Hornets’ Mashburn to Sit Out Playoffs

Second-leading scorer Jamal Mashburn was left off the New Orleans Hornets’ playoff roster after sitting out all but 19 games this season because of a bruised right knee.

The former All-Star forward averaged 20.8 points but has not played since March 7.

“Mash is still a little ways [away] in being able to be back with us,” said Hornet Coach Tim Floyd, whose team begins the playoffs at Miami on Sunday.

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The New York Knicks kept guard Allan Houston on the playoff roster despite Coach Lenny Wilkens’ guess that there’s only a 70% to 80% chance he won’t play.

Houston, the team’s second-leading scorer, had therapy and treatment Thursday on his sore left knee, which sidelined him for 13 of the final 14 games.

Shandon Anderson would replace Houston.

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The Minnesota Timberwolves’ backup point guard, Troy Hudson, will sit out the playoffs because of a right ankle injury. Hudson is expected to have surgery soon for the injury, which limited him to 29 games.

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Swingman Scottie Pippen said he probably would retire after an injury-shortened season in his return to the Chicago Bulls.

“This is probably it for me,” said Pippen, who will turn 39 in September. “I’d rather not make a 100% commitment. But I’m quite sure that this is probably my last season.”

Pippen underwent knee surgery in December and played in only 23 games.

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His job status shaky, Toronto Raptor Coach Kevin O’Neill questioned the team’s commitment, saying, “I can just tell you right now, the focus is not on winning here all the way through the organization all the time. There needs to be drastic measures taken.” The fate of O’Neill, 33-49 in his first season as coach, is expected to be determined by a new general manager. Glen Grunwald was fired April 1 and replaced in the interim by Jack McCloskey.... The Phoenix Suns are expected to be sold to a new investment group next week, one of the team’s current investors said. The group, reportedly including former NBA player and TNT analyst Steve Kerr, would pay more than $300 million, with Jerry Colangelo remaining as head of the franchise but not as an owner. Colangelo, 64, had said in March that he preferred to have someone become a minority owner with the right to buy the rest of the team in several years. However, the current proposal would transfer ownership now.... Attendance is up, but revenues are down, Commissioner David Stern said at an NBA Board of Governors meeting in New York. He declined to give specific figures but said many of the teams reported a drop in revenue. Attendance, however, was its highest since the 1997-98 season -- the final one before the 1998-99 lockout. Arenas were occupied at 89% of capacity, and the NBA averaged 17,050 fans per game, fourth-highest in history.