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NBA Capsules: Mavs' Nowitzki hits fallaway for OT winner
MILWAUKEE — Dirk Nowitzki thought his shot was perfect when it left his hand. He'll definitely take the lucky overtime bounce.
Nowitzki hit a fallaway 18-footer with a hand in his face as time expired to give the Dallas Mavericks a 115-113 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday night.
"I thought it was going straight in. The bounce was obviously lucky," said Nowitzki, who scored seven of his 32 points in overtime. "When it bounced up, it seemed like it was up there forever. We got a lucky bounce and we definitely needed it."
With 3.1 seconds left, Nowitzki caught a pass from Jason Kidd, who finished a point short of a triple-double, and threw it up over Luc Richard Mbah a Moute. The ball rattled off the rim and kissed the backboard, dropping softly through the hoop as the backboard lights came on.
"Great catch because they were both fighting," said Kidd, who had nine points, 10 rebounds and 17 assists. "(Dirk) made a heck of a catch and then from there he does what he does, that's making baskets. He's been doing it for us all season and his whole career."
The play was upheld after a brief review.
"It was a tough shot. It went in and out and went back in," Mbah a Moute said. "It's tough, it's very tough. He's a good player. I probably should've tried harder to deny him the ball, but they just throw it up and he's 7-foot."
Nowitzki, who also had 11 rebounds, untucked his jersey and celebrated with his teammates near the Mavericks' bench after the shot went in. He jumped into Jose Barea and was immediately tackled by Kidd as Dallas finished a 3-1 road trip with a pileup.
"He got up a shot and we got a fortunate bounce," coach Rick Carlisle said. "We feel fortunate. We played hard enough to deserve the game and they did to. It's a great win for us and a tough loss for them."
Bucks rookie Brandon Jennings had 25 points, seven rebounds and eight assists in his first game since scoring 55 against the Warriors on Saturday night. But it wasn't enough to extend Milwaukee's winning streak to five.
The short-handed Mavericks lost forward Shawn Marion to a sprained left ankle in the second quarter. Owner Mark Cuban said Marion is day to day, but should be fine.
Drew Gooden had 22 points and 14 rebounds again playing in place of center Erick Dampier.
Trailing by 18 midway through the third, the Bucks cut it to 85-82 on Jennings' 3 just before time expired in the period.
Jennings' underhand runner gave the Bucks a 104-102 lead, but Jason Terry tied it with a jumper with 32 seconds left. Luke Ridnour and Jennings both missed shots for Milwaukee that would've won it in regulation.
Jennings said he didn't see Ersan Ilyasova open in the corner.
"I wanted the ball at the last second," Jennings said. "I didn't know Ersan's man had doubled me. When I looked back at the tape I saw he was wide open for the jump shot. It's something I'm going to learn from. It's a long season."
Ilyasova finished with 19 points, Ridnour added 17 and Andrew Bogut and Mbah a Moute each had 13 for the Bucks.
Dampier was hospitalized after warmups ahead of Sunday night's 95-90 victory in Detroit, but the Mavericks have said little about it beyond he wasn't feeling well. Carlisle didn't elaborate before the game, but said Dampier was flying to Milwaukee and rejoining the team in time to fly home on the Mavericks' charter flight.
That flight back to Dallas is certain to be celebratory now.
"It'll be great," Kidd said. "This is a big win. ... We've given some away and tonight, it was kind of looking like that, but we stayed involved and made some plays down the stretch."
NOTES: Jennings' 55-point effort on Saturday night made him the youngest player to score 50 or more in NBA history at 20 years, 52 days. LeBron James is second at 20 years, 80 days. ... Cuban spoke at an event for Milwaukee business leaders. He said he appreciated the Bucks for trading his franchise the rights to Nowitzki, selected ninth in 1998, and Pat Garrity for Robert "Tractor" Traylor, who was picked sixth. Traylor played two forgettable years in Milwaukee.
Dampier rejoining team to fly to Dallas
MILWAUKEE — Mavericks center Erick Dampier is flying to Milwaukee to rejoin the team, a night after being hospitalized for an unspecified illness before Dallas' game against Detroit.
Dampier was taken to a Detroit-area hospital after warmups ahead of Sunday night's 95-90 victory over the Pistons.
The Mavericks did not release any information Monday about why Dampier needed to be taken to the hospital. Once in Milwaukee, the 13-year veteran was expected to stay at the airport and wait for the team charter instead of heading to the arena.
Coach Rick Carlisle was terse when pressed on the situation, saying, "I've given you all the details I'm going to give you. Symptom free."
Carlisle later called it "a very unusual situation, but he's doing well now."
Mavs' Marion sprains ankle against Bucks
MILWAUKEE — Shawn Marion has left the Dallas Mavericks' game at Milwaukee with a sprained ankle and will not return.
Marion departed with 2:19 to go in the first half Monday night and the team said early in the third quarter he would not return. The forward finished with six points.
The 31-year-old Marion was acquired from Toronto in a four-team, eight-player deal in July.
Bobcats acquire disgruntled Jackson from Warriors
ORLANDO, Fla. — Stephen Jackson walked into the locker room, took one look at his newly stitched Charlotte Bobcats uniform and smiled.
It wasn't a Golden State jersey, so he was happy — for now.
The Warriors found a home for the disgruntled swingman Monday, sending him to the Bobcats in a four-player deal that pairs him with coach Larry Brown. The Bobcats traded shooting guard Raja Bell and forward Vladimir Radmanovic to the Warriors for Jackson and guard Acie Law.
"I wanted to be out pretty bad," Jackson said. "Things were going bad. I was getting blamed for everything. I wasn't seeing eye to eye with the team. I got fined in preseason, which was ridiculous. It was just a lot of things that I didn't agree with that was going on."
The deal gave Jackson his wish: a ticket out of town after his difficult relationship with Warriors coach Don Nelson, who had acknowledged since the season began the team would try to trade him.
"We can get back to playing basketball," Larry Riley said after his first major move since becoming the Warriors' general manager. "Our players had done a great job doing everything they could to play through this and not let it be a major distraction. We felt we needed to do this and move on."
Jackson was in a hotel room in Milwaukee when he got the call from his agent Monday morning. He immediately hopped on a plane to Orlando and started Charlotte's 97-91 loss to the Magic, finishing with 13 points and nine rebounds.
"We just have to play together a little bit more and figure out how we all play and where we want the ball," Jackson said. "We have a good chance of getting into that playoff run. We just can't dig ourselves too big of a hole right now."
Jackson said before the game he was looking forward to playing for Brown, and he didn't miss a chance to take a parting shot at Nelson when asked what kind of coach he looks for as a player.
"The kind of coach I want that has your back," Jackson said. "That's something that's big to me. If a coach has my back, then I don't mind playing 110 percent for him."
Now Brown, the Hall of Famer who has coached numerous difficult players, including Allen Iverson, will get a crack at the talented and polarizing Jackson.
"No matter what Stephen might say to me when I take him out, I've heard it before," Brown said. "As long as they care and as long as they want to get better and are good teammates, I'm OK."
With managing partner Michael Jordan signing off on the deal, Charlotte takes on Jackson's contract, which has three years and $28 million left after this season. Golden State inherits Radmanovic's deal, worth about $13.5 million over this season and next. Bell and Law are in the final year of their contracts.
The 6-foot-8 Jackson gives Charlotte, which was the NBA's lowest-scoring team with an 82.4 average before Monday night's loss, an immediate offensive boost. He was averaging 16.6 points in nine games before the deal, after averaging 20.7 points and 6.5 assists last season.
"He can create a shot for himself, which is something that we desperately need," Brown said.
But the 31-year-old Jackson also brings plenty of baggage, dating to when he was suspended for going into the stands in Auburn Hills, Mich., in the infamous Pacers-Pistons brawl in 2004.
He's been upset with the Warriors since their decline after he helped lead them to the second round of the 2007 playoffs. The NBA fined him $25,000 when he went public with his trade demand in August. He then got into a spat with Nelson during an exhibition game last month, leading to a two-game suspension that cost him about $139,000 in salary. He also relinquished his captain title.
Jackson had named several teams he would like to be traded to, and Charlotte was never one of them. But he said he's thrilled at the chance because it gives him an opportunity to make the playoffs, even though the Bobcats have never been to the postseason.
"I'm happy because it gives me a chance to compete and it gives me a chance to be where I want to be — and that's the playoffs, where I belong," he said. "I don't belong being home at the end of April. I belong in the playoffs."
Charlotte said it wasn't concerned with Jackson's previous transgressions.
"People's past are indeed that," GM Rod Higgins said. "Our relationship with him is going to start today."
The Bobcats said they were sad to see Radmanovic and Bell go, but were excited at the chance to get Jackson.
"We're still trying to figure things out ourselves, so he shouldn't disrupt anything," center Tyson Chandler said.
Golden State gets the 33-year-old Bell, who joins his third team in less than a year after being dealt from Phoenix to Charlotte last December. Bell, averaging 12 points, has been playing hurt this season after deciding to put off surgery to repair a partially torn ligament in his left wrist.
Bell also could provide needed veteran leadership on Golden State's young roster that includes rookie Stephen Curry and second-year pros Anthony Randolph and Anthony Morrow.
The 6-foot-10 Radmanovic was acquired last season in a trade with the Los Angeles Lakers and is an outside shooting threat that will give the Warriors more size. He had been miscast this season as Brown had him playing power forward because of depth issues.
Law is averaging 6.2 points, but Brown said he'll have to fight for minutes in Charlotte's crowded backcourt.
Brown's biggest challenge will be getting Jackson to fit into his demanding system after yet another roster shuffle for a team off to a disappointing 3-7 start. The Bobcats have made five trades involving 17 players in 11 months since Brown began his record ninth NBA head coaching job last season.
"Obviously, we gave up a lot," Brown said. "But getting this guy will at least make our rotations a little bit simpler."
-- Mike Cranston
Rookie Lawson adjusts to NBA faster than expected
DENVER — Everybody knew about Ty Lawson’s speed at North Carolina. Just as impressive is how quickly the Denver Nuggets’ new backup point guard is adjusting to the NBA.
Fellow Tar Heels alum and Nuggets coach George Karl has notoriously had little use for rookies, but he’s making an exception for this exceptional player, saying even he didn’t expect this smooth of a transition.
"I can’t deny that. He’s pretty mature for a young kid," Karl said.
Lawson is averaging 10.3 points, 2 boards and 3.2 assists in 21.8 minutes through his first 10 NBA games.
Yet, it’s more his hustle and pluck, matters that don’t necessarily show up on the stat sheet, that are wowing teammates, coaches, opponents and fans alike.
Take his pickpocketing of Kobe Bryant in the first half Friday night and his amazing dunk over 7-footer D.J. Mbenga in the second half that were the highlights of Denver’s 105-79 demolition of the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers.
These were the kinds of things that had the Nuggets practically salivating even a year ago, before Lawson decided to return to Chapel Hill, where he helped lead the Tar Heels to the NCAA championship as a junior.
"Well, when Roy Williams whispers to you that he’s the best point guard he’s ever coached — I mean, he’s had a few good point guards," Karl said.
Lawson’s guru in Denver, Chauncey Billups, said the energetic rookie has made a seamless transition to the pros because he and the system are a perfect fit.
"He’s in a great situation because he’s in a fastbreak offense, just run up and down and play. He’s not in a structured offense," Billups said. "So, it’s easy for him and he’s done a great job of coming in and using what he does best and that’s his speed. And that’s something that we need."
While best known for his baseline-to-baseline velocity, Lawson became an all-around threat last season by shooting 53 percent from the field and 47 percent from 3-point range.
His speed and hustle remain his forte.
Karl said he’s never seen a player so deft at coming up with loose balls as Lawson. He always seems to be fast-fowarding while the other nine players on the court are moving at regular speed. Like Friday night, when Bryant thought he had picked up the loose ball only to watch helplessly as Lawson swooped around from behind and tipped it upcourt for the breakaway basket.
"I’m lower to the ground than most people," explained Lawson, who’s 5-foot-11. "And the thing I do is tip it and keep it going and go get it."
Thanks to Lawson, Karl insists this version of the Nuggets can be better than the one that took the Lakers to six games in the Western Conference finals last summer.
"Ty gives us a guy that we’ve never had before," Karl said. "We have a guy that can GO."
Lawson said he figured he’s adjust quickly to the NBA once he saw the offense Karl was running.
"Basically, we run the same system as Carolina, up and down, so that’s probably helping me out a lot more than people think. And just hard work," Lawson said.
Along with having a superstar in Billups serving as his mentor.
"He’s been priceless," Lawson said. "He tells me everything from what to do on the road to what to do on the basketball court. If I have a question, I go straight to him. He can’t be replaced."
Well, eventually, the plan is for Lawson to do exactly that.
Although he certainly seems to have a lot left in him, Billups is in his 13th season, and he said he’s grateful now that he’s in his golden basketball years to have a protege as easy to work with as Lawson.
"I just love that he’s real humble, he’s quiet, he listens when you’re trying to help him out. He has a really good understanding of the game for a young player," Billups said.
And Lawson’s presence should benefit Billups, too, by keeping him fresher down the stretch.
Last year, Billups tired out toward the end of the Nuggets’ long playoff run because he had to log so many minutes just getting them there that his tank was empty when he needed to push them over the top.
"There’s times out there where George wants me to come back in and Ty’s playing good, and I’m like, ‘Let him play,"’ Billups said. "‘Let him play."’
That way, he gets his rest along with a front-row view of this sensational speed demon who’s playing like he’s been in the league forever.
-- Arnie Stapleton
Williams returns to Jazz after missing 2 games
SALT LAKE CITY — Utah point guard Deron Williams plans to play this week after missing two games to be with his family.
Williams returned to practice Monday after missing time as one of his young daughters went through medical tests for an undisclosed condition.
Williams said he had no updates on his daughter’s health, instead referring to a statement he made last week when he left the team midway through a four-game road trip to return to Utah. But he was happy to be back with the team at practice.
"It’s tough when you’re home sitting and watching when you should be there," Williams said. "It’s just a different feeling."
The Jazz host the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday and visit San Antonio on Thursday. Williams said he expects to be back in the lineup.
Williams left the team Friday. He said one of his daughters had a medical procedure Thursday and was going through more testing Friday, but asked to keep the matter private.
Utah forward Carlos Boozer said the rest of the Jazz were trying to support Williams any way they could. Boozer has experienced a serious illness involving one of his children, missing training camp two years ago as his son, Carmani, recovered from a risky procedure to cure sickle cell anemia.
"I told him to get the best advice he can and to hang in there. Sometimes as a parent, you can’t control what happens and sometimes you feel helpless," Boozer said. "I went through that for two years. Basketball was my refuge."
Williams leads the Jazz in scoring at 24.4 points per game and is averaging 9.9 assists, but Utah managed to go 1-1 without him at the end of the trip.
No. 2 point guard Ronnie Price is also out with a toe injury, leaving the Jazz in the hands of rookie Eric Maynor. Maynor made his first start at Philadelphia and had 13 points and 11 assists as the Jazz beat the 76ers 112-90 on Friday. Maynor started for Williams again Saturday at Cleveland and scored 24 in Utah’s 107-103 loss.
Maynor’s quick emergence gives the Jazz a little breathing room as they deal with the early-season injuries and Williams’ family situation.
"He wasn’t nervous, but I kind of sensed that about him. You can just tell the kind of player he is. He doesn’t play like a rookie. He doesn’t carry himself like a rookie. He has a confidence about himself," Williams said. "Hopefully now my minutes can get cut down because coach trusts him a little bit more."
-- Doug Alden
Grizzlies, Iverson part ways after only 3 games
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Allen Iverson experiment with the Memphis Grizzlies is over.
Memphis announced Monday that the team has ended its one-year contract with the 10-time All-Star and former league MVP in what it called a mutual agreement. Iverson began an indefinite leave of absence on Nov. 7 to deal with a personal issue after playing only three games with the Grizzlies, all in California.
"Because of personal matters that forced him to leave the team on November 7, Allen will step away from the game at this time, allowing him to focus on those matters," general manager Chris Wallace said in a statement. "As a result, we will be ending our contractual agreement with Allen, which will allow both parties to move forward. We wish Allen the best."
The Grizzlies will waive Iverson but the team had not done that as of Monday night.
Iverson’s agent, Leon Rose, did not immediately return a message left by The Associated Press on his cell phone. Iverson, who announced he was headed to Memphis on his Twitter account, hasn’t posted any updates there since Nov. 2 when he played his first game with the Grizzlies.
Memphis owner Michael Heisley told the AP last week he would be happy to trade Iverson to another team if a better deal came along.
Few NBA teams had shown interest in the 34-year-old guard before Memphis signed him to a one-year, incentive-laden contract on Sept. 10. Memphis fans greeted the biggest star ever to play for the Grizzlies with a big crowd for his introductory news conference and eagerly bought up his No. 3 jersey, though he wound up never playing a game on the team’s home court.
Iverson didn’t help himself much during his short stint with his fourth NBA team. He missed the preseason with a partially torn left hamstring and didn’t debut with the Grizzlies until Nov. 2 at Sacramento.
Immediately, Iverson began talking about his distaste for coming off the bench and being on a rebuilding team filled with youth from Rudy Gay and O.J. Mayo to recent draft picks Hasheem Thabeet and DeMarre Carroll.
The four-time NBA scoring champ became the 16th player in league history to score 24,000 points in his career in his second game against Golden State. He played against the Lakers in Los Angeles, where he also met with Heisley before being given permission to take an indefinite leave.
But the Grizzlies got tired of waiting for Iverson to decide what to do next.
They signed point guard Jamaal Tinsley on Saturday for some much-needed help with the Grizzlies struggling at 2-8 this season.
Shaquille O’Neal doubtful for Tuesday’s game
INDEPENDENCE, Ohio — Shaquille O’Neal’s mysterious shoulder injury is expected to keep him out of Cleveland’s game Tuesday against Golden State.
O’Neal, who’s still receiving treatment, did not practice Monday and is considered doubtful for the game. Cavaliers coach Mike Brown would not say which shoulder was injured.
"We’re not defining it anymore than just a shoulder strain," team spokesman Tad Carper said.
O’Neal was scratched minutes before Saturday’s 107-103 victory against Utah. If he is unable to play Tuesday, Zydrunas Ilgauskas likely would start at center against the Warriors.
O’Neal appeared in 75 games last season for Phoenix, his most since the 1999-00 season in Los Angeles. Brown previously has said he would be careful with the 37-year-old during the regular season in order to keep him fresh for the playoffs.
"We can be cautious during this time of the year," Brown said Monday. "We’re not going to rush anybody back, let alone Shaq. Even though guys may miss a few practices here and there or a few games here and there, this is the time to do it as opposed to the end of the year."
O’Neal played in two physical games last week against Orlando and Miami, scoring 10 points and grabbing four rebounds in 20 minutes against Dwight Howard and the Magic in a 102-93 win. Cleveland (7-3) has won four straight and seven of its last eight following an 0-2 start.
Cleveland plays four games in five nights this week, beginning with the Warriors on Tuesday.
"Obviously, I think we’re a very, very good club," Brown said. "It’s part of the ups and downs of a season when you have guys that are injured or have a sickness. We have to go out there and keep playing."
Magic's Gortat misses game with flu
ORLANDO, Fla. — Magic center Marcin Gortat has tested positive for the flu.
Coach Stan Van Gundy made the announcement after Gortat missed Orlando's 97-91 win over the Charlotte Bobcats on Monday night.
A Magic spokesman says the team's medical staff sent a sample swab from Gortat to health officials to test for swine flu. That test could take up to two weeks.
Gortat is day to day. The reserve is averaging 4.4 points and 4.8 rebounds.
Orlando signed Gortat to a $34 million, five-year deal in the offseason. The Magic matched an offer sheet from the Mavericks to keep the restricted free agent.
The team used power forward Brandon Bass as center Dwight Howard's backup.
Lakers' Walton diagnosed with pinched nerve
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Lakers forward Luke Walton has been diagnosed with a pinched nerve.
Walton was examined Monday by back specialist Dr. Robert Watkins in Los Angeles. The Lakers say Walton is expected to be out at least six weeks.
Kobe Bryant practiced Monday, a day after he made an early exit in the Lakers' 101-91 loss to the Houston Rockets. He revealed after the game he aggravated a groin injury in the first quarter that he sustained a week ago against New Orleans.
Pau Gasol, who has missed the first 10 games because of a strained right hamstring, practiced Monday and coach Phil Jackson said he's hopeful Gasol could return this week.
The Lakers host the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday night.
MRI confirms ankle sprain for Chris Paul
NEW ORLEANS — Further tests on Chris Paul’s ankle show nothing beyond a sprain, but there is no timetable for the star point guard’s return to the New Orleans Hornets.
The team says an MRI confirmed the initial diagnosis. Paul twisted his left ankle in the Hornets’ loss Friday night to Portland. Team spokesman Dennis Rogers said Monday that Paul will be evaluated daily but remains out indefinitely.
In 10 games this season, Paul has averaged 23.8 points and 9.2 assists.
The Hornets are 3-8 and have lost three straight and five out of six. That span included the firing of coach Byron Scott and his replacement two games ago by general manager Jeff Bower.
