McGrady to Miss Next Two Games

Houston Rocket forward Tracy McGrady will miss the team’s next two games and be reevaluated Friday after a recurrence of back spasms.

An MRI test on Monday revealed no structural damage, the Rockets said.

McGrady, who sat out eight games earlier this season because of back spasms, grabbed his back and crumpled to the floor Sunday night as the first half ended in the Rockets’ loss to Denver.

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The New Orleans Hornets will play their relocated game Friday against the Sacramento Kings at the University of Oklahoma’s 12,000-seat Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, the team announced.

The game had been scheduled at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge but was moved because only 7,302 turned out for the first game there in December.

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Toronto Raptor forward Morris Peterson says he won’t face any fines for slapping former teammate Vince Carter in the face during Sunday’s game against the New Jersey Nets.

Peterson spoke with Stu Jackson, the NBA’s senior vice president of basketball operations.

Carter had playfully slapped his ex-teammate. Peterson returned the favor and was ejected by referee Steve Javie, who didn’t see Carter’s slap.

“I was upset about the first technical foul,” Peterson said. “Vince just told me, ‘Don’t worry about it, don’t sweat it.’ We always joke around. It was just an unfortunate break for me.”