NBA today - Nov. 3
Associated Press
SCOREBOARD
Sunday, Nov. 4
Utah at L.A. Lakers (9:30 p.m. EST).
Kobe Bryant averaged 38 points in three games against the Jazz last season.
STARS
Friday
-Kevin Garnett, Celtics, had 22 points, 20 rebounds and five assists in his Boston debut, a 103-83 win over Washington.
-LeBron James, Cavaliers, scored 45 points, helping Cleveland beat New York 110-106.
-Danny Granger, Pacers, was 10-for-13 from the field and had 25 points and nine rebounds to help Indiana Pacers beat Miami 87-85.
-Marcus Camby, Nuggets, finished with 14 points, 21 rebounds and six blocks to lead Denver past Minnesota 99-91.
-Raymond Felton, Bobcats, had 26 points and 12 assists, helping Charlotte win its season opener 102-99 at home against Milwaukee.
-Chris Kaman, Clippers, had 26 points and 18 rebounds, leading Los Angeles past Golden State 120-114.
RETURN
Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade has been cleared to play after recovering from the left knee and left shoulder surgeries he had in May. Miami coach Pat Riley didn't put a timetable on Wade's return to the lineup. In the announcement before Friday's game against the Indiana Pacers, Riley said Wade has been practicing, but without making any contact.
FOR THE RECORD
Washington missed all 16 of its 3-point shots, an NBA record for most attempts without making one in a 103-83 loss at Boston on Friday.
MOVING ON?
The Seattle SuperSonics' new owner told the NBA on Friday he plans to move the team to Oklahoma City. Clay Bennett had set a Wednesday deadline for having a plan to replace KeyArena, which he says is outdated. He and the city are in a dispute about the arena lease. He has until March 1 to file for relocation with the NBA if he wants the team to play the 2008-09 season anywhere besides Seattle. The Sonics are the city's oldest major professional sports franchise.
EXTENDED
The San Antonio Spurs announced Friday that Tim Duncan has signed a contract extension that likely means the NBA superstar will end his career in Texas. The Spurs, citing club policy, didn't release any specifics, calling it a ''multiyear contract extension.'' It has been widely reported that it is a two-year, $40 million extension that will keep Duncan in San Antonio at least through the 2011-12 season.
GOOD START
Atlanta opened with a win for the first time since the 1998-99 season, 101-94 over Dallas on Friday night.
ROUT
Toronto set a team record for margin of victory in a road game with a 106-69 rout of New Jersey on Friday. The Raptors previous best was 33 at San Antonio on Feb. 19, 1997.
SNAPPED
Toronto ended a six-game losing streak in New Jersey, including three in last season's playoffs with a 106-69 win on Friday.
CLANG
Charlotte beat Milwaukee 102-99 despite hitting just 22 of 43 free throws. Emeka Okafor was 3-for-13 and Jason Richardson missed four of six.
SPEAKING
''He was as good as that other No. 23 I played against. He was exceptional. He wasn't going to let his team lose.'' - New York coach Isiah Thomas on LeBron James Friday night. James scored 45 to lead Cleveland past the Knicks 110-106.
Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade cleared to play after recovering from surgeries
ASSOCIATED PRESS
INDIANAPOLIS -- Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade has been cleared to play after recovering from the left knee and left shoulder surgeries he had in May.
Miami coach Pat Riley didn't put a timetable on Wade's return to the lineup. In the announcement before Friday's game against the Indiana Pacers, Riley said Wade has been practicing, but without making any contact.
The Pacers won 87-85 but lost against the spread.
Riley plans to be careful in bringing back his All-Star.
''His conditioning is not to the level that he needs it to be for the kind of game we need from him, but this is a big step for us,'' Riley said. ''We're not going to have any kind of watch. I think when he decides to play is the day you'll know about it.''
Riley said he'd sit down with Wade on Saturday and discuss the matter. Wade didn't make the trip to Indianapolis.
''We'll see how he feels, how comfortable he is,'' Riley said. ''Once this switch has been hit, I think it will change his mind-set as far as really prepping to get ready.''
Riley said the shoulder is in good shape.
''I think it's as strong and durable as it's going to be after five months.''
Wade averaged 27.4 points last season but missed 31 games with a variety of injuries - primarily the dislocated left shoulder he suffered in February.
He returned late in the season and for the playoffs, but he wasn't his normal explosive self. He averaged 23.5 points in the playoffs, but shot just 43 percent from the field as the Heat were swept in the first round by the Chicago Bulls.
Miami lost its season opener Thursday night, 91-80 to the Detroit Pistons. Riley said Wade's return would give the Heat a lift.
''We look forward to his return, when he's ready to go.''
Hi
Today's NBA Picks
301 Nets (New Jersey) -2.5 o186
303 Magic (Orlando) 2.5 o199
312 Mavericks ( Dallas) -14.5 u188.5
313 Warriors (Golden State) 9 o213.5
P.s. Good luck to all...
Artest will serve full suspension
sacbee.com
Ron Artest's seven-game suspension will not be reduced, according to his agent.
Although the Kings small forward had his arbitration hearing Thursday in New York, his agent, Mark Stevens, said Artest came to a "confidential settlement with the league" that does not include games being taken off the suspension and rendered arbitration irrelevant.
"We're satisfied with the settlement," Stevens said, "but I can't go into the terms. We preferred the settlement as opposed to a weeks-long arbitration."
According to the league's collective bargaining agreement, an arbitrator would have had 30 days to reach a verdict. Even if Artest would have had games reduced, the decision may have come after the fact and Artest would have been refunded his lost pay.
It's not known how much of his salary was recouped, but Artest originally was slated to lose $470,909.
Artest rejoined the Kings on Friday and made the most of his time off by speaking to students at Holmes High School in San Antonio. He is scheduled to appear at the Martin Luther King Jr. Library in South Dallas today to read to children, though he certainly would rather be on the court.
Artest is not allowed in the arena during games. He had planned to watch Friday night's game at Panchito's Mexican Restaurant on the outskirts of San Antonio.
"Rather than sitting in the hotel, I got a chance to do something with my time and actually have fun doing it," Artest said of his high school visit. "I definitely wish I could've been out there earlier, but I have so much confidence in my team that I'm not that upset about it."
When asked about the recent trade discussions that reportedly could have sent Artest to the Lakers, Stevens wouldn't comment on how close he believed a deal was to being done. Artest, Stevens said, is focused on returning to action and remains undecided on whether he will opt out of his contract after this season.
Artest is scheduled to earn $8.5 million next season, but he has an early termination option that would make him a free agent this summer. It is a scenario similar to that of Peja Stojakovic two years ago, when the then-Kings small forward was nearing free agency and Sacramento opted to trade him for Artest rather than lose his services for salary cap relief.
"He hasn't decided at this point," Stevens said. "He wants to get on the court and help the team win, and hopefully they can get to the playoffs and we'll reach some type of an understanding on which way he wants to move. At this point, it's not even a topic of discussion whether he will opt out or stay because he wants to help the team. That's the biggest focus right now – the team."
Udrih arrives – The timing was perfect, if only for the Kings' newest point guard, Beno Udrih, and his personal jewelry collection.
Although Udrih won't be able to play for a week because of a broken left index finger, the former San Antonio backup to Tony Parker joined his new team in time to receive his championship ring from his old employer Friday night at the AT&T Center.
"I think I deserve that ring," Udrih said with a smile. "I've been with the team, practiced with the team last year."
He'll do much more than practice with the Kings, who had interest in Udrih leading up to the 2004 draft. They now need him to help fill the void left by starter Mike Bibby, who is out at least 10 weeks with a torn ligament in his left thumb.
Udrih was in Sacramento on Wednesday to sign his one-year contract, and it wasn't the first time he had flown solo into the city. The day before the 2004 draft in which the Kings selected Kevin Martin with the 26th overall pick, the shooting guard worked out against Udrih. Martin said he liked Udrih then and now. Had Martin not been available at No. 26, the Kings likely would have taken Udrih.
"That's what we're missing is a point guard who can control the team, run the offense and also bring some leadership," Martin said. "He's used to that, being down here in San Antonio. That's what they expect out of their point guards. It will help us a lot."
Sasha Pavlovic could play for Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday
The Plain Dealer
Sasha is back.
Not back on the court, but back nonetheless.
Sasha Pavlovic returned to Cleveland on Friday night and sat behind the Cavaliers' bench, having ended his contract holdout and signed a three-year deal worth about $4 million per year.
The Cavs waited all summer for Pavlovic to come to terms. Now the team will only have to wait another day. The guard/forward is expected to play Sunday against Phoenix at the start of the Cavs' six-game West Coast trip.
The Suns have a high-octane offense, and the Cavs immediately will find out what type of shape Pavlovic is in.
"I expect Sasha back for the trip, but if his first game is against Phoenix, that wouldn't be smart," said a smiling LeBron James. "You don't want your comeback against a team that runs up and down the court like that. Maybe the next game [Golden State], but I wouldn't want to come back against Phoenix if my last game was in the [NBA] Finals."