Trans. Mar 15 3:35 ET (Mar 15 3:35 ET ) A look around the league and the Web that covers it. It's also important to note that the rotation order and starting nods aren't always listed in order of importance. That's for you, dear reader, to figure out.
C : Oklahoman . The Oklahoma City Thunder really wishes it were late May right now.
PF : Akron Beacon-Journal . Daniel Gibson, who is still in the NBA, didn’t like Dahntay Jones’ move.
SF : Detroit News . Greg Monroe held some sway in the Pistons’ drafting of Andre Drummond.
SG : NBA.com . A video compilation of the top 20 plays of the Miami Heat’s 20 straight wins.
PG : Houston Chronicle . Jonathan Feigen busts out advanced stats to doubt the Rockets’ first quarter defense.
The top story in the NBA right now, by a wide margin, is the ankle sprain suffered by Kobe Bryant in the final seconds of the Los Angeles Lakers' Wednesday night loss to the Atlanta Hawks. The Lakers are holding on to the last playoff spot in the West by a thread, and losing Bryant for a significant amount of time could cost them a postseason berth. On top of that, discussion of the play itself has become very contentious, with Kobe calling the defense of Hawks wing Dahntay Jones "dirty" and Jones firing back that Bryant was the one to initiate contact.
On Thursday afternoon, the NBA chimed in with its own opinion of the play. According to an official statement from the league , Bryant should have earned two free throws:
It’s not exactly the most warming of stories in this economy – one millionaire will still be paid even after a season-long sick day, while another group of millionaires will be able to save money – but it is interesting to note that the Philadelphia 76ers will not be on the hook for Andrew Bynum’s salary should he sit out the entire season. Bynum, who was dealt to the Sixers last August and has missed the entire season with a right knee injury, will still get every penny of his $16.9 million salary even if he doesn’t play a minute this year, and the Sixers are off the hook for that compensation due to the insurance they have on their investment.
[Also: Kobe accuses Dahntay Jones of 'dirty' play after ankle injury ]
That’s right. Andrew Bynum, the guy that has missed 166 games over seven years due to a variety of knee ailments heading into 2012-13, wasn’t considered to have a pre-existing condition. It’s a wonderful world, sickies. From the Philadelphia Inquirer’s John Mitchell :
"There is a leaguewide insurance that he's under," Sixers president Rod Thorn said Wednesday before the team hosted the Miami Heat. "There is some relief along those lines."
NBA DRAFT LOTTERY SIM
MADNESS!
