Seton Hall has announced that guard J.R. Morris has declared for the NBA draft.

Morris, a junior shooting guard, averaged eight points and 3.5 rebounds in 79 career games with the Pirates. He was averaging 10.1 points and 5.8 rebounds through 21 games in the 2004-05 season before coach Louis Orr suspended him for academic reasons.

"This is something I have been preparing for my whole life," Morris said. "I sat down with coach Orr and told him that I felt I was ready to take my game to the next level. I feel I am ready to take this step."

In an effort to bolster their PG corps, Orlando Magic will sign former Rockets' PG Andre Barrett. Released by Houston earlier this season after playing 27 games for them, Barrett averaged 2.1ppg and 1.6apg in just over 11mpg.

After learning they'd lose PG Jameer Nelson due to a rib cage injury, Magic GM John Weisbrod considered filing a special exemption with the league that would allow them for a 16th man on the roster, but decided against it when he learned that if granted the exception, Nelson would be forced to miss a minimum of two weeks. The belief is that he'll return sooner.

To make room for Barrett, Orlando released former University of Central Florida standout Mark Jones, who had been playing on a 10-day contract. Jones scored a total of 8 points in 31 minutes of play.

Chicago Bulls fourth-year center Eddy Curry did not accompany the team on the flight back to Chicago this morning. Instead, Curry, 22, remained in Charlotte, N.C. for observation and treatment for an irregular heartbeat.

The 6-11, 285-pound Curry has appeared in 60 games for the Bulls this season, including 60 starts, and is averaging a team-high 16.1 ppg, 5.4 rpg and 28.7 mpg, while shooting .538 from the floor.

"Right before the game, I felt some lightheadedness and dizziness. It came out of nowhere, so it really kind of scared me a little bit," Curry said after the game.

Curry also had scored at least 25 points in his previous two games, making a strong case for why the Bulls should resign the young center this offseason.

One of the best McDonald?s All-American games EVER left us with a lot to think about tonight. The #1 high school prospect in America delivered the goods and put some insurmountable ground between himself and the rest of his class. The undersized SG matchup we heard so much about fizzled, and some unexpected future college stars stole the show. DraftCity was there, and after consulting between ourselves and calling on some outside help, we?ve made the following observations.

Gerald Green- 24 pts (8-12 FG, 6-9 3pt, 2-3 FT),1 reb, 1 stl, 1 TO, 20 min

Once again showed the insane natural tools that make him a lock lotto pick in this draft. Has more hops than any HS guy in last year's draft, and tonight he showed that he has the shot. He gets his shot off quickly, and my oh my is it pretty! Quite frankly, I don't see why Green can't go in the top 5. Nearly everybody in the lotto at the moment has some serious downside, and Green is ALL upside. He blew every other prospect out of the water, and that driving dunk that he got fouled on and still threw down on was just unreal. What a prospect!

An NBA scouts take: ?Green helped himself more than anyone tonight. He left no doubt in my mind who the best player on the floor was. If he wants to go to college that?s fine, but he?s probably a top 10 pick should he decide to come out?.

Chris Webber injured his left shoulder Wednesday night after he was advised to sit out the second half of Phoenix's 116-87 win over his Philadelphia 76ers.

Sixers coach Jim O'Brien described the injury as a strain, while claimed it was a dislocation. He was to be re-examined when the team arrived back in Philadelphia.

``I would just say you should always listen to the doctor,'' said Webber, who had 12 points and six rebounds before leaving the game 2:31 into the third quarter. ``He told me at halftime, 'Do not go back in.'''

Webber also ``tweaked'' his surgically repaired left knee in the first half.

Steve Nash played only 27 minutes, but had a career-high 13 rebounds to go with 12 points and 12 assists.

And to make the night even better for Nash, they defeated the Sixers by a final score of 116-87 to clinch the Pacific Division.

``Given the fact that we won 29 games last year and nobody picked us to be division champ or a playoff team necessarily, it's a great accomplishment,'' Nash said. ``I think we've raised the bar, and having said that, it's not enough."

``They're as good of an offensive basketball team as there is in the NBA,'' Sixers coach Jim O'Brien said. ``We did not have what it took to stay in front of them (or) keep them out of the middle. And, as a result, we let loose their 3-ball.''

The Suns again played without Amare Stoudemire but didn't miss a beat.

In a closely fought McDonald's All-American game, the East squeaked by the West by a final score of 115-110

Gerald Green, who many believe will declare for the NBA draft was the game's high scorer with 25 points.

"My teammates just told me to shoot, so I did what my teammates wanted," Green said.

However it was Josh McRoberts who was named the game's MVP with 17 points on 7-of-8 shooting with a game-high 12 rebounds.  He has committed to Duke for the fall.

McRoberts, who is from Carmel, Ind., was surprised when he heard he was named the MVP.

"I never even thought about it during the game. I was just trying to go out there and play hard," he said.

Wizards head coach Eddie Jordan left the game in the first quarter with a virus, returned, then left for good in the second quarter to be treated for dehydration, but his club was able to hold off the Hawks without him, escaping with a 102-99 win.

Larry Hughes scored 26 points, Etan Thomas had 16 and Jared Jeffries had a career-high 10 assists.  

Washington players have lost 271 games due to injury this season.

``Everybody has to take their turn,'' said guard Larry Hughes, whose turn consisted of 20 games on the sidelines with a broken thumb earlier this season. ``It's something we have to deal with. We have to go out and win without Coach.''

Al Harrington had 20 points and Josh Smith had 17 for the Hawks.

Ben Gordon scored 22 of his career-high 35 points in the fourth quarter Wednesday night to lead the Chicago Bulls to their seventh straight win, 102-99 over the Charlotte Bobcats.

``I was just feeling it,'' said Gordon, who scored the Bulls' final 16 points. ``I was getting good looks, I was freeing myself up, and all I needed was a split second.''

Fellow rookie Emeka Okafor had 17 points and 10 rebounds, another solid but far from spectacular night.

``When Ben gets in a zone, he just turns it on,'' Okafor said. ``I was with him for three years, so I've seen everything.''

A team source told The Associated Press on Wednesday that Larry Brown will return to coach the Detroit Pistons this week after missing 10 games.

Brown will rejoin the team at practice Thursday, according to the source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, and will be on the bench at home Friday night against the Los Angeles Clippers.

``I came back too soon with the hip surgery, and I have been dealing with some things for 4 1/2 months that have been difficult for me,'' he said Tuesday.