Kevin Durant led the Thunder to an impressive road win in Dallas on Saturday — he had 23 points, five rebounds, five assists, five steals, one block and five turnovers. Durant fell a fraction of a point behind LeBron James for the scoring title, but the Thunder have more important goals in mind. They are riding a three-game winning streak (all on the road) and are on the verge of bringing playoff basketball to the raucous OKC crowds.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Portland: Andre Miller scored 23 points on 9-of-15 shooting as the Blazers defeated the Kings in Sacramento on Saturday. He was one of four Blazers’ starters to score 20+ points. Sacramento Kings beat writer Jason Jones summed up Miller’s style: “Andre Miller has old man game. Like that old guy who schools you at the park.” He’s settled in nicely since Steve Blake’s departure, and has guided Portland to 11 wins in their last 13 games.

Charlotte: Stephen Jackson has a strained hamstring, but he also has a turned ankle and a sore hand and elbow. “The way he was hurting, I wish I hadn’t played him at all,” said coach Larry Brown. “So we took him out for his own good.” Jax doesn’t want to sit out unless the Charlotte Bobcats have clinched a playoff berth, but said “I felt like I was running in quicksand … I couldn’t move.” Movement is essential to the game of basketball, so consider him questionable for Tuesday’s game vs. Atlanta.

Los Angeles: Baron Davis (back) is expected to play in Sunday’s home game vs. the New York Knicks, reports beat writer Lisa Dillman. The Clippers just completed an 0-3 road trip with Steve Blake at the helm, not that the losses were Blake’s fault. Davis should slide back into the starting lineup, and it’s nice to see him soldiering on until (we hope) the end of the season.

Minnesota: Wolves guard Corey Brewer shot 0-of-9 from the field on Saturday, finishing with one point, four assists and two blocks in 20 minutes.
Brewer has dramatically improved his shooting this season, but that doesn’t make him immune to awful games like this.

Milwaukee: Brandon Jennings had 23 points (7-of-15 FGs, 8-of-10 FTs) and four assists to lead Milwaukee Bucks past the Suns on Saturday.
The Bucks needed an emotional lift after watching Andrew Bogut leave the court after a scary fall (he was diagnosed with a partially dislocated elbow). Jennings’ shooting touch isn’t always there, but the impressive rookie continues to find ways to get his team the win.

Brandon Jennings woke up from a severe drought against the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday, scoring 29 points on 10-of-24 shooting with seven rebounds, eight assists, three treys, and four steals in 42 minutes.

To say his week had been brutal would be an understatement, and in truly maddening fashion he comes back with this pearl to give owners an intriguing decision heading into the Bucks’ four-game week.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Sacramento: Beno Udrih secured his first career triple-double against the Cavs on Sunday, scoring 18 points on 6-of-17 shooting with 10 rebounds, 15 assists, and two steals while playing nearly the entire game.

Phoenix: Channing Frye got hot from 3-point land on Sunday, hitting 5-of-10 shots from deep to finish with 17 points on 6-of-12 shooting overall, six rebounds, and two assists in 31 minutes off the bench.

Phoenix: Amare Stoudemire continued to pound the opposition on Sunday, finishing with 30 points on 11-of-19 shooting with 17 rebounds, three assists, and a block. There has been chatter about whether or not he would be affected by Robin Lopez’s absence, and the early returns are a resounding “no.” The Phoenix Suns’ win tonight gave them a season-high seven straight wins.

Detroit: Rodney Stuckey tweaked his ankle but finished the game on Sunday, and scored 20 points on 6-of-14 shooting (including a three) with three rebounds and three assists in 26 minutes off the bench. “I think I’ll be OK—it is sore, but I’ll get it taken care of tomorrow,” Stuckey said. Coach John Kuester added that he wasn’t sure if he would be able to play Wednesday against the Heat, but that’s typical coach-speak on the night of an injury like this.

Detroit: Richard Hamilton scored 29 points on 10-of-20 shooting (including two 3-pointers) with one rebound, five assists, and a steal in 34 minutes on Sunday. He apparently tweaked his ankle late during the game, and coach John Kuester said after that game that he is questionable heading into Wednesday’s game against the Heat.

Chicago: Flip Murray got hot off the bench for the Bulls on Sunday, scoring 23 points on 9-of-14 shooting (including three 3-pointers) with three rebounds, four rebounds, and two steals in 30 minutes.

Cleveland: LeBron James scored 34 points on 13-of-22 shooting (including three 3-pointers) with seven rebounds, eight assists, and three steals in the Cavs’ 97-90 win over the Sacramento Kings on Sunday.

Tyreke Evans (concussion) will miss the Kings’ next two games after he felt dizzy during Thursday’s practice. With the current climate around professional sports surrounding concussions, this shouldn’t come as a surprise. The Sacramento Kings are out of the playoff chase and will not rush him back just so he can win the Rookie of the Year award. He’s in danger of missing more than just two games. Meanwhile, Beno Udrih’s piping hot streak stands to continue while Francisco Garcia will stick in the starting five.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Memphis: Marc Gasol (strained neck) says he is targeting Sunday’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks for his return. Gasol worked out on Monday, practiced on Tuesday and the Grizz have three days off before taking on the Bucks. If he’s going to come back, this is a perfect spot.

Houston: Trevor Ariza was productive in the Rockets’ 99-93 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday, scoring 18 points on 7-of-20 shooting (including three 3-pointers) with eight rebounds, eight assists, three steals, and one block.

Houston: Luis Scola scored 16 points on 7-of-21 shooting with 14 rebounds, three assists, and two steals on Thursday. It marks the 30th double-double he has secured this year, and during the month of march, Scola is averaging a robust 21.1 points and 10.8 rebounds per game.

Los Angelas: Craig Smith scored a season-high 25 points on 10-of-13 shooting with 10 rebounds, two assists, two steals, and two blocks in 25 minutes off the bench against the Rockets on Thursday.

Miami: Udonis Haslem (ankle) returned to action against the Bulls on Thursday, and scored 14 points on 5-of-9 shooting with six rebounds, no assists, and a steal in 23 minutes.

Chicago: Joakim Noah played just 10 minutes in the Bulls’ blowout loss to the Heat on Thursday, and chipped in four points on 1-of-5 shooting with two rebounds and no assists. He was scheduled to play 15 minutes, and if there is any positive takeaway from their embarrassing night it’s that Bulls got to rest him a little bit more than was planned.

Miami: Jermaine O’Neal scored 24 points on 9-of-14 shooting with four rebounds, three assists, and two blocks in 24 minutes of the Heat’s dominating win over the Bulls on Thursday.

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.

Mike Conley had a season-high 26 points, seven assists, five steals and three rebounds as the Grizzlies knocked off the New Orleans Hornets. Conley has found his stroke and is suddenly playing with extreme confidence on the offensive end. Over his last four games, he’s averaging 17.5 points on 60 percent shooting. Consider this a simple hot streak as we don’t think Conley’s offensive game has turned the corner yet.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Sacramento: Tyreke Evans went 4-for-22 from the field on Wednesday night, but the Sacramento Kings won in Houston anyway. Evans field goal percentage coming into this game stood at a surprising 46.6 percent as he defies critics of his jumper. Consider tonight a mere blip on the road during his ROY campaign.

Sacramento: Beno Udrih started on Wednesday and had 13 points, four rebounds, three assists and a trey in 37 minutes of action Wednesday night. This was Udrih’s fourth straight start as coach Paul Westphal has been true to his word about sticking with Beno. Considering the Kings shockingly won this game in Houston, Beno’s leash just got a lot longer.

Minnesota: Corey Brewer had 24 points, seven boards, four assists, two steals and two 3-pointers in Wednesday’s close loss to the Mavericks. He’d scored 10 or less points in his previous four games, and like most of his teammates on the Wolves, is simply unreliable playing under Kurt Rambis.

Minnesota: Darko Milicic started at center for the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday, but only played 14 minutes. He had six points, two boards and zero blocks, and this is why we stopped trusting Darko long ago. No matter how good things are looking for him, he rarely answers the call.

Charlotte: Emeka Okafor struggled with foul trouble and ineffectiveness on Wednesday night en route to just 10 points, one rebound and one block.

Boston: Nate Robinson hit 5-of-8 shots and four more 3-pointers for 16 points, four rebounds and three assists in an easy win over the Charlotte Bobcats. Robinson posted an eerily similar line in Tuesday’s win over the Pistons, but the only problem is the minutes. He played 20 or less in both games and things are not going to be so pretty on nights when his long ball isn’t falling.

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.

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.

Lakers G Kobe Bryant tied his season-high with 44 points on Monday (making 16-of-28 FGs, 4-of-7 threes, and 8-of-13 FTs) and in the process he passed Jerry West as the all-time leading scorer in Lakers’ history. Kobe now has 25,208 points for his career, incredible by any standard. His competitive fire continues to elevate his game even when nagging injuries (ankle, finger, elbow) are conspiring to bring him down. Bryant has proven himself to be one of the best players in NBA history.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Washington: Antawn Jamison was bothered by a sore left knee during warmups on Monday, but played 40 minutes but shot just 2-of-17 from the field. Jamison was frustrated all night and thought he deserved more foul calls than the referees gave him.

Utah: As expected, Paul Millsap exploded for 25 points, nine rebounds and four blocks on Monday, while starting in place of injured Carlos Boozer (calf). There’s a reason money-conscious Utah Jazz lavished a four-year, $32+ million contract on Millsap this summer. Boozer could return this week but coach Jerry Sloan has already said he’ll find more minutes for Millsap in the rotation.

Dallas: Josh Howard played a season-low 11 minutes off the Mavericks bench on Monday, contributing just two points, three rebounds, two turnovers and three personal fouls.

Charlotte: Hornets rookie Marcus Thornton got hot in the second half on Monday, finishing with a team-high 25 points on 10-of-21 shooting (including 5-of-9 from downtown). He added four rebounds, four assists and one steal in 39 minutes. Chris Paul is sidelined indefinitely with a knee injury that likely will require surgery, which means Thornton will earn minutes at backup point guard.

Charlotte: Charlotte Hornets rookie Darren Collison racked up 16 points, four rebounds, 14 assists, one steal and four turnovers in another start for injured Chris Paul (knee) on Monday.

Sacramento: Kings center Spencer Hawes scored 23 points on Monday, making 10-of-18 FGs with seven rebounds, three assists and one block in 40 minutes of action. As the saying goes, “What goes up must come down.” He had played sub-20 minutes in four of the past seven games, and his erratic role changes depending upon matchups.

Denver: Kenyon Martin’s uncanny streak of double-doubles continued on Monday — he posted 24 points on 10-of-15 shooting, 12 rebounds, three assists, one steal and two blocks in a win over the Sacramento Kings. Kenyon looks spry and rejuvenated lately, and this is the healthiest he’s been since missing just five games in 2002-03.

Blazers GM Kevin Pritchard reiterated the thoughts offered by Greg Oden leaving open the possibility that he could return before season’s end. “It’s possible, but you know, we’ll play this by ear, and we’ll be very cautious,” Pritchard says. His return will depend entirely upon how his body responds and how quickly he recovers. Oden has had a very poor history dealing with injuries.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Utah: Deron Williams (wrist) will be a game-time decision for Saturday’s game against the Bucks. It sounds like a simple aggravation of the sprain/bruise he dealt with last week and he’s considered day-to-day. Ronnie Price would start if Williams can’t go Saturday.

Boston: Doc Rivers says there’s a chance Kevin Garnett could return to action a week from today on Friday, Jan. 22, although it doesn’t exactly sound like a done deal. “There is an outside chance that that would be the return date,” Rivers said. “I am just glad that he’s running.” There’s also an outside chance the Nets will win 40 games this year. Garnett’s been out since Dec. 28 and for those of you scoring at home, was projected to miss a couple games. Then he was out for 10 days, which quickly became another 10 days, so the 22nd at home against Portland could be wishful thinking for Rivers and the Boston Celtics. But at least it sounds like he’s getting closer to playing again.

Washington: The Wizards released a statement Friday that distanced themselves from Gilbert Arenas.
“We are deeply saddened and disappointed in his actions that have led to the events of this afternoon. Gilbert used extremely poor judgment and is ultimately responsible for his own actions,” read the statement. Again, it appears as if Arenas will not suit up for the Wizards again.

Denver: Ty Lawson (ankle) is expected to make his return from an ankle injury against the Utah Jazz on Sunday.
Lawson has been out the last four games and will be out tonight as well, but it hasn’t hurt the Nuggets too badly with Chauncey Billups (groin) back and healthy.

Sacramento: ESPN’s Chad Ford says there have been “rumblings” of a Jose Calderon for Kevin Martin swap. Don’t expect this trade to happen any time soon. Martin is far more talented than Calderon and the Sacramento Kings need a big man.

New Jersey: Keyon Dooling will play through the recurring pain in his hip Friday night. Dooling is gutting it out all season as he tries to hang on in the NBA. The 10th overall pick in the 2000 draft is in a contract year and is a candidate to be traded.

The Washington radio station WTOP is reporting that Gilbert Arenas “has — at times — owned several hundred guns.” All indications are that the guns were legally registered, but this news certainly doesn’t help Arenas as David Stern continues to mull the possibilities of the length of his suspension.

All signs so far have pointed to him being done for the season, with the looming possibility that his suspension could last even beyond the 2009-10 campaign. When and if Arenas is allowed to play in the NBA again, it is not expected to be with the Wizards.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

San Antonio: Spurs F/CTim Duncan will not play vs. the Thunder on Wednesday after playing 40 minutes in Tuesday’s win over the Lakers. Gregg Popovich plans to rest Duncan in the second of back-to-back games more frequently in the second half of the season, which is an indicated that Popovich is concerned that Duncan’s aging body will begin to break down.

San Antonio: Tony Parker is playing through plantar fasciitis in his left foot and could miss some upcoming games with the San Antonio Spurs at the beginning of a stretch of five games in seven days.
Parker said after Tuesday’s game that “My plantar fasciitis is killing me,” and even though he has scored 21 or more points in four of his last five games, it looks like George Hill could be in line for a start or two in the next week.

Los Angeles: As expected, Pau Gasol did not play on Wednesday — he’s targeting Friday for his return from a hamstring injury. He wants to go through a full contact practice before returning, so Phil Jackson said the team will “let D.J. [Mbenga] pound on him a little bit” during Thursday’s practice.

Sacramento: Sacramento Kings coach Paul Westphal said Wednesday that Kevin Martin (wrist) would probably play against the 76ers on Friday. Martin has missed the past 32 games and might use Friday’s game to shake off some rust, but he should regain his rhythm soon and looks like a safe play for next week. Beno Udrih and Omri Casspi are likely to see a drop in their minutes once Martin returns.

New York: According to New York Knicks beat writer Alan Hahn, David Lee is not expected to miss any games after the death of his grandfather. The funeral is scheduled for Thursday but Lee is set to play on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday.

Milwaukee: Brandon Jennings has deleted his Twitter account after he was tricked into a war of words by a Jordan Farmar imposter. Jennings and the “fake” Farmer traded barbs following Sunday nights game between the Milwaukee Bucks and Lakers. After discovering that he had been duped, Jennings deleted his account. The rookie may get some punishment from Coach Scott Skiles on Wednesday which could affect his playing time against Portland.

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.

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.

Danny Granger will have an MRI on his foot/heel on Monday, while coach Jim O’Brien is expecting the worst in what the results will tell on Tuesday. “That’s my mindset,” O’Brien said Monday. “I’d like to be pleasantly surprised, but I’m preparing for the worst.” Granger was taken off a plane on Sunday in a wheel chair because he was in so much pain and it sounds like he’s in serious doubt to play in any of the Pacers’ three games this week. Granger is a tough player and has played through some pain in the past, but playing this week seems like a real long shot.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Utah: Utah Jazz F Andrei Kirilenko couldn’t get any lift on his jumpshot in pre-game warmups Monday and will miss the game with his lingering back injury. He was feeling better this morning, but it tightened up on him again today.

Toronto: Andrea Bargnani will “try to give it a go” on Tuesday against the Timberwolves despite a sprained ankle.

Oakland: Anthony Morrow is having problems with his flight out of Detroit and may not get to the arena in Oklahoma City Thunder until the second quarter of Monday’s game.

Dallas: Mavericks PG Jason Williams bruised his elbow on Saturday, but played through it to finish with 12 points, five boards, eight assists and five 3-pointers. No significant reports have been released by the Dallas Mavericks this week regarding the injury, so it looks as if Williams is ready to play.

Sacramento: Kings rookie PG Tyreke Evans continued his torrid play by scoring a team-high 30 points in the Sacramento Kings’ 115-102 loss to the Heat on Sunday, hitting 10-of-19 shots from the field and 10-of-12 shots from the foul line. He added four rebounds, four assists, and three steals but didn’t hit a 3-point shot. It appears that Evans has the inside track for rookie of the year.

Portland: Rudy Fernandez, who will miss the Portland Trail Blazers next two games, is seeking a second opinion on his painful back. He was supposed to have an MRI on Friday but the team hasn’t released the results. His back has been bothering him since last summer, but according to his agent, “This latest came from a week ago in practice, during a pick and roll he was bumped, and it was a different pain.”

Philadelphia: Elton Brand will start for the Sixers on Monday, along with Allen Iverson. Perhaps the most underperforming team in the league will feature Andre Iguodala, Thaddeus Young and Samuel Dalembert in the starting lineup as well.

Marc Gasol posted an impressive 26-point, five-rebound, six-assist, three-steal and three-block line against the Clippers on Sunday. Perhaps most amazing of all, Gasol’s 13-of-18 shooting today brings him to 59-of-76 (78%) over his last eight games. Gasol is emerging into a potential NBA all-star and a very efficient, effective player. His hot stretch shooting will end sooner than later, but ride the wave while you can.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Houston: Houston Rockets F Luis Scola left Sunday’s game 22 seconds into the first quarter after getting poked in the eye by the Thunder’s Etan Thomas. Expect Scola to be day-to-day.

Boston: Kevin Garnett shot a near-perfect 11-of-12 from the field to score 24 points with eight rebounds, one assist and one steal in the Boston Celtics’ 92-85 win over the Heat on Sunday. At times, Garnett still appears to be struggling with injuries but the big-ticket is still better than most.

Philadelphia: Eddie Jordan admitted that the Sixers have held conversations about Allen Iverson, and other free agents, just an hour after saying certainly that “he had not talked to anyone about Allen Iverson.” We all know that coaches bend the truth, but it’s always nice to see it happen on an hour-by-hour basis.

Detroit: Charlie Villanueva announced Sunday on his Twitter account that he will have surgery on his broken nose Monday, and we’re calling his status for Wednesday’s game “questionable.”

Detroit: Ben Wallace grabbed a season-high 18 rebounds on Sunday, and added 10 points to go with two steals and two assists.

San Antonio: Manu Ginobili (groin) will play Sunday against the Sixers, but Roger Mason (hamstring) will not. “If he got over 20 minutes, I’d be very surprised,” coach Gregg Popovich said.

Phoenix: The Associated Press updated a post-game report identifying that Leandro Barbosa left Sunday’s game due to an ankle injury, not Amare Stoudemire.

New Orleans: Peja Stojakovic will not play against the Sacramento Kings on Sunday due to personal reasons.
Peja was also suffering from an illness, but this adds a new wrinkle to his situation as he hasn’t even made the trip to Sacramento. It’s unclear at this time whether he’ll be able to meet the team in Los Angeles to play the Lakers on Tuesday. The Nets have just two games next week, and Peja belongs on the bench.

Sacramento G Tyreke Evans wasn’t slowed by his recent finger and ankle injuries on Monday, as he posted 28 points (10-of-18 FGs, 7-of-7 FTs), four rebounds, four assists in yet another very good game in a loss to Memphis. Evans has now scored 20+ points in seven consecutive games. Without Kevin Martin he’s firmly established as the Sacramento Kings No. 1 option offensively, which is great news for the young Kings.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Milwaukee: Bucks SG Michael Redd will come off the Bucks’ bench on Monday, his first action after missing nine games with a strained left patella tendon. “[Redd will] probably not play a lot of minutes or anything,” said coach Scott Skiles. “Just get his feet back under him in a game and see how it goes.” This should hurt the production of Luke Ridnour and Carlos Delfino, but the Bucks went 7-2 without Redd and it sounds like he’ll be worked back slowly.

Utah: Utah Jazz C Mehmet Okur returned to practice Monday after missing three games with flu-like symptoms.
Okur tested negative for the H1N1 virus. He should be ready to go against the Thunder on Tuesday and Kyrylo Fesenko will take his rightful place on the bench.

Washington: An MRI revealed no structural damage in Caron Butler’s right foot/ankle and he is considered a game-time decision on Tuesday.

Washington: Wizards guard Mike Miller will miss three-to-six weeks with a strained calf. Nick Young will start at SG on Tuesday, but but DeShawn Stevenson and Randy Foye will also get increased minutes in Miller’s absence.

Houston: Rockets G Tracy McGrady (knee) practiced Monday, but his status for Wednesday’s game against the Mavericks remains in doubt. The Rockets aren’t eager to insert McGrady into a lineup, but if he does suit up he will eat into the minutes of Trevor Ariza, Shane Battier and Chase Budinger.

Memphis: Memphis Grizzlies F/C Marc Gasol had another solid game in the teams victory on Monday, posting 18 points on 8-of-10 shooting, six rebounds, three assists, two steals and four blocks. For the season, Gasol is averaging 15.2 points on 61% shooting, 11.1 rebounds, 1.2 steals and 1.7 blocks.

Dallas: Mavericks SF Shawn Marion (ankle) went through some of Monday’s practice and is questionable to play on Tuesday. “It’s still tender,” Marion said. “I can’t push off the way I want to. We want to get it back as close to 100 percent as we can.” Expect Marion to be a game-time decision.

1. Celtics (8-3): Nobody has stepped up to knock them off the top yet.
2. Lakers (8-3): Came back down to earth a bit.
3. Suns (10-2): Playing better than expected.
4. Nuggets (8-3): Really dangerous team, both regular and post season.
5. Hawks (9-2): Young and playing good basketball.
6. Magic (8-3): The Magic are a very solid team.
7. Cavaliers (8-3): I though they would be top three in the beginning.
8. Mavericks (8-3): Can they hold up without injuries?
9. Portland Trail Blazers (8-4): They go as Odem goes.
10. Heat (7-3): Wade is carrying this team.
11. Bulls (6-4): Looking to take the next step.
12. Spurs (4-4): They will be there in the end, like usual.
13. Kings (5-5): Surprise of the young NBA season?
14. Bucks (5-3): Middle of the pack, as expected.
15. Pacers (5-3): A few good young players.
16. Thunder (6-5): Exciting to watch.
17. Rockets (6-5): They stay competitive with what they have.
18. Raptors (5-6): Nothing exciting here.
19. Pistons (5-6): Offseason moves not paying off yet.
20. Jazz (4-6): Surprisingly struggling.
21. 76ers (4-6): See Jazz statement above.
22. Clippers (4-8): Clippers will be the Clippers.
23. Hornets (4-8):
24. Bobcats (3-7): Time to start over (for the fifth time)?
25. Wizard (2-7): Finally healthy, look for them to climb a bit.
26. Warriors (3-7): Horrible.
27. Grizzlies (2-8): Can’t believe they were good recently.
28. Knicks (1-9): They don’t even have a first round pick on 2010.
29. Timberwolves (1-10): Terrible.
30. Nets (0-11): I’m taking bets on when the first win will come, 17 sounds good.

2008-09 NBA Team Preview – Charlotte Bobcats

2008 Record: 32-50
Division Finish: 4th – Southeast
2008 Playoffs: Missed the playoffs.

Head Coach: Larry Brown
Season: Going into first season with Charlotte
Record At Charlotte: First Season
Career Record: 1010-800

Offseason Acquisitions:
Andre Brown, F-C, 3.0 ppg, 2.8 rpg. – Signed from Memphis
Shannon Brown, G, 7.0 ppg, 1.2 rpg – Signded from Chicago

Offseason Losses:
Jeremaine O’Neal, F-C, 13.6 ppg., 6.7 rpg – Traded to Toronto Raptors
Earl Boykins, G, 5.1 ppg., 2.7 apg. – Signed with Italian League
Derek Anderson, G, 5.0 ppg, 1.9 rpg. – Free agent
Othello Harringon, F-C, 2.1 ppg., 1.9 rpg. – Free agent

Offseason Transactions:
Re-signed center Emeka Okafor.
Exercised the contract option on forward Adam Morrison through 2009-10.
Re-signed center Ryan Hollins
Exercised the contract option on forward  Jared Dudley through 2009-10.
Exercised the contract option on forward Jermareo Davidson through 2008-09.

Rookies:
DJ Augustin, G, 5-11, 19.2 ppg., 5.8 apg., Texas
Alexis Ajinca, C, 7-1, France

The Skinny:
Like any new franchise, the Charlotte Bobcats have experienced growing pains during their infancy. With a stable of lottery picks the team has accumulated during the last five drafts the team is showing promise, but they are still a ways away from being a playoff contender, even in the weak Eastern Conference.

As to be expected, the first two years in Charlotte were sub-par, but the last two seasons there have been signs of improvement. Two years ago the team posted a 33-49 record and in 2007-08 they were only a game short of that.

Some credit has to be given to the Bobcats for how they’ve gone about putting their team together. While they have been trying to bring along their rookies and young players, Charlotte’s front office has brought in some solid free agents to help bring the team along.

Their biggest acquisition that the team made came last season when they brought in shooting guard Jason Richardson from Golden State. Last season he was the team’s leading scorer at 21.8 points per game. It was nearly six points better than his previous season and the second-highest scoring average of his career. He also averaged 5.4 rebounds per game.

During the expansion draft they grabbed Gerald Wallace from the Sacramento Kings.
Wallace was spinning his wheels during his first three seasons in Sacramento, but as soon as he came to Charlotte his career started to flourish. He has averaged at least 15 ppg. during his last three seasons, including a career-high 19.4 ppg. He also averaged 6.0 rpg. and 3.5 assists per game.

The third three agent the team brought in was center Nazr Mohammed. Mohammed is a 10-year journeyman who most recently spent time in Detroit. Charlotte is the sixth team that Mohammed has played for and it seems to fit him. He scored 9.3 ppg. last season, which was his highest average since 2004-05 and his third-best. His 6.9 rpg. is nearly triple his board production from his last season in Motown.

To compliment the three free agent starters, the Bobcats have a pair of their own in the starting five.  Forward Emeka Okafor was the team’s first draft choice four years ago. The NBA Rookie of the Year he has been pretty solid during his first three and a half seasons. An ankle injury his second season only allowed him to play about 30 percent of the seasons.

Since then he has rebounded nicely. Last season he averaged a double-double for the fourth season in a row with 13.8 ppg. – ranking him second on the team – and 10.7 rpg. The 2007-08 campaign was also the first time he played and started in all 82 games. If he can stay healthy he can be one of the top players in the league, but toiling in Charlotte could keep him from being a super star.

The year after the Bobcats drafted Okafor, their second draft pick was point guard Ray Felton from near by North Carolina. Felton was a good pick on two accounts. One, being a Tar Heal he helps bring in an already established fan base. Two, he gives them a young point guard that they can bring along to run the team.  Last season he averaged 14.4 ppg. and a career-high 7.4 apg.

During the last two drafts the team has been bringing in people to play behind the free agents they have so that soon they can get rid of the free agents and have their own people in place. Two years ago they brought in shooting guard Adam Morrison and during the second draft they also grabbed power forward Sean May.

Two years ago May and Morrison were a pair of solid reserves. May scored 11.9 ppg. and grabbed 6.7 rpg. while Morrison was averaging 11.8 ppg. Unfortunately, both players missed all of last season with knee injuries. May had micro fracture surgery on his right knee and Morrison had a torn ACL. With an already thin roster, having May and Morrison available would have bolstered their chances of making the playoffs.

Prediction:
While there is a decent nucleus in place in Charlotte, it is only decent and even for the Eastern Conference that is saying a lot. The team is still a few years away from being a solid playoff contender and they need to make some upgrades.

Charlotte also made another serious move when they brought in Larry Brown to be their head coach. Browns is at his ninth NBA job with the Bobcats and he has been successful everywhere he has been. One interesting thing is that Brown has done better when he has had more veteran players. At his age I am not sure why he took the job. This does not seem like his place. One would think that he would want to step into a team like the Bulls or Pheonix, not a young Charlotte team.

The biggest hole the team seems to have is in the center position. While Mohammed has been playing much better in Charlotte, he is not what the team needs to make a jump to the next level. He can hold the fort down, but only for so long.

In addition, they have not done much to bolster that spot. The center position is the one spot that they have not tried to bolster through the draft or free agency. They brought in 7-foot Ryan Hollins from UCLA and he has been less than stellar. They also drafted rookie Alexis Ajinca from France, but I am not a big fan of foreign centers. The game is so much different. Foreign guards in the NBA have proven to be able to play, but the jury is still out on the big men. Until they get a legitimate center are only going to go so far.

What Charlotte does have is some trade bait. This year they drafted point guard D.J. Augustin, who averaged 19.2 ppg. and 5.8 apg. at Texas. Typically you do not waste a first round draft pick on a player that you want as a back-up, especially when you have a need at another position. That is more of a second round pick up. Either Felton or Augustin could be used to bring in a big man in a trade or to move up in next year’s draft.

It will be interesting to see how Morrison and May come back this year. Knee injuries, particularly in the NBA, can be tough to come back from. With all the jumping and directional changes, it can be rough on a knee.

I can see Charlotte making some slight improvements, maybe getting close to .500, but that is about as high as they are going to go. If they were a better team in positions 1-to-4 then they could get away with Mohammed as a starter, but they are not that good yet. Maybe in a few years, but not this year. They will miss the playoffs, but get better.

2008-09 NBA Team Preview – Orlando Magic

2008 Record: 52-30
Division Finish: 1st – Southeast
2008 Playoffs: Lost, 4-1, to the Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference Semifinals

Head Coach: Stan Van Gundy
Season: Going into second season
Record At Orlando: 52-30
Career Record: 163-103

Offseason Acquisitions:
Signed Mike Wilks, G, 2.7 ppg, 1.3 rpg, Free Agent
Signed Jeremy Richardson, F, 1.6 ppg, 0.4 rpg, Atlanta Hawks
Signed Dwayne Jones, C, 1.4 ppg, 2.5 rpg, Cleveland Cavaliers
Signed Anthony Johnson, G, 5.6 ppg, 3.8 apg, Sacramento Kings
Signed Mickael Pietrus G-F, 7.2, ppg, 3.7 rpg, Golden State Warriors

Offseason Transactions:
Excersiced option on guard JJ Redick through 2009-10
Resigned center Adonal Foyle

Offseason Losses:
James Augustine, F, 1.6 ppg., 1.2, rpg, Waived
Carlos Arroyo, G, 6.9 ppg., 3.5, apg, Free Agent
Kenyon Dooling, G, 8.1 ppg, 1.8, apg, Traded to the New Jersey Nets
Maurice Williams, G-F, 9.3 ppg, 3.1 ppg., Signed with Atlanta Hawks
Pat Garrity, F, 2.1 ppg, 1.4 rpg., Retired
Bo Outlaw, F, 2.0 ppg, 0.0 rpg. , Wavied

Rookies:
Courtney Lee, G, 20.4 ppg, 4.9 rpg., Western Kentucky

The Skinny:
Outside of LeBron James and Kobe Bryant, no player in the NBA may be more exciting than Orlando’s Dwight Howard. I haven’t watched the Slam Dunk competition in I don’t know how many years, but I was tuned into last year’s competition based solely on the performance of Howard. He did some amazing things with the ball and along with James could be the new face of the NBA.

Prior to Howard’s arrival in O-Town the team was struggling. They finished seventh in the Atlantic division and as a result were able to take Howard with the No. 1 pick. Within three years he had the team back in the playoffs despite a sub-.500 record which just goes to show that the East is a very weak conference.

Last season the Magic won the Southeast Division with a 52-30 record and won their first playoff series since the 1995-96 campaign as they beat Toronto, 4-1, in the first round. Their record was their best since that 95-96 campaign when they lost to the Bulls in the conference finals and was 31 wins better than the year before Howard was drafted. They were subsequently tossed from the playoffs by Detroit, 4-1.

Despite not being the prototypical NBA center that you normally think of at only 265 pounds on a 6-foot-11 frame, Howard is one of the best in the league. He averaged 20.7 points per game and 14.2 rebounds per game. He led the NBA with 69 double doubles and his 14.2 rpg. was a full rebound better than the next closest player (Marcus Camby).

As good as Howard is, he obviously can’t do it all by himself. He’s got a pair of really good supporting cast members in guard Hedo Turkoglu and forward Rashard Lewis. Turkoglu was second on the team at 19.5 ppg while grabbing 5.7 rpg. and handing out 5.0 assists per game. Lewis was just a shade back at 18.2 ppg., 4.2 rpg. and 5.4 apg. Also doing a solid job was point guard Jameer Nelson as he produced 10.9 ppg. and handed out 5.6 apg.

The problem with the Magic isn’t a lack of production at the offensive end of the court, it’s at the defensive end, particularly during the playoffs. Orlando ranked sixth in the NBA last year at 104.4 ppg. and were pretty decent at 99.0 ppg. on defense, which surprisingly ranked 11th.

However, as anyone will tell you defense is what wins you championships. If you don’t believe me, the top three defensive teams in the NBA – Detroit (90.1 ppg.), Boston (90.3 ppg.) and San Antonio (90.6 ppg.) – all made the conference finals. The Phoenix Suns have been mentioned a lot the last few years as a potential champion, but their model of all-out offense has yet to come to fruition. Twice the Suns got to the Western Finals, only to be beaten 4-1 by San Antonio and 4-2 by Dallas. Last year they dropped another 4-1 series to the Spurs.

When going up against a great defensive team like the Pistons in the playoffs, Orlando scored a mere 91.6 ppg. This shows the flaws in the idea of just trying to outscore opponents and not putting much stock in playing defense. Nine times out of 10 the better defensive team will win. Also, because Orlando had to work harder to score, they didn’t have the energy to play the necessary defense – not that they do anyways – but Detroit was only 0.5 ppg. under its regular season average of 90.7 ppg.

The playoffs is all about who can stick to their game plan and go about business as usual. Unless you’ve got a serious injury, the playoffs is not the time to have to change approach. Detroit was able to follow its game plan better than Orlando and the Pistons were the one who were able advance.

Between Howard and Lewis the Magic seem to have the defensive end pretty well covered. Where they are struggling on defense is the back court. Richard Hamilton scored more than 30 against Orlando in the final two playoff games and Chauncey Billups tossed in 28 in game two.

Prediction:
Orlando is a pretty solid team, but they need to get Howard more help. San Antonio and Detroit have five great players on the floor while the Lakers have a super star and a great player in Pau Gasol to help out Bryant. While Lewis, Turkoglu and Nelson are all pretty solid, they’re not great. The Magic must make a decision to either get one big gun, kind of like a Scotty Pippen, or build up the four other guys to be pretty good.

They lost Maurice Wiliams, who averaged 9.3 ppg., to Atlanta and replaced him with Mickael Pietrus from Golden State and his 7.2 ppg. Shooting guard JJ Reddick was one of the best college players of all time, but he has been a dud as a pro. Maybe he’ll get better or maybe he’s just going to be another in a long string of Duke players that are great in college but a flop in the league. If he could ever rise to anything close to the level that he had in Durham he could be that great No. 2 guy.

Rookie guard CourtneyLee has some potential to be a good player. He scored 20.4 ppg. at Western Kentucky, which is a pretty solid program that you’ve probably never heard much about. Lee is a good start, but he’s not going to be enough. Orlando should have another good record so they’re not going to have a draft spot where they can really get an impact player. To move up to the Detroit, Boston and Clevelands of the world they’ll have to make a trade or sign a big free agent.

There might not be a worse division in the NBA than the Southeast so unless Howard gets hurt the Magic should have no problems winning the division again this year. Orlando should win a first round series again, but that’s as far as they are going to get. Unless Stan Van Gundy can get the Magic to play better defense in crunch time they’ll be watching the conference semifinals from home.

The Sacramento Kings’ journey has taken them across the continental United States, beginning in Rochester, New York as the Rochester Royals. Since 1957, they have moved to Cincinnati and Kansas City before settling in Sacramento in 1985. They play their home games at the ARCO Arena. Their general manager is former NBA player Geoff Petrie, and their head coach is former player Reggie Theus.

Maurice Stokes

During the team’s time in Rochester, one of the their best players was forward Maurice Stokes. He was NBA Rookie of the Year in 1956, and was considered one of the league’s most promising young players.

In 1958, Stokes hit his head on the floor during a game and was knocked unconscious. He later fell into a coma, suffering a brain injury from which he would never fully recover. The paralyzed Stokes was cared for, in part, by his friend and teammate Jack Wyman. Stokes died in 1970 at the age of 36.

The Cincinnati Years

The Rochester Royals (who won the 1950-51 NBA title) moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1957. During their 15 seasons in Cincinnati, they made the playoffs seven times. Their best players were Oscar Robertson and Jerry Lucas. Robertson is considered by some to be the greatest point guard of all time. He once averaged a triple-double for an entire season.

Despite Robertson’s success, the team never got far in the playoffs, and after a five-season stretch without a postseason berth, the Royals underwent a move — and a name change — in 1972.

The Kansas City/Omaha Kings

When the Kings first moved to Kansas City, the team split their home games between Kansas City and Omaha, Neb., hence the name Kansas City/Omaha Kings. They stopped playing in Omaha in 1975.

During their time in Kansas City, their best player was point guard Nate “Tiny” Archibald. An adept scorer and passer, Archibald once led the NBA in scoring and assists for a season.

The Kings enjoyed moderate success in the late 1970s and early 1980s, but as their fortunes took a downturn, so did their attendance, and in 1985 the team moved to Sacramento, Calif.

Playoff battles

In the early part of the 21st century, the Sacramento Kings were legitimate NBA title contenders. They were led by Chris Webber, Mike Bibby, Vlade Divac and defensive stalwart Doug Christie. From 2001 to 2004, the Kings posted win totals of 55, 61, 59, and 55 games. They went through some epic battles with the Los Angeles Lakers, who were then led by Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant.

In the 2001-02 playoffs, the Kings faced the two-time defending champion Lakers in the Western Conference Finals. They got out to a 3-2 series lead before losing the final two games. The Lakers went on to win a third title. The Kings would never advance as far in the playoffs.

2007-08 Season

The 2007-08 season was a rough one for the Kings. Ron Artest, who was acquired in 2005-06, was unable to lead the team to the playoffs as they finished with a 38-44 regular season record. In January they traded Mike Bibby to the Atlanta Hawks. In July they traded Artest to Houston.

2008-09 Outlook

With so many tough teams in the Western Conference, and new players being integrated into the team, the Sacramento Kings have their work cut out for them this season. They are a long shot for a playoff berth.

Greatest Players

Nate Archibald, Bob Davies, Jerry Lucas, Mitch Richmond, Oscar Robertson, Maurice Stokes, Chris Webber