NBA Today - Monday, November 12
ASSOCIATED PRESS
SCOREBOARD
Monday, Nov. 12
Cleveland at Denver (9 p.m. EST). LeBron James and the Cavaliers close out a six-game road swing against the Nuggets.
STARS
Sunday
-Yao Ming, Rockets, scored a season-high 34 points, including a pair of free throws with 20.4 seconds left, and Houston rallied to beat Charlotte 85-82.
-Drew Gooden, Cavaliers, had 18 points and 17 rebounds and Cleveland held on to beat the Los Angeles Clippers 103-95.
-Richard Hamilton, Pistons, scored a season-high 32 points to lead Detroit past Seattle 107-103.
-Antawn Jamison, Wizards, poured in 23 points and had 15 rebounds and Washington beat Atlanta 101-90.
-Jason Williams, Heat, knocked down the go-ahead shot with 19 seconds left and Miami edged New York 75-72.
WINLESS NO MORE
After trailing by five with 2 1/2 minutes left, Jason Williams hit a go-ahead jumper with 19 seconds left and Miami rallied past New York 75-72 on Sunday for their first win of the season. Even with their 0-5 start, the Heat were a long way from the worst start in franchise history. They lost their first 17 games in 1988, their first season. ... Washington beat Atlanta 101-90 to avoid the first 0-6 start in franchise history. The Baltimore Bullets lost their first five games in the 1966-67 season for the only other 0-5 start in Wizards history.
WORST START EVER
Detroit topped Seattle 107-103 to drop the SuperSonics to 0-7, the worst start in franchise history. Before this season, the Sonics had previously started 0-6 only once - the 1969-70 season.
NOT THIS YEAR
David West and Chris Paul each scored 16 points lead New Orleans to a 93-72 win over Philadelphia on Sunday. The 76ers swept the season series from the Hornets last year.
STRONG IN DEFEAT
Sam Cassell scored 28 points and Corey Maggette chipped in 25 points and 11 rebounds but the Los Angeles Clippers fell to Cleveland 103-95. The Clippers lost their second in a row after opening the season 4-0.
REASSIGNED
Houston reassigned sharp-shooting forward Steve Novak to Rio Grande, the team's affiliate in the developmental league. The 6-foot-10 Novak has been inactive in the Rockets' first six games this season. Novak appeared in 35 games in 2006-07, his rookie season.
SPEAKING
''It feels like you got King Kong off your back.'' - Washington's Caron Butler, who scored 24 points on Sunday to help the Wizards avoid the first 0-6 start in franchise history with a 101-90 win over Atlanta.
Vince Carter rehabs sprained ankle, doubtful for Monday
ASSOCIATED PRESS
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Vince Carter was listed as doubtful for the New Jersey Nets' game against the New Orleans Hornets on Monday night because of a badly sprained right ankle.
The eight-time All-Star was hurt on Saturday night in the third quarter of a 112-101 loss to Boston. He landed on the foot of Celtics forward Paul Pierce after a dunk.
Carter, who left the IZOD Center wearing a walking cast, had treatment on Sunday, Nets spokesman Aaron Harris said.
Carter, who signed a four-year contract valued at about $65 million in the offseason, is averaging 17 points, second best on the team.
Collison out for next two games
Howland says point guard's sprained knee is improving and he could return to practice Thursday.
This is how UCLA Coach Ben Howland prefers his preseason basketball tournaments -- two games at home and none in Maui.
The second-ranked Bruins begin play tonight in the first round of the O'Reilly Auto Parts CBE Classic. Pauley Pavilion is the site of one of four tournament regionals; Maryland, Missouri and Michigan State are the other host schools.
If UCLA (1-0) beats Youngstown State (0-0) tonight and also wins Tuesday night against the winner of tonight's Weber State-Cal State San Bernardino game, the Bruins would expect to play Maryland in Kansas City in the semifinals Nov. 19.
A year ago the Bruins earned early-season national recognition for beating Chaminade, Kentucky and Georgia Tech at the EA Sports Maui Invitational.
"Maui is nice for our fans," Howland said. "There is great competition over there, but it's very difficult to play three road games back-to-back-to-back. I would prefer to play any game at home. I never want to go on the road."
Howland confirmed that junior point guard Darren Collison, who sat out practice Sunday because of a sprained left knee suffered nine days ago in an exhibition game, would not play tonight or Tuesday.
"It's feeling better," Howland said. "It's a progression of things now. [Today] will be the treadmill run. Assuming that the doctor releases him, Tuesday will be lateral slides. Wednesday it will be stops and starts with transition movements on the floor. Hopefully by Thursday he'll be able to practice."
In the meantime sophomore Russell Westbrook will get his second start at point guard. "For him it's just more and more experience," said Howland.
Howland said Westbrook had too many turnovers (six) in a season-opening win over Portland State on Friday. "But he did a very good job defensively."
When Collison is healthy, Howland said, he is excited about the defensive pressure opposing point guards will feel.
"If you really study the film," Howland said, "people will be open a moment but with the good pressure on the ball we give you on the point, guys [inside] can recover to the open man."
Howland also said he was not worried about the play of junior forward Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, who is adjusting to playing small forward after being moved from power forward.
"There are so many things that are different defensively and offensively," Howland said. "Defensively he's trailing and chasing guards instead of extending screens and helping out the forwards."
Howland said junior swingman Michael Roll is recovering well from a foot injury. "He's feeling better," Howland said. "I'm hoping that he'll be back in time for the Texas game" Dec. 2.
Howland said the Bruins also hope to have forward James Keefe (shoulder surgery) back for the Idaho State game Dec. 15. . . . Marquette beat Duke to win the CBE Classic last year.
TONIGHT
vs. Youngstown State, 8, ESPN2
Site -- Pauley Pavilion.
Radio -- 570.
Records -- UCLA 1-0, Youngstown State 0-0 (14-17 in 2006-2007).
Update -- The Penguins are 1-18 against ranked NCAA Division I teams and are playing their first game in California. Senior guard Byron Davis is the top returning scorer and assist leader for Youngstown State, which is coached by Jerry Slocum. Slocum previously coached at Gannon University in Erie, Pa., when UCLA's Ben Howland was at Pittsburgh. The Bruins are hoping Mbah a Moute, who had only one basket and one rebound in Friday's opening win over Portland State, can find his comfort zone at the small forward spot. UCLA's game will be preceded by Cal State San Bernardino vs. Weber State, which begins at 5:15 p.m.
www.latimes.com
Rockets send Novak to NBDL
November 11, 2007
HOUSTON (AP) -The Houston Rockets reassigned sharp-shooting forward Steve Novak to Rio Grande, the team's affiliate in the developmental league.
The 6-foot-10 Novak has been inactive in Houston's first six games this season. He was expected to report to Rio Grande by Monday, and will remain on the Rockets' 15-man roster.
Novak appeared in 35 games in 2006-07, his rookie season. He averaged 1.5 points and 0.7 rebounds and went 13-for-39 from 3-point range.
Carter out indefinitely with sprained ankle
Associated Press
Vince Carter of the New Jersey Nets will be sidelined indefinitely with a sprained right ankle.
An MRI on Monday revealed Carter sustained a Grade 1 sprain on Saturday night against the Boston Celtics, Nets president Rod Thorn said Monday. There is no timetable for Carter's return.
The Nets played the New Orleans Hornets on Monday night.
The eight-time All-Star was hurt in the third quarter of a 112-101 loss to Boston. He landed on the foot of Celtics forward Paul Pierce after a dunk.
Carter averaged 17.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists through the first six games. He signed a four-year contract valued at about $65 million in the offseason.