Griffin to Get Alcohol Treatment

New Jersey Net forward Eddie Griffin plans to enter the Betty Ford Center this week for six weeks of alcohol abuse treatment, his lawyer told the New York Times.

“Eddie feels he needs further help with his drinking problem,” Rusty Hardin said. “He’s very disappointed. But he’s thankful for the way the Nets have reacted to his request for further treatment. He realizes these are problems he’s created.”

Hardin said Griffin’s agent, Arn Tellem, has arranged for the player to fly to Southern California to enter the center Wednesday.

Griffin took a leave from the Nets on Wednesday, three weeks after signing with the team.

Griffin is in Houston, where he was recently convicted of marijuana possession. Griffin also faces a separate charge of felony aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

The Nets signed Griffin after he was released by the Houston Rockets. He was on the injured list and did not appear in any games for New Jersey.

Griffin had troubles on and off the court in Houston. The Rockets suspended him Oct. 16 for a series of missed practices and a skipped flight to Sacramento. Also that month, he checked into a hospital to get help for undisclosed problems.

Griffin was charged in November with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon after a woman accused him of hitting her three times in the face and shooting at her as she drove away from his home on Oct. 25. He was convicted of marijuana possession in Houston on Jan. 20 and is scheduled to be sentenced Feb. 13.

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The Chicago Bulls activated Tyson Chandler and put Chris Jefferies on the injured list because of a sprained right ankle.

Chandler, a 7-foot-1 forward-center, has been out since Nov. 25 because of a bad back. He was averaging 13 points and 10.3 rebounds in 14 games before getting hurt.

Jefferies was averaging 3.5 points and 6.3 minutes a game. *

Rookie forward Michael Sweetney was activated from the injured list by the New York Knicks, who decided not to offer center Bruno Sundov a second 10-day contract.

Sweetney has appeared in only 13 games for the Knicks, who selected him with the ninth overall pick in the draft last June. He is averaging 1.5 points and 0.8 rebounds.