Hornets add Mo Williams

Charlotte acquires veteran point guard for playoff push.

The Charlotte Hornets, looking to make a playoff push, bolstered their roster Tuesday by acquiring guard Mo Williams from the Minnesota Timberwolves for guard Gary Neal.

The Hornets will also get shooting guard Troy Daniels and will send a 2019 second-round pick to the Timberwolves.

Williams, 32, is averaging 12.2 points and 6.4 assists per game in 41 games, including 19 starts for the injured Ricky Rubio. He is second on the team with a 34.7 percentage from 3-point range. Williams, now in his 12th NBA season, scored a career-high 52 points on Jan. 13 at Indiana.

He will give the Hornets, 22-29 and tied for seventh in the Eastern Conference entering Tuesday night, a reliable replacement for Kemba Walker, who remains out at least another month while recovering from knee surgery.

The Timberwolves also obtained acquired rookie power forward Adreian Payne, the No. 15 overall pick in the 2014 draft, from the Atlanta Hawks for a protected future first-round pick.

Knicks: Carmelo Anthony’s fourth-quarter departure from Monday’s loss in Miami continued to fuel speculation he’ll be shut down for the season because of his ailing left knee. “It’s the same thing,” said Anthony, who has missed 12 games already. “I’m restricted. I’m not getting that power, that bounce.” Anthony isn’t sure if he’ll play in Sunday’s All-Star game.

Cavaliers: LeBron James is choosing not to clarify any posts he made in recent days on Twitter, including a message that seemed to be aimed at teammate Kevin Love. James said he doesn’t feel the need to speak with Love about the tweets and that if he has something to tell him, “I’ll say it to his face.” Love said he was “blindsided” by the tweet but added that he doesn’t have a problem with James.

Heat: Guard Dwyane Wade, an 11-time AllStar selection, will sit out Sunday’s NBA All-Star game. Commissioner Adam Silver selected Atlanta’s Kyle Korver as Wade’s replacement. Wade has been recovering from a strained right hamstring and has missed Miami’s past six games.

Rockets: Guard Patrick Beverley will replace Washington Wizards guard John Wall, who is battling a variety of ailments, in the All-Star skills challenge on Saturday night. Beverley, who will be paired against the Phoenix Suns’ Isaiah Thomas in the eight-player challenge, is averaging 10.7 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.2 assists in his third NBA season with the Rockets.

Jamie Benn and Trevor Daley scored two goals apiece and Kari Lehtonen stopped 41 shots for Dallas. ■ Senators 2, (at) Sabres 1: Milan Michalek’s thirdperiod goal and Robin Lehner’s 35 saves led Ottawa. ■ (At) Islanders 3, Oilers 2: New York’s Casey Cizikas snapped a tie with 4:37 left. ■ (At) Panthers 6, Ducks 2: Roberto Luongo had 31 saves, and Florida got goals from six players. ■ (At) Canadiens 2, Flyers 1 (OT): David Desharnais scored at 3:27 of overtime. ■ Rangers 5, (at) Maple Leafs 4: Mats Zuccarello scored his second goal with 5:56 left for New York. ■ (At) Blues 2, Coyotes 1: Dmitrij Jaskin got the goahead goal for the second time in four games. ■ (At) Predators 3, Lightning 2 (OT): James Neal scored at 4:27 of overtime. ■ (At) Jets 2, Wild 1 (OT): Dustin Byfuglien scored on a breakaway at 4:00 of overtime. NHL notes ■ Canadiens: Claude Ruel, who spent his entire hockey career in the organization and coached the team to the Stanley Cup title in 1969, died at 76. ■ Vegas bid: Commissioner Gary Bettman toured arena construction in Las Vegas but downplayed expansion talk.“I have no promises to make today,”he said, but he wished the city“good luck.”

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