TV: League Pass
- Dwight Howard won’t play. He received platelet-rich plasma treatment on his ailing right shoulder this weekend but he’s still sore. Pau Gasol, who had 22 points and 12 rebounds against Minnesota Friday, will start again. “As soon as the pain goes away, he’ll play,” Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni said. “Hopefully, that’s next game. There’s no guarantee of that, so we’ll check it every day and see when he can go.”
- Tayshaun Prince was usually the primary defender on Kobe Bryant for Detroit. With Prince traded to Memphis, Rodney Stuckey and rookie Kyle Singler will be the top defenders against Bryant, who has distributed at least eight assists in the last five games. “There’s no such thing as a Kobe stopper,” Pistons coach Lawrence Frank said.
- Guard Jose Calderon , acquired from Toronto by the Pistons on Wednesday, is still ineligible to play because of visa issues. It’s uncertain whether he will be cleared to play against New York on Monday night.
- Frank is good friends with Bill Parcells, who was selected to the NFL Hall of Fame on Saturday. They traded texts Saturday night. “I thought it was a year overdue but I know how honored he is to be part of such an esteemed group,” he said. “He’s one of the all-time great coaches and it’s great to see it being noted.”
– Dana Gauruder
So much with the “Kobe Code”
So much for playing in pain.