NBA Injury Updates and Info for Saturday

https://www.nypost.com/seven/03222008/sports/knicks/knicks_aiming_to_win_lottery__not_games_103051.htm

The Knicks are tanking and appear on a mission to sink to the suddenly attainable second seed in the lottery for Walsh or whomever replaces Isiah Thomas. It is not a bad plan for a franchise usually with no plan.

A second seed at May 20's lottery could be as vital to the Knicks as Thomas' successor, to be in strong position to draft either superstar forward Michael Beasley or point guard Derrick Rose.

In a game with major lottery-seeding implications versus the Grizzlies last night at the Garden, Thomas started Randolph Morris at center and put a healthy Zach Randolph on the inactive list.

It appears owner James Dolan and Garden prez Steve Mills have given Thomas marching orders to not worry about winning. Mills sat by his lonesome on the baseline by the Knicks' bench - sans Dolan.

Thomas announced Randolph will be placed on the inactive list tonight and also in Minnesota, another lottery dreg, to evaluate Morris as the Knicks go for their 50th loss.

Morris will be a free agent and Thomas' company line is he's being auditioned because they're unsure they want to re-sign him. That makes no sense. After signing Morris last March out of Kentucky, Thomas thought so highly of him he branded him a lottery-caliber player.

With Thomas not expected to return, he must have been told to play Morris so Mills, Walsh or Thomas' successor can get enough tape to evaluate him. (Walsh may still remain in Indiana and will meet with owner Herb Simon this week to possibly re-sign).

The Knicks would now be ranked fifth in the lottery. But with 19 wins, the Knicks have a chance of falling behind Memphis (17 wins), Minnesota (17 wins) and Seattle (16 wins).

Celtics

The Celtics did not practice yesterday . . . Tony Allen is day to day after missing the Dallas game Thursday with a lower-back bruise

https://www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1082042&srvc=celtics&position=1

Rivers had been pointing to yesterday as a chance for the C’s to practice, but he decided to give the team the day off. With Tony Allen (bruised back) and Rajon Rondo (back stiffness) hurting and others nicked up, the move made sense.

https://www.sacbee.com/kings/story/804366.html

Theus said following the Kings' loss he was unsure whether Beno Udrih would be ready to play tonight against Memphis.

Center Brad Miller (right elbow bursitis) said he was also a game-time decision to face the Grizzlies.

Miller played only 22 minutes against the Spurs and did not play the entire fourth quarter after banging the elbow. Forward Kenny Thomas did not make the trip (sore right foot).

https://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=19414510&BRD=1699&PAG=461&dept_id=46370&rfi=6

Cavs power forward Ben Wallace's back spasms flared up in the third quarter. He left with 5:59 remaining in the third and didn't return.

Wallace missed the New Jersey game on March 12 with the same injury. He finished with six rebounds.

https://blogs.jsonline.com/bucks/archive/2008/03/21/players-weigh-in-on-harris-departure.aspx

Center Andrew Bogut returned to practice for the first time since suffering a deep left thigh bruise against Utah on March 12. The 7-foot center made it through and said he expected to be back in the lineup on Saturday night against Cleveland, after missing two games. "It was good enough to get on the court, give it a go, and it worked out," Bogut said. "I hate sitting on the bench, and obviously the last two games (losses to Boston and Miami) have been disappointing. Just to get back on the floor is a good sign for me." ....  Forward Yi Jianlian went through practice and said he will be ready for a second straight game on Saturday. He played 13 minutes against Miami and did not score but had two rebounds. Prior to the Miami game, Yi was sidelined for six games, sitting out five due to a strained right wrist. "I feel pretty good," Yi said. "I'm in shape, and my body feels very good right now. I'm ready to play."

https://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080322/SPORTS04/803220433/1088/SPORTS04

Danny Granger had few problems with the right wrist that caused him to miss Wednesday's game. Granger scored 32 points on 11-of-23 shooting, including 6-of-8 on 3-pointers.

https://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=158624&src=150

Kirk Hinrich, Thabo Sefolosha and Drew Gooden all skipped Friday's practice. Hinrich seems likely to miss his second game with a sprained right ankle.

"The swelling's gone down a little bit, but it's been hard for him to really plant and push off it," coach Jim Boylan said. "There's some discoloration in the area."

Sefolosha rested the groin injury that's bothered him for several weeks, while Gooden had a stiff neck. Both should play tonight against Indiana.

Chris Duhon, meanwhile, returned to practice Friday. He's missed the last three games with an illness and hasn't played since March 7.

Boylan said he'd most likely stick with Ben Gordon and Larry Hughes as his starting guards, though nothing is set in stone.

https://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sonics/2004298745_soniglance22.html

Sonics forward Chris Wilcox missed his seventh game of the season because of a right pinkie sprain, meaning the Sonics had 10 players in uniform. Wilcox was replaced in the starting lineup by Nick Collison.

Wilcox, who said he will not play today, remains adamant that he's not out for the season.

The team is without swingman Mickael Gelabale (torn right ACL) for the rest of the season, and center Francisco Elson (right knee), whom Sonics coach P.J. Carlesimo hopes can return.

https://www.sltrib.com/jazz/ci_8659844

https://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/bk/bkn/5639815.html

Bobby Jackson had nowhere to go, which was a good thing because there was no time left to go there.

With the shot clock down to its last ticks and Baron Davis on him, Jackson jumped, double-pumped and from 26 feet from the basket, swished a 3-pointer as the buzzer sounded.

The Rockets needed everything from Jackson at the arc to Carl Landry, back from seven games out with a knee injury, and rim, and plenty of Tracy McGrady and Shane Battier in between.

https://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/articles/0321sunsnb.html?&wired

Raja Bell will be day-to-day after Saturday's game, which he is expected to miss because of the right ankle he sprained Wednesday at Seattle. Suns guard Leandro Barbosa will start in Bell's place, setting up a difficult rearrangement of defensive assignments. Because Suns forward Grant Hill slides to McGrady, Barbosa likely will have to start the game guarding 6-foot-8, 220-pound Rockets forward Shane Battier.

Suns guard Gordan Giricek, who will return after missing Wednesday's game for a thigh bruise, can also guard McGrady as he did in last year's playoffs for Utah. The Suns also have used a zone defense with Shaquille O'Neal on the floor.

https://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/articles/0321suns.html?&wired

Phoenix is averaging more fast-break points with O'Neal (18.2 per game) than before his debut (17.9 per game). The Suns are shooting 57.6 percent from the field in the past five games.

The O'Neal addition has had the desired immediate impact on rebounding (a swing in rebounding differential from minus-5.6 before O'Neal to plus-4.0 with O'Neal) and post defense (opponents are shooting 41.9 percent during the Suns' win streak).

https://sports.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=280321022

Los Angeles has lost six in a row and 14 of 16 and was missing leading scorer Corey Maggette because of a sore shoulder.

With center Chris Kaman (back) missing his seventh straight game, the Clippers had difficulties stopping Aldridge, who made 11 of 18 shots and has scored at least 20 points in each of the past eight games.

Clippers F Tim Thomas left the game after the first quarter with a stomach virus.

NEW ORLEANS -- Celtics guard Tony Allen hopes to play tonight against the Hornets despite being hampered with a lower back strain. Allen suffered the injury after falling hard at Houston last Tuesday and missed Thursday's game at Dallas. Coach Doc Rivers said he would have a better idea if Allen would be available tonight after he works out pre-game. Forward Brian Scalabrine has been activated in Allen's absence.

NEW ORLEANS — Tony Allen made it through the morning shootaround and wants to try to play tonight against the Hornets. He missed the Dallas game with a bruised back after getting knocked to the floor in Houston.

According to Doc Rivers, Allen will be checked again when the team returns to the arena in a few hours. …