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Batum (back) returns and scores 11 points

Nicolas Batum returned from his back injury on Thursday scored 11 points with three rebounds, eight assists, two blocks and one 3-pointer in 38 minutes against the Spurs.

The minutes serve as the key number here and Batum didn't look like a guy that claimed to be at only 60 percent on Wednesday. It might take him a couple games to get it going, but he should be back to his elite ways soon enough.

Fri, Dec 14, 2012 01:56:00 AM

Melo scores 39 points in season-ending defeat

Carmelo Anthony poured in a game-high 39 points in a futile effort on Saturday, as the Knicks' season ended with a physical Game 6 loss to the Pacers.

Melo came in shooting 41.3 percent in the series. He finished tonight's game 15-of-29 from the field and 8-of-8 from the FT line, but he couldn't win the game by himself. The reigning scoring champ is likely to have a familiar supporting cast next season -- mid-season pickup Kenyon Martin is New York's biggest unrestricted free agent, while J.R. Smith has a $2.9 million player option, Chris Copeland will likely be a restricted free agent, and Pablo Prigioni has an affordable qualifying offer.

May 18 - 11:50 PM

J.R. Smith goes out with a whisper vs. Pacers

J.R. Smith finished the Knicks' season-ending Game 6 loss with 15 points on 4-of-15 shooting, 10 rebounds, and three assists.

Smith came in shooting 29.6 percent in the series but that didn't prevent him from launching nine 3-pointers, only two of which found their mark. His lousy playoffs may dim his value as a free agent this summer, but it is considered "very, very likely" that the 2013 Sixth-Man of the Year will decline his $2.9 million player option and test free agency this summer.

Source: SheridanHoops.com

May 18 - 11:43 PM

Lance Stephenson erupts, Pacers advance

Lance Stephenson's 25 points, 10 rebounds and three assists led the Pacers to a Game 6 victory on Saturday, advancing Indiana to the Eastern Conference Finals.

Stephenson didn't turn the ball over once in 34 minutes and he knocked down 9-of-13 FGs and 7-of-8 FTs in what was easily the biggest and best game of his NBA career. He has blossomed in heavy minutes with Danny Granger (knee) out of the picture, making his $930k team option for next season a no-brainer, but for now he's focusing on Dwyane Wade, the Heat, and a possible trip to the NBA Finals.

May 18 - 11:40 PM

Pacers defeat Knicks, advance to face Miami

George Hill (concussion) played 42 minutes in Saturday's series-clinching victory, scoring 12 points with five rebounds and four assists.

Hill suffered his concussion during Game 5 on Thursday, but he cleared the NBA's rigorous post-concussion protocol very quickly. He shot just 2-of-10 from the field, but as usual he made his free throws (7-of-7), played strong defense, and committed just one turnover -- he boasted a 2.8 assist-to-turnover ratio this season, ahead of Deron Williams and just behind Rajon Rondo and Greivis Vasquez.

May 18 - 11:39 PM

Kevin Garnett won't need foot/ankle surgery

Kevin Garnett is not expected to need surgery on his foot/ankle.

The Celtics' medical staff thinks Garnett's injury issues will subside with rest, which is the first of three big offseason question marks for KG. The second and third ones, of course, are whether Garnett, who turns 37 on Sunday, will return to play next season and if that will be for the Celtics. It's unlikely Garnett will remain with Boston if Paul Pierce heads elsewhere and Pierce's future with the Celtics appears very tenuous at this point.

Source: Steve Bulpett on Twitter

May 18 - 12:48 PM

Dwyane Wade says rest won't help bone bruises

Dwyane Wade said Friday that extra rest won't help his bone bruises heal.

"It is what it is. I had 10 days off last time," Wade said of Miami's break after the first round. "It really doesn't matter." The Heat were guaranteed two extra days off by eliminating the Heat in five games, the last of which Wade had to leave briefly in order to have his knee worked on in the locker room. The bottom line is there's no way Wade will be 100 percent again before next season. Truth be told, he's likely at his career where he'll constantly be dealing with some sort of knee injury at this time of the season. We expect Wade to suit up for Game 1 on the conference finals, but anything after that is a guess.

Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel

May 18 - 11:37 AM

Report: Raptors targeting Nuggets GM Ujiri

The Raptors are targeting Nuggets general manager Masai Ujiri to run their basketball operations, league sources told Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.

This comes one day after the Toronto Star reported that Maple League Sports & Entertainment has until Monday to decide whether to pick up the option on GM Bryan Colangelo's contract. Ujiri was named 2013 Executive of the Year by the NBA only nine days ago but is without a contract beyond this summer. The Nuggets have said they're not concerned about keeping him, knowing full well they'll likely have to pay the price to do so. However, Ujiri spent three years in Toronto's front office before heading to Denver and sources tell Yahoo! that could make this a difficult decision for him.

Source: Yahoo! Sports

May 18 - 11:13 AM

Report: Nets to wait to talk to Shaw, Hollins

Tim Bontemps of the New York Post expects the Nets to interview Pacers associate coach Brian Shaw and Grizzlies head coach Lionel Hollins once their respective playoff runs are over.

The Nets have been relatively quiet in their search to replace interim coach P.J. Carlesimo. There were reports of interest in Phil Jackson but the Zen Master dismissed those through back channels. Both Shaw and Hollins figure to be extremely popular names on the coaching market once they're available, although we can't imagine Memphis letting Hollins go with the Grizzlies currently in the Western Conference finals.

Source: New York Post

May 18 - 10:38 AM

Report: Bobcats are changing name to Hornets

The Bobcats have started the process of changing their name to the Hornets, a source with knowledge of the situation told Will Brinson of CBS Sports.

This isn't exactly a surprise. Once the Hornets changed their names to Pelicans, there were multiple reports the Bobcats were at least exploring the idea of returning to the name of the franchise that played in Charlotte from 1988 to 2002. According to Brinson, there's no timeline for the change but commissioner-in-waiting Adam Silver said in April that such a process can at least 18 months.

Source: CBS Sports

May 18 - 9:22 AM

Johnson announces Kings' sale deal is signed

Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson announced Friday the deal to sell the Kings to a group led by Vivek Ranadive has been signed.

All that's left now is for the NBA to rubber stamp the deal, which should happen sometime next week. Once that's done, Ranadive's group will begin laying out plans for a new arena in Sacramento and likely part ways with GM Geoff Petrie and coach Keith Smart. Not only are the Kings staying put, but it looks like a new day is dawning in Sacramento.

Source: ESPN.com

May 17 - 4:50 PM

Phil Jackson confirms interest in Seattle job

Phil Jackson confirmed on "The Tonight Show" on Thursday night that he had interest in joining the Kings' front office if the franchise relocated to Seattle.

The mutual interest between Jackson and Chris Hansen, who headed the group trying to move the Kings, had become one of the league's worst-kept secrets. However, the NBA rejected the move and the Kings were sold to a group that will keep them in Sacramento, which Jackson said doesn't interest him. It also seems unlikely Jackson will be joining the Raptors front office, which had been one of the rumored landing spots for the former Lakers and Bulls coach. One thing that is clear is Jackson is very much interested in returning to the NBA in one form or another. Stay tuned.

Source: Los Angeles Times

May 17 - 4:39 PM