News from February 2. The NBA named Shaquille O'Neal (LAL) as Player of the Month for January. O'Neal averaged 29 points, 12.8 rebounds, and 2.8 rebounds as the Lakers went 9-4 in January. The NBA named Tim Duncan (SA) as Rookie of the Month for January. Duncan averaged 19.5 points including 54.2% FG, 11.5 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks as San Antonio went 14-3 in January. The NBA named Larry Bird (Ind) as Coach of the Month for January. Indiana went 12-2 in January. The NBA named David Robinson (SA) as Player of the Week. Robinson averaged 31.5 points including 62% FG, 11.8 rebounds, and 3.3 blocks as San Antonio went 4-0. The Basketball Hall of Fame announced the nominees for election for 1998. The nominees are: Larry Bird played with the Boston Celtics 79-80 - 91-92 Larry Costello played with the Philadelphia Warriors 54-55 - 56-57 and 63-64 - 67-68 and with the Syracuse Nationals 57-58 - 62-63 and coached the Milwaukee Bucks 68-69 - 76-77 and the Chicago Bulls 78-79 Adrian Dantley 15 seasons as a player including with the Utah Jazz 79-80 - 85-86 and with the Detroit Pistons 86-87 - 88-89 Artis Gilmore played with the ABA Kentucky Colonels 71-72 - 75-76, the NBA Chicago Bulls 76-77 - 81-82 and 87-88, the San Antonio Spurs 82-83 - 86-87, and the Boston Celtics 87-88 Gus Johnson played with the NBA Baltimore Bullets 63-64 - 71-72, the Phoenix Suns 72-73, the ABA Indiana Pacers 72-73 Alex Hannum 12 years coaching in the NBA and 4 in the ABA, won titles with the 1958 St. Louis Hawks, 1967 Philadelphia 76ers, and 1969 ABA Oakland Oaks Marques Haynes 40 years with the Harleem Globetrotters and the Magicians Sidney Moncrief played with the Milwaukee Bucks 79-80 - 88-89 and the Atlanta Hawks 90-91 John Thompson 25 seasons as Georgetown University coach, won 1984 NCAA championship Chet Walker played with the Syracuse Nationals 62-63, Philadelphia 76ers 63-64 - 68-69, and Chicago Bulls 69-70 - 72-73 Tex Winters 51 seasons as NBA and college coach Additional nominees will be made from the Women's, Veteran's, and International committees. A nominee needs at least 18 of 24 votes from the Honors Committee to be inducted. The announcement for the new inductees will occur June 29 and the enshrinement ceremonies will occur in October. The NBA fined P.J. Brown (Mia) $2,500 and suspended him for 1 game for leaving the substitution box during Sunday's NY-Mia altercation between Larry Johnson (NY) and Alonzo Mourning (Mia). Johnson was fined $5,000 for the incident. The NBA fined Danny Fortson (Den) $5,000 for shoving Shawn Bradley (Dal) during Saturday's Den-Dal game. Tracy McGrady (Tor) was named to replace the injured Derek Anderson (Cle) in the Rookie Game. Detroit fired head coach Doug Collins and named Alvin Gentry as interim coach. Cleveland placed Derek Anderson in IR with a sprained right MCL and signed Carl Thomas to a 10-day contract. Charlotte placed Bobby Phills on IR with a left groin injury and signed Jeff Grayer to a 10-day contract. Terry Mills (Mia) underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee to remove loose cartilage and will be out 6 to 8 weeks. Denver activated George Zidek and placed Harold Ellis on IR with torn cartilage in his right knee. Dal 104, Van 90 - at Dal Michael Finley (Dal) had 30 points and 12 rebounds. Hubert Davis (Dal) had 18 points and 5 assists. Erick Strickland (Dal) had 21 points including 3-4 3-pointers. Bryant Reeves (Van) had 19 points and 10 rebounds. Antonio Daniels (Van) had 15 points. Samaki Walker (Dal, stress fracture right foot) did not play. Chi 111, Den 72 - at Den Scottie Pippen (Chi) had 19 points and 7 rebounds. Michael Jordan (Chi) had 15 points and 6 rebounds. Scott Burrell (Chi) had 24 points including 5-7 3-pointers. LaPhonso Ellis (Den) had 13 points and 5 rebounds. Johnny Newman (Den) had 19 points. Chi shot 50% (42-84) FG and Den shot 35.4% (28-79) FG. Chi out-rebounded Den 55-33 including 15-7 offensive. Toni Kukoc (Chi, back injury) did not play. Pho 106, Phi 97 - at Phi Antonio McDyess (Pho) had 22 points, 13 rebounds, and 7 assists. Rex Chapman (Pho) had 29 points on 12-19 FG and 5-8 3-pointers and 7 assists. Steve Nash (Pho) had 17 points and 3 steals. Jim Jackson (Phi) had 22 points on 10-16 FG and 6 assists. Allen Iverson (Phi) had 30 points and 7 assists. Cle 109, Min 99 - at Cle Cedric Henderson (Cle) had 24 points on 12-17 FG, 6 rebounds, and 5 turnovers. Shawn Kemp (Cle) had 16 points including 6-10 FT and 12 rebounds. Zydrunas Ilgauskas (Cle) had 19 points and 10 rebounds including 7 offensive. Wesley Person (Cle) had 18 points including 3-4 3-pointers and 8 rebounds. Stephon Marbury (Min) had 27 points on 7-21 FG, 5-11 3-pointers, and 8-10 FT and 5 assists. Terry Porter (Min) had 20 points and 6 rebounds. Cle out-rebounded Min 51-31 including 18-8 offensive. Tom Gugliotta (Min, sprained right ankle) did not play. Mia 90, Atl 83 - at Mia Jamal Mashburn (Mia) had 16 points. Alonzo Mourning (Mia) had 22 points including 10-12 FG, 17 rebounds, and 4 blocks. Tim Hardaway (Mia) had 11 points including 4-12 FG and 13 assists. Dikembe Mutombo (Atl) had 14 points including 6-7 FG and 15 rebounds. Steve Smith (Atl) had 17 points on 4-14 FG and 9-10 FT and 8 rebounds. Mookie Blaylock (Atl) had 20 points. Mia shot 9-13 FT and Atl shot 22-30 FT. P.J. Brown (Mia, suspended) did not play. Was 113, Det 101 - at Was Chris Webber (Was) had 23 points on 11-18 FG, 12 rebounds, and 6 assists. Juwan Howard (Was) had 17 points, 9 rebounds, and 9 assists. Rod Strickland (Was) had 26 points including 12-18 FG, 6 rebounds, and 10 assists. Grant Hill (Det) had 16 points and 10 rebounds. Jerry Stackhouse (Det) had 22 points and 3 blocks. Was shot 53.3% (49-92) FG and 10-14 FT and Det shot 41.8% (33-79) FG and 32-41 FT. On the lighter side Phil Jackson on Chicago's 111-72 win over Denver: "I thought the national anthem was the highlight out there."