Kevin Garnett (thigh) went through a full shootaround on Wednesday, but the Celtics may opt to hold him out of games on Wednesday and Saturday. The Boston Celtics are reporting that Garnett’s current trouble is related to his bruised thigh, which got kicked in Monday’s game against the Warriors.

The good news is that this sounds precautionary and the Celtics see an opportunity to get Garnett a week of rest with only two games scheduled in the next seven days. In the long run we remain concerned about KG holding up, especially considering his injury plagued 2009 season, but it looks like the thigh isn’t a major issue.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

New Jersey: Dave D’Alessandro of the Newark Star-Ledger reports that Chris Douglas-Roberts (ankle) has been cleared to return to action on Wednesday. CDR tweeted earlier that he’d be back in action, but it’s good to see the official news coming from a New Jersey Nets beat reporter. It should be safe to activate him in daily leagues, though it’s possible he’ll be rusty in his first game since Dec. 19.

Los Angeles: Lakers G Kobe Bryant’s offensive tear continued on Tuesday, as he scored a season-high 44 points (13-of-27 FGs, 16-of-16 FTs) against the Warriors. He added four rebounds and 11 assists, with just one turnover. Kobe came into this game 0.1 ppg behind Carmelo Anthony for the league lead in scoring, and will be #1 after this gem. This was the 103rd game in his career that he’s scored at least 40 points.

Los Angeles: As expected, Ron Artest did not play in Tuesday’s game vs. the Warriors. He is hoping to return against Sacramento on Friday. “He’ll get a workout in [Wednesday],” said Phil Jackson. “The big danger is obviously elevating heart rate and blood pressure in this type of situation, so that’s going to be something that we monitor.” When Artest returns to the lineup, expect reduced minutes.

Washington: The Wizards allowed the Thunder to score 110 points on 54% shooting, coach Flip Saunders hinted that a lineup change could be imminent. “Spots will be open. If guys don’t like it, that’s fine,” said Saunders. “Guys want to come out of the zone [defense] and play man-to-man, but they can’t guard anybody. The Wizards have been on of the biggest disappointment thus far in 2010.

New Orleans: David West scored a career-high 44 points vs. the Houston  Rockets on Tuesday — he made 18-of-30 FGs, 2-of-4 three-pointers, and 6-of-8 FTs. West even pitched in 12 rebounds, four assists and two steals, but New Orleans couldn’t pull out the victory and dropped to 13-16 on the season.

Tracy McGrady is unlikely to rejoin the Houston Rockets this season, according to Yahoo! Sports. McGrady and his agent will meet with Rockets’ management over the next two days and the likely resolution is T-Mac heading to Chicago to work at the famed Attack Athletics facility.

The Rockets are willing to take on long-term salary to unload McGrady. Kings G Kevin Martin’s name has surfaced in the past, mainly as interest coming out of Chicago, but there are multiple obstacles to any such blockbuster deal. It appears that a buyout is the best resolution to deal with McGrady, in any event we should know the details within the next day or two.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Houston: Rockets guard Trevor Ariza suffered a deep tissue bruise on his left shin in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s game. X-rays were negative, but he was limping. “I got kicked,” Ariza said. “It’s still throbbing. Hopefully, by tomorrow it will be all right.” The Rockets’ next game is on Tuesday (they play three times this week) and we should have more information after Monday’s practice.

Los Angeles: Ron Artest has been ruled out for Monday’s game against the Sun due to a concussion.
His condition is improving, and he could play later in the week, but get him on your bench for Monday.

Chicago: Beat writer Mike McGraw writes that “the Bulls are NOT anxious to fire [Vinny] Del Negro. They’d rather he finish the season…and help him clean out his office.” McGraw feels that “if the Bulls stay competitive for a playoff spot, Del Negro should be fine.” He has covered the Bulls since 1995 and would have as good a feel for this situation as anyone, so his opinions are not easy to dismiss.

Toronto: There is still no timetable for Jose Calderon’s return from a hip injury. The Toronto Raptors PG has been working out off the court but did not join his teammates for practice on Saturday. The Raptors have gone 8-4 in his absence, with fill-in starter Jarrett Jack playing well, so the team doesn’t have any incentive to rush him back.

Indiana: Danny Granger did some light shooting on Saturday as he continues to rehabilitate his torn right plantar fascia, and he thinks he will be back in “another two to three weeks.” Granger wants to get onto the court as fast as he can, but with the Pacers suddenly playing for ping pong balls, we wouldn’t be surprised to see him forced to return slower than he would like.

The decision to fire coach Vinny Del Negro has already been made and the only thing keeping him employed is the fact that the Bulls have not found a replacement. The Bulls would like to have a coach that appeals to the potential free agents available this summer, but they may have to settle for assistants Bernie Bickerstaff or Pete Myers and seek out a better option in the offseason. Once it becomes clear who will be coaching in Chicago, we’ll have a better idea of what system will be installed and what free agents, if any, will be interested in playing for the Bulls.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Los Angeles: Los Angeles Clippers F Blake Griffin (knee) continues to progress in his rehabilitation, and said that he expects to make his season debut in three weeks. Coach Mike Dunleavy agreed, saying he expects him back in the second or third week of January. This timetable appears to be solid Dunleavy will have to sort out minutes between Griffin, Marcus Camby, Rasual Butler and Al Thornton.

Sacramento: Tyreke Evans is considered to be doubtful for Monday’s game against the Nuggets after spraining his ankle in Saturday’s game against the Lakers. Evans missed Sunday’s practice after he woke up with swelling in the ankle. Beno Udrih and Donte’ Greene would be the likely starting backcourt in his absence, as this was the lineup Nov. 21 when Evans missed his only game of the season.

Houston: The Houston Rockets have told Tracy McGrady that he will not see an increase in playing time, and that they will address his situation Monday when they return from their road trip. This comes after the team gave McGrady permission to take the weekend off to be home for his son’s birthday.

Detroit: Pistons F Charlie Villanueva (foot) is in uniform and has been seen loosening up prior to Sunday’s game against the Toronto Raptors.

San Antonio: DeJuan Blair played for a season-high 35 minutes on Sunday, and ended up with eight points on 4-of-11 shooting with 10 rebounds, two assists, one steal, and two blocks.

Denver: Carmelo Anthony struggled with foul trouble on Sunday, scoring just 16 points on 7-of-16 shooting with 12 rebounds, four assists, two steals, and a block in 30 minutes of action. He missed tying his lowest-scoring game of the season by just two points, but on the bright side his 12 rebounds were a season-high.

Dallas: Drew Gooden (back spasms) returned to action Sunday and scored 19 points on a perfect 8-of-8 shooting to go with 10 rebounds and a block in 27 minutes of run on Sunday.
Gooden may have gotten some extra run after Erick Dampier (10 points, nine rebounds, 20 minutes) played 35 minutes in his absence Saturday.

Los Angeles Lakers forward Ron Artest suffered a concussion and injured his left elbow after falling at his Home on Friday night. Artest apparently tripped over a box and fell down a flight of stairs and did not travel with the team to Sacramento Kings on Saturday.
Artest was treated at UCLA Medical Center, undergoing a CT scan and receiving stitches in the back of his head and his elbow.

A neurologist examined him on Saturday and confirmed he had a concussion and would only be day to day. Lakers Head Coach Phil Jackson seemed a bit annoyed with reporters after being asked to “interpret” the accident: “Let me see, my interpretation is that an accident happened, he fell down, he ended up in the hospital, and he came out with some stitches. Other than that, I can’t add anything to it.” Los Angeles began a stretch with four games in five days on Christmas, culminating in a home game against Golden State on Tuesday. “What I was telling the team is that he brings a certain physical presence to our game,” Jackson said. “And we’ll miss that part of his game.”

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Oakland: Warriors G/F Corey Maggette was on fire in Saturday’s thrilling 132-127 win over the Suns, scoring 33 points on 13-of-17 shooting. He made all seven of his FT attempts and had eight rebounds and one steal in 35 minutes. His move into the starting lineup proved to be the right decision, as he’s now topped 20 points in seven consecutive games.

Chicago: Chicago Bulls F Tyrus Thomas returned from his broken forearm on Saturday, posting a team-high 21 points on 10-of-17 shooting, nine rebounds, two assists, one steal and two blocks.

New Orleans: New Orleans Hornets swingman Devin Brown hit 6-of-7 three-pointers against the Bulls, finishing with a team-high 22 points, four rebounds and two steals. All of his points came in the first half. So far this season, Brown’s field goal percentage is a measly 38.5%.

Atlanta: Hawks center Al Horford dominated the Pacers in Saturday’s victory, racking up 25 points on 11-of-14 shooting, 19 rebounds, two assists and five blocks. Horford averaging a career high 13.8 ppg, while shooting 58% to lead the surging Atlanta Hawks to a record of 21-8 thus far this season.

Phoenix: Steve Nash led the Suns in an old-fashioned shootout with the Warriors, scoring a season-high 36 points on 14-of-22 shooting, including 6-of-12 three-pointers.

Mo Williams scored 28 points to go along with six rebounds, seven assists and three 3-pointers, and LeBron James added 26 points and nine assists as the Cavaliers easily beat the Lakers in L.A. on Christmas Day. Kobe Bryant paced the Los Angeles Lakers with 35 points and a near triple-double, but took 32 shots to reach 35 points, as the Cavs controlled the pace and tempo of the game from the opening tip. Tempers flared on the court, as Lamar Odom was ejected with two technical fouls, while Williams, LeBron, Kobe and Derek Fisher all confronted each other, leading to angry fans littering the floor with foam fingers. This may now be the most contested rivalry in the NBA.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Los Angeles: Marcus Camby, who was iffy coming into Friday’s game with a hyperextended left knee, started, but then left the game after aggravating the injury and will not return. Camby’s injuries are always a major concern and his status for his next game is automatically in doubt.

Los Angeles: Kobe Bryant scored 35 points, but made just 11-of-32 shots in a loss to the Cavaliers on Christmas Day. The Cavs easily won today’s game, although Kobe’s fantasy line included a 3-pointers, 12-of-12 free throw shooting, nine boards, eight assists and two steals. He has been dealing with a sore knee and a broken finger coming in, but looked to be moving at full speed in this one.

Phoenix: Phoenix Suns G Leandro Barbosa returned from a sprained ankle on Christmas Day and had 12 points, four assists, a steal and a block on 4-of-8 shooting in 21 minutes off the bench.

Boston Celtics: Kevin Garnett, who clearly landed hard on his back and tailbone on Friday, also hit his head on the court during the fall. He didn’t return to the game, but says he’s fine. “I’m ok,” Garnett said. “I’ve had harder falls. I’m just glad we won to be honest. I’m sure I’ll feel it in the morning. But for now, I’m all right.” The key words are “for now,” but it sounds like KG is planning to play on Sunday at the Clippers.

Boston: Glen Davis returned from a broken thumb on Friday and failed to score in four minutes.
He’ll be worked into the mix slowly, but if Kevin Garnett is ever going to miss a string of game due to injuries, Davis should have some immediate value in deep leagues.

Orlando: Vince Carter hit 10-of-20 shots and a 3-pointer for a game-high 27 points to go along with five rebounds, two assists and four steals as the Magic fell to the Celtics on Christmas Day.

1. Celtics (23-5): Fully healthy, they’re slightly better than the Lakers.
2. Lakers (23-5): Just behind the Celtics.
3. Magic (22-8): Might have the most offensive weapons in the league.
4. Cavaliers (23-8): One player away from being a great team.
5. Nuggets (20-9): Very good team.
6. Suns (19-11): They have fallen back a bit in the last few weeks.
7. Hawks (20-8): Young, improving and only going to get better.
8. Mavericks (20-9): Still waiting for Marion to make his mark on the team.
9. Trail Blazers (19-12): Still playing good despite injuries.
10. Heat (15-12): Not an elite team.
11. Spurs (15-11): Are the Spurs starting to show their age?
12. Jazz (16-13): The same every year, above average.
13. Rockets (17-12): I can’t understand how they continue to play well?
14. Thunder (14-14): This team will be a force in the future.
15. Hornets (13-14): Starting to play up to their potential.
16. Grizzlies (13-14): Showing flashes of how good they can become.
17. Kings (13-15): If they’re able to make a trade, they might make the playoffs.
18. Bucks (12-15): I thought they would be better this season.
19. Raptors (14-17): Should they trade Bosh? Yes-to the Kings.
20. Bulls (10-17): Vinny lasted through X-Mas…now when will he be canned?
21. Bobcats (11-16): I don’t see this team ever making the playoffs.
22. Clippers (12-17): The second team in LA.
23. Pacers (9-18): Nothing really to say here.
24. Pistons (11-18): The free agent moves have not worked out as planned.
25. Wizard (10-17): They should be a lot better than this…
26. Knicks (11-18): Why in the world would LeBron want to play here?
27. 76ers (7-21): How is Iverson doing with ticket sells?
28. Warriors (7-21): This team needs to be blown up.
29. Timberwolves (6-24): Love is turning into a good player.
30. Nets (2-27): Over or under on 10 wins this season?

The NBA acknowledged that they are investigating Gilbert Arenas’ violation of league rules that prohibit players from bringing firearms onto league property. The NBA released the following statement, “We’re aware of the situation and are working to gain a full understanding of the facts and relevant legal issues.” Now that the league has acknowledged the situation, we’re just waiting for that investigation to be completed and to see if Arenas gets a suspension or not.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Free Agency: Estimates are starting to come in regarding ticket revenues and the news is worse than expected. The question for teams now becomes how much the salary cap is expected to drop. This means that several notable teams (Knicks, Nets, Heat) who have been setting themselves up for this summer’s blockbuster free agency class (LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh, Joe Johnson) will have less money to lure key players.

Los Angeles: Lakers G Kobe Bryant made it through practice Thursday without any pain in the knee he tweaked during Tuesday’s game against the Thunder. Kobe said of his knee, “It’s good. No problems. I feel fine.” All of the Los Angeles Laker fans should consider this the vote of confidence as Bryant seems to be fine.

Portland: An MRI on Brandon Roy’s shoulder revealed no tears, but he will be a game-time decision for Friday’s game against the Nuggets. The Portland Trail Blazers are calling the injury a shoulder muscle strain. The good news is the injury is not serious, but the bad news is it could possibly force him to miss another game or two. Check back before Friday’s game for a final update.

Boston: Celtics Coach Doc Rivers said Thursday Paul Pierce (infected knee) could miss at least two weeks, and is doubtful to travel on the team’s upcoming road trip. Boston Celtics returns home to play on Jan. 2, but if he skips that game he’ll get four days of rest to play on Jan. 6. It was reported that he called team trainers at 3 a.m. Wednesday due to intense pain, and was taken to the hospital to have his knee drained. Owners should have him sidelined until further notice.

Miami: Miami  Heat C Jermaine O’Neal lasted just three minutes into Wednesday’s game before being shutdown for the night with a groin injury. Information is scarce right now, but we’re going to guess he’s day-to-day.

Indiana: Pacers coach Jim O’Brien said Thursday that they are no hurry to bring back Jeff Foster, who injured his back last week playing against Dwight Howard and the Magic. “We don’t want to have him go seven minutes and have (the back) go out again. He’ll be back when we think we can play him for an extended period of time without risking further problems,” said O’Brien

The Sacramento Kings trailed the Bulls by as many as 35 points on Monday, but Tyreke Evans led a stunning late-game charge as Sacramento stole a road victory in Chicago. Evans started slow but finished with 23 points (8-of-19 FGs, 6-of-9 FTs), eight rebounds, three assists and two steals. He even knocked down his only 3-point attempt. The 35 point comeback was the second largest in NBA history.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Milwaukee: Milwaukee Bucks C Andrew Bogut dominated the Pacers’ frontcourt in Monday’s road victory, scoring a career-high 31 points and grabbing a season-high 18 rebounds. He shot 14-of-19 from the field, adding three assists, one steal and three blocks.

Dallas: Mavericks F Dirk Nowitzki (elbow) is on the active list and will play on Tuesday against the Trail Blazers, according to beat writer Eddie Sefko.

Sacramento: Kevin Martin (wrist) is scheduled to have a CT scan on December 30th. If all goes well he could return in early January. “I’ll know more after that,” Martin said. “It could be (early January).” He began shooting again nearly two weeks ago, and recently began doing dribbling drills with both hands.

Detroit: Detroit Pistons F Charlie Villanueva said he will play Tuesday despite plantar fasciitis, which causes “a sharp pain every step I make.” “I can’t really move out there. I’m very limited,” said Villanueva. It seems like only a matter of time before CV needs to take time off and rest his heel, but for the immediate future he sounds like he’ll keep suiting up. On a side note, he is no longer wearing a mask to protect his recently broken nose.

Detroit: Ben Gordon missed his ninth straight game on Tuesday as he recovers from a sprained ankle.
He said he “wasn’t quite ready,” which seems to have been the case for weeks now. Keep him benched until we get a concrete report that he’s ready to suck it up and play.

San Antonio: Spurs rookie DeJuan Blair moved into the starting lineup on Monday, posting eight points and six rebounds in 16 minutes.

Indiana: Pacers center Jeff Foster is out indefinitely with back pain. Foster joined the team in Boston on Tuesday but for the immediate future Roy Hibbert and Solomon Jones will hold down the C spot for Indiana Pacers.

Oklahoma City: Injured veteran Matt Harpring (knee) has been traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder as part of Tuesday’s trade for Eric Maynor. Harpring’s career is almost certainly over, and he’s currently working as a commentator for NBATV. OKC gains an expiring contract, and Utah gets to slash his salary from their luxury tax.

Jonny Flynn had 14 points and set a career high with nine assists in Wednesday’s loss to the Hornets. Flynn was beaten by Chris Paul for the game-winner, but is playing well. He also had a steal and a three tonight, and is averaging 13 points, seven assists and more than a steal and three over his last five games. Obviously, he’s becoming more comfortable in his role. Ramon Sessions came off the bench for just two points and six assists and is averaging just six points and three dimes over his last five games.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Milwaukee: Milwaukee Bucks PG Brandon Jennings got hot early and finished with 22 points, four 3-pointers, six assists, two steals and two blocks on 8-of-14 shooting in Wednesday’s win over Toronto, snapping a four-game losing streak for the Bucks. Jennings came in shooting just 32 percent in his last nine games, which was a far cry from his hot start. However, the news was not all good as he left early with a left knee injury. He returned briefly after getting hurt, but was not able to finish the game. Hopefully he just banged knees with another player.

Houston: Rockets F Trevor Ariza hit 11-of-19 shots and four 3-pointers for 26 points, five boards, two assists and two steals in Wednesday’s impressive win over the Cavaliers. Ariza has not been a good shooter from the floor this season, but we think his percentage will continue to improve as he gets more selective with his shots. Ariza’s strong play this season is probably one of the reasons the Houston Rockets are in no rush to bring Tracy McGrady back from knee surgery.

New Orleans Hornets: Chris Paul had 15 points and 14 assists, and hit the game-winning layup after blowing by Jonny Flynn near the buzzer for a tough win over the Timberwolves.

Oakland: Warriors F Anthony Randolph returned from a personal leave on Wednesday and came off the bench for 11 points, nine rebounds, four assists, a steal and three blocks on 4-of-7 shooting in just 20 minutes of action.

Philadelphia 76ers: Allen Iverson hit just 3-of-10 shots for 11 points, three assists, two steals and a block in Wednesday’s loss – the 11th in a row for Philly.

Blazers G Rudy Fernandez will miss 4-to-6 weeks after undergoing a microdiscectomy Tuesday to relieve leg pain caused by a nerve root in lower back. “He can get going right away on conditioning… He can swim, it’s more the impact of running and jumping [that might take longer],” Dr. Rich Edelson of Sports Medicine Oregon said Tuesday. Martell Webster, Andre Miller and Jarryd Bayless should pick up extra minutes in Fernandez’s absence, although Miller isn’t willing to play small forward.

Denver: Kenyon Martin will not play Tuesday against the Charlotte Bobcats because of a dislocated pinkie finger.

Toronto: Jose Calderon (hip) will not play Tuesday against the Timberwolves. Calderon went through shootaround and sounded like he might play, but a hip flexor injury flared up after practice and the Toronto Raptors decided to have him sit. Coach Jay Triano said Jarrett Jack will start in Calderon’s place.

Oakland: Warriors F Anthony Randolph flew to Arkansas to deal with a family emergency instead of New York for Wednesday’s game against the Nets. The team said that it hopes Randolph will be back with the team in the “next couple of days,” leaving his availability for Wednesday in doubt.

Indiana: Danny Granger will miss four-to-six weeks with torn plantar fascia in his right foot.

New Jersey: In addition to drawing the ire of the New Jersey Nets‘ braintrust with his recent posts on Twitter, Terrence Williams appears to be at odds with some of his teammates. Dave D’Alessandro of the Newark Star-Ledger reports that at Tuesday’s shootaround, Williams “seemed more isolated than ever before.” And teammate Rafer Alston added, “Every day he comes in, he just looks like he’s in a funk and he looks like he’s just not there. I asked him yesterday on the bus how he’s doing, and he just had nothing to say. He had this blank look on his face, like he’s just confused.”

Chicago: K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune Tyrus Thomas’ broken forearm is not yet ready to absorb contact. This Friday will mark five weeks that Thomas has been sidelined, and though no return date has been set, it looks like fantasy owners will need to be patient for at least another week or two. Taj Gibson will continue to get the majority of minutes at PF in Thomas’ absence.

Dallas: Mavs GM Donnie Nelson says that Tim Thomas’ alleged involvement in a brawl at Denny’s early Wednesday morning is being “overblown.”
“What I can tell you is that Tim was not involved,” he said. “He’s 30 years old with a wife and kids. When the situation started to escalate, he left the property immediately. Certainly we’re working with authorities and our security folks to get to the bottom of it. But this is something that’s way, way, way overblown.” It is possible that media reports have overstated Thomas’ involvement in the incident, and we’ll continue to track this story as more developments surface.