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Thursday, November 12

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The New Orleans Hornets have responded to their 3-6 start by making the first coaching change of the young NBA season, firing Byron Scott on Thursday, according to NBA coaching sources. ESPN.com

It was not immediately known who the Hornets will select to replace Scott for the rest of the season. ESPN.com

New Orleans Hornets general manager Jeff Bower will assume the team's head coaching duties after the Hornets fired coach Byron Scott early Thursday morning. Former Hornets coach Tim Floyd has been named as Bower's top assistant. NBA.com

"I told Jeff the genie is out of the bottle. Nobody can say he didn't have the right players or the right reason. Jeff has hand-selected this team and we like the idea that now, Jeff will be held accountable for the results," Weber said in candid, strongly-worded comments to reporters in New Orleans on Thursday. "Some of what is being defined was a big problem and yet there was no specific direction on how to fix it. We believe that there where is actually very fixable, very tactical, very specific goals that we have that were not being achieved." ProBasketballNews

When he heard the news on Thursday that Byron Scott had been fired after a 3-6 start in New Orleans, Doc Rivers couldn’t help but think he had seen this script before. It was November 2003 and the Orlando Magic decided to make a coaching change after a 1-10 start. It was Doc Rivers who was shown the door. “That’s too bad,” Rivers said following Thursday’s practice. “It’s amazing that you can make a decision that quickly on a guy that was Coach of the Year a year-and-a-half ago. So, that’s our league. “He matched me, basically. I was [11], so I lasted [two] longer, unfortunately. It just gave me [two] more losses,” Rivers added with a hearty laugh. WEEI

Rudy Gay: Byron Scott fired? That's crazy. Twitter.com

Kevin Durant: Man I'm sorry to hear about Byron Scott! He is a great person and coach! Twitter.com

"LeBron is very clever in the things he says and very strategic in the things he says," Wade said, as the Heat and Cavaliers prepared to meet at AmericanAirlines Arena. South Florida Sun-Sentinel

"LeBron is a different story in Cleveland," Wade said. "Those guys are feeling that he's going to leave, so they're a little bit more sensitive to any story that comes out." South Florida Sun-Sentinel

"As I continue to say, you can take comments any way you want: From Day 1, I continue to say that my main focus is I want to be here, in Miami, for the long haul," Wade said. "I want to be one of those players that retires in Miami. My job is also to make sure that we get the best players down here, so we can win championships." Wade said what he wants to see now is growth from within the team. "People are going to say what they want to say," he said, "but I'm always going to do my job to make sure that we continue to help better our team." South Florida Sun-Sentinel

West has a major weapons case pending in Maryland, and a bipolar disorder that clearly has its grips on him. The organization has reconciled that West is ultimately a lost cause for the Cavs, sources say. West’s teammates, long supportive and sympathetic to his plight, are rapidly realizing that he can’t be counted upon anymore. Yahoo! Sports

They’d move West in a heartbeat. Cleveland is still intrigued with Golden State’s Stephen Jackson, and sources say general manager Danny Ferry is monitoring the availability of some outside-shooting power forwards – stretch 4-men – to complement Shaq. For now, Cleveland is still trying to get a sense of who it is, and what it can be come the playoffs. Whatever it takes in payroll and luxury tax, give Cavs owner Dan Gilbert this much: To please James, he’ll spend it. Yahoo! Sports

Even Johnson doesn't sound like someone confident he would be back next season. When asked about his future with the Hawks, Johnson shrugged. "I don't know," he said. SI.com

When pressed about whether re-signing with Atlanta was his first option, Johnson had a similar response. "I don't know," he said. SI.com

Atlanta, however, can't afford to lose him. The Hawks have made great strides since Johnson came on board in '05, going from 26 wins in his first season to 47 last year. With a young nucleus of Johnson, Horford, Josh Smith and Marvin Williams, the Hawks have the potential to be contenders in the Eastern Conference well into the next decade. "This is a good group we have here," said Johnson. "We have unfinished business." But Johnson is the linchpin, and if the offseason is any indication, re-signing him won't be easy. If Atlanta plans on re-signing Johnson it will likely have to offer him a deal worth more than the $15 million per season he was already offered. SI.com

The Toronto Raptors released guard Quincy Douby on Thursday. He had been on the inactive list since Oct. 28 and did not appear in any regular season games. Douby averaged 3.0 points, 1.7 assists and 10.5 minutes in six pre-season outings. Douby, who joined the Raptors last March, appeared in seven games with the Raptors last season. He averaged 4.4 points, 1.0 assists and 10.4 minutes a game. Canadian Press

Daryl Morey: 10th email to rocketsfanslovegortat was from RC Buford telling him he should come to the Spurs. Proof that RC is still the best. Twitter.com

Warriors coach Don Nelson stormed out and a red-faced, frustrated Monta Ellis couldn't be consoled by teammates. So ended Thursday's practice in New York City. As the players cooled down from a practice at the Reebok Sports Club and prepared for the bus ride to the London hotel, Ellis called Nelson over to the bench. Sitting between Stephen Jackson and Acie Law, Ellis asked, "Coach, why do I get blamed for everything?" San Francisco Chronicle

Then, the coach and player had this heated dialogue: Nelson: "What have I ever blamed you for?" Ellis: "For everything. Everything. People not knowing their plays. I didn't do this. I didn't do that." Nelson directed a two-handed wave off at Ellis and left the facility. The guard yelled "That's why I won't do it. I just won't do it." San Francisco Chronicle

Ellis refused to talk to media after the spat. He even brushed off friend and teammate Corey Maggette, who tried to calm the situation. According to a Warriors player, Nelson reprimanded Ellis in front of his teammates. The player said Ellis wasn't the only one who wasn't quite ready when practice was scheduled to begin at noon, but the guard still took the brunt of Nelson's wrath. A Warriors source said no players missed the 11:45 a.m. bus to practice and no fines are expected. Ellis worked exclusively with the starting unit during Thursday's practice, so it would appear that he won't be punished by lessened minutes, either. San Francisco Chronicle

Even when McGrady finally decided to shut himself down for the season to undergo the microfracture procedure on his left knee, that decision came just a week after he had declared himself "back" and was not even considering surgery. The Rockets got the news by watching TV and reading it on T-Mac's Web site. Coach Rick Adelman was furious. The members of the front office rolled their collective eyes. Many of McGrady's teammates felt betrayed. NBA.com

Deron Williams attempted Thursday to clarify his Twitter message from the previous night stressing the need for change in the aftermath of the Jazz’s 105-86 loss to the Boston Celtics, a game in which they never led and trailed by 22 after three quarters. “Not like trades or anything,” Williams said before the Jazz’s practice at Suffolk University. “Just we’ve got to do something. We’ve got to find something that works. Whether it’s lineups or what not, we’ve got to do something different.” “It’s not the end of the world,” Williams added. “I didn’t mean to tweet like it was the end of the world. Just we’ve got to do something. I know the fans watching, I know the fans sitting at home, they’re not happy with us right now. I’m not happy with us, either.” Salt Lake Tribune

"Unfortunately you can’t compare Shaq at 37 years old, Dwight who’s 23, you can’t compare," Gortat said. "Dwight is Dwight, he’s gonna go at you every single time even if the ball is on the other side of the floor. Pushing doing everything to just piss you off. You’re just feeling pain through the whole body all the way through your arm. Dwight is a monster." Orlando Sentinel

"Shaq is using his body perfectly," Gortat said. "He knows where he has to go, where he has to seal someone. I think it’s just coming with experience. Dwight is full of energy, he’s doing a lot of unnecessary moves sometimes." Orlando Sentinel

Mike Slane: Eddy Curry surprised Donnie Walsh today. "I didn't realize how good of a shooter he was" Walsh said. "He's a very good shooter" Twitter.com

Johnson's accomplishments are impressive. He has averaged at least 20 points per game in each of the last four seasons and is averaging 21 points through eight games this year. He led a young Hawks team to their first playoff appearance in nine years in '07-08 and helped Atlanta advance to the conference semifinals last season. "He's a very, very good basketball player," said Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni, who coached Johnson for 1½ seasons in Phoenix. "He just does a lot of things. I mean, he was our backup point guard in Phoenix. And he's developed [his] shot to the point where he hardly misses." SI.com

"He's very similar to Vince Carter," said Hawks center Jason Collins. "He can take you anywhere on the court. I didn't realize how good a one-on-one player he is. When you think of Joe sometimes you think about his days in Phoenix and his spot-up shooting. But he's so good at creating his own shot." SI.com

Not all tall athletes are created equal. Kapono began the season with 1,182 field goals in his career, nary a jam among them. In comparison, the athletic 6-7 rookie DeMar DeRozan notched his first dunk in just his second N.B.A. game with the Toronto Raptors. In many ways, the slam dunk is the professional game’s signature play, the equivalent of baseball’s home run and football’s touchdown. Dunks are looped on highlight reels every night and emulated by children with small hoops and big dreams every day. “I would love to feel that, I just haven’t discovered any pill or substance to take that would help me out in that category,” Kapono joked. New York Times

Danny Ferry, who is 6-10 and now the Cleveland Cavaliers’ general manager, did not dunk in at least the final six years of his career, starting in 1997-98, when the statistician Harvey Pollack started tracking such information. The former Knicks forward Charles Oakley, who is 6-8, went three seasons without one. Last season, the Clippers’ 6-10 Steve Novak, New Orleans’s 6-7 Morris Peterson and San Antonio’s 6-10 Fabricio Oberto and 6-9 Kurt Thomas did not dunk, according to Pollack. New York Times

In a slow practice last season with the Raptors, Kapono saw his opportunity. He came around a pick with the defender a second slow, turned the corner and dunked. “The whole practice stopped,” Kapono said. “Guys were falling down, like, ‘Oh my God, J. K. dunked!’ ” New York Times

Finally Ron, you’ve done quite a bit of world traveling, including treks to China and Kenya. What has that done for you? Artest: Life-changing. It changed my view of the world and of myself, especially going to Africa. Just seeing poor people are. At the end of the day we’re all human – everyone feels the same pain, and it was (hard to see that). I’ve been to Honduras too, and it was also pretty tough. You want (all people) to be able to eat, you want them to have shelter, you want them to have water and be able to go to the bathroom. It was tough. NBA.com

Growing up in Queensbridge, New York, what was one thing you really enjoyed doing other than playing hoops? Artest: I was really into wrestling when I was a kid. Hulk Hogan and The Ultimate Warrior were my favorites. I never wrestled with my (friends), but we always watched it. NBA.com

Remember when they used to have the “Royal Rumble,” which was basically like a last-man-standing-in-the-ring competition? Who on your new Lakers team would win an all-squad Rumble? Artest: Probably (D.J.) Mbenga. I just can’t see him losing. NBA.com

Rookie Terrence Williams, who loves to tweet, said before Wednesday's game that he will not use Twitter until the Nets win a game. His last tweet was Oct. 31. Bergen Record

Williams' teammate, meanwhile, Chris Douglas-Roberts has been tweeting throughout his respite while recovering from the H1N1 virus, giving updates on how he's feeling and what he's doing. Douglas-Roberts even tweeted, "Y'all wanted to see what I look like with Swine Flu so bad. Still very handsome," and a put a link to a photo of himself. Bergen Record

Gery Woelfel: A Brandon Jennings shoe will be introduced during all_star weekend in Feb. He`s still working on a name. Twitter.com

Whether a tumultuous NBA career with a great skill set is a good way to describe Isaiah Rider: Isaiah Rider: “I think that is a fair assessment. I had a good ten years in the NBA and nobody can really take that away from me but I appreciate the compliment. Thank you.” Sports Radio Interviews

“Whether he will get another chance to play in the NBA based upon his past: “I mean if they are willing I think it is the right situation. Honestly, I still have some people in the NBA, some friends in the NBA upper and lower level so if I have a good run here overseas or here at the ABA, I think I will get a good shot a good look. All I need is another chance or a good look or tryout.” Sports Radio Interviews

Whether he gets drug tested and if that will be a problem if he gets back into the NBA: “Hey you know what it has been a very good morning you know. I appreciate talking to you guys and I wish you all the best.” Sports Radio Interviews

National team coach Leo Rautins and the rest of Canada’s basketball fans will be keeping their fingers crossed that Matt Bonner will represent the country at the 2010 FIBA World Championship in Turkey. The American center should have no problem obtaining a Canadian passport as he is married to a Canadian and owns a home in Toronto, where he once played for the NBA’s Raptors and was hugely popular among the fans. He is now on the books of the San Antonio Spurs, but plans to eventually live in Ontario. "It's definitely something that's on the top of my mind... to be able to have this opportunity to represent a country in that kind of setting," said Bonner to Raptors.com. "It's not just my call though. We have to get all of the government paperwork stuff to go through. “But (that stuff) is totally legit and viable (given that) my wife and I are living in Toronto and plan to live there." FIBA

"I'm going to try and get into coaching, so I've been going to games and trying to get a feel for the flow and the vibe because I think there's a lot to be taught," Oakley tells HOOPSWORLD. "I'm going to send a package to all the different teams around the league and try to set up two or three big man camps over the summer. I'd like to help today's fours and fives understand the game better." HoopsWorld

"The most important thing is, they have to be willing to buy in. In anything you do, you have to be able to buy in to get better, no matter who you are or what you're trying to do in life. It might be small business, investments, or anything you want to do - in basketball, I think if some of these guys worked on their game even a little bit they could be much better. I don't see guys working as hard to realize their potential like we used to do. A lot of guys just don't put the effort into it, and if you don't put effort into it you're not going to get better." HoopsWorld

Magic Coach Stan Van Gundy told the Sentinel that his wife, Kim, should be okay after being rushed to a hospital in Altamonte Springs after passing out Wednesday. He spent four hours with his wife at the hospital before leaving for the Magic-Cavs game and didn’t hold his usual pregame media conclave. He headed back to be by her side afterward the Magic's loss as she was kept overnight as a precaution. “She just hasn’t been feeling well,” Van Gundy said. “She was dehydrated and had a low potassium level. I think she’ll be fine.” Orlando Sentinel

Bryant, in fact, lived the above scenario while at Lower Merion High in Pennsylvania — and did so more than once. Only Bryant didn't just get up 40–0. Sometimes he would take an 80–0 lead on Rob Schwartz, a good-natured, if undersized, junior guard. Think about that: 80 baskets to none. Can you imagine the focus, the ruthlessness, required to score 80 times on someone before they score once? Kobe can. To Kobe, this is just what you do. It is how you play. "You'd think he'd have a tendency to ease back, but he doesn't have that in him," remembers Schwartz, who now works as a strength-and-conditioning coach near Philadelphia. "I think the best I ever did was to lose 100–12." Naturally, Bryant doesn't want to concede that Schwartz had even that much success. "I think he's lying about that," Bryant says when I tell him of Schwartz's recollection. "I told Rob that too. We were talking about it, and I said, ‘You never got 12. I never let you get double digits. Most you got was five.'" Bryant is smiling when he says this, but it's a forced grin. He really does want to set the record straight. Because God forbid any of us think for a moment that this Schwartz kid got double digits on Kobe Bryant. DeadSpin

It is not easy to coach an alpha dog, of course. Especially one like Bryant, who not only knows the game chapter and verse but also understands both his own limitations and those of his teammates. As such, he is at times given to making, shall we say, executive decisions. "He's sure got a grasp of the game," says Tex Winter, the Lakers' coach. "He understands the game. But — and don't misinterpret this — he understands it a lot better than he plays it." O.K., Tex, so as not to misinterpret: Are you saying that he knows the right thing to do but sometimes chooses not to do it? "Yup, that's it," says Tex. DeadSpin

Former NBA all-star Antoine Walker's lawyer says he's trying to resolve criminal charges stemming from more than $800,000 in gambling debts to three Las Vegas casinos. Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Melanie Tobiasson on Thursday gave attorney Jonathan Powell until Nov. 30 to make a deal with the Clark County district attorney or take the felony case to trial in state court. USA Today

Still, rest is on his radar. Gasol said he may not play in the World Championships this summer, and at one point considered taking last summer off, in the end motivated to participate in with Spain in the European Championships first by a desire to help his country secure a gold in that event (something I believe they missed out on before) and second by finishing last season feeling good physically, without any nagging problems. This summer, though, could be a candidate for rest. "It gets to a point in your career that you have to make decisions like that and be smart about what you do, so I can take advantage also of what we have right here, of winning championships," he said. The 2012 Olympics are still in his plans. Los Angeles Times

But in a way that another nice guy, Yao Ming, never had the nerve (or never had the democracy, considering China is a Communist country) to do before incurring his current terrible foot injury, Gasol is finally prepared to prioritize himself over his land. “It’s not very certain that I’m going to play the World Championship,” he said. Orange County Register

Gasol said Spain should still qualify for the 2012 Olympics in London, either by playing in 2011 or just via a wild-card spot if Gasol personally promises he’ll play in 2012. Gasol went on to note that he nearly took last summer off before opting in for the European Championship. Spain won it after six previous runner-up finishes – a major accomplishment – and Gasol was tournament MVP. “The fact of not having the gold medal in the European Championship pushed me,” he said, “and also the fact that I ended the (NBA) season without any injuries and anything that was really bothering me like I did the year before.” Orange County Register

So he pushed himself further yet again and did win. But even though Gasol has dodged the question plenty of times, he does believe that his pain now is indirectly from Spain then. The overload is the reason he has this first hamstring injury of his life. “Probably, it is,” Gasol said. “That’s the way I think it probably happened.” Orange County Register

Gasol is too smart to be stupid. He sounds as if he might not play for weeks. “Right now I’m just trying to be maybe a little extra patient,” he said, “because I really definitely don’t want to take any more steps backwards and take any chances.” Orange County Register

Q: Do you wish you had taken more time off in camp? Pau Gasol: "I don't know. Again, it's relative. It's just hard to know when and why and if there's a bigger chance (of injury), if there's a lower chance (of injury) if... there's always a lot of "ifs." I felt like I was in really good shape when I came to training camp. A little bit fatigued, probably more mentally than physically, but again, it's relative. You don't know if it was an isolated play where anyone could have gotten hurt by it or if it was because of something else." Los Angeles Times

So it came from you wanting to come back and test it, rather than anyone pushing you? Pau Gasol: "No, no, no. They didn't push or anything. Obviously everyone wants me to be healthy, everyone wants me to be out there, but the main thing is (playing) healthy, especially at this early stage of the season. I never felt pushed or anything. We didn't skip steps intentionally so I would be out there (faster). We did more or less what my body was telling me at the time, but there was no way to find out if things were going to be okay if I didn't put myself through certain exercises and a certain amount of work." Los Angeles Times

Q: You said before that you might have skipped a few steps in coming back? "It's all very relative. Because once you start feeling well, you want to do more, so you yourself put yourself in a position where you think you're okay, but there's really no way to find out. Because if the muscle is feeling great, then you're not skipping anything. You're doing just fine, and you're doing the right thing. I think we've been doing the right thing by testing it out. Maybe we should have waited a little more to test it, but there was no way to find out if you didn't put yourself through the test. So that's why I say it's all relative." Los Angeles Times

"It is mysterious, no doubt about it," Jackson said. Asked if he had any sense how long Gasol would be out, Jackson wryly noted, "We're starting to look toward Christmas. Some time out there. ... You know how we are. We always say, `Let's not put anything out there that's futuristic. We'll just get disappointed.' He's very disappointed right now." Why in particular has Gasol's hamstring injury been so uncooperative and mysterious? "With most hamstrings you see bleeding or bruises or holes in the hamstring," Jackson said. "His has been one of those things that wasn't a big concern to us, but has turned into a month-long injury." Los Angeles Daily News

Originally, the Lakers had hoped Gasol could return to the lineup last weekend, but he suffered a setback last Friday and has essentially started over with a more cautious approach. "You can't skip steps, like I think I might have during the first part of the injury," he said. "You just can't assume the muscle is going to respond well because it's feeling well during certain things. It's a tricky injury. "I don't think there's a risk you can tear it up, but you can reinjure it and it can become an issue for the whole year." Los Angeles Daily News

Apparently it got so confusing, some people called Lakers spokesman John Black for a clarification, to which Black said Jackson was joking and that Gasol was ``day-to-day,'' which is basically a catch-all phrase to describe an injury that has no timetable for a return. What's frustrating is that nothing Jackson said was incorrect. He was merely trying to convey the sense of frustration and mystery surrounding Gasol's injury. I believe that is what all the reporters who were at practice took from it, and later wrote in their stories. But sometimes, in an effort to draw out the one-line news nugget of a story, subtlety and context gets lost. Los Angeles Daily News

Is there a chance Gasol will be out until Christmas? Sure. Is it likely? No. Though he admitted that this time around he would be ``extra patient,'' Gasol seemed to be thinking in the 1-2 week timeframe. Any setbacks could push that longer. Then again, if it takes this long to explain the situation, maybe Black was right to just call it ``day-to-day'' and be done with it. Los Angeles Daily News

Santa As ESPN analyst Mark Jackson just noted during the Suns-Hornets game broadcast. He spoke with Lakers Media Relations Director John Black, who clarified that Phil Jackson was screwing with folks. Making a funny. Driving home in a humorous way what BK and I have both said on a zillion separate occasions: Nobody knows for sure when Pau Gasol's coming back, because hamstring injuries are extremely difficult to heal, rehab and predict. Could be a while. Could be next week. It's really that simple, whether folks will accept that unfortunate truth or not. Los Angeles Times

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But when talk returned to his free agent status and whether he would like to play alongside Wade in Miami, he ended the conversation. "This free agent talk is getting old, it's getting older. I'm going to stop answering free agent questions until the offseason,'' he said. "I owe it my teammates, myself, my organization to focus on this season. This is the last time this season I'm going to answer free agent questions until the end of the season.'' FanHouse

The two have been friends for years and the Heat will have enough salary cap space to re-sign Wade, along with offering a maximum contact to James, who is expected to be pursued by the New York Knicks, New Jersey Nets and Chicago Bulls. "Me and Dwyane have been friends for 7-8 years, and we've talked about a lot of things,'' James said Wednesday. "And we've both said the one thing is to stay focused on leading our own guys in the right direction. It (playing together) doesn't come up often.'' FanHouse

So, the questions of a union with Dwyane Wade that could never, ever happen kept coming on Wednesday night until James finally lost his patience. Why do the questions persist? Because he allowed them, that’s why. There’s never been a scenario – not D-Wade taking the mid-level exception in Cleveland, not LeBron taking the max in Minnesota – that he wouldn’t carefully consider for a public consumption. This has been a game to James, an exercise in self-love that finally transformed into sheer loathe at Amway Arena. “He can’t feed the monster, and then get pissed when the monster wants more,” a Western Conference executive said Wednesday night. Yahoo! Sports

This isn’t the front office’s and coach’s fault, as much as it is the owner’s. Gilbert always indulged the wishes of James and the high school buddies on his payroll. Whatever they want, they get. On one level, you can understand it. On another, you wonder if James would respect them more if the organization stood up to him now and again. “The front office can never say no, because LeBron and his guys knew that they could go directly to the owner and get what they want,” one league source said. Yahoo! Sports

"Does the warm weather matter to you?" he was asked. "Naw, naw,'' he said. South Florida Sun-Sentinel

While Dwyane Wade was candid Wednesday about the possibility of one day playing alongside LeBron James, perhaps as the result of this summer's free agency, what the words from his interview don't as clearly convey is how relaxed he was with the subject. If there is any concern that 2010 free agency will somehow get in the way of this season, the ease of the interview on the practice court at AmericanAirlines Arena erased that notion. South Florida Sun-Sentinel

``It's something we've talked about, of course,'' Wade said of playing together. ``No question, it's a long shot. He's put in position in Cleveland where he has the opportunity to compete for a championship now. I'm in Miami, where I've won a championship and this is where I love to be. So it's not like we're both looking over our shoulders saying we want to get out of here. So it's a long shot. But at the end of the day, it is a shot.'' Miami Herald

Q. To get some perspective, everyone talks about how you and LeBron are close friends, but obviously there are close friends and there are closest friends. Can you just talk about your level of friendship with LeBron, how often you see each other, get to together, things like that? Dwyane Wade. "Well, I mean, throughout the season, we talk. Sometimes within a month, we might talk a lot. Sometimes, we might go two or three months and we might not talk. So, it's just about our schedules and both of us having different things to do. But, it's like certain people, whenever you see 'em, whenever you talk to 'em, you pick up from where you left off. And that respect and the love you have for each other by getting to know each other, and each other's families, are there. So, he's one of my good friends that I know I can call on at any time. But it's not someone I talk to every day." South Florida Sun-Sentinel / November 11

Q. Have you and LeBron talked specifically about singing as free agents with the same team next summer? A. "No, we didn't. Like I said, over the course of years, we've had conversations, myself, LeBron, Chris Bosh. We all understand the dynamics. Joe Johnson. We all have played on the Olympic team together, so we've all had the conversation of the possibility, 'We can play together one day,' especially when Garnett and Ray Allen and Paul Pierce all got together, we were like, 'Wow, it can happen.' You never know. When the summer comes, we'll all sit down over a nice meal, and we'll know what city it'll be in and we'll talk and see what everybody's deciding. I would love for everybody to want to focus their way down here, to this beautiful city of Miami, that would make my job at lot easier." South Florida Sun-Sentinel / November 11

Q. Have you gotten any sense that Miami will appeal to LeBron? A. "I know the city appeals to a lot of guys in the league, but, at the end of the day, I don't know, to the point of, in heart of hearts, how it appeals to them. I know LeBron enjoys being, the quote, unquote, savior for Cleveland, the place he grew up in. So it could just a lot of buzz, be a lot of hype. He might be the first one to sign back to Cleveland, when it's all said and done. It's all up in air and it's going to keep a lot of interesting stories throughout the year." South Florida Sun-Sentinel / November 11

Adrian Wojnarowski: Once again, the idea that LeBron has ever fidgeted answering 2010 questions is absurd. In fact, he's often brought it up himself. Twitter.com

Crawford revealed he's friend with LeBron James, whom he's known since James was in high school and Crawford was a Chicago Bull. James would come from Akron to Chicago to work out at a prestigious gym frequented by NBA players. Crawford does acknowledge a 25-win Knick season will turn off free agents. "I don't think it helps them at all,'' Crawford said. Crawford said he spoke to James after his visit to New York last Friday. "I'll keep that conversation private,'' Crawford said. New York Post

Crawford seems happy with his present situation and he chided the Knicks media for never asking him about LeBron James' future. “I talk to him all the time but you guys never asked me about him,” Crawford said. Okay, so what's LeBron going to do over the summer? Is he coming to New York? “I don't know,” Crawford said, smiling. He then added that for both LeBron and Dwyane Wade “it would be tough for them to leave.” New York Daily News

The Delonte West process is continuing, complete with its ups and downs. Wednesday was a down day, as the Cavaliers put West on the inactive list for their early season matchup with the rival Orlando Magic. Team officials, which did not make the decision public before the game, said it was a part of the ongoing process with West, who had played the last four games. Cleveland Plain Dealer

According to multiple sources, however, West missed the team's charter flight Tuesday afternoon to Orlando. Cavs coach Mike Brown said West had been excused for missing the flight. This was at least the second team flight West has missed this season, according to a source, and the others were not excused. Team officials declined to say whether this was the reason West did not play. He did join the team at the morning shootaround but did not warm up before Wednesday's game. Cleveland Plain Dealer

Over the last two years, at times West has grown nervous before flying and at times, said multiple sources, has even delayed team flights until he can be calmed down and convinced to get on the plane. Handling West's flying issues have been part of the challenges in handling the volatile player. According to one source, this does not represent a serious issue to the team, which has not changed its belief that he will play a key role during the season. Cleveland Plain Dealer

"One plus one is two and C always comes out to A and B,'' West said to FanHouse. West, who hadn't spoken to reporters since media day Sept. 28, was asked what that meant. "One plus one always be two,'' he said. West again was asked to clarify. "One plus one always be two, brother,'' he said. FanHouse

"I don't think so,'' Cavaliers star LeBron James said before Wednesday's game when asked by FanHouse in a pack media session whether the West saga has been a distraction to the team. "I think we all stand behind Delonte. I think at the end of the day you look at it is what he's going through is more important than basketball. We know we have a job here and the game of basketball is very important to a lot of people. FanHouse

His agent was talking earlier in the day, about how it was just a matter of waiting. “We can't push it,” Herb Rudoy was saying. “When they are ready to talk, they will talk.” So he waits, as does Manu Ginobili, as do the Spurs. And probably every night, the equation changes. But something isn't changing, and that's Ginobili. He followed a 36-point game against Toronto with a more cautious game against Dallas, and the motivation had little to do with his pending free agency. Anyone who knows him knows that. There are other sides to this, and Dallas has one. Erick Dampier has another year left on a contract considerably stronger than his game, but he has to meet an incentive to trigger that final year. He has to average at least 30 minutes over 70 games, and that's unlikely to happen. Surprise, then. After years of slogging around the league, Dampier grabbed 20 rebounds in Houston and is looking alive again. In NBA parlance, this is called “playing for a contract.” San Antonio Express-News

“I don't want to miss any more games,” Ginobili said, smiling. “I'm a little paranoid.” This is the biggest part of the contract equation. If there were any guarantees that he would remain healthy, the Spurs would sign him today. This is a sticky negotiation for the Spurs, too. The Toronto game suggests Ginobili's package of skills remain, and a few moments against Dallas said the same. He put together back-to-back 3-pointers in the second quarter when the Spurs began to pull away. And at the end of the half, with Jason Kidd pressuring, his 3-pointer fell as the buzzer sounded. The Spurs know what this guy means to the franchise, and they know how the city would react if he leaves. Rudoy seems to understand the leverage he will have. “If Manu becomes a free agent,” he said, “I will be getting phone calls on July 1. Of that I am certain.” The Spurs can sign him anytime until then. So now everyone waits, and the same player who squeezes through painful cracks to make plays, who gambled with his future in Beijing and who likes winning will remain the same player. San Antonio Express-News

Still, this is a business, and the Cavs are here to win – not save wayward lives. They’d move West in a heartbeat. Cleveland is still intrigued with Golden State’s Stephen Jackson, and sources say general manager Danny Ferry is monitoring the availability of some outside-shooting power forwards – stretch 4-men – to complement Shaq. For now, Cleveland is still trying to get a sense of who it is, and what it can be come the playoffs. Whatever it takes in payroll and luxury tax, give Cavs owner Dan Gilbert this much: To please James, he’ll spend it. Yahoo! Sports

Coach Don Nelson said before Wednesday's game that the relationship between the Warriors and forward Stephen Jackson is irreconcilable and that his departure is imminent. "At some point," Nelson said, "and I don't know when, we have to (trade him). He asked to be traded, and we'd like to trade him. That's if we can." Contra Costa Times

Nelson said his relationship with Jackson is irreconcilable and the Warriors must move Jackson. "At some point, and I don't know when, we have to," Nelson said. "He asked to be traded, and we'd like to trade him. That's if we can." General manager Larry Riley is logging overtime, working the phones, but nothing substantial has come of it yet. "We're working hard to find the deal that is right for us," said Riley, who spent much of the second half with his cell phone to his ear and his eyes fixed on a TV screen in the Pacers' media room. San Francisco Chronicle

That's why it shouldn't be surprising these days that the Golden State Warriors forward doesn't regret publicly saying he wants to be traded. "I'm not going back on anything I've said," said Jackson, who was no stranger to controversy during his time with the Pacers. "I still feel the same way. The fact is I want to win. I'm 31 years old and I'm not getting any younger. I want to make the best of my last couple of years." Indianapolis Star

Jackson thought he was going to be a part of a playoff team every year after the eighth-seeded Warriors upset top seed Dallas in the first round of the playoffs in 2007. It turns out that was the last time the Warriors made the playoffs. "Y'all know me. I just want to win," Jackson said. "That's always been my attitude and anytime winning is not a priority or not the main idea on everybody's mind, it bothers me. All my frustration since I've been in the league comes from not winning. "I had a great year my first year. It seems like ever since then, the team has been breaking up and we've been going downhill. I want it to be the same team that it was when I got here. I don't want it to continue to get worse." Indianapolis Star

Coach Don Nelson yanked Jackson after he missed four of his first five shots and didn't play him for the final 18 minutes of the opening half. Jackson then sat the entire fourth quarter as his teammates cut a 21-point deficit to 98-91 with 2:55 remaining but got no closer. "He's got a sore back or hip or something," Nelson said. "I didn't think he was moving very well. I didn't think he moved very well at the shootaround. I didn't expect that he'd give me very much, but he gave me what he had." Jackson had five points, two rebounds, two assists and a steal in the third quarter. Seemingly knowing he wouldn't return to the game, Jackson looked at media row and mouthed, "Do I look hurt?" as he sat down at the start of the fourth. "I'm fine," Jackson said postgame at the arena where he played 2004-07. "I've got a scratch. That's all it is. My back is not sore at all. "Regardless of where I'm at, I want to play. I have no control over that, but I want to play, regardless of if I'm in Africa or wherever. I know I could have done more than I did." San Francisco Chronicle

You’re hip is bothering you? JACKSON: No? (confused look on his face) Why would you say my hip is bothering me? Nellie said before the game that your hip is bothering you. That’s not why you were sitting? JACKSON: (the confused look turns to a smirk) “Ain’t nothing wrong with my hip.” Jackson plays all of the third quarter. When the quarter ends, he plops on the bench. He looks at Rusty Simmons and I and says (I’m reading his lips because I can’t hear) “Do I look hurt?” Contra Costa Times

Marcus Thompson: Pacers 108, Warriors 94. Q to Jax: Nellie said you were limited. Did you feel limited out there? Jax answer: "Limited minutes, yeah." Twitter.com

Is it disappointing not to get to play much in a place where you used to play? JACKSON: “Regardless of where I’m at, I want to play. I have no control over that, but I want to play, regardless of if I’m in Africa or wherever. I know I could have done more than I did tonight. … Everybody know what the situation is. I know a lot of people expected to see me blow up when he took me out the game earlier. For what? It is what it is. Like I said, I’m going to always respect coach. I’m just going to do my job until things change.” Contra Costa Times

At the time, the move was well-received. Dunleavy (especially) and Murphy were viewed as part of the problem for the struggling Warriors, who were 19-20 at the time. Months later, the Warriors had snuck into the playoffs, pulled off one of the great upsets in league history (over the top-seeded Mavericks) and supposedly had pulled off a steal. The perception now, after the Warriors' 108-94 loss to the Pacers? "You can't evaluate it because Dunleavy hasn't been able to play (this season)," Nelson said. "It was good short-term for us, for sure. Long term has yet to be determined. It probably will come back in favor of Indiana." Contra Costa Times

Marcus Thompson: Randolph and Danny Granger just got into under the basket. They had to be separated. All I heard was Granger: "You better get out my face!" Twitter.com

Stephen Curry: Promise to all the Warrior fans...we will figure this thing out...if it's the last thing we do we will figure it out. Twitter.com

With that in mind, would the Sixers be interested in bringing back Allen Iverson to try to get some fans back in the building? The answer is still no, according to team president Ed Stefanski. PhillyBurbs.com

Allen Iverson is facing the sobering reality that he might never be Allen Iverson again. George Karl always speaks highly about the former Nugget, and the Denver coach provided an interesting perspective about what Iverson's going through (relegated to Memphis' bench and pondering retirement). "My experience with A.I. was always good," Karl said. "What happened with him in Detroit and Memphis, what I always worry about is — I know when my (playing) career was over, and I tore my knee up for the third time, I still thought I could play. It took me at least six months to finally admit it. "Going from whatever level — starter to bench, bench to 13th man, it takes some time, because the thing that makes us go is our competitive ego, our competitive energy and you can't have that energy if you're thinking you're not good enough. You've got to look at the game and believe you're going to play well — every game, every practice, every drill." Denver Post

What sorts of things is management telling you in terms of how they'd like to handle you this season and into next summer? Raymond Felton: "I'm not really even talking with them right now. That's my agent's job. Right now my job is to play 82 games and his job is to be talking and negotiating with management, talking to Rod Higgins and all those guys about me and my future with the Bobcats. All I do is come out and play ball." HoopsWorld

Talk a little bit about your thought process over the summer—hearing all this stuff about you potentially getting traded. What goes through your head hearing all that? Raymond Felton: "It's one thing with me that I learned early as a professional athlete, that it's a business. You're going to hear rumors, but if you don't hear anything about yourself being traded then that means there aren't any other teams looking at you. That's obviously something that you don't want. I mean, don't get me wrong—I want to be here. I love the Bobcats and there's no place I'd rather be. But it's good to know that there are other teams that are looking at you just in case things don't work out for me here. But this is where I want to be. I love this team, I love the group of guys that we have and some of the changes that we've made. I like our chances. I like our chances versus anybody, honestly." HoopsWorld

Boykins, who signed a nonguaranteed contract, gives the Wizards a veteran who is familiar with a wide range of offensive systems. He has played for nine NBA teams, most recently for Charlotte in 2007-08. He also has some chemistry with Arenas and Jamison - they played on the same Golden State team in the 2002-03 season. He was out of the NBA last season, playing for Italy's Virtus Bologna on a $3.5 million contract. The 5-foot-5 Boykins, in his 10 NBA seasons, averaged 9.4 points and 3.5 assists. To make room for him, the Wizards waived fourth-year forward/center Paul Davis, who appeared in just two games, averaging 2.5 points and 1.5 assists in 4.0 minutes. Washington Times

Shaquille O'Neal didn't talk after the game, or before the game or at shootaround. So his thoughts on his first game as a Cav against Dwight Howard remain mostly private at this point. Shaq didn't get to guard Howard as much as the Cavs would have wanted, both players were in foul trouble. The Cavs still had to use double teams at times when Shaq was out of the game, but Howard's impact was limited. This is the player I picked to win the MVP Award this season. And when that player, who averaged 26 points and 13 rebounds in the conference finals, has just 11 points and seven rebounds there was an impact. Cleveland Plain Dealer

"He (Howard) has not been as dominating defensively or on the boards in the last four or five games,'' Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said. "I know that has to change for us to be good. And right now, we're not a very good team.'' FanHouse

Without Howard's aggression around the basket, the Magic are just an average team. He finished with 11 points, seven rebounds and one block in 32 minutes. "Foul trouble makes him play tentative. We have to address that,'' Van Gundy said. "He's having trouble getting those double-figure rebounding games right now. He hasn't blocked the shots like he was. If Dwight were playing defensively like he did last season, we'd be better.'' FanHouse

As for Howard, who led the league in rebounds and blocks last year, Van Gundy expects to see more of that. "I mean the guy averaged 14 a game last year," Howard said. "Go check the numbers the last five or six games, he's not rebounding, he's blocked one shot in the last three games." Orlando Sentinel

J.J. Redick was the first to speak in the Orlando Magic's locker room Wednesday night after the Magic lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers. According to Magic Coach Stan Van Gundy, he reminded the team they just weren't very good. "He was absolutely right," Van Gundy said. "We have to be honest with ourselves, we're not very good right now. Forget all the excuses and everything else, to a man, and as a group and as a coaching staff -- I mean, no question, I didn't have anything tonight either, we're just not very good." "And that could be a very good starting point if we're honest enough and we quit with all the excuses and we quit with thinking that it's just going to come as you go." Orlando Sentinel

Seemingly everyone has seen the replay and expressed an opinion about Brad Miller's overturned potential game-winner Tuesday night against the Nuggets except one important principal: Miller. "Haven't watched it," Miller said Wednesday. The NBA league office has -- and backed its officiating crew. "The review was conducted properly and the right call was made," league spokesman Tim Frank said. Chicago Tribune

The dramatic and controversial loss to the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday at the United Center was still a hot topic before Wednesday night's game against the Toronto Raptors, but the Bulls tried not to dwell on it. ''There's frustration because you think you won a game,'' Bulls coach Vinny Del Negro said. ''It's difficult. But we've regrouped and I expect us to come out with good effort and ride the emotional roller coaster.'' Replays of Brad Miller's buzzer-beating attempt, shown on the Comcast SportsNet telecast, appeared inconclusive as to whether the ball was still in his hand when the buzzer sounded. But Ron Johnson, the NBA's senior VP of referee operations, said during an interview on the ''Waddle and Silvy'' show on WMVP-AM (1000) that the officials had access to an angle that the TV audience might not have seen. [Crew chief] Mark [Wunderlich] finished looking at various views and then he asked if there was any other view available,'' Johnson said. ''He was given a view that showed clearly that Brad Miller's fingers were still in contact with the ball when there was zero seconds left on the game clock. Therefore, the ball had not left his hand.'' Chicago Sun-Times

Salmons was a different story altogether. He never started making shots and went a dreadful 1-for-11 from the field in scoring five points in 33 minutes. For the season, he is shooting a woeful 30.6 percent. When asked if was satisfied with his shot selection, Salmons said, ''I don't know. I took the shots I took. I took them because I felt like I could make them.'' Despite his rough start, Salmons said he's not pressing and the slump is not affecting him personally. ''I'm human, and it's not a good time,'' he said. ''It's tough to deal with, shooting the way I'm shooting. But you have to stay with it, keep working and keep the faith.'' Chicago Sun-Times

Many fans yearn for J.R. Smith to start for Denver. Karl is comfortable with Smith coming off the bench, where he thrived in previous seasons. "I could start J.R., but then I don't think he's going to get as many shots or touches," Karl said. "The way I convinced him, I tell him — 'When you're coming off the bench, you're No. 1 — when you're starting, you're No. 3 or 4.' " Denver Post

Pecherov had scored only eight points in the previous three games and did not have a free-throw attempt. He played only 2 1/2 minutes Wednesday night and was scoreless after one field-goal attempt. "Pecherov does some things well and he does some things poorly," Rambis said. "He has to work on those things he does poorly to get more playing time . . . intense defense and rebounding and how we execute our offense. Some of those things, he doesn't do correctly." As for Pecherov's "breakthrough" game against Boston, the performance is already a distant memory for Rambis. "Any player in this league can have one good game," Rambis said. "It's very tough in this league to be consistent." Pecherov played only six minutes at Golden State in his last start. His minutes have steadily dropped from 34 against Boston. St. Paul Pioneer Press

First, a warning: nobody should start any trade demand rumours because of this. But for the first time this year, Toronto Raptors forward Chris Bosh seemed a bit agitated, even frustrated, on Wednesday morning. Whether he was annoyed with his team or the media is uncertain, but the prospect of talking about rebounding set him off into a bit of a rant. "I don't even know why we're talking about this. It's rebounding. That's all. It's rebounding," Bosh said. "You just get the basketball. That's all it's about. There's no talent. It's nothing, really. You just get the ball. And it's sad that we're sitting here talking about this before and after games. "We just need to get the basketball. It's all about which teams wants it the most. If we want the ball more than the other team, we get the rebound together, as a team: put your body on a guy, whatever it takes to get the ball, do you know what I'm saying? And after that, you kill their will with one shot." National Post / November 11

You could sense Williams’ frustration after the game. He twice described the Jazz as “soft,” though he’s said that before, so it’s not quite as indicting as it would be from another player. He was asked about the Celtics and offered an answer that seemed to speak to both the team assembled in Boston and the shortcomings of his team in Utah. “They’re a great team,” Williams said. “They have a group of guys who know their roles 1 through 10. They come in, they do the job, they get stops. They don’t coast. They hold everybody accountable. That’s what it takes to be a championship team.” Salt Lake Tribune

SN: Even with this win, you guys are off to a slow start. What have been the biggest issues so far? Deron Williams: It's consistency. We haven't been consistent on either end of the floor. We've struggled at times defensively and struggled at times offensively. And that will continue until we get into a good rhythm and establish some continuity. SN: How has that inconsistency manifested itself in the games? DW: We've had some really bad games, some really bad quarters that have hurt us. We just need to put together a good 48 minutes of basketball, then we will have a chance to win and be competitive. Sporting News / November 11

The Nets had more late-game troubles last night, missing out on four chances in the final 1:01 to tie or take the lead. Everyone will remember the last play: Down three with a chance to force overtime, Rafer Alston throws the side-out-of-bounds pass to Thaddeus Young and the Nets lose 82-79. The play was for Trenton Hassell to catch it in the post and kick it out to Bobby Simmons or Alston for a three or try to get it to Brook Lopez and hope he causes a three-point play. Here is some reaction. Alston: “It was a bad inbounds pass. I saw Bobby curling tight. I threw it to him. I was supposed to throw it to Trenton and we were supposed to run the play that was designed. I threw it away. It was a bad read. What I saw was Bobby’s numbers. When he curled it I thought he was wide open to catch it. Bergen Record

Just two players earlier, the Sixers got a very favorable call, and Marreese Speights completed the three-point play to give them the 80-79 lead. Lopez – and the entire arena – went ballistic over his non-call. But he didn’t complain in postgame. He left that to his teammates. “I thought there was a same kind of play down at the other end where they gave Speights an and-one,” Trenton Hassell said. “You give Speights the call, you’d think Brook would get the call,” Rafer Alston said. “Whether it’s a foul or not — or a borderline foul. You would think the call would go back the same way.” Newark Star-Ledger

Chris Douglas-Roberts: It's very hard for me to watch my team play. I'm the biggest Nets fan while being out, but it makes me crazy. Twitter.com

He is determined to stop the clock. Now that the door has opened for him, in the form of Yi Jianlian’s knee injury, Boone knows he has to use this opportunity to get management’s attention – anyone’s attention — in a contract year. “I hope my career is 10 to 15 years. If my best year is my fourth year, I’d be in some trouble,” he said with a laugh. “The focus is just to have a good year. Ultimately, that will determine what happens next year. But I need to perform now.” Newark Star-Ledger

“The challenge for him — and he’s been through this before — is finishing with force,” Frank said. “He has very active hands and good hands; it’s just making sure – and not just him, but Brook – that he’s finishing with force.” Newark Star-Ledger

There is reason to be very concerned here about Duhon and his performance level. Is he feeling the pressure of being in a contract year? Is he just not that good? Is it related to something off-the-court we don't know about? Whether he likes it or not, as Duhon falls out of the limelight, the spotlight will shine brighter. And it's clear D'Antoni is trying to do all he can to keep Duhon from disintergrating. Newsday

Jamal Crawford is convinced that if the Knicks hadn't traded he and Zach Randolph in early November that the club would have made the playoffs. “Yes,” Crawford said. “We were going to the playoffs.” New York Daily News

Kaman, the Clippers' leading scorer and second-leading rebounder, was not among the team's four players listed on the All-Star ballot released this week. Dunleavy called the exclusion of Kaman "a mistake" but said it probably wouldn't matter "in the sense that he's not going to be a guy that's going to be voted in by the fans anyway. He's going to be a coach's vote based on how he plays." Kaman, who entered Wednesday's game averaging 21.9 points and 9.4 rebounds, said he didn't want to talk about his exclusion. Davis, Camby, Thornton and Griffin were the Clippers on the All-Star ballot. Los Angeles Times

Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin spoke softly Monday about "that speed" — the in-his-prime pace of point guard Jason Kidd, a speed Martin has experienced again this month while trying to keep up with teammate Ty Lawson. "The kid is able to play," Martin said of Denver's rookie guard. "I played with Jason Kidd, man. Moving that ball, it was unbelievable. (Lawson's) strength is getting the ball up the court, getting into the gaps, making plays." Denver Post

Andrew Bynum won't play monster minutes against the Phoenix Suns in his return to the starting lineup from an elbow injury Thursday, at least not if Lakers coach Phil Jackson can avoid it. Jackson said after today's practice, "He can play up to a point where he's going to have discomfort. Right now, it's not about running up and down and activity. Preferably, I'd like to keep him under 35 minutes a night. I don't want to see him playing heavy minutes, especially in a game that's going to be back and forth like tomorrow night. He tweaked it a few times today and went right through it." Los Angeles Daily News

The Suns were pretty much left for dead after Stoudemire went down, finishing 46-36 and failing to make the playoffs last season. Jackson called their wide-open offense an offshoot of "schoolyard basketball," but there's no denying that the Suns are 8-1. "They did not like the way they felt [last season]," Lakers guard Derek Fisher said. "You can see the determination in Steve Nash's face and Grant Hill and Jason Richardson and Stoudemire. They've taken it personal. They're on a mission this year . . . And I don't think it's even just to make the playoffs. I think they want to win." Los Angeles Times

"They're a much more talented team than us and they're the world champs," Nash said. "I don't think we're sitting here saying, 'We're better than the Lakers.' We want to continue to get better every day. If we go and play well, we can beat them, sure. I don't think it's a situation where we're, all of a sudden after two weeks, going from a team that was supposed to be out of the playoff picture to a team that's going to win a championship. We've got to be humble." Arizona Republic

"We're learning what this is all about as a team to be good," Hill said. "We had a great win in Boston and didn't have that letdown. You get so high that you can come in and have a letdown. We've done what we're supposed to do. Let's go to L.A. and see if we can keep this going." Arizona Republic

Nocioni didn't play well early in training camp, which worried Westphal. But Nocioni wasn't concerned about whether he would start; rather, he was adjusting to possibly playing as an undersized power forward. "I understand what Paul is doing," Nocioni said. "He's trying to find the right team. He's trying to find who's going to be in the starting lineup, who's coming off the bench. And in my career, I've been doing both, so it's fine." Nocioni let Westphal know early he wouldn't be a problem in the locker room if he weren't a starter. And as Westphal tinkered with the starting lineup, he waited for Nocioni to start playing well while learning a new role. "He told me when we had our first meeting, 'I'll do whatever you want; I'll play wherever you want,' " Westphal said. " 'Don't worry about me. Start me; bring me off the bench. Play me at the three, four. Don't play me; play me the whole game … I'll give you everything (I)have.' "You can't ask for a player to say more than that." Sacramento Bee

John Kuester has coached dozens of All-Star defenders during his lengthy tenure as an assistant in the NBA, but the first-year coach thinks Pistons guard Rodney Stuckey could be one of the best defenders he’s ever seen. “(Stuckey) has a chance to be one of the best defensive guards I’ve ever been around because he’s so strong, he’s got size and he’s athletic,” Kuester told Bret Bakita and Michael Grey on "The Starting Lineup" on WBBL. "He's got a huge upside, both offensively and defensively, and he's got a bright future with us." With Tayshaun Prince and Rip Hamilton both out indefinitely with injuries, Kuester has been forced to use a three-guard set and match the 6-foot-5 Stuckey against small forwards. “With Tayshaun (Prince) and Rip (Hamilton) being injured, he’s gone from guarding small guards to the bigger three-men," Kuester said. Booth Newspapers

It's as if the Nuggets are a football team with two styles of running backs. "It's like the Cowboys," said Martin, a proud Dallas native. "Chauncey is Marion Barber — he's a finisher. We know in the fourth quarter, that's who he's going to be. He's going to get the tough stuff done for us. Hard- nosed. "Ty is Felix Jones — speedy guy, opens up the court, make plays in space. "You have to game plan for it. You have to know that when Ty comes into the game, that he's pushing the ball up and down the court right at you. Your transition defense has to get better." Denver Post

Ross Siler: Kyrylo Fesenko joked about making SportsCenter's Top 10 plays after K.G.'s alley-oop dunk. Congrats Fes. You were No. 3. Twitter.com

On Wednesday morning, Deron Williams indicated he probably wouldn't play. On Wednesday night, he did. "I felt pretty good," said Williams, who logged 33 minutes in a loss at Boston despite missing practice Tuesday and shootaround Wednesday because of a strained back that got worse overnight. The Jazz's starting point guard also has a bruised left calf. "You know, once I got in there it (the back) loosened up," he added. "When I sit, it stiffens up. But it felt pretty good compared to where it was this morning." Williams was so sore Tuesday night he slept on the floor in the room at the Jazz's luxury hotel here, but he visited with Celtics-recommended chiropractor Tim Morgan for about two hours Wednesday afternoon. "I had been staying in bed," Williams said. "I thought resting was the best thing for it." But, he added, Morgan "said movement was the best thing for it, so after I worked with him I (didn't) really lay down or anything." Deseret News

Williams on Wednesday was able to pinpoint his back troubles to a play in the Knicks game as well. "It was right before the half, when I got (Chris) Duhon up in the air," he said. "He landed on me, and I kind of strained it. "When I got up from that play, that's when my back started tightening up. ... That was a couple seconds before the half, and it was just tight when I went back to the locker room." Visiting Morgan on Wednesday helped tremendously, suggested Williams, who gets adjusted before every home game and on some off days while in Utah by Jazz team chiropractor Bruce Nielson. "He's the greatest," said Williams, who jokingly relayed a message to Jazz general manager Kevin O'Connor that Nielson should be on the Jazz's current road trip. Deseret News

The game was bad enough, but the news also was grim on Josh Howard, who left the game with 8:46 to go in the third quarter. It was his third game back after off-season ankle surgery. "He was limping, so we took him out," coach Rick Carlisle said. "It's the first back-to-back [games for Howard]. We'll evaluate it and treat it accordingly. He's had some soreness. It's no secret. There's going to be times when there's soreness, and we have to get him out of the game." Asked when he knew he was done for the night, Howard said: "When he took me out, pretty much." Dallas Morning News

Howard called the situation a slow process to get back to complete health. "I'm going to go with the unexpected speed bump right now," he said when asked if it was a setback. "I just got to keep working toward getting healthier." The second night of back-to-back games clearly did not agree with the ankle. "I didn't know how it was going to respond," Howard said. "It's something I got to deal with and keep fighting. There's some small swelling, but the soreness, cutting and stuff, was killing me." Dallas Morning News

Thabeet will miss only a matter of days. "It's a hairline fracture," Hollins said. "They've got it wired. Obviously, it'll be a pain issue, but we'll see what happens." Hollins said the timing of the injury was bad, too. He'd decided to give the 7-footer consistent playing time. "I was going to give him that time regardless of what's happening on the floor," Hollins said. "Unfortunately, he got hurt. But he's lucky. He wouldn't able to play with the whole jaw fractured." Memphis Commercial Appeal

After playing their second game without All-Stars Duncan and Tony Parker, the Spurs are likely to get at least one of them back in the lineup for Saturday's game against Oklahoma City, Popovich said. Popovich wouldn't say which of his All-Stars he expects to play or whether it is possible both may get back on the court. San Antonio Express-News

Don't expect to see Rip Hamilton during the upcoming West Coast trip. Hamilton said after Wednesday's game he doesn't feel as if he'll be ready to play next week during that trip, although that sprained right ankle is getting better. Detroit News

As you can imagine, “The People’s Choice” is more than a little frustrated. But he’s not cursing bad luck. He’s ticked at the person who began this entire mess. The ankle was sprained when he went to make an inbounds pass after a Knicks hoop and stepped on a cameraman whose foot was over the designated line at Madison Square Garden. “This is the first time I’ve ever sprained my ankle in my entire life,” Scalabrine said. “I watched the film. He was 6 inches over the line, 6 inches that I needed to take the ball out of bounds. “We’re trained to use the space that we are allowed. I’ve taken the ball out of bounds probably 10,000 times in my life, and as long as you’re behind that line I won’t hit you. But if you’re over that line, we’re trained to use that space. I went back to pivot and go, and as I went back, his foot was right there.” Boston Herald

Scalabrine never had any plans to file a complaint against the offending cameraman, but that doesn’t mean he’s not bothered by the breach of rules. “I’m not going to do anything with it,” he said. “I’m not going to sue anybody. I’m not a sue-happy guy or anything like that, but the bottom line is these guys have got to respect what we’re doing out there. Just because this guy’s 6 inches over the line, now I had to spend 10 days rehabbing an ankle that I shouldn’t even have to worry about. “I should have been practicing with my team. I should be working on my game. But 10 days of treatment and hooking my leg up to a boot to get the swelling down and swimming in a pool? That’s not right. I had to do all these things that aren’t related to basketball because a guy can’t respect the line. It’s unbelievably frustrating.” Boston Herald

Somebody asked after Wednesday's game if Rambis' complex triangle passing offense takes away some freedom from a gifted low-post scorer who plays so instinctively. "To answer your question, no," Jefferson said. "If you notice, I'm getting my shots. I'm getting the shots I got last year, the year before that and the year before that. I'm not making 'em. I don't have no complaint about this offense. I'd understand if I'm not getting my shots. I'm just not making 'em. That stinks for me, but it's going to come. "I keep telling myself every night when I go to sleep, I just got to be patient. Let it come back." Minneapolis Star Tribune

Minnesota lost for the eighth straight time, as the Blazers romped 107-84. Coach Kurt Rambis has said several times that he took this job with his eyes wide open. So the question seems obvious: Were his eyes this wide open? Basically, Rambis said before the game, they were. But then he went into a rather long speech about Al Jefferson not being completely healthy, Kevin Love breaking his hand, working with a rookie point guard and dealing with an abundance of youth. It was an interesting review of some unfavorable circumstances. "Did I answer your question," he asked when he had finished. Sort of, I replied. "Otherwise I did a lot of talking for nothing." Kind of like you do in there, I noted, pointing toward the locker room door. "Explain that," Rambis said. Well, you talk to them a lot, but they don't always get it. For a laid-back guy, Kurt didn't appear to appreciate the humor in that remark. Anyway, we sort of hammered out a final response. Yes, he expected the team to struggle during the transition. "The only thing I didn't foresee was Kevin (Love) breaking his hand," he said. St. Paul Pioneer Press

There are two problems here. 1) Rambis wants to fit his players into his system, instead of fitting his system to his players. How often does that work in professional sports? 2) The Wolves have had enough trouble putting together a competitive team; putting together a competitive team with a system that will diminish the talents of its two best offensive players will make the climb to respectability even steeper. Rambis said before the game on Wednesday that it might take one, two or three years for his players to ``sorta'' grasp the system. If you give me a car and tell me it's going to take me one, two or three years to ``sorta'' grasp how to drive it, I'd ask for a different car. Minneapolis Star Tribune

Kuester, like Brown, had learned the game playing for Dean Smith at North Carolina. He learned to coach under Brown. "He is a great teacher," Kuester said of his mentor. Kuester said Brown taught him how to bring passion to every practice, to every shoot-around, to every game -- and to try to get the maximum potential out of every player. "He's meant a lot to me and my family," Kuester said. Kuester spent time on the bench with Brown in Detroit and in Philadelphia before taking his own route in the NBA. That path included coaching in college and assisting a handful of other head coaches. "He's got everything," said Brown, "He's loyal, a bright guy. He's paid his dues." Detroit Free Press

"I don't look at him as my protégé. He's been a big part of my career. I owe a lot to him," said Brown, in town Wednesday with his Charlotte Bobcats. "But the nice thing is there is a lot of guys in this league that have helped me that are doing quite well and have positions that they deserve. "I am happy for him. He deserves it. Joe (Dumars, the Pistons president of basketball operations) recognized that. He's given him a wonderful opportunity. This is a great place to coach and it's a great organization to work for. John will do a great job. He's done a phenomenal job wherever he's been. He's been loyal. I'm confident he'll do a great job here." Detroit News

His Bobcats -- who lost, 98-75, on Wednesday -- just missed the playoffs last season. They are young again. In a way, that is perfect for Brown, who is forever searching for the perfect pick-and-roll, the perfect back-door cut, the perfect box-out, the perfect game. He used to complain when his team "played like strangers" or didn't "play the right way." He instilled a little of that into the new Pistons coach. But he said that education went both ways. "I owe a lot to him," Brown said of Kuester. The feeling was mutual Wednesday night. Detroit Free Press

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's revelation that he is being treated for a rare form of leukemia has not had an impact on the Grizzlies' interest in the basketball great. Griz general manager Chris Wallace said team officials learned of Abdul-Jabbar's condition about a week ago. The NBA's all-time leading scorer was diagnosed last December with chronic myeloid leukemia. Memphis still is negotiating with Abdul-Jabbar to work as a part-time consultant to tutor the team's young centers. Wallace said there is no timetable for Abdul-Jabbar's decision. Abdul-Jabbar, 62, is under contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, but the Griz received permission to speak with him. Memphis Commercial Appeal

Asked what role Abdul-Jabbar will fulfill this season, Jackson said the Lakers' special assistant will not mentor Andrew Bynum as he's done in the past but instead show up periodically and lend guidance or advice. "He has a limited role with us," Jackson said. "By mutual consent, he's going to be doing more things off on his own." Riverside Press-Enterprise

And, just as everyone else, Scott said Wednesday he was stunned by the revelation but equally confident that his friend would overcome this latest, albeit most threatening, hurdle in his life. "I saw it at 6 o'clock in the morning, turned on ESPN and saw 'Breaking news, ' said Scott, who played with the Lakers for 11 seasons and has called Kareem Abdul-Jabbar a friend since coming to the NBA in 1983. "'The Captain' has a form of leukemia. I was totally shocked by it, and probably even more shocked that he had been dealing with it for the past 11 months. Again, this is somebody I've got a great relationship with and spent a lot of time with. So, obviously, I want to give him a call and talk to him and see how he's feeling." New Orleans Times-Picayune

Nevertheless, Scott said he wasn't surprised Abdul-Jabbar, who usually is reserved, went public with news of his diagnosis. "But it surprised me that he's dealt with it for a year, and just now is kind of coming out and letting everybody know it's something he can live with and something that he's going to continue to fight, " Scott said. "But as a former teammate and a friend, I wish that I had known about it and had been able to talk to him a little bit about it. But I've still got some time when he gets back that I can talk to him on the phone and see how he's doing." New Orleans Times-Picayune

The NBA unveiled an online television companion for each team's fans on Wednesday. The feature provides in-arena experience and access to real-time statistical information, as well as access to Twitter, Facebook, etc. Fans also can get halftime and postgame highlights. Dallas Morning News

CNN will air the feature "Road Warriors: Rudy Gay" between 5 and 6 a.m. today after spending time with the forward in Memphis last month. The segment explores how often NBA players travel, their rituals and what they pack, among other things. Gay's feature will also be posted online at cnn.com/roadwarriors. Memphis Commercial Appeal

Jonathan Feigen: Nice ovation for Dikembe Mutombo who just took a seat. Les Alexander is talking, but Deke's not coming back. Twitter.com

Following the news that Shaquille O'Neal's wife, Shaunie, had filed for divorce in California, the Cavs center issued the following statement: "As announced [Tuesday], Shaunie has filed for separation. Obviously, this is a difficult time for our family, and we request that the media respect our privacy. I will continue to focus on being there for our children and I am confident that Shaunie will do the same." Cleveland Plain Dealer

Elsewhere in the NBA pleaded for years to join the Jordan Brand family, wanting to wear the shoe his idol made famous. His persistence is being rewarded. When Jordan Brand makes its long-awaited release of the Air Jordan 2010 in February to commemorate the popular line’s 25th anniversary, Wade will debut the shoe. Hand-picked for the role by Michael Jordan himself, the Miami Heat guard called it “a huge honor.” “I was in awe, because I know what it means to not only be a part of Jordan Brand but really represent Michael on the court in the shoe he would wear,” Wade said. “Very excited, to say the least.” The shoe will be launched nationwide Feb. 13 and will carry a retail price of $170. That coincides with All-Star weekend near Dallas and is four days before Jordan’s 47th birthday. It’s unknown if Wade will wear the shoe beforehand, say in Miami’s marquee Christmas Day game at Madison Square Garden against the New York Knicks. AP

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