While you celebrated Christmas and prepared for the new year, you might have missed some important headlines from the NBA. Well, I made a list of the significant headlines of the week that could affect your favorite team, and if you even want to cheer that team on in the coming weeks.

1. Varejao out for season

Anderson Varejao is a unique player. The 30th pick of the 2004 draft, the 11th year veteran is one of the best centers of the league. With his height (6’10”) and wingspan (7’0″), he is a machine in getting rebounds (6.5 rebounds per game), scoring (9.8 points per game), and blocking (.6 blocks per game) for the Cleveland Cavaliers. However, injuries have bugged him these last few seasons. In that time span, he has missed 166 games. Unfortunately, Varejao has gotten the injury bug again.

On December 23, in a 125-104 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves, Varejao positioned for a rebound in the middle of the third quarter.  However, his left leg buckled, and he fell hard. MRI showed what was expected: a torn Achilles. This injury requires immediate surgery, which will cause Varejao the season. This is a huge injury for the Cavs’, who were the early favorites to win the division. However, this injury could alter their late April plans.

According to reports, experienced power forward/center Tristan Thompson will take over center duties for Varejao.

2. Coach McHale signs extension with Houston

Kevin McHale has had some stellar time in the NBA. He was inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame after a 13 year career with the Boston Celtics and three championships won. After that, he spent 16 seasons with the Timberwolves in the coaching department until he left for Houston in 2011 to become the head coach. Well, he will stay head coach for a little longer.

57-year-old McHale and Houston agreed to a three year extension on December 24. In each of the last two years, the Rockets have reached the playoffs. In four seasons as coach, McHale has won 60% of his games, going 153-104. “He embodies the leadership, passion, knowledge, and team-first qualities we need as we continue our pursuit of bringing another NBA championship to the city of Houston,” Leslie Alexander, the owner of the Rockets, said to nba.com. 

It was not announced how much money Coach McHale will make in the next three years.

3. James loses in return to Miami

LeBron James was both cheered for and booed at by fans in Miami, Florida. Unfortunately, he didn’t get a Christmas gift when he returned to play against the team that he won two championships with.

Dwayne Wade scored 31 points, and Luol Deng added 25 more, and the Miami Heat pulled off the upset with a 101-91 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. Wade had five rebounds and five assists, while Deng had eight rebounds and eight assists for the Heat. The win raised their record to 14-16.

For the Cavaliers (17-11), James scored 30 points, and Kyrie Irving scored 25 points. James had eight assists, and both Irving and James added four rebounds each.

Even though Kevin Love, Irving, and James combined for 69 points, the rest of the team only scored 22 points. In addition, it was apparent that the team could not find a good substitute for center Anderson Varejao, who is out for the season. Furthermore, the Miami bench outscored Cleveland’s by six points. Miami also had 16 more fast-break points than Cleveland. 

The Heat prevailed even without Chris Bosh, who was out with a calf injury.

4. Nowitzki now eighth on all-time scoring list

In a 102-98 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on December 26 in Dallas, power forward Dirk Nowitzki was just happy about the victory, which brought the record of the Dallas Mavericks to 21-10. But, he has another reason to celebrate.

With a jumper in the third quarter, German-born Nowitzki passed Elvin Hayes for eighth on the all-time NBA scoring list. The jumper put him at 27,314 points, one point more than Hayes. He is the top-scoring foreigner who ever played in the NBA.

The 17 year veteran is averaging 18.5 points and 5.8 rebounds per game.

5. Smith stars in first game, start with Rockets

In my first NBA Weekly Report, which you can see here, I talked about forward Josh Smith being released from the Detroit Pistons on December 22. It turns out that he was signed by the Houston Rockets. Well, he has shown already that he is an important part to Houston’s success.

In Smith’s first game with the Rockets, a 117-111 win at Memphis, Smith put up 21 points off the bench against a tough Grizzlies defense. He also contributed eight rebounds and three assists.

In his next game, he earned the start against the San Antonio Spurs. Even though the Rockets lost, 110-106, Smith was able to give five points, eight rebounds, and three steals to Houston. Smith should help Houston immensely to get them into the playoffs again.