Yi to miss rest of regular season
April 4, 2008
MILWAUKEE (AP) -Milwaukee Bucks rookie forward Yi Jianlian will miss the final eight games of the regular season with a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee.
The Bucks made the announcement Friday night before their game against the Indiana Pacers.
Yi, the No. 6 pick in the 2007 draft, hurt his knee early in the first quarter of the Bucks' victory over the Washington Wizards on Wednesday.
Coach Larry Krystkowiak was optimistic that the 20-year-old Yi would be ready to play for China in this summer's Olympics. However, he'll need two to three weeks of rest and rehabilitation before resuming basketball activities.
``The news was better than it could have been,'' Krystkowiak said.
Yi, who averaged 8.6 points and 5.2 rebounds in 66 games, has missed eight games since Feb. 5 with various injuries, including five from March 7-15 with a sprained right wrist.
Portland Trail Blazers swingman Martell Webster out with irregular heartbeat
April 4, 2008
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -Trail Blazers swingman Martell Webster will miss Sunday's game against San Antonio with an irregular heartbeat.
!
Webster was dizzy and felt sick before Portland's loss to Houston on Thursday night, leading the team to send him to the hospital. The Trail Blazers say additional tests Friday revealed the irregular heartbeat and Webster will see the team's cardiologist early next week.
The 21-year-old is averaging 10.7 points in 75 games. The Trail Blazers drafted the 6-foot-7 shooter out of Seattle Prep with the sixth overall pick of the 2005 draft.
Fellow Portland forward LaMarcus Aldridge missed the end of last season with a rapid heartbeat caused by Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome.
NBA Today
Washington at Chicago (8:30 p.m. EDT). Gilbert Arenas is back in the lineup for Washington, scoring 19 points in a loss to the Bucks on Wednesday night.
STARS
-Chris Paul, Hornets, had 33 points and 15 assists, leading New Orleans to a 118-110 win against New York.
-Andre Iguodala, 76ers, had 30 points and 10 assists in Philadelphia's 109-104 victory over Atlanta.
-Lamar Odom and Kobe Bryant, Lakers. Odom scored a season-high 31 points and Bryant added 25 points and 10 rebounds, to lead Los Angeles to a 112-108 victory over Dallas.
-Caron Butler, Wizards, scored 29 points and Washington beat Miami 109-95.
-Andris Biedrins, Warriors, had 21 points and 17 rebounds, to lead Golden State to a 117-86 victory over Memphis.
PLAYOFF BOUND
The Philadelphia 76ers beat the Atlanta Hawks 109-104 to earn their first playoff spot in three years on Friday night. ... Washington beat Miami 109-95 to clinch a playoff spot for the fourth straight season. ... New Orleans clinched a playoff berth by beating New York 118-110. ... Toronto lost to Charlotte 105-100, but clinched a playoff berth when the Wizards beat the Heat . ... The Los Angeles Lakers clinched a playoff berth with a 112-108 victory over Dallas.
SNAPPED
Mehmet Okur had 17 points and 16 rebounds and Utah ended San Antonio's eight-game winning streak, beating the Spurs 90-64 on Friday night. The Spurs' 64 points tied their lowest point total in franchise history.
STRONG IN DEFEAT
Joe Johnson led Atlanta with 32 points, but the Hawks fell to Philadelphia 109-104 on Friday night. ... Ricky Davis had a season-high 33 points in Miami's 109-95 loss to Washington.
OFF THE BENCH
Detroit got 45 points from its reserves, led by 14 from rookie Rodney Stuckey in its 106-87 win over New Jersey on Friday night.
SIDELINED
Milwaukee Bucks rookie forward Yi Jianlian will miss the final eight games of the regular season with a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee. Yi, the No. 6 pick in the 2007 draft, hurt his knee early in the first quarter of the Bucks' victory over the Washington Wizards on Wednesday.
SPEAKING
``This Godforsaken season has got to be over with.'' - Miami coach Pat Riley after the Heat dropped their sixth straight, 109-95 on Friday night.