Amare unsure if he will play Tuesday
November 5, 2007
PHOENIX (AP) -Swelling in Amare Stoudemire's right knee could sideline him for the second game in a row when the Phoenix Suns begin a four-game road trip Tuesday night at Charlotte.
``It all depends on how I feel,'' Stoudemire said after the Suns practiced on Monday. ``If I feel good tomorrow, then I'll play. If not, then I'll sit it out. There's no pressure being put on me by the staff or the trainers.''
Stoudemire watched film, lifted weights and did some shooting while his teammates practiced. He sat out Phoenix's 103-92 victory over Cleveland on Sunday. The all-star forward had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee Oct. 2.
He missed virtually all the 2005-06 season after microfracture surgery on his left knee. The latest surgery was considered minor, and Stoudemire had come back strong before the swelling occurred.
Coach Mike D'Antoni said he was not concerned about any long-term impact.
``Maybe it's just a normal thing, just a little too much activity, maybe,'' D'Antoni said. ``Whatever it is, with a couple of days' rest, he'll be fine.''
Stoudemire, the only player to appear in all 82 regular-season Suns games last season, said he is taking a cautious approach.
``It's early, I've got a long career,'' he said. ``You can't win a championship in November, but you can lose one, you know what I'm saying? I just want to make sure I take my time and get back right so I'm able to go to war with these guys the next few months.''
Wade returns to practice ahead of schedule
November 5, 2007
Associated Press
MIAMI (AP) -- Dwyane Wade's surgically repaired knee survived its first real test with no setbacks.
During Wade's first full-contact practice this season with the Miami Heat, rookie center Joel Anthony threw his 6-foot-9, 260-pound body toward the 2006 NBA finals MVP as the guard headed toward the basket.
Wade didn't mind whatsoever.
After six months, he was more than anxious to see how he'd handle getting fouled again.
"It finally came," Wade said. "I needed to go get that first hit and I appreciate Joel for that."
The good news for the Heat was that Wade reported no problems related to his left knee or left shoulder -- both of which were operated on May 15 -- after practice Monday.
The bad news for the franchise is that Wade still doesn't know when he'll be ready to return to the Miami lineup, which could clearly use a boost after an 0-3 start.
"It was just good to be back out there playing, to be back out there practicing," said Wade, the three-time All-Star who averaged a career-high 27.4 points last season. "Every player loves the games and not too many love practice, but today I loved practice -- for the first time."
One thing Wade made clear: Miami's slow start isn't a good enough reason for him to rush back into the lineup before he's certain the knee is ready.
When he returns, Wade wants to be back to stay.
"My prognostical prognosis, my assumption, I'll say about three weeks," Heat center Shaquille O'Neal said. "He's still D-Wade. He looks good out there. We're avoiding the very, very rough contact, but he's shooting the ball well and getting guys involved. When he gets out there, it's going to be fun."
Wade dislocated his left shoulder in February and missed most of the final two months of the regular season, plus was hobbled by the condition called "jumper's knee" when he came back for Miami's short stint in the playoffs.
So he had both conditions repaired at the same time in mid-May, being told the rehabilitation process would take about six months -- meaning he's actually a bit ahead of schedule.
"It's going to be a day-to-day process, it really is," Wade said. "Hopefully we don't have the Dwyane Wade watch and countdown. I really don't want to do that. I really want to concentrate on the Miami Heat and when I come back, everybody will know it and hopefully I come back ready to help the team get on a good track."
The left shoulder, he said, is tighter than his right one now, so learning to absorb contact is the only real concern there. But the knee is Wade's ticket to explosiveness, which defines his game. And after four days of hard workouts last week, Wade had to take two days off because of soreness there.
That would indicate he's not quite ready yet for the rigors of play.
"He went after it, he took a couple hard hits, he had a good practice," Heat coach Pat Riley said. "He's just going to practice every day and when he feels ready, then that's when he'll be ready. He went hard today. We scrimmaged today. We went halfcourt, we did a lot of different packages and schemes. ... He looked good."
NBA Today - November 6
ASSOCIATED PRESS
SCOREBOARD Tuesday, Nov. 6
San Antonio at Houston (8:30 PM EST). San Antonio and Houston split their four meetings last season, with the visiting team winning all of them.
STARS Monday
-Jason Terry, Mavericks, scored 31 points in a 107-98 victory over Houston.
GOOD START
Dallas defeated Houston 107-98 on Monday to improve to 3-1, which is notable only because they were 0-4 at this point last season, with a 41-point loss to Houston mixed in. Dallas went on to win 67 games, matching the fifth-most in league history, before getting bounced in the first round of the playoffs.
STRONG IN DEFEAT
Tracy McGrady had 35 points and eight assists, and Yao Ming had 21 points and 11 rebounds, but Dallas handed Houston its first loss of the season, 107-98 on Monday night. McGrady, who came in as the league's leading scorer and received the Western Conference's first player of the week award this season, was 12-of-31 from the field.
SIDELINED
Swelling in Amare Stoudemire's right knee could sideline him for the second game in a row when Phoenix begins a four-game road trip Tuesday night at Charlotte. The All-Star forward had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee Oct. 2. He missed virtually all the 2005-06 season after microfracture surgery on his left knee.
SPEAKING
''He just had that look in his eye and his shot really looked good. We are very surprised when he misses; we're kind of spoiled these days.'' - Dallas coach Avery Johnson, on Jason Terry's 31 points in the Mavericks' 107-98 win over Houston on Monday.
Donyell Marshall has his wrist in splint
Phoenix -- Donyell Marshall's injured right wrist is worse than initially believed.
The Cavs forward is listed as day-to-day, and he missed Sunday's game against the Suns, but his time off appears extended.
Marshall hurt his right, shooting wrist in the season opener when Mavericks guard Devin Harris ran into him and Marshall fell to the ground. After Friday's game against the Knicks, the Cavs decided to immobilize Marshall's wrist with a splint.
In the past few years, Marshall has had two surgeries on his right wrist.
"I wasn't really sure if it was something lingering from that surgery," Marshall said. "I got treatment [Thursday], so the next game [against the Knicks], I took some shots, and my wrist was clicking and popping."
Marshall will wear the splint for at least a week before the team will take the next step.
So the Cavs' already-depleted frontcourt will miss another player. Ira Newble and Cedric Simmons should see more time.
"It's a tough blow," coach Mike Brown said.
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NBA Selection and Injures:
201 Suns (Phoenix) -5(-110) o209.5(-110)
203 Hawks (Atlanta) 3.5(-110) o188.5(-110)
205 Nuggets (Denver)-3.5(-110) o212(-110)
207 Magic (Orlando) -6.5(-110) o189(-110)
Injures reports:
ATLANTA
G Speedy Claxton Out indefinitely - Knee - 10/16/07
DENVER
C Marcus Camby Probable - Back - 10/26/07
G Chucky Atkins Early Dec - Groin - 10/27/07
G J.R. Smith Elig Nov 6 - Suspension - 10/21/07
G Anthony Carter Late Nov - Hand - 10/8/07
ORLANDO
C Tony Battie out for season - Shoulder - 9/30/07
PHOENIX
C Amare Stoudemire Probable - Knee - 10/1/07
G Leandro Barbosa Questionable - Ribs - 10/24/07
P.s. Good luck if you betting