Rumors, moves, injuries and newsmakers...

Playing on a loser not much fun for Marion; Another dominating outing for Howard; Bosh expected to miss three games with sore knee; Ginobili on a roll in San Antonio; Jones a difference-maker for Blazers; and more...

BIG DOG? 
Despite playing on a winning team in Phoenix, Shawn Marion wanted out, ostensibly to go to a team where he could be the go-to guy. That wish may be about to come true.

A rumor making the rounds in Miami suggests Heat coach Pat Riley is considering shutting down superstar Dwyane Wade for the remainder of what has turned out to be a disastrous season in South Beach. If that does indeed happen, the team would no doubt look to Marion to handle the bulk of the scoring duties down the stretch.

However, it looks like Marion is realizing life isn't so great on a losing team. His heart hasn't seemed in it of late. Over his last six games, he has scored over 20 points just twice. He has also coughed up five turnovers three times in those six contests. Perhaps he finally realizes playing with Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire wasn't so bad after all?

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JAZZ 
Utah received a major team effort on Saturday as seven players, including all five starters, scored in double-figures in a 113-92 win over Memphis. While the scoring was spread around--no one scored more than 18 points--a couple of players did stand out for the Jazz. Point guard Deron Williams continued his breakout season with 13 points and 19 assists, while big man Mehmet Okur had 17 points and 13 boards.

KNICKS  
With Zach Randolph unable to play on Saturday due to a sore right foot, the Knicks started Jared Jeffries in his place against the Magic. The 26-year-old had only three points and six rebounds in 17 minutes, making New York fans wonder why coach Isiah Thomas did not start David Lee at power forward instead. Coming off the bench, Lee chipped in 11 points and seven boards in the loss. If Randolph misses any more time, Zeke may also have to lean on forwards Malik Rose and Renaldo Balkman.

MAGIC 
Orlando center Dwight Howard had another MVP-style performance on Saturday, scoring 26 points and adding 22 rebounds in an emphatic 118-92 win over the New York Knicks. It was his NBA-leading 52nd double-double of 2007-08 and the seventh time this season he has had at least 20 points and 20 rebounds in a game.

NUGGETS 
Sacramento cleared Tyronn Lue through waivers on Friday, giving the veteran an opportunity to sign with a new team and still have the opportunity to be a part of a post-season roster. The Sacramento Bee reports that Lue may sign with the Nuggets where he would back up Anthony Carter at point guard. A calf injury did not allow Lue to play any games for the Kings in the two weeks he was with the club after arriving in the Mike Bibby deal with the Hawks. However, he is believed to be healthy and ready to contribute now.

RAPTORS 
Toronto's Chris Bosh will likely miss the Raptors' upcoming three-game road trip with a knee injury, but the affable team leader still plans to travel with his team. The three-time All-Star hurt his knee early in Friday's loss to an Indiana team playing without three starters--Jermaine O'Neal (knee), Jamaal Tinsley (knee) and Danny Granger (suspension). With Bosh unable to play, look for Rasho Nesterovic to start in the frontcourt and Andrea Bargnani and Primoz Brezec to enjoy more floor time.

ROCKETS 
Houston center Yao Ming will reportedly undergo surgery on his fractured foot on Monday. The Chinese superstar will miss the remainder of the NBA season, but he is still hoping to be healthy enough to represent his country when it hosts the Summer Olympics in Beijing in August. The recovery timetable for the procedure should allow him to be able to compete. In his absence, Dikembe Mutombo and Luis Scola will have to carry the load in the frontcourt for a Rockets team looking for its 15th consecutive win on Sunday against the Nuggets.

SPURS 
San Antonio's Manu Ginobili continued his torrid scoring on Saturday, pouring in 30 points in the Spurs' 96-94 win over the Bucks. It was the fourth time in Ginabili's last six games that he has notched at least 30 points. In two of those contests, he has gone over the 40-point mark. The win was the eighth in a row for San Antonio. The Spurs are now 17-4 against teams from the East in 2007-08.

SUNS 
The Shaquille O'Neal experiment in Phoenix is not looking like a great idea after six games. The Sixers' 119-114 win over the Suns on Saturday marked the fourth time Phoenix has lost in the six games since O'Neal arrived in a trade from Miami. The Big Diesel had his worst game in a Suns uniform, scoring only eight points with seven rebounds. It was the first time since coming to the desert that O'Neal did not record double-figures in either scoring or rebounding.

TRAIL BLAZERS 
James Jones may not be a star in Portland, but his presence obviously has a lot to do with whether the team wins or loses. This season when Jones has been in the lineup, the Blazers are 23-12. When he is not, they are a woeful 8-16. That's why the team was happy to have their three-point specialist back in the fold on Friday against the Lakers after a 12-game absence with a knee injury. Jones, the NBA's second most accurate three-point shooter (48.3%) had eight points, including two treys (2-for-2), in Portland's 119-111 win. Look for him to play a more prominent role once he gets back into game shape.