Grizzlies swap C Tsakalidis to Houston for F Padgett
Tue, Feb 13, 2007
By Associated Press
MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- The Memphis Grizzlies traded center Jake Tsakalidis to the Houston Rockets on Tuesday in exchange for forward Scott Padgett.
The 7-foot-2 Tsakalidis averaged 2.3 points, 2.8 rebounds and 11.2 minutes in 23 games with the Grizzlies this season. He will give the Rockets a big man to help out with Yao Ming still out after breaking his right leg on Dec. 23.
''This is a good opportunity for Jake to have more playing time,'' said Jerry West, the Grizzlies' president of basketball operations. ''He is a great person and a true professional, and we wish him well in the future.''
Tsakalidis averaged 5.0 points and 4.2 rebounds in 51 games in 2005-06 with the Grizzlies. They traded for him on Sept. 30, 2003, from Phoenix and re-signed him in September 2004 after matching an offer sheet with Cleveland.
''I feel good,'' Tsakalidis said. ''It's a good team and it's a good change for me.''
The 6-9 Padgett averaged 1.8 points and 8.3 minutes in 24 games with Houston this season, and he averaged 3.4 points and 2.7 rebounds in 62 games with the New Jersey Nets last season.
Spurs trade Williams, draft pick to Bobcats for Ely
Tue, Feb 13, 2007
By Associated Press
SAN ANTONIO -- The San Antonio Spurs traded forward Eric Williams and a draft pick to the Charlotte Bobcats for forward-center Melvin Ely in an exchange of veteran backups.
The Spurs said Tuesday that the draft pick is a second-round selection in 2009.
The 6-foot-10 Ely has averaged 2.9 points and 1.6 rebounds in 24 games for Charlotte this season. Ely is in his fifth NBA season, including two seasons with the Los Angeles Clippers.
Ely, who had asked to be traded in late December, had played little in Charlotte after signing a one-year, $3 million qualifying offer before the start of training camp.
The 6-8 Williams has averaged 2.6 points in 16 games this season, his 12th in the NBA. The Spurs traded center Rasho Nesterovic and cash to the Toronto Raptors last summer for forwards Williams and Matt Bonner and a second-round pick in 2009.
The Bobcats will be the seventh team for Williams, and his sixth in four seasons.
Brand questionable
Wed, Feb 14, 2007
Los Angeles Clippers forward Elton Brand is questionable for tonight's game against the Atlanta Hawks due to back spasms.
Brand didn't play in Monday's ATS loss against the Detroit Pistons and today's game is L.A.'s last before the All-Star break.
"It's nothing major, but I'm not sure about Atlanta," Brand told the Los Angeles Times on Tuesday. "I'm trying to get back for that one."
Brand is averaging 20.7 points and 9.2 rebounds in 51 games this season.
NBA Today - February 14
Wed, Feb 14, 2007
By Associated Press
New Jersey at Toronto (7 p.m. EST). The Raptors, who have won five of their last six, have a 2 1/2-game lead over the second-place Nets in the Atlantic Division.
STARS
Tuesday
-Dirk Nowitzki, Mavericks, scored 38 points and grabbed 11 rebounds and Dallas beat Milwaukee 99-93.
-Dwyane Wade, Heat, scored 35 points to lead Miami to a 104-85 victory over Portland.
-Tracy McGrady, Rockets, scored 28 points and added 12 assists in Houston's 109-104 overtime victory over Sacramento.
COMING BACK
Pat Riley announced Tuesday he'll return as coach of the Heat next week, following a six-week absence to address health issues. He'll begin running practice again when the team reconvenes after the All-Star break and will be back on the sideline Feb. 21 when Miami visits Houston. Riley stepped aside Jan. 3, when the Heat had a 13-17 record. The 61-year-old, who is also the Heat's president, had surgery to repair knee cartilage on Jan. 5, then hip replacement surgery the following week. Miami entered Tuesday with a 12-9 record under Ron Rothstein, including six wins in the last seven games.
THE REPLACEMENTS
Seattle's Ray Allen and Utah's Mehmet Okur were chosen Tuesday by commissioner David Stern as injury replacements for the All-Star game. They will replace guards Steve Nash (shoulder) and Allen Iverson (ankle) who both pulled out of Sunday's game in Las Vegas. Allen is headed to his fourth straight All-Star game and seventh overall. Okur is a first-time selection.
OUT
Jason Kidd will miss the next two games for New Jersey with a strained lower back, and his status was uncertain for Sunday's NBA All-Star game. Kidd had played in all 52 games this season for the Nets (25-27), and is averaging 14.3 points, eight rebounds and 8.7 assists in 36.6 minutes this season.
STRONG IN DEFEAT
Ron Artest scored 39 points but Sacramento lost to Houston 109-104 in overtime. ... Kobe Bryant scored 31 points in the Lakers' 107-106 loss to the Knicks. ... Tyson Chandler had 17 points and a franchise record-tying 23 rebounds for New Orleans but the Hornets lost to Memphis 108-104.
SNAPPED
Toronto beat Chicago 112-111 on Tuesday night. The win ended a 15-game losing streak against the Bulls stretching back to Dec. 6, 2002.
TRADES
Memphis traded center Jake Tsakalidis to Houston on Tuesday in exchange for forward Scott Padgett. The 7-foot-2 Tsakalidis had been averaging 2.3 points in 11.2 minutes with the Grizzlies this season. The 6-9 Padgett averaged 1.8 points and 8.3 minutes in 24 games with Houston this season. ... San Antonio traded forward Eric Williams and a draft pick to Charlotte for forward-center Melvin Ely.
SPEAKING
''A lot of people don't give him a lot of respect. He should have been MVP the last two years for what he's done for this team. I think he's proven his point.'' - Dallas forward Josh Howard said of Dirk Nowitzki after the Mavericks' 99-93 victory over Milwaukee on Tuesday night. Nowitzki had 38 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists and the Mavs overcame a 16-point second-half deficit to beat the Bucks.
Loyola-Maryland's leading scorer G Gerald Brown has been hospitalized due to exhaustion, and has been downgraded to doubtful (conditioning) for tonight.
Bobcats F Sean May has been dowgnraded to out (knee) of tonight's game.
Suns F Boris Diaw has been downgraded to out (back) of tonight's game.
Cavs C Zydrunas Ilgauskas has been confirmed out (personal matter) of Wednesday's game.