Hoops News Blog

Gerald Wallace scored 28 points on 9-for-10 shooting from the field, Stephen Jackson added 24 points and 10 rebounds, and the Charlotte Bobcats won their fourth straight game with a 102-87 victory over the reeling Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night. Boris Diaw contributed 13 points for the Bobcats (32-31), who entered the game in seventh place in the Eastern Conference playoff race.

The New Orleans Hornets’ depleted starting lineup is taking another hit. Forward Peja Stojakovic joined All-Star point guard Chris Paul on the injured list Wednesday, and he’s expected to miss at least two weeks with a lower abdominal strain. “That’s a minimum timeframe, and it will all be dictated by the healing process,” Jeff Bower, the Hornets’ coach and general…

Centers Erick Dampier and Brendan Haywood returned to the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday night against the New Jersey Nets. Dampier missed the previous 12 games with a dislocated right middle finger. Haywood sat out two games with lower back tightness. Dallas played long stretches of zone defense and used small forward Shawn Marion at center while its two big men were sidelined.

Denver coach George Karl stayed at home to receive treatment for cancer and did not make the trip to Minnesota for the Nuggets’ game against the Timberwolves on Wednesday. It has long been planned that Karl would remain in Denver for this trip to the Twin Cities. Assistant Adrian Dantley filled in as head coach for the fourth time this season.

Rafer Alston’s absence from the Miami Heat took another turn Wednesday, with the team denying that the embattled point guard was told shortly before his sudden departure he would no longer get playing time. Alston was quoted by ESPN.com saying that he chose to leave because of a personal issue involving a family member, plus said Heat coach Erik Spoelstra told him that he “wouldn’t be…

The Golden State Warriors say center Andris Biedrins has undergone surgery to repair a small tear of an abdominal muscle. Biedrins had the surgery Wednesday in Philadelphia. The team says it will be four to six weeks until Biedrins can resume basketball-related activities. With only five weeks remaining in the season, that means Biedrins is not expected to return until next season.

Philadelphia 76ers coach Eddie Jordan says he’s not worried about a newspaper report stating he could be fired soon. The Philadelphia Inquirer, citing unidentified sources, reported on Tuesday that Comcast-Spectator was ready to fire Jordan, likely after his first season with the team is complete.

LeBron James is expected to return to the Cleveland Cavaliers’ lineup against the Philadelphia 76ers, while Antawn Jamison remains day to day. Cleveland coach Mike Brown said on Wednesday that he expects James to play when the Cavaliers visit Philadelphia on Friday. James has missed two games to rest a tender right ankle he twisted last Friday against Detroit.

The Detroit Pistons say three doctors have cleared Rodney Stuckey for exercise after a heart evaluation. Stuckey collapsed on the bench during Friday’s game at Cleveland and was taken away on a stretcher. He missed Sunday’s game against Houston and will be out again Wednesday against Utah. Stuckey missed two games last season after experiencing dizziness during a game.

Kobe Bryant hit a 17-foot fallaway jumper with 1.9 seconds left, and the Los Angeles Lakers rallied in the fourth quarter to snap their three-game losing streak with a 109-107 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday night. Chris Bosh hit a 3-pointer with 9.5 seconds left to tie it for the Raptors, who outplayed the defending champions for most of the first three quarters before losing on…