Shaquille O’Neal left Thursday’s game against the Boston Celtics during the second quarter after taking a hard foul, has suffered a “significant right thumb sprain” according to TNT’s David Aldridge, and will not return to the game. Shaq’s short-term future doesn’t look bright, and Anderson Varejao and J.J. Hickson are worth a look if Shaq is out. Varejao has better size for the position, and projects to be a more consistent option than Hickson, who will provide more upside and scoring possibilities. Both will struggle with foul trouble.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Boston: Coach Doc Rivers said Thursday that Paul Pierce’s thumb is not healthy enough to sustain contact during a game, and that he could miss “a couple of games of for sure.” “We just want to get him to the stage where if someone hits it he can sustain the hit, and right now if someone hit it it would go right back to where it was at,” said Rivers.

Oakland: C.J. Watson will miss Thursday’s game due to the flu and a possible appendicitis according to team officials. The Golden State Warriors are decimated by injuries, which means that Monta Ellis and Stephen Curry are strong candidates to play close to a full game, and Anthony Morrow and Anthony Tolliver will get more touches.

Utah: Andrei Kirilenko made it through Thursday’s practice and is expected to play Friday against the Sacramento Kings.

Sacramento: With Jason Thompson out for up to two weeks with a back injury, Kings beat writer Ailene Voisin reported that Spencer Hawes worked with the first team during the portion of Thursday’s practice that was made available to the media. His status for Friday’s game against the Jazz is still unknown, although beat writer Sam Amick said he would be surprised if he didn’t suit up.

Sacramento: Jason Thompson will miss up to two weeks with two non-displaced transverse processes fractures in his lower back, which were confirmed by X-rays taken Thursday.

Chicago: Joakim Noah missed Thursday’s practice due to a prescheduled doctor’s appointment about his plantar fasciitis.” No worries,” Noah said. “I’m just trying to get back as much as I can and help this team. I’m hurting, obviously, but it’s the end of the season right now and I want to be there for my team and I want to be as ready as possible come playoff time.”

Kobe Bryant returned to action after a five-game layoff due to an ankle injury on Tuesday, and quickly resumed being the deadliest closer in the league by scoring the Lakers’ last nine points including a 30-foot game-winning 3-pointer. He finished with 32 points on 13-of-19 shooting (including three 3-pointers), seven rebounds, six assists, three steals, and two blocks in 40 minutes of run. With 18 days of rest under his belt, he’s rested, and may be as dangerous as anybody not named LeBron for the rest of the year.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Sacramento: Sacramento Kings’ big man Spencer Hawes was inactive for Tuesday’s game. Head Coach Paul Westphal said he is helping Hawes to learn his “role.” This takes being in a coach’s doghouse to another level, as Westphal seems intent on breaking his young pup of a center.

Sacramento: The Kings have waived Larry Hughes, a source tells Adrian Wojnarkowski of Yahoo! Sports.
Hughes was only part of the Tracy McGrady deal to make the salaries work. He was never going to play for the Kings. Hughes can still give a little ball handing and scoring off the bench for a contender.

Miami: Miami Heat swingman Dorell Wright scored a season-high 26 points on 9-of-11 shooting off the bench on Tuesday, including 6-of-7 shooting from downtown. He also had seven rebounds, two steals and three blocks in 30 minutes. It’s important to remember that Dwyane Wade was sidelined, boosting Wright’s playing time well above his 19 minutes average.

Charlotte: Hornets backup guard Marcus Thornton unleashed a career-high 37 points on 15-of-22 shooting vs. the Cavaliers on Tuesday, adding three 3-pointers, two assists and two steals in 31 minutes.

Thornton scored a franchise-record 23 points in the second quarter alone, but didn’t start the second half despite his out-of-body experience. He lost his starting gig to veteran Morris Peterson (two points in 21 minutes) when he got injured a few weeks ago, but may have taken it back tonight.

Portland: Nicolas Batum has taken over for Martell Webster as the Portland Trail Blazers starting small forward. It’s a changing of the guard for the Blazers. Batum has been shooting it well enough lately to not be a liability on offense, and we know what he does defensively.

Joe Johnson made 12-of-19 FGs in Monday’s win over the Jazz, scoring 28 points with two 3-pointers, six rebounds, six assists, one steal and one turnover. Atlanta hadn’t won in Utah Jazz in 17 years. JJ came into this game averaging a season-high 23 ppg in February, making 1.9 threes on 47% from downtown.

He’s rested and raring to go as the Hawks cruise into homecourt advantage in the first round — they sit in 4th place, one game behind Boston and 3 1/2 games ahead of Toronto.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Boston: Paul Pierce isn’t sure whether his sore thumb will allow him to play vs. the Knicks on Tuesday — according to Ian Thomsen of Sports Illustrated, Pierce will “likely” rest for one week. “It’s pretty banged up right now,” said Pierce. The injury is to his shooting hand, and considering his recent struggles his fantasy owners should start considering the alternatives. Marquis Daniels, Ray Allen and Nate Robinson should each pick up a few minutes and shots with Pierce sidelined.

Utah: Deron Williams said he will play on Wednesday after missing Monday’s game with a right quad contusion. This takes some sting out of his sudden DNP, and it doesn’t sound like the bruise was too severe.

New York: Tracy McGrady’s status for Tuesday’s game is unclear, after he pulled himself out of Monday’s game with an obvious left leg issue. His left knee is the one that needed surgery last season, and this is exactly why we weren’t sold on his durability.

Dallas: Brendan Haywood propelled the Dallas Mavericks to a win on Monday with 13 points, a career-high-tying 20 rebounds, and three blocks in 33 minutes.

New York: Knicks point guard Sergio Rodriguez moved into the starting lineup on Monday, replacing struggling Chris Duhon. He only had four points (2-of-8 FGs) and one assist, but racked up a whopping eight steals in 29 minutes. Mike D’Antoni had endorsed Rodriguez’s “speed and rhythm,” though the Knicks stagnated in this game and would up with just 67 points on 34% shooting. Still, Rodriguez played 29 minutes while Duhon never left the bench, and opportunistic owners should grab him while they still can.

Milwaukee: Brandon Jennings had eight rebounds and seven assists on Monday, but scored just four points on 1-of-9 shooting. Jennings’ FG% has been sliding all season, from 51.6% in October to a paltry 31.3% in February. He shot under 40% from the field while playing in Europe last season, so these struggles aren’t exactly shocking.

Milwaukee: Milwaukee Bucks center Andrew Bogut dominated the Knicks in New York on Monday, piling up 24 points on 12-of-15 shooting, 28 rebounds and five blocked shots.

After a solid showing in Sunday’s game, coach Mike Brown told reporters after the game that Antawn Jamison will probably be a starter for the Cleveland Cavaliers at some point. “At the end of the day, he’s probably going to be a starter for us, he’s a starter in this league,” Brown said. “I’ve just got to figure things out and we’re in the process of doing that right now.” It sounds like he’ll be a starter very soon, and the doomsday scenario for him appears to be averted.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Sacramento: Carl Landry had the best game of his short Sacramento Kings career on Sunday, scoring 18 points on 6-of-15 shooting with seven rebounds, two assists, two steals, and one block in 37 minutes.

Oklahoma City: Russell Westbrook triple-doubled in Sunday’s 109-107 win over the Wolves, scoring 22 points on 9-of-19 shooting with 10 rebounds, 14 assists, and two steals. Wow. The Russell Westbrook Experience continues to reach new heights, Jeff Green had a meaty 17-point, 14-rebound double-double, and Kevin Durant had his 28th straight game scoring more than 25 points.

Detroit: Richard Hamilton continued his tear against the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday, scoring 27 points on 9-of-19 shooting (9-of-9 from the foul line) with five rebounds and three assists. He has now hit 46 straight free throws, but even more impressive are the scoring totals of 36 and 29 points in the two games entering tonight.

Boston: Reporter A. Sherrod Blakely who covers the Boston Celtics for Comcast, calls the thumb injury Paul Pierce suffered Thursday against the Lakers “a problem,” and adds that he’s “definitely questionable” for Tuesday’s game against the Knicks. This injury has flown under the radar, but judging by his recent play it makes sense.

Minnesota: Darko Milicic debuted as a member of the Wolves on Sunday, and surprised everyone with eight points on 4-of-7 shooting with eight rebounds, two assists, and a block in 19 minutes off the bench.

Minnesota: Kevin Love posted a solid double-double against the Thunder on Sunday, scoring 19 points on 7-of-13 shooting (including a three) with 14 rebounds, three assists, a steal, and a block in 31 minutes off the bench. Love, to some degree, has been in coach Kurt Rambis’ doghouse, and has come off the bench and gotten less than starter’s minutes.

Darren Collison blistered the Pacers for 18 points, 13 rebounds, 12 assists, three steals, a block and a 3-pointer while hitting 7-of-13 shots in Friday’s easy win. Not much to say here, other than the Hornets have two stellar point guards on their hands. Trading Chris Paul would bring back a fleet of studs, but we doubt the New Orleans Hornets are ready to put that kind of deal together.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Miami: Mario Chalmers returned from a thumb injury for 18 points, seven rebounds, four assists, two steals and four 3-pointers in Friday’s win. He came off the bench and this explosion was a surprise. Carlos Arroyo also played well, while Daequan Cook, who started for Dwyane Wade, hit just 1-of-7 shots for three points.

Miami: Michael Beasley hit 13-of-25 shots for a career-high 30 points to go along with eight rebounds, three steals and a block in a double-OT win over the Memphis Grizzlies. With Dwyane Wade out, Beasley is going to be the focal point of the offense.

Sacramento: The Kings’ new starting lineup Friday night is Tyreke Evans, Francisco Garcia, Omri Casspi, Carl Landry and Jason Thompson. Garcia is the biggest benefactor of the Kevin Martin trade, as we expected.

Toronto: Raptors beat writer Eric Smith expects Chris Bosh (ankle) to sit out Saturday in addition to Friday. It makes sense. After Saturday’s game against the depleted Wizards, the Toronto Raptors don’t play again until Wednesday against the Blazers.

Washington: Coach Flip Saunders said he thinks he’ll start Josh Howard against the Nuggets Friday night. Well that was quick. We assume that Howard will take over at the small forward spot, shift Mike Miller to shooting guard and send Nick Young to the bench.

Atlanta: Josh Smith had a nice all-around game in the Hawks’ 88-80 loss to the Suns on Friday, scoring 21 points on 8-of-15 shooting with five rebounds, one assist, three steals, and four blocks.