NBA Roundup: Mavs don't keep player with MS, Lakers' championship 'laughable'
The Dallas Mavericks did not offer a second 10-day contract to point guard Chris Wright, the only player in NBA history known to have multiple sclerosis. The decision was made Friday night after the Mavericks defeated the Boston Celtics.
Wright appeared in three games for a total of four minutes since signing with Dallas last week. The NBA D-League all-star was averaging 15.5 points and seven assists per game for the Iowa Energy.
Wright was diagnosed with MS last year while playing professionally in Turkey. He was told his playing days were over but he competed in training camp with the New Orleans Hornets in the preseason before playing for Iowa.
The 23-year-old out of Georgetown scored one basket on March 15 against the Cleveland Cavaliers and got to keep the game ball.
"He's been an inspirational figure to a lot of people," coach Rick Carlisle told ESPN Dallas.
---Los Angeles Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni said after Friday night's loss to the Washington Wizards that the idea of the team winning a championship this season is "laughable."
The Lakers blew an 18-point first-half lead at home in falling to the Wizards 103-100. The Lakers fell to 36-34 while the Wizards improved to just 25-43 on the season.
"Championship? You got to be kidding me," D'Antoni told ESPNLosAngeles.com. "We're fooling ourselves. Right now, that's what we're doing. We're just making a 'sham-mockery' out of it."
The Lakers also got beat on Monday by the Phoenix Suns, another team with a poor record. Phoenix (23-47) has the worst record in the Western Conference.
