THROUGH THE WIRE: FRIDAY (01/14/10)

24. How many players do the Portland Trail Blazers want to lose to knee injuries? First and foremost over the last few years it was potential, franchise player Greg Oden, then more post players, then Jeff Pendergraph and then rookie Elliot Williams had surgery on both knees. Well now the Blazers real star player Brandon Roy is also having surgery on both his knees. If you think going down on one knee like an old romantic at Times Square on New Years is career threatening than try both. Brandon will have arthroscopic surgery next week and there is no timetable for his return but don't be surprised if he's done for the season. Still, however Brandon had similar surgery before the playoffs last year and made a remarkable return for a series against Phoenix. Roy is averaging 16.6 points per game this season but has missed 16 games due to knee soreness which is attributed to a lack of cartilage. At least the one thing this talent isn't lacking is toughness. Let's not count him out yet.

48. Brandon Roy isn't the only player suffering with injury, by far. Still, one new guy you can add to this list is Chris Anderson. The Birdman won't be spreading his wings anytime soon. Chris is expected to miss a week due to the need to rest a sore right knee and an ailing lower back. The Denver Nuggets, block party favourite has already missed the opening 13 games of this season after undergoing surgery to fix a torn patella tendon in that knee. Anderson also missed eight games after fracturing a bone in his back. The Birdman is averaging 5.0 points and 6.1 rebounds this season and without him things look to get even colder in the Mile High City. BRRRRRRRR!!!

82. It looks like the Minnesota Timberwolves loss is the Toronto Raptors 'Gaines'. After being waived by Minnesota to begin the year. Sundiata Gaines has inked a 10-day contract with the Canadian basketball franchise. The 6, 1, Georgia alumni point previously played for the Utah Jazz and the Idaho Stampede of the NBA's development league. Gaines is expected to make his Toronto debut tonight against the Pistons where he hopes to drive 10 days into a more permanent job.

O.T. Carmelo Anthony may have not have completed his best LeBron James impression yet, but his Nuggets routed James' Heat as The King sat out with an ankle injury...meanwhile it's expected this big 'Melo maneuver will happen next week as Denver, New Jersey and Detroit look to trade...also Kevin Garnett (a big franchise player no stranger to switching teams and their franchise futures) has returned to practice with his Celtics after overcoming his own ankle problems. TIM DAVID HARVEY.