Dwyane Wade insisted that the custody battle over his children will not affect him down the stretch, but that it may cause him to pass on playing for Team USA this summer. “My kids,” said Wade. “This is the most important thing to me. Basketball is going to be there. So if I’m not able to compete this summer, I think everyone will understand the reason behind it.” He has had a lot on his plate off the court, but there’s no evidence it has hurt him on the court.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Orlando: Dwight Howard posted a monster line on Thursday, scoring 17 points on 6-of-11 shooting with 20 rebounds, one assist, one steal, and five blocks. He didn’t commit a personal foul and when he disagreed with a call just before halftime he showed excellent form on his argumentation. That, along with Stan Van Gundy’s commitment to increasing his playing time

Orlando: Jameer Nelson scored 14 points on 6-of-14 shooting (including two 3-pointers) with three rebounds, seven assists, and two steals on Thursday.
After a three-point, seven-rebound outing on Tuesday he has redeemed himself with two respectable performances including tonight. His thumb hasn’t surfaced in any reports lately, but with just three games next week he is a mediocre play given his recent struggles.

Cleveland: Anderson Varejao (hamstring) has been upgraded to questionable for Friday’s game against the Atlanta Hawks. Beat writer Brian Windhorst points out that coach Mike Brown sounds like he wants to rest him for one more game, and with the Cavs in control of home-court advantage for the playoffs there’s no reason to rush him back.

New York: Wilson Chandler (left groin strain) will have a 6-8 week rehabilitative process before he can set foot on a basketball court.

Memphis: Coach Lionel Hollins said Thursday that Marc Gasol will miss the rest of the season with a partially torn neck muscle. He aggravated it in Wednesday’s game and couldn’t reach for rebounds or attempt shots, and with the Memphis Grizzlies basically out of playoff contention the news is hardly surprising. In his stead, Hasheem Thabeet should see plenty of developmental minutes

Sacramento: Spencer Hawes (knee) is out for the rest of the season. The official injury is a “deep bone contusion and an irregular signal in the joint line in left knee.” We’re not sure exactly what that means for Hawes going forward,

Hornets coach Jeff Bower said after Saturday’s game that he expects Chris Paul (knee) to return at some point in the following week. “We will be seeing him soon,” Bower said. “Probably next week at some point; hopefully earlier in the week. We don’t have a firm date, but we’re very close.” The report goes on to tell readers to check back in after Monday’s shootaround, with games Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday as potential return dates.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Sacramento: Tyreke Evans (slight concussion, bruised jaw) could still play in Monday’s home game vs. the Grizzlies, according to Sacramento Kings beat writer Jason Jones. Jones’ report is far more optimistic than an early text message from Evans’ brother, which indicated he would miss at least one week. Evans will be re-evaluated on Monday, so check back for updates.

Sacramento: Beno Udrih scored 20 points on 8-of-17 shooting (including a three) with four rebounds, a career-high 17 assists, and two steals in the Kings’ win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday.

Atlanta: Al Horford went off for 22 points on 8-of-15 shooting with 18 rebounds, one assist, and two steals, and hit a jumper with the shot clock expiring and 35 seconds left in overtime to put away the Spurs on Sunday.

San Antonio: Manu Ginobili tied a season-high with 38 points on 12-of-26 shooting (including five 3-pointers) with one rebound, six assists, and a steal in the Spurs’ overtime loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday.
He is carrying the load with Tony Parker out, and has been a borderline elite play throughout the month of March.

Los Angeles: Phil Jackson said Sunday that he hopes Andrew Bynum (Achilles) can return before the end of the month, and that he will be traveling with the team on their upcoming 5-game road trip.
“Maybe this will be just a short duration,” Jackson said, adding that Bynum felt much better from Saturday to Sunday, helping to spark some optimism.

Okalahoma City: Russell Westbrook was held scoreless in the Okalahoma City Thunder’s blowout loss to the Pacers on Sunday, going 0-for-4 from the field to go with one rebound and five assists in just 17 minutes of action.

Derrick Rose will have an MRI on Friday to evaluate his left wrist that he sprained in Thursday’s game against the Orlando Magic. “Derrick has a sprained wrist,” coach Vinny Del Negro said. “I have no idea how bad it is. He’s going to get an MRI [Friday] to see how bad the damage is and see how he feels.” It’s unclear who will run the point if he’s out, whether that be Kirk Hinrich or Jannero Pargo, or if Flip Murray joins the starting lineup instead.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Portland: Brandon Roy scored 41 points on 14-of-22 shooting (with no threes) to go with eight rebounds, three assists, two steals, and a block against the defenseless Warriors on Thursday. Granted, this came against the Warriors, but it’s Roy’s first “statement” game since injuring his hamstring.

Atlanta: Jamal Crawford tied a season-high with 29 points on 8-of-16 shooting (4-of-7 from downtown, 9-of-11 from the foul line) with no rebounds and three assists in 29 minutes off the bench on Thursday. With all of his huge fourth quarter performances this year, this one may fly a bit under the radar, especially with the game not being on the TNT schedule. He is showing no effects from his past shoulder and thumb injuries,

Orlando: Vince Carter scored 23 points on 8-of-13 shooting (including two 3-pointers) with four rebounds, no assists, and a block in 26 minutes of action on Thursday.

Washington: JaVale McGee scored a career-high 20 points on 10-of-13 shooting with nine rebounds and an assist against the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday, and also tied Dwight Howard for dunks in a game this year with eight.

Miami: Michael Beasley (bruised left thigh) is listed as a game-time decision for Friday’s game against the Bulls. It’s a huge game for the Heat, who lead the Bulls by one game for the final playoff spot in the East. That will give Beasley every incentive to be out there and we’d expect him to play through mere soreness.

LeBron James has been ruled out for Monday’s game against the San Antonio Spurs. He’s not really injured, although his ankles are a bit dinged up. This is simply for some rest, and we do expect him to play Friday against the Sixers. NBA TV is not going to be happy with this news, as they’re showing the game tonight.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

New Orleans: Chris Paul, who is already in week five of his four-to-six week recovery period from knee surgery, has still not been cleared to run and may not be before the end of the week. With only 19 games remaining, coach Jeff Bower said there is no magic date to decide if Paul will play again this year. “Our plan is for him to return when he’s 100 percent healthy and that’s what he wants to do as well,” Bower said. This is not good news at all, and Paul’s chances to return this season will likely decrease with each New Orleans Hornets‘ loss.

Oakland: Andris Biedrins will have surgery to repair a small tear in his abdominal muscle. A timetable will be set for his return after the surgery is performed, but we’re guessing this means his season is probably over. Anthony Tolliver and Ronny Turiaf should hold value the rest of the way,

Memphis: Memphis Grizzlies forward Zach Randolph will miss his first game of the season on Monday because of lower back tightness, the team announced just before tip-off.

New York: Tracy McGrady will miss Monday’s game against the Atlanta Hawks due to fatigue and soreness.

Portland: Marcus Camby practiced despite his sprained ankle on Monday and is hoping to play on Tuesday against the Kings. He’s not the most trustworthy center around right now, but it does sound like he will be in the starting lineup on Tuesday, barring any setbacks.

Chicago: Luol Deng missed Monday’s practice with the flu and was sent home with the illness. Deng is now questionable for Tuesday’s game.

San Antonio: Tony Parker will miss approximately six weeks due to his broken right hand, but will not need surgery.

San Antonio: With Tony Parker (hand) sidelined, Manu Ginobili will start at SG for the Spurs with George Hill moving to PG. This is terrific news if you own either guy, both of whom should be safe starts in all leagues. Expect Ginobili’s playing time to increase significantly going forward — he was averaging 27:30 per game as a reserve.

Vince Carter distorted space and time on Monday, scoring a season-high 48 points on a variety of vintage moves, connecting on 19-of-27 FGs, 6-of-10 three-pointers, and 4-of-4 FTs. VC has scored 20+ points in three consecutive games and is obviously over the shoulder injury that hampered him throughout January. He was posting up, hitting 3-pointers and slashing to the lane, and the buy-low window has officially been slammed shut. It was his highest-scoring game since 2006.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Los Angeles: The Los Angeles Lakers will play without both Kobe Bryant (sprained left ankle) and Andrew Bynum (bruised right hip) vs. the Spurs on Monday.Consider both of them questionable for L.A.’s final game before the All-Star break, Wednesday at Utah. Lamar Odom will start at PF on Monday, moving Pau Gasol to center.

Toronto: Andrea Bargnani’s ankle was a bit tender on Monday and his participation in practice was limited. The Toronto Raptors don’t play until Wednesday, their final game before the break, and it appears Bargnani just got some precautionary rest.

Charlotte: David West scored 27 points in the Hornets’ losing effort on Monday, making 10-of-19 FGs and 7-of-7 FTs in his second-highest scoring total of the past 18 games.

West is still a reliable option, though his points (17.9), FG attempts (14.8) and rebounds (7.6) have all taken big dips this season, along with his playing time (35:36). Most of that was a lackluster November, however, and an ankle injury which has since healed.

Atlanta: Atlanta Hawks G Joe Johnson is probable for Tuesday’s game despite having the flu. He had been listed as questionable, so this is great news if you gambled on him in a shortened Week 16.

Portland: Brandon Roy did not end up having another injection of PRP on Monday. He’s hopeful rest and treatment will be enough to fix his hamstring, but it’s still too early to tell when he’ll play again. He also won’t be getting much rest over All-Star Weekend, as he’ll be required to be in Dallas for the weekend per the NBA.

Denver: Carmelo Anthony, who was quoted by the Nuggets’ official Twitter page as saying he was “probable” for Tuesday’s game against the Mavs, was non-committal about his availability when speaking with beat writer Benjamin Hochman. “Hopefully I can get back out there [Tuesday],” Anthony said after Monday’s practice. “It felt good out there today. It’s getting better each day. Pretty much I was doing a lot that I could do before I got hurt.”

New Jersey: Devin Harris is “50-50″ to play on Tuesday against the Cavaliers due to his shoulder injury.

Bucks G Michael Redd has reportedly suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament and torn medial collateral ligament in his left knee, ending his season. He was injured on Sunday night in L.A. and suffered the same injury nearly one year ago to the day (Jan. 24), making us wonder if his career is over. Brandon Jennings, Charlie Bell, Luke Ridnour, Carlos Delfino and Jodie Meeks will all see an increase in minutes with this news, while it looks like Bell will move into the starting lineup.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Chicago: Luol Deng hit 13-of-18 shots and a 3-pointer on his way to 27 points and six rebounds as the Bulls crushed the Detroit Pistons on Monday. Deng was likely on benches this week with three games and a fractured left thumb, but played very well tonight. He had not scored more than 18 points since Dec. 22. Derrick Rose was also feeling it for the Bulls, hitting 11-of-13 shots for 22 points and nine assists, as the Bulls hit a whopping 57% of their shots tonight.

Detroit: Ben Gordon, who was iffy with a hamstring injury, played just six minutes and failed to score on Monday before leaving with a groin injury.

Atlanta: Joe Johnson hit 14-of-25 shots and five 3-pointers for 36 points, three rebounds and one assist as the Hawks upset the Celtics in Boston. Kevin Garnett and Rasheed Wallace were out, but this was just Boston’s fifth loss at home. In fact, of their 10 losses this season, three of them have been to the Atlanta Hawks, who had lost seven straight to the Celtics prior to the run.

Oakland: An MRI revealed that Warriors F Anthony Randolph will miss three to six weeks with a badly sprained left ankle.

Boston: Kevin Garnett will be out another 10 days with his hyperextended knee, according to coach Doc Rivers. KG has already been out for 15 days and hasn’t played since Dec. 28. He hasn’t done any work, either, which includes running and jumping. “Now I actually am pretty sure it will be in the next ten days or so,” said Rivers

Los Angeles: Pau Gasol is listed as doubtful for Tuesday’s game against the Spurs due to his hamstring tear, which means he’s probably not likely to play on Wednesday against Dallas Mavericks, either.
Gasol worked on the treadmill Monday but didn’t practice. Phil Jackson didn’t have any new information because Gasol was still being treated after practice had ended.

According to an NBA official, the Wizards plan to fine some of Gilbert Arenas’ teammates for participating in his pregame warmup Tuesday that included him using his hands as guns.

The official said the fines would be contingent upon whether or not they planned the act ahead of time. In related news, the Wizards removed a several-stories tall banner of Arenas from the Verizon Center on Thursday, putting another nail in the coffin for his chances of returning this season.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Chicago: Tyrus Thomas said Thursday that he is very frustrated with the Bulls’ two-game losing streak, but was clearly voicing his displeasure with not playing more. When asked if he was healthy, he said he was about “90 to 95″ percent and then added that he was, “once again trying to find my niche on this team.” Coach Vinny Del Negro has been firm in his decision to start and play Taj Gibson, but any prolonged losing streak could cause Del Negro to change his mind in fear of losing his job.

Phoenix Suns: Coach Alvin Gentry gave Leandro Barbosa earlier substitutions Wednesday, as well as his first time on the court with Steve Nash in four games. “Coach has been giving me plays. We were doing well. I’m coming back,” said Barbosa about his play Wednesday, which had its ups and downs.

Minnesota; Coach Kurt Rambis said Thursday that forward Ryan Gomes could replace Damien Wilkins in the starting lineup soon. Gomes was rolling prior to Kevin Love’s return, and while it was thought his value would take a hit at that point, he still managed nearly 20 points per game in the four games they played together before he hurt his ankle.

New York: Wilson Chandler scored a season-high 27 points on 11-of-21 shooting (including a three) with seven rebounds and six assists in the Knicks’ 97-93 win over the  Charlotte Bobcats on Thursday.

Charlotte: Stephen Jackson continued his recent strong play with 26 points on 10-of-26 shooting (including two threes) to go with seven rebounds, three assists, three steals, and a block on Thursday.

Charlotte: Tyson Chandler says he was able to walk Thursday without significant pain for the first time since he was diagnosed with a stress reaction in his left foot. He’s still in a walking boot, but is cleared to ride the stationary bike.

Boston: Despite the fact that he is traveling with the team, Kevin Garnett (knee) will be held from Friday’s game against the Atlanta Hawks. This report came from the Hawks’ beat writers, but with news released Wednesday that KG could miss up to two weeks, it’s probably safe to assume he won’t play.

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.

Blazers center Greg Oden has a fractured left kneecap that will require surgery and he is expected to miss the rest of the season. This was not only a huge blow to the Blazers organization, but Oden himself, who was certainly breaking out this season averaging 11.7 points on 61% shooting, 8.8 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks in just 25 minutes per game. Oden’s statistics do not represent that fact that he is on of the top defensive players in the NBA. Joel Przybilla will likely become the Portland Trail Blazers starting center, but we’ll keep a close eye on the Blazers’ rotations over the next few games.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Oakland: Oakland Warriors F Anthony Randolph (ankle) made a surprise return on Saturday, lighting up Orlando for a career-high 28 points, 13 rebounds, five assists, one steal and one block off the bench.

Oakland: Warriors G Monta Ellis scored 33 points vs. the Magic on Saturday, adding two rebounds and seven assists, but he also turned the ball over seven times. The dark side of Ellis’ hot start this season is his 4.1 turnovers per game — he almost has as many TOs (74) as rebounds (79).

Phoenix Suns: Steve Nash scored 32 points in Saturday’s win over the Kings, making 11-of-23 FGs, 3-of-6 three-pointers and 7-of-7 FTs. Just two assists and six assists on the night, but nobody can complain on a night when the 35-year-old point guard scores 32 points.

Indiana: Danny Granger left Saturday’s game with a bruised right heel and will not return. Uh oh. It seems like the clock has been ticking for Granger (he has been dealing with this heel injury for weeks) but hopefully it’s nothing that will require an extended absence. We’re just not sure how his heel will ever get better if he’s constantly running, jumping and cutting on it.

Atlanta: Atlanta Hawks forward Marvin Williams grabbed a career-high 15 rebounds on Saturday, adding three steals and one block in 36 minutes. Marvin scored just three points on 1-of-7 shooting, but he’s normally a solid shooter and it’s nice to see him contributing in other categories. J

Toronto: Jose Calderon played only 19 minutes on Saturday due to a combination of a lopsided score and a sore groin. While it doesn’t sound like this is too serious, groin injuries tend to linger and Calderon hasn’t exactly been a picture of health since joining the NBA.

Minnesota: In his second game back from a broken hand, Kevin Love had 18 points and 10 rebounds and the Wolves defeated the Jazz in Minnesota. Love was 6-of-9 from the field, 2-of-3 from downtown and 4-of-4 from the FT line, with two steals and one block. And he only played 26 minutes.

Gilbert Arenas accused his teammates of having “hidden agendas” after Saturday’s loss, which dropped the Wizards to 3-9. Arenas mentioned that eight of his teammates will be free agents this summer. “I converted my game to try to get people involved, but at the end of the day, to be honest, this is the same team since three years ago,” he said. “Do I have to go in attack mode like I was two years ago to get us over this hump? I hope not…I think the only person who actually had to sacrifice is me. Everybody else can just play their game.” Is Arenas trying to be the team captain or does is he complaining about not scoring enough? It remains to be seen whether this diatribe awakens the Wizards or makes things even worse.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Houston: Houston Rockets swingman Tracy McGrady did not attend Saturday’s game or go through his customary pregame workout because of a sore back. Rather than have an MRI on Monday for his knee, it appears he’s having one Sunday for his back and his knee. It remains to be seen if McGrady will ever play in the NBA again.

Los Angelas: Lakers C Andrew Bynum (ankle) returned to action Sunday against the Thunder, scoring 25 points on 9-of-11 shooting (7-of-7 from the foul line) with nine rebounds, one steal and two blocks. Bynum only played 28 minutes because the Los Angelas Lakers had such a big lead.

Los Angelas: Lakers F Lamar Odom scored just two points in the Lakers’ blowout win over the Thunder on Sunday, and added five rebounds and two assists. Another victom of the Lakers great play: Odem only played 19 minutes due to the blowout.

Atlanta: Hawks PG Mike Bibby’s sprained left ankle is “very sore”, but he is still listed as “day-to-day” according to the Atlanta Hawks‘ team spokesperson. It appears that Bibby’s injury is not a high ankle sprain so he could see the court relatively quickly.

Oakland: Oakland Warriors G Stephen Curry is being more aggressive offensively according to assistant coach Keith Smart. “He’s coming down and taking a shot without worrying if he should have taken the shot,” said Smart. As expected, the trade of Stephen Jackson is opening things up for Curry, who is a nice, albeit risky buy low target right now.

Phoenix: Phoenix Suns PG Steve Nash scored 20 points on 7-of-8 shooting (including a three) with zero rebounds and nine assists in 28 minutes of action Sunday. Nash and the rest of the starters sat for most of the fourth quarter as the Suns were in the midst of a blowout.