Memphis Grizzlies

Ronnie Brewer To Return By This Weekend

Ronnie Brewer is expected to join the team’s contact practices by the weekend, exactly three weeks after he was sidelined. The Grizzlies’ most trusted bench player sounds determined to return in time to make a significant contribution.

Los Angeles Lakers

Luke Walton Hopes To Play Next Month

The pain in Luke Walton’s back is easing up, he said, and for the first time he’s set an ETA for his return. “Maybe by the beginning of April,” he said, noting his back pains are lessening as he increases his work. “I’ve gotta’ start amping up the work,” he said.

San Antonio Spurs

Popovich: Ginobili Starts Out Of ‘Necessity’

Coach Gregg Popovich now needs Manu Ginobili’s scoring and playmaking ability in the starting lineup, even if it creates a void on the bench. “It was a necessity,” Popovich said. “We’ll try to keep his minutes where we always have,” Popovich said.

Detroit Pistons

Rodney Stuckey Unsure About His Future

“Right now, I’m just chilling,” Rodney Stuckey said. But when asked if he’ll play again this season, he said, “I don’t know,” saying it’ll be up to the doctors. “I got to talk to the doctors and figure that out,” Stuckey said. He is scheduled for more tests.

Utah Jazz

Jerry Sloan’s One-Liners Entertain Media

Jerry Sloan was asked how he’s lasted 22 years with the Jazz when most other NBA coaches seem to lose touch with their players within a few seasons. “I tell our players, ‘I’m going to be here and you may not,’ ” he said. “I’ve been real fortunate.”

Los Angeles Lakers

Kobe Bryant Calls Raptors’ Win “Garbage”

Even though Los Angeles will spend Tuesday night resting in the win column for the first time in a week, they don’t feel like winners. “I’m throwing this [expletive] in the garbage,” Bryant said. “Our defense in Orlando was much better.”

Sacramento Kings

Evans Apologizes For Criticism Of Nocioni

Tyreke Evans, who made comments critical of teammate Andres Nocioni to The Bee after Sunday’s loss, apologized in a Tuesday afternoon radio interview with KHTK’s Grant Napear and Mike Lamb and reiterated his stance at the Rose Garden later.

Philadelphia 76ers

Sixers Ready To Fire Coach Eddie Jordan

Comcast-Spectacor is ready to fire Eddie Jordan, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the situation. Several other sources also indicated that the organization will “seriously evaluate” general manager Ed Stefanski, who hired Jordan.

New Jersey Nets

Rudy Gay Confirmed His Interest In Nets

Rudy Gay wasn’t just playing the political game when he told reporters last month he would consider the Nets in free agency this summer. Gay, who will be a restricted free agent July 1, also has told friends New Jersey is a place he wouldn’t mind going.

Los Angeles Clippers

Mike Dunleavy Out As GM Of The Clippers

Mike Dunleavy still doesn’t know exactly what happened. Tuesday he got a haircut, packed for a scouting trip to the ACC tournament, then went out to a local golf course for a couple hours. During that time he was being fired as GM of the Clippers.

Miami Heat

Alston Happy With Decision To Leave Heat

Rafer Alston is content with his decision to leave the Miami Heat, because it wasn’t about losing his starting job. It was about being told he was no longer going to play and deciding that looking after a twin sister who tried to take her life was more important.

Buzz and Buzzer

Kobe Hits Game-Winner Against Raptors

Some have been critical of Kobe Bryant for not making as many “clutch” shots as they’d hope this season, however he didn’t fail last night against the Toronto Raptors. And it was a tough one, double-teamed, fading on the baseline.

Buzz and Buzzer

Andrew Bogut Posterized “Big Baby” Davis

Andrew Bogut takes the ball, spins and dunks on Glen Davis who comes for the block. Bad idea by Big Baby.

Buzz and Buzzer

Dwight Howard Jokes About LeBron James

Last night, DeAndre Jordan and Dwight Howard ate toegther before the game when a girl started to sing “Empire State Of Mind”. A great opportunity by the center of the Magic to make fun of the complicated relationship between LeBron James and New-York.

Articles

Some Things You Don’t Need To Read #5

This is not news. It is not very informative and, for the most part, very useless. But, if you are a true NBA fan like us, you need to know it. Collected on Twitter, in the newspapers or on some blogs, these are “Some things you don’t need to read” #5.

Dallas Mavericks

Barkley Jumping On Mavericks Bandwagon

Noted critic Charles Barkley is almost ready to jump on the bandwagon. A team that was like a “pretty girl with no brain” has earned Barkley’s respect after a trade that transformed the Mavericks’ personality. “The key was defense and rebounding.”

Orlando Magic

Adonal Foyle Not Ready For A Retirement

Although Adonal Foyle hasn’t appeared in a game yet for the Magic in 2009-10, he said that he wants to continue as a player beyond this season. “I’ve been very fortunate to be around this game for as long as I have,” said Foyle. “I’m not giving it up.”

Denver Nuggets

Denver Nuggets Look To Sign Brian Cook

The Nuggets will be offering a contract to free agent power forward Brian Cook, according to Travis Heath at Hoopsworld. Cook started his career in Los Angeles but he was most recently on the roster in Houston, but was waived in February of this year.

NBA

Danny Granger, Channing Frye Suspended

Danny Granger and Channing Frye have each been suspended one game without pay for their participation in an altercation on March 6. Frye was suspended for throwing a punch at Granger, and Granger was suspended for fighting with Frye.