NBA: Shots From Beyond the Arc
Shots From Beyond the Arc is back with more news and notes from goings on around the NBA. Elton Brand appears to be headed to the bench. Raja to have surgery? The Hornets say Chris Paul is out indefinitely. Eddy Curry is ready to roll. J. J. Hickson is making the most of his new role in Cleveland.
Paul Out Indefinitely
Chris Paul was set to have a MRI on his injured ankle Monday and the official word from the Hornets is that he is out indefinitely. Reports initially had him out from anywhere from one to two weeks to up to a month. Something tells me that Paul is not going to be in any kind of a hurry to get back on the court given his public displeasure over recent goings on in New Orleans.
Darren Collison is expected to play the point for the Hornets while Paul recovers from his injury.
Brand Benched?
Even though Marreese Speights is out for the next couple of months with a knee injury it appears as though Elton Brand may be losing his starting job in Philadelphia anyway. The Philadelphia Inquirer is reporting that Jason Smith was seen running drills in lieu of Brand with the first team on Monday.
The team seems to be spinning it that head coach Eddie Jordan wants to see how Brand fares playing center with the second unit that does not play as fast-paced as the starting lineup does.
Raja Bell to Have Surgery?
There is growing speculation that since he has been dealt to a team he has no interest in playing for that Raja Bell may go ahead and surgery to fix a torn ligament in his wrist. The thought is that Bell will quickly tire of all of the drama and fighting going on between players and coach Don Nelson and go ahead and have season ending wrist surgery.
There is also some sentiment that he may simply seek a buyout of his contract rather than play out the rest of the year in Golden State or ask to be traded.
Curry Ready to Roll
Mike D’Antoni tells Newsday that Eddy Curry is ready to go and he expects him to play on Wednesday. D’Antoni did not say how many minutes he expects Curry to see only that he expects that he will play. It is good news for a 1-9 Knicks team that needs help wherever it can get it these days.
Hickson Beginning to Shine
Cleveland coach Mike Brown is beginning to look like he might know what he is doing. His recent move to insert the younger, more athletic J. J. Hickson into the starting lineup in lieu of Anderson Varejao is beginning to look like a stroke of genius. After a couple of so-so performances in his first two starts Hickson has hit 14 of 22 shots and scored 38 points in the Cavaliers last two games.
As long as Hickson continues to give the Cavs 18 to 20 points per game he will not be heading back to the bench any time soon.
