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Friday, January 15

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The Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers are among the teams who have expressed some interest in New York Knicks guard Nate Robinson, league sources said. Robinson’s base-year status, however, makes it difficult for any trade and the Knicks are said to be reluctant to ship Robinson to an Eastern Conference team, further complicating the Celtics’ efforts to land him. Yahoo! Sports

The Memphis Grizzlies also have shown interest in Robinson, but the feeling, for now, isn’t mutual. Robinson can veto any trade and doesn’t appear eager to move to Memphis. Yahoo! Sports

Odom did acknowledge that the Lakers have been just so-so on the road, benefited greatly from a home-heavy schedule in the first six weeks and concedes that L.A. -- with Gasol having missed 17 of the first 39 games and without much consistency from the bench -- hasn't been as dominant as some pundits predicted. However … "I would definitely agree with all that," Odom said, "and we've got the best record in the NBA." Bryant then proceeded to take issue with the idea that the recent report from the New York Post's Peter Vecsey about a potential Andrew Bynum-for-Chris Bosh swap will send young 'Drew into one of his funks -- "I won't let that happen, either," Kobe says -- before finally finding some humor in a question about his own future. ESPN.com

The 31-year-old vowed recently not to discuss his ongoing talks with the Lakers toward a contract extension because he was determined to "keep my business behind closed doors." So he's not taking questions about a reported stalemate in negotiations on some of the finer contract details such as his payment schedule and his no-trade clause even though the sides have essentially agreed on max money for the longest allowable extension of three more seasons. Or how he feels about Gasol getting an extension first and those 17 games Gasol has missed because of hamstrings. The volume on Bryant's laughter, when asked as he closed in on the waiting bus if he still expects to retire a Laker, would bring some comfort to his fervent followers in Lakerland if they could have heard it. "Highly probable," Kobe said, cackling. ESPN.com

There are still five weeks until the trade deadline and anything can happen -- remember, Andrew Bynum's knee injury in January 2008 led the Lakers to pull the trigger on Gasol -- but I don't predict anything major at this point because I look at other teams' backcourts and see nothing but more years and more money. Toronto point guard Jose Calderon has three years and $29.3 million remaining on his contract, Chicago point guard Kirk Hinrich has two years and $17 million remaining, and New Jersey point guard Devin Harris has three years and $26.8 million. Hinrich makes the most sense because the Bulls are reportedly trying to shave salary to make room for an off-season run at LeBron James or Chicago native Dwyane Wade. But, again, it's $17 million over the next two years, which means an additional $17 million because the team will almost surely be in luxury-tax territory over the same span. In other words, is Hinrich worth $34 million over the next two seasons? Right now, the Lakers' front office is collectively shaking its head. Los Angeles Times

More likely, there will be minor fine-tuning before the deadline. There are always veterans in the last years of their contracts who ask to be waived by losing teams so they can try to latch on to winning teams. Among those types, Sasha Pavlovic ($1.5 million) is sitting on Minnesota's bench after hitting 41% from three-point range last season for Cleveland. Are you listening, Sasha Vujacic? If not Pavlovic, there's another guy out there in the final year of his contract. A backup center for Detroit who goes by the name of Kwame. Los Angeles Times

Evans’ emergence has only increased speculation that the Kings could look to trade Martin if the two guards have trouble playing together. Martin, however, has spoken with Kings general manager Geoff Petrie and, for now at least, he doesn’t believe he’s going anywhere. “You hear them,” Martin said of the trade whispers. “But you just listen to the smart people when it comes to that. And that’s Geoff Petrie. I know that they’re just rumors and I’ll keep it at that.” Yahoo! Sports

The Houston Rockets have recently spoken with the New York Knicks, Chicago Bulls and Philadelphia 76ers about Tracy McGrady, but one league source said a deal didn’t appear imminent. The one constant in the talks, the source said, is the Rockets want to get a young, athletic big man to put alongside center Yao Ming next season. The Knicks would gladly part with seldom-used rookie forward Jordan Hill in a package for McGrady, but the Rockets don’t seem too interested. Houston likes Joakim Noah, but he’s too valuable for the Bulls to give up for McGrady. And the Sixers have scoffed at sending Marreese Speights or Thaddeus Young to Houston. Yahoo! Sports

Landry is guaranteed $3 million annually through next season. "I said, 'This is not how you want to reward yourself. You can't afford to do it,' " Respert said. "He worked his butt off and he came back to training camp in great shape. At the end of the summer, he was back to where he was at the end of the playoff run. He was working hard and he was having some fun with it. We didn't drill-sergeant him to death. It was fun, and I also think it was a thrill ride for him to see what us getting out of the first round had done and the spark the city had when we did it." SI.com

A day after hitting the game-winning shot against the Cleveland Cavaliers, rookie guard Sundiata Gaines of the Utah Jazz has signed a second 10-day contract. Gaines' first career 3-pointer beat the buzzer Thursday night and lifted the Jazz over the Cavs, 97-96. Gaines was signed just last week to a 10-day contract. Thursday's game was only his fifth in the NBA. AP

So much for Shawne Williams’ second chance. The Nets waived the forward they acquired Monday from Dallas. Maybe they didn’t think he could help them or because he hadn’t played organized basketball in more than a year would need much more work to get in condition to be able to help them. Bergen Record

An NBA source said the Denver Nuggets made a failed run at acquiring seldom-used center Aaron Gray from the Bulls. Yahoo! Sports

If the Wizards decide to make an attempt to terminate the remainder of Gilbert Arenas' contract, they'll have to familiarize themselves with pages 447-449 of the current Collective Bargaining Agreement. An excerpt: 16. TERMINATION a) The Team may terminate this Contract upon written notice to the Player if the Player shall: (i) at any time, fail, refuse, or neglect to conform his personal conduct to standards of good citizenship, good moral character (defined here to mean not engaging in acts of moral turpitude, whether or not such acts would constitute a crime), and good sportsmanship, to keep himself in first class physical condition, or to obey the Team's training rules. ESPN.com

Q: Are the Wizards going to try to void Arenas' contract? A: That is an option that has been discussed, but most legal experts believe the Wizards would cost themselves a lot of time and money and would have a poor chance of succeeding if they chose to go down that road. The last team to attempt to void a contract for a non-drug offense was Golden State, more than 10 years ago, after Latrell Sprewell attacked coach P.J. Carlesimo. An arbitrator later reinstated Sprewell's contract and reduced his suspension. A player has to clear a pretty high egregiousness bar to get his contract voided in the NBA, and few seem to think Arenas' crime was that grave. Remember, it wasn't the gun episode per se that got Arenas suspended, but rather the cavalier way he behaved in the days afterward that caused Stern to act. ESPN.com

Q: So what happens next? A: Good question. Since the NBA is still conducting its own investigation, and Friday's court proceedings were part of that investigation, Stern still does not have all the information and facts he wants to have at his disposal before deciding on a specific length of suspension. But at a certain point, it behooves everyone to have a time frame attached to that suspension. If the Wizards want to trade him, any team wanting to acquire Arenas will want some kind of an idea if/when he'll be available to play again. ESPN.com

Still, Fegan and Arenas remain close, and it would not surprise me to see Fegan re-enter the picture in some way. But he, like everyone else, needs to know how long Arenas' suspension will last before he can accomplish anything of substance. And if Arenas is facing jail time that would leave him incarcerated when the playoffs begin, that certainly won't make it easier for the Wizards to trade him before the Feb. 18 deadline. As for his reputation being irreparably harmed, that may be true. But time heals wounds, and Sprewell was welcomed as a hero in New York when the Knicks acquired him from the Warriors despite the fact that one could make the argument that what Sprewell did was more egregious than what Arenas did. One possibility that might eventually be considered is a buyout, but the Wizards are likely to explore every trade possibility first. ESPN.com

If Arenas is to be incarcerated, incarceration assignment authorities will take into consideration a variety of factors that generally work in Arenas' favor, which include his guilty plea, his lack of a worrisome criminal history and the fact that he may be a target of harm if housed in a facility with dangerous criminals. Arenas could be housed at D.C.'s Correctional Treatment Facility (CTF), which is located in Southeast D.C. and houses inmates who, based on their criminal charges and prior criminal and incarceration histories, are considered low- or medium-risk (as opposed to high-risk) inmates. The CTF is an annex to the D.C. Jail. With the criminal process soon behind him, Arenas will turn his attention to his NBA suspension and the prospect of the Wizards' trying to terminate his contract or negotiate a buyout, which I detailed Thursday. SI.com

Washington Wizards star Gilbert Arenas pleaded guilty on Friday to carrying a pistol without a license in the District of Columbia, a felony conviction that could jeopardize his future in the NBA. Arenas pleaded guilty to a single count of violating the city's strict gun laws as part of a plea bargain in D.C. Superior Court. He will remain free at least until his sentencing on March 26. The charge stems from a Dec. 21 incident in which Arenas admitted he stored guns in his locker at the Verizon Center and took them out to play a joke on a teammate. AP

Washington Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas pleaded guilty Friday to a felony for carrying an unlicensed pistol outside a home or business. Prosecutors recommend that he should serve no more than six months in jail. D.C. Superior Court Judge Robert E. Morin, however, will decide whether and how long Arenas will spend time behind bars. Arenas is scheduled to be sentenced March 26. Judge Morin, a Massachusetts native who was appointed to the bench by President Bill Clinton, can sentence Arenas to up to five years. In addition to recommendations by prosecutors and Arenas' defense counsel, Judge Morin will receive a recommendation by a parole officer in the form of a pre-sentencing report, which takes into account the totality of Arenas' case. While he will also consult with sentencing guidelines, Judge Morin will decide the sentence, which Arenas cannot appeal as long as it does not exceed five years. SI.com

The NBA has suspended him indefinitely. As part of a plea deal, prosecutors agreed not to ask for more than six months in jail for Arenas. He will be sentenced by Superior Court Judge Robert E. Morin. Morin could sentence Arenas to anything from probation to a maximum of five years in jail. Arenas "accepted full responsibility for his actions, acknowledged that those actions were wrong and against the law, and has apologized to all who have been affected by his conduct," Kenneth Wainstein, Arenas' attorney, said in a statement. ESPN.com

The Washington Wizards issued the following statement today: "Gilbert Arenas has been a cornerstone of the Washington Wizards for six years. We are deeply saddened and disappointed in his actions that have led to the events of this afternoon. Gilbert used extremely poor judgment and is ultimately responsible for his own actions." Washington Post

Q: What about the other key player in this saga, Javaris Crittenton? A: He has been asked to stay away from the Wizards -- he is obliging, and a police search of his home reportedly did not uncover any weapons despite reports that he had a weapon in the locker room. He is in the final year of his rookie scale contract and has been sidelined all year by injuries, so don't expect to ever see him in a Washington uniform. So in short, Crittenton is in paid limbo; Arenas is in unpaid limbo. ESPN.com

While Jennings was once the early favorite to win the league’s Rookie of the Year award, that honor now belongs to the Sacramento Kings’ Tyreke Evans. “Everybody is expecting me to score 50,” Jennings said. “If I don’t have like 20 or more everybody’s like, ‘C’mon man, you got to step up your game.’ ‘You’re hitting the rookie wall’ or something like that.” Jennings points to his assist-to-turnover ratio, which has noticeably improved, as evidence that his game hasn’t dropped off that much. Still, Bucks coach Scott Skiles said he wants to make sure his rookie doesn’t give in to the expectations. “We don’t want him thinking before-hand, ‘I got to do this. I got to do that,’ ” Skiles said. “The game tells you what to do.” Yahoo! Sports

Josh Smith, Hawks. I'm starting with the biggest surprise of all. In previous years, a silhouette of Smith launching a poorly aimed three-pointer had been the logo for much of what was wrong with the league in the preexisting era of AAU phenoms drafted straight out of high school. But Smith definitely belongs on the All-Star team now. Simply connect the power forward's numbers -- 14.7 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.1 blocks, 3.8 assists -- to Atlanta's eminence as the No. 4 contender in the East on track for a 54-win season. "That kid has grown up immensely, and I'm stunned," an NBA pro personnel scout said. "I will tell you I hated him -- his body language, his physical displays and immaturity on the floor. But this year I've seen him sit on the bench and not get playing time in the fourth quarter because the lineup is doing well, and they call him in to get the tip to win the game. And he's not mad. In fact, he's up like he's their best cheerleader. I don't know what award he should get, but he should get something for making the most emotional growth." SI.com

Having made the painful investment to develop him over the last five years, the Hawks deserve every benefit of Smith's strong play. At 24, he could become one of the league's dominant defenders as a hyperactive shot-blocker who controls the boards. And as his post moves continue to improve, his athleticism could make him unguardable in the paint. Best of all, he is showing qualities that win games, especially in the playoffs. "What he does now is play to his strength -- blocking shots, rebounding, bringing energy -- and he's an excellent teammate," the scout said. "He has a certain flair, and if he got in [as an All-Star this year], he might be able to stay in the mix for another three or four years or more. He could be a special player, and I really can't believe I'm saying this, because I really didn't like him before this year." SI.com

All of the above has apparently made preserving Duncan's health even more of a priority to Gregg Popovich, judging by Pop's decision to force him to skip the second half of a back-to-back in Oklahoma City after the L.A. game. Duncan's coach also revealed that night that he plans to make him sit out portions of back-to-backs more than the Spurs "ever have before" to see if that strategy "pays dividends come playoff time." After his 25 points against the Lakers, Duncan enters the weekend just 69 points shy of 20,000. He'll soon become the 35th player in league history to get there after Dallas' Dirk Nowitzki did so Wednesday night. "It means I've been playing a long time," Duncan told San Antonio reporters when asked about the milestone. "It means I'm old. It means I'm closer to the end than to the beginning. It means a lot of things that are negative more than positive." ESPN.com

Boston Celtics forward Kevin Garnett, who has missed the team's last seven games with a knee injury, could return as soon as next Friday. Celtics coach Doc Rivers said Garnett has an "outside chance" of returning for Boston's Jan. 22 game against the Portland Trail Blazers. "Portland -- there's an outside chance that could be the return game," Rivers said before Thursday night's game against Chicago at TD Garden. "Outside chance. There's a chance." ESPN.com

How many more injuries can the Portland Trail Blazers (24-16) endure? An MRI confirmed two-time All-Star guard Brandon Roy has been playing the past week with a strained right hamstring. He left late in Wednesday's win vs. the Milwaukee Bucks, didn't practice Thursday and is questionable today vs. the Orlando Magic. Roy leads the Blazers in scoring (23.4-point average) and assists (5.1). "Brandon has to be the guy who lets us know where he is at," coach Nate McMillan said. Portland has missed 185 man-games from injuries to 10 players, including centers Greg Oden and Joel Przybilla, both out for the season. At this point a year ago, it was 93 man-games lost. USA Today

NBA scouts are making time to see New Mexico junior Darington Hobson, who is 6-foot-7 and plays all three perimeter positions. Hobson is averaging 16.2 points, 8.1 rebounds and 4.2 assists through 18 games. Yahoo! Sports

Toronto Raptors assistant general manager Masai Ujiri could be the next front-office executive to leave his team for Africa. Former Dallas Mavericks director of scouting Amadou Fall, who is from Senegal, recently took a vice president’s job with the NBA to help open the league’s offices in Johannesburg, South Africa. Ujiri, a native of Nigeria, has a contract that runs through June 1 with the Raptors. He is torn about the possibility of leaving a job he loves for a position back in his homeland. Yahoo! Sports

The NBA and its players' association will contribute $1 million to support the relief efforts in Haiti. They said Friday they would join with UNICEF and other relief agencies to provide assistance, and Haiti native Samuel Dalembert of the Philadelphia 76ers has taped a public service announcement for UNICEF encouraging fans to contribute. AP

Scottie Pippen: "In 2008, I agreed to play a cameo role in a movie titled 'A Tribute to Big Red' (now titled 'Midgets vs. Mascots'). My role was scripted, and the first two scenes went off without any problems. During the third scene, I was told that four Little People, along with actor Gary Coleman, were going to become angry with something I said and storm off as the scene ends. Instead, they basically attacked me, with Gary Coleman apparently climbing on a chair behind me to hit me over the head with a phone (twice). "A short fight ensued before I heard the film's director yell 'cut.' As I recall, some of the Little People were laughing as the director explained that the scene was 'sort of like an episode of the TV show Punk'd.' At that point, I left quickly without a clear understanding of what was going on. SI.com

Former Memphis Tigers basketball player Shawne Williams, who was waived by the NBA's New Jersey Nets today, was indicted by a Shelby County Grand Jury on Tuesday on eight drug charges. According to the Shelby County District Attorney's office, Williams was indicted on four counts of possession of a controlled substance with intent to manufacture/deliver/sell, and four counts of conspiracy to manufacture/deliver/sell a controlled substance, a codeine-based syrup. Both are considered Class E felonies and carry standard sentences of 1-2 years, if convicted. Williams turned himself into authorities and was booked today into the Shelby County Jail. His bond has been set at $16,000. He is one of 24 defendants indicted following the Memphis Police Department's "Operation: Lockdown" investigation. Memphis Commercial Appeal

After negotiations Thursday, it appears the Nuggets are closer to reaching an agreement with coach George Karl about a contract extension, though a deal is not yet official. Bret Adams, an attorney representing the Nuggets' coach, met with officials from Kroenke Sports Enterprises and afterward said: "It's a complicated discussion and process because of the potential lockout (after 2010-11). It's a different economic environment. All of that has added a complexity to contract negotiations that simply hasn't been there before. "But both parties are professionally and diligently working to keeping George Karl in Denver." Denver Post

With 958 career wins and annual win-total improvement with Denver, Karl feels he should be paid as one of the top coaches in the NBA. His current $3 million salary does not put him in that group. "We really want to try to move towards a resolution," Adams said, "because we don't these contract discussions to be a distraction." Denver Post

The Detroit Pistons might make some changes. Joe Dumars, the team's president of basketball operations, told The Associated Press on Thursday he is looking for long-term solutions. The team might be active before next month's trade deadline. Booth Newspapers

Earlier today, the Idaho Stampede announced that they had acquired Coby Karl, who was considered a returning player after playing 22 games in Boise last season. Karl made the Cavs this season and played three games before being released last week so that his contract wouldn't become guaranteed. Also, I predicted this. Ridiculous Upside

The Washington Wizards’ Gilbert Arenas will plead guilty on Friday in a plea deal on his felony gun possession charge, with the U.S. Attorney’s office recommending to the District of Columbia Superior Court a sentence that doesn’t exceed six months and perhaps doesn’t include prison time at all. The suggestion to D.C. Superior Court Judge Robert Morin will be that punishment be served with probation and community service, but Morin has the latitude to deliver a harsher penalty. The charge carries a maximum sentence of five years in jail, so the Wizards’ star is still largely at the mercy of Morin. Yahoo! Sports

Nevertheless, Arenas will plead guilty to a single felony count for one of the four guns he brought into the team’s locker room, and now the possibility becomes real that the Wizards will take the abandonment of Arenas to a far greater length and try to terminate the approximate $80 million left on his original $111 million contract. Yahoo! Sports

The Wizards have abandoned Arenas in ways public and private, and would like to void a contract that could free them of a star who has lost his basketball and box-office allure. Arenas knows they don’t want him, and he told that to Washington general manager Ernie Grunfeld when they were still speaking. From the beginning of this sad, sordid saga, the Wizards have made it clear they’re determined to move on without Arenas. Yahoo! Sports

Ken Berger: David Stern left door open for #Wizards to take action against Arenas, according to a person who read the Jan. 6 suspension letter. Twitter.com

“If they try to terminate his contract and fail, they’re in big trouble,” said a source familiar with the Wizards-Arenas dynamic. “The Wizards don’t want Arenas back in the locker room after they’ve tried to screw him.” Yahoo! Sports

Ken Berger: Suspension from #NBA and contract void from #Wizards? "I don't think there's an arbitrator in the country who would allow that," source says. Twitter.com

Dan Steinberg: Source says Gil's finga gunz stunt was done because Wiz front office wasn't supporting him. Twitter.com

A person close to Arenas said Thursday that Arenas believes President Ernie Grunfeld and the Wizards management failed to support him following his locker room confrontation on Dec. 21 with teammate Javaris Crittenton. The two players were feuding over a gambling debt stemming from a card game on a team flight back to Washington from Phoenix two days earlier. Washington Post

"If your own franchise, the people you considered family, weren't there for you when you needed them most, would you want to play for them and be around them anymore?" said the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity. Arenas "was wrong for bringing guns into the locker room, and it's going to mean pleading guilty to a felony. It's serious business. But the way this came out and how Ernie and the organization handled the facts makes you wonder if he will ever play for them again." Washington Post

Grunfeld declined to comment on Arenas's felony gun charge. But sources close to the situation said that if Arenas cannot be traded and his contract cannot be voided, brokering a peace between the team and the player would be difficult. "Until Gilbert realizes none of this would have happened if he hadn't brought guns in the locker room and accepts responsibility for his actions, he won't be welcomed back anywhere," said an NBA official on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation. Washington Post

In the interview with NBA investigators, the person close to Arenas said Arenas grew emotional while explaining his actions and his sense of betrayal by the organization. Thursday's news of the charge against Arenas provided an additional jolt to a team that has been performing poorly all year and has threatened to come unraveled since the gun incident. Wizards players, who were in Chicago where they play the Bulls on Friday night, had hoped to enjoy a day off from basketball. But as Coach Flip Saunders and several players trickled back to the team hotel from shopping and dining excursions in the city, they were greeted with the latest news in the case. Washington Post

This case has polarized the Wizards’ locker room – pitting the front office and players against each other – and an unprecedented fight to terminate Arenas’ contract could unravel the franchise. The Wizards better hope they win, because the possibility of trying to reintegrate Arenas into an organization that tried to take away his contract could have colossal complications. Yahoo! Sports

Arenas testified to authorities that Crittenton responded to his ill-fated practical joke of laying unloaded guns on Crittenton’s locker room chair with the brandishing of his own weapon. At least one other teammate witness in the locker room backed that story, sources with knowledge of the case said. Yet, sources also said two teammates – Mike Miller and Randy Foye – backed either very little, or none, of that account. Yahoo! Sports

Several players grumbled about how the experience of speaking to law enforcement officials and NBA investigators in the past week broke up their regular game-day preparations and rituals. One Eastern Conference executive wondered if a losing culture has so permeated the Wizards organization that the team's problems could only be solved by breaking it up. The players are expecting trades will be made between now and the Feb. 18 trade deadline. When asked how the team can focus on basketball moving forward, one player said, "It won't matter. We all going to be out of here anyway." Washington Post

D.C. and Arlington police searched the home of Washington Wizard Javaris Crittenton Thursday morning looking for a gun he reportedly used in a locker room confrontation with teammate Gilbert Arenas, according to court papers and sources familiar with the investigation. Police did not find the gun at his Arlington home in the 7:15 a.m. search, Crittenton's lawyer and the court papers said. Washington Post / January 14

Reached through e-mail, Crittenton's lawyer, Peter White, said he was not available to talk, but offered this statement: "I can confirm that a search warrant was executed on Mr. Crittenton's apartment today, that Mr. Crittenton cooperated with the officers conducting the search, and that no evidence was found or seized by police." Washington Post / January 14

According to the court papers, police were looking for a "silver/chrome-colored semiautomatic handgun with a black handle or similar/like artifact." They also were looking for ammunition, holsters, and "any photographs, video footage, or other media depicting the subject posing with a firearm." Washington Post / January 14

Guns belonging Crittenton and Arenas became an issue after the two got into an argument after a card game and Crittenton allegedly said he should shoot Arenas in his surgically repaired left knee, sources have said. Days later, on Dec. 21, after a practice at Verizon Center, Arenas placed his guns on a chair next to Crittenton's locker with a note that said "pick one," the sources said. Washington Post

The incident -- and, let's face it, the bad public relations that followed -- has caused a few teams to ban gambling on planes completely, but the Bulls haven't adjusted their rules in a knee-jerk manner. ''Everyone has their own policy; I think it just depends on the situation,'' Bulls coach Vinny Del Negro said Thursday. ''A lot of guys play cards; they always have. I think it's a good bonding thing, and guys enjoy it. ''If I was to, or a head coach was to, think it was getting out of hand, then you have to address it. But we have very good guys, and it's just never been an issue in terms of our plane and the things going on there. Chicago Sun-Times

Of course, more than a few players have shown through the years that they aren't worthy of adult treatment. That's why Chicago-based agent Mark Bartelstein has long argued -- long before the incident involving Gilbert Arenas and Javaris Crittenton -- that gambling should be banned for the players' own good. ''It's not like I'm trying to take away some fun for the players,'' Bartelstein said. ''But there's nothing good about it and a whole lot of bad. ''Young people come into money for the first time, and it can get out of hand easily. I don't think it's healthy, and sometimes the gambling can be ruthless. It's very easy to lose sense of a dollar.'' Chicago Sun-Times

LeBron was salty after the game. That is understandable but he seemed directly upset about something. The team was in a big hurry to get out of here and to the airport so there wasn't time to find out. I can guess that it may have been because wasn't selected to take the clutch free throws in the final minutes. He was the trigger man on those out of bounds plays. He may have just been angry that he had to carry everyone in this game. Though, as pointed out above, it was more than just because guys weren't making shots. Cleveland Plain Dealer

LeBron's ankle that he turned late in the game seemed to be fine afterward, he wasn't even getting extended treatment. At the speed at which he was out of the locker room and on the bus, I don't think LeBron even took his normal postgame ice bath for his feet and knees. He was showered and dressed before Zydrunas Ilgauskas or Anderson Varejao were out of their tubs. He seemed more concerned about his left eye. He was poked in it during the fourth quarter. I don't remember the exact play but I don't think there was a foul called on it. The eye was puffy and red. He said it wasn't good after the game. Cleveland Plain Dealer

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Gaines has been with the Jazz for nine days and five games. There’s no telling how much of the team’s offense he knows. The three-pointer he hit to beat Cleveland was his first since coming to Utah and came on just the 16th shot in his career. “I just had the feeling Ronnie [Price] was going to kick me the ball,” Gaines said. “I kind of anticipated it and I was ready to shoot it, made the shot.” Salt Lake Tribune

After the morning shootaround, Kosta Koufos had to give Gaines a ride back to the hotel where he’s been staying. We’ve only learned a little about Gaines - - that he’s named after an ancient Mali king and played for a legendary coach at Archbishop Molloy in New York. As he stood on the scorer’s table and soaked in the moment, Gaines was staring out at a city only beginning to know him. Among those who were at the game, surely somebody had to ask: "What’s he doing in Matt Harpring’s No. 15?" “It’s been a long time since I’ve gotten that excited,” Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said. “I found myself trying to jump. I saw Ty Corbin take off and I thought I’d catch him. He’s a lot quicker than I am.” Salt Lake Tribune

“Just a week or so ago, he’s so excited about being here and we were thrilled to get him,” Sloan added of Gaines, “and then all of a sudden he gets a chance to play and he’s played well and so he probably gets some more opportunities.” Salt Lake Tribune

Also credit Gaines for being willing to take a chance and follow his NBA dream. He played in Italy last season and could have headed overseas again. Instead, he went to the D-League and was making $19,000 in the hopes of getting a call-up. You can’t make a memory like Gaines did Thursday playing in Italy. Hit a shot like he did to beat LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers on TNT and it will be replayed around the world. Salt Lake Tribune

"Is anybody ready for the New York media?'' Bosh responded at the conclusion of yesterday's practice when asked if he was ready for the onslaught. Toronto Sun

The intrigue is how New York's scribes interpret his words and body language when the inevitable question of the summer of 2010 comes up and the upcoming trade deadline. "I remember being part of Team USA and having to fly from Las Vegas to New York just for the media,'' Bosh said. "That in itself speaks to how huge the media market is in New York." Toronto Sun

"He played pretty well last year too, but yeah I would say he has taken another step up," said coach Mike D'Antoni, no implication intended that New York would represent a corresponding step up in basketball profile from Toronto. New York Post

Lewis and the Magic then lost to the Denver Nuggets, falling to their current record of 26-13. "Vince and I were talking. We have to make this work," Lewis said. "It feels different (this season). But we got to make it work. Nobody's going anywhere. "We're not jelling. We're playing OK, but we're not elite. … where we need to be. It feels like we're one of last-place teams." Orlando Sentinel

The addition of Carter — who leads the team in scoring (17.4) and shots attempted (487), by far — has affected Lewis as has a team-wide offensive malaise. "You look at the stat sheet, it kind of speaks for itself every night. I think in order for me to have a good game I have to make every shot, every last one of them. Because I'm not getting very many of them," said Lewis, an edge to his voice. "Guys coming off the bench are getting more shots. There's nothing I can do about it. … "I don't think were just playing with a good rhythm on the offensive end as a team." Orlando Sentinel

A few weeks ago, Brandon Jennings referred to his 55-point outburst against Golden State, which came in just the seventh game of his rookie season, as a curse. The Milwaukee Bucks point guard said Thursday he has changed his outlook on the subject. "It's not a curse, it's a blessing actually," Jennings said after the Bucks' practice session at the posh Olympic Club in downtown San Francisco. "It's put Milwaukee on the map. We've benefited from that game. You know, ESPN games and everything." Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

On Friday night, Jennings will face Golden State for a second time, but he's not dreaming of duplicating his double-nickel feat. "The main thing is I feel they're going to play more aggressive," Jennings said. "They're not going to let the same thing happen again." Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

Jennings talked about 55 being a curse because it brought great expectations, particularly about his scoring role. Suddenly the 10th overall pick in the last NBA draft was considered a leading contender for the rookie of the year award. "I feel everybody expects (me) to score 50," Jennings said. "If I don't have 20 or more, everybody is like, 'You've got to step up your game. You're hitting the rookie wall or something like that.'" Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

Chauncey Billups on what he says to J.R. Smith as one of the team leaders: “I tell J.R. all the time, just don’t settle. He’s such a great shooter and shot maker that he can make bad shots. But he’s streaky as well. As a streaky shooter, you gotta know when you’re on and when you’re not. He has the ability to attack and get into the lane and make plays for others. I don’t think he uses it as much as he probably should or could. I’m trying to get him to recognize when you’re not on, you can still have an effect on the game. A lot of players that are great shooters, when they’re not shooting well they’re like alright not tonight. I just didn’t have it. I’m trying to get J.R. to believe that ok, you might not be shooting well tonight, but you can get into the lane, people can’t stop you, you’re big, you’re strong, you can get Nene some dunks, you can get Bird (Chris Anderson) a lob, you can get Aaron (Afflalo) some kick outs. You gotta be able to expand your game like that.” Sports Radio Interviews

"He got himself another 10-day I think," said Jazz forward Paul Millsap. "He's a guy who comes in every day and works hard. He's one of those guys that was overlooked, but his name is out there now and we are glad to have him." NBA.com

A reporter asked Gaines if he thought the Cavaliers knew who he was before Thursday. He said he wasn't sure, before Wesley Matthews interrupted to say, "They know him now." "You have to give Sundiata Gaines credit," said Cleveland coach Mike Brown. "He came in and played a heck of a ballgame. He came in and that's when they made their run. He was a big catalyst in what they did." NBA.com

Brian Windhorst: LeBron says he's still 50/50 on doing Slam Dunk Contest. He probably could decide 10 minutes before event if he wanted, I suppose. Twitter.com

A post came across from the Nike Basketball Blog this morning touting the Shannon Brown iD Slam Dunk Design Contest. So, one would assume you've got to be in the dunk contest to have this thing for fans. Sporting News

Eric Gordon: I have a chance to be in NBA All-Star Dunk-In contest and compete against DeMar DeRozan. The league contacted my agent (Rob Pelinka) and I thought it would be something different for me and an opportunity, so why not do it? I had a little bit of hesitation at first, but not too much. I know we have a whole bunch of games before the All-Star break and hopefully I'll be playing in the Rookie Challenge. I definitely plan on being in that, so the dunk contest is something I wanted try. NBA.com

Despite his rookie status, DeRozan, who has been able to dunk since the sixth grade, goes into this competition with a lot of confidence. He already is on record as saying he expects to win the NBA slam-dunk contest. "I don't care if (Michael )Jordan is in it," DeRozan said. "Ever since I was in the eighth or ninth grade, every dunk contest I did, I never lose," he said last night. "In the ninth grade, I was in one with Mike Beasley and Gerald Henderson and won. I always feel confident. I like pulling things off." Toronto Sun

Nate Robinson: I'm not doing the dunk contest unless @amandabynes follows me lol word aapp j/k yall its a joke. Twitter.com

Jared Dudley: Who do y'all want to see in the dunk contest? I want Lebron, @dwadeofficial , @nate_robinson, @rudygay22, Shannon brown, and @therealtwill. Twitter.com

Dave McMenamin: A happy Jordan Farmar told me last night he's never had the freedom to take over the offense in his four years like he was granted vs DAL. Twitter.com

Rumors about a potential comeback in Spain first appeared last fall, when Dickerson was visiting his cousin Josh Fisher and started practicing with Gran Canaria, the club where Fisher plays in the Spanish ACB, usually considered the best league in Europe. Now the comeback is complete. Dickerson, prematurely forced to retire at 28 due to hamstring and groin injuries, is back and happy to be playing – even if on a small stage, away from the bright lights of the NBA. “It’s a great opportunity, ” the 6-foot-5 swingman said. “I always wanted to play here. It’s a challenge. I wanted to have fun playing basketball again. After retiring, those were difficult times for me personally, but I’m enjoying the chance to play professionally again.” HoopsHype.com

According to Dickerson, who’s still in touch with fellow Wildcat NBAers Mike Bibby and Jason Terry, his time in Europe may not be over when his playing days come to an end. “I’d like to stay here in Spain or some other place in Europe and create an individual training facility or a tranining camp where I can coach kids and help the kids develop their basketball game.” HoopsHype.com

"I'm strong enough to be able to play through those injuries," Bryant said on Thursday. "I work very hard in the offseason so I have a good base. I might have a pulled hamstring, or groin, or shoulder or whatever the hell [like a] broken finger, I can play through those." ESPN.com

About a half hour before Bryant made that comment, Gasol compared his injuries to Bryant's: "They're different injuries, they're very different," Gasol said. "I've played with back issues. I broke my finger myself and even played with it broken. I know how it feels. I played through a lot of stuff in my career and I like to think that I'm always doing the smart thing and the best thing for the team and I didn't feel like me going out there a couple days after I hurt myself like that and after listening to doctors -- that's the main thing, they know what they're talking about, not us." ESPN.com

It’s an extremely rough target, but coach Doc Rivers believes Kevin Garnett may return for a Jan. 22 home game against Portland. The Celtics visit the Pistons two nights earlier in Auburn Hills, Mich. “We would have a practice day the day before (Jan. 22),” Rivers said prior to last night’s 96-83 loss to the Bulls. “I’m just glad that he’s running right now. We’ll have a couple of practices over the next week where he can get on the floor and work with us. “We’ll play him when he’s ready, and that’s it. But there’s an outside chance that Portland could be the return game for him.” Boston Herald

Portland center Greg Oden is targeting a return to action this season. “I’m actually hoping, and saying my prayers, that I can come back before the end of this season,” says Oden, who underwent surgery on Dec. 7 to repair a fractured left patella. Portland Tribune / January 14

What do the Blazers’ medical experts, including team doctor Don Roberts and trainer Jay Jensen, have to say about that? “They haven’t dismissed the idea,” Oden says. General Manager Kevin Pritchard confirms Oden’s version. “It’s possible, but you know, we’ll play this by ear, and we’ll be very cautious,” Pritchard says. “We’re not going to push. We’ll let it happen naturally and follow what the doctor orders.” Portland Tribune / January 14

So what are the chances that Oden will be back before the end of the season? “I’m not ready to say that,” Pritchard says. “We’re taking it step by step. He has to hit certain milestones in his recovery. We’ll monitor his progress. “Dr. Roberts is one of the best knee guys in the country. We believe what he says. We’re hopeful, but we’ll be in no rush to get Greg back on the court.” Portland Tribune / January 14

Celtics guard Marquis Daniels says he was told by team trainer Ed Lacerte today that he can expect the cast on his left hand to be removed in about a week. The Celtics still don't ecpect Daniels to return to game action until after the All-Star break (Feb. 14). "You never know, maybe it could get better [sooner]," said Daniels. Cleveland Plain Dealer

Griffin would have fit in pretty good with that group. "Blake learned a lot off the court [during his rehab]," Dunleavy said. "He's been very much in tune with everything we're doing, and he's just going to continue in that mode. I think he'll come back next season more prepared." Griffin's college coach was dismayed by Wednesday's news. "I hate to hear that Blake is having surgery and will miss the rest of the season," Oklahoma's Jeff Capel told NBA.com. "I know how much basketball means to him and I know his dream has always been to play amongst the greatest players in the world. "However, I know he will approach this with the same determination he does with everything in his life, and will come back a hungrier and better player because of this." NBA.com

When and in what circumstances will you decide to play or not to play the World Championship in Turkey? Pau Gasol: It's a difficult decision, because I love to play with the National Team. We have such a great team. I guess that when the NBA season is over I will have an idea about playing or not. As

Education Secretary Arne Duncan entered some of the most contentious debates in college sports on Thursday when, in a speech at the N.C.A.A. convention, he called for stricter consequences for college teams that do not graduate their athletes and said the N.B.A.’s age-minimum policy sets up young athletes for failure. “Why do we allow the N.C.A.A, why do we allow universities, why do we allow sports to be tainted when the vast majority of coaches and athletic directors are striving to instill the right values?” said Duncan, who was a co-captain of his Harvard basketball team and played in an Australian professional league from 1987 until 1991. New York Times

Duncan said he decided to speak so forcefully because he came across many former college stars when he was growing up playing pickup basketball on the streets of Chicago. “They helped to make their university successful, and in a couple of cases they’d actually helped the universities to win national championships,” he said, “but at the end of the day, they didn’t have a degree. They didn’t have anything to show for it.” New York Times

“I don’t think there was anything that he couldn’t recall,” Winter said. “Phil remembers just about everything about every game.” That mental power also allowed him to challenge and engage players like Jordan and Bryant on a different level. “With Phil, there are always mind games,” Jordan once marveled. Laker Noise

Despite Jerry Krause’s role in advancing Jackson’s career, the two men share a bitter past. “I haven’t spoken to Phil since the last day he was with us in 1998,” recalled Krause, who was eventually let go by the Bulls and later went to work as a baseball scout. He and Jackson had engaged in a well-publicized break-up as the Bulls were winning their sixth championship that season. Laker Noise

Aris BSA 2003 has reached an initial agreement with the renowned American-Israeli coach David Blatt, who will arrive in Thessaloniki today (Friday 15/01) at 18:00, in order to put pen to a contract deal and become Aris’s head coach. Sportando

The National Basketball Association announced Thursday it is backing a dramatic land-swap proposal that would move the State Fair to the Arco Arena site in Natomas and build a new arena and entertainment complex next to the downtown train depot. The intricate proposal – involving three prime pieces of Sacramento real estate – was unveiled Thursday night by a team of local developers, with international financiers and NBA executives at their side. The concept, offered by Gerry Kamilos, a suburban Sacramento land developer, is the most spectacular of seven arena concepts submitted in response to a request from Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson. Sacramento Bee

NBA officials said they and the Maloof family, owners of the Kings, support the concept because it has what other proposals don't – private investors willing to put up money. "We wouldn't be here today if (the Maloofs) didn't like it," NBA representative John Moag said. The Maloofs issued a brief statement thanking the NBA and the mayor. "We're committed to help any way we can," it said. Sacramento Bee

The truth was out there, but it’s all been deleted. It took less than a minute to delete all photos that would have told the story of what actually took place when clubgoer Jazmine Singh’s photo-taking collided with the ego of Toronto Raptors forward Hedo Turkoglu at a popular night club in Yorkville early Thursday morning. Singh, who said she was taking pictures of her friend Meghan Kesivic at the bar in Lobby Night Club around 1 a.m., was stunned when a “giant 7-foot man” turned out and grabbed the phone from her hand and deleted all her photos. The Record

It wasn’t until they asked the club’s security to help, that they were told the big guy was a basketball player with the Raptors — and — in not so many words — that he could get away with it. “He just ripped the phone out of my hand — I thought he was trying to steal it,” said Singh, still incredulous a day later. “I had no idea who he was. I didn’t care who he was. No one has the right to do that,” she said. The Record

The Turkish import told the Star Thursday he was at the bar “trying to chill” with friends, when he saw a flash go off. He said that’s when he asked a security guard to grab the phone and delete the pictures. “I don’t like people taking my picture, especially in the club, before asking. She did. I said ‘Did you ask me?’ She said no. I said, ‘I want you to delete it’,” Turkoglu told the Star’s Dave Feschuk following Thursday’s practice at the Air Canada Centre. “There was a guy with me, a security guy, he deleted it,” said Turkoglu. The Record

Jared Dudley: Had a great meeting with TNT and NBA.com.. I told y'all I wouldnt stop with this Twitter until my videos are in CHINA. Twitter.com

Marcus Brown is a 12-year-old at Kennedy Middle School. He has sickle-cell anemia, which means he doesn't always have the energy you'd expect from a boy his age. But he had a goal - to learn basketball. And a 2-day break from games allowed the Bobcats to make that happen. D.J. Augustin taught him to dribble. Raymond Felton worked on his shot. And assistant coach LaSalle Thompson - appropriately named "Tank" for his massive size - boosted Marcus on his shoulders to experience dunking. "Sure, he's got sickle-cell anemia, but he's still a kid having fun playing basketball. That's all of us, too," Augustin said Thursday. "When he came back today, showing me how he can dribble, I don't know when I've had more fun." Charlotte Observer

The images on TV and the pictures in the newspaper are harrowing. The collapsed buildings. The death and despair all throughout Haiti. Samuel Dalembert, who was born and raised there, has seen it too. And yet, he feels so powerless to help. He tried chartering a plane there, to no avail. He has tried calling his friends and relatives there, to see if they’re alright. An email from his father, who’s a government worker, got through, saying that he’s OK. But there are so many that Dalembert hasn’t heard from, and he’s worried. “Everybody who knows me, knows deep inside, I’m hurting,” he said. “I try to be tough. It’s kind of hard to not know [how] the people in your country, kids who did nothing wrong, are going through this.” Delaware Online

The only thing Dalembert can do is send money. And he’s doing that. Earlier today, he pledged $100,000 of his own money. He’s also pledging to match the amount donated by fans at the UNICEF table in the Wachovia Center concourse during tomorrow night’s Sixers game. And he has gone on national TV to ask people to donate as well. Delaware Online

Nate Robinson: I wanna give a special blessing to david lee and his family may his grandfather rest in peace! He is in heaven now Godbless his soul amen. Twitter.com

Mary Thomas, the mother of Hall of Fame basketball star Isiah Thomas, has died. She was 86. Thomas died Wednesday morning, Lisa Parro of Adventist Hinsdale Hospital in suburban Chicago said. Parro did not provide any details. Mary Thomas was admitted to the hospital in November and had surgery the same day her son made his debut as coach at Florida International. AP / January 14

Isiah Thomas was back in his hometown of Chicago on Thursday, mourning the loss of his mother and inspiration, Mary, who died Wednesday of heart failure. She was 87. ``Nothing prepared me for the incredible sadness I feel,'' Thomas said by phone. ``I called her every day of my adult life, and on those few days I missed, she'd call me late that night and say, `My name's Mary Thomas, what's yours?' ``The saddest thing for me is that I won't be able to look into her eyes anymore. I got so much comfort from those eyes, even through my toughest moments. The way she looked at me made me feel and believe I could do anything.'' Miami Herald

``She was the mother to the whole West Side,'' Thomas said. ``Even the toughest kids came to her when they needed help. She was a woman of goodness and kindness but also was very forceful and protective. She spread so much love.'' Miami Herald

Earlier this week, former Browns receiver Braylon Edwards pleaded no contest to aggravated disorderly conduct for punching Edward Givens on Oct. 5 in downtown Cleveland. Givens is a friend of James and the incident triggered a James tirade against the former Pro Bowl receiver as he claimed Edwards was jealous of him and was acting "childish." Edwards received probation, a $1,000 fine and a 180-day suspended sentence. The NFL will likely suspend him for a game next season as well. "I really don't have a reaction," James said. "It was an incident both sides didn't want to happen and we have to deal with the consequences. Did he really accept the responsibility? He [pleaded] no contest. It was like a plea bargain." Cleveland Plain Dealer

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