Wade’s 40-11-5 night wasted as Raptors win
NBA/~4/459197933″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Repeat dilemma: Celtics wearing bull’s-eye (Yahoo! Sports)
Celtics again leading the Eastern Conference, despite concerns about their play.

NBA Today

Phoenix at Utah, . The Jazz, back home after a 1-4 trip through the Eastern Conference, try to improve on their 4-0 home record.

MyFox NBA Roundup: Mavs End 5-Game Skid With Defeat Of Knicks

Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks dug out of a big hole to snap a five-game losing streak — and leave the New York Knicks wondering what the heck happened.

The 10-man rotation, starring ‘aye, Captain Jack’ (Yahoo! Sports)
A look around the league and the web that covers it. It’s also important to note that the rotation order and…

Court Awareness: Wednesday review
Blazers fans finally got an up-close look at Greg Oden. And he didn’t disappoint. Andrew Ungvari reviews Wednesday’s games.NBA/~4/459933423″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

For the Spurs, it’s just like old times (Yahoo! Sports)
Injuries have left Tim Duncan and Gregg Popovich once again leaning on each other. It could be worse.

Arenas: Last could be ‘for the better’ for Wizards
Gilbert Arenas is already thinking about the possibility of a last-place finish for his Washington Wizards - and finding the silver lining. With Arenas still working his way back from a third knee operation in 1 1/2 years, the Wizards are off to a 1-8 start heading into their game Friday against the Houston Rockets.NBA/~4/460079494″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Nuggets Team Report (Yahoo! Sports)

Not too many teams have done better on the road lately against San

Antonio than the Nuggets.

In the George Karl era, which began in January 2005, the Nuggets

have won three of seven-regular season games there. In two playoff

series during that span, they’ve won two of six road games.

That’s not great. But consider the Spurs have won two NBA titles

during that span, and they regularly wallop most teams.

The Nuggets (7-4) hope to steal another one in San Antonio on

Wednesday, Denver’s only trip there this season. It’s actually a good

time to face the Spurs.

True, San Antonio has won three games in a row. But the Spurs are

still just 5-5 and remain without injured stars Manu Ginobili and Tony

Parker.

…

Nuggets return to high-flying ways in win (AP)

The high-flying, high-scoring Denver Nuggets didn’t leave town with Allen Iverson, after all. Although the new model features a stingy defense and an effective halfcourt offense engineered by Chauncey Billups, there’s still some pop left in the lineup to light up the scoreboards. Linas Kleiza scored 25 points, Carmelo Anthony had 17 in limited duty and the Nuggets whipped Milwaukee 114-105 Tuesday…

NBA Power Poll: Ranking teams, sizing up rookies (SportingNews.com)
After Anthony Morrow put up 37 points in his first start for the Warriors, it only seemed right to take a closer look at the rookies in this week’s Power Poll.

Gasol lifts Lakers to home win over Rose, Bulls
NBA/~4/458037381″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Magic’s balanced attack overcomes 40 by Bosh
NBA/~4/457897889″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Nuggets win again

Last night Billups scored 26 points, J.R. Smith had eight of his 14 points in a decisive fourth-quarter stretch and the Nuggets overcame poor shooting to hand Minnesota its eighth straight loss, 90-84. Carmelo …

It’s been a rough stretch for Mark Cuban
The Mavs stink. MLB is blackballing him. And the SEC is on his case. Kevin Hench is almost sorry for billionaire Mark Cuban. Almost.NBA/~4/456564579″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

KG suspended 1 game; Shaq fined $25K
Boston Celtics star Kevin Garnett has been suspended for one game and Phoenix center Shaquille O’Neal has been fined $25,000 for separate incidents over the weekend. Garnett was penalized for hitting Milwaukee’s Andrew Bogut in the face near the end of Saturday’s game. Garnett will sit out Tuesday night when the Celtics host the New York Knicks. O’Neal was fined for verbally abusing an official and failing to leave the court quickly after being ejected Sunday night against Detroit.NBA/~4/456550686″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

T-Mac frustrated with knee after leaving game
NBA/~4/456826445″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Sorry Nuggets, it’s James’ turn to boast

Please download the latest version of Adobe Flash Player , or enable JavaScript for your browser to view the video player.

NBA Capsules (AP)
Dirk Nowitzki scored seven of his season-high 39 points in overtime and grabbed 15 rebounds, and the Dallas Mavericks snapped a five-game losing streak with a 124-114 victory over the New York Knicks on Sunday. Josh Howard added season highs of 31 points and 14 rebounds. He had a pair of baskets in the extra session for the Mavericks (3-7), who were off to their worst start in a decade.

Lopez looking like a keeper so far
Brook Lopez’s first start caught Peter Vecsey’s eye. And the GMs who passed up on the Stanford star probably noticed too.NBA/~4/455032780″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Nuggets Team Report (Yahoo! Sports)

The Nuggets vowed to play defense this season.

It wasn’t just talk.

Denver’s defense has been its strength so far. And the Nuggets really have stepped it up since acquiring guard Chauncey Billups on Nov. 3 in a deal in which they gave up Allen Iverson.

“I told (Jeff) Van Gundy (the television analyst and former coach on Friday) morning (that) I think the only way we can beat (the Celtics) is in a defensive game, which is really strange to say for the Denver Nuggets,” Nuggets coach George Karl said after his team used defense to win 94-85 Friday at Boston.

The Nuggets, who next play Sunday at home against Minnesota, held Boston to 39.7 percent shooting. Forward Kenyon Martin played solid defense on Celtics star Kevin Garnett, who had 16 points, nine rebounds…

Dirk goes wild as Mavs end 5-game skid in OT
NBA/~4/455478533″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Grizzlies ragged now but they have a future
O.J. Mayo and the Grizzlies are frustrating to watch at times, but more experience will solve many problems, Charley Rosen says.NBA/~4/454023694″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Wade outguns Bosh but Raptors get last laugh
NBA/~4/455478534″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

NBA Capsules

Dirk Nowitzki scored seven of his season-high 39 points in overtime and grabbed 15 rebounds, and the Dallas Mavericks snapped a five-game losing streak with a 124-114 victory over the New York Knicks on Sunday.

Magic prove they aren’t one-man band vs. ‘Cats
NBA/~4/455453104″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Even without Garnett, Celtics pull through in OT
NBA/~4/454598508″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

K-Mart fined $20,000 for actions after ejection

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS NEW YORK — Denver Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin was fined US$20,000 by the NBA on Saturday for his actions after being ejected from a game.

Martin fined $20,000 for actions after ejection (AP)
Denver Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin was fined $20,000 by the NBA on Saturday for his actions after being ejected from a game. Martin was penalized for verbal abuse of an official and failure to leave the court in a timely manner following an ejection in a loss at Cleveland on Thursday. Martin was thrown out following a flagrant foul for slamming his shoulder into Cleveland forward Anderson…

Nuggets Team Report (Yahoo! Sports)

The Nuggets vowed to play defense this season.

It wasn’t just talk.

Denver’s defense has been its strength so far. And the Nuggets really have stepped it up since acquiring guard Chauncey Billups on Nov. 3 in a deal in which they gave up Allen Iverson.

“I told (Jeff) Van Gundy (the television analyst and former coach on Friday) morning (that) I think the only way we can beat (the Celtics) is in a defensive game, which is really strange to say for the Denver Nuggets,” Nuggets coach George Karl said after his team used defense to win 94-85 Friday at Boston.

The Nuggets, who next play Sunday at home against Minnesota, held Boston to 39.7 percent shooting. Forward Kenyon Martin played solid defense on Celtics star Kevin Garnett, who had 16 points, nine rebounds…

Allen Iverson, Chauncey Billups star for new teams

Allen Iverson and Chauncey Billups had big games for their new teams in two of the most difficult places to win in the NBA.

Iverson, acquired from Denver for Billups, Antonio McDyess and Cheikh Samb, helped Detroit improve to 3-2 since the trade, scoring 25 points in the Pistons‘ 106-95 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night.

‘We just played a good all-around game,’ Iverson said. ‘It’s just about playing basketball, understanding what we want to do on the basketball court.

Grizzlies ragged now but they have a future
O.J. Mayo and the Grizzlies are frustrating to watch at times, but more experience will solve many problems, Charley Rosen says.NBA/~4/454023694″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Martin fined $20,000 for actions after ejection
Denver Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin was fined $20,000 by the NBA on Saturday for his actions after being ejected from a game. Martin was penalized for verbal abuse of an official and failure to leave the court in a timely manner following an ejection in a loss at Cleveland on Thursday. Martin was thrown out following a flagrant foul for slamming his shoulder into Cleveland forward Anderson Varejao.NBA/~4/454465918″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Nuggets must watch Nene’s minutes

He was feeling sick. His minutes have been piling up. But one would hardly have known that the way Nene played in Friday night’s 94-85 win at Boston.

NBA Notebook | Steve Nash, 2 others suspended in fight

The NBA on Friday suspended Steve Nash and Matt Barnes of Phoenix and Rafer Alston of Houston for their roles in a fight.

Power Poll: Point guard play makes big difference (SportingNews.com)
Mo Williams has upgraded the Cavaliers‘ offense and moved the team into the top 5 of this week’s poll.

Nuggets Team Report (Yahoo! Sports)

On the plus side, Kenyon Martin said his wrist is feeling much better.

The Nuggets forward missed two games with a sprained left wrist before he returned Thursday at Cleveland. But Martin didn’t make it to the end of the game.

Martin drew a technical foul with 1:26 left in the 110-99 loss. Then he was ejected with 55 seconds left for a flagrant foul-2.

The Nuggets play at Boston on Friday. It’s not out of the question Martin could incur additional discipline since it’s possible the NBA could rule he didn’t leave the court in a timely manner.

“I don’t philosophize that stuff,” coach George Karl said when asked if he was worried Martin could incur any additional discipline.

Martin got his flagrant foul for banging into Cleveland’s Anderson Varejao.

…

Bulls ink veteran guard Hunter
The injury-depleted Chicago Bulls signed veteran point guard Lindsey Hunter, who is expected to join the team for the game Thursday against the Dallas Mavericks. With a Bulls‘ backcourt thinned by injuries, the 37-year-old Hunter brings 15 years of experience to the team. He played 24 games for Detroit last season. Guard Kirk Hinrich could be out for three months after thumb surgery, and Larry Hughes hasn’t played this season because of a preseason shoulder injury.NBA/~4/452114398″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Don’t be fooled, Jazz still hitting high notes
Don’t be fooled. Under bandleader Jerry Sloan, the Jazz are still hitting all the high notes — just like they always do, Mike Kahn says.NBA/~4/450898184″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Cavs clamp down on defense, win 6th straight
NBA/~4/452560104″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Gordon, Bulls shoot down slumping Mavericks
NBA/~4/452513046″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

James, Cavaliers beat Nuggets 110-99 (AP)

In the locker room at halftime, Cavaliers coach Mike Brown forced his players to watch a horror flick — highlights of their defense in the first half. “We were watching film and it was as ugly as it looked,” Mo Williams said. After allowing 61 points in a first-half track meet, the Cavaliers buckled down, held Denver to 38 after halftime and won their sixth straight, 110-99 over the Nuggets on…

Pistons adjust to life with AI, get set for Lakers

Playing well in spurts was enough to give the Detroit Pistons their first two wins with Allen Iverson .

Suicide lines: Forgotten Ford, Cavs pitch, Thad’s ASG snub … (Yahoo! Sports)
Each weekday morning, BDL serves up a handful of NBA-related stories to digest with your tater tots .

Nuggets report: Atkins deal possibleWith the prospect of being the…

He Said It “The pendulum is probably we’re not going to get anybody.” George Karl , Nuggets coach, on the prospects of the team signing a big man.

Bill Livingston: What happened to the LeBron James vs. Carmelo Anthony rivalry?

Whatever happened to the NBA’s Magic vs. Bird rivalry of this century? Only five years ago, the Cavaliers‘ LeBron James and Denver’s Carmelo Anthony were supposed to save the NBA, the way Larry Bird and Magic …

Don’t fire Eddie Jordan … yet

Calls to fire Eddie Jordan are fashionable these days, and with good reason. The Wizards‘ three-point defense has gotten worse every year.

Nuggets Team Report (Yahoo! Sports)

The Nuggets are going to have to do a lot of looking up in the near future.

They just hope it won’t be in the standings.

Because of injuries, the Nuggets have one of the smallest frontlines in the league. Seven-foot center Steven Hunter is bound for knee surgery and could miss the rest of the season, and 6-10 forward-center Chris Andersen is out for two to three weeks because of a broken rib.

In addition, 6-9 forward Kenyon Martin has missed the last two games with a sprained wrist, although he could be back Thursday at Cleveland.

Put it all together, and the Nuggets had just two players taller than 6-8 available in Tuesday’s 88-80 win at Charlotte. The only one other than 6-11 starting center Nene was 7-1 center Cheikh Samb, who played a cameo four…

Charlotte Bobcats’ Jason Richardson (23) drives to the basket as Denver Nuggets Nene defends.

Charlotte Bobcats scoring leader and former Spartan Jason Richardson will be out about a week following arthroscopic surgery on his right knee.

Don’t fire Eddie Jordan … yet

Calls to fire Eddie Jordan are fashionable these days, and with good reason. The Wizards‘ three-point defense has gotten worse every year.