The New York Daily News reported yesterday that the Sixers do not plan to replace Cheeks with Larry Brown anytime soon. “The idea expressed in private by team execs is to keep losing during the post-Allen Iverson rebuilding era to secure a top draft choice in June,” columnist Mitch Lawrence wrote. Lawrence also suggested that […]

Andreson Varejao’s frustration with his contract status has finally come to a head.

Jermaine O’Neal is expected to be back in the lineup when the Indiana Pacers open their four-game Western trip Tuesday in Denver.
O’Neal has missed the past three games and four overall with knee and calf injuries. An MRI taken Saturday revealed a slight tear in his calf, but the knee was “stable,” according to coach […]

Denver Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin received some good news Monday when an MRI on his surgically repaired right knee found only a bone bruise.
Martin is listed as doubtful for Wednesday night’s game against Indiana and will be day-to-day after that.

LeBron James had his fourth triple-double Sunday and is averaging 31.4 points, 8.1 rebounds and 8.0 assists. He is playing like Michael Jordan, in 1989 (back when Jordan had to carry the Bulls).

By moving Brown out of his executive suite and into the head coaching position, the team realizes that would mean more wins but a worse drafting position. So the team is content with having Brown attending games and waiting to move into Cheeks’ chair next season.

Denver Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin has a strained right knee and will undergo an MRI exam on Monday. Martin suffered the injury late in the first half of Saturday’s 109-81 loss to the Houston Rockets. He went to the locker room prior to halftime and did not return in the second half.

- If the Sixers decide to deal point guard Andre Miller, the Cavs would probably get involved in such talk. Might a sign-and-trade with Anderson Varejao make sense? Miller has one year on his contract after this season. He’s making $9.4 million this year and $10 next year. A Sixers’ official said there was no […]

The Cleveland Cavaliers were having a blast laughing at the Indiana Pacers for about 2 1/2 quarters.
The joke almost was on them.
Indiana erased a 14-point deficit in the third quarter before Cleveland rallied behind LeBron James’ fourth triple-double of the season to beat the Pacers 111-106 Sunday for their third straight win.

Eddy Curry scored 21 points against his former team, and the New York Knicks snapped their eight-game losing streak with an 85-78 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Saturday.
Stephon Marbury shook off the boos from the home fans to add 19 points, including a pair of jumpers after Chicago had rallied to tie the game. […]