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Tuesday, October 13

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Stephen Jackson, fresh off a two-game suspension for "conduct detrimental to the team," met with coach Don Nelson and general manager Larry Riley on Tuesday, practiced with the team and addressed the media. The headline of the 10-minute interview was Jackson's request to have his captain duties removed. "I don't want these young guys to try to follow me," Jackson said. "I can't be a role model to guys who make the same amount of money as me. We're all in the NBA. I don't want to be a role model. "Control your own game and what you do. Anytime I say something or get suspended, I don't blame it on coaches or teammates. I man up, take it and am responsible. I think everybody should be responsible for their own game, how they prepare and how they play. Don't look at me to get you going. Don't look at me to get the team going. I think everybody is responsible for themselves, and that's how it should be." San Francisco Chronicle

"Being captain was overrated to me, anyway," Jackson said. "You don't do anything but go out before the game and talk to the refs. I don't want to do that, anyway. "I'm still going to go out there and be real vocal and play my game with a lot of energy and intensity. ... Being a captain didn't make me play hard or make me make shots. It's a title, and it's overrated." San Francisco Chronicle

Marcus Thompson: Jackson said he will listen to Nellie on the court. But off it? Not so much. Twitter.com

Marcus Thompson: Nellie exits the practice facility, with most of the players still on the court, wearing Mavericks jacket! Twitter.com

The Mavs remain open to buyout discussions with Williams' camp if a trade doesn't materialize, but one source with knowledge of the club's thinking told ESPN.com that the Mavericks are also exploring the feasibility of suspending Williams without pay for conduct detrimental to the team when the regular season begins. At present he is effectively suspended with pay, like Stephon Marbury and Jamaal Tinsley last season in Indiana and New York, respectively, until both players negotiated buyouts. ESPN.com

One team source confirmed this week that the Mavs will indeed keep a full 15-man squad, but keeping Voskuhl would likely require them to buy out Williams' $2.4 million expiring contract. ESPN.com

A year ago, coach Rick Carlisle brought the oft-troubled Shawne Williams to camp with a sharp-edged promise if the kid misbehaved. “His ass will be grass,'' Carlisle vowed, "and me, Donnie and Mark would be the lawn mowers.’’ Well, Shawne’s ass is grass. But because Dallas erred in picking up his option a year ago, Shawne’s ass is also expensive. DallasBasketball.com

The Mavs have wrestled for weeks with the issue of how they will slice their gym-full of guaranteed contracts down to the NBA-max of 15 roster members. (We noticed his absence on the first day of this year's camp, back when things were hush-hush.) The belief that non-guaranteed camp invitee Jake Voskuhl might be worth keeping on this center-slim team is a sidebar issue here. So is the idea of a 3-for-1-type trade, which GM Donnie Nelson has openly discussed with DallasBasketball.com. And budget concerns in “these tough economic times’’? That’s the last of Dallas’ worries. No, the real issue is how to dump Shawne Williams, the spectacularly athletic 23-year-old wingman who has worn out yet another NBA welcome. And decision time approaches. DallasBasketball.com

The 33-year-old LaFrentz — who had surgery on his right shoulder 13 months ago as a member of the Portland Trail Blazers and missed the entire 2008-09 season — is currently a free agent living in Des Moines, Iowa. “He was debating on whether to stay (in Iowa) or go play ball,” said LaFrentz’s dad, Ron, who lives with wife Ellen in Monona, Iowa. Lawrence Journal-World

Raef might consider a return if an NBA team made an offer he couldn’t refuse. Because of his injury history, that doesn’t figure to happen. “His competitiveness has not died down too much. He said it’d be awfully difficult to get into (playing) shape,” Ron said. Raef averaged 10.1 points and 6.1 rebounds a game in an 11-year career that included stints in Denver, Dallas, Boston and Portland. “He probably would consider a one-year contract or so. His skills don’t seem to have deteriorated too much. But the healing process gets slower when you get to be 33, 34. He’s very content with what he’s doing now.” Lawrence Journal-World

Arthur Triche: Hawks down to 18 players following the release of Frank Robinson and Aaron Miles. We travel to Memphis later today, injury updates 2 come. Twitter.com

Already facing luxury tax issues, the Jazz had to decide if they could afford to match the Blazers' offer and keep Millsap. "When Portland signed him ... I was a little worried," said teammate Deron Williams. "I didn't really know if we were going to match or not. That's what I was worried about." Smiling, Williams added, "They didn't need him, though." Salt Lake Tribune

Tuesday, the admiration was for Carlos Arroyo, and the way he moved the ball in just his second practice with the Heat since being added Sunday. "He can pass," coach Erik Spoelstra said. "He found guys for easy shots. He's one of those guys that he makes two or three passes in a session, where you don't necessarily see it. And he caught some of our guys by surprise. But that's going to be a good element. "Carlos has a knack for pick-and-roll basketball and finding guys and getting them in open positions." South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Sometimes, there has to be more to the offense than give the ball to Dwyane Wade and get the heck out of the way. "We need to continue to work our system," Spoelstra said. "But we also need to find easy baskets, and passing guys that have a gift for that helps." Hallelujah. You can only watch Hoosiers for so long on this level. So far, it's all been good with Arroyo (pictured in a courtesy photo provided by the Heat). "He's in phenomenal shape," Spoelstra said. "He's an absolute basketball fanatic. I had heard a week ago that he had been playing in city league in Miami, but, also, he'd been playing pick-up ball at the parks. South Florida Sun-Sentinel

The NBA has fined Washington guard Gilbert Arenas $25,000 for not making himself available to the media. The league also penalized the Wizards organization $25,000 on Tuesday for failing to ensure that its players are following NBA media interview rules. ESPN.com

Stephon Marbury: Go tell Doc and Danny your daddy's that some one you fake truth. Your style is played out number 34. The hood knows your so far gone. Twitter.com

A source with knowledge of West’s situation told me that the team is in no hurry to get him back on the court. Anxious fans sniffing the possibility of a championship might consider this disruptive to those aspirations, but personally, I think the team is handling this properly. West and his father Dmitri both told me that Delonte is at his best when he’s on the court. He can forget his problems. As therapeutic as it may be for him, it’s better for both parties to take their time getting him back to form. Akron Beacon Journal

As has been well-documented, Roy isn't off to the best start this pre-season. Cross his weight off the list of possible explanations. Talking with him today, he made it quite clear he likes where he is at physically. Brandon Roy: Nah, I weighed in yesterday at 208. I went up to about 210 but I'm back at 208. I like it though, I feel good, my legs feel really good. I think I'm at the right weight. Especially for my knees and my joints and things like that. I feel good. When I weighed in at 208, I was like great. I thought I had went up, but I didn't. The important thing is not going [up and down a lot], 205, 210. Blazers Edge

Asked if he felt scared by the whole prospect, Garnett said, “no. But the surgery part was. When you get opened up, you’re putting trust in people you have no idea about. Every situation is different when it comes to surgery – you hope for the best – but anything can happen. “But I am a person who manifests good things. And I just kept manifesting nothing but good things to have a successful surgery. The doctor did a great job and everything up to now has been perfect.” Yahoo! Sports

“I’ve taken him out of practices, which is tough, because he has to break through a wall of sorts,’’ Rivers said. “But we need his legs. Does he accept it? No, he doesn’t accept anything. But that is a good thing. Rasheed [Wallace] has been good for him. I heard him say, ‘Kevin, we’re not going to win it tonight.’ And that was at a practice. Kevin was mad. He was watching and saying all these things. It’s hard for him. He starts up here (Rivers raising his hand to the sky). And he keeps going up here.” Yahoo! Sports

Said Garnett of his on-again, off-again oomph, “It’s gonna come. Guys are holding me up to perfect standards, or close to them, and I love that. It’ll come. I’ve always taken more of a defensive mindset and a lot of my energy comes from the defensive end. If I feel I have a mismatch in the post, I’ll do that. He [Rivers] wants me to be a lot more aggressive offensively and a lot of my energy is tiered to the defensive end. It’s about balance. I’ll get it. I’m not concerned about that. As long as I understand the defensive schemes, I’ll be fine. Offense is repetition.” Yahoo! Sports

Cavaliers guard Delonte West practiced with the team this afternoon for the first time since Oct. 6. It is unknown if West, who has been excused in order to take care of personal issues, will play in Wednesday night’s exhibition game against Washington or travel with the team to Texas for games this weekend. "He’s still inactive," Cavs coach Mike Brown said today. Cleveland Plain Dealer

According to Brown, West has been working out on his own with the Cavs coaches. When asked if West could still be ready for the season, Brown said: "I’m going to coach whoever’s here and let (Cavaliers GM) Danny Ferry handle that situation. "I believe in Danny. I believe in Delonte. I believe in the system we have. I’m going to let events unfold as they may and get ready with whoever I have to go Oct. 27." Cleveland Plain Dealer

Here's a reality that makes a lot of people shiver: Much of the Miami HEAT's success this season depends on Michael Beasley's development at small forward. Beasley, used almost exclusively at power forward last season as a rookie, takes it a step further. "My development, period, is crucial to our success," he said. "We can't bank on (All-Star guard) Dwyane Wade scoring 50 points a night. He needs help. He needs somebody out there with him." HoopsWorld

But, now Beasley - the second-year forward from Kansas State who was selected by the HEAT with the No. 2 pick of the 2008 draft - has declared himself ready to accept all challenges. "Later for the immaturity; later for me blaming it on my age," he said. "I've come to realize I'm a professional, no matter if I'm 38, no matter if I'm 19 or 20. I'm a professional." HoopsWorld

Dikembe Mutombo on the rehab he’s going through following his career-ending injury: “It’s not easy man. A lot of work. It takes a lot of dedication going to the gym, working out, spending more than an hour on the bike everyday. It’s not easy but I’m trying my best. I just want to be able to walk.” Sports Radio Interviews

Brian T. Smith: Roy says he is holding off on Team USA commitment because he wants to keep his body healthy and focus on Blazers. Twitter.com

Clearly, coaching seems to be in Hornacek's future. Two years ago, he talked to the Chicago Bulls about their head coaching vacancy, which went to Vinny Del Negro. The hometown Phoenix Suns also approached him about working in a capacity similar to the one he has with the Jazz, but he declined. "You always listen to stuff and, if something comes up, great," Hornacek said. "In a way I always thought I'd end up coaching in college. And sometimes you think, 'You know what, maybe it'd be nice just coaching high school kids.' But who knows what will happen. If some opportunity comes up, then sure. But I don't anticipate one coming up for a long time." Salt Lake Tribune

A peer recently suggested Hornacek hire an agent, so teams/schools know he might be interested in a full-time coaching job. "It might come to that point some day," he said. "But for now, I'm happy doing this and still spending a lot of time with my family. And the Jazz -- Kevin [O'Connor], Jerry [Sloan], Phil [Johnson] and the guys -- they have been great allowing me to do this and stay involved." Salt Lake Tribune

Mark Cuban on his blog wrote ESPNDallas.com is "without question minor league" in its Mavericks coverage compared to the Dallas Morning News. Sports Business Daily

Congratulations to the Dooling family. Keyon and Natosha welcomed their first son, Keyon Dooling, Jr., into the world on Sunday. He has three older sisters, Deneal, Gabrielle and Jordan. Bergen Record

While Olympiakos lost both of its exhibition games against NBA teams this week, the Greek basketball club was on the verge of escaping the U.S. Tuesday with its uniforms and other property amid an allegation of a death threat. At the heart of this strange European tour are outstanding U.S. court judgments demanding that Olympiakos pay $1.1 million to American player Chris Morris, who played for the club in 1999, and $410,000 to his American agent Tom McLaughlin. SI.com

On Monday another American agent, Gary Ebert, who also represents Morris, filed a report with police in Shreveport, La., alleging that he received a death threat from someone who claimed to be associated with Olympiakos president and owner Panagiotis Angelopoulos. Ebert tells SI.com that the threat followed a phone conversation he had earlier Monday with Angelopoloulos. Ebert says he then received a call from a man with a Greek accent. "I got a phone call from a Greek cell phone number," says Ebert. "The guy was going off on me to leave Angelopolous alone. I told him I'm going to get the money [owed to Morris]. The guy said, 'Leave him alone, do this through the court.' I said I have the right to call him. He said, 'Look, (expletive), leave Angelopoulos alone or I'll kill you." SI.com

Moments later Ebert called back and told the man he didn't appreciate being threatened. "He didn't have much to say that time," says Ebert. "I think he was surprised I had his number." Ebert says the federal marshall in San Antonio refused last Friday -- before the Olympiakos-Spurs game that night -- to execute a writ from a federal judge to seize the uniforms, airline tickets and other properties of Olympiakos, in addition to monies carried personally by Angelopolous and the Olympiakos G.M. As a result, Ebert says that he will file a Freedom of Information Act request to discover if anyone might have intervened on behalf of Olympiakos. SI.com

But sources with knowledge of Golden State's thinking told ESPN.com on Monday that the Warriors do want to get Jackson back on the floor as soon as possible if reinstating him does not lead to further distractions, believing that it will be even more difficult to trade Jackson than it already is if he is not playing regularly. ESPN.com

The Warriors, sources said, do not want to send Jackson home for an extended stay until they can find a deal, as the Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks did last season with Jamaal Tinsley and Stephon Marbury, respectively, before ultimately negotiating buyouts with both players when trades couldn't be struck. ESPN.com

With his two-game suspension coming to an end, forward Stephen Jackson said Monday he is ready to rejoin the Warriors and return to his role as arguably the team's best all-around player. But, by no means, should that be deemed as happiness. "I've got no choice but to go out there," Jackson said in a phone interview. "I'm just going to do my job. I don't want to be fake. I'm just going to go and play basketball and handle my business." Contra Costa Times

Jackson said when he hits the court he still will be the guy who averaged 20.7 points, 6.5 assists and 5.1 rebounds per game last season. But clearly his feelings about playing for the Warriors haven't changed. "If something happens, then it happens," Jackson said. "But I'm just going to play, just do what I do." Contra Costa Times

Jackson said he was upset because the coaches left him in the game despite his foul trouble, and he felt they didn't stick up for him with the replacement referees. "I felt like I didn't get handled right in the game," Jackson said. "I know I did what I'm supposed to do, being a man. I'm not going to let Kobe throw elbows at me. "(Things are) always made out to make me look bad. At the end of the day, I wouldn't disrespect Coach like that. But I was mad at our staff for not having my back. If I'm going to go out there and bust my (butt) for you, I expect you to have my back." Contra Costa Times

Jackson said he didn't think the two-game suspension was fair — it cost him $139,000, as preseason games are figured in to player salaries — but he is ready to move on. He was spotted after Friday's game in Los Angeles with his wife, smiling and holding guard Monta Ellis' infant son. Monday, he and his wife made a trip to the Oakland Zoo. Jackson reiterated that all of his frustrations stem from his desire to win and his hope that the organization wants to win as much as he does. "My whole thing is I want to win," Jackson said. "They should be able to respect that. I want to win. That's just me. I'm still going to go out there and play hard and do what I do. But I want to win." Contra Costa Times

According to a highly-placed NBA source, Stephen Jackson’s two-game suspension was the result of a multi-stage confrontation with Don Nelson during Friday’s game in Los Angeles. Contra Costa Times

First, as Jackson was in the process of picking up five fouls in about nine minutes guarding Kobe Bryant–and not getting pulled by Nelson–a seething Jackson screamed that he was sick and tired of receiving no support from the Warriors (or Nelson). At this point, Jackson was presumably referring to Nelson not standing up for Jackson with the replacement referees, or not taking him out when he was in obvious foul trouble. Contra Costa Times

But, according to the source, the more serious incident occurred moments later, when Nelson was trying to calm Jackson down. Nelson told Jackson to head back to the locker room, take a shower and cool down. Nelson apparently also put his hand on Jackson at the same time, to settle the situation (he thought). Jackson immediately roughly brushed off Nelson’s hand, and, according to the source, told him loudly never to do that again and included many more angry words directed at Nelson. Contra Costa Times

Eric Pincus: Farmar has been "available" for some time - but the Lakers are very, very cost conscious in what comes back. Twitter.com

"Decisions on roster spots will be based on everything -- from contract status to how guys are playing," Carlisle said Monday. "And any assumption that someone without a guaranteed contract would be precluded from making the team would be inaccurate." Most likely, these players have roster spots secured: Dirk Nowitzki, Shawn Marion, Josh Howard, Jason Kidd, Jason Terry, Drew Gooden, Erick Dampier, Quinton Ross, Tim Thomas, James Singleton, J.J. Barea, Roddy Beaubois, Matt Carroll and Kris Humphries. That leaves one opening. The coaches have been impressed with Voskuhl, at least partly because he has length that can come in handy against Western Conference big men such as Andrew Bynum, Tim Duncan, Nene and Greg Oden. Dallas Morning News

Ian Mahinmi is well aware his career with the Spurs is on the clock. It is the fourth quarter, time is running out. Time to make a play. The Spurs have until Halloween to decide whether to extend Mahinmi's contract another year or to allow him to become an unrestricted free agent at season's end. As such, every move he makes this preseason — both the good and the bad — has been magnified. If nothing else, Mahinmi has grown accustomed to playing under pressure. “There's always a little bit of pressure,” Mahinmi, a 6-foot-11, 22-year-old center, said after Monday's practice. “What I do is just come every day and try to do my best. One step at a time.” San Antonio Express-News

The Spurs figure to be over the league's luxury tax threshold by at least $10 million. That means each extra roster spot comes at twice the price of the added player's contract. The tax is a dollar-for-dollar addition to a payroll that exceeds the cap, projected to be around $65 million. The ownership group headed by Peter Holt agreed to become a luxury tax payer so a roster that needed youth and athleticism could get it. There may be limits to the spending when it comes to adding players who aren't likely to be part of the team's rotation. San Antonio Express-News

“The way we look at it, (not filling the final spots) is most likely,” Popovich said, “unless somebody shows you that you are crazy to cut them because they have played so damn well. “There's got to be one or two guys show us we're crazy to cut them. If they play that well, we're going to have to keep one or two more bodies than we probably had planned on.” San Antonio Express-News

Shaun Pruitt might be preparing for the pre-season with the Golden State Warriors but the team of Peristeri are getting anxious as they're no longer certain that he will sign them. According to sportnet,gr, Peristeri are getting anxious about Shaun Pruitt still being in the States and practicing with the Golden State Warriors. He has played in 3 games in the preseason so far averaging, 10 minutes per game. Peristeri need Pruitt to get to them as soon as possible, because the Greek League starts on the 22nd of October and time is running short. The Hoop

Woodson said the first cuts of training camp will be made before the team departs for Memphis after practice today. The Hawks play the Grizzlies Wednesday. Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Michael Wallace: Just saw Zo Mourning at arena in practice gear. Asked if he's thinking comeback. "Nope. It would mess up my golf swing." Twitter.com

Out of the NBA since ending the 2007-08 season with Orlando, Arroyo spent last season with Euroleague power Maccabi Tel Aviv in Israel. Determined to stay closer to home and get back into the NBA, he agreed to a one-year, non-guaranteed contract, after the Heat called his agent Sunday night. "It was about being in the right situation," Arroyo said. "I had to be patient to wait for this opportunity." South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Olympiacos has quite a few players who nearly became Cavs over the past year. That includes former NBA player Josh Childress, who said the Cavs talked to him and the Atlanta Hawks dur ing the sum mer about a sign-and- trade deal before he de cided to go back and play in Greece. "The Cavs had some interest," Childress said. "I was very close, I had a timeline I had to be aware of, and that was the biggest issue, but I was close to coming back." Cleveland Plain Dealer

It took Phil Jackson a mere two words to sum up the impact Lamar Odom's chaotic summer has had on his play during the first two weeks of training camp. "Absolutely nothing," the Lakers coach said. Riverside Press-Enterprise

Odom scoffs at the idea this could be distracting for him, noting with a smile that he's "been through a lot worse than marriage." The death of his beloved grandmother and infant son didn't derail his career, he says, so he's pretty sure a ring on his finger and a few extra cameras in his face won't either. "Even though some of it was a whirlwind, things happen fast in my life. They've always happened fast," Odom said. "As a man I try to be prepared for everything that comes my way, and I think I was able to do that." Riverside Press-Enterprise

Rookie Grizzlies center Hasheem Thabeet, 7 feet 3, picked up two quick fouls in the first few minutes, wrapping his arms around Howard in an attempt to stop him on the first play. "Dwight Howard's a great player and Thabeet didn't get a fair share of the calls right from the start of the game," Hollins said. "It's not Dwight Howard against Thabeet --- it's us against the Orlando Magic." Orlando Sentinel

"That's absurd. I thought from the first play, all Thabeet did was try to grab him. It was obvious. Of course, I'm going to see it differently than Lionel," Van Gundy said. Orlando Sentinel

Howard, who usually doesn't think he ever gets a break from the officials, said incredulously, "Are you kidding? Somebody said I was getting calls?" Orlando Sentinel

Pistons rookie Austin Daye said he hasn't decided whether he will appeal his one-game suspension handed down by the NBA for his altercation with Bucks guard Carlos Delfino during a game last week. Detroit Free Press

Kevin Garnett took another step forward in his recovery from knee surgery during Monday's practice. "He took a lob and dunked it -- it was an amazing dunk," Celtics coach Doc Rivers said of Garnett. "Everybody said, 'we haven't seen that.' " Boston Globe

“I always said my goal was to play until I was 36, but my goals can change,” Pierce said. “My contract is up when I’m 33, so we’ll see from there. But hopefully I can play three more years after that, and if I’m in good shape and I’m taking care of my body, then maybe I’ll play more. “I don’t know. I haven’t really given it much thought. I’m just playing it out.” Boston Herald

“I might get hit in the head,” Pierce said. “You never know. “I don’t know yet,” he continued. “Maybe I might leave my options open. Hey, what if they trade Kevin (Garnett) and Ray (Allen) and Rasheed (Wallace) away? What if they trade everybody? You want me to be here on a 15-win team? I already did that.” Boston Herald

Paul Pierce was 20 years old when he was drafted by the Celtics in 1998. Eleven years later, he still doesn’t feel a day out of college. “I still feel in my early 20s,” he told WEEI.com after a recent practice. “I feel like I’m back in Kansas.” WEEI.com

Pierce turns 32 on Tuesday and a new lifestyle has him energized as he enters his 12th NBA season. Last month he was one of several Celtics who showed up to Media Day with a noticeably slimmer frame. While Kendrick Perkins and Glen Davis admitted to dropping up to 15 and 30 pounds respectively, Pierce (who is listed at 235 pounds) isn’t paying attention to the scale. “I maybe lost two pounds, I don’t know,” he said. As for losing body fat, “Probably so, I haven’t measured it, but most likely I have.” WEEI.com

“I just think it’s more important because the body is aging, it’s getting older,” he said. “You’re not as quick as you used to be and your body has to adjust with the times. I mean, what I used to do when I was younger are some of the things I can’t do now. I’m stressing more rest, I didn’t sleep as much when I was younger, so a lot of things change. It’s easier to gain weight the older you get so that’s why I decided to change a lot of my habits.” WEEI.com

He added, “I’ve just changed up my eating habits as far as eating a lot of fish, chicken, vegetables, not as much red meat – almost no red meat — no sodas, not a lot of juice. I drink a lot of water and Gatorade and Powerade.” WEEI.com

“Just yesterday in the weight room I told him he was starting to look skinny,” Allen said. “You know, Paul has always had like a heavy look, a heavy body. Now you see in his legs he’s slimming down, his upper body is slimming down. I think it’s the natural evolution when you get into your 30s and your metabolism starts to slow down and you start thinking about eating better, getting more sleep, and then your body starts to show it. And then as for us, this schedule is so demanding you really have no choice, your body will tell you you need more rest.” WEEI.com

Coach Nate McMillan has emphasized defense throughout the preseason -- and, really, for the better part of the last 13 months -- but three games into the exhibition schedule, he's still searching for the intensity, execution and desire required to catapult this team into becoming a defensive force. "That is where I think I'm most disappointed -- in the commitment there and ... focus," McMillan said, referring to his team's defensive play thus far. "Not only have we talked about it, we know that that is where we need to improve and part of (practice) was working on that. The guys gotta commit to that. It can't be a sometimes thing." Oregonian

"Not that he'll be a stopper ... but for us to take that next step defensively, we need (Roy)," McMillan said. "He's been a good defender in the fourth quarter because ... normally, late in a game, he has drawn an assignment of covering the best offensive player. Now the commitment that he and I have talked about, because we have depth and we don't want you to kind of save or pace yourself for the fourth quarter, is to start out that way." Oregonian

To prepare for their first home game of the preseason, the Knicks are sleeping in. Call it an unscientific experiment to find a link between circadian rhythms and shooting rhythm. Coach Mike D’Antoni, ever the nonconformist, is eliminating the morning shootaround for all home games this season, starting with Tuesday’s exhibition against the Philadelphia 76ers. New York Times

Although a few Knicks were regularly on the court between 4:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. last season, the majority came later. Now they will be together for a four-hour block leading into the game. “I think we’ll probably be a little bit more prepared, because everything will be nice and fresh in our minds,” said forward Al Harrington, an 11-year veteran who has been with three other teams. New York Times

After yesterday's practice, 76ers coach Eddie Jordan said he asked Thaddeus Young how he felt about New York City. Young responded that all cities are "about the same to me." "Really? New York isn't more special?" "Not really, they're all about the same to me," Young repeated. Recounting the story, Jordan laughed. "So, yeah . . . he's low-maintenance," Jordan said. "I don't worry about Thad." Philadelphia Inquirer

"I'm pretty good right now," said Young, the team's starting small forward. "I'm just going out there and trying to do the things I've been doing - rebounding, playing defense, getting steals. Doing the little things. My offense is going to come; I'm not worried about that too much. Philadelphia Inquirer

O'Neal's meeting Sofoklis Schortsanitis, the 6-10, 310-pound center who long ago was nicknamed "Baby Shaq," was the most intriguing highlight of the night. The two giant men sized each other up and often crammed into the areas around the basket, each having their moments. But as is usually the case, Big Shaq had more of them. He scored 12 points and had five rebounds in 21 minutes including two rim-shaking dunks. Those maneuvers, though, had nothing on his short but riveting flight late in the first half. He and Schortsanitis got tangled up and O'Neal went sailing into the stands. First he side-stepped the first row of seats, then jumped over the second row, and finally landed not so softly on a thankfully empty chair in the third aisle. He popped back up as if he'd hit a trampoline even as the crowd gasped. So did some on the bench. Cleveland Plain Dealer

"I feel bad for the chair," James said. "He should feel sorry for the chair," O'Neal said. "I just try to land safely, I try to look out for sharp objects." "I saw him do it before on TV," Brown said. "At first I thought, 'Oh my gosh, he's going to get hurt.' But then I remembered he's Superman, so he was just flying." Cleveland Plain Dealer

Rumor has it you’re a great chef. Can you talk about some of your specialties? Adam Morrison: Toast. Adam Right. What’s your plan of attack when, uh, cooking (?) a piece of bread? Morrison: I usually stay between four and five on the knob you adjust for temperature. If I’m feeling really crafty, I’ll go six, but four and five is where I like. I go for a lighter toast. I prefer peanut butter as the main topping, but you have to add butter on there for the extra cholesterol. You know, butter the toast to get it nice and soft, then add the peanut butter on top to give it a nice texture. It’s unhealthy, but that’s why it tastes so good. Lakers.com

Let’s fast forward to 2006. Did you really play online video games with J.J. Redick, then a Duke star and your rival for Player of the Year honors, or was that a media stunt? Adam Morrison: We really did, we actually did a special where we were both playing. But it wasn’t as big a deal as they made it seem like. Just the thing with two small schools, white guy shooters … It wasn’t like we were soul mates, we were just buddies. Lakers.com

Brian Windhorst: Classic moment: Theo Papaloukas, man who vanquished USA in '06 World Championships, waiting 10 min in his uniform for LeBron autograph. Twitter.com

Several players got photos with O'Neal after the game. Guard Theo Papaloukas, who was the star in beating a James-led Team USA in the 2006 World Championships, waited 10 minutes in his uniform outside the Cavs locker room for James' autograph. O'Neal sent his signed jersey to guard Yotam Halperin. Cleveland Plain Dealer

After the Kings swingman broke his forearm after a physioball he was lifting on exploded, Kings co-owner Joe Maloof told me this morning that the team is sending an e-mail to each of the NBA's teams today to warn them about these newfound dangers. Maloof's main intent was to protect the athletes and educate the masses about this frightening possibility. He has taken measures on the homefront as well, mandating that signs are hung in the team's weight room prohibiting the use of the balls. Sacramento Bee

"You wouldn't expect it in a million years," Joe Maloof said by phone Monday morning. "Everybody uses these balls. Every spa in the world, you always see these balls. I think this is a wake-up call. 'Cisco was our starting forward, he has a huge contract. "It's devastating, for 'Cisco and for us. We'll get through it. But at the same time you don't expect it to happen." Sacramento Bee

With Garc a in the first year of a five-year contract extension worth $29.6 million (with a fifth-year team option) and the likelihood that the Kings will have to pay an additional player to make up for Garc a's absence, Maloof said the team is considering legal action against the maker of the ball. Sources close to the team identified it as an Italian-based company, Gymnic although the model of the ball isn't known. Before the injury occurred, the 195-pound Garc a was lying on his back doing dumbbell presses with 90-pound weights in each hand, according to Kings players. Sacramento Bee

Villanueva stressed that he's being extra careful with the injury that has caused him to miss the first three exhibition games -- all Detroit victories. "I'm going to take my time with this," Villanueva said. "If I still feel like it's bothering me or something, sit it out." Detroit Free Press

Blair arrived from the University of Pittsburgh devoid of an anterior cruciate ligament in either knee. Though the condition was never an issue for Blair in college, the Spurs' medical staff has been compulsive about monitoring him after practices and games. “The training staff is doing an excellent job of keeping my knees in shape and strengthened,” Blair said. “I just need to keep (being) me, and not worry about my knees. They're going to be as healthy as possible.” San Antonio Express-News

Chris Mannix: Michael Redd says he hasn't been asked to play for USA next summer. Not sure if he would go if asked. Says health (knee) is top priority. Twitter.com

Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks and bane of David Stern's existence, actually likes the replacement referees. He likes them a lot. "I hope they get a deal done," Cuban told CBSSports.com. "But I'm fine with the ones we have. I actually like these referees better." CBSSports.com

"Just call the game," Cuban said. "If there's 100 fouls, call 100 fouls. The number of fouls is only an issue if they weren't fouls. ... The crew we had really had their act together. Now that might be the highlight of the preseason, I don't know. But I was truly impressed." CBSSports.com

As opposed to the real refs, who have a history with players and sometimes make calls based on reputation, the replacements are just doing what they're told. Replacement refs, the theory goes, make fewer calls based on the relative star status of the players involved. "They're calling the game," the official said, "not the number on the jersey." CBSSports.com

The Hawks shot 53 percent in the first half and went to the foul line 26 times. At one point, when Hawks coach Mike Woodson complained about a call, Brown sarcastically shouted, "Come on, Woodie, (the foul differential) is 25-6!'' Charlotte Observer

Jason Friedman: In non Durant-related news, the crowd is now chanting "High school refs." It was the best of times. Twitter.com

Two members of this bungling trio were present at Las Vegas Summer League this past July. (And when it comes to Nellie, I should point out that he was present in the arena, not just the casino.) It was a sad commentary on what the Warriors have become: A disheveled Nelson sitting uncomfortably in the stands, a ball cap scrunched down on his unkempt coiffure. By his side at all times, like a pea-brained pug, was Riley -- whose ascent to the GM's chair came at the expense of Mullin and by the forceful hand of Nellie. CBSSports.com

One night, Nellie invited a couple of scribes out for dinner and cigars, a gesture he hoped would curry favor and mold the mushy contents of their skulls to Nellie's twisted brand of basketball management. One thing I have learned in this business: When a sports figure invites you to dinner for the sole purpose of showing you what a prince he is, he is up to no good. The no-good has gone on in Golden State long enough. CBSSports.com

Evidently on Sunday morning, Caron Butler was slated to co-chair the ‘Sister to Sister’s Bike For The Heart’ event with D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty at the Verizon Center in Washington. But the Wizards also had a preseason game in Toronto, Canada at 3 pm that afternoon. Event host Irene Pollin, Wizards co-owner, told Butler that he could attended that morning and just catch up with the team at their next stop in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The team’s other ‘co-owner’, Irene’s husband Abe, said “nope,” indicating he wanted Butler in Toronto, supporting his teammates. So Abe called up his private jet and whisked Butler, along with team president Ernie Grunfeld, to T-Dot after the event and in time for Butler to get in a workout before the Raptors game. Truthaboutit.net

Soccer star Rio Ferdinand interviewed LeBron James last month while James was on tour promoting his movie, book and signature shoe. Cleveland Plain Dealer

About three weeks ago, there probably would have been more hype about this game being a potential preview of the Nets' future. But when Russian Mikhail Prokhorov swooped in and agreed to fund the move to Brooklyn it changed many things. Now it seems the Nets will in fact move. There are still hurdles. One of the last being Wednesday's Eminent Domain hearing in the New York State Court of Appeals in Albany. Bruce Ratner's group expects to win. They have have all previous appeals. But "Develop Don't Destroy" probably will attempt other lawsuits before the potential groundbreaking later this year. Bergen Record

Portland Trail Blazers president Larry Miller announced Monday night on "Trail Blazers Courtside" the team will begin live streaming Blazers games over the Internet this season. "Courtside" host Mike Barrett — who, along with Mike Rice and Brian Wheeler, was a great host Monday night — has more info here. Right now, Miller said only KGW-televised games will be streamed. But he added the plan is for Comcast-broadcasted games to be shown live on the Web in 2010. Miller's announcement came as a bit of a surprise. While Dwight Jaynes had hinted that a live stream-option was on the horizon, a column by The Oregonian's John Canzano said otherwise. Columbian

Former Portland Trail Blazer Chris Dudley appears more likely than not to get in the Republican race for Oregon governor, according to several GOP sources. Oregonian

State GOP Chairman Bob Tiernan, who has met with Dudley to talk about the race, said he would "present something new and different" and would be an "excellent candidate." Tiernan hastened to add that he didn't want to play favorites and said the party also had other excellent candidates running. From what I hear, Dudley first came into the political picture when the National Republican Congressional Committee tried to recruit him to run against freshman Rep. Kurt Schrader, D-Ore., in the 5th Congressional District. Oregonian

Anfernee D. Hardaway sold a five-bedroom, 5.5-bath home at 9100 S.W. 67th Ave. in Pinecrest to H&H Partner LLP for $1.9 million on Sept. 17. Hardaway acquired the property for $2.9 million in July 2005. The 7,487-square-foot house, which was built in 2005, is in the West Pinecrest neighborhood. Hardaway played for 14 seasons in the NBA with the Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns, New York Knicks and Miami Heat. He was a four-time All- Star, a member of the All-NBA First Team in 1995 and 1996 and was named to the 1994 All-NBA Rookie team. BlockShopper.com

Ten years after Wilt Chamberlain was found dead of heart failure in the upstairs bedroom, ownership of the hilltop hideaway in Bel-Air has changed hands twice, but the memory of the former Lakers center has been respectfully preserved even as much of the interior has been reconsidered and remodeled. Many of what Chamberlain once called his home's "kinky details" are gone, among them a mirrored ceiling in the master bedroom that retracted to reveal open sky and a Cleopatra-inspired sunken bathtub that sat at the foot of the bed. A downstairs "playroom," where Chamberlain had a wall-to-wall water bed floor, is just another room, sans water bed. Los Angeles Times

DeMar DeRozan: Watching Mike Tyson on Oprah. This is deep. Twitter.com

Basketball superstar Yao Ming and famed soprano Peng Liyuan yesterday became the new faces of China's anti-smoking campaign, which health officials said is still a tough task in the world's largest tobacco market. Both Yao and Peng were not present at a meeting of the Chinese Association on Tobacco Control in Beijing, where their representatives received certificates from the association. It is believed that they would appear in public service advertisements persuading people to give up smoking or not smoke in public places. China.org.cn

His adoptive mother wants the street, Rumeal Robinson Place, stripped of its name and rededicated to her late husband. And she wants a mural of her son, placed in honor near the Cambridge Rindge & Latin School fieldhouse, purged of his glory-days image. Boston Globe

Helen Ford, incredulous and embittered, alleges that Robinson swindled her of the sprawling old home where she lived for 35 years and raised him. She has since been evicted, lost many of her belongings and mementos, and says she is struggling to pay the rent for an apartment in Somerville. “He’s not deserving of none of this fame,’’ said Ford, 65, who has worked as a safety officer for the Cambridge schools for 30 years. “He was thought of as a nice person, but he’s not a nice person. Not after what he’s done.’’ Robinson could not be reached for comment, but his lawyer said he finds the allegation “hard to believe.’’ Boston Globe

Ford and her attorney accuse Robinson of a brazen fraud committed in June 2003, when the lawyer alleges that Ford was duped into signing over the home to one of her son’s business associates. Dennis Benzan, the attorney, said that Robinson had asked Ford to put up the home as collateral for a loan he needed to build a luxury resort in his native Jamaica. Instead, amid a flurry of documents pushed under her pen, Ford says she unwittingly signed a deed that sold the two-family home to Robinson’s associate for $600,000. Ford says she never saw a dime of the money, a later mortgage defaulted, and Ford was dumbfounded when she received an order in March to vacate the home. Boston Globe

To Mike Jarvis, who coached Robinson for three years in high school, the accusations are stunning. “Rumeal Robinson was not only one of the best players I ever coached, but probably one of the better people I ever coached,’’ said Jarvis, who now coaches at Florida Atlantic University. “He cared about the game, he cared about the team and his teammates, and he was very unselfish. He never was a kid who was looking for anything.’’ Boston Globe

Ford shakes her head and wipes away tears when asked how Robinson allegedly could deceive her. “I’m not answering his calls,’’ Ford said. “I’m too hurt. I can’t even imagine what the conversation would be.’’ Boston Globe

Rodriguez has other pressing business involving Robinson. His client is facing federal allegations of bank fraud, bribery, wire fraud, and making false statements to an Iowa bank, where a loan officer allegedly broke the bank’s rules to funnel hundreds of thousands of dollars to a development company controlled by Robinson for the Jamaica project. Robinson, 42, who lives in Miami, was arrested Sept. 4, pleaded innocent, and has been released on $50,000 bond. Boston Globe

After being threatened by an asset seizure stemming from a five-year old civil lawsuit last week, Olympiacos avoided the issue before Monday's game. There was plenty of legal wrangling Friday and Monday following a ruling U.S. District Court Judge Christopher A. Boyko made last Thursday. A former basketball agent from the United States had won a default judgment against the team and its old owners for unpaid salary and commissions and was trying to collect. Team officials also were served with papers last week in Texas in a separate civil case. Olympiacos General Manager Christos Stavropoulos gave a deposition last Friday, and the team's Cleveland-based lawyers filed motions that slowed down the process and prevented the seizure. There was another deposition scheduled for Monday, but Olympiacos officials did not appear. Cleveland Plain Dealer

The news of Cecil K. Watkins' death from pancreatic cancer at age 76 spread hastily and harshly throughout the five boroughs over the weekend. It took the air out of New York City basketball. There isn't enough room in today's sports section to list the levels of the game Watkins got involved in -- taking them to great heights -- or his accomplishments. Only old-timers like me would recall Watkins serving as assistant to Norm Drucker in the '80s when he was supervisor of NBA officials. New York Post

Respected nationwide for his knowledge and leadership in sports and community recreation, he co-founded Elmcor Youth and Adult Activities, Inc., a human-service agency serving Corona, East Elmhurst, and Jamaica, Queens. In the past 36 years, it has secured more than 1,800 scholarships for student-athletes from the metropolitan area. New York Post

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