Sports FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2016 B Griffin apologizes for punching Clippers staff LOS ANGELES: Blake Griffin apologized expected to be sidelined until sometime pens and we’re like brothers and we just “It’s something that I feel awful about, Tuesday for punching a Los Angeles next month by his injury and ensuing sus- have to move on.’” something that I haven’t had to deal with Clippers staff member last month, saying he pension. He wore a black wrap on his hand Coach Doc Rivers said the team wasn’t ever before in life and it’s been tough,” he wishes he could take back the incident that at practice. trading Griffin despite rumors to the con- said. “But now that the NBA has done their left him with a broken right hand and the “It’s something I think about every day trary. It’s likely both Griffin and Testi will due diligence and the Clippers and I have employee with facial injuries. and wish I could take it back, and I’ve told rejoin the team when it hosts San Antonio my punishment, I’m looking forward to just Griffin was suspended four games and Matias that,” Griffin said in his first meeting in the Clippers’ first game since the All-Star moving on and moving past this and get- docked five games’ pay totaling $859,442 with reporters since the incident. “I have break. Griffin initially took to Twitter to apol- ting back on the court with our team- for the altercation with Matias Testi at a talked to Matias tons of times since the inci- ogize. He said he had already done so with mates.” Griffin said he did not believe he Toronto restaurant on Jan 23. Griffin is dent. He actually said it best: ‘This stuff hap- his teammates and management. needed anger management counseling. Heat get back to work, this time without Bosh MIAMI: When it comes to Chris Bosh, the Miami Heat are still waiting for definitive answers. Apparently, so is Bosh. The Heat leave for Atlanta and they’ll be without Bosh - who will spend the day meeting with more doctors as he keeps trying to find a way to play again this season. Miami resumed practice Wednesday without the All-Star for- ward, and neither the team nor Bosh has revealed that he has a blood clot. A person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press on Tuesday that Bosh is on blood-thinning medication again to combat a clot in his leg. “None of us are doctors. None of us are in the rooms with whatev- er’s going on,” Heat All-Star guard Dwyane Wade said. “A lot of peo- ple hear speculation on a lot of guys. I was around him, got a lot of opportunity to talk to him, to share things, and his spirits are very high. He’s doing everything he can to make sure that he figures going on within himself, but he’s very positive.” All the Heat will say is that Bosh will not play Friday in Atlanta, and Bosh’s lone comment so far came on Snapchat - where he posted the Kendrick Lamar lyric, “We gonna be all right.” “He will be with us shortly,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. So while there’s some opti- mism, others are predictably concerned. ‘Sucks big-time’ “I texted him today and just told him I was sorry,” Cleveland’s ORLANDO: Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic (9) and forward Tobias Harris (12) battle with Charlotte Hornets center LeBron James, Bosh’s former Miami teammate, said Wednesday. “I Frank Kaminsky III (44) for a rebound during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Jan 22, 2016, in Orlando, hate that he has to go through this again. ... Just a great guy, man. Fla. Charlotte won 120-116 in overtime. —AP Professional, great guy. For something like this to happen to him after he was cleared, it sucks. It sucks big-time.” Bosh was declared out for the remainder of last season at the All-Star break when a clot was Clock winding down on found on one of his lungs, a scare that threatened his career and his life. He returned to basketball activities a few months later, is averag- ing 19.1 points this season and said just last week he thought the NBA’s trade deadline clotting issue was behind him. “I’m still positive,” Heat forward Udonis Haslem said. “I can’t say we’re going through the same roller-coaster yet.” The worries for Miami right now are multi-layered. NEW YORK: The Detroit Pistons and The Pistons and Stan Van Gundy didn’t let BOSTON CELTICS: GM Danny Ainge has Bosh’s health is paramount and there’s the well-being of his fami- Charlotte Hornets are on the board, not wait- that stop them from acquiring Harris, figur- spent the last few years accumulating assets ly; Bosh is a father of three and he and his wife are expecting twins in ing until the NBA’s trade deadline to make ing that adding the cost certainty of the - perhaps most attractive is Brooklyn’s unpro- a few weeks. And there are short-term team issues as well, including moves they hope will bolster their playoffs three years remaining on his deal would help tected first-round draft choice this June - to how the Heat should proceed before Thursday’s trade deadline. chances this season. them shape their vision going forward rather put him in position to make a Godfather offer Miami is fifth in the East, two games back of third and two games The Pistons acquired scorer Tobias Harris than look at the unknowns of free agents to a team for one of its established stars. Now ahead of eighth. A playoff berth would hardly seem guaranteed right from Orlando while the Hornets added added this summer. Free agency is another that the Celtics are a surprising 32-23 and sit- now even with Bosh, who has $84 million or so remaining on his con- Courtney Lee from Memphis to help fill the huge factor that will influence teams with ting at No. 3 in the East, the time to give tract over the next 3 1-2 years. Being without Bosh - for any amount void created by the injury to Charlotte for- the trade deadline looming; it’s shaping up superb coach Brad Stevens the star he has of time - makes the challenge that awaits over the next 29 games ward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. In a deadline-dri- to be a free agency bonanza in July. been looking for could be right now. more daunting. “If you’re a competitor, and you love to compete, this ven league, both moves were aggressive in With a sky-rocketing salary cap, the LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS: They have is an ideal situation to be in,” Haslem said. “I’m expecting us to lay it that they came well before the 3 pm Eastern majority of teams in the NBA will have seemed to find their groove lately, oddly all on the line.” — AP time cutoff for trades to be made. enough cap room to add at least one max- enough while star forward Blake Griffin has They also may serve as catapults for other contract player to their rosters this summer. been out because of a quad injury and a sus- teams out there shopping. The time is near- That will create a frenetic push for the top tier pension for punching an assistant equip- ing for teams that have held cards tightly to of free agents, including Oklahoma City star ment manager. Despite all the drama, coach their chests to start putting them on the Kevin Durant, Detroit center Andre and GM Doc Rivers said on Tuesday that table. There are several issues teams are con- Drummond and Toronto guard DeMar Griffin would not be traded. But Rivers still sidering this week as they mull making signif- DeRozan. So making a deal now to add an wants to upgrade his bench and add some icant trades. Among them is the sheer domi- impact player, while difficult to pull off, could more scoring punch to give them every nance of the Golden State Warriors, who help a team avoid having to go all-in next chance possible to come out of the rugged have established themselves as the favorites summer. Here are some of the more intrigu- West. to win the championship again this season. ing teams to watch headed into Thursday’s TORONTO RAPTORS: Coach Dwane trade deadline: Casey’s crew has done a remarkable job Conservative trades ATLANTA HAWKS: Last year’s feel-good absorbing key injuries to remain as the No. 2 As teams went into the All-Star break, season has given way to a more sober 2015- seed in the East. DeRozan and Kyle Lowry there was a feeling across the league that the 16, with a 31-24 record good for fourth in the give them one of the best backcourts in the Spurs, Cavaliers and Thunder may be the East and the sense that they have to make a league and the hope is DeMarre Carroll will only teams equipped to challenge the big move to vault back into contention with back with a month or so to go in the regular defending champions for the title. That Cleveland and Toronto. They could be the season to gear up for the playoffs. They are thought process may cause several other most likely candidate to part with a key piece looking to add another ball-handler off the teams just outside of that foursome to play it to make that happen, with Al Horford and bench and a power forward that can stretch MIAMI: Miami Heat’s Dwyane Wade (3) pats Chris Bosh (1) a little more conservatively when it comes to Jeff Teague among the players that have the defense with his shooting in hopes of on the chest during the second half of an NBA basketball trades.