News from April 2. The NBA named Amare Stoudemire (Pho) and Dwyane Wade (Mia) as Players of the Month for March. Stoudemire averaged 27.3 points and 9.9 rebounds as Phoenix went 12-2. Wade averaged 26.9 points and 7.5 assists as Miami went 12-3. The NBA fined Kevin Garnett (Min) $25,000 for criticizing the refs and using inappropriate language after Wednesday's Bos-OKC game. The LA Lakers signed Kobe Bryant to a 3 year, $90 million contract extension. Bryant is now signed through 13-14. Marc Gasol (Mem, partially torn neck muscle) and Ronnie Brewer (Mem, partially torn right hamstring) are expected to miss the rest of the season. Gani Lawal (junior, Georgia Tech, forward) declared himself eligible for the NBA draft. New York signed Earl Barron to a 10-day contract and placed Wilson Chandler on IL. Chicago activated Luol Deng and placed Devin Brown on IL. Milwaukee activated Carlos Delfino and placed Dan Gadzuric on IL. LAL 106, Uta 92 at LAL Lamar Odom (LAL) had 26 points including 11-14 FG and 3-4 3-pointers and 10 rebounds. Pau Gasol (LAL) had 14 points including 6-10 FT, 16 rebounds, and 9 assists. Kobe Bryant (LAL) had 25 points on 5-23 FG and 5-18 FT and 6 rebounds. Carlos Boozer (Uta) had 20 points and 18 rebounds. Deron Williams (Uta) had 20 points and 10 assists. Andrew Bynum (LAL, strained left Achilles) did not play. Cha 87, Mil 86 OT at Cha Gerald Wallace (Cha) had 5 points including 2-6 FG and 11 rebounds. Raymond Felton (Cha) had 12 points including 4-15 FG and 6 assists. Stephen Jackson (Cha) had 32 points including 4-6 3-pointers, 5 rebounds, and 6 turnovers. Andrew Bogut (Mil) had 19 points, 12 rebounds including 5 offensive, and 7 blocks. John Salmons (Mil) had 28 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists. SA 112, Orl 100 at SA Tim Duncan (SA) had 23 points including 10-12 FG and 8 rebounds. Manu Ginobili (SA) had 43 points including 14-17 FG, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists. Matt Bonner (SA) had 15 points and 6 rebounds. Rashard Lewis (Orl) had 18 points including 7-11 FG and 4-7 3-pointers. Mickael Pietrus (Orl) had 18 points including 7-9 FG and 6 rebounds. Pho 109, Det 94 at Det Grant Hill (Pho) had 17 points including 3-4 3-pointers, 6 rebounds, and 8 assists. Amare Stoudemire (Pho) had 29 points including 13-15 FG and 6 rebounds. Jared Dudley (Pho) had 20 points on 7-9 FG and 6-7 3-pointers, 5 assists, and 3 steals. Tayshaun Prince (Det) had 17 points and 5 rebounds. Ben Gordon (Det) had 21 points. Pho shot 56.2% (41-73) FG and Det shot 43.9% (36-82) FG. Jason Maxiell (Det, strained back) did not play. Hou 119, Bos 114 OT at Bos Chase Budinger (Hou) had 24 points on 9-14 FG and 6-8 3-pointers and 5 rebounds. Luis Scola (Hou) had 27 points, 11 rebounds including 5 offensive, and 6 turnovers. Aaron Brooks (Hou) had 30 points including 10-17 FG and 4-6 3-pointers, 9 assists, and 3 steals. Paul Pierce (Bos) had 27 points on 9-14 FG and 6-10 FT. Rajon Rondo (Bos) had 23 points, 5 rebounds, and 10 assists. Trevor Ariza (Hou, flu like symptoms), Jared Jeffries (Hou, strained left Achilles), and Kevin Martin (Hou, sprained left shoulder) did not play. Mia 105, Ind 96 OT at Ind Michael Beasley (Mia) had 12 points on 6-17 FG and 7 rebounds. Dwyane Wade (Mia) had 43 points on 14-22 FG and 13-17 FT, 9 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 blocks, 3 steals, and 5 turnovers. Dorell Wright (Mia) had 11 points and 7 rebounds. Danny Granger (Ind) had 25 points on 6-22 FG and 12-14 FT and 5 turnovers. Troy Murphy (Ind) had 29 points including 12-17 FG and 15 rebounds. T.J. Ford (Ind, strained left groin) did not play. Cle 93, Atl 88 at Cle LeBron James (Cle) had 27 points, 13 rebounds, and 6 assists. Antawn Jamison (Cle) had 12 points and 7 rebounds. Maurice Williams (Cle) had 24 points and 4 blocks. Marvin Williams (Atl) had 15 points including 7-10 FG, 7 rebounds, and 3 steals. Josh Smith (Atl) had 20 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 blocks. Chi 95, Was 87 at Was Taj Gibson (Chi) had 14 points, 16 rebounds including 6 offensive, and 4 blocks. Derrick Rose (Chi) had 24 points and 5 assists. Luol Deng (Chi) had 14 points including 6-8 FG and 6 rebounds. Mike Miller (Was) had 15 points, 5 rebounds, and 7 assists. Andray Blatche (Was) had 18 points including 7-20 FG, 13 rebounds including 7 offensive, and 7 assists. Al Thornton (Was, strained right hip flexor) did not play. Mem 107, NO 96 at Mem Rudy Gay (Mem) had 20 points and 9 rebounds. O.J. Mayo (Mem) had 27 points and 5 rebounds. Sam Young (Mem) had 19 points including 7-8 FG and 7 rebounds. Chris Paul (NO) had 16 points and 8 assists. Marcus Thronton (NO) had 19 points and 5 rebounds. Mem shot 22-30 FT and NO shot 9-13 FT. Marc Gasol (Mem, strained neck), Sean Marks (NO, strained right shoulder), and Peja Stojakovic (NO, lower abdominal strain) did not play. GS 128, NY 117 at GS Reggie Williams (GS) had 23 points including 11-13 FG and 3 steals. Corey Maggette (GS) had 21 points including 8-11 FG. Anthony Morrow (GS) had 35 points on 16-23 FG, 6 rebounds, and 3 steals. Danilo Gallinari (NY) had 29 points including 4-9 3-pointers, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists. David Lee (NY) had 37 points on 14-24 FG and 9-10 FT, 20 rebounds, and 10 assists. Monta Ellis (GS, flu) Vladimir Radmanovic (GS, sore right Achilles) and Andris Biedrins (GS, back surgery), and Jonathan Bender (NY, fractured 4th metacarpal) did not play. Schedule for Saturday, April 3 (All times Central) Toronto @ Philadelphia 12:00 pm Detroit @ Atlanta 6:00 pm New Orleans @ New Jersey 6:30 pm Charlotte @ Chicago 7:00 pm NBATV Miami @ Minnesota 7:00 pm Oklahoma City @ Dallas 7:30 pm Phoenix @ Milwaukee 7:30 pm LA Clippers @ Denver 8:00 pm Portland @ Sacramento 9:00 pm Schedule for Sunday, April 4 (All times Central) Cleveland @ Boston 12:00 pm ABC San Antonio @ LA Lakers 2:30 pm ABC Houston @ Indiana 5:00 pm Memphis @ Orlando 5:00 pm Golden State @ Toronto 5:00 pm New Jersey @ Washington 5:00 pm Minnesota @ Oklahoma City 6:00 pm New York @ LA Clippers 8:30 pm ---- Patricia Bender pbender@eskimo.com For NBA stuff: http://www.eskimo.com/~pbender/index.html For Mavs stuff: http://www.eskimo.com/~pbender/mavs.html