Dwight Howard and Dwyane Wade disciplined; Steve Blake and Brandon Roy close to making comebacks – NBA News Roundup
Star Los Angeles Lakers centre Dwight Howard has been fined $35,000 by the NBA for committing a flagrant two foul against Denver's Kenneth Faried, who tried to dunk over D-12 nearly midway through the third quarter
in Wednesday’s game which the Nuggets won 126-114.
Howard had said after the game that the foul was unintentional;
"I was surprised it was a flagrant 2," he said. "My intention was never to hurt Faried. I like the young fellow and my intention was just to foul. I come down the lane, somebody is going to foul me hard, put me on the free-throw
line and make me shoot free throws. It was the same kind of thing."
Dwight was not suspended by the league. Dwyane Wade was not that lucky though.
The Miami Heat two-guard has been suspended for one game without pay for intentionally kicking Charlotte Bobcats point guard Ramon Sessions. The suspension means that Wade will not be a part of Miami’s games against the Detroit
Pistons on Friday night.
In other news, Los Angeles Lakers reserve point guard
Steve Blake is recovering according to the initially estimated timetable of mid January. The guard had suffered a tear in the lower abdomen early in the season and after weeks of rest and rehab, it was decided that a surgery will be required.
Blake’s return will add steel to the Lakers’ back court, which recently got a major boost by the return of Steve Nash.
While Blake may be weeks from making comeback, Minnesota Timberwolves guard and a four time All-Star
Brandon Roy might return to the court this weekend after recovering from another knee surgery, the seventh in his injury plagued career. According to Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune;
“BRoy says he could play some Saturday if he comes through tomorrow's back-to-back practice like he did today's”.
Last but not the least, Lakers’ power forward
Pau Gasol, who recently missed eight consecutive games with tendinitis in both his knee, has been diagnosed with plantar fasciitis in his right foot. The power forward has been listed as a probable for the game against the Portland Trail Blazers tonight,
but it is highly unlikely that he will play.
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