Notebook -- Broken Wrists Put Ceballos Out For Season

DALLAS - Two broken wrists will sideline Dallas Mavericks small forward Cedric Ceballos for the remainder of the season rather than the six to eight weeks anticipated.

Screws were inserted yesterday evening to repair the fractures.

The 6-foot-8 Ceballos was hurt Thursday in a 90-81 victory over the Denver Nuggets. Loren Meyer tossed Ceballos to the floor with both hands as the Maverick tried a layup in the final minute of the first quarter. Ceballos finished the game despite the injury, and managed to score 20 points and 13 rebounds.

The next day, the Mavericks placed Ceballos, an eight-year NBA veteran, on the injured list.

A more detailed examination over the weekend revealed the extent of the injury, and Ceballos had surgery at Baylor Hospital in Dallas.

Meyer, a former Maverick first-round pick and teammate of Ceballos at Phoenix, was assessed a flagrant foul and later fined $5,000 and suspended for one game.

Yesterday, Meyer spoke publicly about the incident for the first time, saying it wasn't intentional.

"I don't think it was as bad as how it looked or whatever punishment I got out of the deal. I don't think it was that bad. Me and Ced always joked around in Phoenix. We were pretty good buddies, so it wasn't anything personal or nothing like that," Meyer said.

"When he got up, I said, `I'm sorry, Ced, I went for the ball.' "

RODMAN HELPS WITH POINTS, POINTERS

PHOENIX - Three games into his new life in Los Angeles, Dennis Rodman is injecting the old-fashioned concepts of rebounding, defense and unselfishness to Laker showtime.

Maybe no one looks more flamboyant than Rodman, but when he's playing, it's gritty basketball.

"It ain't about flash and glamour," he said. "It's all about winning basketball games."

Rodman pulled down 16 rebounds, scored seven second-half points and even offered some late-game advice to interim coach Kurt Rambis in the Lakers' 97-91 victory over the Phoenix Suns last night.

Los Angeles is 3-0 since Rodman joined the team and 4-0 since Coach Del Harris was fired.

"A lot of people in this league haven't given me the credit that I think I deserve as far as being a smart individual and a smart player on the basketball floor," Rodman said. "I think people are coming to grips with that now."

-- The league fined Orlando's Penny Hardaway $7,500 for criticizing the officials after the Magic's 84-78 loss at Miami on Sunday.Hardaway was particularly critical of the lack of a call when he took a shot with less than two minutes remaining and the Magic trailing by a point. "I got fouled right in front of the ref's face. I looked at him and he said, `Not now. Not in crunch time.' "