Lebron, Heat torch Pacers
Raptors ship Alabi to D League affiliate
MIAMI— Lebron James had 33 points and 13 assists, Chris Bosh added 22 points and the Miami Heat hardly missed Dwyane Wade in a 118-83 rout of the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night. James also grabbed eight rebounds and the Heat turned up the defensive intensity without their star guard. Wade sat out with a sore left foot. Roy Hibbert had 16 points and 12 rebounds to lead Indiana. Tyler Hansbrough scored 14. Wade, a six-time all-star, injured his foot in the second quarter at Charlotte on Dec. 28. He missed the first 10 minutes of the third period but played regular minutes the rest of the game and in the two that followed. He skipped Wednesday’s shootaround, though.
JAM SESSION FOR ALABI: Solomon Alabi is getting a look at the D League from a western perspective this time around. The Raptors sent the second-year centre to the Bakersfield Jam of the D League on Wednesday; Alabi spent time with the Erie Bayhawks last season before Toronto switched minor league affiliates.
SURGERY SIDELINES GINOBILI: San Antonio Spurs guard Manu Ginobili will undergo surgery on his broken left hand and is expected to miss at least two months. Ginobili tweeted Wednesday he’ll have a plate screwed in his shooting hand Thursday. He injured it during the second quarter of a loss at Minnesota on Monday night. Ginobili was averaging 17.4 points a game and was San Antonio’s leading scorer.
GRIZZ LOSE RANDOLPH: Memphis Grizzlies forward Zach Randolph is expected to miss six-to-eight weeks after tearing a ligament in his right knee.
The 6x-foot-9, 255-pound Randolph tore his right MCL in the first quarter of the Grizzlies’ 104-64 loss at Chicago on Sunday.
NENE SITS: Nuggets big man Nene is sitting out against the Sacramento Kings because of a bruised left heel.
It is the second consecutive game Nene has missed because of the injury.
Denver coach George Karl said Wednesday that Nene is improving and could return this weekend, when the Nuggets hit the road for games at New Orleans and San Antonio.
WARRIORS SIGN ROBINSON: The Golden State Warriors signed free agent Nate Robinson, adding another flashy but undersized point guard to a backcourt that features Monta Ellis and Stephen Curry.