Steve Nash to sit out Tuesday’s game against Oklahoma City Thunder | Fanster.com - All Sports. All Phoenix.
Nash, who has been in pain for the better part of the last month, will not travel with the team today for Tuesday’s game in Oklahoma City. Second year guard Goran Dragic will get the start in Nash’s place. With Dragic in the starting lineup, and a lack of depth at point guard with Leandro Barbosa injured, one would have to assume Grant Hill will be the primary back up ball handler for Tuesday’s game. The Suns travel from Oklahoma City to Philadelphia for a game on Wednesday. It is not clear whether or not Nash will play in that game but it seems pretty safe to assume he won’t.
San Antonio Spurs' Tony Parker day to day with hip flexor strain - ESPN
Spurs guard Tony Parker has a mild strain of his left hip flexor and is listed as day to day. Team physicians made the diagnosis Monday after an MRI. Parker missed Sunday night's 109-101 overtime loss at Detroit after scoring just two points on 1-of-9 shooting Friday night at Philadelphia. The 27-year-old Parker leads the Spurs in assists and is second in scoring. The Spurs return to play Wednesday night against Oklahoma City, their first home game since Jan. 31.
Oklahoma City signs free agent guard Anderson - NBA - Yahoo! Sports
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) —The Oklahoma City Thunder have signed free agent guard Antonio Anderson(notes) to a 10-day contract and waived forward Matt Harpring(notes). Thunder General Manager Sam Presti announced the moves Monday. Anderson has been with the NBA Development League’s Rio Valley Grande Vipers where he averaged 15.5 points, 4 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 1.3 steals in 32 games. Anderson is a 6-foot-6 guard who was undrafted out of Memphis in 2009. He went to training camp with the Charlotte Bobcats and appeared in five games before being waived Oct. 22.
Thunder notebook: Kevin Durant's scoring streak passes Allen Iverson | NewsOK.com
Rookie forward Serge Ibaka has started a mini-campaign to be selected into the 2011 slam dunk contest. After watching the event live in Dallas over the All-Star break, Ibaka said he would like to participate in next year’s competition. "I hope so," Ibaka said. "I feel like I can compete with them." After listening to Ibaka from across the locker room, Westbrook began having some fun with the rookie. "I told you, you got to get some dunks in the game first," Westbrook joked. "Maybe if you give me the ball first," Ibaka quipped. Ibaka won a dunk contest in Spain two years ago and boasts of being able to dunk from the free throw line.
Thunder extends winning streak to nine | NewsOK.com
The Thunder extended its winning streak to nine games and, really, had no business doing so. The Wolves, meanwhile, saw their losing streak stretch to six games and, frankly, should be ashamed at throwing away a gift-wrapped victory. Oklahoma City led by 15 points midway through the third period before putting the game on cruise and watching the Wolves peel off a 27-10 run to go ahead 88-86 with 8:16 left. It was Minnesota’s first lead since 2-0, and that’s when the momentum of truth was triggered and the Thunder took control.The Thunder threw up 11 unanswered points over the next 4 minutes, 21 seconds, taking a commanding 97-88 lead with 3:55 remaining. Oklahoma City buckled down defensively and became efficient offensively, hitting four of five shots while holding the Wolves to 0-for-6 shooting with two turnovers during the run. "We knew that they were going to make a run, and they did," said Thunder coach Scott Brooks. "But we showed some composure, and we took good shots and we got to the free-throw line. I thought that was critical. But our team is made up to where if we defend, it gives us a chance to win."
Yes, Ibaka can dunk from the free throw line. Check out his video that I actually posted last May for proof.
FOXNews.com - High-flying OKC must keep Durant happy
Even though Durant has created a Thunder buzz with his ability to score, Brooks is making the team prematurely successful by emphasizing defense. According to the league's efficiency numbers, OKC ranks third in fewest points allowed per 100 possessions and is forcing opponents to shoot five-percent lower from the field than they did last season. However, before we dig more deeply into that element of the Thunder story, let's stick with Durant. OK, if you embrace the premise of his registry as a legit superstar (please embrace it), please note his team is in better cap shape than any other team employing a player of that caliber. A check of its financial situation reveals OKC has $40 million and change committed to next season with all of its current rotation players still under contract. The potential, down-the-line rub surrounds Durant, who this summer will be eligible for a whopping extension from a team that would seem more than happy to bestow it. But the aforementioned rub arrives in the threat of a lockout provoked by the owners' interest in knocking down salaries. If Thunder management waits to re-enlist Durant, a salary structure mandated by a new collective bargaining agreement could save it several million because the maximum deal would be far less than it is now. Good business, right? Well, it might be just as prudent to keep the franchise player happy by making him filthy rich right now. Then again, a strong majority of high (and successful) draft picks stay put in their second contracts because the original franchise has the ability to make its player a restricted free agent after four years and match any offer from another team. So, OKC can bargain in good faith and make Durant -- who now has scored at least 25 points in 28 consecutive games -- rich this summer. Or Durant could grin and bear whatever the team decides because the Thunder can make him wealthier faster. The last issue to consider might be Durant refusing to bleed franchise coffers in an effort to help his team re-sign his young, gifted teammates when their times are up.
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