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Friday, October 31

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Rudy Gay and the Memphis Grizzlies have restarted talks to discuss a contract extension before the NBA’s Monday deadline, Yahoo! Sports has learned. Agent Jeff Austin of Octagon traveled to Memphis on Friday to meet with Grizzlies general manager Chris Wallace. Talks ensued throughout the day, but Austin cautioned in an email to Yahoo! Sports that it’s “too early to tell if anything will come of it.” Yahoo! Sports

Gay is seeking a five-year deal in the $50-60 million range, league sources say. Talks between Memphis and Octagon have been sluggish for months, but the Grizzlies understand Gay will be the target of several teams with salary-cap space if he becomes a restricted free agent this summer. Yahoo! Sports

Danny Ainge said yesterday that he knew of the extension - enacted because the NBA office isn’t open on weekends - but didn’t even discuss the change with agent Bill Duffy, who didn’t learn of the extension until yesterday. The deadline was originally today. Duffy initially said via text message, “That would be nice,” when told of the revised deadline. But later, after thinking about it, Duffy said, “We’ll see,” when asked if the extra time would help in a negotiation that appears as unresolved as ever, with Rondo poised to become a restricted free agent in a lucrative market next summer. Boston Herald

The agent for Ronnie Brewer said Friday that he and Jazz general manager Kevin O'Connor had decided they would not be able to come to agreement on a contract extension for Brewer ahead of Monday's deadline to do so. Agent Henry Thomas said he and O'Connor had spoken "several times" before agreeing to table talks Friday morning. "It was something where we decided to wait and see and let the market speak to it next summer," Thomas added. Salt Lake Tribune

Thomas said he didn't anticipate a last-minute reversal as happened earlier this week when Rajon Rondo's agent announced that he wouldn't be able to come to agreement on an extension with the Boston Celtics before the sides restarted talks. Salt Lake Tribune

"I've just got to focus on, like I've been doing, just getting better every game, working on my development," Brewer said. "That's kind of been my approach from the jump. It kind of wasn't in my hands, so I can't really do anything about it." Salt Lake Tribune

The Warriors aren't expected to pick up the fourth-year player option on Acie Law by today's deadline, but don't be surprised if they make a play to re-sign him as a free agent. San Francisco Chronicle

The Wizards announced Friday they have picked up their options for next season on Nick Young and JaVale McGee. Under the terms of the collective bargaining agreement, the first two seasons of a first-round draft pick's contract are guaranteed, and the team has the option to extend the contract for a third and fourth season. Washington Times

On the night Vince Carter made his return to the Meadowlands, the following little-known fact was revealed: "They wouldn't have done the trade if Courtney Lee wasn't in it, and we wouldn't have done the trade if Ryan Anderson wasn't in it." Those were the words of Orlando Magic general manager Otis Smith, who revealed that nifty nugget of knowledge to ESPN.com prior to Orlando's 95-85 victory over the New Jersey Nets at the Meadowlands on Friday night. Carter scored 16 points in 15 first-half minutes before spraining his ankle and sitting out the rest of the game, and Anderson also scored 16 in support of Dwight Howard's 20-point, 22-rebound performance. ESPN.com

The trade talks between the Nets and Magic started shortly after the NBA Finals ended, and while the Magic made it known that they were willing to take on the financial commitment of assuming Carter's contract, they also told the Nets that if they wanted Lee in the deal, Anderson was going to have to be included, too. In an economic climate in which it was difficult to get teams to take on long-term money, the Nets grudgingly accepted -- even though rebuilding teams tend to want to hang onto young first-round draft picks with huge upside playing under the rookie scale -- and Anderson found himself with a championship contender that immediately needed him once the Lewis suspension was announced. ESPN.com

Celtics president Danny Ainge announced yesterday that rather than suspend Glen Davis for an early-morning fight with a childhood friend Monday that left Davis with a broken right thumb, he would rather levy a fine and allow Davis to remain with the team while he recuperates. Boston Globe

Davis, who had apologized in a statement earlier in the week, yesterday sounded as if he was disappointed in his decision-making, holding himself accountable for his immaturity. “This summer was a crucial summer for me just becoming a professional,’’ said Davis, who was fined an undisclosed amount. “When this happened it was tough thinking about all the hard work this summer. And it just made me realize how I’m not where I need to be. I’m not where I need to be as a professional, because professionals make the right decisions at crucial moments, and at that time I didn’t. So, I have a lot of work to do in order to be the player I need to be and also the man I need to be.’’ Boston Globe

“I wish it would have never happened,’’ Davis said. “I wish I could have learned without making this huge mistake, but things happen for a reason. I’m just thankful that the organization and the fans and everybody with the Boston Celtics has welcomed me back with open arms.’’ Boston Globe

The Celtics decimated the Bulls, 118-90, last night, digging a 15-point hole for Chicago by halftime. And the message Paul Pierce wanted to get across in the locker room during the break was simple: Throw dirt on them. “That’s what we’re stressing right now,’’ Pierce said. “When you’ve got a team on its back, when we’re up 15 points in the half, we didn’t want to give them any confidence in that third quarter.’’ Boston Globe

“I think they’re a better team,” Rivers said. “I think they’re longer, I think they’re a better defensive team. I think they fit. That’s taking nothing from Ben, he was phenomenal in the playoffs last year. But so was Ray (Allen). We thought they had a UConn deal going to get each other off (scoring). “I think now their team does fit. (John) Salmons is at two, probably what he is. (Luol) Deng gives them more length at three. (Kirk) Hinrich is playing one and two. I just think they’re a better fit. “And the fact that they had (Brad) Miller and Salmons this year in training camp. I thought that was lost on a lot of people last year. They had to kind of learn on the run. This year, they had the ability to work on things.” Arlington Heights Daily Herald

Derrick Rose says he’s feeling good after playing 33 minutes against the Spurs on Thursday night. As usual, it took him a short time to get his injured right ankle loose before the game. One other odd thing about Rose: He’s now beginning most every sentence he speaks to the media with, “I told you…” I don’t think he’s trying to be sarcastic or anything. Reporters do ask plenty of repeat questions. Arlington Heights Daily Herald

Rondo -- who Rivers called, "the most dominant player on the floor" -- set the tone early, finding Kevin Garnett, Allen and Kendrick Perkins for jumpers in the opening minutes. That rhythm carried him throughout the game and to his final line: 29 minutes, 16 assists, eight rebounds and two points on two shots. The field-goal attempts, in particular, was a sign of growth for Rondo, who in the past has been guilty of "picking and choosing" his nights, as Rivers put it. "He took two shots and someone who will read the stats say, 'Wow, he only scored two points,'" Rivers said. "If you didn't see the game you wouldn't know the impact he had on our team. "He's just playing now. He's not [thinking] 'Tonight I have Rose'. It doesn't matter the opponent." NBA.com

Chris Mannix: Kendrick Perkins just told me that Rondo said "Chris Paul has the stats that he has because he has the ball in his hands all game." Twitter.com

One funny moment before Friday’s game: The door to the Bulls locker room opened just as new Celtic Rasheed Wallace walked past in the hallway. Wallace stopped and screamed, “Hunter’s a goon!” into the room, a nod to his former Pistons teammate Lindsey Hunter. Only one problem -- Hunter was out on the court at the time, not inside the locker room. Arlington Heights Daily Herald

Cuban said Friday that he indeed was glad to see Artest on the Western Conference rival because there always is the possibility that Artest’s volatile nature will get the better of him and he will cause problems for the team. “History repeats itself,” Cuban said. “I’m not saying something you guys haven’t considered, right? That’s just the risk. Every team has to deal with chemistry and the impact of the chemistry on the team. Normally, you try to minimize that. “Ron is an amazing talent, he’s a great guy. I don’t really know him, but the way he’s handled this is phenomenal. I give him a ton of credit. But it is what it is.” Orange County Register

"It was just bad timing for me because we could have scheduled it the right way," Artest said, chuckling. "I'd have told him to wait. I have a song coming up this week, but next week my name will probably die down a little bit, so say it next week. That's the problem I have with Mark: Bad marketing." Riverside Press-Enterprise

Pau Gasol: "The key thing with Ron is that he stays focused and Los Angeles is a city that offers you a lot of opportunities outside of basketball. That's difficult to handle, especially when you have a tendency to let yourself go." TuBasket.com

Bryant is habitually close to the league limit for technical fouls in a season, and he's off to a quick start, picking up his first technical foul of 2009-10 after exchanging words with Dallas reserve forward Kris Humphries in the second quarter. Artest also picked up a technical foul after arguing a call in the third quarter. "Nothing seemed to be happening right out there for him tonight," Jackson said. "I thought he was playing a little too hard for the game, didn't measure the refereeing out." Los Angeles Times

"It's not the seventh game of any series. We just lost, got beat," said forward Lamar Odom, who had 10 points and seven assists, as well as five turnovers. "We have to expect teams to want to be on their 'A' game, especially when we're here. They're not going to just lay down. Teams are not going to be submissive when they play against us. We have to understand that." Los Angeles Times

Ric Bucher: Follow-up game tweets: LO came out of lockerroom at halftime eating a banana. No candy? "I'm done with that," he said. Twitter.com

Ric Bucher: MBenga came out of the lockerroom wearing vampire teeth. No lie. The Mavs? They obviously came out with their game faces on. Twitter.com

Alan Hahn: Chris Duhon rips the team: "It shows in our lay-up line, it shows before the game. That’s why we come out and we’re not ready to play.” Twitter.com

Alan Hahn: More Duhon: “We’re not that good. We can’t come in here and joke around and take the game lightly." Twitter.com

If you had one guess, what would you say is driving Kevin Durant this season? The scoring title? An All-Star appearance? A playoff berth? How about video games? "People might not believe me, but when I go home (after practice) I play video games and I lose all the time,” Durant said. "And I get so mad that I come back and I want to win everything. Something that small puts that winning mentality into my head.” Oklahoman

O'Neal already was having a low-impact night by his and most observers' standards -- four points, six boards in 12 first-half minutes -- when he picked up his third and fourth fouls in rapid succession in the third quarter. Out he came, logging just 2:10 in that period. In the fourth, with the Cavaliers' work largely done and facing a back-to-back game against Charlotte Saturday, Brown used O'Neal for another 4:35. Done. But it wasn't just the big guy's play on the court that raised some eyebrows. It was the rest of the Cavs' play when he wasn't out there. They looked good. As good as ... old. "Um, I don't know if I would say that,'' Williams said. "But you had all guys out there who had played together for a while, and kind of know each other. Spots on the floor. I thought today we had a better flow, a good flow. But we had a flow with Shaq on the floor. He got involved in things under that rim and made plays. Made some good passes and we scored off them.'' NBA.com

Said James of the lineup that played best Friday: "We trust each other. We've been together, a nucleus with myself and Mo, Z and Andy [Varejao], for the most part, and Daniel. We know how to feed off each other. That kind of happened in the second quarter when the big fella got in foul trouble, that kind of cohesiveness that we've had in the past regained itself.'' NBA.com

As Oden was beginning to learn, a task just as difficult as making pressure free throws lay ahead: Dealing with, and getting over, the anguish of being a central figure in a loss. "It may not be easy," Oden muttered afterward. Luckily for Oden, he would soon learn that inside the Blazers locker room, he had comfort in numbers when it comes to late-game failures. Steve Blake, normally a stellar free throw shooter, last season uncharacteristically missed four of five attempts in the final 20.6 seconds of regulation, which led to a double-overtime loss to the Los Angeles Clippers at the Rose Garden. Oregonian

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Anthony said he approached the preseason like it was the regular season. So far, he's approaching the regular season like it's the postseason. "(He is) trying to move into the level where you're talking about him as an MVP candidate," Nuggets coach George Karl said. Denver Post

As for the MVP talk, there were already whispers among the media on press row Thursday about Anthony's ascension. In the Nuggets' locker room afterward, teammate Anthony Carter said the media has overlooked Melo heading into this season. "They're always talking about other people, but they never talk about him," Carter said. "We made the Western Conference finals, and they still aren't talking about him. . . . He can basically score whenever he wants to. I don't think he gets the recognition he deserves. It's like they forgot about him." Denver Post

When asked if Anthony could win the scoring title, Karl said: "We've talked about extending his efficiency and minutes. I would rather see him have his best assist year, his best assist-to-turnover ratio, his best free-throw year. . . . If we have the year I think we're capable of, I'm hoping that maybe 20 to 25 games he doesn't play in the fourth quarter, so I think it makes it difficult, compared to guys who aren't going to have as many blowouts. Denver Post

Suns coach Alvin Gentry got the Warriors lineup sheet and said "Speedy Claxton?! I thought he was dead." Twitter.com

On Wednesday night in Orlando, 76ers rookie point guard Jrue Holiday had to borrow teammate Jason Kapono's sports coat for the game against the Magic. Holiday, unaware of both the NBA's quota on activated players and its dress policy for those inactive, was surprised when Sixers coach Eddie Jordan told him he wouldn't be suiting up for the season opener. "I didn't know about the whole 'you can only have 12 people' thing," Holiday said. "I went out there and cheered on my teammates. It was all I could do." Philadelphia inquirer

On Wednesday night, in a 120-106 loss to the Magic, Holiday was the odd man out. But first, to comply with the dress code, Holiday borrowed Kapono's jacket. "He was kind of like, 'What? Huh? I didn't know that,' " said Sixers forward Jason Smith, adding that the team didn't deliver much grief because deactivation was unpleasant enough. "I'm excited," Holiday said before last night's game. "I'm not sure if the atmosphere is going to be as crazy as Orlando was, but it's going to be fun." Philadelphia Inquirer

Chris Douglas-Roberts: I hate coming back to my phone to read text,bbms and tweets talking about ball. Might delete this shii until the season is over. Twitter.com

Phil Jackson is holding out hope, but not onto any expectations that Pau Gasol will be in uniform Sunday. The Lakers All-Star power forward sat out his second regular-season game and eighth overall because of a strained right hamstring. He missed six preseason games. Orange County Register

Jackson laughed when asked Friday if he had to tell Gasol not to worry about rushing back to make his season debut. Moments later, Gasol sauntered through the Lakers' locker room, smiling and laughing as he bantered with reporters. "He doesn't seem like the kind of young man who would worry about it to me," Jackson said of Gasol, who also missed the Lakers' final six exhibitions. "I think he's doing pretty good." Daily Breeze

Lakers Coach Phil Jackson keeps saying he's not concerned about Pau Gasol's hamstring injury. But someone on the Lakers is worried. "I'm concerned about it, definitely," Gasol said. "There's no set time to return, no set date. I just don't want it to turn into something long-term." Los Angeles Times

Pau Gasol: "The plan was to rest a little bit in October, but that didn't happen because the coach didn't feel like it. Phil wanted me to be with the team. He values me a lot. He likes me as a player because with me we play a little different. I didn't have much rest. Had we done things differently, this injury wouldn't have happened." Plus.es

Ric Bucher: Oh, and Mavs' source says Josh Howard will be back next week. Looked good going 1 v 1 w/Darrell Armstrong before game. Twitter.com

Orlando's Vince Carter sprained his left ankle in the second quarter against his former New Jersey Nets teammates on Friday and left the game. A Magic spokesman said Carter's return to the game in which he scored 16 points was questionable. He was not on the bench for the start of the second half. Philly Burbs

Drew Gooden suffered a strained muscle near his right rib cage and plans to have an MRI on it when the team returns to Dallas on Sunday. Gooden came out of the game early in the fourth quarter and did not return. He said the injury, which happened when he got tangled up with the Lakers' Josh Powell, would be iced overnight and he said his status for the Clippers' game was up in the air. Dallas Morning News

Jazz general manager Kevin O'Connor said Friday night that negotiations on a contract extension between Sloan and the franchise are ongoing, and suggested he's hopeful that an agreement will be reached. "I'd like to think we can get something done at some point," said O'Connor at halftime of the Jazz's 2009-10 NBA season home-opener against the Los Angeles Clippers at EnergySolutions Arena. "But there's no urgency to it." Deseret Morning News

An NBA.com report by longtime NBA beat writer Scott Howard-Cooper — posted Friday on the Web site — suggested an announcement regarding season No. 23 and perhaps beyond for Sloan is on the horizon. O'Connor didn't deny that another deal is in the works, but he indicated it won't necessarily be announced anytime soon. "We've had discussions about it," the Jazz GM said, "but there's nothing imminent." According to the Internet report, though, "the next Sloan contract will be completed and announced early in the regular season, barring the kind of holdups that don't happen in the Sloan-Jazz relationship. Deseret Morning News

The Warriors owe Cal coach Mike Montgomery almost $900,000 in unpaid salary after losing an arbitration decision in August, the Mercury News has learned. The settlement came to light after Montgomery's attorney Dan Siegel petitioned San Francisco Superior Court to confirm the arbitration ruling because he said the Warriors have reneged on the agreement. Montgomery, who was fired in August 2006 and replaced by current coach Don Nelson, won a binding decision in a dispute involving the final guaranteed year of his four-year, $10 million deal with Golden State. San Jose Mercury-News

Siegel said Friday that the team took out withholding tax on the first of two installments, leaving Montgomery with much less than he was awarded. Siegel also said the NBA team failed to deliver on an agreement to ensure Montgomery would get his money if the Warriors were sold. Montgomery is asking the court to force the Warriors to pay the total amount decided in arbitration. "I thought we settled it," Warriors attorney James Wagstaffe said Friday. San Jose Mercury-News

Bobcats coach Larry Brown, who lasted one season with the Knicks in 2005-06, said he believes in his old friend Donnie Walsh's 2010 plan. Brown also believes that the Knicks - who are owned by Cablevision, which also owns Newsday - will be able to attract a big-ticket free agent and said it is important to the NBA. "We need New York to be great," he said. "You've got the most knowledgeable basketball fans, you've got great fans. You've got the media there. It's important. We've got to have New York being successful; it's important . . . I think so many players want to play there, especially the way Mike plays and Donnie. I don't think that's going to be an unrealistic goal. It would be great for our league." Newsday

Eric Musselman is entering his third season without a job in the NBA, but that doesn’t mean he is no longer a coach. In fact, Musselman has spent the past two years meticulously studying every NBA team. That includes the Suns. And he’s one man who is not surprised that the Suns looked good — and were victorious — in their season-opener against Clippers. “I heard great things about their (training) camp at the University of San Diego,” Musselman, who played his college ball at USD, told Suns.com. “The players are really buying into Coach (Alvin) Gentry. They have taken ownership in the style of play that they have now. The chemistry between Alvin and his team is excellent.” Suns.com

“I literally pick a different NBA team each week of the season, and act as if I’m part of that team’s staff,“ Musselman once explained to me. “I do it in alphabetical order — so the first week, I was with Atlanta, the next week I was with Boston, and so on. The practice would vary depending on the team’s personnel, schedule, strengths and weaknesses and upcoming opponents.” Suns.com

The Detroit Pistons honored their late owner Bill Davidson by naming the floor at The Palace of Auburn Hills after him Friday night. Davidson, who died in March at age 86, was the team owner for 44 years and is a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame for his contributions to the game. Michigan Live

I talked with players, coaches, and ex-players, and naturally no one was buying into Donaghy’s premise. Not on the record, anyway. NBA players are not fools and only a fool would slander the men who make the calls that impact their livelihood. “I just have faith that everybody is doing what they are supposed to do,’’ said Ray Allen. “The refs are not always perfect. There are a lot of judgment calls. That’s why we, as players, need to have good relationships with them. We try not to let the game get to a point where it’s in the referees’ hands.’’ Boston Globe

Asked whether he believed that referees purposely favor star players, Jackson said that was nothing new, adding, "That's happened ever since Naismith threw up a jump ball." The notion that referees would try to go as long as possible without calling the game's first foul to win a small wager among themselves also didn't seem especially disturbing to Jackson. "A lot of times we say during the course of the game, 'Their whistles are in their pockets. They're not going to call fouls tonight,' " Jackson said. "That's one of the things he (Donaghy) disclosed that I can buy." Riverside Press-Enterprise

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