Report: Utah’s Starks Had Testicle Removed

Utah guard John Starks, who missed Game 2 of the Jazz-Mavericks’ series, had surgery to remove a testicle, newspapers reported Wednesday.

The Salt Lake Tribune and The Dallas Morning News reported Wednesday, without citing a source, that Starks had the surgery Tuesday at University of Utah hospital.

The testicle was not believed to be cancerous.

David Allred, vice president for public relations for the Jazz, refused comment on the report, except to say Starks was released from the hospital Wednesday.

The Jazz issued a statement Tuesday reporting that Starks had undergone “a minor medical procedure.”

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Free-agent center Patrick Ewing probably won’t return to the Seattle SuperSonics, General Manager Wally Walker said.

Ewing, 38, joined Seattle during the off-season as the centerpiece of a four-team trade. Although he made a team-high $14 million this past season, Ewing averaged only 9.6 points, fifth on the team, which finished 44-38 and out of the playoffs for the second time in three seasons.

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Hobbled by a bruised left foot, Miami Heat guard Tim Hardaway will miss the remainder of the first-round playoff series against the Charlotte Hornets.

Hardaway, who averaged 14.9 points and 6.3 assists during the season, has been ineffective in the two blowout home losses to Charlotte.

Limited to 36 minutes in the two games, he had only five points and nine assists and struggled on defense.

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A downcast Marcus Camby sat slumped in front of a dozen television cameras, shook his head and said he’ll try to do his best in Game 2 of the Knicks’ playoff series against Toronto.

“It’s going to be hard for me to focus and be where I need to be in my head, but I have 24 hours. I’m dealing with it,” Camby said after returning to practice two days after his mother and two sisters were held hostage at their home in Connecticut.

The Knicks practiced for two hours and were not as sharp as they were a day earlier, according to Coach Jeff Van Gundy.

Van Gundy also said that Camby will start at center for the Knicks in Game 2 tonight.