Detroit Pistons guard Rodney Stuckey will rejoin the team on Wednesday after missing the first game of a West Coast road trip to undergo tests for being lightheaded and dizzy. Stuckey remained in Detroit after experiencing the symptoms in Sunday’s loss to Boston. After undergoing tests on Tuesday, Stuckey was cleared to return and was scheduled to fly to the Bay Area on Wednesday.
Mavericks forward Josh Howard missed a second straight game Tuesday night, keeping Dallas without one of its top defenders against Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers. Howard sprained his left wrist against Denver on Friday night. Without him, the Mavs were trampled 103-92 Sunday by the previously winless Los Angeles Clippers.
Chicago Bulls guard Kirk Hinrich had surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right thumb and could be out for three months. Dr. John Fernandez and Dr. Mark Cohen of Rush University Medical Center performed the operation Tuesday. Hinrich was hurt last Friday night in Chicago’s 100-83 victory over Phoenix when he tried to knock the ball away from the Suns’ Amare Stoudemire.
Maybe it’s because they know they made the playoffs after an 0-5 start last season. Maybe it’s because they know they have two past All-Stars in the starting lineup and figure a third, Gilbert Arenas, eventually will return. Maybe it’s because they know they can’t possibly continue to lose and lose and lose, over and over and over again.