News briefs: Cassell listed as day-to-day with left ankle tendinitis
MINNEAPOLIS -- Timberwolves point guard Sam Cassell could miss Friday night's game against Golden State.
Cassell didn't suit up for Wednesday night's 81-68 victory over the New Jersey Nets because of tendinitis in his left ankle. A decision about his status for the Warriors game will be made right before tipoff.
Cassell, averaging 21.2 points and 7.7 assists, got treatment Thursday and went through a light workout.
Troy Hudson scored a season-high 29 points Wednesday in place of Cassell, who has been bothered by soreness for the last few days. It was the first time Cassell missed a game this season.
Minnesota is 42-16 and in first place in the Midwest Division.
Hunter returns to Detroit
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- Eight days after they traded him, the Detroit Pistons re-signed guard Lindsey Hunter.
The Pistons also placed Mehmet Okur on the injured list with a lower back strain. Okur, averaging 9.9 points and 6.5 rebounds in 23.3 minutes, has missed five games due to back spasms this season.
Hunter was dealt to Boston in the Feb. 18 three-team trade that also sent Chucky Atkins to the Celtics and Bob Sura and Zeljko Rebraca to Atlanta in exchange for Rasheed Wallace and Mike James. The Celtics waived Hunter.
Pistons coach Larry Brown said the team needed some backcourt depth.
"Right now, we have three guards, and Mike (James) is scared to death, so much has come at him. At least Lindsey has some familiarity, he will give us some defensive presence that Bobby (Sura) gave us.
Hunter, 33, returned to the Pistons roster for the second time in his 12-year NBA career when he was acquired from Toronto in exchange for Michael Curry on Aug. 28.
Prior to the trade, the 6-foot-2 guard spent 39 games on the injured list with a strained left medial collateral ligament. He averaged 3.7 points and one rebound in 11 games.
Toronto G Williams to have knee surgery
TORONTO -- Toronto Raptors guard Alvin Williams will have arthroscopic surgery on his inflamed right knee Friday and is expected to be sidelined indefinitely.
Williams missed the previous two games. He is averaging 8.9 points and 4.1 assists in 54 games.
The Raptors already are without Vince Carter and Jalen Rose -- both are on the injured list. Toronto has lost a season-high seven straight games.
Gill activated by Bulls
CHICAGO -- The Chicago Bulls activated guard Kendall Gill Thursday and placed Chris Jefferies on the injured list with lower back pain.
Gill, a 13-year veteran, was on the injured list since Jan. 25 with a strained right Achilles' tendon. He was injured two days earlier in a game against the Dallas Mavericks and has missed Chicago's past 14 games.
The injury snapped Gill's streak of 138 straight games played. He averaged 10.2 points in the Bulls' first 43 games. Chicago was to play at Washington later Thursday.
Jeffries, acquired in a trade Dec. 1 with the Toronto Raptors, has played in 14 games with the Bulls and has averaged 3.6 points.
Clippers waive Polynice
LOS ANGELES -- Olden Polynice, who spent nearly all of the season on the injured list because of a neck strain, was waived Thursday by the Los Angeles Clippers.
The 39-year-old Polynice, in his 15th season, was signed as a free agent last summer. He appeared in two games, playing six minutes, and did not score.
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