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.

Allen Iverson is expected to decide by Wednesday whether he’ll accept the 76ers one-year, prorated, non-guaranteed contract offer. A.I. could be offended by the lack of a guarantee, but his desire to prove that he can still play will most likely weight too heavy on his conscious.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Portland: Portland Trail Blazers F LaMarcus Aldridge was a surprise scratch from the Blazers’ lineup on Tuesday, sidelined by a bruised right knee. Aldridge is day-to-day and will be reevaluated prior to Saturday’s home game vs. the Rockets.

Oakland: Oakland Warriors F Anthony Randolph’s sprained left ankle will sideline him for 7-to-14 days. Tough break as assistant coach Keith Smart said that before going down Randolph “was on the verge of having a good game.”

New Jersey: Nets F Yi Jianlian (knee) had an individual workout Tuesday and could return to full-contact practice later this week. Jianlian appears to be on track to play within a week or two.

Milwaukee: Bucks G Michael Redd (knee) said he will not join the Milwaukee Bucks on their upcoming two-game road trip, with games Wednesday and Friday. Hopefully Redd will get more rest and rehabilitation by remaining in Milwaukee. The next game he could play in is Sunday vs. the Cavaliers, though we won’t be surprised if he misses that game too.

Milwaukee: Bucks G Bucks guard Luke Ridnour, who left Monday’s game with a hamstring injury, did not practice Tuesday. Ridnour has made some improvement, however, and will travel with the team for their current two-game roadtrip. Consider him questionable for Wednesday’s game.

Memphis: Rudy Gay is expected to rejoin the Grizzlies in time for Wednesday’s game. Gay wasn’t available on Monday because he was attending the funeral of a family member in Baltimore.

New Orleans: Chris Paul has been working out during morning shootarounds and before games, but he still can’t make cuts on his sprained ankle. The New Orleans Hornets won’t offer a specific timetable (“We continue to wait until he’s able to run, cut and jump,” according to coach Jeff Bower) but beat writer John Reid suspects that Paul could return within 10 days. Stay tuned.

New Orleans: Peja Stojakovic will not play Tuesday against the Lakers because of an illness in his family.
James Posey worked with the first unit at shootaround, and is expected to start in Stojakovic’s place.

Washington: After being held to six points and zero rebounds on Saturday, Antawn Jamison bounced back with 30 points, 12 rebounds and two assists in a win over the Raptors. He made 12-of-22 FGs, 2-of-6 three-pointers, and 4-of-8 FTs.

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.