BLAZERS SIGN THOMAS: The Portland Trail Blazers signed CBA rookie of the year Jamel Thomas on Friday for the rest of the season.
Thomas, a 6-foot-6 forward, played 29 games for the Quad City Thunder and averaged 19.1 points, second-best in the CBA.To make room for Thomas, the Blazers placed forward Nikita Morgunov on waivers and guard Gary Grant on the injured list with a right knee injury.
MOURNING OUT: Alonzo Mourning was missing from the starting lineup and Tim Hardaway was not in uniform for the Miami Heat on Friday night in their Eastern Conference showdown against the Indiana Pacers.
Mourning, the Heat's All-Star center, was held out of the starting lineup for undisclosed reasons.
Coach Pat Riley was critical of the effort of two starters in consecutive losses this week at Philadelphia and Detroit, although he didn't identify them.
Mourning, who had started all 75 games this season, was replaced by Otis Thorpe.
Hardaway missed his second game in a row because of inflammation in his left foot. Anthony Carter started in his place.
FISHER GOES ON IL: Los Angeles Lakers guard Derek Fisher went on the injured list Friday with a bone spur in his right ankle.
Fisher, a starter in 23 of 78 games, averages 6.3 points, 2.8 assists and 1.8 rebounds.
To fill Fisher's roster spot, the Lakers activated rookie guard John Celestand, who has appeared in 12 games and averaged 2.1 points and 1.3 assists.
Celestand missed the last 51 games with tendinitis in his left knee.
WALLACE ACTIVATED: John Wallace was activated from the injured list by the New York on Friday after missing five games with a sprained left ankle.
The 6-foot-9 forward, averaging 6.6 points, was in uniform for New York's game against the Raptors.
To make room on the roster, the Knicks released guard Brandon Williams.