NBA

Injured Nugget wants his title

By wire services
Published February 19, 2005

DENVER - Count Denver Nuggets guard Voshon Lenard among the very few players who might actually give a hoot about today's NBA All-Star events.

It's for good reason. Lenard tore up his Achilles' tendon on the opening day of the season. In the middle of intensive rehab, he'll try to defend his title in the 3-point-shooting contest. It could wind up as his only real competition of the season.

Among those not participating today will be LeBron James. The Cavaliers star, recovering from the flu, said he isn't feeling well enough to jam in the dunk contest.

"I'm not where I want to be physically," said James, who is still scheduled to start for the Eastern Conference in Sunday's All-Star game. "I'm dehydrated. I'm already taking a lot of fluid."

James' absence leaves a less-than-stellar cast for the dunk contest: Josh Smith of the Hawks, Amare Stoudemire of the Suns and J.R. Smith and Chris Anderson of the Hornets.

Lineups like that have pretty much sucked the life out of the dunk and 3-point contests, which used to be star-studded affairs but have slowly withered away.

The dunk contest used to draw the big names - Julius Erving, Michael Jordan, Dominique Wilkins. But as time went by, players started passing up the invitations until it reached this point - where the announcement of who isn't playing is bigger than who is.

The 3-point contest has traveled a similar path, although Lenard adds a somewhat compelling story line to the event.

About six weeks ago, he started jogging and doing some jumping. He can elevate enough to take the 25 jumpers he'll need to shoot to defend his title and says, "I've been shooting pretty good for about a month now."

DUNKS OF YESTERYEAR: For an enjoyable trip down dunk's memory lane - or, in Julius Erving's case, a flight over the lane and to the hoop - watch Mile High: Legend of the Dunk Contest at 7 p.m. tonight on TNT. The one-hour program spotlights the original slam-dunk contest, held by the ABA in 1976, and the NBA's first official dunk competition in 1984. Both events took place in Denver.

PREPING FOR JACKSON'S RETURN? The Lakers added Brian Shaw and Kurt Rambis as assistants, raising questions about what impact the moves could have on Phil Jackson's possible return. Rambis spent three years as Jackson's assistant and Shaw played his final four seasons for Jackson and the Lakers before retiring in 2003.

USHER BUYING PIECE OF CAVS: Grammy Award-winning rhythm-and-blues singer Usher is buying a minority ownership stake in the Cleveland Cavaliers, two people familiar with the transaction told Bloomberg News.

UNION HIRES CONSULTANT: Economist Kevin Murphy, who has testified as an expert witness on behalf of Microsoft Corp. and Walt Disney Co. shareholders, was hired by the players union for help during labor talks.

[Last modified February 19, 2005, 00:57:17]