Associated Press
HOUSTON ó Dikembe Mutombo has gotten over the sadness of the end of his playing career. He’ll take some time before deciding what he wants to do next.
The 42-year-old Mutombo said he was retired from basketball after rupturing a quadriceps tendon in his left knee early in Houston’s 107-103 loss to Portland in Game 2 of their playoff series Tuesday. Game 3 is tonight in Houston.
The 7-foot-2 Mutombo will have surgery Monday. He limped around the Toyota Center on a crutch Thursday but stayed upbeat as he chatted with reporters.
“I’ve been in a positive mode for the last couple of days,” Mutombo said. “Maybe I think I cried enough when I was on the floor. I cried again when I got in the training room and when the doctor tried to talk to me. But right now, I think I have to be happy.”
Mutombo played for six teams, was the league’s top defensive player four times and played in eight All-Star games over 18 seasons. He ranks 17th in rebounds (12,359) and finished with 3,289 career blocks, second to Hakeem Olajuwon (3,830). He followed most of his blocks with a playful wag of his right index finger, a gesture that became his enduring signature.
“I had a wonderful, wonderful ride,” he said.
KINGS
SACRAMENTO, Calif. ó The Kings fired interim coach Kenny Natt and his four assistants a week after the club finished with the NBA’s worst record.
Natt went 11-47 in charge of the Kings, who finished 17-65.
HAWKS
ATLANTA ó The Hawks’ real-life mascot has been grounded.
“Spirit,” the hawk, who delayed the team’s playoff loss to the Miami Heat on Wednesday night by flying around Philips Arena instead of returning to his handler, won’t take flight when the playoff series returns to Atlanta next week.