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NBA Capsules: Nowitzki, Marion lift Mavs over Clippers
DALLAS (AP) — The Dallas Mavericks went to a familiar script down the stretch, leaning on Dirk Nowitzki to supply crunch-time offense.
Nowitzki scored 22 points, 11 in the final 6-plus minutes, Shawn Marion added 16, and the Mavericks held on to beat the Los Angeles Clippers 96-92 on Monday night.
Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle has praised his team's balance on offense this season, but Nowitzki's still the go-to guy with the game on the line.
"He's the classic case of a great player and you just stay the course," Carlisle said. "I played with Larry Bird for three years and there were nights when he'd go 2 for 13 and then hit the last three shots to win the game. Dirk's the same kind of guy."
Jason Terry, Vince Carter and Brendan Haywood all contributed 10 points for the Mavs, who've won 10 in a row at home against the Clippers and extended their overall winning streak to four games.
Caron Butler of the Clippers scored a season-high 23 points against his former team, and just missed a 3-pointer with less than 5 seconds left that would have put the Clippers in front. Teammate Blake Griffin added 20 points, but Griffin's problems from the free-throw line cost his team as he missed seven of nine foul shots.
"He's been shooting it real well," Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro said. "I was surprised they went to foul him. ... It was just one of those nights."
Chris Paul had 16 points and nine assists for the Clippers, who completed a 4-2 road trip. They haven't beaten the defending NBA champs in Dallas since April 19, 2006.
Dallas took control with a 7-0 fourth-quarter run capped by Marion's layup with 4:48 remaining for an 86-83 edge.
Griffin had a chance to get the Clippers closer, but missed five straight free throws until connecting with 2:15 to play to pull his team within two points at 86-84.
Jason Kidd set up Terry for a layup with 2:02 left, and Nowitzki intercepted Griffin's pass with 1:47 showing, and drained two free throws to extend Dallas' edge to 90-84.
Griffin's three-point play with 1:24 remaining and Kenyon Martin's layup with 1 minute left narrowed the Mavericks' lead to 90-89.
Nowitzki drained a 19-footer from the right wing and, after Marion stole the ball from Martin, converted two free throws with 21.2 seconds left for a 94-89 advantage.
"I had some looks I've got to make," said Nowitzki, who missed five of seven shots in the final quarter, but got to the free-throw line seven times, converting six.
Paul's 3-pointer with 17.8 seconds got the Clippers within two points, and Butler's 3-pointer from the right wing missed with 4.5 seconds left.
"It felt real good," Butler said of his final shot. "I had my feet under me. It just fell short. It would have been a great ending."
Delonte West made two free throws with 2.9 seconds remaining to seal the victory.
Dallas' defense came up big in the fourth quarter, causing seven turnovers and limiting the Clippers to 5-of-15 shooting from the floor and making it tough for Paul to pass his signature lob passes for dunks by Griffin.
"We take it to heart as a team," Haywood said of the Mavs' defense. "We don't want teams coming on our home floor showboating. When a team comes in like this, we want to make it hard to get to the rim."
Haywood worked inside for 10 of Dallas' first 22 points and the Mavs carried a 27-19 lead into the second quarter.
Butler, who received a championship ring from the Mavs in pregame ceremonies, got rolling early when he connected on his first three 3-point attempts in the first quarter.
Carlisle introduced Butler to the crowd before the game, and hugged Butler as the player tried on his ring.
"It was more emotional than I thought it would be," Butler said.
The Clippers ended a 10-game overall losing streak against the Mavs on Jan. 18 with a 91-89 win in Los Angeles. Chauncey Billups hit the winning 3-pointer with 1 second left. Billups is out for the season with a torn left Achilles' tendon sustained in a game on Feb. 6.
Notes: Butler was a member of the Mavericks' title-winning team last season but missed the final 53 games of the regular season plus the playoffs with a ruptured right patellar tendon. Butler, signed by the Clippers in December as a free agent, made a spirited effort to get his knee healthy enough to contribute for Dallas in the playoffs and Carlisle said before the game that Butler "was very close to being active for the finals. That's how hard he worked." ... Martin, who grew up in Dallas, played his fourth game for the Clippers since signing as a free agent on Feb. 3. ... Before the game, Carlisle called Paul "the best playmaker in basketball."
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Williams carries Sixers past reeling Bobcats
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Lou Williams scored 23 points off the bench as the Philadelphia 76ers built an early lead and held on to send the Charlotte Bobcats to their 15th straight defeat, 98-89 Monday night.
Thaddeus Young added 20 points on 6 of 9 shooting, and Jrue Holiday chipped in with 19 points for the 76ers (20-9).
Williams was averaging 19 points over the previous four games. He stayed hot Monday night, making several big shots including a 3-pointer with 6:11 remaining after the Bobcats had pulled within 71-69. He also hit a 3-pointer in the final minute to seal Philadelphia's second straight win.
Corey Maggette scored a season-high 22 points for Charlotte, which fell to 3-25 on the season. It's the worst record in the NBA and drops the Bobcats' winning percentage below that of the 1972-73 76ers, who finished with the worst record ever in the NBA at 9-72.
HEAT 114, BUCKS 96
MILWAUKEE (AP) — LeBron James scored 35 points and the Miami Heat finally found a way to beat Milwaukee, using a third-quarter surge to beat the Bucks.
Dwyane Wade scored 22 and Mario Chalmers added 13 for the Heat, who were 0-2 against the Bucks coming into Monday night's game. James scored 16 of his points in the third quarter as the Heat outscored the Bucks 35-24 to take control of the game.
Carlos Delfino scored 24 for the Bucks, who were coming off a loss to Orlando on Saturday.
With the win, Miami ran its record to 22-7 — equaling the franchise's best start after the first 29 games of a season, set in 1996-97 and again in 2004-05.
MAGIC 102, TIMBERWOLVES 89
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Jason Richardson scored 17 points, and Jameer Nelson and Hedo Turkoglu each added 14 as the Orlando Magic used a big second half to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves. Richardson, coming off a season-high 31 points, was strong early against Minnesota but sat out the fourth quarter.
The Magic didn't need him, though, hitting 12 of 30 3-pointers for the game and with all five starters reaching double figures. Orlando has won two of its last three games and earned its seventh straight victory over the Timberwolves.
Kevin Love led Minnesota with 19 points and 15 rebounds, but the Timberwolves lost their fourth straight game.
HORNETS 86, JAZZ 80
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Chris Kaman scored a season-high 27 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, and the New Orleans Hornets snapped an eight-game skid with a victory over the Utah Jazz.
Marco Belinelli and Gustavo Ayon each added 13 points for New Orleans, which led by as many as 20 in the third quarter before holding on for only its third victory in 26 games.
Al Jefferson had 14 points and 12 rebounds for Utah, which was playing the second of back-to-back games after winning in Memphis on Sunday night. The Jazz turned the ball over 20 times, but still managed to get as close as three points in the final minute.
WARRIORS 102, SUNS 96
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — David Lee had 28 points and 12 rebounds, Monta Ellis scored 18 points and the Golden State Warriors earned their first three-game winning streak under rookie coach Mark Jackson with a victory over the Phoenix Suns.
Rookie Klay Thompson added 10 points and fellow reserve Ekpe Udoh had nine points, including a layup with 35.9 seconds remaining that extended Golden State's lead to five and capped a comeback from 12 points down in the second half.
Marcin Gortat had 25 points and 12 rebounds, and Steve Nash handed out 14 assists for Phoenix, playing the first of three games in three nights.
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Knicks think they'll stay hot when stars join Lin
Amare Stoudemire watched Linsanity from Florida, a welcome break as he grieved the death of his brother. Carmelo Anthony had a front-row seat right in New York, where he couldn't escape fears he was eventually going to mess things up.
Both superstars will return soon, but the question is no longer whether they can coexist.
Now, it's how do they fit on Jeremy Lin's team.
Linsanity entered its second week Monday, with the Knicks on a roll they feel can keep right on going behind their surprising point guard, who coach Mike D'Antoni said has given the team a "spirit" and a "swagger."
"You go into every game thinking you're going to win, and it changes everybody's mood," D'Antoni said.
Lin was chosen as Eastern Conference player of the week after averaging 27.3 points and 8.3 assists in his first four starts. The Knicks have won five in a row heading into Toronto on Tuesday, turning things around after an 8-15 start.
"I've seen some of the highlights. It's always fun any time there's a new athlete, especially in New York," Yankees star Derek Jeter said. "I'm no basketball expert, but I know he has added a lot of excitement. I think sports in general are a lot more fun when you have that."
The Knicks used words like "fun" and "exciting" to describe the last week as they met with an enormous media contingent for a mid-February practice. Lin sat out practice to rest, but Stoudemire was back on the floor after leaving the team last Monday after his older brother, Hazell, was killed in a car crash.
"The only positive for us during that whole week was we were watching the basketball games and we were watching Linsanity and my family was getting a kick out of it," Stoudemire said. "That's the only smiles really they had all week."
Plenty of others were watching. The Knicks said Saturday's victory at Minnesota was their highest-rated game on MSG Network since Anthony's Knicks debut last Feb. 23 against Milwaukee, and that ratings are up 70 percent over their season average since Lin became a starter.
"It's more exciting than anything, just to see the buzz that he's created here in New York, here in the NBA as a whole," Anthony said. "I just want to get back there and be a part of it."
But amid all the good feelings around the Knicks, there was the question that won't go away until the whole team is together in a game.
Anthony, who has battled injuries much of the season, strained his right groin just six minutes into Lin's starting debut against Utah last Monday, and the Knicks hope he'll be back at the end of this week. He's never seemed a natural in the pick-and-roll offense, given his preference to isolate and take his man 1-on-1. That's created questions of how — or if — he will adapt to playing with Lin. And yes, Anthony has heard them.
"It doesn't bother me," he said. "I know what I bring to the game, I know what I bring to this team, my teammates know what I bring to the team and the only thing I can do is just go out there and continue doing what I'm doing. Like I said, Jeremy, he's our point guard right now, he's proven that, he's playing extremely well, and I look forward to playing with him, I'll tell you that."
Lin, the NBA's first American-born player of Chinese or Taiwanese decent, came with little expectations after he was undrafted out of Harvard and cut by two other teams before the Knicks picked him up in December. That underdog quality made him easy to root for in New York, even before he turned around the Knicks' season.
"He's Rudy," Anthony said.
Anthony is the superstar whom the Knicks broke up a promising team to acquire from Denver last season, and that comes with pressure to play great and make sure the team is, too. So perhaps playing with Lin can alleviate that.
"This is like a dream come true to me," Anthony said, referring to the ease that playing with a pass-first point guard can provide.
Lin understands the skepticism, but pointed out that Anthony — whose 4.2 assists per game are just ahead of Lin's 4.1 for the team lead — is a willing and capable distributor.
"I can see why they're questioning it, just because he's a playmaker as well and he has the ball in his hands a lot, but I think when he comes back we're just going to continue to run what works for us, and he's actually in my opinion an underrated passer," Lin said. "I think we'll be fine once he gets back."
D'Antoni calls the talk "ludicrous," chalking it up the same doubters who refused to believe that Lin was the real thing after his first couple of starts.
"That's normal. You've got to say something. 'Let's wait and see.' That's part of sports," D'Antoni said. "But again, we talked about he's not getting any slower, he's not getting any dumber, and I think he'll only get better."
Actually, the Knicks expect Lin's numbers to drop once the regulars are back. But they have a chance to keep the wins going, with three straight games against sub-.500 teams this week.
Stoudemire felt things were turning in the first game Lin got meaningful minutes, when plays were getting made that weren't for the first month and three point guards of the season. So it's no wonder Lin is just as popular inside the locker room as he seems to be everywhere else.
"I think because we were all looking for answers from the point guard position so far this season and we tried every point guard that we had," Stoudemire said. "And we saved the best for last I guess."
-- Brian Mahoney
Short-handed Hawks still fourth in conference
ATLANTA (AP) — One month after Atlanta center Al Horford went down with a possibly season-ending injury, the Hawks are staying afloat in the Eastern Conference despite occasional ugly losses.
A lopsided home loss to Miami on Sunday served as a reminder of how much the Hawks miss Horford. Without Horford, who is recovering from a torn left pectoral muscle, and backup center Jason Collins, who has missed 10 days with a sprained left elbow, the Hawks were overwhelmed by Miami, 107-87.
The loss followed back-to-back wins over Indiana and Orlando that have helped keep the Hawks fourth in the Eastern Conference.
General manager Rick Sund said Monday the Hawks, who play at the Lakers on Tuesday night, have surprised some by not collapsing after Horford's injury on Jan. 11.
"I think they've done a good, solid job," Sund said. "A lot of people felt we didn't have a chance losing a two-time All-star in Al."
The Hawks (18-10) are 11-6 since Horford tore his left pectoral muscle. Some observers were not impressed when the Hawks won their first four games after Horford's injury against Charlotte, Minnesota, Toronto and Portland.
Since then, the Hawks have taken some more impressive wins, including at New Orleans, at Orlando and against Indiana.
Atlanta hasn't enjoyed consistent strong play. The Hawks lost three straight at home to Memphis, Philadelphia and Phoenix before the back-to-back wins over Indiana and Orlando.
With Horford's left arm still in a sling, the Hawks couldn't keep up with the Heat, especially near the basket. Miami outscored Atlanta 44-28 in the paint and outrebounded the Hawks 52-38.
Joe Johnson and Josh Smith combined for only 20 points while making only 9 of 25 shots from the field. The Hawks depend on the two for better production.
When Johnson scores at least 20 points, the Hawks are 12-1. When Smith scores at least 20, the Hawks are 7-0.
Horford provides a calming influence the Hawks have missed as they have struggled to respond to other teams' runs.
"Hopefully we can get better in that area," said Hawks coach Larry Drew. "It's not a time to hang your head, when teams make a run."
Sund said Johnson, who will be Atlanta's only All-Star, and Smith have picked up their play since Horford's injury.
"Both Josh and Joe have stepped up during that time for the most part and then the rest of the players dug in and have contributed," Sund said.
"Our club got together and said we're still a playoff caliber club and right now we are still on a playoff caliber pace."
The Hawks hope to have Horford back for the playoffs. In the meantime, the team is trying to survive.
Collins, who sprained his left elbow on Feb. 2, will be examined on Wednesday. The team signed veteran center Erick Dampier to a 10-day contract on Feb. 9 and likely will re-sign Dampier to another 10-day deal before making a decision on the remainder of the season.
Zaza Pachulia has averaged 8.4 points and 7.3 rebounds in 14 starts at center. He had eight points and nine rebounds against Miami.
"He's done a really admirable job filling in," Sund said.
Dampier had four rebounds in six minutes behind Pachulia. It was only Dampier's second appearance since joining the team. He could play a bigger role against the Lakers.
"I thought was good for him because there's not much very much practice time," Sund said. "This allows him to get up and down and he looked like the same Dampier, at least (Sunday) night, that he was last year and the year before."
-- Charles Odum
Wallace on verge of mark for undrafted players
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) — Ben Wallace was talking about Jeremy Lin — but in a way, he was also discussing his own unique career.
"It takes a special type of guy to stay at something long enough to make it to this level," Wallace said. "A lot of times you're being told that you're too this, you're too that, you can't do this, you can't do that."
Amid the hoopla Lin has created with his unexpected rise, Wallace is on the verge of setting a new standard for undrafted players. The Detroit veteran is now tied with Avery Johnson for the most games played by an undrafted player since the 1976-77 NBA-ABA merger. Wallace — who says this is his final season — can break the record if he plays his 1,055th game Tuesday night against San Antonio.
"Once you get here, you want to be able to show everybody that you're capable of going out and playing at a high level night in and night out," Wallace said. "I'm just proud to have had the opportunity to come here and play."
Wallace tied Johnson's mark Sunday night. Next on the list of undrafted players are David Wesley (949) and Bo Outlaw (914), according to STATS LLC. The latest undrafted player to make a splash is Lin, the guard from Harvard who has helped the New York Knicks improve their fortunes lately with his dazzling play.
Wallace can relate to Lin because he too had to carve out a niche for himself. Wallace was a virtual unknown before earning his spot in the NBA with his tough defense around the basket and terrific rebounding ability. He eventually won four defensive player of the year awards and helped the Pistons win the 2004 championship.
After considering retirement, the 37-year-old Wallace decided to come back for 2011-12, his 16th season in the NBA. He confirmed Monday it will definitely be his last, and he's looking forward to spending time with his family.
"No consideration to coming back," he said. "This is definitely my last year."
Wallace, who played his college ball at Virginia Union, made his NBA debut with Washington in November 1996. After three seasons there and one with Orlando, he was dealt to the Pistons in a trade that sent Grant Hill to the Magic.
His career took off in Detroit. The 6-foot-9 Wallace led the NBA in rebounds per game and blocks per game in 2001-02. That season, he won his first of four defensive player of the year awards in a five-season span.
"You look at his story. That's a great story," said Lawrence Frank, who is in his first season as Detroit's coach. "Not only undrafted, but the guy came into NBA training camp with Boston and they were playing him at 2-guard — seriously. The guy was a bedrock. When you think about the Pistons, he's a guy that immediately you identify those teams in 2000 on — as kind of the heart and soul of that group."
Wallace has never been a prolific scorer. This season, he's scored 28 points in 28 games. In 398 minutes, he's attempted only two free throws. Those came Friday night against New Jersey.
Wallace once said his older brothers wouldn't pass the ball to him when he was younger, so he had to fight for it by getting rebounds and steals. It was a good way to learn to play basketball without shooting much.
After leaving the Pistons following the 2005-06 season, Wallace played with Chicago and Cleveland before coming back to Detroit in 2009. This is the third season of his second stint with the Pistons.
He considered retirement after last season, and in November, Wallace pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges of drunken driving and possessing a firearm while under the influence of alcohol. At that point, the NBA lockout was still dragging on, but when it ended, Wallace was on the Pistons' practice court shooting baskets on the first day players were allowed to use team facilities again.
Wallace has started 10 games this season and can still contribute, whether he's on the court defending the low post or helping young big man Greg Monroe adjust to the league.
"He has so much knowledge he can share," said Monroe, who is in his second pro season. "He's definitely helped me out a lot, especially on the defensive end. The more time I spend with him, the better I'll get."
Although Wallace's playing days are numbered, he's leaving quite a legacy, and soon, he might be working at a different kind of court. He says he's interested in going to law school at some point.
"That's definitely on the radar," Wallace said. "I'm going to take a little time, get away from basketball, clear my head and jump back into school."
-- Noah Trister
Cavs' Irving nearing comeback from concussion
CLEVELAND (AP) — Cavaliers rookie point guard Kyrie Irving made a move in his recovery from a concussion. Irving did some noncontact work during practice Monday and is now closer to a return — perhaps as early as Wednesday against Indiana.
The 19-year-old sensation, who has missed Cleveland's last three games after banging his head off Miami star Dwyane Wade's knee last week, participated in fastbreak and shooting drills as the short-handed Cavs went through a "very light" practice at their training facility.
"He did everything that had to do with noncontact," Cavs coach Byron Scott said.
Irving has not yet been cleared for full participation in practice as the Cavs follow the new concussion protocol implemented by the NBA this season. Scott said Irving will be re-evaluated before it's determined if he can resume full activities Tuesday.
Scott would not speculate if Irving, who is averaging 18 points and 5.1 assists, will be back to play against the Pacers.
"The hope is for him to get re-evaluated, then the doctors will tell us exactly where he stands and we'll go from there," Scott said. "I'm hoping I get him back Wednesday, but if not I'm also trying to prepare for the worst."
Irving's injury was a blow to the Cavs, who then suffered an equally devastating one Friday when center Anderson Varejao broke his right wrist against Milwaukee.
Varejao, who was having his best season as a pro, will be out for an indefinite period. The Cavs are expected to give a more conclusive timetable for his return in the next few days. Varejao will likely miss at least several weeks — and possibly more.
Varejao will undergo more tests but Scott has not been told his best front-line player needs surgery. Varejao is one of the NBA's top rebounders and a constant source of energy for the Cavs, who had been one of the league's early surprises after winning just 19 games last season.
With Irving and Varejao on the bench in street clothes, the Cavs were hammered at home 99-84 by the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday.
Scott was disappointed with his team's effort, which he partly blamed on the Cavaliers reaction to losing their top two players.
"I told them I hope that the last game was a one-time hangover," he said. "I understand from a player's standpoint, when you're missing someone as important as Andy is to us, I understand that you're going to probably feel a little disappointment or sadness that he's not out there because he gives you everything he's got.
"But, like I've said in the past, it gives other guys opportunities and they better be ready to step up and take the challenge. Hopefully everybody is over with that and we understand that he's not going to be here for a few days. We still have to move on."
Semih Erden will start in Varejao's spot against the Pacers. Forward Antawn Jamison has been through injury spells before, and the veteran understands the difficulty in filling the void left by losing Varejao.
''It's always tough, especially missing a guy like Andy and the type of year he's had," he said. "I thought with a couple more wins he should have been in the All-Star game. But you just can't replace what he brings to the table. Defensively, he makes up a lot of things we do mistakewise. He's just been playing out of his mind this season. For our young guys, this is a challenge."
-- Tom Withers
Gordon to have surgery, miss at least six more weeks
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Eric Gordon is scheduled to have arthroscopic surgery on his injured right knee on Tuesday and will be out at least an additional six weeks, meaning that if he comes back at all this season, there would be fewer than 20 games left.
"After consulting with our medical staff, we concluded surgery was the best route and in the best interest of Eric for the long term," general manager Dell Demps said in a statement released by the club late Tuesday night, after the Hornets' 86-80 victory over Utah. "Eric is eager to return to the court and we are confident Hornet fans will get to see him soon."
The 23-year-old Gordon has played in only two games this season. According to team officials, the fourth-year shooting guard out of Indiana bruised his knee in the season opener, when he scored 20 points in a victory at Phoenix and hit the game-winning shot. He came back Jan. 4 against Philadelphia, scoring 22 points in a loss, but has not played since.
Gordon was one of three players the Hornets acquired, along with center Chris Kaman and forward Al-Farouq Aminu, in a trade that sent All-Star guard Chris Paul to the Los Angeles Clippers. That trade also brought the Hornets a first-round draft choice that the Clippers had previously acquired from Minnesota.
Gordon averaged 22.3 points with the Clippers last season, establishing himself as a top scoring threat. With Gordon in the lineup, the Hornets are 1-1. Without him, they are 4-22, including 12 single-digit losses.
The Hornets offered Gordon a four-year extension earlier this season, but the two sides were unable to reach a deal before a January NBA deadline for reaching early extensions players who were due to become restricted free agents after the season. Demps said after negotiations stalled that the Hornets still see Gordon as a potential centerpiece of their rebuilding effort, and he expects negotiations to resume when the season ends.
Under the new collective bargaining agreement, the Hornets will be able to offer Gordon more money than anyone else. The question is how comfortable they would be doing that after Gordon has missed most of the lockout-shortened 2011-12 season.
-- Brett Martel
Lin wins NBA's East player of the week honor
NEW YORK (AP) — Knicks guard Jeremy Lin has been named the Eastern Conference player of the week after his sensational first week as an NBA starter.
Lin averaged 27.3 points and 8.3 assists while leading the Knicks to a 4-0 record. The undrafted Harvard graduate's 109 points are the most by an NBA player in his first four starts since the 1976-77 season, and he became the first player in NBA history to tally at least 20 points and seven assists in each of his first four starts.
Lin becomes the first player to win Player of the Week awards in the NBA and NBA Development League, where he was honored while playing for the Reno Bighorns.
Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook won the West honor Monday.
Okla. City guard NBA conference player of the week
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook has been named the NBA's Western Conference player of the week.
Westbrook helped the Thunder to a 3-1 week, averaging 30 points, six rebounds and 5.3 assists. He had 28 or more points in all four of Oklahoma City's games, and posted a double-double (28 points, 11 rebounds) in a 111-107 win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Feb. 6.
He also scored 31 points and added seven assists in a 119-116 victory over Golden State.
New York Knicks star Jeremy Lin was named the Eastern Conference player of the week for his performance in four games last week. Lin averaged 27.3 points, 8.3 assists and two steals.
Okafor out, Kaman returns for Hornets vs. Jazz
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Hornets center Emeka Okafor was scratched from Monday night's game against the Utah Jazz because of a sore left knee.
However, fellow New Orleans center Chris Kaman is slated to start for Okafor after missing the Hornets' previous game last Friday night because of left ankle soreness.
Okafor has started every other Hornets game, averaging about 10 points and eight rebounds. He had 13 points and eight rebounds in New Orleans' 94-86 loss to Portland on Friday. Kaman has primarily played a reserve role this season, averaging 9.6 points and seven rebounds.
The Hornets also are without guards Eric Gordon (right knee bruise) and Jarrett Jack (left knee bruise), and forwards Carl Landry (left knee sprain) and Jason Smith (concussion).
Rose remains day to day for Bulls
CHICAGO (AP) — Bulls star Derrick Rose remains day to day for Chicago because of lower back spasms.
Rose was examined Monday by a specialist, and general manager Gar Forman says no structural damage was found. That's good news for the Eastern Conference-leading Bulls.
The league's reigning MVP, Rose is averaging 22.0 points and 7.8 assists, but he's missed seven games because of problems with his back and left big toe. He sat out the past two games at Charlotte and Boston and being limited in the previous two.
Chicago plays Sacramento on Tuesday.
Nets guard Keith Bogans has ankle surgery
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — New Jersey Nets guard Keith Bogans has undergone ankle surgery and is expected to be fully recovered for training camp next season.
Bogans fractured his left ankle and tore his deltoid ligament during a Feb. 8 game at Detroit. General manager Billy King says the operation was done Monday at the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan.
Bogans joined the Nets as a free agent a week before he was hurt. He played in five games this season, averaging, 4.2 points and 2.2 rebounds in 18.8 minutes a game.
WNBA
Lynx sign free agent shooting guard Thorn
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Lynx have signed free agent shooting guard Erin Thorn, formerly of the Chicago Sky. The deal was announced Monday.
The 5-foot-9 Thorn shot nearly 40 percent from 3-point range last season as a reserve for the Sky. She appeared in all 34 games and averaged 5.4 points, 2.4 assists and 1.7 rebounds in 16.8 minutes. Thorn was drafted by the New York Liberty in the second round in 2003. This will be her 10th year in the WNBA. The defending champion Lynx open the 2012 season at home against the Phoenix Mercury on May 20.
F Lacy re-signs with Shock
TULSA, Okla. (AP) — Forward Jennifer Lacy has re-signed with the Tulsa Shock. Lacy was one of two players to appear in all 34 games for Tulsa last season, including 18 starts. She averaged 6.3 points and 2.6 rebounds.
New coach Gary Kloppenburg says Lacy is a high-energy contributor, a versatile defender and the kind of player the Shock want to build around. Tulsa announced the move Monday.
Elsewhere
Ex-NBA player Vaught arrested for disturbing peace
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) — Former NBA and Michigan standout Loy Vaught has been arrested and released on a charge of disturbing the peace. Vaught was booked at the Kent County Correctional Facility on Saturday and released Sunday.
MLive.com reports that airport spokesman Bruce Schedlbauer says Vaught allegedly caused a disturbance with his behavior in a passenger terminal building at the Gerald R. Ford International Airport.
Vaught couldn't immediately be reached for comment. Vaught, a 44-year-old native of Grand Rapids, helped the Wolverines win the 1989 national championship.
The Los Angeles Clippers selected Vaught with the 13th overall pick in the 1990 NBA draft. The 6-foot-9 forward averaged 10 rebound and seven assists with the Clippers, Detroit, Dallas and Washington and his career ended during the 2000-01 season.
