CAVALIERS: Guard Daniel Gibson will miss Game 6 of Cleveland’s playoff against the Boston Celtics after separating his left shoulder during the second half Wednesday night.
Gibson, one of the Cavs’ best perimeter shooters, left early in the fourth quarter following a collision and did not return. The team estimated he would miss one to two weeks.
The Cavaliers trail 3-2 in the best-of-seven series and could be eliminated tonight.
Gibson emerged as a star in Game 6 of last year’s Eastern Conference finals against Detroit.
PISTONS: All-Star point guard Chauncey Billups has practiced with Detroit and is expected to be ready to play in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals.
Detroit coach Flip Saunders says Billups looked good enough in practice Thursday that he could have played if there was a game. Billups missed the last two games against the Orlando Magic in the second round with a strained right hamstring.
The Pistons will open the conference finals Sunday if the Boston Celtics eliminate the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 6 on Friday. If the Cavs extend the series to Game 7, the conference finals are expected to begin Tuesday night.
NUGGETS: Mike Dunlap is leaving his job as a Denver assistant coach to serve on Lute Olson’s staff at the University of Arizona. Dunlap served on coach George Karl’s staff the last two seasons after a highly successful stint at Metro State College of Denver.
ROCKETS: Houston center Dikembe Mutombo still isn’t ready to retire.
“I’m going to consider to keep playing basketball. The next part will be to tell my lawyer, David Falk,” Mutombo said in Thursday’s online edition of the Houston Chronicle. “My body and my mind is responding to the thrill of the game. The coaches and the fans and everyone are in there.”
Mutombo, listed at 42 years old, had considered retiring last year and then decided to play one more season. During the season, he said he would wait until the offseason to discuss his options.
“I talked to my wife and kids a lot this week, especially my children want me to play one more year,” he said.
His return would depend on a contract agreement with the Rockets. Mutombo averaged three points and 5.1 rebounds last season.
JAZZ: Utah forward Andrei Kirilenko missed practice Thursday because of a travel visa, a day before Utah faced the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 6 of the Western Conference semifinals. Agent Marc Fleisher said Kirilenko had to finalize a travel visa for a family trip to France this summer and Thursday was the only day he could do it without having to wait another month. Fleisher said Kirilenko, who is a Russian citizen, told the Jazz ahead of time about the conflict and was given permission to miss practice.
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