NBA Basketball...Back To Business

Fresh off the All-Star break, the NBA got back in the swing of things with 10 games Tuesday night. Highlights: Kevin Durant continued his hot shooting from the Rookie game and H-O-R-S-E contest, by going for 47 against the Hornets. David West had 37 and 13 in the game...Dwight Howard is an absolute MAN. Line vs. the Bobcats: 45 points (career-high), 19 boards, 8 blocks....Nate Robinson carried over his momentum from the Dunk Contest, scoring 32 points and grabbing 10 rebounds to lead the Knicks to a victory over the Spurs....Pau Gasol had a triple-double: 12 points, 13 boards, and 10 assists....Zach Randolph stole the shit outta Suns F Louis Amundsen. LMAO.

Players On The Move...

New Orleans trades C Tyson Chandler To OKC For Forwards Chris Wilcox and Joe Smith

What The Trade Means For N.O.:

As a Hornets fan, this is an absolute disgrace. Bottom line: the Hornets didn't want to pay Chandler $25 Mil. over the next two seasons. However, trading him erased any hope of New Orleans making a run in the Western Conference Playoffs. Chandler was their only 7-footer, and only interior threat on defense. Although Chandler's numbers are down this season and he's been injury-plagued all year, the trade makes zero Basketball-sense. In return they get 2 6-10 forwards; 13 year veteran Joe Smith and Chris Wilcox, who's in his 6th season. Both players are modest bench players, but not guys you give up your starting center for.

What the N.O. players had to say:

"I don't know if that's somebody we can afford to lose,'' [David] West told the newspaper. "So I'm not sold on that idea. You just don't find a 7-foot-1 athlete like that and he's the only 7-footer we have. Especially if we're planning on making a run into the playoffs, we're going to need size to compete with Portland, San Antonio and the Lakers. I'm not sure that would help us.''

Guard Rasual Butler had a hard time fathoming why the Hornets made the deal.

"It's a little bit of a shock to me. Tyson was a great teammate, a great asset to our team," Butler said. "This is nothing against Wilcox or Joe Smith, but we'll definitely miss Tyson."

What The Trade Means For OKC:

Oklahoma City stole Tyson Chandler, and are starting to look REALLY nice for the upcoming years. They've already got a great young core of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and Jeff Green, and Chandler, just 26, is the inside presence they've been missing. In addition, the Thunder have 5 first round pick in the next two drafts. Great move for Oklahoma City.

Scores From Around The League...2/17/09

76ers 91, Pacers 100

Bobcats 102, Magic 107 (OT)

T'Wolves 103, Wizards 111

Bucks 92, Pistons 86

Spurs 107, Knicks 112 (OT)

Hornets 100, Thunder 98

Nets 88, Rockets 114

Clippers 100, Suns 140

Grizzlies 99, Jazz 117

Hawks 83, Lakers 96

P.S. T-Mac's done for the year - shocker.

Via: ESPN