 8.8 23.6 25.4 If you went by just the numbers, Westbrook belongs near the top. He's second in PER, and in the top 10 in the league in points, assists, steals and double-doubles. (Last week: 5 | Team record: 17-
8. Manu Ginobili
San Antonio SpursG MIN FG% 3P% FT% STL BLK RPG AST PTS PER 23 32 .458 .368 .902 1.8 0.3 3.6 4.8 20.0 24.1 One way I judge MVP candidates is by team success. Ginobili has emerged as the leader of the league-leading Spurs and is averaging a career high in points per game. (Last week: 6 | Team record: 20-3)
9. Kobe Bryant
Los Angeles LakersG MIN FG% 3P% FT% STL BLK RPG AST PTS PER 24 33.4 .440 .314 .845 1.4 0.2 5.3 4.7 26.7 25.1 Pau Gasol has carried the load at times, but by firing in 25 of his 32 points after intermission in a win against the Nets on Sunday, Bryant showed that L.A. is his team. (Last week: NR | Team record: 17-7)
10. Rajon Rondo
Boston CelticsG MIN FG% 3P% FT% STL BLK RPG AST PTS PER 19 38.7 .530 .357 .432 2.4 0.2 4.6 13.7 11.2 19.6 He might not average as many points as other elite guards, but is anyone better at making the game easier for others? It is hard to argue against Rondo. (Last week: NR | Team record: 19-4)
Previous editions: Nov. 16 | Nov. 23 | Nov. 30 | Dec. 7
[h4]Most Improved Player Of The Year Watch[/h4]
By Dave McMenamin | ESPN Los Angeles
Hibbert
1. Roy Hibbert, Pacers: Hibbert looks like a different person -- he's gone from Sherman Klump to Buddy Love. The third-year center's numbers are up across the board, and the Pacers are actually winning games. They'd be the seventh seed in the East if the playoffs started today.
2. Michael Beasley, Timberwolves: The former No. 2 pick is finally starting to get it. He is tied for 15th in the league in points per game with a 21.3 average. Now he must work on his consistency. Beasley has scored 25 points or more 10 times but also 16 points or fewer nine times. If Minnesota is going to rise from the muck it's mired in down at the bottom of the standings, Beasley will have to show up every night.
3. Kevin Love, Timberwolves: Beasley's teammate, who was ranked No. 1 in this space a week ago, gets pushed down based solely on my philosophy for the award. Love was already really good last season. Same goes for Luis Scola, Russell Westbrook and Derrick Rose. They all were too good in the past to warrant the award this season.
T-4. Jrue Holiday, Sixers, and .J. Augustin, Bobcats: Point guard is the hardest position to get a handle on in the league, and these two young ones have done it under the watchful eyes of demanding coaches in Doug Collins and Larry Brown, respectively. Holiday's assists are up from 3.8 to 6.8 per game, and Augustin's are up from 2.4 to 6.3. Each has increased his scoring by more than five points per game, too, meaning each is helping out with more than 10 points of additional offense this season.
5. Shannon Brown, Lakers: Brown is approaching the coveted 50-40-90 club that features MVP mavens Larry Bird and Steve Nash. The fifth-year guard is averaging 10.6 points on 47.7 percent shooting from the field, 46.3 percent from 3 and 91.2 percent from the line. For more on the story behind his improvement, read this story I wrote for ESPNLA.com.
[h4]Defensive Player Of The Year Watch[/h4]
By Chris Forsberg | ESPN Boston
Garnett
1. Kevin Garnett, Celtics: There were times last season that a return to this spot seemed impossible. Healthy again, Garnett leads the league this season in defensive rating (92.6) and he's super active again on defense, as evidenced by a 31.3 percent defensive rebounding rate, which, if maintained, would be the highest of his career (and he led the league four times from 2004 through 2007).
2. Dwight Howard, Magic: Orlando opponents are averaging a league-low 17.7 attempts at the rim and shooting just 59.2 percent there. Want to know why? No one wants Howard (second in the league in defensive rating, third in blocks per game) to pin his shot to the glass.
3. Chris Paul, Hornets: No truth to the rumor that Paul was originally cast in the role of Swiper the Fox on the children's program "Dora the Explorer." In Boston, we are awed at Rajon Rondo's theft ability, and Paul (3.2 steals per game) is averaging nearly one more steal per game than Rondo (2.4) this season.
T-4. LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, Heat: We were going to give this to only James at first, but opponents are shooting a league-worst 42.7 percent against the Heat this season and the pair's stats are so frighteningly similar on defense, we have to include both. Forced to pick, Wade might even get the nod at this juncture. He's able to gamble more with James, and it's paying off.
5. Glen Davis, Celtics: Twenty-seven charges drawn in 23 games?! How is this not a bigger story? Davis is too undersized to be an elite shot-blocker or rebounder, but the way he is using his body this season has been amazing. Go ahead, complain about a Boston bias (just be happy Kendrick Perkins is sidelined following offseason ACL surgery, or he'd probably be on this list as well).
[h4]Coach Of The Year Watch[/h4]
By Maurice Brooks | ESPN.com
Popovich
1. Gregg Popovich, Spurs: Everyone keeps waiting for the Spurs to fall off this season, but Pop won't let that happen. San Antonio is fourth in the league in assists by buying into his team-first approach.
2. Rick Carlisle, Mavericks: The key to the Mavericks' hot start, which included a 12-game winning streak before losing to the Bucks on Monday? Dallas is getting stops. Carlisle has emphasized defense, and the team has obliged.
3. Mike D'Antoni, Knicks: He has the Knicks looking like the old Suns. They have won eight games in a row and are averaging a league-best 108.5 points per game on the season.
4. Tom Thibodeau, Bulls: Who knew his first season with Chicago would be so easy? He is getting a career season out of Derrick Rose, has overcome a key injury to Carlos Boozer, and has led Chicago to six straight wins and first place in the Central Division.
5. Jerry Sloan, Jazz: All Sloan-coached teams do is win. Utah is currently 18-8, a half-game in front of the Thunder in the Northwest.
Milwaukee's shocking comeback from 20 points down to beat Dallas on the road Monday night not only ended the league's longest winning streak but also was a sign of a larger trend: The East is less of a doormat than it used to be.
Now that the Mavs' 12-game winning streak has been scotched, it's not clear which item is more shocking: that we still have three teams with winning streaks of at least eight games or that all three of them reside in the pro basketball basement known as the Eastern Conference.
In fact, the East's status as a doormat is quietly reversing after a horrific start, with the conference a quasi-respectable 15 games behind the pace of the West, or about one win per team. Tuesday's Power Rankings shows it to be a closer fight than that. Eastern teams own the top two spots in the Power Rankings as well as five of the top nine and eight of the top 16.
The biggest difference between conferences right now is at the very bottom, where lowly Cleveland brings up the rear and four of the bottom five teams are in the East. According to our playoff projections, the top eight teams in each conference will finish with identical records -- but lottery teams from the West will have a 22-game advantage.
But back to those winning streaks. The current beasts in the East are Boston, Miami and New York, which are riding streaks of 10, nine and eight games, respectively. We want to break down the winning streaks, looking at two factors for each team: how impressive the win streak is and how likely the team is to keep it going.
Miami (18-8, nine straight wins): It's hard to find a @@!** in the armor of this streak. Not only have the Heat won nine straight, but five of the nine have come on the road, and all nine have been by double figures. Miami's average scoring margin on the streak is a jaw-dropping plus-17.1.
And the Heat have been doing it with defense; they haven't allowed 100 points in a game since Nov. 13. Plus, despite the worries about their interior defense, they're up to second in the NBA in defensive efficiency. The recent upticks in output from Dwyane Wade and LeBron James have both moving up the player efficiency rating leaderboard as well.
The one asterisk on Miami's streak is that the opposition hasn't exactly been stout. Other than an impressive 13-point win at Utah, the Heat haven't been facing powerhouse teams during this stretch. But actually, Miami's average opponent has been much better than that of New York or Boston. The nine Heat victims are 100-108 (.481) when not playing Miami, a far better record than the clubs vanquished by New York and Boston. (News flash: Winning streaks tend to come when the schedule piles up easy opponents.)
How long can this streak go? As well as the Heat are playing, it could last a while. Miami has three games on its December slate that seem losable -- road games in New York on Friday and Los Angeles on Christmas Day as well as a home game against Dallas on Monday.
If the Heat get through those, the sky is the limit. After facing the Lakers, Miami will have eight straight games against teams with losing records before a mid-January trip to Denver and Chicago; by that point, the win streak would be at 23 games.
Of course, chances are the Heat will falter before then, with the smart money being on the Lakers to snap the Heat's streak at 14 games on Christmas. But be forewarned: The way the schedule lines up, this streak has the potential to be a looooooong one.
Boston (19-4, 10 straight wins): Based on recent history, the Celtics' win streak will end in Indiana on Dec. 28. I say this not out of any great affinity for the Pacers but because of Boston's amazing pre-Christmas track record in the Kevin Garnett era and its rather ordinary post-Christmas performance.
In the four seasons since Garnett arrived, the Celtics are a ridiculous 91-15 (.85
The current win streak has been impressive. The Celtics began it with a 23-point beating of the Hawks in Atlanta -- a team that swept them 4-0 in last season's series -- and added double-digit wins at home over Denver and Chicago and a 31-point smackdown of Charlotte. Although there were a couple of narrow skate-bys -- at home against Portland and on the road in Philadelphia -- the Celtics' scoring margin has been plus-14.6 points per game. However, it has come against a fairly easy slate -- their opposition has a record of 101-127 (.443) when not playing Boston.
Like Miami, Boston has a schedule that could allow its streak to extend for quite a while. The Celtics have a back-to-back against New York and Atlanta this week -- not easy, but survivable -- and will visit Orlando on Christmas. If they get through those games, and if we put their post-Christmas history aside, their next tough test would be Jan. 5 in Boston against the Spurs. By then they'd be carrying a 20-game winning streak.
New York (16-9, eight straight wins): Break up the Knicks! New Yorkers are head over heels for their club after a lost decade of nonstop suffering, and with reason. The Bockers shockingly own the league's fourth-best road record at 10-4, while free-agent pickups Amare Stoudemire and Raymond Felton may both wind up on the All-Star team.
As for their current win streak, it doesn't quite stack up with that of Miami or Boston. New York has had two wins that were truly impressive: a solid road win in New Orleans and a 17-point beatdown of Toronto on the road. Otherwise, the Knicks have been winning close games against terrible teams -- Detroit in overtime, Washington by six, New Jersey by 11, Toronto by three, Minnesota by seven -- before surviving Sunday's close shave against a stronger Denver squad.
Their scoring margin in the streak is plus-8.2 points against opposition with a combined record of 71-111 (.390) when not playing the Knicks. That largely explains why New York has moved up to only 14th in the Power Rankings: With the exception of the New Orleans game, these were all contests they should have expected to win.
As for the streak's legs, it's going to be very difficult to extend it much further. New York plays four of its next five at home, but the level of competition ratchets up dramatically. The next two opponents are the top two teams in the Power Rankings, Boston and Miami. Based on those ratings, they will be a seven-point underdog in both games. If they somehow survive both, they'll get a freebie at Cleveland before returning home for tough games against Oklahoma City and Chicago.
It would be nearly miraculous if the streak reached 13 games, then, and it certainly won't get much further. New York ends the month with the dreaded Florida trip, visiting both Miami and Orlando. Not only is the Knicks' streak likely to end very soon, but also they'll be hard-pressed to win more than two or three of their next seven games.
Of course, nobody expected the Knicks to be on a long win streak in the first place. That they're even in the same sentence with Boston and Miami is a victory in itself.
http://[h3][/h3][h3]Hickson to be benched?[/h3]
12:28PM ET
[h5]J.J. Hickson | Cavaliers [/h5]
Heading into their bout with Miami on Wednesday night, the Cavs are losers of eight straight.
During the losing streak, coach Byron Scott has removed J.J. Hickson from the starting lineup and inserted Antawn Jamison in at power forward in his place.
And now it's looking like Hickson may pick up a DNP-CD.
"(Scott) said he will again 'experiment with some things' in the Miami game -- and the talk around practice indicated the experiment might include benching promising young forward J.J. Hickson," wrote Sam Amico of FOXSports Ohio. "Hickson is a good guy who works hard, but he hasn't really grasped the offense and too often has been rubbed the wrong way by his coach's well-intentioned prodding. Occasionally, he seems like an outcast among his teammates."
If this is just a one-game thing, it shouldn't affect the Cavs' lineup too much. But if Hickson is planted on the bench for a few games, Leon Powe is likely in line for more minutes going forward.
It's possible either Hickson or Jamison could be dealt by the trade deadline, which would also affect minutes at power forward for the team as well.
-- Ryan Corazza
[h5]ESPN's Chad Ford[/h5]
Many Cavs in play for trades
http://[h3]Lin may head to D-League[/h3]
11:44AM ET
[h5]Jeremy Lin | Warriors [/h5]
Rookie point guard Jeremy Lin earned a contract with Golden State on the back of a strong Summer League performance.
Lin has played in 16 of the team's 25 games this season, and is seeing 8.4 minutes a contest. But with the recent signing of backup PG Acie Law, it looks like Lin may soon head to the D-League.
According to Matt Steinmetz of Comcast SportsNet Bay Area, GM Larry Riley had this to say about Lin heading to to the D-League: "It's possible. I'd say that's something that's on the table."
The first year of Lin's two-year contract with the Warriors is guaranteed, so if sent to the D-League for some seasoning, he would likely come back up at some point and stick with the team for the remainder of the 2010-11 season.
-- Ryan Corazza
http://[h3]New York's play with Randolph[/h3]
11:20AM ET
[h5]Anthony Randolph | Knicks [/h5]
Now that the Nets have stockpiled some picks in an apparent effort to strengthen their offer to the Nuggets for Carmelo Anthony, it's looking like the Knicks might be able to pull a similar move if necessary.
"Here's reception I'm getting around NBA: If Nets can get a (first-round draft pick) for (Terrence Williams), the Knicks can definitely get one for Anthony Randolph if need be," tweeted Alan Hahn of Newsday.
As ESPN's Chris Sheridan reported earlier this week, the Knicks are looking to acquire a No. 1 pick via trade to bolster their offer as well.
And with Randolph pretty much out of the rotation for New York, he would be a logical piece to flip for one.
-- Ryan Corazza
[h5]Chris Sheridan[/h5]
What a Nuggets-Knicks deal might look like
http://[h3]Union considers decertification[/h3]
10:28AM ET
[h5]League Issues [/h5]
[img]http://assets.espn.go.com/photo/2007/0720/nba_logo_65.jpg[/img]
UPDATE: Union president Derek Fisher told ESPNLosAngeles.com that the Lakers will vote on decertification in the near feature.
Billy Hunter spoke with The New York Times on Tuesday and said decertification is "pretty far off."
"Decertification is just one of the options that the union would have in the event of a protracted lockout, that's all," Hunter said.
----
The NBA and its players are in the midst of negotiating a new collective bargaining agreement. The Sports Business Journal reported on Monday that players have started the process to decertify the union, just in case the owners decide to lockout the players.
"If the owners are going to lock the players out, the players want to have the option of decertifying the union and asserting their antitrust rights to stop the lockout," a source close to the NBPA said. "This would keep the game going, not just for the fans but for the players and everyone else."
According to the report, two teams have voted for decertification after discussing the issue with NBPA Executive Director Billy Hunter.
The players will have to also consider the negative affects a decertification could have for them.
From The New York Times: "Decertifying the union would prevent a lockout, but at great risk. The league would be able to impose work rules, and the players would be surrendering all their union protections, as well as the benefits they have won in the past, such as minimum contracts, guaranteed salaries and their pension."
Agent Mark Bartelstein (Priority Sports and Entertainment) is telling his clients to vote for decertification.
"It's not something anybody really wants to do," Bartelstein said. "But you've got to keep the option available to you."
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Telfair and the Knicks[/h3]
10:18AM ET
[h5]Sebastian Telfair | Timberwolves [/h5]
UPDATE: According to The New York Times, the Knicks and Wolves have talked on several occasions about Telfair.
Flynn returned to the active roster on Tuesday, so a deal for Telfair could be made at some point, if Flynn shows he is completely healthy.
-- Nick Borges
----
Jonny Flynn is expected to make his NBA debut next week, which has led to speculation that the Wolves will try to reduce the number of point guards -- four -- on the team. Flynn will get his starting spot back when he returns and Luke Ridnour will be his primary backup. That leaves Sebastian Telfair and Sundiata Gaines.
According to the Pioneer Press, head coach Kurt Rambis said the Wolves might only keep two point guards, depending on how well Flynn returns to full strength.
"We have to see what the best two-guard situation is for us," Rambis said.
Gaines will probably be the first to go since his contract is not guaranteed, although they may elect to keep him since he doesn't expect to play as the third point guard.
Telfair wants to play, so the Wolves could waive him outright, negotiate a buyout, or trade him.
One team that is looking for a point guard with an expiring contract is the Knicks. They aren't in a hurry to do something now, but that could change next week when over 100 players are eligible to be traded for the first time this season.
New York could try to work out a trade for Telfair, which would give Minnesota a pick or cash. The Knicks could also sign him, if the Wolves waive the Brooklyn native.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Smith to the Bulls?[/h3]
10:17AM ET
[h5]J.R. Smith | Nuggets [/h5]
The Nuggets could look a lot different, if they decide to trade Carmelo Anthony. There is a very good chance the team will look to deal Chauncey Billups and J.R. Smith, too.
In fact, ESPN.com's Chris Sheridan reports a source told him the Nuggets have had discussions about sending Smith to Chicago.
Smith and Nuggets head coach George Karl have conflicts each season and the team may decide to finally part with the shooting guard. He is in the final season of his three-year contract, so it's not impossible to find a new home for Smith.
A trade of Smith for Keith Bogans and Ronnie Brewer does work in the ESPN Trade Machine.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Melo rumor refuted[/h3]
10:16AM ET
[h5]Carmelo Anthony | Nuggets [/h5]
Denver's ABC TV affiliate (KMGH) reported Tuesday night that the Nuggets and Nets have the parts in place for a deal that would send Carmelo Anthony to New Jersey.
According to the report, New Jersey would send rookie Derrick Favors, Troy Murphy and two first round picks to the Nuggets for Anthony.
When asked about the rumor, vice president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri told FanHouse that it was not true.
"It's terrible," Anthony said. "There's no truth to it."
Anthony is expected to play for the Nuggets against the Spurs on Thursday.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Taylor to the Kings[/h3]
10:16AM ET
[h5]Jermaine Taylor | Rockets [/h5]
ESPN.com reported Tuesday night that Jermaine Taylor and cash considerations will be sent to the Sacramento Kings for a conditional second round pick on Wednesday.
The trade will be made to open a spot on the roster to acquire Terrence Williams from New Jersey.
The Rockets paid $2.4 million to acquire the draft rights in 2009 for the shooting guard. Taylor was the No. 32 pick in the draft.
The Rockets will probably never get the conditional second-round pick from the Kings. The Rockets, according to the Houston Chronicle, only get the pick if it lands between 56-60 in the 2011 NBA draft.
"I'm OK with it," Taylor said. "The only thing that's bugging me is no one told me anything yet. I had to hear it like this. I look at it as an opportunity to start over and go someplace else and play. I don't know whether to go in the other locker room or get dressed right here.
"I know what kind of player I am, and I know if I get a chance, I'll be a great player. That's what I'm looking forward to."
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Vujacic trade saves Lakers money[/h3]
10:15AM ET
[h5]Sasha Vujacic | Lakers [/h5]
According to ESPN.com, the Lakers, Nets and Rockets will complete a three-player trade on Wednesday.
Terrence Williams will go from New Jersey to Houston, Joe Smith will go to the Lakers and Sasha Vujacic will head to New Jersey.
The Nets will also get a 2011 No. 1 pick from the Lakers and a 2012 lottery-protected pick from Houston.
The Lakers did the deal to lower their tax bill and team payroll. The Lakers will save about $8.7 million after the trade.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Nets load up to land Melo[/h3]
10:10AM ET
[h5]New Jersey Nets [/h5]
The New Jersey Nets feel they have the best package for Carmelo Anthony. The Nets can offer Troy Murphy's expiring contract, rookie Derrick Favors and multiple draft picks.
The Nets will have even more picks to offer the Nuggets after they complete a three-team trade with the Rockets and Lakers on Wednesday. The Nets will land the Lakers No. 1 pick in 2011 and a future No. 1 pick from the Rockets that is lottery-protected through 2017.
In addition to their own picks, the Nets also have Golden State's first round choice that is protected 1-7 in 2012 and 2013 and 1-6 in 2014.
There is a lot of conjecture about Anthony's future and the Nets hope these extra picks will convince the Nuggets to make a deal.
The Knicks, Bulls and Rockets all have interest in Anthony, so we can expect all three teams to try to top what the Nets can offer.
According to Yahoo! Sports, owner Mikhail Prokhorov and head coach Avery Johnson are confident they can convince Anthony to sign the $65 million extension.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Wall's lingering tendinitis[/h3]
9:41AM ET
[h5]John Wall | Wizards [/h5]
Rookie John Wall has already missed eight out of 23 games this season and Tuesday it was due to tendinitis in his right knee.
Head coach Flip Saunders says Wall has been struggling with tendinitis since summer league. Saunders also said the problem may not go away.
"If every guy in our league sat out a week because of tendinitis, we might have to forfeit some games, because everybody has some kind of tendinitis, just the way they are," Saunders told The Washington Post. "I don't think, with his situation, that he's ever going to be pain-free from that, so what we're going to do is monitor him."
Wall is listed as day-to-day.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]MRI for Morrow[/h3]
9:07AM ET
[h5]Anthony Morrow | Nets [/h5]
Nets starting shooting guard Anthony Morrow is scheduled to have an MRI Wednesday, after feeling his hamstring "pop" twice Tuesday night. It happened during his pregame workout and after visiting with the team trainer.
"I came back out, made a move on the other end and it popped again," Morrow told The Record. "So it's pretty much like a strain. I don't know how bad it is.
"I'll get an MRI tomorrow. So I hope and pray it's not too bad. They said it didn't feel like it was a tear or anything. That's good news."
Nets head coach Avery Johnson replaced Morrow with Stephen Graham in the starting lineup.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Landry will consider the Rockets[/h3]
6:46AM ET
[h5]Carl Landry | Kings [/h5]
Power forward Carl Landry is set to become an unrestricted free agent in July and he told the Houston Chronicle on Tuesday that he'd consider re-signing with the Rockets.
"The fans here were great to me," Landry said. "I had great support. This is a place I enjoyed. I'd consider it, definitely, but that's so far away I haven't thought about that yet. I'd consider every team. It was my dream to play in the NBA, not for a certain team."
Landry played for Houston from 2007 though February of last season before he was traded to Sacramento.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Bruised tendons bothering Noah[/h3]
5:55AM ET
[h5]Joakim Noah | Bulls [/h5]
According to the Chicago Tribune, Bulls center Joakim Noah is dealing with bruised tendons in his right hand and they can't heal because it keeps getting hit.
The team has reportedly discussed the possibility of not playing Noah, but as of Tuesday he was expected to be in the lineup on Wednesday when the Bulls travel to Toronto.
The Bulls could start Kurt Thomas, Omer Asik, or maybe even Taj Gibson at center, if Noah needs a night off.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Drew may rest Evans[/h3]
5:18AM ET
[h5]Maurice Evans | Hawks [/h5]
Maurice Evans' surgically repaired right knee is still causing him some issues at times, so head coach Larry Drew says he may rest him on off days and game days.
"There is a high probability as the season wears on he may not play on back-to-back nights," Drew told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "From what I am told, that may be a little bit too much on his knee. Now that Damien Wilkins is here I am able to buy Mo a little time with his minutes. I certainly don't want to do anything that will be a setback."
Evans has played in 18 games, after missing the first eight of the season while he was still recovering from the knee surgery.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Carroll sent to Dakota[/h3]
4:36AM ET
[h5]DeMarre Carroll | Grizzlies [/h5]
According to The Commercial-Appeal, the Grizzlies assigned DeMarre Carroll to the D-League's Dakota Wizards on Tuesday and he should play for them on Friday.
Carroll has not played that much for Memphis this season and he may be released by the team at some point. His 2011-12 team option was declined in October and he will be an unrestricted free agent in July.
He was the No. 27 pick in the 2009 NBA draft.
at at the prospect of Hickson being dealt before the trade deadline. Just three weeks ago or so you had Cavs fans on here saying they wouldn't take Chris Bosh if he was offered up to them for nothing because they had J.J. Hickson.
They also have Ryan Hollins though.
