INDEPENDENCE, Ohio – Cleveland Cavaliers center Shaquille O’Neal will undergo surgery today to repair his injured right thumb.

O’Neal was examined Sunday by Dr. Thomas Graham at the National Hand Center in Baltimore. Graham will perform the surgery.

An MRI exam Saturday confirmed the injury was a significant sprain. O’Neal was hurt during a win at Boston on Thursday. The team has not provided a timeline for his return.

Cleveland recalled rookie Danny Green from Erie of the NBA Development League.

 

TIMBERWOLVES: Minnesota suspended center Al Jefferson for the next two games without pay after his arrest on suspicion of DWI.

SUNDAY’S GAMES

LAKERS 95, NUGGETS 89: Lamar Odom scored nine of his 20 points in the fourth quarter, Pau Gasol had 15 points and 14 rebounds, and Los Angeles overcame an 11-point third-quarter deficit to beat visiting Denver.

Kobe Bryant was just 3 for 17 from the field, finishing with 14 points and 12 assists. He was 1 for 9 during the first three quarters, the only field goal coming on a layup with 5:37 left in the opening period.

The loss was the Nuggets’ first in three meetings this season with the defending champions, who beat them in last year’s Western Conference finals. Denver has blown double-digit leads in nine of its 20 losses.

 

SPURS 113, SUNS 110: Richard Jefferson scored 20 points to help San Antonio end visiting Phoenix’s five-game winning streak.

 

HAWKS 106, BUCKS 102: Joe Johnson scored nine of his 24 points in overtime to help Atlanta end visiting Milwaukee’s winning streak at six.

 

MAGIC 96, HEAT 80: Rashard Lewis had 22 points and Vince Carter added 17, leading Orlando past visiting Miami.

 

WIZARDS 89, NETS 85: Andray Blatche scored a career-high 36 points and had 15 rebounds, and Randy Foye hit two jumpers in the final 44 seconds as Washington won at East Rutherford, N.J.

 

THUNDER 119, RAPTORS 99: Kevin Durant scored 29 points as Oklahoma City handed visiting Toronto its third straight loss without Chris Bosh (sprained left ankle).