 |
|
| Tuesday, May 20 MVP Duncan grabs another honor ESPN.com news services |
||||||
|
ST. LOUIS -- San Antonio center Tim Duncan and coach Gregg Popovich were selected player and coach of the year by the Sporting News on Tuesday. Houston's Yao Ming was picked rookie of the year. Duncan and Popovich led the Spurs to a 60-22 record, tied with the Dallas Mavericks for best in the NBA. The Mavericks defeated San Antonio 113-110 Monday night in the opening game of the Western Conference finals. Duncan, the two-time league MVP, won for the second straight season. He averaged 23.3 points, along with nearly 13 rebounds and three blocked shots per game. Duncan received 12 votes from NBA player personnel executives. Minnesota's Kevin Garnett was second with five votes. The 54-year-old Popovich received 10 votes from fellow coaches. Utah's Jerry Sloan was second with five votes. Yao, a 7-foot-5 center from China, averaged 13.5 points and 8.2 rebounds. He received 10 votes. Amare Stoudemire of Phoenix was second with seven votes. Also, Duncan, Garnett, Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers, and Tracy McGrady of the Orlando Magic made the Sporting News All-NBA team.
Wolves waive Rakocevic
Rakocevic, selected by Minnesota in the second round of the 2000 NBA Draft, averaged 1.9 points and 5.8 minutes per game in 42 games this season.
Sonics suspend Lewis for final game
Lewis was issued his second technical foul with 51 seconds left in the third quarter, resulting in an automatic ejection. Lewis then threw his mouthpiece across the court, over the head of the Mavericks' Nick Van Exel and in the general direction of a referee.
In the statement announcing the suspension Tuesday, the NBA said Lewis was punished for "throwing objects at a game official."
Lewis, who had 21 points and 10 rebounds in the Sonics' 109-106 loss, picked up his first technical for arguing with an official after he fouled Dallas center Shawn Bradley. The whistle came a few minutes after Lewis was knocked down by an elbow from Bradley.
Lewis was hit with another technical for arguing his foul against Dirk Nowitzki.
Seattle, which will miss the playoffs, closes the season at home Wednesday night against Phoenix.
Polynice to spend two days in jail for probation violation
Polynice, who played for Utah, Seattle, Los Angeles, Detroit and Sacramento during 14 seasons in the NBA, appeared in state court on a probation violation hearing over an assault conviction from the golf course fracas.
Prosecutors said the conviction, which was reinstated when Polynice failed to show for his retrial in February, violated Polynice's probation for a previous conviction in West Valley City for impersonating a police officer and disorderly conduct.
Defense attorney Greg Skordas said Polynice was playing in the CBA at the time of his February retrial and couldn't attend. But by not showing, he ended his appeal and the original conviction and probation sentence were reinstated.
In addition to restoring the 24 months of probation, Judge Terry Christiansen ordered Polynice to spend 48 hours in jail and receive anger management counseling.
Polynice was convicted of the class B misdemeanor for attacking Tyler Swensen at the Old Mill Golf Course on July 23, 2001. Polynice admitted "mushing" Swenson in the face during the incident, but denied any assault.
Court date pushed back for Rockets' Griffin
Griffin's court date was reset to May 7 but likely will be before then because Hardin has a conflict, he said.
Griffin, 20, was pulled over April 6 in west Houston and arrested for misdemeanor possession of marijuana, punishable by up to a $4,000 fine and a year in the Harris County Jail.
Griffin, in his second NBA season, is averaging nine points, six rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game.
He learned Sunday night he won't have any basketball-related conflicts the week of his hearing -- the Rockets were bounced from playoff contention with the Phoenix Suns' 92-85 victory over the San Antonio Spurs.
Marshall goes to IL with shoulder strain
Marshall, averaging 13.4 points, was Chicago's second leading scorer behind Jalen Rose. He hurt his right shoulder during Wednesday's loss to Detroit.
Hoiberg had been on the injured list since March 18 because of a problem with his right Achilles tendon. He missed 12 games.
T-Wolves activate reserve Strickland
The team put Igor Rakocevic on the injured list with a right ankle injury.
Strickland was hurt Jan. 27 in a game against San Antonio and went on the injured list Feb. 12. He missed 24 games before being activated March 18, when he played five minutes against Memphis and aggravated the injury.
Strickland went back on the injured list March 30 and missed the last five games.
He's averaging 6.9 points and 4.4 assists this season.
Minnesota entered Friday 48-31, third in the Midwest Division. It has clinched a playoff berth.
Grizzlies' Miller out for season with bad back
Miller has been slowed by back spasms that limited him to four minutes in the Grizzlies' 102-101 loss to the Lakers on Friday night. But he's been in pain since his first start for Memphis on March 8, when he scored 21 points in a 115-89 victory at Cleveland.
Miller, who averaged 15.6 points this season, was acquired in a Feb. 19 trade with Orlando.
He didn't travel with the team for Saturday night's game in Atlanta, which the Hawks won 97-91.
Memphis' Lorenzen Wright got hurt in the game, spraining his right thumb in the third quarter. Coach Hubie Brown said Wright may have torn ligaments, but he added that the team's medical staff won't know for sure until Sunday.
Doctors clear Hawks' Johnson to practice The team said Johnson probably will not to play this season. The Hawks, headed toward their fourth straight losing record, have only seven games left in the regular season. The 22-year-old Johnson had been expected to miss the entire season after the accident in Atlanta on Sept. 13. The third-year player started 46 games last season, averaging 8.4 points.
Knicks' pick Vujanic agrees to deal in Europe
"Milos will play two years on a famous European club,'' Ristanovic said Thursday. "We know he can play in the NBA, but Milos is thinking, and I am too, his basketball career goes step by step. First step is Europe, next step New York.''
The 22-year-old Vujanic, a Yugoslav point guard selected in the second round last year, is averaging 25 points this season for the Yugoslav club team Partizann. Ristanovic said the European team -- which he will not identify until Vujanic finishes the season in early June -- will buy out the Partizann contract.
Ristanovic said Vujanic will make more than $1 million next season, and will have an option to get out the deal after one year.
"After one year, maybe he will come to New York. Maybe one year, maybe two years,'' Ristanovic said. "If the player is real good, it doesn't matter. We want to say to New York fans and the Knicks that when he's 24 or 25, when he has some money in his pocket, he will come to the NBA. And I know he will play for New York. And I know he will play in the NBA very long.''
Knicks general manager Scott Layden visited Vujanic in Yugoslavia in early March.
"We're not going to address it until after the season,'' Layden said. "We continue to have a good relationship with Milos, the Yugoslavian team and continue to talk to his agent and see what's best for everyone.''
Nets sign reserve Marshall for rest of year
While signing Marshall and then placing him on the injured list may seem odd, the veteran is considered a positive infuence in the locker room and during practice.
Marshall was signed to a 10-day contract on March 11, and then re-signed to a second 10-day contract on March 20. He has not scored in limited action in three appearances.
Rookie guard Tamar Slay was activated from the injured list to fill Marshall's place on the roster. He was sidelined with tendinitis in his right knee the last six games. Slay averaged 2.6 points in 33 games this season.
Nuggets activate Yarbrough, sign Trepagnier to 10-day deal
The Nuggets also signed guard Adam Harrington for the remainder of the season, but placed him on the injured list due to a left knee contusion.
Yarbrough has been out since spraining his right ankle against the Los Angeles Clippers on March 21. He has started 37 games, averaging seven points and 2.2 assists.
Trepagnier has averaged four points in three games since signing with Denver on March 23.
Harrington has averaged four points in four games since signing a 10-day contract the same day as Trepagnier.
Hornets' Brown nominated for NBA Sportsmanship Award
This is his second nomination in a row. Last year, he was runner-up to Steve Smith of the San Antonio Spurs.
This year's other candidates are Michael Finley of Dallas, Allan Houston of New York and Ray Allen of Seattle.
Each player won the sportsmanship award for his division. The winner will be determined in a media vote, with the result announced after the regular season.
The winner receives the Joe Dumars Trophy, named for the former Detroit Pistons star who received the first sportsmanship award in 1996.
Raptors' Davis misses game with groin injury
Davis didn't return after injuring himself in the third quarter Friday against New Orleans. He is averaging 13.9 points and 8.9 rebounds.
Forward Jerome Williams returned to the lineup after missing four games because of a stiff neck.
Mavs' Williams placed on injured list
Eschmeyer has spent all but 11 games of the season on the injured list with a sore right knee.
Williams has averaged 5.7 points in 64 games. He scored five points in 19 minutes of the Mavericks' loss to Portland on Friday.
Sonics suspend Forte one game Forte was involved in an altercation with teammate Jerome James after the Sonics' 80-74 loss to the Wizards on Wednesday night, the Seattle Times reported in Friday's editions. The former UNC star told the newspaper it started as a verbal exchange and it escalated from there. "Jerome James tried to jump on me and he was not successful," Forte said in the report. "Both parties are usually suspended, but that didn't happen. That tells me that they give me special treatment in a negative way. "It's the same reason why I'm not playing ... But I'm not going to be the Sonics basher. Basically, I got suspended because I got into a fight with a 7-foot guy who attacked me."
Forte will miss Friday's game against the Memphis Grizzlies. He will return to the team for Saturday's practice. Forte says he has filed a claim with the NBA Players Association because the suspension cost him about $11,000 in pay.
The Sonics did not provide any details about the conduct that led to Forte's suspension.
Rockets activate, then fine guard Maddox Maddox, who had been on the injured reserve list with a viral infection, was reactivated for Thursday's game with the Spurs, which Houston lost 98-85, but was a no-show. Maddox has played in only eight games this season, averaging 1.4 points. The former Fresno State point guard, selected 38th overall in the NBA draft, signed with the Rockets in September.
Raptors' Hunter officially out for season Hunter, who has missed 28 straight games, will rehabilitate the injury for three weeks before deciding whether to have surgery. Hunter is in his 10th season and first with Toronto. He averaged 9.7 points and 2.4 assists in 29 games this season.
Hornets' non-premium season tickets to remain same price
Alex Martins, the Hornets' senior vice president of marketing and branding, said they want to boost this season's 8,500 season-ticket sales total.
The team also announced that it is going to reduce season-ticket prices for seats in the lower-bowl corners and for lower-bowl seating behind the basket by $10 per game. However, tickets bought for individual games will keep the price now charged for those seats.
Premium club seat and luxury suite holders are under three- to 10-year contracts, with automatic increases to take effect next season. A five-year contract will have a 3-percent increase, Martins said.
Heat lose Marks for remainder of season
The 6-foot-10 forward left a game against the Denver Nuggets on March 8 with a sprained elbow and was placed on the injured list two days later.
Marks missed 21 games earlier this season after undergoing foot surgery in November. In 23 games this season, Marks averaged 2.3 points, 1.5 rebounds and 9.7 minutes.
Tierre Brown signs with Cavs for rest of season Brown originally signed 10-day contract with Cleveland on March 3, a week after guard Bimbo Coles was waived. In five games with the Cavaliers, he is averaging 1.2 points, 1.4 assists and 5.4 minutes. The 6-foot-2 Brown was averaging 15.4 points per game and 4.9 assists in 41 games with North Charleston of the NBDL before signing with Cleveland. Last season as a rookie, he averaged 3.1 points and 1.8 assists in 40 games with the Houston Rockets. Cleveland (13-56) is the only team in the NBA with a winning percentage below .200. |
| |||||
