News from December 23. Yao Ming (Hou) is expected to be out at least 6 weeks with a fractured bone in his right knee. Minnesota activated Bracey Wright and placed Trenton Hassell on IL with the flu. Indiana activated Orien Greene and placed Josh Powell on IL. Atlanta activated Esteban Batista and Tyronn Lue and placed Speedy Claxton (back spasms) and Josh Smith (hernia) on IL. Smith is scheduled to undergo surgery on Tuesday and then is expected to be out up to 4 weeks. New York activated Steve Francis and placed Kelvin Cato on IL. Philadelphia activated Andre Miller and Chris Webber and placed Bobby Jones and Steven Smith on IL. Miami activated Chris Quinn and placed Robert Hite on IL. Memphis activated Tarence Kinsey and placed Stromile Swift on IL. Swift was tending to his mother, who had a stroke. San Antonio activated Eric Williams and placed Robert Horry on IL. New Jersey activated Mile Ilic and placed Nenad Krstic on IL with a torn left ACL. Krstic is out for the season. Milwaukee activated Ruben Patterson and placed Chris McCray on IL. Charlotte activated Bernard Robinson and placed Brevin Knight on IL with a strained right groin. Chicago activated P.J. Brown and placed Andre Barrett on IL. Seattle activated Ray Allen and Danny Fortson and placed Rashard Lewis (torn tendon right hand) and Desmon Farmer on IL. Stats Leaders Points Carmelo Anthony (Den) 31.6 Allen Iverson (Phi) 30.6 Gilbert Arenas (Was) 30.1 Rebounds Dwight Howard (Orl) 12.7 Chris Bosh (Tor) 12.2 Kevin Garnett (Min) 12.2 Assists Steve Nash (Pho) 11.6 Jason Kidd (NJ) 9.6 Andre Miller (Phi) 9.2 Mia 105, GS 92 at Mia Dwyane Wade (Mia) had 18 points, 8 assists, and 4 blocks. Jason Kapono (Mia) had 27 points including 11-18 FG and 5 rebounds. Udonis Haslem (Mia) had 13 points including 6-9 FG and 10 rebounds. Matt Barnes (GS) had 20 points, 12 rebounds, and 5 assists. Mike Dunleavy (GS) had 16 points and 11 rebounds. Mia shot 48.8% (40-82) FG and GS shot 37.4% (37-99) FG. Gary Payton (Mia) and Mickael Pietrus (GS, broken nose) did not play. Det 108, Atl 81 at Det Richard Hamilton (Det) had 16 points. Tayshaun Prince (Det) had 16 points. Nazr Mohammed (Det) had 19 points including 7-8 FG and 10 rebounds. Marvin Williams (Atl) had 19 points. Sheldon Williams (Atl) had 11 points and 15 rebounds including 8 offensive. Det shot 49.3% (36-73) FG and Atl shot 36.3% (33-91) FG. Tyronn Lue (Atl, groin injury) and Zaza Pachulia (Atl, sprained elbow) did not play. Cle 86, Orl 83 at Cle Drew Gooden (Cle) had 14 points, 12 rebounds including 6 offensive, and 3 steals. LeBron James (Cle) had 32 points on 13-21 FG and 4-10 Ft, 7 rebounds, and 7 turnovers. Zydrunas Ilgauskas (Cle) had 22 points and 10 rebounds including 7 offensive. Dwight Howard (Orl) had 17 points and 13 rebounds. Grant Hill (Orl) had 15 points. Uta 100, Mem 97 at Mem Deron Williams (Uta) had 17 points and 9 assists. Carlos Boozer (Uta) had 24 points including 10-12 FT, 11 rebounds, 5 assists, and 5 turnovers. Mehmet Okur (Uta) had 20 points and 9 rebounds. Mike Miller (Mem) had 28 points including 6-13 3-pointers and 5 rebounds. Dahntey Jones (Mem) had 14 points. SA 112, NO 77 at Oklahoma City Manu Ginobili (SA) had 17 points and 3 steals. Tony Parker (SA) had 19 points including 8-11 FG, 5 rebounds, and 9 assists. Bruce Bowen (SA) had 15 points on 6-7 FG and 3-3 3-pointers. Chris Paul (NO) had 20 points. Rasual Butler (NO) had 16 points including 6-8 FG. SA shot 62.9% (44-70) FG and NO shot 37.3% (31-83) FG. Chi 115, Cha 76 at Chi Andres Nocioni (Chi) had 21 points and 11 rebounds. Ben Gordon (Chi) had 23 points including 10-14 FG. Thabo Sefolosha (Chi) had 14 points on 7-11 FG and 9 rebounds. Melvin Ely (Chi) had 13 points. Raymond Felton (Cha) had 10 points including 4-15 FG and 9 assists. Chi shot 52.4% (43-82) FG and Cha shot 35.6% (32-90) FG. Chi shot 23-32 FT and C ha shot 9-15 FT. Mil 115, NJ 104 at Mil Maurice Williams (Mil) had 32 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists. Michael Redd (Mil) had 21 points. Charlie Bell (Mil) had 20 points. Andrew Bogut (Mil) had 18 points including 7-8 FG, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists. Jason Kidd (NJ) had 21 points, 11 assists, and 3 steals. Eddie House (NJ) had 22 points including 5-10 3-pointers, 5 rebounds, and 3 steals. Vince Carter (NJ) had 18 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists. Mil shot 55.1% (43-78) FG and NJ shot 41.9% (39-93) FG. LAC 98, Hou 93 at Hou Tim Thomas (LAC) had 21 points including 4-9 3-pointers and 6 rebounds. Chris Kaman (LAC) had 15 points and 11 rebounds. Cuttino Mobley (LAC) had 18 points including 7-9 FG and 3-3 3-pointers and 5 rebounds. Rafer Alston (Hou) had 21 points and 6 assists. Luther Head (Hou) had 22 points including 5-8 3-pointers. Shane Battier (Hou) had 28 points including 9-15 FG and 4-6 3-pointers and 6 rebounds. Sea 110, Tor 97 at Sea Luke Ridnour (Sea) had 18 points and 6 assists. Ray Allen (Sea) had 28 points including 9-15 FG and 5-6 3-pointers, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists. Johan Petro (Sea) had 15 points and 8 rebounds including 5 offensive. T.J. Ford (Tor) had 24 points including 9-16 FG, 9 assists, 3 steals, and 5 turnovers. Jorge Garbajosa (Tor) had 18 points and 7 rebounds. Fred Jones (Tor) had 19 points and 3 steals. Min 78, Ind 71 at Ind Kevin Garnett (Min) had 29 points and 19 rebounds. Randy Foye (Min) had 10 points and 5 rebounds. Jamaal Tinsley (Ind) had 22 points. Jermaine O'Neal (Ind) had 11 points including 1-7 FT, 11 rebounds, and 5 blocks. Phi 98, NY 77 at Phi Chris Webber (Phi) had 18 points on 9-13 FG, 9 rebounds, 3 steals, 3 blocks, and 5 turnovers. Andre Iguodala (Phi) had 20 points including 3-4 3-pointers and 5 assists. Samuel Dalembert (Phi) had 11 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 blocks. Jamal Crawford (NY) had 21 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and 5 turnovers. David Lee (NY) had 10 points and 13 rebounds. Phi shot 23-29 FT and NY shot 7-11 FT. Mardy Collins (NY, suspended), Jared Jeffries (NY, suspended), and Nate Robinson (NY, suspended) did not play. On the lighter side: Steve Nash (Pho) on Carmelo Anthony's sucker-punch and backpedal during the NY-Den fight: "Typical NBA punch. In hockey, your own team would beat you up for that."