Posted by Nick Gerik February 20, 2012 at 12:10 p.m.

Saturday/Sunday recap, Marcus Morris puts up 31 and 16 in D-League, plus overseas updates

Detroit Pistons' Tayshaun Prince (22) grabs a rebound away from Boston Celtics' Paul Pierce in the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Feb. 19, 2012, in Auburn Hills, Mich. by Nick Gerik

• Paul Pierce (Boston Celtics) didn’t exactly bust out of his slump, but he was a bit more efficient in scoring 18 points on Sunday against the Detroit Pistons. Unfortunately for Pierce and the Celtics, the Pistons won, 96-81, and Boston suffered its fifth loss in six games. Pierce made 6 of 11 shots overall, hitting 2 of 4 three-pointers and sinking 4 of 4 free throws. He also grabbed four rebounds, passed out four assists with two steals and a block in 34 minutes (full stats here).

Denver Nuggets guard Andre Miller (24) shoots in front of Oklahoma City Thunder center Nick Collison (4) in the third quarter of an NBA basketball game in Oklahoma City, Sunday, Feb. 19, 2012. Oklahoma City won 124-118 in overtime. by Nick Gerik

• Nick Collison (Oklahoma City Thunder) scored all three of his points from the free-throw line on Sunday as his three of his Thunder teammates went wild, putting up 51 points, 40 points and a 14-point, 15-rebound, 11-block triple-double. The Thunder barely won, though, squeaking out a 124-118 overtime victory, thanks to those spectacular individual performances. Collison, for his part, added two rebounds, an assist and some highlight-caliber fundamentals (full stats here).

Los Angeles Lakers' Steve Blake looks to pass as Phoenix Suns' Markieff Morris (11) defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Feb. 19, 2012, in Phoenix. by Nick Gerik

• Markieff Morris (Phoenix Suns) hit just 2 of 11 shots, but he still managed 10 points and eight rebounds Sunday against the Los Angeles Lakers. All 10 of Markieff’s points came in the first half, and he offset his poor shooting by getting to the foul line and making 5 of 6 free throws in the second quarter. Markieff hit one three-pointer and added two assists, a steal and two blocks in 20 minutes (full stats here). The Suns defended their home court with a vengeance, leading the Lakers by as many as 27 points before winning by a less impressive 102-90 margin.

• Mario Chalmers (Miami Heat) missed all three of his three-point shots, scoring just six points on Sunday against the Orlando Magic, but the Heat won, 90-78. Chalmers had four rebounds, three assists, a steal and two turnovers to go with his relatively quiet 31 minutes (full stats here).

• Cole Aldrich (Oklahoma City Thunder) did not play (coach’s decision) on Sunday against the Denver Nuggets. Starting center Kendrick Perkins returned after a one-game absence, eliminating any meaningful minutes Aldrich might have otherwise had. The second-year center was still into the game, though, going crazy (and almost onto the court) every time a Thunder player made a three-pointer. The Thunder won a fantasy basketball player’s dream of a game in overtime, 124-118 (game stats here). After the game, the Oklahoman's Darnell Mayberry wrote:

I would have loved to see Cole Aldrich tonight. Maybe that would have helped with Denver’s 18 offensive rebounds.

• Drew Gooden (Milwaukee Bucks) did not play (sprained right wrist) on Sunday against the New Jersey Nets on Sunday. The Bucks won, 92-85 (game stats here). Gooden is listed as day-to-day, and his status is up in the air for a home game against the Orlando Magic.

Saturday recap

Golden State Warriors guard Brandon Rush (4) steals the ball from Memphis Grizzlies guard Mike Conley (11) Warriors guard Stephen Curry, left, looks on during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Memphis, Tenn., Saturday, Feb. 18, 2012. by Nick Gerik

• NBA three-point efficiency leader Brandon Rush (Golden State Warriors) hit both of his attempts from distance on Saturday against the Memphis Grizzlies, but the Warriors lost, 104-103. Rush finished with eight points, four rebounds, an assist, a steal and two blocks in 27 minutes (full stats here).

• Kirk Hinrich (Atlanta Hawks) missed all four of his shots and went scoreless against the Portland Trailblazers on Saturday. Hinrich did pass out three assists and snag three steals to just one turnover in 20 minutes, but the Hawks lost, 97-77 (full stats here).

Other KU pros

by Nick Gerik

• Marcus Morris (NBA D-League - Rio Grande Valley Vipers) filled up the stat sheet on Saturday with 31 points, 16 rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks in 40 minutes during a 135-133 overtime loss (full stats here). Marcus then turned around and scored 22 points with nine rebounds and two steals in 36 minutes on Sunday, but the Vipers lost again, this time by an ugly 130-97 margin (full stats here).

• Josh Selby (NBA D-League - Reno Bighorns) scored 24 points on just 12 shots Saturday in a 104-94 loss. Selby made two three-pointers, five other baskets and 8 of 10 free throws. He also collected eight rebounds, but he passed out just one assist and turned the ball over six times in 30 minutes (full stats here).

• Brady Morningstar (NBA D-League - Tulsa 66ers) scored eight points with four assists in 23 minutes on Sunday as the 66ers lost, 100-96 (full stats here).

• Mario Little (Ukraine-Superleague - SK Dnipro Azot Dniprodzerzhynsk) had 10 points and six rebounds in 29 minutes during a 91-72 loss on Sunday (full stats here).

• Sasha Kaun (Russia PBL - CSKA Moscow) put up 10 points, five rebounds and 12 points, three rebounds in two regular-season wins last week. Kaun played 18 minutes in a 74-60 win on Wednesday (full stats here) and 15 minutes in a 99-83 victory on Saturday (full stats here).

• Aaron Miles (Russia PBL - Krasnye Krylya) scored 17 points with six rebounds, six assists, five steals and just two turnovers in 44 minutes during a 90-89 double-overtime victory on Wednesday (full stats here). Miles followed that performance up by scoring 11 points with five rebounds, seven assists and just two turnovers in 36 minutes during a 78-71 win on Saturday (full stats here).

• Keith Langford (Israeli Premier League - Maccabi Electra) put together a 16-point, six-rebound, three-assist game on Sunday as his team edged out the compeition, 104-100. Langford hit two three-pointers and added a steal while shooting 6 of 12 overall in 36 minutes (full stats here).

Jayhawks in upcoming NBA games

Monday, Feb. 20

• 3 p.m., ESPN, Kirk Hinrich and the Atlanta Hawks vs. the Chicago Bulls

• 7 p.m., Drew Gooden and the Milwaukee Bucks vs. the Orlando Magic

• 7 p.m., TNT, Paul Pierce and the Boston Celtics vs. the Dallas Mavericks

• 7 p.m., Nick Collison, Cole Aldrich and the Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Xavier Henry and the New Orleans Hornets

• 7 p.m., Marcus Morris and the Houston Rockets vs. the Memphis Grizzlies

• 8 p.m., Markieff Morris and the Phoenix Suns vs. the Washington Wizards

• 9:30 p.m., Brandon Rush and the Golden State Warriors vs. the Los Angeles Clippers