PRESS BOX: Iverson to finalize retirement with 76ers
Former NBA Most Valuable Player Allen Iverson will officially announce his retirement at the Philadelphia 76ers' home opener Oct. 30, according to ESPN.
Iverson, 38, last played in the NBA with the 76ers in 2010 and finished his career as an 11-time All-Star who averaged 26.7 points per game.
Iverson played pro ball in Turkey in 2011, but has not played professionally since. He spent 13 years in the NBA, averaging 26.7 points per game (and 29.7 ppg in 71 playoff games), 6.2 assists and 2.2 steals per game. He trails only Michael Jordan, Wilt Chamberlain, LeBron James, Elgin Baylor and Jerry West in career points per game. The 6-0 guard led the league in scoring four different seasons and won one regular-season MVP award.
---Charlotte Bobcats center Brendan Haywood underwent successful surgery on his left foot, the team announced Thursday.
Haywood, 33, had two screws placed in the navicular bone to reinforce his stress fracture. The surgery was performed by Dr. Bob Anderson at Charlotte Orthopedic Hospital. After 12 weeks of immobilization, Haywood will have a follow-up CT scan to determine his return to normal activities.
Haywood played in 61 games in 2012-13, averaging 6.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.4 blocked shots per game.
AUTO
---Todd Parrott, the crew chief for the Sprint Cup driver Aric Almirola, was suspended indefinitely Thursday for violating NASCAR's substance abuse policy.
Sammy Johns, Richard Petty Motorsports' vice president of competition, will serve as crew chief for Almirola's No. 43 team this weekend at Talladega Superspeedway and will continue in that role on an interim basis.
NHL
---St. Louis Blues forward Maxim Lapierre is scheduled for an in-person sitdown at the NHL Department of Player Safety on Friday.
He accepted the invitation under a collective bargaining agreement provisions that affords players the opportunity for a face-to-face hearing for suspensions that might exceed five games. Lapierre must sit out pending the hearing.
Under review is the major penalty for checking San Jose Sharks defenseman Dan Boyle behind the play in Tuesday's game at Scottrade Center. The hit, which took Boyle off the ice and into a St. Louis hospital, occurred at 5:22 of the first period wasn't his only infraction. He was given a game misconduct and a fighting major for a separate altercation.
---New York Rangers captain Ryan Callahan is expected to be sidelined three to four weeks after sustaining a broken thumb in Wednesday night's 2-0 victory over the Washington Capitals.
Callahan joins a growing Rangers injury list that includes forward Rick Nash, who has missed three games after he took a hard hit last Tuesday in San Jose, and winger Carl Hagelin, who is on injured reserve after offseason shoulder surgery.
To replace Callahan on the roster, the Rangers recalled forward Darroll Powe from Hartford. Powe, acquired from Minnesota last year, has played in the Wolf Pack's four games this season and scored one goal. The 28-year-old also has NHL experience with the Philadelphia Flyers.
