Tag: San Antonio Spurs

Despite recent surge, Bynum playing with sore knee

The Los Angeles Lakers’ recent surge as the NBA’s hottest teams has coincided with the return to the lineup of center Andrew Bynum.

The Lakers have streaked to a 10-1 record since the All-Star break. Bynum has been one of the biggest reasons as he’s averaged 12.9 rebounds — including a career-best 18 against Orlando and 17 against the Spurs — and 2.6 blocked shots during that span. He’s averaging 15.8 rebounds in his last six games.

After missing the first 24 games of the season recovering from off-season surgery on his right knee, Bynum took some time getting acclimated back to basketball. The Lakers started 17-7 in those games.

Bynum told the Los Angeles Times he’s in every practice and game.

“I have a little bit of fluid,” Bynum told the Times. “I’m still taking medication. I’ll let you all know when I get off that, and it’ll be fine.”

When Bynum is playing like he has in recent games, the Lakers have an unstoppable force in the middle.

But his knee pain still raises concerns whether he can stay healthy throughout the playoffs. Bynum’s knee remains one of the primary questions that hovers over the Lakers’ hopes of claiming a third straight NBA title.

Duncan may return by April

By Jeff McDonald
jmcdonald@express-news.net

DENVER — Though the Spurs have yet to release an official timetable for Tim Duncan’s return from an ankle sprain, coach Gregg Popovich said Wednesday the two-time MVP could be back on the floor by the beginning of April.

Asked before the Spurs’ game against Denver if two weeks sounded like a plausible prognosis for Duncan, Popovich sounded optimistic his captain might be back sooner.

“I’m hoping it won’t be that long, a good four or five games for sure,” Popovich said. “Beyond that, I really won’t know until we get back.”

Duncan, who injured his left ankle Monday against Golden State, did not accompany the Spurs on their three-game road trip, instead remaining behind in San Antonio in a walking boot. An MRI conducted Tuesday confirmed the sprain and revealed no structural damage in Duncan’s ankle.

“Once he gets back on the court in a couple of days, we’ll be able to tell more,” Popovich said. “But four or five games for sure.”

By that estimate, Duncan could be back for the Spurs’ ?? final seven regular-season games, beginning April 1 at Houston.

Asked again Wednesday if team doctors had given any indication Duncan might miss the start of the playoffs, Popovich said, “No, no, no.”

SPLITTER STARTS: With Duncan shelved, rookie center Tiago Splitter earned his second career start, earning the nod over DeJuan Blair, who started the first 63 games of the season before moving to the bench earlier this month.

The deciding factor was height. Splitter is 6-foot-11, while Blair is 6-7.

“We’re a pretty small team,” Popovich said. “We’ve got to have some size on the court.”

Blair came off the bench Wednesday after missing the Golden State game with a sprained left wrist.

THE RING LEADER: Spurs guard Danny Green doesn’t have so much as a job guaranteed past the end of the season, but he does have something nobody else in the Spurs locker room does: an NCAA championship ring.

Green started for the North Carolina team that won the 2009 title, along with fellow future NBA players Ty Lawson, Wayne Ellington and Tyler Hansbrough. He keeps his ring in a lock box at home and knows better than to crow about his accomplishments on a team that features four players with NBA championship hardware.

“I can’t brag around these guys,” Green said. “They’ve got some big-time guys here.”

This year’s version of March Madness, meanwhile, has drawn battle lines in the Spurs’ locker room. Green’s Tar Heels will face Steve Novak’s former school, Marquette, in a Sweet 16 game Friday, while Richard Jefferson’s Arizona team will face assistant coach Chip Engelland’s Duke Blue Devils tonight.

“I feel like March Madness, even if you haven’t won a ring, is a fun time for guys,” Green said. “Guys like to fill out brackets and watch our teams play. We have our little battles and arguments and inside friendly bets. It’s a good time to watch basketball.”

The only other Spurs with alma maters still alive in the tournament are Matt Bonner (Florida) and assistant coach Jacque Vaughn (Kansas).

“The Heatles” finally make return appearance

Chris Bosh had been insistent he wanted the ball more inside shots.

He Miami teammates listened to him Thursday night.

Bosh erupted for 24 points — his biggest scoring effort since Feb. 16 and one of his top nine games this season — to lead the Heat’s 94-88 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers. 

It couldn’t have come at a better time for the slumping Heat, which had dropped five straight games coming into Thursday’s game.  

“We had everything riding on this game, really, to be honest with you,” Bosh told the Associated Press.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Bosh’s big game was the most by an opposing forward or center this season in a non-overtime game in which both Lakers’ big men, Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol both played more than 30 minutes.

The game snapped the Lakers’ eight-game winning streak as the Heat scored the final six points of the game after Kobe Bryant’s 3-pointer tied  the game with 2:26 left.

Bryant was clearly frustrated at the end of the game. And with the Lakers remaining in Miami Thursday night, he spent more than an hour after the game working on his shooting touch as his team prepares for a big game at Dallas Saturday night. 

Here’s a look at those who had big games and others who struggled Thursday night across the association.

STUDS

Miami F Chris Bosh: Notched 24 points and nine rebounds in the Heat’s 94-88 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers, snapping their five-game losing streak.

Dallas F Dirk Nowitzki: Scored 23 points, grabbed nine rebounds and was a team-best plus-20 in the Mavericks’ 127-109 triumph over New York.

Denver C Nene: Tallied 22 points, seven rebounds and was plus-22 in the Nuggets’ resounding 116-97 victory at Phoenix.

Dallas F Shawn Marion: Made the most  of a rare start, producing totals of 22 points, eight rebounds, two assists, two steals and a plus-11 in the Mavericks’ triumph over the Knicks.

Dallas G Jason Terry: Hit 9-for-15 from the field and was plus-9 in a 21-point effort against the Knicks.

Denver G Ty Lawson: Notched 20 points, 11 rebounds, four steals  and was plus-22 in the Nuggets’ victory over Phoenix.

Miami G Dwyane Wade: Produced 20 points, five rebounds, four assists and four steals in the Heat’s victory over the Lakers.

Miami F LeBron James: Tallied 19 points, eight rebounds, nine assists and was plus-8 in the Heat’s streak-busting win over the  Lakers.

New York F Amar’e Stoudemire: Scored a game-high 36 points and grabbed seven rebounds in the Knicks’ loss to Dallas.

Los Angeles Lakers G Kobe Bryant: Scored a team-high 24 points in the Lakers’ loss to the Heat.

Phoenix C Marcin Gortat: Produced 14 points, a career-high 18 rebounds, four assists, three steals and two blocks in the Suns’ home loss to Denver.  

DUDS

Phoenix G Vince Carter: Clanked through a 2-for-11 shooting effort, including missing all five 3-pointers, in the Suns’ loss to Denver.

The Phoenix Suns: Clanked through a 41.1 shooting night with 19 turnovers in a critical loss to their playoff hopes, dropping 1½ games behind Memphis for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Los Angeles Lakers F Lamar Odom: Went 4-for-11 from the field and was minus-14 in the Lakers’ loss at Miami — snapping an eight-game winning streak.

New York F Carmelo Anthony: Struggled through a 5-for-15 shooting night and was minus-11 in the Knicks’ loss at Dallas.