Eastern Swing Couldn't Come at Worse Time for Jazz

On the whole, the Jazz would rather not be in Philadelphia. Consider the reality that Utah's basketball team confronted Thursday, once the players awakened after a middle-of-the-night arrival.

Via Salt Lake Tribune

Utah Jazz, Philadelphia 76ers

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Sixers considering bringing back Hill

Tyronne Hill was a key member of the Sixers team that went to the NBA Finals two seasons ago, but was then traded to the Cavaliers for forward Matt Harpring (now with the Jazz). While the trade hurt Hill, he might soon be back in the Sixers fold after his wish to be waived by the Cleveland Cavaliers was granted yesterday.

The player who might play a major role in getting Hill back in Philadelphia may be Monty Williams, coach Larry Brown distressed at his decision not to dress for the game.

Phil Jasner of the Philadelphia Daily News writes that Williams, in uniform earlier in the evening, decided against playing because of recurring problems with his surgically repaired left knee. He has appeared in just seven games all season; he played 5 minutes in the first half of Sunday night's victory over Cleveland after having three tubes of fluid drained from the knee.

"I don't think we can go much longer like this," Brown said. "It's not fair to the team, it's not fair to Monty. If he's going to come one day and want to give it a try and then the next day can't go, we can't overcome that. We've got to just figure this thing out. It's been this way all year with so many different people."

Other teams in the hunt for Hill's services include New Jersey, Dallas, San Antonio and the Lakers.

"Tyrone and I will talk about it and make a decision about what he wants to do, probably sometime [today]," Bartelstein said. "He has great feelings for Larry Brown, [general manager] Billy King and the players there, but it's a tough call."

Via

Philadelphia 76ers, Cleveland Cavaliers, New Jersey Nets, Dallas Mavericks

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MacCulloch's return unlikely, doctors say

The Sixers’ Todd MacCulloch has battled foot problems all season and may now be battling for his career. The 7-1 center has been diagnosed with a disease that weakens his legs and disrupts his balance. Doctors say that it is unlikely that he will play basketball again.

MacCulloch has a genetic disorder called Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease. In most cases, patients with CMT lose normal use of their feet and legs slowly as their nerves stop working properly and their muscles deteriorate.

"It's a progressive disease, and at this time there is no treatment,'' said Dr. Carlos Garcia, a professor of clinical neurology at Tulane. "Sometimes surgery can help, but I don't believe you can play basketball once you have these types of problems in your feet and your hands.''

If the diagnosis is accurate, doctors said that the symptoms would only worsen over time.

"The likelihood of him returning would be low,'' said Dr. Shawn Bird, an associate professor of neurology at the University of Pennsylvania. "An athlete who has already had to miss games because of the onset of symptoms might able to play for a bit while longer, but not at the same level.''

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Philadelphia 76ers

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