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Hard knocks Raptors' Carter feeling effects of physical play
Posted: Monday April 03, 2000 07:22 PM
The shoulder injury that knocked Vince Carter out of Sunday's game against Indiana was inevitable, because word had gone out around the league that the way to slow him down is to knock him down. Opponents have been pounding Carter lately, making sure they give him hard fouls on his drives to the basket and an extra bump or two when he cuts through the lane. Carter is aware of the strategy and says he can play through it. But the punishment has left him with a sore wrist in addition to the shoulder problem. It's no coincidence that Toronto has struggled recently, having lost seven of its past eight. The physical play and his hectic off-the-court schedule have worn Carter down. The Raptors need him to get a second wind in a hurry, or they'll have a short postseason. Cavs' Kemp claims he can slim down on his ownCavaliers forward Shawn Kemp has finally admitted that what his critics have said for the past two seasons is true: He's too heavy, and his game has slipped. He says he's willing to drop some pounds during the offseason to try to regain some of his old explosiveness. It's clear that suffering through Cleveland's dismal season and hearing his name come up in trade rumors has finally gotten his attention, but Kemp still may not realize how much of a change he has to make. The Cavs' management would like him to hire a personal trainer, but Kemp says he doesn't need one. They're not doing this on purpose, you knowSome of the Clippers' recent moves have aroused suspicions that they're angling to finish with the league's worst record -- and the best chance to get the first pick of the draft. They let Lamar Odom and Maurice Taylor take their time coming back from minor injuries, and they surprised everyone by releasing Troy Hudson, who had started more than half the games at point guard. When forward Tyrone Nesby wrote Hudson's name on his sneakers in protest, coach Jim Todd benched him for a half and threatened to suspend him for the rest of the season. Todd later backed off on the threat, partly to quiet the whispers that the Clippers were tanking games. But that wasn't necessary. Anyone who's followed the Clippers knows that they're not trying to lose, they just can't help it. Sports Illustrated senior writer Phil Taylor covers the NBA and appears regularly on CNN/Sports Illustrated and CNN's This Week in the NBA.
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