Bryant would consider Nuggets
Despite the harsh reception he received during a game Jan. 7 in Denver, Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant said he will consider the Nuggets among various free agent suitors when the season ends. The Nuggets are expected to make a run at Bryant during free agency this summer . . . Seattle SuperSonics guard Ray Allen was fined $10,000 by the NBA for criticizing officials in Seattle's 94-92 loss to the Golden State Warriors Friday . . . The New York Rangers cleared center Eric Lindros to begin his concussion rehabilitation program. Lindros sustained his eighth concussion in January . . . Markus Naslund skated with the Vancouver Canucks, the first time he's been on the ice with the team since his Feb. 16 concussion . . . Detroit Red Wings defenseman Chris Chelios is day to day with a bruised right shoulder he banged up Tuesday against the Vancouver Canucks . . . Washington Capitals defenseman Rick Berry was suspended for one game for spearing Tampa Bay's Martin Cibak in the groin in a loss to the Lightning Monday . . . The Minnesota Wild traded center Darby Hendrickson and an eighth-round pick in this year's draft to the Colorado Avalanche for a 2005 fourth-round pick . . . The Tampa Bay Lightning acquired defenseman Timo Helbling from the Nashville Predators for an eighth-round pick in this year's draft . . . The Columbus Blue Jackets activated center Andrew Cassels, who missed 22 games with a broken foot . . . In the past two days, three NHL coaches were either fired or stepped down. But don't look to Scotty Bowman, the league's winningest coach who retired after leading the Red Wings to the Stanley Cup in 2002, to make a comeback behind the bench. He said he isn't interested.
MISCELLANY
DiBiaggio will assist Colorado
University of Colorado officials appointed John DiBiaggio, a former Tufts and University of Connecticut president, to help the school determine whether its embattled athletics department mistreats women following a recruiting scandal that includes allegations of rape . . . Connecticut junior center Emeka Okafor and Providence junior forward Ryan Gomes are among 16 finalists for the Adolph F. Rupp Trophy as college basketball player of the year. The Big East is also represented by Hakim Warrick of Syracuse. Duke guards Chris Duhon and J.J. Redick were joined by North Carolina State's Julius Hodge to give the Atlantic Coast Conference three finalists. Other finalists include Josh Childress, Stanford; Ike Diogu, Arizona State; Andre Emmett, Texas Tech; Matt Frieje, Vanderbilt; Francisco Garcia, Louisville; Devin Harris, Wisconsin; Jameer Nelson, Saint Joseph's, Lawrence Roberts, Mississippi State, Blake Stepp, Gonzaga; and Bracey Wright, Indiana . . . Venus Williams returned from a right leg injury and beat Alicia Molik, 6-3, 6-4, to reach the quarterfinals of the Dubai Open . . . Lisa Leslie scored 19 points to lead the US past the Cuban national team, 73-37, in Havana, in a tuneup for the Athens Olympics . . . Former heavyweight champion George Foreman, 55, insists he has no agreement to make a comeback, despite promoter Don King's announcement of a tentative $20 million deal . . . The proposed May 8 bout between unbeaten lightweights Paul Spadafora and Floyd Mayweather Jr. at Madison Square Garden May 8 was rejected by New York boxing authorities. Spadafora is free on bond awaiting trial for the Oct. 26 alleged shooting of his girlfriend in Pittsburgh.
