The Lakers' big man apologized on Tuesday for the hard foul.

"My actions … don't represent me, my upbringing, this franchise or any of the Laker fans out there that want to watch us and want us to succeed," Bynum said.

"Furthermore, and more importantly, I want to actually apologize to J.J. Barea for doing that. I'm just glad that he wasn't seriously injured in the event and all I can say is, I've looked at [the replay], it's terrible and it definitely won't be happening again."

The Lakers were trailing by 32 points when Barea blew past Steve Blake off the dribble, driving through the lane and heading to the basket for a layup. The 280-pound Bynum threw a right elbow into Barea's ribs causing Barea to fall to the ground in pain. 

Bynum received a flagrant-two foul and was ejected from the game. He admitted right after the game on Sunday that he committed the foul to send a message.

"We were getting embarrassed, they were breaking us down. So I just fouled somebody," he said after the game Sunday. "I was just kind of salty about being embarrassed. … For me, it was embarrassing to have the smallest guy on the court keep running down the lane and making shots."

Since the emotional Sunday evening, Bynum has calmed and has realized the intensity of the hit.

"I saw it," Bynum said. "I went in and I watched it, it was terrible. The whole sequence, taking off of the shirt and everything. Sometimes you just have to man up and own it. That's what happened and it's unacceptable. … It looks bad. It just looks bad."

Bynum was suspended earlier this season for two games when he committed a flagrant foul on Minnesota’s Michael Beasley. The famously wild Ron Artest, who was suspended for Game 3 after coincidentally also hitting Barea during Game 2, seemed to be more peeved with the league's ban decision than his decision to foul Barea.

"It was unfortunate, the ejection and the suspension," Artest said. "It wasn't right. It should not have happened."

Sheen will donate $20,000 in profits and donations from a San Francisco show to Bryan Stow, the Giants fan who was brutally beaten outside Dodgers Stadium on March 31, the Huffington Post reports.

Barry Klarberg, Sheen's publicist announced on Monday that the donation is comprised of $9,000 from merchandise profits, as well as $4,000 in audience donations from Saturday night's show. Sheen matched the audience donations, and added $3,000 on top to make the total.

Stow still remains in the medically induced coma he was put in after the incident. Klarberg says Sheen was saddened by the attack.

Sheen is a known baseball fan, normally seen sporting the jersey of the team for whichever city he is in on his "Violent Torpedo of Truth" tour.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Jackson sent tape of the game to the league office to file his official complaint about a supposed officiating mishap during Game 1. Jackson made his bitter feelings known after Tuesday's practice about not being able to make a substitution at the end of the fourth quarter with 20.3 seconds remaining on the clock.

At the time of the reported error, the Lakers were leading 94-93 and Dallas called a timeout, during which Jackson subbed Andrew Bynum for Lamar Odom. As soon as Jackson saw the Mavericks putting out a smaller lineup of Peja Stojakovic and J.J. Barea, however, he recanted on Bynum and wanted Steve Blake to go in for Odom instead. According to Jackson, however, the referees said he wasn't allowed to make the change.

"The decision at the end of the game where we couldn't put a substitute in, I think was misplaced," Jackson said. "That was something that changed the complexity of the last play. I've never had that happen to me in a ballgame before. In a dead-ball situation, someone can be substituted in or out. He doesn't have to be in there for a play."

Jackson claims the prevention from making the sub changed the outcome of the game. Bynum was forced to guard Jason Kidd on the inbounds play where he tipped the pass, triggering Lakers power forward Pau Gasol to go for the steal, resulting in the foul of Dirk Nowitzki. The forward sunk his two free throws to give the Mavericks the lead.
 
Jackson seems to be taking the high road this time with his criticisms, as he is working the system rather than outwardly complaining through the media.

Watch the frustrated Jackson in the video below.

Bosh is suing Allison Mathis, the mother of his daughter Trinity Meyers Mathis, who is set to star in the third season of the VH1 reality show Basketball Wives, for infringing his trademark and publicity rights, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The show's producer, Shed Media, is also a co-defendant.

The lawsuit filed on Monday in California District Court indicates that the VH1 series doesn't portray actual wives of basketball players. Instead, most of the women portrayed are divorced, currently dating or have previously dated NBA players. Mathis and Bosh were never married.

Bosh is claiming the defendants are commercially exploiting his "likeness and trademark."

"The use of Plaintiff's name by Defendants is primarily commercial and not communicative," the lawsuit reads. "Further, the show, Basketball Wives, is not transformative, but rather the use, depiction, or imitation of celebrity NBA basketball players, including Plaintiff, is the very sum and substance of the show."

Bosh says his consent is required when using his mark (his name), and the show will likely fool the audience into thinking he endorsed the series.
 
The Miami star is also claiming that the program has wrongfully "converted his life rights," providing personal information about himself that may be harmful to his public persona and the commercial value of those "life rights."

Bosh is also suing the defendants for intruding upon his private home life.

Basketball Wives was created by Shaunie O'Neal, the ex-wife of Celtics big man Shaquille O'Neal, who Bosh is facing in the second round of the NBA playoffs. Season three of the VH1 series is currently being filmed and is slated to premiere May 30.

According to ESPN.com, the deal could be announced before June 1.

"It's not imminent," the source told ESPN. "A lot of people have been speculating this week, or the next few days. That's just not the case."

Four different groups are speculated to still be in the running out of the eight who submitted bids. The New York Post reports the group leaders as the following: hedge-fund manager Steve Cohen, former commodity trader Ray Bartoszek teamed with private investor Anthony Lanza, hedge-fund manager Anthony Scaramucci and 1-800-Flowers.com founder James McCann.

The four are believed to have made it this far on their financial assets, and compatibility with the Mets' show-runners owner Fred Wilpon and son Jeff Wilpon and Mets' chief operating officer and president Saul Katz.

"It's really just negotiating a deal," said the source.
 
The sale of the minority share has a projected $200 million, which will of course help pay off the $25 million loan the MLB gave the family in October, and a $22 million stadium bond payment due in June on the bonds that financed Citi Field's construction two summers ago.

The share percentage is a variable up to 49 percent. The Wilpons do not intend to bring in new partners who may have the ability to drive them out in the future as majority owners.

"Non-controlling means non-controlling," a source close to the deal said. "Nothing has changed on that."

Reina, who is believed to have a £20 million release clause in his five-year contract, will return to Anfield next season under manager Kenny Dalglish, guardian.co.uk reports, even though the Spaniard had previously hinted at taking his career elsewhere.

"I'm happy, calm and comfortable here," Reina said recently. "Looking towards the future which I reckon will bring a lot of happiness and hopefully the new project with the new American owners will be a convincing one, attractive and ambitious above all."

"I am not going to Manchester, that is not my intention," the goalkeeper added.

The 28-year-old mentioned earlier this month that the transition under Dalglish has improved the club since the Anfield legend replaced Roy Hodgson in January. Reina also noted that he's impressed with Fenway Sports Group's work thus far in Liverpool, and is looking forward to further investments in the transfer window this summer.

"It's my understanding, and based on what I've gathered from the people here, that we will be bringing in some important players, continuing to grow," Reina said. "Hopefully in one or two years we will be in the place that Liverpool deserves to be, which is fighting for titles."

Brandon Moore, D'Brickashaw Ferguson, Bart Scott, and Jerricho Cotchery all arrived to the Jets' headquarters bright and early hoping to work out on Tuesday morning, but as they entered they were told that they were indeed welcome, but they could not use the facilities without trainer or coach supervision. Neither team representative was available, according to The New York Times.

"It's kind of weird, kind of awkward, not to have access to the facility like we normally do," Moore said. "It was uncomfortable, like I shouldn't be there."

United States District Judge Susan Nelson ordered to lift the lockout on Monday, although many believe it to be temporary after owners vowed to appeal the decision.

The players that did show up said the employees weren't rude, but the building in general was unwelcoming and they all left soon after they arrived.

"Everything was shut off," Cotchery said. "The locker room is open, but as far as everything else, you can't do anything."

Ferguson believes his effort to work out on Tuesday should be counted toward his league-high $750,000 workout bonus. He must appear at 85 percent of offseason workouts to receive the bonus.

"Oh, most definitely, I made every opportunity to avail myself to work out. But at this time I wasn't afforded that opportunity," the offensive lineman said. "At the end of the day, we're trying to get the season started, and we want to make every effort to come in and do the things that we know will help team building and allow us to be successful."

Cotchery wanted to rehab his back injury from surgery he had in February.

"I'm a big cold tub guy and I hadn't been in a cold tub in a while," the wide receiver said. "I wanted to come in and hop in the cold tub. I'm disappointed I wasn't able to do that."

The other New York team had a better experience on Tuesday. Giants players who showed up were able to use their facilities like normal.

"I am going to come back as long as the door is open. There was no tension here," defensive end Chris Canty told reporters. "Coaches are excited to have guys back in the building."

The Giants seem to be alone in their smooth transition.

According to The Seattle Times, the Seahawks' team headquarters were locked, keeping their players out. It was also reported that Buffalo cornerback Leodis McKelvin was turned away at the gate and was told to wait for clearance from his coach on when to return.

"When I got into this game, I had security guards, when I got cut, that didn't let me in," Moore said. "You'd get released and your [access] code wouldn't work. But being under contract and coming to a place you come to every day … It's kind of weird not to have access to the facilities like you normally do.

"You can't speak to anybody and everybody is hiding out. Nobody is available and nobody is walking the halls, and nobody is there to be seen. It's awkward that it's come to this."

The Washington Redskins defensive lineman was charged with misdemeanor sexual abuse for allegedly fondling the breast of his waitress in a downtown Washington hotel restaurant.

The U.S. attorney's office is reporting that the government's evidence shows the two-time All-Pro sliding a credit card down the front of the server's dress, touching her breast.

An indictment was given by a grand dury officially charging the 29-year-old Haynesworth over the alleged Feb. 13 incident. If convicted, Haynesworth faces up to six months in jail and $1,000 fine.

Haynesworth's agent, Chad Speck, originally denied the allegations, insisting that there was "no truth" behind them.

This is not the only incident Haynesworth has been involved in as of late. He also faces charges in Virginia for allegedly assaulting a man because of road-rage. That trial is set for May. Haynesworth has also been involved in lawsuits stemming from a bank, an exotic dancer, a man injured in a car accident and allegations that he failed to help pay for his wife's health insurance or their children's bills. And that all happened last summer.

The man seems to have a temper. He has consistently fought with coach Mike Shanahan, skipped workouts and failed a conditioning test at during training camp. Haynesworth was suspended without pay for the final four games of last season for "conduct detrimental to the club."

Haynesworth is in his second year of a seven-year, $100 million contract, but he is expected to be traded or released by the Redskins.

Reds striker Dirk Kuyt recently called in to BBC Radio Merseyside, praising Dalglish for his impact on the younger players within the club, BBC Sport reports.

“He gives great confidence to players,” Kuyt said. “Especially to the younger players who come in. If you can give confidence to younger players as a manager, then that’s a great plus.”

Since some of the Reds’ veteran players are currently out with injury, Dalglish has looked to his younger players to step up, and he’s given them the confidence to do so. In the past week, John Flanagan and Jack Robinson debuted for Liverpool, in addition to Liverpool native Jay Spearing. Another local, Martin Kelly, saw great success under Dalglish’s tutelage until an unfortunate injury forced him to the sidelines.

Kuyt says he’s impressed with how well the club’s youngster’s have stepped up against some of the league’s toughest competitors.

“John Flanagan had to play on Monday night at right-back against Manchester City,” Kuyt said. “And, against Arsenal on Sunday, it was Jack Robinson at left-back after Fabio Aurelio‘s injury. He came on and he played perfectly.”

Liverpool’s match against Arsenal on Sunday resulted in a draw, keeping them in battle for Europa League contention. The Reds are currently four points behind Tottenham, and seven points behind Manchester City.

Tortorella said Boudreau needs to stop whining.

"We have confidence in the league. We have confidence in the officials that they won't be influenced by all the whining going on here right now," Tortorella said, according to ESPN.com. "We're staying away from it. And we're focused on what we need to do. We have confidence in the league that this doesn’t affect the series. This is a pretty good series, two pretty good teams going at it pretty hard."

Boudreau made the claim on Monday while on 105.9 The Edge's Kirk and Mike Show, a day after the Rangers beat the Capitals to cut the series' lead in half. Washington holds a 2-1 edge in the quarterfinal series heading into Game 4 on Wednesday night.

Boudreau's concern is related to Rangers defenseman Marc Staal hitting Green in the back of the head during Game 3. Green had previously missed over a month of play during the regular season due to a concussion. 

"Staal comes in, there's no puck, he takes his arm, he swings it at his head, but it's all forgotten because we score a goal to tie the game up," Boudreau said. "It shouldn't be forgotten and it wasn't the only time they've targeted Mike's head,"

"[Green] took a high hit, they're coming after him," Boudreau continued."[Brandon] Prust left his feet in the first period and went at the head as well. And Mike threw a punch back at him when he was gone. But this is stuff, I have no problem with hitting, let's hit as hard as we can, that’s what this game is all about, but you cannot target the head."

Staal said he recalls the hit, but he hasn't seen any replays of the play to defend himself against Boudreau's accusations.

"I remember the play, I came across, he was cutting in the middle, and I tried to finish him, but I haven't seen it again," Staal said of the play.

Boudreau also sounded off about the state of the legendary Madison Square Garden, saying it may not be as great as people think.

"Well, the one thing, its reputation is far better than the actual building. I mean, it's nothing," the Caps' coach said. "The locker rooms are horrible. The benches are horrible. There's no room for anything. But the reputation of being in Madison Square Garden is what makes it famous. Also, our building's a lot louder, too. So I mean, they can say what they want, but it’s not that loud in there."

We'll see how loud Game 4 will be in MSG after hearing Boudreau's comments. The puck drops at 7 p.m.

Lucas will be mentoring the team's younger players, including up-and-coming midfielder Jay Spearing, according to Clickliverpool.com. 

After a win against Manchester City on Saturday at Anfield, Lucas spoke about Spearing rather than himself.

"Jay is a very good lad and he likes to listen to the experienced players," the Reds' midfielder said. "I'm young but I'm more experienced than him, so he likes to listen and he asks for advice.

"I think he's doing really well at the moment and he's another player that has come through the academy and that's what the fans want to see, a few young players coming into the team and doing well."

Lucas said he often goes to other teammates for advice himself. He cited veteran players like Pepe Reina and Jamie Carragher as mentors who are always willing to help younger players in the club.

The Brazilian has been having possibly his most successful season yet with the Reds, finally becoming a regular starter. In 33 games, Lucas has scored one goal and added two assists.

Legendary quarterback and Fox NFL analyst Terry Bradshaw spoke out about his own experience with head injuries on Tuesday, sharing his methods to prevent his brain from "getting worse than it is after suffering a career worth of concussions playing football.

"When I played for the Steelers and I got my bell rung, I'd take smelling salts and go right back out there. All of us did that," Bradshaw wrote. "We didn’t know any better. You don't know how many times I was in the huddle, asking my teammates to help me call a play. After a few minutes, I'd be fine and I'd keep playing just like nothing had happened."

Bradshaw wrote his own narrative on foxsports.com, describing the new activities that he's taking on to help his brain function, which has deteriorated due to his 14-year career in the NFL. Bradshaw writes that his hand-eye coordination is improving from rehab, doing such activities as brain puzzles and playing pingpong.

During his highly successful career, in which he won mutiple Super Bowls, Bradshaw believes he suffered six concussions and numerous other head injuries. Though he's spent many years working as an NFL analyst, Bradshaw had never revealed this much about his struggles with memory loss

Bradshaw is hoping his words will help today's players.

"Why did I go public? Well, I thought it would be good for a lot of players for this to get out, for me to tell my story because I was a quarterback," Bradshaw wrote. "I just thought it would be good for them to hear what I had to say. I also think other players should speak up and say what they've been experiencing. It's good for the soul and your brain."

Bradshaw mentions his recent short-term memory loss has led to anxiety and eventual depression.

"It was driving me crazy that I couldn't remember something that I studied the night before," he wrote. "All it did was trigger my anxiety and all of sudden everything would snowball on me."

The Steelers' legend also discussed the NFL's current stance on concussions, saying he believes the league is doing a good job with their recent efforts in concussion prevention, but the movement is "nowhere where it needs to be.

"I really think it is important for players to talk about what they are going through after their playing days are over," Bradshaw wrote. "The research, the talking is going to help someone else. I really believe that."

Beloved star David Beckham says he is considering staying with the MLS next season after his five-year contract ends this year.

"Yeah, there's a chance," Beckham said on Tuesday in Toronto, according to The Associated Press. "I haven't made any decision about what I'm going to do after this year. I think it's important that I just concentrate on my play this year.

"I feel fit, I feel good in games, I feel as if I'm performing well. I need to continue that and then in a few months I'll think about what I want to do at the end of the day."

Beckham even appeared on late-night talk show Jimmy Kimmel Live last Thursday, explaining that he has adjusted to life in Los Angeles, and so has his family.

The Englishman, turning 36 next month, has also expressed major interest in playing in the 2012 Olympics in London.

"I think it'd be something that I'd like to be involved in, and I'd like to be involved in as a player," Beckham said. "But we'll have to wait and see. That's a year away yet. So we'll see. I'll enjoy the rest of this season, you know we're only five games in.

"So I'll enjoy this season and then in the future, we'll see. It's going to be a busy year."

Beckham's career with the Galaxy has been filled with injuries, but coach Bruce Arena believes this season will be beneficial for the veteran midfielder.

"David's a very good player, a lot of experience and ability," Arena said. "And if healthy and fit and into it, he makes a difference each and every game. We're beginning to see that he's making progress.

"At 35, regardless of who you are, you're at the tail end of your career," Arena added. "But it doesn't mean that your career is over and you can't be a good player. David is still capable of producing game in and game out."

Beckham and wife, Victoria Beckham, are expecting their fourth child, a baby girl, this year. He even went onto talk baby names with Jimmy Kimmel while on his show. Beckham shared that one of his son's suggestions was "Justin Bieber."

"It's an exciting year for us as a family and an exciting year for me as a player as well," he said. "My family is always my No. 1 priority but being successful at my job and being successful as a soccer player has always been up there. I feel I can do both."

Liverpool director of football Damien Comolli was singing the ownership group's praises on Tuesday, the Daily Post reports, and says FSG is priming the club for future success. Comolli isn't the only one who has a positive outlook now that John Henry and his team have taken over — he says the fans are also on board.

"I share the fans' optimism," Comolli said. "Because the owners said things when they arrived and stuck to their words in January."

According to the report, the ownership swap has radically improved the environment of the club compared with the atmosphere under old bosses Tom Hicks and George Gillett.

"They have shown their commitment and their backing and everything they have said they will do, they have done," Comolli said. "I never had any doubts about that but I think for the fans it has given them reassurance that the owners will stick to their words and that they are ambitious."

Comolli went on to say that he believes the ownership has proven through its recent moves during transfer period in January that the group has truly adapted the "invest for success" mentality in Liverpool.

Fenway Sports Group commissioned a club record contract of £35 million on Andy Carroll and £22.8 million on Luis Suarez at the January window, while earning £50 million from the Fernando Torres transfer and sale of Ryan Babel to Hoffenheim.

"When you talk to John Henry and ask him what his plans are for the club, the only thing he says is: 'I want to win,'" Comolli said. "When that's the starting point, everybody has to make sure that everything we do is geared in that direction. That’s the bottom line."

Skrtel recently praised Dalglish, who took over for Roy Hodgson in January after a tough run as caretaker manager for six months. Since then, the Reds have lost only twice, and Skrtel credits Dalglish's work as one of the big reasons, ESPN.com reports.

''If he gets a contract for a long time, I'll be very happy," Skrtel said. "Every day he makes work interesting and enjoyable. We are winning games now. You can tell Kenny is a winner."

''He knows how to take the pressure away and protect the squad,'' Skrtel added. ''A lot has changed at the club recently, but the most important thing has been confidence. Kenny has given us that.

Dalglish's future with the club is uncertain, as he's still listed on an interim basis. Skrtel, on the other hand, almost saw his Liverpool tenure end back in January, but he is happy to still be with the Reds.

''Why would I go anywhere else? I know I am at a huge club — one of the biggest in the world, with a history and a set of supporters that no other club can really match,'' he told LFC Weekly.

''We have great player like Steven Gerrard, Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll. Not everybody gets to experience this. I am very proud to be here.

''I have a contract for the next three-and-a-half years. I am happy here, so if the manager and people at the club are happy with my work, I'm happy to be here too.''

Mondor passed away in October at the age of 85. Players will each wear a patch with the name "BEN" on the right sleeve for the season. The patch will be worn on every home uniform.

PawSox president Mike Tamburro said, "Ben always wore his love of the PawSox on his sleeve so it’s only fitting that we carry BEN on our sleeve for the 2011 season."

The PawSox open their season on Thursday, April 7 against the Rochester Red Wings at McCoy Stadium in Pawtucket.

JetBlue, Boston's largest airline, is also the Official Airline of Fenway Park and they will sponsor JetBlue Park, the new spring training ballpark for the Sox in Lee County, Fla.    

Red Sox vice president Sam Kennedy and JetBlue senior vice president Marty St. George celebrated on Tuesday at the JetBlue ticket counter at Southwest Florida International Airport.

"From the outset, our relationship with JetBlue Airways has been a true partnership based on our shared commitment to the highest levels of customer service," Kennedy said. "This is a great day for Red Sox Nation."
   
With the contract extension, JetBlue becomes a Fenway Park Preservation Partner, making it part of an elite group of organizations that will help celebrate the Red Sox 100th anniversary next year.

JetBlue will also continue to sponsor Lindos Suenos, the Red Sox' youth volunteer exchange program in the Dominican Republic.
 
JetBlue Park will have similarities from the original Fenway as it will have its own Green Monster to go along with a manual scoreboard, while the dimensions will be identical to Fenway and the bullpens will be located in the same place.

The new ballpark and Player Development Complex are scheduled to open for the 2012 spring training season.

According to ESPN.com, Ainge has been sober since July 17, the longest period of sobriety since he was 11.

"I had to get help before I died," Ainge wrote in his own words for ESPN.

Ainge is a professional athlete who lost control of his life at a young age.  Ainge, the nephew of former basketball star and current Celtics general manager Danny Ainge, was using drugs before his teenage years even began. The problem escalated from marijuana and alcohol, to prescription medications and eventually to cocaine and heroin.

"I made a lot of poor life decisions," Ainge says.

In his 24 years of life he has been through multiple overdoses, drunk driving incidents, stints in rehab and relapses.

By his senior season at Tennessee, Ainge was fully addicted to painkillers as the Volunteers' starting quarterback before being drafted by the Jets in the fifth round of the 2008 draft. Ainge wanted to live up to his family name, but his actions can best be described by the large tattoo on his back which he has no memory of getting: "Crazy White Boy."

When asked what he thought would have happened if he had not gone to rehab, Ainge responded that he would "either be dead or in prison. I was on a one-way street to hell basically. … I don't know exactly where I'd be, but it wouldn't be pretty."

Ainge is hopeful for the future. His detailed account of his addiction struggles, including how he dealt with being a professional player in the NFL, is worth the read.

"The reason I decided to speak so openly about this is because I want to bring awareness to mental health and the disease of addiction. Kids and athletes need to know it's OK to ask for help and to talk to somebody about what's going on in their lives. I was afraid to talk before, but through my NA program and God, I'm not afraid to ask for help or talk openly anymore."

According to ESPN.com, the police report says Bryant and some friends were involved in an altercation at NorthPark Center because their pants were too low, exposing their underwear.

The police report also says Bryant was given the warning after "creating a scene" and using profanity throughout the incident, which led the police to escort Bryant and his companions outside the mall.

"What the [expletive] are you stopping me, like I stole something," Bryant said, according to WFAA-TV in Dallas. "I'm not leaving until my attorney and my representative get here."

However, Bryant told ESPN.com that his pants were fine and it was his friends' pants that caused the problem.

"It really wasn't me in the wrong," Bryant said on Tuesday. "It's not even an issue."

Apparently, Bryant has had a "history of problems" at this particular mall that involve cutting in line, a parking citation, and a "major disturbance" at one of the mall's restaurants.

"I told the guy I'm not trying to get in trouble," Bryant said. "I'm not trying to destroy my image. The [warning] wasn't toward me. I was trying to figure out what was going on. It was a big misunderstanding. I was the wrong guy."

WFAA-TV in Dallas reports that Bryant is banned from the mall for three months or he will be subject to arrest.

Duncan had an MRI test on Tuesday after an injury to his left ankle during the Spurs victory over Golden State on Monday night.  He came out of the MRI with no signs of structural damage to his sprained ankle. The Spurs hope to have a better estimate for his return later this week.

"It structurally looks good," general manager R.C. Buford said Tuesday, according to The Associated Press. "We will have a better idea of what the timeline is in the next 48 hours."

What the Spurs do know, however, is that they will be without their All-Star forward for at least the next three games.

Ducan's injury occurred early in Monday's game when he took a short jumper and came down awkwardly on his ankle, making Spurs fans and management very nervous.

"There's a lot of frustration," Buford said. "But I think he's pretty tough and you guys saw him on the court."

Buford said Duncan's ankle is between a grade one and two sprain.

While Duncan's offensive contributions are down at least in terms of his averages, he's still been a key component for a Spurs team that has the best record in the NBA.

"That was the first thing going through my head: Could we lose a lot of games and give up the first spot [in the West]?" Spurs forward Antonio McDyess said. "With Tim down, that's a big loss."

The Spurs currently hold the top seed in the West, 57-13, with a seven-game lead over the Los Angeles Lakers with 12 games remaining in the season.