News from December 15. TRADE: In a three-team trade, New Jersey traded away Joe Smith, Terrence Williams, and two 2nd round draft picks and received Sasha Vujacic, a 2012 1st round draft pick, and a 2012 1st round draft pick; the LA Lakers traded away Sasha Vujacic and a protected 2011 1st round draft pick and received Joe Smith, the rights to Sergei Lishouk, and two 2nd round draft picks; and Houston traded away a lottery protected 2012 1st round draft pick and the rights to Sergei Lishouk and received Terrence Williams. TRADE: Houston traded Jermaine Taylor and cash to Sacramento for a conditional 2011 2nd round draft pick. Yi Jianlian (Was) is expected to be out 2 to 4 weeks with a sprained right knee. Joakim Noah (Chi) is expected to be out at least 8 weeks as he is scheduled to undergo surgery today (Thursday) to repair a torn ligament in his right thumb. Phoenix activated Robin Lopez and placed Garret Siler on IL. New Orleans activated DJ Mbenga and placed Aaron Gray on IL. Charlotte activated DeSagana Diop and placed Gerald Wallace (sprained left ankle) on IL. Chicago activated Brian Scalabrine and placed Kurt Thomas on IL. The LA Clippers activated Randy Foye and placed Willie Warren on IL. The LA Lakers activated Devin Ebanks and placed Joe Smith on IL. Dal 103, Por 98 at Dal Caron Butler (Dal) had 23 points and 7 rebounds. Dirk Nowitzki (Dal) had 21 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 steals. Jason Kidd (Dal) had 11 points including 3-3 3-pointers, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists. Wesley Matthews (Por) had 17 points. LaMarcus Aldridge (Por) had 35 points including 7-10 FT and 10 rebounds. Bos 118, NY 116 at NY Kevin Garnett (Bos) had 20 points, 13 rebounds including 5 offensive, and 3 steals. Paul Pierce (Bos) had 32 points including 10-10 FT and the game winning jumper with .4 seconds left and 10 rebounds. Rajon Rondo (Bos) had 10 points including 4-5 3-pointers and 14 assists. Ray Allen (Bos) had 26 points. Wilson Chandler (NY) had 18 points and 12 rebounds. Danilo Gallinari (NY) had 20 points. Amare Stoudemire (NY) had 39 points on 15-22 FG and 9-11 FT, 10 rebounds, and 3 blocks. Raymond Felton (NY) had 26 points, 14 assists, and 5 turnovers. Shaquille O'Neal (Bos, sore right calf) did not play. Pho 128, Min 122 at Pho Grant Hill (Pho) had 21 points including 7-10 FG and 5 rebounds. Channing Frye (Pho) had 21 points including 7-12 3-pointers and 9 rebounds. Steve Nash (Pho) had 11 points and 19 assists. Jason Richardson (Pho) had 29 points and 8 rebounds. Michael Beasley (Min) had 17 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 turnovers. Kevin Love (Min) had 23 points and 16 rebounds. Corey Brewer (Min) had 20 points. NO 94, Sac 91 at NO David West (NO) had 11 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists. Chris Paul (NO) had 22 points including 12-13 FT and 11 assists. Marcus Thornton (NO) had 19 points. Beno Udrih (Sac) had 20 points including 9-15 FG, 6 rebounds, and 3 steals. Tyreke Evans (Sac) had 22 points and 7 assists. NO shot 22-30 FT and Sac shot 7-12 FT. SA 92, Mil 90 at SA Tim Duncan (SA) had 13 points, 11 rebounds, and 7 blocks. Tony Parker (SA) had 16 points and 8 assists. Manu Ginobili (SA) had 26 points including 9-13 FG and the game winning jumper at the buzzer and 6 rebounds. Chris Douglas-Roberts (Mil) had 21 points. Drew Gooden (Mil) had 20 points and 11 rebounds. John Salmons (Mil) did not play. Mem 113, Cha 80 at Mem Rudy Gay (Mem) had 23 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists. Zach Randolph (Mem) had 19 points and 9 rebounds. O.J. Mayo (Mem) had 24 points including 10-15 FG. D.J. Augustin (Cha) had 10 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists, and 3 steals. Stephen Jackson (Cha) had 16 points including 6-17 FG. Mem shot 52.4% (43-82) FG and Cha shot 41.2% (28-68) FG. OKC 117, Hou 105 at OKC Kevin Durant (OKC) had 32 points including 12-18 FG and 7 rebounds. Jeff Green (OKC) had 21 points and 5 assists. Russell Westbrook (OKC) had 17 points and 5 assists. Luis Scola (Hou) had 18 points and 5 rebounds. Kevin Martin (Hou) had 22 points including 5-7 3-pointers. OKC shot 57.7% (41-71) FG and Hou shot 46.3% (38-82) FG. LAL 109, Ind 94 at Ind Pau Gasol (LAL) had 28 points on 10-17 FG and 8-12 FT and 8 rebounds. Lamar Odom (LAL) had 13 points and 17 rebounds. Kobe Bryant (LAL) had 31 points including 11-18 FG and 4-8 3-pointers and 6 assists. Darren Collison (Ind) had 17 points and 6 assists. Brandon Rush (Ind) had 16 points. Mia 101, Cle 95 at Mia LeBron James (Cle) had 21 points on 5-15 FG and 11-18 FT, 13 rebounds, and 5 assists. Chris Bosh (Cle) had 16 points. Dwyane Wade (Cle) had 28 points and 6 rebounds. Anderson Varejao (Cle) had 18 points and 15 rebounds including 6 offensive. Daniel Gibson (Cle) had 26 points including 10-16 FG and 4-7 3-pointers. Mia shot 27-41 FT and Cle shot 16-20 FT. Carlos Arroyo (Cle, attending funeral) did not play. Chi 110, Tor 93 at Tor Luol Deng (Chi) had 19 points. Carlos Boozer (Chi) had 34 points on 13-17 FG and 8-11 FT and 12 rebounds. Joakim Noah (Chi) had 11 points and 11 rebounds. Jerryd Bayless (Tor) had 20 points including 9-15 FG. Leandro Barbosa (Tor) had 21 points. Andrea Bargnani (Tor, sore left knee) and Peja Stojakovic (Tor, swollen left knee) did not play. Phi 105, LAC 91 at Phi Andre Iguodala (Phi) had 20 points including 8-10 FG and 5 assists. Spencer Hawes (Phi) had 16 points, 12 rebounds including 5 offensive, and 5 blocks. Jrue Holiday (Phi) had 24 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists. Blake Griffin (LAC) had 20 points including 8-11 FT, 18 rebounds including 5 offensive, and 5 assists. Eric Gordon (LAC) had 18 points and 5 assists. Schedule for Thursday, December 16 (All times Central) Washington @ New Jersey 6:00 pm Atlanta @ Boston 7:00 pm TNT San Antonio @ Denver 9:30 pm TNT Schedule for Friday, December 17 (All times Central) Cleveland @ Indiana 6:00 pm Miami @ New York 6:00 pm ESPN LA Lakers @ Philadelphia 6:00 pm New Jersey @ Toronto 6:00 pm Charlotte @ Atlanta 6:30 pm LA Clippers @ Detroit 6:30 pm Utah @ New Orleans 7:00 pm Sacramento @ Oklahoma City 7:00 pm Memphis @ Houston 7:30 pm Phoenix @ Dallas 8:30 pm ESPN Minnesota @ Portland 9:00 pm ---- Patricia Bender pbender@eskimo.com For Trianglons puzzles: http://www.trianglons.com For NBA stuff: http://www.eskimo.com/~pbender/index.html For Mavs stuff: http://www.eskimo.com/~pbender/mavs.html