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Friday, March 5

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Last update: 5:52 pm ET

I still don't think Walsh makes that trade two weeks ago unless he knows for sure that Johnson will join the Knicks. (Arn Tellem, Tracy McGrady's agent who put the deal together with Houston, is also Johnson's agent.) And I'm sure Walsh feels the Knicks have a chance to sign LeBron. Every day I hear something different about LeBron's future so I am officially confused about what may or may not happen to the Cavs superstar. Today's latest update, via a plugged in league executive, is that LeBron is leaving. New York Daily News

Colangelo's actions at the trade deadline – where he admitted to having almost no conversations about trading Bosh – was the clearest indicator. Asked if he looked at the Knicks as a threat, Colangelo said, "There's a handful of teams who have the ability to sing him outright. We still remain the most viable option to get the most money and the most years. That's not changing.'' Tracy McGrady will play point guard again tonight. McGrady admits Toronto is a special place – having been drafted here by Isiah Thomas - he can think of a few reasons why he would want to leave Oh Canada, taxes being one. McGrady said his rookie year here was difficult, as a teenager living in a foreign country, in a cold environment having been raised in Fla. New York Post

Marc Berman: Tracy McGrady on Chris Bosh's free agency: "There's different reasons why a guy wouldn't want to play here (in Canada).'' Twitter.com

Here, on display for his one stop this season, Bryant was doing something more than providing the kind of platform Wade loves. He was ultimately providing testament why Wade should remain with the Heat. And surely will. "Laker for life,'' Bryant had said earlier Thursday at the Los Angeles practice. Does playing for one team mean anything anymore? "It does to me,'' he said. South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Wade should look at Bryant a little more, too. "Couldn't be happier,'' Bryant said of his staying with the Lakers all his career. South Florida Sun-Sentinel

You can smell the wishful thinking from here. Darren Collison is putting up huge numbers as Chris Paul's fill-in (see below), which naturally prompts teams around the league to dream that Hornets owner George Shinn -- once he realizes that he's paying just $1.3 million to Collison this season compared to $13.5 million for Paul -- will consent to trading CP3 this offseason. Don't count on it. ESPN.com

Back on Christmas we ran through some of the reasons why the Hornets, even when they were over the luxury-tax threshold earlier this season, wouldn't even consider the prospect of trading Paul. One source with knowledge of the Hornets' thinking reiterated this week that nothing has changed since then, especially since the Hornets are now under the tax line and suddenly have two promising young assets besides Paul: Collison and fellow rookie Marcus Thornton. ESPN.com

Not that you'll get any such hints from Jeff Bower. The Hornets' coach/general manager insists that Paul and Collison can and will play together -- no matter how much Paul is used to having the ball -- when his All-Star returns from knee surgery to try to nudge New Orleans into the playoffs. "I see two guys that have the same makeup," Bower said. "They play the game with the same mentality. They measure everything they do based on winning and how the team is doing. "I'm excited to see them together. I do think they can [function in the same backcourt]. Not the whole game, of course, but I think they can play together and Chris can be a dynamic scorer off the ball. And Marcus Thornton can be a dynamic scorer with them." ESPN.com

“Right now,” Paul said, “I’m living through Darren Collison. “Every time he makes a move, nine times out of 10 when he scores or makes a pass, I’m jumping up just like it’s me.” Yahoo! Sports

Collison admits he’s been surprised by his play. Paul hasn’t. “The thing that I’ve been the happiest is how efficient he’s been and poised and patient with everything,” Paul said. “What goes forgotten a lot of times is that he played in three Final Fours, so there is not too much that’s going to rattle him.” Yahoo! Sports

The agent for Zyrdunas Ilgauskas confirmed today that Big Z plans to return to the Cavaliers, ending the Hawks’ pursuit of the 7- foot-3 center. “He was very impressed by the (Hawks’) efforts to sign him,” agent Herb Rudoy wrote in a text message. “He spoke to a couple of (Hawks) players and was really encouraged by them to play in Atlanta. At the end his long relationship with the Cavs won out.” Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The Hawks weren't able to keep center Zydrunas Ilgauskas from signing with the Cavaliers, but that doesn't mean they'll move onto another target. Atlanta was one of the two or three teams on the veteran's list, but he ultimately opted to rejoin Cleveland after reaching a buyout with Washington last month. The Cavaliers dealt Ilgauskas to the Wizards as part of the Antawn Jamison trade in mid-February. He cannot officially re-sign with Cleveland until March 22. RealGM

A source familiar with the situation told RealGM on Friday that the team's plans haven't changed. The Hawks are content with their chemistry and roster, meaning they'll only look to add a free agent down the stretch if they incur any injuries. RealGM

Free-agent big men Mark Blount and Mikki Moore don’t have any imminent offers from NBA teams, said their agent, Mark Bartelstein. Moore is about 10 days away from being able to play after recovering from a heel injury. Yahoo! Sports

Oklahoma City Thunder Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti announced that the team has signed Antonio Anderson to a second 10-day contract. Anderson originally signed with Oklahoma City on February 22. He saw action in one game for the Thunder averaging 2.0 points and 1.0 rebound in 15.0 minutes. Earlier this season Anderson appeared in 32 games (32 starts) with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers of the NBA Development League where he averaged 15.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 1.3 steals in 39.6 minutes per contest. NBA.com

James and Bryant decided to buy each member of the 2010 NBA All-Star team a pair of custom-made “Beats by Dr. Dre’’ Monster headphones. James bought them for his 12 Eastern Conference teammates, while Bryant did the same for the 14 other Western Conference all-stars. Speaking via blackberry, James and Bryant settled on getting Dre’s $350 “Studio’’ version headphones. They then contacted Dr. Dre and asked him to customize each set of headphones by making them in the All-Star colors (blue for the East, red for the West) and putting each player’s number on them. That cost an extra $100 per set. James and Bryant presented their gifts in the locker room before the Feb. 14 game. I’m told their stunned teammates “went crazy.’’ ESPN.com

This story may be deeper than a nice gesture. It shows that James and Bryant have a legitimate relationship, not one that’s just fabricated in puppet commercials or pushed by Nike’s shoe salesmen. Maybe it’ll turn into a legitimate rivalry come June, and not just a twice-a-year event buoyed by cute commercials. ESPN.com

Alex Kennedy: One of Allen Iverson's teammates once told a fellow HOOPSWORLD writer that the point guard always smelled like a bar. This isn't new info. Twitter.com

In a season in which KG simply hasn't looked like KG, it was promising for the Celtics to see the Garnett of old. In a season of scowls, Boston had to be encouraged by the smile that never left Garnett's face over the final 12 minutes of Wednesday's win. "Everybody is picking their play up, I am no different from that," said Garnett. "I told you, I wanted to be a lot more aggressive the second half of the year. I am, personally, going to have a nice rhythm going into the playoffs. I am taking it one game at a time, as we get healthy. I think you will start to see a better team." ESPN.com

Matt Barnes: This is crazy I'm new 2 twitter but Am I the 1st athlete 2 get punkd by the higher powers 4 cussn? I guess this is turnin n2 a big deal cont. Twitter.com

Martin is the only NBA player ever to shoot 40 percent on 3-pointers and average eight free throws a game over a full schedule and he's done in twice in his first six seasons in the league. "That part of my game came after my second year in the NBA when Eric Musselman came to the Kings as our head coach," Martin said. "He saw how teams were playing me and how they got up into me and told me to start absorbing that contact. He said I could score a lot more points in this league if I got to the free throw line. He put an emphasis on me night in night out with that part of the game. He was always pounding it into me and it paid off." NBA.com

As for being an NBA scoring champion, one doesn't think you can refuse that. But Oklahoma City forward Kevin Durant let it be known Cleveland forward LeBron James would be a more worthy scoring titlist than him. "I'm sure he'll win it,'' Durant said in an interview with FanHouse about battling James, who entered Friday averaging 29.8 points to Durant's 29.7. "Because he's a better scorer. He scores more easily than I do.'' FanHouse

Let's talk about your teammates. Probably the best known guy on your team is Kevin Durant. What's he like off the court? Harden: Well, he tries to be funny, but he's not that funny. He plays video games. He's big into music. He makes beats and stuff like that in his free time. But really, he's just a mellow guy who likes to hang out and try to crack jokes. ESPN.com

The injury bug bit the Trail Blazers yet again on Friday. Marcus Camby, whom the Blazers acquired near the NBA trade deadline to fortify the interior, injured his left ankle during practice and was scheduled to undergo X-rays Friday to learn the extent of the injury. During a intrasquad scrimmage, Camby ran into the basketball standard and was immediately pulled. He missed most of the two-hour workout. When practice was opened to the media, Camby was receiving treatment and was unavailable for comment. Coach Nate McMillan was hopeful the injury was not serious, but said his starting center would have X-rays taken as a precaution. “We’re hoping it’s going to be OK,” McMillan said. “We’re going to send him to get X-rays just to get a closer look at it.” Oregonian

The Bulls announced earlier in the week that center Joakim Noah would be sidelined at least three weeks to allow the plantar fasciitis of the left foot to ease up. But following the Bulls' loss against Memphis on Thursday, Noah said he isn't putting a timetable on his return. "I'm not trying to put a date on it or anything," he said. "I'm just trying to get ready as fast as I can. [Thursday night] was definitely a tough loss. Games like this are games that we really need to win, especially at this time of year. But we can't get discouraged. We got a lot of tough games coming up so we just got to get ready. I'm just trying to do the things I can control and get back there as soon as I can -- hopefully sooner than later." Chicago Sun-Times

Jason Terry is scheduled to have surgery Friday at 1:15 p.m. to repair facial injuries suffered after Minnesota guard Corey Brewer's elbow and forearm struck the left side of Terry's face during the third quarter of Wednesday's game. ESPN.com

Cole Aldrich heard the fans' chants of "One More Year" at the end of Wednesday's Senior Day victory over Kansas State. "It's cool," Aldrich, Kansas University's 6-foot-11 junior center, said of the fans wanting him to return to KU instead of heading to the NBA. He was speaking before practice Friday. "I still don't know what I'm going to do. I'm still just trying to play ball. Whether it is my last year or not, I'm just trying to make it the most fun I could ever have." Lawrence Journal-World

So he's not totally sure he's headed to the NBA? "Not really," Aldrich said. "I'm just going and having fun. I'm going to do the same thing that Sherron (Collins) and I did at the end of the year (last year in assessing options), see where things are and kind of assess it." Lawrence Journal-World

An NBA scout projects Fresno State sophomore swingman Paul George to be selected somewhere in the Nos. 15-20 range if he enters his name in this year’s draft. George told Yahoo! Sports that if he continues to receive similar first-round projections, “it’s pretty much safe to say” he’ll enter the draft. George is averaging 16.6 points, 7.1 rebounds and three assists. “I haven’t fully made the decision,” George said. “I want to test the waters a little bit. From there, we will see where it ends up. It just depends on what my situation is as far as what scouts and teams think.” Yahoo! Sports

Jonathan Givony: Michigan's DeShawn Sims rejected his Portsmouth invitation. I guess he's giving up on this NBA thing and headed straight to Europe instead. Twitter.com

SMU's athletics public relations staff said 20 scouts from 15 NBA teams have requested seats for Saturday night's game against Marshall. They're not coming to try the pretzels at the Moody Coliseum concession stands. The scouts will be there to see Marshall's Hassan Whiteside, a 7-0 freshman who has been tearing up Conference USA. Whiteside has three triple-doubles this season and has already set the Marshall career record for blocks with 165 - including 13 in one game. He has been named C-USA Rookie of the Week six times. Dallas Morning News

Former NBA star Stephon Marbury was named as a reserve in the upcoming Chinese Basketball Association All-Star Game. He’ll back up former NBA player John Lucas Jr. Marbury is averaging 23.3 points, 9.8 assists and 6.1 rebounds through 12 games. Yahoo! Sports

Rumblings in NBA coaching circles have grown louder in recent weeks that Larry Brown was sure to leave the Bobs if Jordan did not wind up as Charlotte's new majority owner. One source close to the situation says Brown's departure still can't be completely ruled out -- since you never know with Brown -- but the Bobcats aren't going to lose him against their will now. ESPN.com

The source, meanwhile, says that the expected opening this offseason with his old team in Los Angeles -- as opposed to a potential return to Philadelphia -- is the option that intrigued Brown most in recent weeks when Jordan seemed to be running out of time to top the bid fronted by former Houston Rockets executive George Postolos. ESPN.com

Coaching an NBA team is very much like entering a cage at a circus surrounded by 18,000 paying customers and a live television audience. The cage is filled with five lions, all hungry and bigger and more powerful than the coach. The coach is given a whip and a stool with the instructions to not only tame the lions but to make them perform on his behalf. This is why most NBA head coaches don't survive very long. "No question, no question," said Trail Blazers coach Nate McMillan. "If a team decides to shut it down on you, there's really nothing you can do. When they don't have that passion to play for you anymore, then it's over. And then it comes down to the organization making a decision of whether we believe in that coach and we're going to change this attitude and this approach. Or do the players outweigh the coach? And most of the time the organization decides [to stick with] the players." SI.com

A mutual friend told me that one of the NFL's top head coaches has admitted he could never work in the NBA. The best NFL coaches can behave like bosses with the right to bench star employees or even fire them, in no small part because player contracts are at best partially guaranteed. The structure of the NBA -- as detailed in the collective bargaining agreement as well as the basketball rulebook -- provides little such authority to NBA coaches. SI.com

Utah's Jerry Sloan is widely regarded as the most stable coach in a highly insecure world, but he doesn't know what the fuss is about. "I don't look at it like I'm that important," he said. "Good players really give you a chance to win. I don't think my coaching has made that much difference. I just think I've been fortunate to be in one place for a long time." So the job isn't as difficult as it's made to sound? "It's a mind-boggling job at times," he said. "Because you don't want to screw anybody up, and you hope everybody gets better as you go forward." SI.com

While there has been some speculation that Michael Jordan might try to rename the Charlotte Bobcats after becoming owner, one NBA source said such talk is premature. Yahoo! Sports

Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson and his coaching staff wore Hoops for St. Jude pins in support of Denver Nuggets coach George Karl when the two teams met Sunday. Karl and NBA players Pau Gasol, Danny Granger, Steve Blake, Rudy Gay, Shane Battier and Kevin Love are spokesmen for the Hoops for St. Jude program, which raises money to help children battling cancer and other deadly diseases. Karl is currently fighting his second battle with cancer. Yahoo! Sports

While old media reports projected Gathers as a possible No. 1 overall pick, several NBA scouts said the 6-foot-7 forward wasn’t guaranteed to go in the lottery. Pete Babcock, between executive jobs with the Denver Nuggets and Atlanta Hawks at the time of Gathers’ death, says the former LMU star would have probably been a “late first-round pick.” Some scouts were concerned Gathers would have trouble matching up with NBA power forwards and that his stats were inflated by LMU’s high-octane offense. “Hank wasn’t undersized, but his skill set was such that he was a player without a position,” Babcock said. “He had a strong body, was a terrific athlete and played hard. While he was terrific in [LMU coach] Paul Westhead’s system, he could have been pigeonholed in the NBA. Where do you play him?” Yahoo! Sports

“Had he lived, he might have been the best player in the draft,” said Babcock, now a scout for Cleveland. “He wouldn’t have been the No. 1 pick, but he had energy, toughness and could have exceeded everyone’s expectations. Unfortunately, we will never know.” Yahoo! Sports

Last update: 8:29 am ET

Stoudemire said he wants to shelve contract-extension talks until after the season, when he also will have to make a decision about opting out of the final year of the deal, which would pay him $17.7 million. He must decide by June 30. "I just don't want the distraction," Stoudemire said. "I don't want to distract the team right now. We're playing well. So in the off- season, we can talk about extensions. "The way I play is not really focusing on the contract at all. I'm playing strictly to get a better spot in the playoffs and a higher seed and also have a great playoff. Next season's contract is really not on my mind at all." Arizona Republic

Stoudemire still does not talk as optimistically about a future in Phoenix as he once did. "Whatever situation I end up going to is going to work out the best for me," Stoudemire said. Arizona Republic

Regarding the Suns' recent trade discussions involving him, he said: "The same situation may happen this summer. I guess it was between Cleveland and Miami, the two teams that were really trying to get me. It didn't happen, so I'm here with the Phoenix Suns, so we're going to ride with that. Next year I'm not sure if I'm going to be here or not. Right now I'm here, and we're doing great. We're not going to let anything distract us right now." Arizona Republic

Those rumors likely will restart in earnest this summer when free agency begins. Stuckey said he wants to stay in Motown but understands the reality of the situation. "Whatever happens, happens," Stuckey said. "It's a business." Detroit Free Press

Rodney Stuckey admits he keeps up with the happenings around the league. He says he is a regular visitor to NBAnews clearinghouses Hoopshype.com and RealGM.com because he likes following the latest rumors around the league. Detroit Free Press

Farmar wasn't offered a contract extension by the Lakers, making him a restricted free agent. The Lakers can match any offer he receives from another team. Farmar is in the final year of his deal that pays $1.947 million. Brown signed a two-year "Bi-annual exception" last summer that pays $1.99 million this season and $2.149 million next season. But Brown has the option for the second season. "When you look at our roster, it's obvious one of our needs this summer will be in our backcourt," Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak said. Los Angeles Times

The Lakers are expecting Brown to opt out of his contract and seek a longer deal. Brown and his representative wouldn't talk about his future plans. But both Brown, his agent Mark Bartelstein and the Lakers know that it would be wise for Brown to opt out and get another deal before this contract is up after the 2011 season. The collective bargaining agreement will expire after that 2011 season, and there have been threats of a lockout by the NBA owners. The rumor has been that owners want to cut down on the length of some long-term contracts. Los Angeles Times

If Brown opted out of his deal this summer, the Lakers would own his "Early Bird" rights and could sign him to a deal for up to five years and up to as high as the mid-level exception; the current mid-level exception pays $5.8 million in the first year. "We'll look at that at the right time," Bartelstein said. "Shannon loves it in L.A., and that's where he wants to be." Los Angeles Times

Rudoy said it's Ilgauskas' desire to return to the Cavs — if a suitable contract can be agreed upon. "Ilgauskas has been overwhelmed and deeply touched by the outpouring of support and affection by the fans and by his teammates," Rudoy said. "He hopes to return to bring a championship to the Cavs and to the city of Cleveland." News-Herald

Have you heard from any NBA team already? Mike James: Yes, I’ve heard from some teams in the NBA. There are some teams that I’ve spoken to. We’ll see what happens. If nothing comes up, I just accept the fact that I lost a season in the NBA this year. Any of the top teams? Mike James: Yes. It’s some good teams that I’m talking to and are serious about bringing me in. HoopsHype.com

Mike James: I’m thankful for my career and I still say I’m going to play three more years in the NBA. I want to sign one more deal in the NBA and then I’m going to Europe to finish my career. HoopsHype.com

Guard Michael Finley, who turns 37 Saturday, will sign with them for the prorated veteran's minimum after having his contract bought out Monday by San Antonio. His agent, Henry Thomas, said in a phone interview Thursday afternoon his client is "excited'' about joining Boston. "It's an opportunity for him to be in the rotation,'' Thomas said. "I think he'll get minutes. (The Celtics) have a need for a perimeter player who has his savvy. He's a veteran, and he still has the ability.'' FanHouse

Other contenders, such as the Lakers and Denver, called. But the Celtics were said by Thomas to have shown by far the most interest. Thomas didn't rule out Finley looking to play at least one more NBA season. He said Finley will evaluate how he feels after the season. FanHouse

Players needed to be waived by March 1 in order to be playoff eligible for another club. “I think the Spurs understood at the time not really being in the mix for the first time in his 15-year career,’’ Thomas said. “They were very understanding of his situation and the fact he felt he still could contribute. [Not playing] was a difficult thing for him to handle. “Unlike guys his age, normally it’s sort of a gradual thing, they move into the reality of being on teams and not being part of the mix. That wasn’t his experience.’’ Boston Globe

The Mavericks will decide today whether to re-sign Von Wafer to a second 10-day contract. Based on the fact that Wafer didn't play in any game in the first 10 days, it seems the odds are against it. Team president Donnie Nelson said the Mavericks are leaning toward not bringing in anyone to fill Terry's spot. "I think at this point, we're going to ride with what we got," Nelson said. Dallas Morning News

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Real Madrid's GM, Antonio Maceiras, is worried that you could leave for the NBA? Sergio Llull: He can relax about that. I know that the NBA is there but I don't think about it right now. I'm under contract with Real Madrid until 2011 and I'm very happy here, they treat me well, and I don't want to rush going there and spending the time on the bench. I want to make a name for myself in Europe first, win titles and keep improving my game. Publico

Sergio Llull: The Sergio Rodriguez and Rudy Fernandez experiences in the NBA have made you rethink your options in the NBA? Llull: Yes, it's true that I've taken notice of what has happened to Sergio. A lot. I know that in order to be a big player in the NBA, several things have to happen. That's why I don't want to rush going there. If I ever play in the NBA, I'll do it when I feel ready. Publico

Nets president Rod Thorn has probably negotiated with hundreds of players during his career as an NBA executive, so he knows that regardless of how nice a team's arena is, the decision to sign with an organization usually comes down to something else. "For a lot of people, it will be, 'Show me the money,'" Thorn said. New York Daily News

The fact that as many as seven teams are expected to be at least $15 million under the salary cap should make competition fierce once free agency begins, Thorn said. "It's hard to say," Thorn said when asked if the Nets will have an edge because of their arena situation. "I think Newark will be a good place to play but I don't know what it means for free agents." New York Daily News

Lakers forward Lamar Odom said telling Riley `no' during the Heat's free agency pursuit last summer was one of his toughest decisions. Odom, who spent the 2003-04 season with the Heat before he was dealt to the Lakers for Shaquille O'Neal, returned to Miami for the first time since he re-signed with the defending champions. ``L.A. is where I won a championship and also where I found my wife,'' said Odom, who married reality TV star Khloe Kardashian last summer. ``It was hard for me to say `no' to Pat. It was tough. But it was hard for me to walk away from this.'' Miami Herald

Andre Iguodala is an excellent defender, a solid passer and a very good all-around player. But he's not the type to dominate games in the half-court offense, according to Sixers coach Eddie Jordan. "We've always said that about Andre," said Jordan after Thursday's practice. "It's not necessarily his MO. He just isn't a high-level, volume guy that carries you. I think he would agree to that. "He plays a well-above-average game in every category. He's one of the best defenders on the ball I've ever seen in my entire career. He's got a decent 3(-point shot) and a nice pull-up (jumper), but he's not going to be Kobe (Bryant) or LeBron (James) as far as carrying the load." phillyburbs.com

Informed of Jordan's assessment, Iguodala said, "I think I can do it. I just really haven't had a chance to yet. ... We've been losing a lot this year. It is what it is. I just haven't got in that comfort zone." phillyburbs.com

Why do you think things didn’t work out for you in Washington? Mike James: Coach just didn’t get along with me. I don’t know whatever the reason was. I don’t believe it has anything to do with basketball because if it had something to do with basketball… I trained hard every day, I practiced well, I did everything I was supposed to do… I didn’t have any answers on why I was in the situation I was put in. I just knew I was in it. HoopsHype.com

What went wrong with Washington this season? Even before the Gilbert Arenas incident, the team wasn’t doing well. What was the problem? Mike James: I don’t know. We were a team that was primed for great success with the players that we had. I believe that we could have won. But for some reason, coach couldn’t decide which were the best players to put out there at the right time. Because of that, we lost a lot of games. HoopsHype.com

Had you ever been on a team with so much drama? Mike James: Never. Never in my career. What was the atmosphere like on the team after the Arenas incident? Mike James: After that, the atmosphere on the team was good because nobody wanted to have more problems. There was no more drama after that. The atmosphere was much more relaxed. HoopsHype.com

Coming off his career-high, 21-point scoring output in Wednesday’s loss to Cleveland, Nets rookie Terrence Williams was asked Thursday how he would sum up his first professional season so far. “Rocky,’’ was the term he chose. “I really didn’t know what to expect,” he said Thursday. “I tried to come here and use the same game that I used in college, but my shot wasn’t falling. I had to re-evaluate myself as a player and change my game to more so going to the hole, but still do the other little things that I do and love to do, as far as, like, passing, playing ‘D’ and rebounding.” Newark Star-Ledger

"I thought I played pretty good D, there was just a lot of screens the whole night," Artest said. "It's hard to guard the player and the screen, but I got through a lot of screens." As he continued to play back the game in his head as he intermittently answered reporters' questions and shoved pieces of sushi in his mouth (the chicken sandwiches and French fries that the rest of the team were eating didn't jibe with the new diet he's on that's responsible for him dropping 14 pounds since the All-Star break), even he didn't believe what he was saying. ESPN.com

He swiped a box score out of one scribe's hand, looked it up and down like a parent examining a child's report card full of failing grades and tossed it to the side of his cramped locker the way that David Letterman throws those blue index cards away from his desk when he's finished telling a joke. "Horrible," Artest said. ESPN.com

Holly McKenzie: Reporter to Jack: "Jarrett, is Reggie Evans a dirty player?" Jack: "Yup... And we like it." Twitter.com

Chris Bosh wasn’t quite sure what to make of it at first. A beat writer brought up a recent study that showed Bosh is one of the touchiest guys in the league. It was only after it was explained to Bosh that the touchiness was referring to his penchant for high fiving teammates or making some physical connection of congratulations after a free throw or good play that Bosh caught on. “Oh yeah, I’m a big fan of the high five,” a relieved Bosh said. “It’s a little thing, but even coming out of games I try to give everybody on the bench a high five because it keeps everyone in the game ... High fives are cool. It’s fun.” Toronto Sun

The study, which was referenced in a recent New York Times article, showed Bosh and Boston’s Kevin Garnett touch their teammates more than any other player in the NBA and that “with few exceptions, good teams tended to be touchier than bad ones.” Toronto Sun

Through Wednesday's games, forward Josh Smith was the only player in the NBA averaging at least 15 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists per game. Since being left out of the All-Star game, a season-long goal of Smith's, he has been playing arguably the best basketball of his career. Said Woodson, "He's playing so much better right now, it's a joke." Woodson said he will write letters to fellow coaches urging them to vote for Smith for the All-Defensive team, just as he wrote to Eastern Conference coaches to make the case for Joe Johnson, Al Horford, Jamal Crawford and Smith for the All-Star team. Woodson said he had never promoted his players in this way until this year. Said Woodson, "Because we've never been good enough." Atlanta Journal-Constitution

And Curry has risen to that challenge in the eyes of just about all of those who once disputed his worth as a lottery-selection specifically and NBA player in general. Warriors Head Coach Don Nelson, who has more wins than any NBA head coach not named Lenny Wilkens, sees Curry's hard work paying off for Curry himself and the Golden State franchise as well. "He's perfect," Nelson said of his young point guard. "He's a perfect rookie, a very gifted player and just a pleasure to coach." HoopsWorld

After extensive investigative reporting, one reason has been uncovered for why Denver guard J.R. Smith called out Lakers star Kobe Bryant in a tweet last week. "I'm trying to get my followers up,'' Smith said. Yes, FanHouse has learned Smith and teammate Ty Lawson are locked in a battle to see who will be the first to reach 20,000 followers on Twitter. As of midday Thursday, it was as close as a Florida election, with Lawson's @tylawson3 leading Smith's @JR_Swish 17,741 to 17,630. "I got to beat rookie to 20,000,'' Smith said with Lawson standing nearby. "Not going to happen,'' responded Lawson. FanHouse

Brandon Jennings: TOLD YALL D WILLIAMS WAS THE BEST PG IN THE NBA. Twitter.com

Tonight in the locker room after losing to the Jazz in a game where he had 14 points, 15 assists and 7 turnovers but went 0-3 in the critical fourth quarter, Nash grimaced in pain while putting his arms through the sleeves of his shirt. The combination of a mysterious lower abdominal strain that's been hanging around for weeks now and a flair up of his chronic back issues are taking their toll. "I'm sore when I wake up in the morning," said a frustrated Nash."It's mentally and physically fatiguing to play physically at a deficit for so long...I can't do the things I want to do and it's painful out there but I've got to find a way to suck it up right now...Hopefully I'm not hurting the team." Bright Side of the Sun

Less than 13 hours after getting clocked under the eye socket, and less than 24 hours before undergoing surgery to determine how badly his left orbital bone is cracked, Dallas Mavericks guard Jason Terry was his typically optimistic self Thursday. "Not long," he responded via text message about his absence. Then he chimed, "Be back soon." ESPN.com

Terry believes the injury suffered Wednesday that left him bloody and woozy, with his left eye nearly swollen shut and his orbital bone broken courtesy of Corey Brewer's elbow, won't keep him down long. The streaking Mavericks, reinvigorated not only by the All-Star break trade, but also by the resurgence of Terry's shooting stroke, can only hope. Early indications are that Terry could miss seven to 10 days following Friday morning's surgery, according to a source. The Mavs, winners of nine of 10 since the All-Star break and seeking a 10th straight home victory tonight against Sacramento, know the time frame could grow depending on the severity of the damage, and that won't be known until the surgeons complete their work. ESPN.com

The No. 1 overall draft pick in 2007, Oden would rather be on the court slapping hands with his teammates and talking trash in practice. He took a step in the right direction Wednesday when he ran on the treadmill for the first time since undergoing surgery in December to reattach his broken left kneecap. "I'm all right, but it's just tough," Oden said. "I'm going through all this again. I've been through this before and I know I can come back from it, but it's the fact that it happened again that's making it tough." Indianapolis Star

"When I jumped to block the shot, I looked down and saw that there was a hole in my knee," said Oden, who has seen video of the play several times. "The feeling I get is that I wonder why did this happen to me again. What can I do to not make it happen again?" Indianapolis Star

Oden now practically lives in the weight room, working to strengthen his leg. It's a long shot, but he hopes to return before the season ends. "There's a possibility," he said. "I couldn't give you an exact time, but I do know there's a possibility." Indianapolis Star

Lance Stephenson says he is sticking with his decision of staying for his sophomore year at Cincinnati, even if the Bearcats make it to the NCAA Tournament and he performs well in the Big Dance. After leading Lincoln to four straight PSAL championships, Stephenson was widely regarded as a one-year player for the Bearcats, but he believes he is not ready for the NBA just yet. "That's definite," Stephenson told the Daily News of his decision, which was reported by The Cincinnati Enquirer last week. "I want to work on a lot of stuff that I need to improve. It's not a disappointment thing. It just wasn't my time." New York Daily News

The 6-5, 210-pound freshman guard is averaging a team-high 11.6 points for the Bearcats, but says he needs to be more consistent to make it as a pro. "I want to be a spectacular (NBA) player," Stephenson said, "not average." New York Daily News

While Tyren Johnson remains focused on leading the UL men's basketball team to a Cinderella postseason run, the versatile forward has already garnered the attention of NBA scouts over the course of this season. Johnson, named the Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year on Tuesday, has skills that could allow the 6-foot-8 senior to make a living at the pro level. "He can pass, he shoots the ball well and has improved quite a bit," said Ryan Blake, the assistant director of NBA scouting. "How do you label a player like this, a guy who is still developing and finding his position and role? You can't label him as a tweener because if he's a tweener he can't play, but this guy can play. "What we call him is basically a swing guy. He's a versatile player." The Advertiser

While team president Donnie Walsh absolved D'Antoni of any blame on Wednesday, D'Antoni said he always feels as if he's on the hot seat anyway, thanks to the personal pressure he puts on himself. But he insisted that he hasn't begun to doubt himself at all, confidently declaring that his system will work. "I'm 100 percent sure the way we want to play will win," D'Antoni said after practice yesterday. "It's done that way, and I think we can win the championship this way. Not today, but that's where we want to get to." New York Post

Michael Jordan is poised to become the first ex-player to own a majority interest in an NBA franchise. When he becomes owner of the Charlotte Bobcats, he'll have no one to fire him the way the late Washington Wizards owner Abe Pollin did in 2003. "The most competitive (former players), like Jordan, can't be satisfied with taking orders or being part of somebody else's management team," says former New York Yankees publicist Rick Cerrone, now an image consultant. "They need to call the shots and do their own hiring and firing." USA Today

Jordan, 47, is the sole investor "at the moment" in his MJ Basketball Holdings LLC, Stern says, but he might decide to bring in other backers. Jordan will undergo background and financial checks, then have his application voted on by other owners. Stern expects his bid to be approved by the end of the month. "I couldn't be more thrilled for North Carolina, for the Bobcats, for the NBA and for Michael," Stern says. USA Today

But even Collins wonders how Jordan, a fierce advocate for players during the 1999 labor lockout, will come down if there's a lockout in 2011 as many expect. "Michael is the ultimate competitor. I think for him now, he feels like he can put his fingerprints on this organization," Collins says. "Michael knows he has a tremendous challenge ahead. That's one of the things that's always driven him. ... He wants a team that has a chance to compete for championships. He's going to want people in that arena watching his team." USA Today

Dave McMenamin: Kobe met with Albert Pujols in the hall way after the game. A boy who was w/ Pujols was wearing Wade uniform. "Sorry about the jersey, Kobe" Twitter.com

Darnell Mayberry: Charles Barkley: "Kenny, what do you call a power forward averaging six rebounds a game?" Smith: "A small forward." Twitter.com

The Pistons raised $405,546 through the Pistons Care Telethon, good for over two million meals for the needy. Detroit News

Dylan and Kevin Love met through Love's participation in charity events benefiting St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, which provides financial support, care and research to families touched by pediatric cancer. Dylan's journey began in August 2008, when he went numb and had a seizure after making a tackle during a practice with his freshman football team at Anoka High School, about 25 miles north of Minneapolis. Tests revealed the kind of news that any family would dread. Dylan didn't have a concussion or a stinger. He had a brain tumor the size of a golf ball. CBSSports.com

St. Jude is that rare place that spreads hope to a family facing the heartbreak of a cancer diagnosis. With $1.5 million in daily operating expenses funded mostly through public donations, St. Jude never turns a family away for lack of ability to pay. As an employee of Target, one of St. Jude's corporate partners, Dylan's mom, Debbie, was familiar with the hospital's generosity and success. "St. Jude is part of him now," said Dylan's aunt, Denise Webster. "It will always hold a special place in his heart." CBSSports.com

"He did not want to watch his family and friends see him go through this," Denise said. "He wanted to leave as Dylan and come back as Dylan. He didn't want anybody to see him sick." Around that time, Love was navigating his rookie season with the T-Wolves. When he was approached about raising money for St. Jude with other rookies as part of the "Rookie Relief" program, he went from "why not?" to "all in" faster than he could launch an outlet pass from beneath his basket. Love was looking for a way to use his platform as an NBA player to help people, to make their lives better. In Dylan, he met someone much better at that than he ever imagined. CBSSports.com

Love, the first NBA player to sign on with St. Jude, has been joined by Pau Gasol, Shane Battier, Danny Granger, Rudy Gay, Steve Blake and Karl -- the Denver coach touched profoundly and publicly by cancer. Each player has pledged to donate money for every basket he makes this season with a minimum pledge of $20,000 apiece. Coaches throughout the league are wearing Hoops for St. Jude lapel pins this week, and autographed jerseys from superstars like Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Paul, Dwight Howard and others are being auctioned on eBay to raise more money for the cause. Bids are being taken through Sunday. CBSSports.com

Snapshots on Dylan's Shutterfly page show a beaming, healthy-looking teenager decked out in a tux for a recent school dance. In another photo, Dylan shows off the St. Jude "praying hands" logo that is tattooed on his upper arm. When he was invited to the Timberwolves locker room after that game in November, no one could've imagined the new burden he was bearing. A few weeks earlier, Dylan had begun experiencing seizures again. After all those months of radiation and chemo had eradicated the original brain tumor, Dylan's doctors had to tell him the bad news: Another one had formed. Cancer survivors demand honesty, and Dylan received it in the form of the following words: Inoperable. Incurable. CBSSports.com

Former NBA and University of Florida center Dwayne Schintzius is out of a Tampa hospital where he was being treated for leukemia, according to published reports. "We are overjoyed with what has happened," father Ken Schintzius told The Tampa Tribune. "We believe in the power of prayer. The doctors are very optimistic. He has been declared leukemia-free. There's a ways to go before he's back where he was, but it's moving in the right direction." FanHouse

Recent stories about Schintzius and his illness -- including one on Fanhouse's website last week -- have solicited a slew of greetings and well-wishes. Ken Schintzius said his family appreciates the support. "He has a lot of people thinking about him and a lot of people praying for him," he told The Tribune. "For that, we are all so grateful." NCAA Basketball

Allen Iverson might have seen this day coming, but that probably doesn't soften the blow. His basketball career is potentially over. His 4-year-old daughter is suffering from an undisclosed illness. And, now, his high-school sweetheart is leaving him. On Tuesday - the same day Sixers president and general manager Ed Stefanski announced that Iverson was done for the season - his wife filed for divorce. Tawanna Iverson declared in the divorce petition filed in Fulton County (Ga.) Superior Court, that their 8 1/2-year marriage is "irretrievably broken." Philadelphia Daily News

At Sixers practice yesterday, a team spokesman said the coaches and players would not comment on Iverson's personal situation. Stefanski also declined to comment. Iverson's agent, Leon Rose, had no comment. The couple has been living in a "state of separation," according to court papers filed by Tawanna Iverson. She is requesting sole custody of their five children, ages 17 months to 15 years. Last month, A.I. wrote in Twitter postings: "The last couple weeks have been very difficult for me and my family. I needed to be there to hold my little girl's hand and encourage her to get better. I wanted her to wake up every morning and see her Daddy's face, at least until she got better. Through God's Strength, She Will Keep Getting Better!" Philadelphia Daily News

Iverson was unavailable for comment. The Sixers announced Tuesday that the former all-star would not return this season because he is dealing with his daughter's illness. "This is going to be another situation where something difficult that has happened in his life takes away from all of his accomplishments and everything he stood for," said Charlotte Bobcats coach Larry Brown, who coached Iverson with the Sixers. "That, to me, is the saddest thing of all." Philadelphia Inquirer

According to several NBA sources with knowledge of the situation, Iverson has been troubled by excessive drinking. His legal problems include a number of civil lawsuits. Iverson's once-brilliant basketball career is probably finished, before many had expected. At 34, he is left to ponder his future. Philadelphia Inquirer

One NBA source said yesterday that when Iverson was traded from the Denver Nuggets to the Detroit Pistons in 2008, "he practically lived in the casinos." Numerous sources said he was banned from two of the three casinos in Detroit. "Drinking and the casinos: Allen was always doing one thing, or was at the other," an Eastern Conference executive said last night. "No one who knows him can deny it." Philadelphia Inquirer

Renee Muratti, assistant state's attorney for Florida's Hillsborough Country, said withholding of judification means Balkman was "not technically convicted,'' and the misdemeanor doesn't remain on his record even if it can be seen when documents are viewed. Balkman's co-counsel, Robert Sparks, said his client didn't even get a point on his driver's record. There have been erroneous reports Balkman received a two-game suspension earlier this season, but Sparks said his client received no penalties from the NBA or the Nuggets, something not disputed by league and team officials. Had Balkman been convicted of driving under the influence, he was at risk to receive a two-game suspension similar to the one Sacramento forward Andres Nocioni was handed by the NBA earlier this week. "That would have been a travesty of justice,'' Sparks said of any penalty being assessed to Balkman. "There was no evidence Mr. Balkman was impaired or driving under the influence.'' FanHouse

Former Spurs guard Alvin Robertson has waived extradition in a local sex-trafficking case, clearing the way for Bexar County deputies to return him from Arkansas as soon as today. Robertson, 47, is charged in a case in which a 14-year-old runaway alleged she was kidnapped from in front of an East Side shelter, then forced to have sex with men for money in San Antonio and Corpus Christi, where she also danced at a strip club. San Antonio Express-News

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