Thursday NBA News and Notes

Thursday, April 13, 2006

 

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NBA

 

Cavaliers-Knicks

 

Sports Illustrated/CNN

LeBron James will likely sit out Thursday night's game against the New York Knicks after the Cavaliers' All-Star forward sprained his left ankle during a blowout loss at Detroit.The Cavaliers listed James as doubtful - a 25 percent chance of playing - for their second-to-last home game of the regular season. The club, which has clinched its first playoff spot since 1998 and already locked down the No. 4 spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs, did not have a morning shootaround scheduled. With nothing meaningful left to play for, the Cavaliers will be extremely cautious with James, who has made a late MVP push. In the 10 games prior to his injury, the 21-year-old averaged 37.9 points, 6.8 rebounds and 7.4 assists and the Cavaliers went 9-1. Including their matchup with the Knicks, the Cavs have four games left in the regular season. If there is a plus to James' injury, it's that Cavaliers coach Mike Brown finally has a reason to rest his young superstar. James is averaging 42.7 minutes per game, second in the league to Philadelphia's Allen Iverson (43.1).

 

Magic-Spurs

 

San Antonio Express News

Orlando has won 10 of its past 11 games, including six in a row, after beating Toronto 103-96 Wednesday. During the stretch, the Magic have beaten Dallas, Detroit and Miami.  Orlando trails Chicago and Philadelphia by three games for the Eastern Conference's eighth and final playoff spot. Manu Ginobili (left calf and shin contusions) is questionable. (Express News projects him inactive).

 

Mavericks-Suns

 

WFAA.com

How important is Josh Howard? The Mavericks are 7-1 against the four teams in the conference finals last season (San Antonio, Phoenix, Detroit and Miami) with him and 0-3 without him. Phoenix will be the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference playoffs, but the Suns are 9-9 since March 9. The defensive improvement they displayed earlier this season has eroded since the injury to center Kurt Thomas.