NBA Capsules: Yao Ming will wait week before surgery decision

BEIJING - Houston Rockets All-Star center Yao Ming will have to wait up to a week before he knows whether he will need surgery on his broken left foot.

The playing future of the 7-foot-6 Yao is in question amid reports from the team doctor that the hairline fracture in his foot could keep him out all of next season, and potentially end his career.

"It hasn't been decided yet," Yao's agent, Eric Zhang, told The Associated Press on Friday. "He is still in the process of group consultations of doctors holding different opinions and different plans. The result of the consultations is due within a week."

Before that there is no way of telling whether surgery will be performed, Zhang said.

Yao sustained a hairline fracture of the tarsal navicular bone late in a May 8 playoff game against the Los Angeles Lakers. The Rockets said last week that the injury has not healed and he was out indefinitely.

Yao played in 77 regular-season games in 2008-09, his most injury-free year since 2004-05, when he played in 80. Before last season, Yao missed chunks of the previous three seasons with leg and foot injuries.

In 2006-07, Yao missed 32 games after breaking his right leg. He sustained a stress fracture in his left foot in 2007-08, underwent surgery and sat out 26 games.

Yao is due to make more than $16 million next season, with a player option for 2010-11 that would pay him more than $17 million.

Phil Jackson says he'll return to Lakers

LOS ANGELES - Phil Jackson will return to coach the Los Angeles Lakers next season, getting a clean bill of health following a record championship season.

The Hall of Fame coach turns 64 in September and said on the team's Web site Friday he got the go-ahead for another season after consulting the team doctor.

Jackson led the Lakers to their 15th NBA championship and his 10th title in June, breaking the mark he shared with the late Boston Celtics coach Red Auerbach.

"I feel confident that I can gainfully pursue an NBA season with another long playoff postseason," he said. "All things point to go!"

He signed a two-year contract extension last season and holds the option on a second year.

Last season, Jackson missed two West Coast road games because of pain and swelling in his lower legs caused by plantar fasciitis, a problem he had checked out. He blamed late-night flights that aggravated the condition.

He has undergone two hip replacement operations since October 2006 - using a cane at various times - and walks with a noticeable hitch in his step. He underwent an angioplasty in 2003 to open a clogged artery in his heart.

Jackson became the Lakers' coach in 1999, and guided the team to NBA titles in each of his first three seasons. He left following the 2003-04 season but returned the following season.

Jackson coached the Chicago Bulls to six championships in the 1990s. His .705 regular-season winning percentage is tops in league history and his 1,041 victories are sixth best.

Free Agency

Report: Celtics offer Wallace a contract

BOSTON - The Boston Celtics have offered forward Rasheed Wallace a contract as part of a major push to land the coveted forward, according to a published report on Friday.

The Boston Globe reports the Celtics offered Wallace a deal during a three-hour meeting in Detroit on Thursday. Celtics stars Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce joined general manager Danny Ainge and managing partner Wyc Grousbeck at the meeting.

Wallace's agent, Bill Strickland, told the Globe in a text message that it was a "very good meeting; some contractual terms discussed, nothing agreed to."

He also said Wallace will be meeting with other teams next week. Charlotte, Cleveland, Orlando and San Antonio are said to be possible suitors.

The 35-year-old Wallace can play the low post and also has exceptional shooting range. He averaged 12 points per game for Detroit last year, before falling to 6.5 points per game in the first round of the playoffs as Detroit was swept in four games by Cleveland.

Wallace earned $13.68 million last season as he finished up a five-year contract with Detroit. Teams pursuing Wallace now would be offering the midlevel exception, worth between $5.6 million and $5.8 million.

Wallace, a starter most of his career, would likely play a complementary role in Boston. The Celtics are hoping they can lure him by offering a shot at a title. Wallace is also close to Garnett.

Turkoglu cuts off talks with Blazers

PORTLAND, Ore. - Free-agent forward Hedo Turkoglu and the Portland Trail Blazers have ended contract talks, a person close to the team confirmed Friday.

The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the negotiations.

Turkoglu's agent, Lon Babby, didn't immediately return calls or e-mails.

The 6-foot-10 forward who helped the Orlando Magic to the NBA finals arrived in Portland on Thursday to meet Blazers executives and tour the city. He was scheduled to leave on Saturday.

He opted out of his Orlando contract last week when the team acquired Vince Carter from New Jersey. Turkoglu was due $7.3 million next season in the final year of his $36 million, six-year deal with Orlando. He averaged 16.8 points and 5.3 rebounds last season.

Earlier Friday, there were reports that Turkoglu had agreed in principle with the Blazers.

Turkoglu, from Turkey, is a nine-year NBA veteran. He played for Sacramento and San Antonio before signing with Orlando as a free agent in 2004.

This season he often ran Orlando's offense and created matchup problems for the Celtics and Cavaliers in the playoffs. Against the eventual champion Los Angeles Lakers in the finals, Turkoglu averaged 18 points.

He was said to be seeking a long-term deal worth at least $10 million annually. Toronto had also expressed interest in him.

The Blazers are looking to bolster a team that won 54 games last season and advanced to the playoffs for the first time since 2003.

Anchored by All-Star guard Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge, the Blazers were the second-youngest team in the NBA.

-- Anne M. Peterson

Reports: Turkoglu headed to Toronto Raptors

TORONTO - Free agent Hedo Turkoglu will join the Toronto Raptors after spurning the Portland Trail Blazers, according to multiple reports.

The 6-foot-10 forward helped Orlando to the NBA finals last season. On Friday, a person close to the Blazers confirmed that Turkoglu ended contract talks with them. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the negotiations.

Turkoglu opted out of his Orlando contract last week when the team acquired Vince Carter from New Jersey. Turkoglu was due $7.3 million next season, the final year of his $36 million, 6-year deal with Orlando. He averaged 16.8 points and 5.3 rebounds last season.

Earlier Friday, there were reports Turkoglu had agreed in principle with the Blazers.

International

U.S. into second round at U-19 basketball worlds

AUCKLAND, New Zealand - Ashton Gibbs scored 18 points to help the United States beat Egypt 112-55 on Saturday, completing a sweep of pool games at the FIBA under-19 world basketball championships.

Shelvin Mack added 14 points and John Shurna had 13 points and six rebounds for the Americans, who finished ahead of France, Egypt and Iran in Group B of the 16-team tournament. Gordon Hayward had 10 points, six rebounds and five assists.

The U.S. led 33-11 after the first quarter and 62-24 at halftime. With the game out of reach, all 12 players saw court time in the second half.

The win followed a 106-55 victory over Iran and a 71-55 win over France, and put the U.S. into the second round beginning Monday.

In Group D, Luciano Gomez scored 16 points and Mathias Nocedal added 14 as top-ranked Argentina routed Kazakhstan 98-69 Friday to close in on the second round.

Ninth-ranked Australia upset third-ranked Spain 69-62 to move atop Group C, ensuring a spot in the second round. European champion Spain needed to beat Canada to have a chance of moving on. Canada, coming off a loss to Australia, is second in the group after beating Syria 99-53.

African champion Egypt beat Iran 95-91 in the first game at the tournament to go into overtime, after the teams were tied 84-84 at the end of regulation.

Kostas Papanikolaou had 25 points and Vlantimir Giankovits 24 for Greece, which topped Group A with a 107-98 win over Puerto Rico.

Croatia beat host New Zealand 79-72 to overtake Argentina on points differential in Group D, while Lithuania rebounded from a loss to Puerto Rico with an easy 104-46 win over Angola.

Gasol will play for Spain at Euro Championship

ALICANTE, Spain - Los Angeles Lakers center Pau Gasol will play for Spain in September in the European Basketball Championship.

Gasol said Friday that it was an easy decision after winning the NBA Finals.

"The season went really well for me and now I want to defend our country," Gasol said. "We're really hopeful about the team we have, but we can't go there with a mentality that we'll be playing the final just because we're really good."

World champion Spain, upset by Russia in the European final at Madrid in 2007, is one of the favorites going to Poland after a silver-medal performance in Olympics.

WNBA

Young leads Silver Stars over Sky

SAN ANTONIO - Sophia Young had 19 points, eight rebounds and four assists in leading the San Antonio Silver Stars to an 85-72 win over the Chicago Sky on Friday night.

Becky Hammon added 14 points with 10 assists as San Antonio (4-4) moved back to .500 after losing its first home game on Tuesday to Washington on a last-second bucket.

Vickie Johnson had 15, Ruth Riley 14, and Edwidge Lawson-Wade 12 as the five double-digit scorers combined for 74 of the Silver Stars' points.

"It started with Becky and Sophia, our two playmakers," said Silver Stars coach Dan Hughes. "Both really had good nights distributing."

Armintie Price led the Sky with 17 points, Candice Dupree had 13 and Chen Nan, who started in place of Sylvia Fowles, had 12.

Fowles dressed, but did not play because of a sore right knee. The second-year center from LSU is averaging 13 points and nine rebounds a game.

The Sky (6-4), who snapped a three-game winning streak, remain winless on the road.

The Silver Stars hit 13 of their first 14 shots to jump to a 29-9 lead late in the first quarter. They went up by as much as 24 points when Lawson-Wade hit a 3-pointer with 2 minutes left in the second quarter, making it 45-21.

"Sometimes when you shoot like that, it's contagious. Everybody's feeling it," said Hammon. "It was amazing. I was like, ‘What is going on?' We couldn't miss. It was pretty cool."

But Chicago answered back, going on a 20-5 spurt that ended the third quarter with the Sky down by four, 62-58.

"We were more aggressive, which was our original game plan: attack the rim and we let our defense turn into our offense," said Chicago coach Steven Key. "When we got within four points, I thought we had a chance going into the fourth."

San Antonio regained the momentum when Young hit a turnaround jump shot with 3:19 remaining in the fourth period, giving the Silver Stars a 82-66 lead and the cushion for the win.

Candace Parker to resume playing for L.A. Sparks

LOS ANGELES - Candace Parker is returning to action for the Los Angeles Sparks on Sunday when they host the Phoenix Mercury.

The team said on Friday that last season's WNBA MVP and rookie of the year will be in the lineup for the first time since giving birth to her daughter on May 13.

Parker was cleared by doctors to begin practicing Tuesday. She has not played at all this season.

Last season, Parker started all 33 games she played in, led the league in rebounding and led all rookies in scoring and rebounding.

Parker's return couldn't come at a better time for the Sparks (3-5). The preseason favorites to win the WNBA title are next-to-last in the Western Conference and have yet to win a road game.

Phoenix police: Mercury's Taurasi cited for DUI

PHOENIX - Phoenix Mercury star Diana Taurasi said Friday that she's embarrassed after being cited for drunken driving a few hours after she helped lead her team to victory over the Seattle Storm.

An officer stopped Taurasi early Thursday for speeding, police spokesman Luis Samudio said. The officer smelled alcohol and gave the player several field sobriety tests, according to a police statement.

Taurasi, the WNBA's leading fan vote-getter for the July 25 All-Star game, was then driven to a mobile DUI van, where she gave a blood sample, then was cited and released. Authorities did not know her blood alcohol content.

The team said Friday that Taurasi notified the club immediately but would not comment further until it knows more of what happened.

But after Friday's practice, Taurasi told reporters that her DUI citation was "just something that's embarrassing and unfortunate for my family and the organization."

Taurasi said she couldn't comment on the specifics of the incident because it was a legal matter "but personally, I'm going to have to do some things to make it straight."

The former Connecticut star said she plans on playing in the Mercury's next game Sunday night in Los Angeles.

Taurasi scored 22 points and blocked four shots Wednesday night in the Mercury's 93-81 win over the Storm.