Tempers seem to be running a tad high in the NBA these days. Well, at least for Atlanta forward Josh Smith, Golden State guard Baron Davis and Minnesota guard Ricky Davis. They have all been punished for their inability to control their emotions.
Smith was ejected Saturday night in the Hawks' second consecutive loss to Charlotte after receiving two technical fouls, then raising both middle fingers to the jeering crowd upon exiting.
Baron Davis missed his team's home defeat Saturday night to Cleveland after a one-game suspension resulting from an alleged punch thrown Wednesday night against the Los Angeles Clippers. Bet on the NBA at WagerWeb.com and recive a 30% bonus!
His Timberwolves namesake won't play Sunday night in Phoenix after bolting to the locker room when he was replaced by Randy Foye in the third quarter of Friday night's defeat to Detroit. He returned to the bench a couple minutes later, but didn't play the rest of the game.
"You can't have that happen," Minnesota vice president of basketball operations Kevin McHale told the Associated Press. "There are certain things that are out of bounds."
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Davis, who has been a key contributor to the improved Wolves, averaging 17 points a game, has been viewed as a selfish player in the past. He purposely missed an uncontested layup to snag a rebound that gave him a triple-double in 2003.
According to WagerWeb.com, the Wolves are a 11-point underdogs against the Suns.
Just Like Old Times: The NBA championship series matchup of a previous year can only be played twice during the regular season.
One of those will be Sunday afternoon when Miami hosts Dallas. As an added attraction, Heat center Shaquille O'Neal might make his first appearance in two months after foot surgery.
If O'Neal does play, however, it would likely be briefly and he would have to shake off the cobwebs. The Heat could use all the help they could get against the torrid Mavericks, who own the best record in the league at 33-8 and has won 19 of their last 20.
"We've got a totally different team than we had last season," Dallas guard Jason Terry told the Associated Press when asked about seeking revenge for the loss to Miami in the finals. "I mean, it will be in the back of your mind, but what can you do? They're not going to give up their rings if we beat them."
WagerWeb.com lists Dallas as a 6-point favorite in the 1 p.m. game, which will be nationally televised on ABC.
DRIBBLES: A remarkable comeback Saturday night maintained Cleveland's half-game hold on first place in the Central Division following its seven-game West Coast swing. The Cavaliers overcame an 18-point halftime deficit for a 106-104 overtime victory at Golden State. The game marked the Warrior debuts of Al Harrington and Stephen Jackson, who were acquired last week in a trade with Indiana. Harrington hit just 4 of 21 from the field, but led the team with 12 rebounds. Jackson racked up 25 points, seven rebounds and five assists. … New York center Eddy Curry continues to be one of the most impressive first-half stories in the NBA. He scored 26 points in a 108-106 upset win Saturday night at Indiana. He is averaging 19 points a game. Troy Murphy and Mike Dunleavy debuted for the Pacers, combining for 24 points and 14 rebounds. … New Jersey became the first Atlantic Division team to reach .500 in two months with a 101-94 road defeat Saturday night of collapsing Orlando. Eddie House, who has not given the Nets the expected minutes or production off the bench this season, scored 15 of his 17 points in the fourth quarter against the Magic. … Is Houston finally missing Yao Ming? That question must be asked after its third consecutive loss. The Rockets fell to Denver in overtime Saturday night, 122-113. It marked the last game of Nuggets guard Carmelo Anthony's 15-game suspension. He will return Monday night at home against Memphis. … Sacramento forward Ron Artest was booed lustily during his team's 91-74 loss Saturday night at Detroit. Artest was playing his first game in that city since he was the focal point of the infamous 2004 brawl between the Pistons and Pacers.
