Rodman Out Until Playoffs

The Chicago Bulls’ Dennis Rodman is out for the rest of the regular season because of a sprain to his medial collateral ligament in his left knee. He is expected to return for the playoffs.

The NBA’s leading rebounder was injured during the final seconds of the Bulls’ victory over Dallas on Tuesday.

“He’ll be on crutches, he’ll be in a brace the next couple of days. We’ll limit his activities the next couple of days and start therapy a couple of days from now. We’ll take every precaution with it,” Bulls general manager Jerry Krause said .

Chicago is expected to activate Toni Kukoc, who has been on the injured list and has missed 12 straight games with an arch problem in his right foot.

But Bulls coach Phil Jackson said. “Right now Toni is not ready to step back in at the load level we’d like him to.”

The Bulls are 27-5 in games Rodman has missed.

*

The NBA, punishing non-game related speech for the first time in league history, fined New Jersey Nets coach John Calipari $25,000 and Miami Heat broadcaster David Halberstam $2,500 Wednesday.

“Discipline . . . has historically been limited to comments about the game,” commissioner David Stern said. “However the recent statements by [Calipari and Halberstam] have forced us to re-examine this role and our responsibility. This is uncharted territory for an NBA commissioner.”

Calipari was fined for calling reporter Dan Garcia of the Newark Star-Ledger “a [bleeping] Mexican idiot” during an argument last Thursday. The coach since apologized.

Halberstam, Miami’s announcer for five years, was fined for remarks he made last Wednesday while broadcasting a game against Golden State.

Remarking on a pass thrown by guard John Crotty, Halberstam said:

“Thomas Jefferson would have been proud of that pass. When Thomas Jefferson was around, basketball was not invented yet, but those slaves working at Thomas Jefferson’s farm, I’m sure they would have made good basketball players.”

Several Miami players said they were offended, and Halberstam has apologized for the remark.

Stern said that the discrepancy in the fine amounts was because of the differing financial impact the fines will have on the the two.

*

Larry Bird, a Boston Celtics special assistant, said in a published report that he would probably be willing to coach any team in the NBA except the Celtics, although he did not give a reason.

“I’d never coach the Celtics,” said Bird in a Boston Globe story. “I just couldn’t. But I’d do it for anyone else in the league.”

The Celtics (13-57) set a franchise record for losses this season and coach M.L. Carr has been heavily criticized.

“I am probably as close as I’ve ever been or ever will be [to expanding basketball activities]. If it’s not next year, then soon I will be doing something,” Bird said. “Retirement is for people over 65. I’m too young for this.”

*

The Golden State Warriors are raising ticket prices substantially to pay for renovations to their home, the Oakland Coliseum Arena.

The price hikes range from a few dollars for seats in the far reaches of the arena to $20-$30 for most seats, with prime locations near courtside jumping as much as $140, from $60 to $150-$200.