NBA round-up

Question

Shaquille O'Neal sustained a "significant" right thumb sprain forcing him to leave the Cleveland Cavaliers' game Thursday night against Boston.

Cavaliers head coach Mike Brown said O’Neal will not play in Friday night’s game in Toronto.

"I don't know how long Shaq will be out for he'll see the doctor and it will go from there," Brown said

However O’Neal’s loss didn’t stop the Cavs from thrashing the Celtics 108-88. LeBron James scored 36 points, 7 rebounds and handed out 9 assists to complete the rout of the 2008 NBA champions.

Elsewhere the Memphis Grizzlies have decided to send the No.2 overall pick from the 2009 NBA draft to the D-League. Hasheem Thabeet will now play for the Dakota Wizards and becomes the highest draft pick ever sent to the D-League by an NBA team.

The 23-year-old Thabeet is averaging just 2.5 points and 2.9 rebounds in 10.3 minutes per game for the Grizzlies.

Joakim Noah had to leave the Chicago Bulls practice yesterday to undergo a bone scan on his troublesome left foot. The centre is suffering from plantar fasciitis and managed to play just seven minutes against the teams 120-110 win over the Indiana Pacers.

Noah has been suffering from the injury for more than a month and recently missed seven consecutive games to rest the foot.

The Sacramento Kings have been dealt a blow with the news that young forward Jason Thompson will miss up to two weeks with a lower back injury.
Thompson underwent X-rays on his back which revealed two in his lower back and has been ordered to rest by doctors.
The sophomore is averaging 12.7 points and 8.8 rebounds per game this season.