Sports 4 Dorks

Each weekday morning, BDL serves up a handful of NBA-related stories to digest with your Sugar Crisp.

Frank Isola, NY Daily News: "The trade that would send Zach Randolph to the Clippers in order to create much-needed salary-cap space for the Knicks was on hold Monday night because the Knicks had yet to complete Cuttino Mobley’s physical. Both sides believe that the deal will be completed at some point today. However, an NBA.com report said that the Knicks were concerned about an undisclosed condition that they discovered during Mobley’s physical. […] The Knicks still have the option of waiving Mobley’s physical, and it is doubtful that the deal will be rescinded because the Knicks’ top priority was to acquire two players whose contracts expire after next season. If anything, Knicks president Donnie Walsh may be looking for additional compensation — perhaps a first-round pick — from the Clippers in order to sign off on the trade."

Paul Coro, Arizona Republic: "The alarms are sounded when Steve Nash’s stat line indicates a rare reckless performance. When he committed eight turnovers Saturday, it was only the ninth time in his 13-year NBA career that he had done so, with eight of those coming since he rejoined the Suns in 2004. There has always been a risk-reward equation to Nash’s on-court freedom but his assist-to-turnover ratio has generally leaned heavy on rewards. […] Many of the turnovers are not solely his fault. There was one theme in the eight turnovers: Seven came after Portland made baskets, meaning the Suns were running their new structured offense."

Brian Schmitz, Orlando Sentinel: "After learning earlier in the day that Keith Bogans will be out at least until Christmas because of a fractured thumb, Jameer Nelson could be shelved a week or more. The club said he strained his right groin early in the third quarter and listed him as day-to-day. Anthony Johnson, 34, is the Magic’s only other point guard, but that could change. The club did not sign a third point guard after Mike Wilks sustained a season-ending knee injury. ‘We’ve been in the market for a third guy and now we might not be able to wait as long or be as choosy,’ Stan Van Gundy said. ‘We’ll have to see what the situation is with Jameer.’"

Chris McCosky, Detroit News: "[Antonio] McDyess can re-sign with the Pistons on Dec. 7 — 30 days after he agreed to take a buyout from the Nuggets. He is expected to sign a two-year contract with a player option for the second year. He will make a full $1.9 million this year, and $2.06 million if he takes the second year. ‘I think you saw guys with a lot more pep in their step today,’ Curry said after a physical, 3 1/2 -hour practice Monday. ‘Guys were more talkative. I told them, ‘Hey, we’ve been walking around for about a week or so like there was a cloud over us. Even when we won in L.A. and won at home against Cleveland, we didn’t have that feel or that look like everything was good.’ Today, we had that look.’"

Sekou Smith, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: "Joe Johnson’s absence at Hawks’ practice Monday was understandable for his teammates. If anyone needed an extra day off it’s their captain and All-Star. Johnson draws superstar attention from opposing defenses but rarely enjoys the fruits of a superstar’s labor. Johnson shot just 1-for-8 from the floor and scored a season-low four points in Saturday’s loss in Cleveland while playing on a sore foot. The injury sent him to the foot doctor Monday to get "his orthotics adjusted," according to Hawks coach Mike Woodson. Woodson said he expects Johnson will practice today and play Wednesday against Milwaukee at Philips Arena."

Jessica Camerato, WEEI.com:
"On Sunday Jamario Moon’s biggest concern is taking on he Boston
Celtics. And while he is focused on each game at hand, the Toronto
Raptors high-flyer can’t help but think ahead to February. That’s when
Moon would like to redeem himself in the Slam Dunk Contest. […] ‘I
just don’t feel like I gave it my all,’ he said. ‘I don’t know, I don’t
know. I wasn’t nervous at all. I think I was holding back. I was trying
to save my best for last when I should have just brought the best out
and made it better at the end.’ Just as defending champ Howard did
after losing in the 2007 Dunk Contest, Moon is already planning a
comeback. He would like to return to the contest another year wiser.
‘Already, already,’ Moon said of drawing up new dunks. ‘You know what,
I learned something about it. It’s really not too much about the dunk
as it is the dramatics of it and what leads up to it. I learned a lot
from it so if I go back, I know what to expect.’"

Jerry Brown, East Valley Tribune: "Steve Kerr figured that after the first month of the season — with a new coach, new system and a half-dozen new players on the roster — that the Suns would be sitting somewhere around .500 when the calendar flipped to December. That was before Leandro Barbosa spent all of training camp and a week of the season in Brazil, before Matt Barnes missed five games due to suspensions and other assorted maladies turned coach Terry Porter’s rotation plans inside-out. […] ‘I don’t know if people understand what it takes to change styles and rotations and players’ minutes, especially for us because we have been such a rhythm team,’ Kerr said. ‘We’ve been dialed into what we were doing because it was just a continuation of the last season. Now, everything is different. Yeah, it’s just basketball but at this level, any indecision or unfamiliarity is going to show up.’"

Sam Amick, Sacramento Bee: "The only fluid that mattered by the time Kevin Martin was done with his workout was water. Before the Kings tipped off against the Trail Blazers on Monday night, their ailing shooting guard tested his injured left ankle like he hasn’t since he was hurt on Nov. 9. He practiced pull-up jumpers from various spots on the floor, ran off screens en route to the hoop for layups. And despite the recent setback in recovery as a result of increased fluid in the ankle area, Martin was able to push himself hard enough to get a thirst going. […] Martin said the pain was minimal. ‘There was a little bit (of pain), but I can play through a little pain,’ he said."

Eddie Sefko, Dallas Morning News: "It’s become apparent that owner Mark Cuban is going to make former Mavericks’ coach Don Nelson wait as long as possible to get the $7.1 million he’s owed in back pay. Whether it’s out of spite or because Cuban can earn money off the amount that an arbitrator and court have ruled he owes Nelson, the owner plans to take the appeals process as far as he can. This in spite of e-mails in court documents that were examined Monday that state in an e-mail from Cuban’s attorney, Geoffrey Harper, to Nelson’s attorney, Don Colleluori: "I think the team is making a business decision [I don’t think anyone expects this to end differently than the current judgment; but apparently, it is cheaper to use the money and pay later. I’m not sure I understand it, to be candid]."

Lance Hornby, Toronto Sun: "Whether Kevin Garnett was genuinely concerned about Chris Bosh or just trying to create a little mischief, the Boston Celtics star sure put his Raptors counterpart through the wringer yesterday. Garnett, citing Bosh’s frustration during Sunday’s lop-sided loss, wondered if Toronto’s captain would want to stay here beyond 2009-10, if the team didn’t surround him with some talent to maximize chances for an NBA title. Bosh handled the potentially sticky question with aplomb yesterday, re-affirming faith in the team and coach Sam Mitchell. ‘I’m just worried about right now,’ Bosh said of potential free agency in two years. ‘You can always try to plan for the future but you never know what is going to happen. I like the spot we’re in, we still have a very good chance to be a good team.’"

Michael Wallace, Miami Herald: "Heat guard Dwyane Wade fought off flu-like symptoms and a sprained right ankle to turn in one of the most productive weeks of his career. As a result, Wade on Monday was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week after he averaged 32.3 points, 9.7 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 3.3 blocks during a three-game stretch in which the Heat went 2-1. […] Coach Erik Spoelstra said he’s most pleased with Wade’s shot-blocking. ‘It just shows his commitment on that side of the floor,’ Spoelstra said."