HoopsHype.com Rumors

After the Heat lost 106-95 in Dallas to drop to 9-8 on the season, the players closed the door and held a 45-minute meeting. Some, including this writer, downplayed the significance. But it’s been hard to argue with the aftermath. “We just relaxed a little bit,” Zydrunas Ilgauskas said. “Everybody was so tense, everybody was worried about the crazy predictions coming into the year, 82-0, not lose a game. We started slow, haven’t played together a lot, learning each other. More than anything, it helped us calm down, just play basketball. At that point, we knew we were not going to get the Bulls’ record, just worry about the little things, get our defense better, see how we can move the ball better.” Palm Beach Post

Miami Heat, Zydrunas Ilgauskas 

Mary Schmitt Boyer: Z on LA pressure on Brown: "There can't be more pressure than in Cleveland where they haven't won a championship in _ what _ 200 years?'' Twitter

Los Angeles Lakers, Coaching, Mike Brown, Zydrunas Ilgauskas 

Chris Tomasson: Asked Zydrunas Ilgauskas when he'll decide after season if will retire 'I don’t know I’ll take my time There’s going to be a lockout anyway' Twitter

Miami Heat, Zydrunas Ilgauskas 

Chris Tomasson: Ilgauskas, who has player option, doesn’t know yet if he’ll retire. “It’s not only my decision anymore. My family depends. I got kids.’’ Twitter

Miami Heat, Zydrunas Ilgauskas 

Q: Assuming Miami signs a new starting center this summer, who will end up being the odd-man-out in the rotation? Haslem is expected to be healthy and will probably share a lot of minutes down low with Bosh. So between Joel, who has played great lately, and Pittman, who has already been promised minutes next season, which one gets left out of the rotation or traded away? — Fernando. A: Pittman has been promised nothing, with his contract not even guaranteed for next season. Besides that, there should be plenty of time for everyone, with Dampier and Magloire almost assuredly not back and Ilgauskas likely retiring. South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Miami Heat, Erick Dampier, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Jamaal Magloire, Dexter Pittman 

Quote of the week: "No, hell, no. Just when you think you know somebody." - Zydrunas Ilgauskas, a fan of Manchester United, on whether he would root for Liverpool FC now that James owns a piece of the English Premier League team. Palm Beach Post

Miami Heat, Zydrunas Ilgauskas 

Ira Winderman: Ilgauskas confirmed Saturday he plans to appeal his $25,000 fine for his actions and reaction during the melee with Wizards guard John Wall. Twitter

Miami Heat, Washington Wizards, John Wall, Zydrunas Ilgauskas 

Marc J. Spears: Wiz John Wall suspended 1 game w/o pay and Miami's Juwan Howard & Zydrunas Ilgauskas fined $35,000 and $25,000, respectively, for roles Wed. Twitter

Miami Heat, Washington Wizards, John Wall, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Juwan Howard 

Michael Lee: Zydrunas Ilgauskas wasn't fined for throwing them 'bows like Ludacris but for making an obscene gesture. Double bird salute to fans #wizards Twitter

Miami Heat, Washington Wizards, John Wall, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Juwan Howard 

No matter how the NBA league office eventually rules on whether to suspend John Wall after his second-quarter altercation with Miami Heat center Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Coach Flip Saunders said the incident probably never should’ve reach the point where there were three ejections and two technical fouls. Wall said he swung at Ilgauskas in reaction to getting hit in the face with two elbows. “What I was disappointed in, you would think, you would hope out there, in a game, that when a guy throws two elbows and then a third, they would catch the first one, with three referees out there. And he’s got the ball. That’s what they’re watching, you know,” Saunders said with a chuckle. “If you nip it in the bud right away, it doesn’t escalate like that.” Washington Post

Miami Heat, Washington Wizards, John Wall, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Juwan Howard 

In many ways, John Wall really had no choice. In this league, reputations are formed quickly, and once they are established, they stick. So when Miami Heat center Zydrunas Ilgauskas was casually peppering Wall’s face with errant elbows, he responded the only way he knew how -- by defending himself. He initially tried to show some restraint. Wall said he was shaken by the first elbow, which hit him square in the face, but he responded by going harder after the ball. But when Ilgauskas swung his arm around to hit him again with the left, he snapped. Wall wasn’t merely trying to protect his face, but also his reputation -- since he doesn’t want to be seen as someone who will back down. “Second one, I got hit and I reacted,” Wall said. Washington Post

Miami Heat, Washington Wizards, John Wall, Zydrunas Ilgauskas 

Wall threw a punch at Ilgauskas’s midsection, which led to an automatic ejection, and now the Wizards will have to wait and see if their best player will be available for the next game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. A suspension is likely, considering present within the NBA league office, but as he got ready to leave the locker room after the Wizards’ 123-107 loss to the Heat, Wall tried to not to ponder his future. “I can’t worry that about that right now, just try to keep practicing and try to get ready for the next game and see what decision the league makes,” said Wall, who had two points and five assists before getting tossed with 8 minutes, 46 seconds left in the second quarter. “I’m disappointed with how I reacted to it. I let my teammates. I let my organization down.” Washington Post

Miami Heat, Washington Wizards, John Wall, Zydrunas Ilgauskas 

“Guy hit him in the face and obviously, he wasn’t having it. I went over there to break it up and Juwan wanted to blindside push me or whatever,” said McGee, who squared up like he was ready to rumble with Howard before Coach Flip Saunders stepped in to push him away. Washington Post

Miami Heat, Washington Wizards, John Wall, Javale McGee, Zydrunas Ilgauskas 

As if former Cavaliers center Zydrunas Ilgauskas hasn't had enough problems with his feet in his career, a whole new issue cropped up three weeks ago in Miami -- one that was potentially more dangerous than any of his previous issues. "It's crazy," he said after Miami's shootaround Tuesday morning at The Q. Ilgauskas, who had seven surgeries on his feet early in his career, contracted a strain of the MRSA staph infection that caused his right foot to swell up to twice its normal size. Although it initially was reported that Ilgauskas stepped on a nail at home, he now admits he doesn't know how he got the infection, although it's possible it was from an insect bite. Cleveland Plain Dealer

Miami Heat, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Injuries 

The Miami Heat are expected to have center Zydrunas Ilgauskas available for Sunday's game against the Houston Rockets after he was cleared to return from a foot infection. ESPN.com

Miami Heat, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Injuries 

Zydrunas Ilgauskas thought he had a blister on his foot and didn't pay close attention to it. But when he showed up for a game and the foot was twice its normal size and redness was moving up his leg, Miami Heat team doctors sent him to the emergency room. What followed were a scary couple of days when Ilgauskas learned he had a type of strep infection and perhaps even the dangerous and antibiotic-resistant strain known as MRSA. He said he and the team have not been able to determine the source of the infection. "I can deal with broken bones but when something from inside attacks you, I've never had that before," Ilgauskas said after taking part in shootaround with the Heat on Friday morning. "I had so many antibiotics in my system it was hard to tell what it was. Yeah, it scared me. Thankfully we caught it at the right time and we were able to keep it under control." ESPN.com

Miami Heat, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Injuries 

Miami Heat center Zydrunas Ilgauskas is expected to miss Monday's game against the San Antonio Spurs after being released from a Miami hospital Sunday following treatment for a foot infection. ESPN.com

Miami Heat, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Injuries 

Ira Winderman: A foot infection put Zydrunas Ilgauskas in the hospital overnight, but he is out now. He is doubtful, at best, for Monday against Spurs. Twitter

Miami Heat, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Injuries 

Heat center Zydrunas Ilgauskas will miss the team's Saturday afternoon home game against the Memphis Grizzlies. The 12-year veteran developed an infection in his foot after stepping on a nail at his home last week. "Hopefully it will clear up," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "It went through a shoe, a nail he had at his house. It didn't bother him, didn't puncture much of his skin, but got progressively infected worse." ESPN.com

Miami Heat, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Injuries 

Ira Winderman: Ilgauskas said he has not spoken to media in Lithuania and has not come to a decision yet about retiring. But he sounds as if he's leaning. Twitter

Miami Heat, Zydrunas Ilgauskas