In part two of the interview, Artest tells a story about Kobe, a shower and steam. Seriously.

Cheers, Ziller.

Mike Bresnahan, L.A. Times: "Andrew Bynum, forgotten man? Amid all the attention heaped upon the return of Pau Gasol(notes), the Lakers' 22-year-old center served notice that, um, he's still playing too. Bynum had 25 points on nine-for-11 shooting in the Lakers' 101-85 victory Sunday over the Oklahoma City Thunder. He also had nine rebounds and made all seven of his free throws in almost 29 minutes. Toronto forward-center Chris Bosh(notes) is the only player in the league averaging more than 20 points and 10 rebounds a game, though Bynum is close to being there too. He is now averaging 19.9 points and 11.2 rebounds. Are the All-Star voters paying attention? 'I hope to make it,' Bynum said. 'That's really a goal I had coming into this season. I think I'm playing at the level I need to be playing. All I can do is get votes now. I've got to keep it up.'"

RealGM: "Things have gone from bad to worse in Washington after Gilbert Arenas(notes) pointed the finger at Caron Butler(notes) for the team's struggles. Arenas said on Saturday that many of the team's players have 'hidden agendas.' The star guard continued his critical comments on Monday, singling out Butler. 'For the most part, we all get along,' Arenas said. 'There are, what, 15 players on the team? Fourteen do. ... At the end of the day, if 15 players don't want to go and it's only 14, you've seen 'Remember the Titans.' It's the same thing. We've just got to play.' When asked who was responsible for ending the in-fighting, Arenas said, 'Me and Antawn [Jamison]. That's our jobs [as captains].' He conveniently left Butler, the third co-captain, out. Butler wasn't as direct as Arenas and said that a few wins might cure everything in Washington."

Marc Berman, New York Post: "Eddy Curry is so enthusiastic these days, the Knicks center volunteered to defend a certain Lakers guard tonight at Staples Center. 'I'm so happy to be back, doesn't matter to me,' Curry said. 'I'll guard Kobe [Bryant].' Curry has gotten lighter, but not that light. Curry's emotion got the best of him Sunday against Boston when he pushed down Rajon Rondo(notes) to the floor, drawing a flagrant 1 foul. The league reviews all flagrant 1s, so there's a small chance Curry could face a suspension tonight. Coach Mike D'Antoni will pass on Curry's offer to guard Bryant. Perhaps next season LeBron James(notes) will check Bryant for the Knicks. For tonight, Larry Hughes(notes) has the assignment as the Knicks (3-10) face the defending-champion Lakers (10-3) to kick off their three-game Western swing."

Jason Quick, The Oregonian: "For a night, at least, order was restored within the Trail Blazers. Brandon Roy(notes) was back at shooting guard and controlling the pace and precision of the offense. Andre Miller(notes), steadfastly saying he is accepting the reins of the second unit, played perhaps as hard and determined as he has all season. And the inside combination of Greg Oden(notes) and LaMarcus Aldridge(notes) was dominant like never before. [...] Roy and Miller played a combined 19:30 together, during which the Blazers outscored Chicago 58-39. 'That's great,' Roy said. 'I'm good with it. I hear everybody is getting mad at me now over this whole Andre thing. I don't know why. ... I never did anything. I've never wanted anything but what's good for the team. It makes me a little sad. But I'm cool.' Miller said he intends to make his shift to the second unit work, and if his effort and play Monday were any indication, the Blazers will be a tough team to defend. [...] 'Individually, I'm going to be fine,' Miller said. 'I'm not going to get caught up in all the rest of this stuff. Everybody everywhere has to adjust to something, so I will be fine.'" 

Charles F. Gardner, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: "A hot Milwaukee Bucks team ran into the savvy San Antonio Spurs on Monday night. The Spurs splashed cold water on the upstart Bucks, using a big third-quarter push to grab a 112-98 victory at the AT&T Center. [...] The game also marked the return of Bucks guard Michael Redd(notes), who had missed the previous nine games due to a left patella tendon strain. Redd admittedly was rusty as he scored four points in 11 minutes and was 1 for 6 from the foul line. 'It was important to be out there today, just to get something going,' Redd said. 'It's just a rhythm thing.'"

Ronald Tillery, The Memphis Commercial Appeal: "Grizzlies center Hamed Haddadi(notes), the first NBA player from Iran, and Omri Casspi(notes), the first Israeli player in the league, met at midcourt and shook hands before the game. Haddadi had never faced an Israeli player on the court because teams from Iran, which does not recognize the Jewish nation, are not allowed to play Israel. Haddadi, who didn't play even though Casspi did, has said none of that bothers him. 'It's just a sport,' Haddadi said."

Tim Buckley, Deseret News: "Jazz center Mehmet Okur(notes) pedaled a stationary bike prior to practice and made it through the session without any problems Monday, marking his return from a stomach virus that caused him to miss three straight games. 'I'm feeling better now,' said Okur, who plans to play when the Jazz face Oklahoma City Tuesday night. Okur said he 'started to feel a little bit weird' after returning to Utah following a four-game Eastern road trip earlier this month, and it caught up with him a few hours prior to the Jazz's Wednesday win over Toronto. 'I felt good,' he said, 'and all of a sudden I went home after shootaround (Wednesday) and it got worse, because for some reason I couldn't even move.' Okur wound up missing Thursday's win at San Antonio and - after initially thinking he'd be good to go — Saturday's victory over his ex-Detroit Pistons club as well. But Korver, who backed up (Ronnie) Brewer at shooting guard last season, said Monday he hopes to perhaps be ready to return by week's end. 'It's possible, I think,' he said. 'But we'll see how it is.'"

Paul Coro, The Arizona Republic: "The Suns are like all basketball players. Given a ball and an open floor, most gravitate to the 3-point line for a shot. The Suns just do it better. Like a team exceeding expectations, Phoenix is the NBA's top 3-point shooting team at 44.4 percent and is on an NBA-record pace of 10.4 makes per game. Of the 42 NBA players making at least 40 percent of their 3-pointers, seven are Suns. They ended last season with only Steve Nash(notes) at better than 40 percent, not counting pre-trade Raja Bell(notes) (46.8) or Amar'e Stoudemire(notes) (3 for 7). In 2007-08, only Nash and Bell hit 40 percent. This group did not figure to be the Suns' best 3-point shooting team, but it is beating them all. Jared Dudley(notes) was a career 33 percent 3-point shooter and is the team leader at 49 percent, ranking eighth in the NBA. Channing Frye(notes) made 20 3-pointers in four seasons with a 29 percent clip but is now at 44 percent, with 38 made. Goran Dragic(notes) ranked 11th in the NBA at 46 percent after making 37 percent as a rookie. 'We do have a lot more weapons from 3 than we thought,' Nash said."

Gary Washburn, Boston Globe: "As much as he wants to blend in with the rest of the guys at the Sports Authority Training Center, Glen 'Big Baby' Davis realizes things are different. His teammates have labored through 14 games, absorbed elbows, collided with mammoth men setting screens, and withstood criticism en route to a rocky 10-4 start. Davis, on the other hand, has spent the past month rehabilitating a broken right thumb sustained in a fight with a friend the night before the season opener and has been unable to play. Davis has been working arduously with his left hand and trimming down his weight. And his exile is coming close to an end. The burly forward said yesterday he is set to get his cast removed Dec. 2, and from there he will work to strengthen his hand and return to the court. 'It's tough to watch the games, knowing that you can help, knowing that you could be the deciding factor of the game,' he said. 'It's tough man, so I am excited to get back and get this cast off and start helping my teammates out.'"

Kate Fagan, The Philadelphia Inquirer: "If you listen to Gilbert Arenas — and sometimes it's hard not to — this 76ers season might be like trying to fit a round basketball through a square rim. After yesterday's Washington Wizards practice, Arenas, Washington's all-star guard, spoke with reporters about the offensive system of Sixers coach Eddie Jordan. 'You need five passers, five shooters,' said Arenas, who played in Jordan's system for five-plus seasons. 'Athletes don't work in that offense, to be honest.' And if you're honest, right now, that's what the Sixers have: athletes. [...] So the question for the Sixers is not whether the offensive system should be working already — it seems there's enough evidence proving it's too early — but whether the Sixers have five passers and five shooters. That is, if we are to believe Arenas' assessment. The Sixers are 5-8, and appear to need a few more shooters."

Josh Robbins, Orlando Sentinel: "Back-to-back games are the NBA's equivalent of a one-two punch — a commonplace, but taxing, reality of the sport. Back-to-backs test more than a team's athletic skill. They also test a team's physical stamina and its mental toughness. These next few days will be especially demanding for the Magic, who will host the Heat on Wednesday, immediately fly to Atlanta and then face the Hawks on Thanksgiving night. The weekend then will offer another double-whammy. Orlando will play at Milwaukee on Saturday night, fly to New York City and face the Knicks in Madison Square Garden on Sunday — all within a span of 21 hours. 'I think that's the toughest part of the job,' said Magic shooting guard J.J. Redick(notes). 'It's the travel. We'll be in four cities in five nights. It's going to be challenging.' It's a challenge the Magic had better get used to handling, because they will play a total of 38 games this season on consecutive days."

Doug Smith, Toronto Star: "It takes an almost telepathic connection for the play to work, a feeling, maybe a sideways glance, some impeccable timing. It's not something that comes overnight but as the Raptors are showing every now and then, it's coming and it adds another weapon to an impressive offensive arsenal. It's a lob pass from point guard to a backdoor-cutting forward racing along the baseline and as Jose Calderon(notes), DeMar DeRozan(notes) and Sonny Weems(notes) are showing every now and then, it can be an electrifying moment that shifts momentum in a game. 'It's all instinct,' said DeRozan, the rookie shooting guard who's been on the finishing end of a couple of lob passes from Calderon over the past handful of games. 'You just read the plays, read the defender and everything.'"

OK, this does move around a bit, so let's try to keep up.

Tim Duncan(notes)? In. Andrew Bogut(notes)? Out. Michael Redd(notes)? Out. Manu Ginobili(notes)? Out. Tony Parker(notes)? In. Luc Mbah a Moute? Out, possibly. Richard Jefferson(notes)? In, with the Spurs.

Brandon Jennings(notes)? So, so in.

This could be a pretty solid matchup. The Spurs haven't been up to their usual stuff defensively this year, but they have been able to put points on the board. The Bucks have been stellar defensively since the outset, and though losing Bogut will hurt them in that area, replacement pivots Dan Gadzuric(notes) and Kurt Thomas(notes) are hardly slouches in that area.

Just four games tonight, including a trip to Portland for the Bulls, and a pair of lesser pairings (Kings and Grizzlies, Clippers and Timberwolves) that are bound to put NBA basketball back at least a decade. Which would be fine by me, because I'd be in better shape, and I didn't mind using a 28.8k connection.

Comment away, cats.

Milwaukee Bucks: 8-3, 94.3 possessions per game (11^th-most in the NBA), 104.9 points scored per 100 possessions (19^th), 99.2 points allowed per 100 possessions (second).

San Antonio Spurs: 5-6, 90.3 possessions per game (27^th), 109.5 points scored per 100 possessions (fifth), 106.9 points allowed per 100 possessions (17^th).

All statistics courtesy basketball-reference.com.

A look around the league and the web that covers it. It's also important to note that the rotation order and starting nods aren't always listed in order of importance. That's for you, dear reader, to figure out.

C: NBA FanHouse. Should Rashard Lewis(notes) have been suspended during the playoffs?
PF: STF. NBA stars of our youth have fathered sons who are starting to make their college debuts.
SF: Nets Are Scorching. A statistical look at Sean Williams(notes) and why he should play more.
SG: Philadelphia Daily News. When was the last time you were at a Sixers game, Philly?
PG: NQTC. Some statistical analysis of Derrick Rose's(notes) shot selection.
6th: KevinDurant35.com. Durantula be bloggin'.
7th: Strotty's Blog. In case you weren't convinced, Brandon Jennings(notes) is looking like the real deal.
8th: CelticsHub. A video breakdown looking at all the factors that go into a massive run.
9th: Third Quarter Collapse. Who needs Jameer Nelson(notes) when you have Jason Williams(notes)?
10th: Basketball-Reference.com Blog. How good would Len Bias have been?

Got a tip or link for Ball Don't Lie? Hit me up at jeskeets [at] yahoo.ca or follow me on Twitter.

Good news, Hornets fans: Superstar point guard Chris Paul(notes) is no longer walking with the aid of a plastic boot on his injured right ankle. Word has it he also ditched Kuribo's Shoe after completing World 5.

Paul attended his team's shoot-around Saturday morning at the New Orleans Arena, and was seen wearing a tennis shoe or two at Saturday and Sunday night's games.

He severely sprained his ankle 10 days ago against the Blazers.

"I still don't know," Paul said of a timetable for his return, which has been left open-ended since the team announced results of an MRI exam that was performed on the ankle Nov. 14. "(Saturday) was my first day without the boot. As long as I'm walking, I'm good."

That said, Jimmy Smith of The Times-Picayune reports there is still a slight limp in CP3's gait, so Hornets fans are encouraged to mail in all the 1-Up Mushrooms and invincibility stars they can.

After the jump, Jrue, the comedian.

Winner, devin c:
Moderator: "OK, Mr. Holiday, your word is 'hydration.'"
Jrue: "Hydration. H-Y-J-R-A ..."
*DING*

Co-runner-up, Mr. J:
"Jrue. Jrue got what I need. But you say she's just a friend ..."

Co-runner-up, wonder_mike:
"Why did Ron Artest(notes) leave the game early? Because he wanted to beat the crowd!"

On today's show, Skeets and Tas round-up the weekend's big winners and losers. Congratulations to Hornets' fans, the Magic's defense, Elton Brand(notes) and Kobe YouTube editors. Try again next week Nets, Nate Rob, Vincent Lamar and the Wizards. All that, plus possible first time All-Stars and the league's best clutch shooters.

Welcome to the working week! (Sigh.)

Subscribe to the video show on iTunes | Download the .m4v directly
Subscribe to the audio show on iTunes | Download the .mp3 directly

Young Grizzlies' guard O.J. Mayo(notes) helped make Thanksgiving a little more complete for families in West Virginia over the weekend when he gave away some harvest festival essentials at his old stomping grounds.

The Memphis Commercial Appeal sets the table:

Mayo has donated 500 turkeys and 500 hams so 1,000 families in the Huntington, W.Va., area can have a better Thanksgiving.

The food was distributed Saturday at the A.D. Lewis Community Center, where Mayo honed his athletic skills as a youngster.

His mother Alisha said it was her son's way of expressing his love for his hometown and the people who live there.

In September, the Grizzlies guard paid for food and personal care items that were given to 400 families in Huntington.

Mayo played at Huntington High his senior season before spending one year at Southern California.

Great stuff, kid.

This loss is on Al Harrington(notes).

OK, an open shot that turned into the game-winning shot ... that's on Al Harrington. The near-win for the Knicks was almost on Harrington, but, let's be dramatic. It's November, after all. Crunch time. Every game counts.

So, THIS LOSS IS ON AL HARRINGTON!

David Lee(notes) is supposed to shade and follow Paul Pierce(notes), who had scored 33 points in the win and has hit more game-clinching shots than I can remember. Kevin Garnett(notes) is Lee's man, but with less than two seconds to go, you help your teammate follow Pierce on a screen-and-roll.

Harrington is supposed to move over to Garnett because K.G. can't get a pass off, and K.G. can't set up another teammate to get a shot off 20 feet away with less than two seconds to go in overtime.

Al was slow to recover, though, and Garnett hoisted a jumper with about a second to go, from where he'd hit a few minutes earlier in the game (despite going 4 for 15 at that point), and the C's won. It's not much to be proud of, on the road against a three-win team in overtime, but Boston will take it.

Now, Harrington (30 points) had New York in the game to begin with, and he was a catalyst down the stretch. And also in the first half when the Knicks began their comeback. New York made a game out of this by taking shots the C's didn't expect them to take, which had Boston talking and angry, but ineffective. Boston's real problem was on offense, though.

The Celtics are a veteran team that knows how to pass. They can't score 110 in their sleep, but they know how to move and trust and finish and score in the proper way. The team reminds me of champions of old (your Spurs, your Bulls) that were pretty good offensively, but mostly made their hay defensively, and it was obvious that the C's just weren't aggressive enough on the O-end to pull apart.

Meanwhile, the Knicks were just screening and chucking and while they weren't exactly pulling SSOL-styled maneuvers, they were keeping the C's on edge. While Boston, meanwhile, extra-passed its way into seventh options and low-percentage shots with the shot clock dwindling down.

What resulted was a fabulous game, somehow. Boston picked up the intensity offensively as the game moved along, while New York kept nailing shots. And the last 10 minutes of game time was quite the watch.

Boston had it, though. They hit a few more free throws (Pierce, mostly, who finished with 33 points), which made the difference. Nate Robinson(notes) (finally) had his best game of the season (19 points, and of course, Hollywood's Will Ferrell was in the house), but it wasn't enough.

Also, Rasheed Wallace(notes) missed all three of his attempts from behind the 3-point arc, and he's now shooting 27 percent from long range, despite taking almost six a game off the bench. My unspoken-and-unwritten-because-I-didn't-want-to-seem-too-severe-a-Rasheed-critic-worst-case-scenario has come true, less than a month into the season.

Six a game, 27 percent, off the bench.

***

Orlando 104, Toronto 96

It seemed like this could have been a 120-118 contest.

Neither side could stop penetration. Jason Williams(notes) vs. Jose Calderon(notes)? With Jarrett Jack(notes) and (to a lesser extent) Anthony Johnson(notes) backing things up? This began as a pairing of the two worst defensive point men in the league, and acted like it, early on.

Then the Magic started getting what felt like one offensive rebound for every two offensive misses, and that was that.

Orlando managed only 14 offensive rebounds all day (so to speak), enough to make a difference. The Magic shot worse, from every area, only had two fewer turnovers and really seemed right for the upset as the Eastern Conference's finest rivalry (since 2005-06) spun on.

Of course, if we're honest, it felt as if the Magic should have won by a lot more.

The go-to story involves Vince Carter(notes), who was an absolute prat in forcing his way out of Toronto. Carter deserves more enmity than any other ex-player gets from any other ex-crowd, combined, and that noted go-to story involves him playing well in Toronto. That works, actually; because though Carter shot 9 for 24, there were probably six shots that rimmed in and out or bounced out while he was fouled (and didn't see a call). Not V.C.'s biggest fan, but I can't slough that off.

So, he played well, despite 24 points for 24 points for Carter. Meanwhile, the Magic essentially got whatever they wanted, and just happened to miss a ton. Same for the Raptors, while we're at it, but who won? Whose story is this, dangit?

Dwight Howard(notes) had 17 points and 12 rebounds while playing a lazy, unintelligent game that allowed for him to whine about calls that could have gone either way, without taking the time to think about how he could have avoided those 50-50 whistles. J.J. Redick(notes) was money -- 19 points on 10 shots in under 30 minutes with five assists and zero turnovers -- with every jumper looking Ray Allen(notes)-pure.

Williams (19 points) got layups whenever he wanted; it was pretty pathetic (Jose, mainly), and Mickael Pietrus(notes) played the sort of boneheaded game (on both ends of the court) that he's become known for this season. Sorry for being such a jag when it comes to MP and Howard, but it's become clear that Pietrus' head really took the summer off, and that Howard is trying to cut corners.

Toronto just couldn't stop anyone. Had the open shots fallen, this would have been a 20-point loss.

Andrea Bargnani(notes) had another good rebounding game, the Toronto center pulled in nine, but he missed a few good looks and took a few bad looks (21-footers under duress and off the dribble; no reason for those) before fouling out with 11 points and nine boards. Jarrett Jack had 11 points to zero turnovers, with seven boards and eight points, but his defense was miserable (and, actually, somewhat better than it's been so far this year), and Hedo Turkoglu(notes) (11 shots to score 12 points) was crap down the stretch.

Chris Bosh(notes) played a cerebral, quick, adaptive game, but he couldn't get the ball to save his life on a team full of "shooters," and finished with 22 points on 14 shots.

Amir Johnson(notes) (14 points, eight rebounds) worked quite well off the Toronto bench.

***

Phoenix 117, Detroit 91

Unless you watched -- actually, even if you watched -- this was a bigger rout than you'd think.

Just 87 possessions in this game, so Phoenix managed 134 points per 100 possessions, which is a white hot total. Detroit started the year quite passable on D, but that's clearly fallen apart.

This was never a game. Detroit lost in overtime in a different time zone on Saturday night, and while it was the last game of a tough road trip, the Pistons didn't look good even adjusting for the outside influence. Detroit has lost five straight, and that no-good defense that we pegged them for to start the season (which seemed a stupid accusation after the team started the season locking teams up) seems to have reared its ugly head.

Phoenix had 25 assists on 42 made field goals while shooting 57.5 percent. Lots of good looks. Lots of turned heads.

Meanwhile, the Pistons continue to struggle mightily, and this was more or less a decision in Phoenix's favor midway through the second quarter. And Ben Gordon(notes), who I like (someone who made half of his 20 attempts on Saturday night, by the way), has made just 25 of 74 attempts from the floor during this swoon. He's better than that.

Steve Nash(notes) had 20 points on eight shots (with nine assists) in 28 minutes, because he's awesome. I would totally let him cut in line at Golden Tee. I don't even like bars that have a Golden Tee, as a rule, but given the chance ...

***

Miami 102, New Orleans 101

I'm not going to get into some lame "theory" (New England was better because Tom Brady was more of a threat in the pocket than a Marino-like Drew Bledsoe; the Knicks were better because with Ewing healthy they went to Patrick way more times than he deserved, while they mixed it up in his absence amongst more efficient players), but the Hornets are clearly more focused with Chris Paul(notes) on the pine.

Strike that.

The Hornets are clearly more focused with Byron Scott clearly more focused on what he clearly loves the most -- playing golf.

Without Scott standing on the sidelines, desperately trying to give off the stink of culpability and capability with his arms folded and eyebrows furrowed, the Hornets are actually running plays, moving into sets quickly and passing the ball as if they have an idea as to what comes next.

Paul can be a part of this. But we'll delve into that closer to his return.

As it was on Sunday, the Hornets lost on the road to a better team. But that doesn't mean you can't laud this lot.

And Miami?

Udonis Haslem(notes) banked in a game-winner, which isn't fair. It makes him seem lucky to make a shot like that.

Actually, he was lucky to make a shot like that. But he was also fouled, blatantly, while shooting that 16-footer, and a lucky bank resulted. Haslem's a better shooter than that, and he deserved the call.

Didn't matter, though. The Heat prevailed, Dwyane Wade(notes) dropped 31 on 21 shots (finally), and Jermaine O'Neal(notes) played sound defense throughout. I made a joke about him looking like a Collins twin, last year, but on Sunday he looked like a Collins twin in the finest regard. Moved his feet, made an impact. Great to see.

Marcus Thornton(notes) had 24 points off the bench for New Orleans while Darren Collison(notes) had 11 points, six assists, five boards and just one turnover starting in Paul's place.

This can work. Let's just get the NBA's MVP (thus far) back on the court, first.

***

Charlotte 104, Indiana 88

Nazr Mohammed's(notes) per-minute stats have been great all season, and while he isn't in perfect shape, he's clearly in the best shape we've seen in years from this talented (though routinely disappointing) center, so Sunday's outburst wasn't that much of a surprise.

Nazr has always had talent and touch, but he's also been lazy, he hasn't been in shape, he hasn't made smart decisions on the court, and he's rarely been aggressive enough to make that talent work for him. Not even in contract years, though he's received some pretty nice contracts.

Still, 18 points, five boards, two blocks and two steals in fewer than 18 minutes for Nazr in this win. The Pacers fell behind early, couldn't hit a shot from any angle and Mohammed put the Bobcats over the top on the other end.

Ugly game. The Pacers went 5 for 22 from 3-point range, and couldn't find anything offensively (save for Dahntay Jones'(notes) 19 points, more on him later in the week). Charlotte's D had quite a bit to do with it, but the Pacers also missed their fair share of makeable ones, with heaps of poor decisions to boot.

Despite missing 9 of 10 3-point looks, Charlotte nailed half its shots, with Boris Diaw(notes) (17 points, seven boards, four assists, zero turnovers) also turning in a nice game. Boris and Nazr, two of my favorite bigs over the last decade. They usually play like crap, and actually got it together for this game.

And, somehow, it still didn't feel right. Both of them just wasted what could have been fantastic careers.

***

Los Angeles Lakers 101, Oklahoma City 85

The Lakers dominated this game from the outset, it was never really close, as Los Angeles' offense was just too quick for the usually great Thunder D to handle.

Too many options, the passes were too quick, the reactions were that sound. The Laker reactions. Which brings me to Kobe Bean Bryant.

As you likely know, Kobe hit a series of first-quarter shots that left just about everyone astonished. Though we shouldn't have been.

Anything you see out of this guy, he's worked on. Any attempt he takes the time to put together, he's tossed it up 600 times in the gym. Seriously. I was going to write "1,200," as a random number, but then decided to actually attempt an accurate guess. And part of me wants to write "tossed it up 600 times in the gym, this year alone."

This is why you need to respect this man, to no end. He might make you feel uneasy with his past, or the way he seemingly calculates everything as if his life were one great SportsCentury episode, but you can't deny his sepia-toned brilliance. Brilliance of his own design. Nobody finds the calculated stuff to be more distasteful than I, but you can't deny the work Kobe puts into the game we love, and if you love this game, you have to respect him.

Others may jump higher. They may be taller, they may have longer arms or bigger hands. I don't want to demean the work others have put in. LeBron James(notes) didn't come out of the womb dribbling a ball. He worked.

But Kobe worked. And there's a reason why a left-handed banker off an offensive rebound without a dribble seems so natural to him. Even if he's preening after he makes it. When you work, and it pays off, you deserve to preen. Even if it seems unseemly and show-offy and annoying.

Andrew Bynum(notes) (25 points, nine boards, two blocks) is a stud, and you were wrong to have ever doubted him.

Oklahoma City's Serge Ibaka(notes) (13 points, 11 rebounds, five blocks off the bench) is your favorite player, it's been that way for weeks, and you don't even know it yet. Give it time.

According to Wikipedia, "The Other Guys" is an upcoming 2010 action/comedy film directed and co-written by Adam McKay. The movie, set to star Samuel L. Jackson, "The Rock" Dwayne Johnson, Ferrell, Wahlberg, Eva Mendes and Michael Keaton, is expected to be released August 6, 2010.

I assume it's a dark comedy if the Knicks are involved.

Tim Price, NBA.com: "Emotions on the Washington Wizards seem to be boiling over ... The Wizards (3-9) have lost eight of nine games. Against San Antonio they shot a season-worst 33 percent. Perhaps more embarrassingly, they had just as many turnovers as assists (nine) heading into the fourth quarter before finishing with 12 assists to nine turnovers by the end of the game. Gilbert Arenas(notes) said players on the team had 'hidden agendas,' noting that eight players on the team are free agents following the season. 'I guess when you start losing everyone wants to start pointing fingers everywhere else,' Arenas said. 'I converted my game to try to get people involved, but at the end of the day, to be honest, this is the same team since three years ago. We added a couple of pieces, but everybody else is basically the same player. I'm sitting here thinking 'Do I have to go in attack mode like I was two years ago to get us over this hump?' I hope not. I hope we're strong enough mentally that we can get over this.'"

Brian Schmitz, Orlando Sentinel: "Not surprisingly, Vince Carter(notes) quickly turned down the opportunity to be, ahem, honored by his former team, the Toronto Raptors, on Sunday. He didn't turn down the chance to beat the Canadian club again and remind Raptors fans of his bittersweet legacy with some live highlights. Carter led the Magic to a fifth consecutive win with a 104-96 triumph against the Raptors, ultimately silencing a crowd that has booed his every return to Air Canada Centre the past five seasons. [...] The Raptors have been celebrating their 15th anniversary as a franchise by honoring former players and coaches with video tributes during timeouts. Given the acrimonious back story of the relationship, the Raptors contacted the Magic to see if Carter might be a willing participant (or target) for the tribute. George Galante, director of communications for the Magic, said he asked Carter if the Raptors could honor him, but Carter declined. 'Why would I want to do it? You heard it out there,' Carter said. 'They came to me. It just didn't make sense. Actually, it wasn't as loud as it has been. It used to be deafening.'"

Mike Bresnahan, Los Angeles Times: "In a wide-ranging 30-minute interview, [Lakers owner Jerry] Buss revealed why he was willing to spend a league-high $112.7 million to satisfy the Lakers' soaring player payroll demands. Hint: The Boston Celtics might be part of it. Although he acknowledged being somewhat uncomfortable about shelling out such a sum, Buss also touched on his desire to keep Kobe Bryant(notes) and Coach Phil Jackson in the fold for years to come. he Lakers will spend $91.3 million in player salary this season and an additional $21.4 million in luxury taxes if their roster is still the same on the final day of the regular season, assuming they make no trades or minor free-agent acquisitions between now and then. [...] 'We want to win as many championships as we possibly can,' Buss said. 'We're still a few shy of our rival and our intention is to catch them. . . . My son Joey, when he picked up the trophy, he announced our clear-cut rival, and it's kind of obvious our whole family feels that way.'"

Jimmy Smith, The Times-Picayune: "First, it was the baseless report out of Sacramento that the New Orleans Hornets were shopping center Emeka Okafor(notes). Now in today's Cleveland Plain Dealer, there's rampant speculation that the Hornets are willing to deal just about everyone but Chris Paul(notes). According to high-level team sources, the Hornets won't be moving anyone anytime soon. The club is going to stick with this group to see what it can do. So any movement this far away from the February trading deadline is unexpected."

Steve Bulpett, Boston Herald: "Had the Celtics somehow managed to lower themselves and limbo to a loss against the three-win New York Knicks, much of the talk would have been about Kevin Garnett(notes). Fortunately for himself and his friends, Garnett found an interesting way to say, 'Shhh.' After spending most of his Manhattan afternoon bricking jumpers and having Al Harrington(notes) roar past him, Garnett hit a 19-footer at the overtime buzzer to give the Celts a 107-105 victory. So ended a 4-for-15 day that would have been utterly regrettable for KG and the seemingly wobbly — even at 10-4 — Bostonians. 'I was just rushing everything,' said Garnett, who made just one of his first 10 shots. 'I could never get a steady beat and a nice flow. I'm still dealing with that. But a lot of times it's not how you start; it's how you finish.'"

Marc Berman, New York Post: "Nate Robinson slowly crawled out of D'Antoni's doghouse with a season-high 19-point outburst (7 of 12). Before the game, D'Antoni still seemed disgusted by Robinson's shenanigans Saturday in Jersey when he shot at his own basket at the first-quarter buzzer and made it. (Time had expired, barely). Though Robinson shrugged it off, thinking he had waited for the buzzer to sound before hoisting it, D'Antoni wasn't pleased. 'That would be nice — to attack our basket,' D'Antoni said. 'A little pet peeve I have. When you're 2-9, which we were at the time, any distraction is bad. Our focus is to trying to win and turn this thing around. It's not right.' Robinson was benched in the second half Saturday because of his poor play. Yesterday, he still committed a couple of overemotional sins - chest-bumping with Chris Duhon(notes) after making a 3-pointer with Boston bringing the ball upcourt. And after blocking Rondo, Robinson posed as Paul Pierce(notes) grabbed the offense rebound for a putback."

Lisa Dillman, Los Angeles Times: "... on Sunday, shooting guard Eric Gordon(notes) was finally able to scrimmage with his teammates, taking part in almost all of the practice. Gordon, the team's second-leading scorer, has been out for seven straight games with a strained left groin, getting injured Nov. 7 against Memphis. He ruled out returning today against Minnesota but he left open the possibility of coming back against Indiana on Wednesday, which, incidentally, would be in his hometown of Indianapolis. 'It was good progress today,' Gordon said. 'Finally getting up and down there a little bit. I wouldn't say I feel exactly 100% but just made great progress the last couple of days. I'm starting to run a little bit more. The treatment has been helping a lot.'"

Dave D'Alessandro, The Star-Ledger: "The coach is not likely to survive an 0-fer week, but this week is really about The Boss. We keep getting the question, 'Shouldn't Lawrence Frank be worried about his job?' And our answer is the same as it was in '06 and '08 and at the end of last season: Maybe he should. But he doesn't. As this silly season drags on, his job becomes less relevant. Everyone knew all along that he was set up to fail. Everyone knew they told him he'd have the pieces to compete — until they decided not to touch the roster or spend a dime after draft night. Everyone knew they told him he can choose who gets to play, until they told him who has to play. Everyone knew they told him it that wins really wouldn't matter — until they would matter. Everyone knew they told him he'd learn to live without Vince, but that he should still figure out how to win a two-minute game without his only closer. Sometimes you even wonder whether having a coach even matters around here."

Michael Wallace, The Miami Herald: "After being convinced to sit out the previous two games with a strained left shoulder, Heat forward Udonis Haslem(notes) said the medical staff would have to drug him to keep him off the court Sunday against New Orleans. Turns out, it was Haslem who left the opposition feeling a bit woozy. Haslem's desperation jumper off the glass with 15.4 seconds left delivered the final blow and the Heat's defense shut down the Hornets in a 102-101 victory at AmericanAirlines Arena. David West(notes) missed a short jumper in the lane with 1.9 seconds left for the Hornets (6-9), who overcame an 11-point deficit to pull ahead late in the fourth but couldn't finish off the job. 'I would have been real, real frustrated if they told me I couldn't play today,' Haslem said. 'I wanted to go out and help my team win.'"

Jeff McDonald, S.A. Express-News: "The past six months have been a half-year of change for Richard Jefferson(notes). He has changed addresses, changed uniforms, changed roles. Jefferson, however, is happy at least one thing remained the same after his June trade from Milwaukee to the Spurs. 'The paycheck doesn't change,' Jefferson joked. Indeed, the $14.2 million Jefferson will earn in his first season with the Spurs is the same $14.2 million he was scheduled to earn with the Bucks. [...] Jefferson welcomed the change of scenery. It rescued him from the cost-cutting in Milwaukee, put him on a team with perennial championship aspirations and gave him a chance to be, as he put it, 'relevant again.' 'I was happy to come to this situation,' said Jefferson ... 'It wouldn't have mattered if I got traded for a bag of chips. I was happy to come to a quality team.' Despite its ups and downs, Jefferson professes himself happy with his half-year of change. If he could say anything to Milwaukee coach Scott Skiles and general manager John Hammond now, it would be: 'Thanks.'"

Kevin Ding, OC Register: "With 8:58 left in the game Sunday night and the Lakers ahead, 86-60, Staples Center got spiced up suddenly. The American Music Awards spilled over from across the street at Nokia Theatre, with Black Eyed Peas frontman Will.i.am stepping into a courtside seat and then performing, "I Got a Feeling," with Fergie and Alex Rodriguez and eventually regular season-ticket holder B-Real from Cypress Hill being brought over to join them. Crazy stuff. Lakers executive vice president Jeanie Buss, sitting near them, described the scene via her Twitter account and added: 'Don't really understand.' But it was undeniably cool. The whole arena got into it, and Kobe Bryant was pointing across the court to communicate with Will.i.am as the timeout and impromptu concert ended. Rodriguez and actor Andy Garcia were embracing on the side for a while. Jay-Z took his turn in the spotlight at another timeout."

Darnell Mayberry, The Oklahoman: "The Thunder's home game against Milwaukee on Friday will be broadcast nationally on ESPN, the NBA announced Sunday. To accommodate the switch, the start time has been moved from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. ESPN was originally scheduled to broadcast the Phoenix-Minnesota game. The change, however, gives the Thunder two nationally televised games on either ABC, TNT or ESPN this season. Oklahoma City's game against Dallas on Dec. 16 is scheduled to be broadcast on ESPN as well."

In the span of just two minutes, Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant(notes): (a) hit a shot from behind the backboard after being forced baseline by Thunder rookie James Harden(notes), (b) nailed a pretty up-and-under reverse layup, and (c) banked home a difficult runner — with his left hand — to beat the first quarter buzzer.

He will accept the My Little Pony/H-O-R-S-E trophy from inaugural winner Kevin Durant(notes), postgame.

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Now, as you can see, the shot came just after the buzzer. But still, that didn't stop the Knicks coach from giving Nate a little piece of his mind. D'Antoni was livid. He even stormed a few feet onto the court to yell.

Nate's response: "What? What?"

If that doesn't perfectly sum up the Knicks' 2009-10 season, I don't know what does.

Cheers, Jose3030.

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It could be a three-game night, or it might be a 10-game night. Doesn't matter. Actually, it is a 10-game night. Has no bearing on this. The Magic and Celtics are playing, and you need to watch.

You don't have to do it in real time. It's a Friday night, and someone might want to shower your foyer with rose pedals before feeding you stroganoff. Doesn't matter, tape the darn thing. Watch it tomorrow. Understand that it might go a long way toward giving you an understanding of what goes on in May. These two could go seven next spring, and you're going to want to know why.

You're also going to want to watch it because Orlando and Boston are two highly entertaining teams, squads that shoot well, play D, run the floor when appropriate, while slamming it home or working the baseline reverse scoop while inappropriate.

What else are you going to do? Mess with the head of some wrong number that keeps texting you? Not that this is wrong or anything, but leave the kid alone. They're scared.

10 games tonight. The Blazers are in Oakland to take on the Warriors, Houston and Atlanta will be a killer, Cleveland and Indiana will remind of glorious autumn evenings in the Midwest, Miami and Toronto makes no sense (weren't the Raptors just in Denver?), and Washington and the Oklahoma City Thunder feels like a spring training game between an American and National League team that would never meet in the World Series.

Comment away, down below. Have a lovely weekend.

Boston Celtics: 9-3, 90.9 possessions per game (25^th-most in the NBA), 109.3 points scored per 100 possessions (fifth), 97.7 points allowed per 100 possessions (first).

Orlando Magic: 9-3, 92.2 possessions per game (18^th), 108.9 points scored per 100 possessions (eighth), 102.8 points allowed per 100 possessions (11^th).

All statistics courtesy basketball-reference.com.

A new mural of Cavaliers superstar LeBron James(notes) may be too much for city officials in Cleveland.

And by "too much," I mean too little "Forest City" references and clothing.

The Cleveland Planning Commission tabled Nike's request to replace a massive 10-story mural of James that hangs from an office building across from the Cavaliers' Quicken Loans Arena. Nike wants to replace the famous "We Are All Witnesses" banner with the semi-creepy one pictured above — LeBron, shirtless and lizard-like, "preparing for combat" with nothing more than a cold, hard stare and a basketball.

According to Tom Breckenridge of The Plain Dealer, city design officials rued the fact that "Cleveland" and "Cavaliers" have no presence on the proposed banner. LBJ wears a Cavs jersey on the current mural.

Certain officials also took offense at the excessive skin and "war" reference, especially at a time when U.S. soldiers are fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq. (Not to mention Delonte West's latest troubles.)

As such, the committee has decided to shelve the mural request, with a recommendation that Nike come up with "something more positive" and maybe a reference or two to the Cavs or Cleveland.

Good idea. Might I suggest this? (I'm kidding, Cleveland. Relax.)

Cheers, Waiting For Next Year.

A look around the league and the web that covers it. It's also important to note that the rotation order and starting nods aren't always listed in order of importance. That's for you, dear reader, to figure out.

C: Hooped Up. As far as player video intros go, it just doesn't get any smoother than the Heat's.
PF: D Magazine. An oral history of the big German who rescued professional basketball in Dallas.
SF: With Malice. "Under the stewardship of David Stern, the NBA has done well. More than well."
SG: Celtics Town. This season's Orlando Magic are certainly different, but are they better?
PG: SRI. Don Nelson says he's trying to set the table in Golden State for the coach that follows him.
6th: Clips Nation. A quick talk with Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy.
7th: SellCohan.com. Speaking of Dunleavy, he's not the only one with a petition on his head.
8th: NAS. New Nets' marketing ploys adapted from the names of classic television shows.
9th: Dime. If you're not aware of Shannon Brown's(notes) complete body of work, check out this mixtape.
10th: SI.com. No one in the NBA may have a greater influence on the league than Gregg Popovich.

Got a tip or link for Ball Don't Lie? Hit me up at jeskeets [at] yahoo.ca or follow me on Twitter.

You know, the only thing missing from this silly H-E-B/Spurs commercial is an establishing shot of Matt Bonner(notes) taking a large bite out of a bell pepper. Ammirite or ammirite, "Timaican" Duncan?

"Yeah, mon."

After the jump, plate ump Dwight calls safe.

Winner, Hugging Harold Reynolds:
"What do you mean Twitter suspended my account for suspicious activity?!"

Co-runner-up, JM:
DH: "Hey, Jameer, you got the hiccups, man? Well look at this ... SCARY BEAR!!! [leaps out at JN]
JN: [tears cartilege in knee, tears labrum, craps pants -- out 4-6 weeks]

Co-runner-up, Brocktoon:
Howard's latest alterego, "Sumo-Dwight," might not take with American audiences as easily as Superman, but hey, Benihana's endorsement money goes a long way in a state with no personal income tax.

On today's show, Skeets and Tas detonate the TNT double-header. How big was the Hornets win over the Suns? What effect is Coach Bower having on his team? Has Pau's return made the Lakers the team to beat? All that, plus Tas starts a Twitter war with Stephon Marbury(notes), a Celtic "wins" Wanker of the Week honors and Kelly Dwyer sings for Kobe.

Embrace the weekend (and Notis Sfakianakis), people!

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I don't even know where to begin with this gem, so let's get right to the meat of the story. It's about respect, I guess. Or money and power. I can never remember which order they come in. Help me out, guys.

Marv Albert, the veteran NBA announcer for TNT, was a guest on the "Jimmy Kimmel Live" show on Wednesday night. The musical star was rapper 50 Cent. The greenroom appetizer — beef!

Diane Pucin of the Los Angeles Times sets the scene:

As Albert arrived, with an entourage of one, TNT public relations specialist Jeff Pomeroy, there was a sudden scuffle when a multitude of 50 Cent protectors seemed unfamiliar with Albert. There was shouting ("It's Marv Albert," yelled a Kimmel show guard, a pronouncement that seemed to have no effect on the 50 Cent phalanx.) There were obscenities. A fist or two flying. A "Don't you put your hands on me" pronouncement.

And then "The Czar" Mike Fratello showed up with a trident. (No he didn't.)

Instead, 50's entourage realized who they were fighting — it's Marv, for crying out loud! — and cooler heads prevailed. Albert made his way to his dressing room, with toupee intact, but sounded definitely confused by the brouhaha. "Did you see that?" he said. "I thought they were kidding, but then I realized they weren't."

Marvelous.

Cheers, Sportress of Blogitude.

In fact, one source close to the team told the New York Times that the percent chance A.I. would sign in New York was in "the high 90s." It was basically a done deal.

Today's forecast? Cloudy, with a 99 percent chance of not-gonna-happen.

Howard Beck of the New York Times:

In an abrupt reversal, Knicks officials decided late Thursday not to offer Iverson a contract, putting an end to their brief flirtation, according to a person close to the deliberations.

Although team officials were highly intrigued by Iverson, a four-time scoring champion, they finally decided that he posed too great a risk because of his long history of problems on and off the court.

Knick owner James Dolan was reportedly hesitant about signing Iverson for the remainder of the season, but said he would not stand in the way if Donnie Walsh and Mike D'Antoni were in favor of the move.

Anyway, more to come on this I'm sure. Like, say, Miami?

Bill Plaschke, L.A. Times: "Making his season's first appearance after sitting out the first 11 games because of a hamstring injury, Pau Gasol(notes) took the Staples Center floor against the Chicago Bulls to an ovation that was less than standing. Folks cheered, but only slightly louder than if he'd been here all along. Gasol scored the game's first basket, and the clapping was polite. He scored the third and fourth points on free throws, and the yawns were evident. He then scored the second basket on a fast break layup placed in the rim with the gentleness of a guard, and finally there was some recognition that this was somebody special returning to something special. Those cheers lasted only as long as it took folks to serenade Kobe Bryant(notes) with, 'M-V-P.' Even now, it seems, folks just don't appreciate the value of a guy for whom those same letters could be chanted."

Charles F. Gardner, Journal Sentinel: "Andrew Bogut's value to the Milwaukee Bucks is evident every time he goes out of the lineup. Now the team will have to cope for two to four weeks without the 7-foot center after he suffered a left leg strain and contusion late in the Bucks' 99-85 victory over New Jersey on Wednesday night. The Bucks are off to a surprising 6-3 start behind the steady play of Bogut and rookie point guard Brandon Jennings(notes), and they've been successful despite the absence of injured shooting guard Michael Redd(notes). Just as they are about ready to get Redd back in the starting five, they will be missing their fifth-year big man. 'It's disappointing,' Bucks general manager John Hammond said after results of Bogut's magnetic resonance imaging exam came back on Thursday afternoon. 'Andrew did get off to a very good start. We want him on the floor and we need him on the floor. Obviously it's a concern. But it's our job not to dwell on it, to move forward and find a way to compete.' Veteran centers Dan Gadzuric(notes) and Kurt Thomas(notes) should play increased minutes in Bogut's absence, and Hammond said, 'It's those players' responsibility now to step up.'"

Mike Monroe, S.A. Express-News: "After being examined by members of the Spurs medical staff Thursday, guard Manu Ginobili(notes) has been ruled out of action for seven to 10 days. An MRI exam confirmed that Ginobili suffered a mild left groin strain during Wednesday's game against the Mavericks in Dallas. He previously had been bothered by a left hamstring strain that caused Spurs coach Gregg Popovich to sit him during the fourth quarter of a loss to Oklahoma City on Saturday. [...] The muscle strains that have plagued Ginobili are a disappointment after a summer spent taking it easy so he could rehabilitate a stress fracture in his right ankle. 'I'd be disingenuous if I said I wasn't disappointed he's been hurt in different ways since he did rest this summer,' Popovich said. 'I'm surprised by it, and didn't expect it, but we still have to deal with it.'"

RealGM: "Billy Hunter, director of the NBA players association, plans another negotiating session with commissioner David Stern and they will likely discuss falling salaries. The union says total player compensation will fall this season, which would be only the second drop in the salary cap era that began in the 1984-85 season. 'We have some concern, but I think a lot of it has to do with the system,' Hunter said Thursday. 'I think it has to do with the economy, I think it has more to do with attitude. I just think that they decided they're just going to be a lot more cautious and restricting in terms of spending dollars.' Hunter also said there is approximately $1.5 billion less in committed contracts now than in 2005-06, the first year of the deal."

Paul Coro, Arizona Republic: "Really, the Suns' season had been perfect. Losing to two NBA Finals teams on the road on the second night of back-to-back sets was excusable. But not any longer. The Suns' imperfection on TNT continued with their first bad loss of the season. Phoenix lost a game broadcast by TNT for the 16th consecutive time Thursday night, finally running out of comebacks to fall 110-103 to a Hornets team without injured Chris Paul(notes). [...] 'That was a poor performance and mostly in the effort, concentration and competitive departments,' Suns guard Steve Nash(notes) said. 'As (coach) Alvin (Gentry) said, 'We're the hunted now,'' forward Grant Hill(notes) said of the 10-3 Suns. 'Teams are gearing up for us now. It's a little different (from) when no one is expecting anything, to now. We have to handle our early-season success better.'"

Mike Bianchi, Orlando Sentinel: "There is the natural inclination to label Dwight Howard(notes) as the spoiled superstar who is bucking authority and wrestling control of the team away from Orlando Magic coach Stan Van Gundy. It is what we are programmed to believe whenever we hear an NBA player complain about being criticized by his coach. And, admittedly, it was my initial reaction when I first read Brian Schmitz's Sentinel story about Dwight having a private meeting with Van Gundy and telling his coach, in effect, to stop being such a miserable human being. But the more I thought about it, the more I reached this conclusion. Dwight Howard is right. And Van Gundy knows it. Howard said Thursday Van Gundy spends too much time 'focusing so much on our mistakes. Instead of bringing each other down, we have to pull each other up.' Van Gundy agreed and admitted that his constant negativity has been 'draining the enthusiasm from his team.'" 

Michael Lee, The Washington Post: "[Brendan] Haywood said his increased rebounding, scoring and shot-blocking numbers this season are a direct correlation to playing a career-best 33.8 minutes. 'That's big because it helps me from a mental aspect. If I go out there and I know I'm going to play 30 minutes, it gives you confidence, because you feel your coach has confidence in you. You don't have to go out there pressing,' said Haywood, who is averaging 10.9 points. 'Not trying to speak negatively about anyone, but in previous years, I was playing like I had to make something happen. If it didn't happen in the first five minutes I felt like I had to do something or I might not play in the second half. That's a tough way to play. Now, it's a little bit different. I think Flip has confidence in me and I benefit from it.' Before his breakthrough season in 2007-08, Haywood often would complain about how he was utilized, as former coach Eddie Jordan often called on Etan Thomas(notes), believing that he could provide a more physical presence. The competition with Thomas often became personal and ugly, as they exchanged blows at least three times, fighting in the locker room and on the practice court."

Frank Isola, New York Daily News: "James Dolan never played in the NBA, but the chairman of Madison Square Garden has the power to do what few players ever could: Stop Allen Iverson(notes). According to a high-ranking Knicks official, Dolan has reservations about the club signing Iverson, the multi-talented yet controversial guard who became a free agent last night after clearing waivers. Dolan's concerns about Iverson won't necessarily be deal-breakers. In fact, Dolan was not in favor of team president Donnie Walsh re-signing Nate Robinson(notes) over the summer and yet, not only did Robinson return, he also received a $2million raise. If nothing else, Dolan wants Walsh to do his due diligence, which could delay a potential signing for several days. 'I'm still not decided, and I don't think we are decided,' Walsh said after Thursday's practice in Westchester. 'When we make a decision, we'll let you know. That's where it is.'"

Doug Smith, The Toronto Star: "It was as though the basketball world was taunting Chris Bosh(notes), holding up others as shining examples of what he wanted to be. Finally, he snapped. And as he sat on a training table in Utah's Energy Solutions Arena on Wednesday night, both knees encased in ice, weary from the road and the losses and the nightly pounding he takes, he explained exactly what drove him to stop that perceived taunting and begin a season better than he ever has. Seems Bosh has an ego after all. And it's driving him. 'Every day I turn on the TV and they're talking about guys, especially my draft class, '03 draft class, and this and that,' he said. 'They keep bringing up all these and I never hear my name, unless I'm like second honourable mention or something like that. I got tired of that. I don't even think people know I've made all-star teams or know what I've done in this league.'"

Vince Ellis, Detroit Free Press: "One of the common questions I've been getting from readers recently is what happens when shooting guard Rip Hamilton returns from his severely sprained right ankle. The worry is that it might upset the chemistry of the Pistons' three-guard offense, which has worked well early this season. The unspoken question is whether [Ben] Gordon will respond well to returning to the sixth-man role he occupied before Hamilton's injury. Gordon, who is averaging 21.1 points per game, doesn't appear to have a gigantic ego — unlike the guy who was here last season and just left the Memphis Grizzlies. Of course, Gordon, who was going through a 4-for-12, 11-point performance Wednesday, might have been singing a different tune if he had been having a great shooting night. But he appeared sincere and not just politically correct."

Kate Fagan, Philadelphia Inquirer: "[Rodney] Carney played 31 minutes and scored 10 points against Charlotte after scoring only 17 points in the previous eight games. He played some of the game with a sprained right wrist. 'Offensively I can make shots, but defensively, I lock down and I didn't really have any mistakes,' said Carney, who was limited in practice yesterday by his sore wrist. 'And I think that proved to [Jordan that] he can count on me in different situations of the game coming out. I guess I did a great job.' Because of his sore wrist, which he hurt in the first half, the Sixers have listed Carney as 'probable.' He said it was painful to snap his wrist down on his jumper — he was 2 for 4 on three-pointers against Charlotte — but seemed confident he would play tonight."

Tom Moore, PhillyBurbs.com: "Samuel Dalembert empathizes with Elton Brand(notes). The minutes of the Sixers' two starting big men have fluctuated greatly, ranging from 14 to 35 for Dalembert and 19 to 42 for Brand, in the season's first 11 games. But even while he was logging a season-low 14 minutes and sitting out the final 16:26 during Wednesday's 86-84 victory over the Bobcats, Dalembert couldn't help but smile on the bench because of Brand's breakout performance. [...] 'I'm just happy that EB was able to come out there and hold it down for us,' said Dalembert after Thursday's practice. 'He was like a beast out there. That was great. I was excited about it. It's been tough. We laugh about it. We still go out and do what we can do in a short period of time, in the minutes we play. Coach (Eddie Jordan) kind of let him be himself out there. He made some things happen.'"

Jonathan Abrams, The New York Times: "The basic pick-and-roll is the bread and butter of the NBA, with two teammates working in conjunction on offense, with one player dribbling the ball and the other standing still and trying to block the path of the ball handler's defender. As all hoopsters know, once the pick, or screen, is carried out, the ball handler can pursue several options: pass the ball to his teammate who set the pick and is now rolling toward the basket or another space on the floor; take a shot himself; drive to the basket; or pass the ball to another teammate who may be open. 'When it comes down to it, that's what we're going to be in when the game's on the line,' Magic Coach Stan Van Gundy said of basketball's most reliable play. 'I say it all the time: I don't care how good you are, you can't take away everything.' The pick-and-roll is the play of choice for some of the league's best players, like New Orleans's Chris Paul, Phoenix's Steve Nash, Miami's Dwyane Wade(notes) and Cleveland's LeBron James(notes). The league's dependence on the play is steadily increasing, according to a five-year analysis by Synergy Sports Technology, which logs every NBA game, providing analytics to nearly every team. Use of the pick-and-roll rose to 18.6 percent of the league's total plays last season from 15.6 percent in 2004-5, when Synergy began tracking it."

Joakim Noah(notes):

"To me, the most amazing thing about it is you're out there competing hard, and these guys are hardly breaking a sweat because they're so comfortable running their offense. They look like it's very easy."

Does the talent help? Of course. Have I seen bench units dominate starting units using the triangle offense, without breaking much of a sweat? You bet.

It's the system. And the system is what sets Los Angeles apart. You try stopping a play, mon frère, when there is no play.

The Lakers just dominated Chicago in this win. They moved the ball, attacked the offensive glass, used superior spacing, and saved the real effort for the defensive end. Which, as you've probably realized by now, isn't really needed for a team like the Bulls.

97 points per 100 possessions for Chicago, which is reallyreallyreally bad, but it felt like a proper extension. Meanwhile, the Lakers just moved the ball and finished around the rim when it could.

Which is why someone like Pau Gasol(notes) could come through with 24 points and 13 rebounds in his first game back. Was he foaming at the mouth? Was he slapping the backboard, trying to make a point?

No, he just filled in the open spaces. That's what all the Lakers do, if their heads are on straight. And this is what takes them heads-on-straight and shoulders above the rest.

This was a practice, for Los Angeles. They killed Chicago on the offensive glass to start (Taj Gibson(notes) finished with seven rebounds in 18 minutes, but he was pretty bad to start the game), they moved the ball, and they closed out on shooters and obvious VDN-styled "plays." Chicago's defense tried, but these are the Lakers. They're better than you.

12 points, 15 rebounds, four assists, four turnovers, four steals, and two blocks for Joakim Noah. The guy never gives up. And Derrick Rose's(notes) touch - if not his hops and strength and quickness - returned for that second half. Doesn't matter. The Bulls are the Bobcats, offensively, plus way too much hype.

You can't hype the Lakers enough. Go ahead. Try. I'll nod along.

***

New Orleans 110, Phoenix 103

This game was on national TV, a lot of you saw it - did anyone get the feeling that the Phoenix Suns couldn't give a rat's tail about this potential win?

Maybe it was the low-level decibel meter on the Hornets' home floor, maybe it was Kevin Harlan's Lawrence Tanter impersonation, and maybe it was the too-obvious storyline (revenge-seeking Hornets toss out well-meaning rookies looking to do well for the man who drafted them), but this whole game was a snooze.

And it shouldn't have been, but there were so many missed defensive chances by the Suns, that it just felt like a walk-through.

Apologies for demeaning the Hornets, there is enough talent on this roster to beat a team like the Suns at home even without Chris Paul(notes), but I can't help but get the feeling they had help.

That said, let's appreciate the aggressive tone.

Emeka Okafor(notes) (13 and 12) had seven offensive rebounds. Darren Collison(notes) needed 15 shots to score 15 points, but he also penetrated the defense and had five assists. David West(notes) scored only six points, and yet Peja Stojakovic(notes) (as we've seen several times this year) went off due to truly porous and inattentive defense.

25 points for Peja, who continually lost Grant Hill(notes) and others, which makes no sense. All you have to do is stay with him. Don't help on penetration, don't help on screen and roll, don't help on an extra pass. Stay with Peja, and he's useless.

But he wasn't, because (as we've seen several times this year), once Peja gets a few open looks, everything else seems to open up.

13 rebounds, for Stojakovic? Can't explain that. Grant?

The Suns? They gave up nearly 120 points per 100 to a team without an MVP-level star, and with David West scoring six points. Phoenix really could have run away with this one, and we really should be worried about this team's defense. It's worse than it was during D'Antoni's run, not as bad as it was late last year, but pretty terrible overall.

Quote:

"Darren and Marcus [Thornton] -- I don't know what to say about those kids," Peja Stojakovic said.

Can't blame you. Byron Scott couldn't even remember their last names.

***

Utah 90, San Antonio 83

It should be brought up, again and again and again. San Antonio is missing its second and third-best players. And unlike any other time in Tim Duncan's(notes) career, save for his rookie season, there isn't that much of a gulf between TD and the second, or third-best players. This isn't like LeBron James(notes) missing Shaquille O'Neal(notes) and Mo Williams(notes).

But, for the second night in a row, the Spurs hung tough. They turned the ball over too much early on, which didn't exactly them in, but the night still ended with San Antonio relying on players that weren't meant to have a huge rotation impact in 2009-10.

So, George Hill(notes) took another batch of big shots. I want to be high on George Hill, but he's gone up against some pretty poor defensive backcourts over the last two days, and he's averaged 16.5 points on 16 shots, with three assists per game, 1.5 rebounds, one turnover, and 11 total fouls. This guy is 23. There's room to grow, but this sort of production doesn't scream second coming.

The Jazz, meanwhile, found the people that were meant to flash to the ball, they finished properly, and while the defense wasn't great, you never got the sniff that the Spurs were in charge. Even entering that fourth quarter with a tied game.

Carlos Boozer(notes) took care of business offensively in the fourth quarter (that guy, I'm sorry, he still does some stuff defensively that is just ... odd), Paul Millsap(notes) had 20 points off the bench, and Andrei Kirilenko(notes) continues to look comfortable. Which makes me quite comfortable.

Seriously, guys. I think we should start calling him "Richard Alpert." Who's with me? Jack? Locke?

I can't believe Utah against San Antonio is the passed over, third game for this evening. Two marquee teams featuring some bankable players? Can't possibly pick it, though. Not with both teams playing last night. Not with all those injuries.

And the Suns against the Hornets usually would warm us over, but with Chris Paul(notes) (two words) on the shelf, this could be something nasty. Then again, with the way the Suns can come and go defensively, New Orleans could make a game out of it.

Still, Chicago and Los Angeles. The Lakers could welcome back Pau Gasol(notes) tonight, while the Bulls might finally welcome the struggling Derrick Rose(notes) back to the status he enjoyed as a rookie last season. Any bit of improvement from Rose - and fellow backcourt mates Kirk Hinrich(notes) and John Salmons(notes) - would help. Especially with Kobe looming.

Comment away down below, watchers.

Los Angeles Lakers: 8-3, 94.4 possessions per game (ninth-most in the NBA), 105.4 points scored per 100 possessions (16^th), 102.3 points allowed per 100 possessions (10^th).

Chicago Bulls: 6-4, 92.3 possessions per game (16^th), 98 points scored per 100 possessions (27^th), 99.5 points allowed per 100 possessions (4^th).  

All statistics courtesy basketball-reference.com.

A look around the league and the web that covers it. It's also important to note that the rotation order and starting nods aren't always listed in order of importance. That's for you, dear reader, to figure out.

C: JB's Blog, via BE. There's not much to it yet, but Blazers guard Jerryd Bayless(notes) has started a blog.
PF: Washington Wizards Facebook, via Twitter Tas. Earl Boykins(notes) bench presses how much weight?
SF: Sports Radio Interviews. Danny Ainge calls out the media for all the false trade rumors.
SG: Mashable. Jalen Rose(notes) lists five athletes who would have been social media mavens.
PG: How To Watch Sports. Exploring NBA contracts based on performance, rather than potential.
6th: SLAM Online. SLAM issue 134 — a.k.a. "The How-To Issue" — sounds really freakin' cool.
7th: ESPN Chicago. Derrick Rose(notes) is not going to cut his hair until he starts to play better.
8th: Supersonicsoul. Trivia Q: Who has the lowest PPG mark with at least 1,000 games played?
9th: Knee Jerk NBA. Are we over-hyping Brandon Jenning' game?
10th: Motor City Sports. Dave Hogg recounts being on media row during "The Malice at the Palace."

Got a tip or link for Ball Don't Lie? Hit me up at jeskeets [at] yahoo.ca or follow me on Twitter.

No, it didn't officially count, but Kevin Garnett's(notes) 75-foot shot from Wednesday's Warriors-Celtics game was pretty incredible to watch. What's that one saying? Almost only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. Yeah, that has absolutely nothing to do with anything here. Great shot though. Great shot.

In an online petition to Los Angeles Clippers' owner Donald Sterling and executive president Andy Roeser, disgruntled Clips fans are asking for the head of GM and coach Mike Dunleavy. Not literally, of course. Who wants that thing in a glass jar of emotion? No, they just want good ol' Dunleavy to be fired.

As of Thursday afternoon, the petition had, oh, about 12 signatures. (What? They just put it up. Let's give it a little time to find Bill Simmons, Clipper Darrel's awesome suit, and the rest of Clips Nation.)

Should you be interested in signing such a petition, here's a little taste of what you'll be agreeing with in the electronic document.

Note: I've also sprinkled in some photos of the Clippers during fourth-quarter "action" to help drive home the petition's point.

Mr. Donald Sterling and Mr. Andy Roeser, I plead with you — please fire Mike Dunleavy or relieve him of his coaching duties. Look at the talent your team has, and look at their inability to have a productive offense [...] The team looks wonderful on paper, yet their offensive sets are horrible and Mike's substitutions are even worse. [...]

Here are Mike's numbers:

2003/2004 — 28 Wins, 54 Losses
2004/2005 — 37 Wins, 45 Losses
2005/2006 — 47 Wins, 35 Losses
2006/2007 — 40 Wins, 42 Losses
2007/2008 — 23 Wins, 59 Losses
2008/2009 — 19 Wins, 63 Losses

One winning season in six years, that is absolutely terrible. There is no reason for him to keep coaching.

We are asking you, as fans of this team [...] please release Mike Dunleavy of his coaching duties. Too many players have complained of his coaching, and even players who aspired to become coaches, i.e. Sam Cassel, who wanted to study under others (George Karl). What does this say? Dunleavy has never represented anything close to an elite coach and has done nothing but destroyed franchises. [...]

We are asking this as a favor to those of us who have supported this team long, long, long before Dunleavy was hired. We understand there are ups and downs; however we do expect a team to be competitive given their current talent level. Show this town you are committed to competing with the Lakers [...] and fire Mike Dunleavy now.

Thanks for your time and understanding.

Sincerely,
The Undersigned

It's ironic how often irony is misused. The best example, of course, is Alanis Morissette's hit song "Ironic," which is really just a list of unfortunate coincidences, rather than ironies. (However, it's ironic that the song "Ironic" contains no ironies, so good job Alanis.) But if you're trying to explain situational irony, you'd be hard pressed to find a better item than this Shawn Kemp commemorative plate.

Who could have imagined that a young, strapping, dynamic power forward would eat himself out of the league shortly after being honored with his own plate? If the makers of the plate, Sports Impressions, had known then what we know now, maybe they would have put him on a bottle of presciption Lipitor. Thankfully, they didn't, or else we wouldn't have this most excellent flatware to remind us of a time when Shawn Kemp could still dunk. Plus, if you ever needed to know how many kids Kemp has, just count the Shawn Kemps on the plate.

This thing is the crystal ball of kitchen goods.

Ball Don't Lie's Swag Rating: Four (out of five) Muggsy Bogues ...

via Hardwood Paroxysm 

After the jump, Wade calls his gutter ball.

Winner, Pig Nash:
Wade: "So like my fellow Chicago native, Barack Obama, I do not know how to bowl, Tom."
Arnold: "It's easy, just roll the ball down the lane there."
Wade: "There?"
Arnold: "Yes, there. Let's hold this for a while, so my agent can snap some photos."

Co-runner-up, Danica Signed My Moobs:
"Well, we could pick up Earl Boykins(notes) to help at the point. He's right over ... uh ... um ... you see him?"

Co-runner-up, Ol' Leather Pumpkin:
"Phone's ringing, Wade."
"Thank you, Donny."

On today's show, short-order hosts Skeets and Tas whip up a dog's breakfast of NBA news. Have Coach Woodson's pleas resonated in Atlanta? Is it time to worry about the Spurs? Are the Nets stumbling towards a dubious achievement? All that, plus a video message from "Kobe," early MVP chatter and the easiest PG job in the league.

Last night to get in your calls and videos before tomorrow's DVD giveaway. Step up!

Subscribe to the video show on iTunes | Download the .m4v directly
Subscribe to the audio show on iTunes | Download the .mp3 directly

The NBA gurus titled this one "LeBron James' No-Look Alley-Oop" and "Assist of the Night," but I think that's being a little too kind to The King. Look, it was a nice pass. It had some spicy mustard on it. But Jamario Moon(notes) deserves a bit of credit for the finish, no? He's the burger, man! The burger! What?

In their never-ending quest to remind us what city they play in, the New Orleans Hornets unveiled special Mardi Gras uniforms on Wednesday. You know, third jersey alternates. Laissez les bons temps roulez!

The busy uniforms will be worn annually during the Mardi Gras and feature many designs inspired by the beautiful city of N'awlins and the Carnival tradition. They also smell like gin.

Designed by adidas — and based on the two-tone template used for the 2008 NBA All-Star Game held in New Orleans — some of the hometown accents include: the wild purple-green-gold scheme; the word-mark "NOLA" abbreviation across the front; funky ornamental side patterns based on NO's rich heritage of wrought iron architecture; and the Fleur-de-Bee and trumpet logos on the back.

But the best part of the uniform has to be the inclusion of the famous Mardi Gras beads which make up that polka dot-looking trim. (Here, take a closer look.) It's a pretty cool addition, though I'm a little worried what that Peja Stojakovic(notes) character will do for more beads. (My best guess — this. Shudder.)

The Hornets will rock the new look for four games in early February. What do you think, fashionistas?

For more photos of the Hornets' new jerseys check out Hornets Hype and Page 2's Uni Watch.

Down seven at the half, the Bucks probably looked at the in-game box score that was handed out in the locker room. Noticing the names "Rafer Alston," "Trenton Hassell," "Josh Boone," and "Bobby Simmons" among the particulars, the Bucks then likely decided to act their talent-level and start the second half on a 15-0 run.

Then the Bucks, and this much is documented, actually went out and started the second half on a 15-0 run.

The Nets missed 29 of 38 attempts in the second half, and they're just terrible. The team does try, and executes as far as I can tell just up to the point where they have to make a shot. Then they miss the shot. That's not me being flip. This is New Jersey's offense.

The team features one good-to-great player in Brook Lopez(notes), and he can't get the ball. Alston (1-10 shooting, one assist and one turnover in 33 minutes) should be a third point guard right now, at best. Guys like Boone and Hassell are only passable as rotation guys on very, very good offensive teams. Because they're zeroes, offensively.

Instead, they start. And some people still can't understand why the Nets haven't won in 12 attempts. They haven't won, people, because they're terrible. They're not owed a win or two just because they're an NBA team.

Another great night out of Andrew Bogut(notes), who has just been beastly on both ends all season long. 21 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, two turnovers, and a block in 37 minutes. The athletic Carlos Delfino(notes) also poured in 21, and Luke Ridnour(notes) had another good game off the bench with 17 points. Brandon Jennings(notes) contributed 19 points and eight assists, but he also turned the ball over eight times.

***

Orlando 108, Oklahoma City 94

Honestly, one of the things I hate about sports is when the completely and utterly lame storyline that any hack columnist could have mused about comes true. Like, you know Brett Favre is going to own the Packers in the return engagement, or that Trevor Ariza(notes) and Ron Artest(notes) are going to trade buckets toward the end of the first meeting between the Lakers and Rockets. Can't stand it when hackism makes its way toward real life.

Oklahoma City's early-season dismantling of the Orlando Magic didn't exactly make the cable news copy du jour, but it did seem a bit obvious that the Magic would try to win two games in one when the Thunder visited Orlando. You would hope that Oklahoma City would be ready for such an onslaught, that an obvious beat down wouldn't be in the offing.

It was. In the offing, that is.

The Magic jumped on the Thunder early, taking a series of shots that the Thunder didn't expect them to launch, making a series of shots that the Thunder didn't expect to go in. They should have expected it, because the Thunder clearly weren't ready to play this revenge script out, and didn't really show up with much energy from the outset. It was as if they were expecting such punishment.

Which stinks, but the Magic can really play. The ball was moving and the screens were really good in this win. Vince Carter(notes) was hot early, Rashard Lewis(notes) just missed a triple-double (17 points, 10 rebounds, nine assists, two steals) in 33 minutes, and the OKC's kids didn't put up much of a fight. Kevin Durant(notes) needed 12 shots to score 12 points, and Russell Westbrook(notes) shot 3-10.

James Harden(notes) was solid, 24 points, and the Thunder did do well in the fourth quarter (outscoring the Magic by 36 16), but nobody remembers the fourth quarter when the paper's deadline is just 45 minutes after the game ends.

Oh, and to anyone who wanted Rashard Lewis to head back onto the court to get the assist needed for his triple-double?

Anthony Bowie, man. Anthony Bowie.

***

New York 110, Indiana 103

A couple of brief statements, to start.

1). If you can't score more than 34 points in a second half against the Knicks - the Knicks without Allen Iverson(notes) - then you don't deserve to win.

2). I would not allow T.J. Ford(notes) to run my next scrapbooking workshop, much less an NBA team.

3). The bit about Allen Iverson in the first statement was a joke.

4). The part about T.J. Ford was not. Put down the cherished memories, T.J.

The Pacers completely fell apart in the second half of this loss, and though we appreciated New York's activity on the defensive end, Indiana clearly did this to themselves.

On both ends. New York managed 34 points in the fourth quarter, shuttling in players who dared contribute while others (Chris Duhon(notes) is possibly having the worst year of any NBA starter, he missed four of five shots on Wednesday) sat.

Al Harrington(notes) worked off the ball and got his rotation right, finishing with 26 points on 13 shots, Wilson Chandler(notes) had a sound first half, and Larry Hughes(notes) continued his November-styled renaissance with 22 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists off the bench. Off the bench!

Indiana, Larry Hughes just did that to you - not sure if you've heard -- off the bench.

(Of course, as has been noted elsewhere, this could be a fleeting thing for Sir Larry.)

The Pacers were just completely impotent in that second half, and though the team is perhaps allowed some room to swoon due its sound start (winning five of eight games before this loss), the whole exercise feels unseemly.

Ford can be a terrible, terrible point guard. For long stretches. He's been in the league since 2003 and he still makes decisions that would get a high schooler benched, and Indiana has little or no recourse if Earl Watson(notes) (who missed all seven of his shot attempts) is playing like Earl Watson usually plays at all points leading up to earlier this month.

Ford missed four of five shots, he had seven rebounds, five assists, and five turnovers. He's averaging 6.5 points, 4.5 assists, 3.5 turnovers in 32.5 minutes per game over his last two contests, on 20 percent shooting.

Brandon Roy(notes) has hit fewer than a third of his shots this year, and he's missed 16 of 19 attempts over his last two games against defensive stalwarts from New Jersey and New York. Good god.

Eddy Curry's(notes) return (10 points, four rebounds, four fouls, three turnovers in just under 12 minutes) was pleasant, if predictable.

***

Philadelphia 86, Charlotte 84

Some say that Elton Brand(notes) is all washed-up. But in my book, you gotta get to White Castle before the weirdos show up!

19 points, 11 rebounds, two assists, one turnover, six blocks, and three steals for Brand in this win. Sure, he used to more or less average this stuff, but you take what you can get in the 2009-10.

Rumors had Brand possibly coming off the bench for this game, and while I don't think EB needs any more motivation, he does need more reps, and more minutes to really get his body back into proper shape. He's not going to come back an All-Star, but nights like these should happen more and more often.

Good effort on both ends. The Bobcats couldn't stop Lou Williams from driving right and finishing, Rodney Carney(notes) (just 10 points and eight rebounds, but much needed contributions) seemed to be just what the Sixers begged for off the bench, and Andre Iguodala(notes) was his all-around self with 25 points and three steals.

Also, Sam Dalembert picked up two boards, an assist, a turnover, and three fouls in 14 minutes. Zero points. But, yeah, let's sit Brand.

Stephen Jackson(notes) played well for the Bobcats, finishing with 26 points, but the Bobcats just didn't have the scorers to compete.

And as it's been for Flip Murray(notes) over his entire career, he followed up (fouled up) his 31-point effort from the other night with nine points on 11 shots, as inefficient as Tuesday night's performance was efficient.

***

Atlanta 105, Miami 90

Josh Smith(notes): "It's just beautiful basketball right now."

Agreed, mate. Mainly because of you.

Smith contributed 16 points, 14 rebounds, seven assists, four turnovers, two steals and two blocks in this win. He also took his first three-pointer of the season, and while he and I missed it, I'm sure it was sent up after someone told him that an attempted three-pointer would go a long way toward saving the old orphanage on the other side of the tracks from being turned into a bunch of new condos.

For the fat cats.

Atlanta only turned the ball over eight times, Joe Johnson(notes) dropped 30 again, Dwyane Wade(notes) (with a bum left hand, it should be pointed out) needed 18 shots to score 15 points (with four turnovers), and the Hawks more or less made everyone on the Heat look old and slow. Save for Michael Beasley(notes), perhaps, who finished with 21 and nine rebounds.

I mean, the Hawks picked up 15 offensive rebounds. Just dominant.

10-2. Atlanta is 10-2.

***

Boston 109, Golden State 95

First off, you have to love Don Nelson's explanation for playing the injured Raja Bell(notes) during this loss:

"He was going to have surgery anyway."

Just come up with your own combination of cuss words in the comment section. It'll all end up censored anyway, but you have to vent, I know.

Boston made some curious decisions in this loss, on either end of the ball. They weren't exactly toying with the Warriors or taking them lightly, but for about two and a half quarters the Celtics were playing just well enough to win, and little else. Hardly the edge we saw from the team as it roared out of the gate defending its championship last season, or the team that won the championship proper in 2007-08, but I'm going to pass on judging things until June, if you don't mind.

They did win the game, after all, and pretty handily. And Boston knows when it's messing up.

Rajon Rondo(notes) was the difference. 18 points on 8-12 shooting (he could have made a few more, actually), 12 assists, seven rebounds and four turnovers. Paul Pierce(notes) tossed in 19 points, Kendrick Perkins(notes) overcame some miscues on his way to 15 points, and Boston registered 25 assists on 42 field goals.

Same old story with Golden State. The team is small, quick, and can beat you if they don't turn the ball over (21, tonight), and the three-pointers (6-17 tonight) are falling.

***

Minnesota 97, Houston 84

I'm not going to tell you that the Timberwolves should have beaten the Rockets, or any other team they've lost to thus far, but does this really feel like a 1-11 team?

Kevin Love(notes) is out, the team is admittedly (re-)rebuilding, Al Jefferson(notes) has been a step slow for most of the year and he missed the last two games dealing with a death in the family, and there have been some rotation quibbles.

But with Kurt Rambis, Reggie Theus, and Bill Laimbeer on hand, this team should be motivated. With Dave Wohl on hand as lead assistant, this team should be prepared. And somehow, it's falling short.

Perhaps I'm not giving enough credit to the Rockets, a team that I've rightfully fawned over all year, but Minnesota's Ryan Hollins(notes) is better than four points, four rebounds, and two turnovers in almost 23 minutes. The team should know not to be handing 25 attempts to limited chuckers like Oleksiy Pecherov(notes) and Sasha Pavlovic (they made seven shots), and the team should know by now that Corey Brewer(notes) just isn't helping.

I don't care if Brewer doesn't let his man score a point all night, if you toss out a shooting guard for 29 minutes that puts up seven shots, scores six points off of them, and turns the ball over five times, you're going to lose. No way around it. You're not supposed to average more shot attempts than you do points. The numbers aren't even supposed to come close. And Brewer averages 12 and a half shot attempts a night, which is bad enough, and he scores 11.5 points per contest.

And 2.5 turnovers for someone who plays fewer than 30 minutes, and mainly takes 21-footers off a catch? Way too much. And with free agent space a huge part of the rebuilding plan, I think Minnesota is going to regret picking up Brewer's option. Every cent counts.

Meanwhile, not to beat this weeks-old horse, but Ramon Sessions(notes) played only 24 minutes in this loss, contributing 16 and five assists. And it didn't take him 18 shots (Sessions shot 7-11).

Speaking of shooting too much, Trevor Ariza shot 6-19 in the win, 4-13 from behind the arc, and finished with 18 points. Too much. Both teams were quite turnover-prone, but the Rockets were hot from behind the arc, and Luis Scola(notes) had a sound game with 20 points and 16 rebounds.

Just 20 free throws in this game. Yikes.

***

Memphis 106, Los Angeles Clippers 91

The Clippers didn't exactly let the Grizzlies push them around, and you can't blame terrible shot selection for Los Angeles (Baron Davis(notes) went 8-13 from the field, only taking two three-pointers, making one). Memphis was just more interested, quicker to the ball, quicker to react, quicker to finish.

Meaning, of course, that the Clippers have lost back-to-back games to a Hornets team playing without Chris Paul(notes), and Grizzlies outfit playing in front of what looked like a few thousand fans.

Cue Jim Mora.

Actually, cue Steve Perrin, who lives and breathes Clipper basketball:

"I haven't watched the game.  I haven't read the comments on the thread.  I have no first hand knowledge of what happened.  Maybe I'll break down and watch tomorrow; maybe I won't.  Right now, it's just not something I want to put myself through.  And frankly, I'm a little pissed off that this team has reduced me to this.  I should look forward to watching them play.  I shouldn't be miserable about it."

I agree. This is supposed to be fun. The Clippers make it drudgery. It's not that they're bad. It's that they're wrong. These are good guys, save for the despicable owner who we can't say enough nasty things about, but if you can't at least attempt to steal a win in Memphis, then how much do you really care?

Memphis cared. They were quick with their passes - 23 assists, which should be some sort of milestone for a team like this. The Griz ran the floor when appropriate, from what I saw, and genuinely looked to find the best shot available. Again, on a team featuring Rudy Gay(notes) and Zach Randolph(notes), this is huge news. I know it was against the Clippers, but Gay and Randolph have played against the Clippers quite a few times now, and they still weren't thinking team-first.

Lionel Hollins has this team thinking team-first. It might not be any good, but there's something going on down in Memphis. Now that the jokers have flown, maybe it's time for a turnaround.

***

Utah 104, Toronto 91

Utah got out to a white hot start because the Raptors just can't guard anyone - anyone - and the Raptors came back to make a game of this mainly because Carlos Boozer(notes) can't guard anyone. Anyone. It's amazing what one power forward can do to a team defensively, but Boozer just seems to have a hand in every blown rotation, every open jumper off a pass from a guard who was allowed easy penetration, and every offensive rebound.

Weird, because Boozer had 18 rebounds, 11 defensive, but he was grabbing instead of boxing out, and it allowed Toronto some easy looks. Involve him in a pick and roll, and a few passes later, you have a good look. He's just a problem.

He also dropped 22 and 18, and didn't turn the ball over despite playing nearly 40 minutes. This doesn't excuse the other stuff, but it does make up for it. Some would say it more than makes up for it. I'd probably be among that chorus.

25 assists on 41 field goals for the Jazz, who attacked the Raptors at every given opportunity and took in an aggressive night from rookie Eric Maynor(notes). 15 points, four rebounds, six assists, two turnovers, a steal and a block for Maynor in less than half a game. To get those numbers from a rookie guard - four boards, just two turnovers, good shooting? - off your bench. Huge stuff.

Otherwise, I don't know what Utah's answer is. The team's best player seemed to be Andrei Kirilenko(notes), who came through with 20 points on only 11 shots, with seven rebounds, an assist, two turnovers, three steals, and two blocks. He clearly needs to be a power forward, but he's playing behind two other power forwards, and moving Boozer or Paul Millsap(notes) (to a lesser extent) to center for long stretches would have the Jazz giving up 120 points per game.

The Jazz were also +3 with AK out there, and +22 with Boozer on the floor. Could be a small sample size, or it could be our eyes deceiving us. Boozer might not be the problem. Lots to learn, here. So many things to figure out. So many roads.

Chris Bosh(notes) (32 points, 17 rebounds, only two turnovers) was predictably brilliant for Toronto.

Unpredictable? Andrea Bargnani(notes) got a double-double! Look at you!

***

Washington 108, Cleveland 91

There are words you can't use anymore, at least in esteemed company or on basketball websites, that I miss. Most of these words have taken on other, more lascivious, connotations, so we've had to cease utilizing them altogether.

One of those words rhymes with "loaner," and the application I prefer has nothing to do with a male who is quite obviously interested in his surroundings, rather, but has something to do with screwing up. Not to a massive extent, but still, a pretty big "loaner."

Like, James Watt. He had plenty of "loaners." Cost him his job.

The Cavs, from the coaches to the superstars to the helpers, just had a loaner on Wednesday. Blew a game they could have won by making obvious mistake after obvious mistake.

Sure, Cleveland played on Tuesday night as well, they were without Shaquille O'Neal(notes) and the team was on the road, but you got the feeling the Cavaliers didn't take the Wizards as seriously as they should have. Even while down a few points. Strange, considering the history between the two teams.

But there the Cavs went, leaving LeBron James(notes) on the bench for the first five minutes of the fourth quarter, trotting out big lineups that the Wizards summarily danced around in the second half. And there LeBron went, making the game all about himself, firing up ridiculous shots in the face of DeShawn Stevenson(notes) to prove ... that he's better than DeShawn Stevenson?

LeBron, you're better than DeShawn Stevenson. A lot of people are. Most players on DeShawn Stevenson's team are better than DeShawn Stevenson, which is why DeShawn Stevenson averages 20 minutes per game. You won that one, years ago. Like, 24 years ago. And you weren't going to win any extra points on Wednesday by nailing a ridiculous 23-foot two-point fadeaway in his face.

The old habits were all over the place. Mo Williams(notes) missed 11 of 13 shots, the two make came on an open runner and a face up shot over Earl Boykins'(notes) forehead. The whole team failed to initiate any sort of offensive movement from the second quarter onward, making it easy for the Wizards to load up on whoever was taking the 20-footer. And Cleveland couldn't keep up with a quicker Wizards team that owned this game after the initial 18 minutes.

After watching Antawn Jamison(notes) in this win, I'm convinced that every player should develop a cold after deeming themselves ready to return to action. That way, you don't feel as if you're coming right off the shelf, rather, you feel as if you've been waylaid by something else (a cold) that is easily overcome. Jamison fit right in, in his first game of the season, only turning the ball over two times in 38 minutes, pouring in 31 points in various styles and pulling in 10 rebounds (six offensive).

Caron Butler(notes) and Gilbert Arenas(notes) struggled through rough starts, but both managed to finish with 37 points, and Mike Miller(notes) gutted his way through a nice night leading the Wizards offense, finishing with 17 points, eight rebounds, and six assists. Miller is clearly hurt, though, and needs to take a few more games off.

Somebody needs to slap the Cavaliers on the top of their heads, because there is too much hubris going on here for a team that has won absolutely nothing.

***

Portland 87, Detroit 81

Steve Blake(notes) hit a three-pointer to seal this game, and he scored an efficient 17 points overall (with two assists to three turnovers), but I just can't help but revert back to 2007 and tell you that this guy should be a bit player. 15 minutes a game or so, mainly because Blake just can't guard anyone.

Point guard defense is possibly the most important aspect of today's game, with no hand checking and cleared lanes, and Blake sometimes single-handedly lets Trail Blazer opponents back into the game. Andre Miller(notes) isn't that much better, I admit, but Blake is absolutely terrible on that end these days. And don't look at the stats of the opposing point guard to back me up or take me down - it's all about penetration, and the dominos that fall after that.

Blake was on the floor as Detroit sent out an odd lineup (Ben Wallace(notes), Charlie Villanueva(notes), Jonas Jerebko(notes), Austin Daye(notes), and Rodney Stuckey(notes)) that came back and nearly pulled out a win for Detroit. Causation doesn't equal correlation, and the Blazers were clearly checking the clock and waiting for the five o'clock whistle in that fourth quarter, but the ability of Stuckey to penetrate despite the less than stellar offensive resumes of the players that surrounded him was worrying.

The Blazers won, though. Greg Oden(notes) was a force on the inside, changing shots and finishing with three blocks, though the Blazers continue to look the other way with him offensively. They shouldn't. Ben Wallace loves to think he can guard guards and bigs at the same time, over-hedging even though he's not as quick as he used to be, and Portland should have taken advantage.

Hard to argue with that early Trail Blazer lead, though. Brandon Roy had 20 points on 14 shots, and LaMarcus Aldridge(notes) was active offensively with 20 points. There are some other points to LMA's game that worry me right now, I get the feeling he's not as team-committed as he should be in certain aspects, but I'll give him a little longer before I start tossing things out there.

Detroit was just junkly, offensively. 39 percent shooting and 26.7 shooting from behind the arc, bad news for a team filled with shooters. Ben Gordon(notes) has missed 31 of his last 43 shots (27.9 percent) over the last three games, and Stuckey needed 21 shots to get his 21 points.

Jerebko can play defense, I like his footwork and athleticism, but overall I can't help but wonder if he's hurting the team. 32 minutes, four points on five shot attempts, five rebounds, four turnovers, and six fouls. Remember, fouls aren't a sign of plucky aggressiveness. Fouls are things that send opponents to the line for easy scoring opportunities. Fouls are second chances for the offense. Fouls aren't to be courted, yessah.

***

Dallas 99, San Antonio 94

To me, the strangest part about Dirk Nowitzki's(notes) night is that he could have had so, so much more.

I counted at least eight or nine open-ish, makeable shots for Dirk. Very makeable looks that could have, honestly, seen him toward 60 points in this win. He dropped 41, but I walked away from this game thinking about all the clean looks that spun out or just missed. This is how good his game is, right now.

41 points on 29 shots for Dirk in the win, with 12 rebounds. He didn't turn the ball over once, in 45 minutes. Not once.

That is so, so impressive. This isn't Ray Allen(notes), peeling off a screen to touch the rock for scant seconds before firing. Dirk's dribbling into traffic, through help, turning blindly over his other shoulder. He had the ball in his hands, constantly, and didn't turn it over. Once. Dirk is a marvel, and I'm glad he's still with us, at this level of potency, in November of 2009.

Should San Antonio have doubled Dirk, earlier? Sure. It would have limited Nowitzki's looks and scores in the third and fourth quarter. But it also would have given an immediate bent to Dallas' eventual adjustments, adjustments you don't want to be having to adjust to with a few minutes left in the game. You want those last minutes to be pre-adjustments, with you finally springing the trap and watching as J.J. Barea and Jason Kidd(notes) clang open jumpers.

And, really, it wasn't about Nowitzki. The man's a giant, but it wasn't about him.

It was about the turnovers. The ones the Spurs couldn't create (Dallas finished with five in a 53-minute game, glorious), and the ones the Spurs gave up (on 19 percent of their possessions, nearly four times the rate of the Mavericks). Toss in 17 offensive rebounds for the Mavericks, and you have a Dallas team that put up 22 more shots than the Spurs.

Think about that. This game went into overtime. Limit just a few of those miscues, watch that glass with a steelier gaze, and you could have this one. In Dallas. 22 extra shots.

Otherwise, impressive performance from San Antonio. No Tony Parker(notes), Manu Ginobili(notes) was out for most of the game, and they still made something out of it. 22 points, 14 rebounds, six assists and four blocks for Tim Duncan(notes). Great defense on Dirk down the stretch from Antonio McDyess(notes). Fine play in spurts from George Hill(notes). Respect.

And turnovers.

Thanks for reading.

Frank Isola, New York Daily News: "The answer to The Answer appears to be yes. Donnie Walsh said Wednesday night that the Knicks have yet to make a final decision on whether to sign Allen Iverson(notes) but the Knicks president hinted that the club is leaning strongly in that direction. Iverson, a former MVP, is expected to clear waivers at 6 p.m. today and will become an unrestricted free agent. The Knicks could have competition from Miami, who according to a person close to Iverson said the team is 'hot' after him. 'Until something's done it's not done,' Walsh said. 'That's the way I've always been. If he's not signed it's not done.' It's worth remembering that Walsh used similar language days before Mike D'Antoni was hired as coach. Walsh has spent the past few days calling his inner circle of NBA friends about Iverson. One of those calls was to Larry Brown, the former Knicks coach, who was with Iverson in Philadelphia when the Sixers went to the NBA Finals."

Eddie Sefko, The Dallas Morning News: "Win, lose or draw, the Mavericks' fate lately always seems to come down to Dirk Nowitzki(notes). And as long as he's on, the Mavericks can lack all the style points in the world and still have a great chance to win. The game in Milwaukee proved it. Wednesday night's 99-94 victory over the Spurs reaffirmed it when Nowitzki tipped in the basket that ended up getting the Mavericks to overtime. The Mavericks slogged around for three quarters, couldn't find the basket with a GPS and basically looked like they should be losing instead of up by four points, which they were. But while the Mavericks go along through this early season, the only real constant has been Dirk. No matter who's hurt or who's playing poorly, he's been an anchor. [...] The more defenders hang all over him, the more Dirk just seems to figure out a way to thrive. And score. He had just nine points at halftime Wednesday, but lit up the Spurs in the second half and wound up with 41. He was the sole reason the game even made it to overtime. He was the heart and soul as well as the offense for the Mavericks."

Spurs Dynasty: "Sometimes the game can turn on a single sequence. Up two in OT, George Hill(notes) drives the lane. The ball is bouncing around the rim, and Duncan has a chance to tap it in, giving us a commanding four-point lead and momentum. Instead, Duncan leaves the tap short, the Mavs grab the board, Duncan trips over his own feet, And Nowitzki gets a layup at the rim and a foul. And like that we're down one, five-point swing, huge momentum shift, ball game. [...] In the end, we had our chance. But our opportunity to secure the win fell about two inches short. Sometimes, that's all it takes."

Jeff McDonald, S.A. Express-News: "The injury bug has bitten the Spurs again. Tony Parker(notes) is doubtful and Manu Ginobili(notes) is out for Thursday's home game against the Utah Jazz. [...] Ginobili is set to undergo further tests on the injury Thursday, and won't play against the Jazz. The injury is unrelated to the hamstring problem that kept him out of the fourth quarter of Saturday's loss to Oklahoma City. Limping noticeably as he left American Airlines Center after Wednesday's game, the 32-year-old Ginobili looked like he was either about to burst into tears or punch a wall. Coming off an injury-shortened 2008-09 campaign, he was clearly dismayed to already be dealing with nagging ailments so early in 2009-10. 'It's frustrating,' Ginobili said."

Mark Murphy, Boston Herald: "You can't exactly call it the shot heard 'round the world. For starters, the 73-foot swish that Kevin Garnett(notes) heaved in last night from just above the Golden State foul line didn't count. After a lengthy video review, referee Scott Foster determined that Garnett, who released the ball in a spinning, shotput motion, didn't beat the clock. For another, the Celtics forward was a blank slate after the game. He had to be reminded of the shot. 'I did make a halfcourt shot, didn't I,' he said after the Celtics' 109-95 win, getting the distance wrong. He turned to Paul Pierce(notes) and, in a mock scolding, said to the Celtics captain, 'Why didn't you tell me, dog?' Told the shot was actually made from three-quarters court distance, Garnett said, 'It was three-quarters, wasn't it. Whoa, that felt good.'"

Frank Dell'Apa, The Boston Globe: "The Celtics have become 3-point happy at the wrong times this season. Coach Doc Rivers finally stepped in, telling Rasheed Wallace(notes) to limit the threes, during the final quarter of last night's 109-95 win over Golden State. 'I got on him, and I rarely do, about the threes,' Rivers said of Wallace. 'Because even though he was wide open, it's really tough. I mean, he was wide open and he took two, but we had just taken two quick ones. But he's got an incredibly high basketball IQ. He's been phenomenal in the locker room. So, I'm just happy to have him.' The Celtics started the final quarter with two turnovers, and a Raja Bell(notes) 3-pointer cut the Boston lead to 80-70. Eddie House(notes) and Wallace hit 3-pointers, but the Celtics were then outscored, 6-0, over a 3:04 span. House made it 88-76 with 7:30 left on Boston's first 2-point basket in over eight minutes."

Mark Bradley, AJC: "The Hawks won their 10th game of the nascent season Wednesday night. In 2004-05, this franchise managed 13 victories over 82 games. A team once so far down it had to improve to get lousy is now, with the same coach and same power forward, tied with Phoenix for the NBA's best record. Said Mike Woodson, the coach in question: 'I'll never forget those 13 wins. I'll never forget walking into the locker room and seeing those faces, knowing we couldn't win many games.' We knew the Hawks would improve. When you're 13-69, you can get no worse. But did anyone expect the Hawks to get better in quite this way? Jamal Crawford(notes) didn't. A pro since 2000, he saw those Hawks firsthand. Did he foresee that woebegone bunch becoming the team that has become the league-wide talking point of the 2009-10 season? 'I'd be lying if I said I did. You knew they'd get better. You just didn't know it would be that fast.'"

Michael Lee, The Washington Post: "[Antawn] Jamison finally made his long-awaited season debut on Wednesday night against the Cleveland Cavaliers, coming around full circle since he partially dislocated his right shoulder against this same team during the preseason. He led the Wizards with 31 points and 10 rebounds as they snapped a six-game losing streak with a 108-91 victory before a sellout crowd at Verizon Center. 'One thing I've noticed lately is our energy level has been down,' Jamison said. 'I knew that I could come in and change that and [be] another added weapon for them to really key in on. I've been sitting down for what seems like forever, so I had a lot of energy. I knew it was going to be different from what we've been doing.' [...] 'It's great to have us all out there together,' [Caron] Butler said. 'That's been the talk for years, 'When is the Big Three going to be out there together, along with the new additions?' Antawn was great tonight. He kept the energy going. Gilbert did some spectacular things. I thought DeShawn did a great job of slowing down LeBron. This is what we expect. We expect to win games. That's what happened.'"

Loren Jorgensen, Deseret News: "[Andrei] Kirilenko, who started the first eight games of the season, is now back in the familiar role he played last year as the team's spark off the bench. He scored 20 points — three below his season high — with seven rebounds, three steals and two blocked shots in his reserve role. Even still, Kirilenko was given just faint praise by the Jazz coach afterward. Jerry Sloan wants Kirilenko to play more fundamentally sound on the defensive end of the court and to quit taking so many chances. 'Andrei had some good moments,' Sloan said. 'But he's been here nine years. He shouldn't be making some of the mistakes he does on defense.' [...] Kirilenko did not get his name introduced by the public address announcer before tip-off, and he wasn't on the floor when the game started for the third outing in a row. But he's still getting starter-like playing time — so he says he's fine with that role."

Doug Smith, The Star: "The theory sounds great: Protect the paint, shrink the court, make teams beat you with contested jump shots. In reality: It's the one glaring and consistent weakness of this team right now. One play comes quickly to mind from last night. Think it was in the second quarter — or maybe the first — but a Jazz shot goes up and Andrei Kirilenko(notes) goes from the left elbow to the right side of the rim to tip in the miss. Not a single, solitary Raptor even shot him a passing glance, let alone put a body on him and it's a perfect example of them not protecting the paint. Now, it was one play that stood out but the anecdotal evidence is overwhelming that they have to work harder at doing what the coaches want them to do."

Marcus Thompson II, Contra Costa Times: "Warriors guard Raja Bell said he didn't intend for it to be a moving gesture. His goal wasn't to inspire or plant a subliminal message in the hearts of his new teammates. But that's exactly what he did in the Warriors' 109-95 loss to the Boston Celtics on Wednesday. Bell, who was acquired Monday in the Stephen Jackson(notes) trade, stunned his teammates and coaches by playing Wednesday, one day after he announced he was having potentially season-ending surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left wrist. He scored 11 points in 23 minutes off the bench. He made 4 of 6 shots, including three 3-pointers, and had three assists. It turned out to be a one-game trial to see if his wrist would pass the test. It didn't. Bell heads to North Carolina today and plans to meet Monday with an orthopedist in the Charlotte area, where he will schedule the surgery."

Dave D'Alessandro, The Star-Ledger: "Brook Lopez took 27 shots against the Indiana Pacers Tuesday night, which isn't out of the ordinary when you consider that three other starters shot 36, 33, and 42 percent while a fourth was still trying to get his legs back from the swine flu. But even the Nets center, who is remarkably unselfish for someone who has the potential to dominate, wonders whether some of those shots made sense. There is a greater perimeter emphasis with Lopez lately, if only because he might be their most consistent shooter from 20-foot range, but against the Pacers, some believe it went too far. The best example was in the first quarter: Lopez drew two fouls each on Roy Hibbert(notes) and Solomon Jones(notes) — the two Pacers centers — in the first eight minutes of the game. How many post-ups did he get in the last 10 possessions of that period? Two. But he faded away on one, and handed it off to Chris Douglas-Roberts(notes) (for a layup) on the second. 'I don't mind it mixed up, but there are times I definitely want it on the block,' Lopez said. 'I've talked to them about it. I guess they figure we were just going up against a lot of good shot blockers in Dwight (Howard), Sam (Dalembert), Roy, and I'd try to pull them away from the basket.'"

Brian Schmitz, Orlando Sentinel: "Coach Stan Van Gundy has been concerned with the club's lack of energy — or 'malaise' — but the Magic looked like they chugged Red Bull. 'I think the energy and ball movement go hand-in-hand,' he said. Van Gundy liked [JAson] Williams' imprint. '[Jameer] is not the same in transition as J-Will. He does it a little better than Jameer, but Jameer does some things better than J-Will,' Van Gundy said. Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook(notes) was a defensive concern, but he shot just 3-of-11. 'I just get out and run,' said Williams, who turned 34 Wednesday. 'I hope guys will run with me.' [Anthony] Johnson, 35, has not been happy sitting on the bench. 'I guess coach has a vision and up to this point it didn't include me,' he said. 'I found myself on the outside of that bubble.'"

Michael Wallace, The Miami Herald: "[Dwyane] Wade knows he's struggling. He didn't need to be reminded of his stats from recent games. On Wednesday, he was 6 of 18 from the field. On Tuesday, he was 6 of 19. The game before that, Wade tossed up an 8 of 17 effort. And the one before that, he was 9 of 17. 'I got some real good looks, shots that I normally make in my sleep,' Wade said. 'I have to play through this and get myself back.' The shooting slump hasn't been Wade's only problem. He's also committed 10 turnovers in the past two games. That's another product of facing taller, athletic defenders. Joe Johnson(notes) picked up where Thabo Sefolosha(notes) and Jamario Moon(notes) left off. Wade went through this before. He bounced back. There's a really, really, really good chance he will do so again."

Chris Tomasson, NBA FanHouse: "Two weeks after the third-year option on his rookie contract wasn't picked up, Milwaukee forward Joe Alexander(notes) says he wants to be traded. Alexander's 2010-11 option for $2.76 million was not picked up by the Nov. 2 deadline, making him an unrestricted free agent next summer. In an interview with FanHouse before Tuesday's win over the Nets at the Bradley Center, Alexander was asked if he believes that means the Bucks could deal him as the February trade deadline approaches. 'They made it pretty clear that they don't see me having a future here,' said Alexander, the No. 8 pick in the 2008 draft who averaged 4.7 points last season as a rookie. 'So I'm assuming a trade would definitely be one of the options.' Alexander then was asked if he would welcome a trade. 'I mean, yeah,' he said. 'If they don't want me, if they don't see a future with me here, that really is the only other option.'"

Jimmy Smith, The Times Picayune: "Austin 'Red' Robbins, a smooth and swift former center of the New Orleans Buccaneers who helped re-define the role of the pro basketball post player, died at his Metairie home early Wednesday morning after a 3 1/2-year battle with cancer. He was 65. [...] 'He was a great teammate,' [Larry] Brown, now coach of the Charlotte Bobcats, said Wednesday night. 'A wonderful guy ... an undersized center. When Doug Moe and I were teammates, he had a phenomenal year in New Orleans. Every time I went to New Orleans, I got to see him.' At 6 feet 8 and 190 pounds, Robbins' ball-handling and shooting helped change the way professional basketball personnel people looked at big men. 'I think, as I remember, he was one of the first (big) guys who could play out there on the perimeter,' said former Hornets general manager Bob Bass, [...] 'He handled the ball and ran the floor well enough and hit the perimeter shot,' Bass said."

Patrick Hayes, MLive.com: "The Pistons have a problem that many teams would love: two young, promising point guards, both who have experienced some NBA success, both who should continue to get much better. But who's the guy? This is probably something team executives don't really worry about right now, but it's pretty clear that many fans are hugely behind Will Bynum(notes) while perhaps being a tad harder on Rodney Stuckey(notes) while he goes through growing pains that every young player does. I tend to believe that the exciting, frenetic style of Bynum's game particularly endears him to fans, while perhaps masking the fact that he does most of his damage through one-on-one, isolation style offense. Stuckey, on the other hand, plays the game more laid-back, more methodically. He has some of the same skills Bynum has as far as attacking the basket, but his demeanor on the court makes him harder to notice at times, and also perhaps magnifies his mistakes. But who's better?"

Mike Wells, Indy Star: "The Indiana Pacers have enjoyed a five-game winning streak during the past two weeks. Not so coincidentally, it was their hottest streak since the 2004-05 season, a campaign wrecked by one horrible night in Detroit. Five years ago today, in the final minute of a blowout statement victory over the defending champion Pistons, former Pacer Ron Artest(notes) fouled Ben Wallace(notes), who then shoved Artest. Rather than retaliate, Artest retreated to the scorer's table — until Pistons fan John Green hit Artest with a beer cup. What followed shook the NBA, destroyed the Pacers' realistic championship hopes and contributed mightily to the revamped roster you see today. [...] 'That was the beginning of the end of things for the organization,' former Indiana Pacers CEO Donnie Walsh said. 'It set things in motion.'"

Sports Media Watch: "The 2009-10 NBA season is off to a strong start on TNT. Through 8 games, TNT is averaging a 1.6 U.S. rating and 2.4 million viewers for NBA coverage, up 33% and 36%, respectively, from a 1.2 and 1.7 million through the same point last year. TNT opened the season with its most-viewed NBA doubleheader in 13 years (an average of 3.7 million viewers for Cavaliers/Celtics and Clippers/Lakers). Over the last two weeks, the net has followed up that strong performance with more solid numbers — including 2.4 million viewers for Bulls/Cavaliers on November 5, and 2.6 million for Cavaliers/Heat last Thursday."

At some point tonight, there will be 11 NBA games, in live action. 11 of those suckers. My thumbs hurt, already.

12 games total, and as typical and as orthodox as it may seem, the Mavs and the Spurs always have to be counted on for a good one. They might be older, they might be aging, but they're the Mavs and Spurs. You need to tune in. ESPN, 9:30 p.m. Eastern.

As mentioned, though, 12 games to dive through. Eddy Curry(notes) returns to help the Knicks try to take the Pacers on, Golden State brings its mess to Boston, Toronto is in Utah, Orlando looks for revenge against Oklahoma City, and ... yeah, it doesn't seem like that great a night.

But it will be.

(It better be.)

Comment away, below.

Dallas Mavericks: 8-3, 92.5 possessions per game (15^th-most in the NBA), 107.3 points scored per 100 possessions (13^th), 100.4 points allowed per 100 possessions (seventh).

San Antonio Spurs: 4-4, 91 possessions per game (24^th), 111.9 points scored per 100 possessions (ninth), 109.7 points allowed per 100 possessions (22^nd).

All stats courtesy of basketball-reference.com.

A look around the league and the web that covers it. It's also important to note that the rotation order and starting nods aren't always listed in order of importance. That's for you, dear reader, to figure out.

C: Orlando Sentinel. Vince Carter(notes) is just slightly impressed by his Magic bobblehead doll.
PF: The Baseline. Is Gilbert Arenas(notes) getting a free pass for his one million followers "Twitter challenge?"
SF: '64 and Counting. Because Shaq doesn't already do enough, now he's curating an art exhibit.
SG: Sports Radio Interviews. Ron Artest(notes) discusses chucking Trevor Ariza's(notes) shoe off the court.
PG: The 700 Level. Philadelphia should sign Allen Iverson(notes) ... to play quarterback, of course.
6th: Basketball-Reference.com Blog. Is Nash really on track to capture the third MVP of his career?
7th: From Deep. Give Grange his choice of an offensive threat for a day, and he'd pick 'Melo's game.
8th: CelticsHub. Andres Nocioni(notes): The most average player in the NBA.
9th: The Disciples of Clyde. BDL's own Kelly Dwyer joins Dan Filowitz on the FD DoC podcast.
10th: D.C. Sports Bog. Minor league hoops team changes name from NightHawks to GreenHawks, announces plans to reduce their carbon footprint and considers using hemp nets and shorts made of recycled bamboo.

Got a tip or link for Ball Don't Lie? Hit me up at jeskeets [at] yahoo.ca or follow me on Twitter.

I can't believe I'm going to say this, but that shot of Deng signing "Fame" in a wig, neon windbreaker and "Days of Thunder" sunglasses might be funnier than the time Steve Nash tried to sell us vitaminwater.

Well done, Bulls.

If you're anything like me, you're kind of worried about what to get your special lady for Christmas or Boxing Day. You're also probably sweaty. A blouse is always a fine choice, and jewelry always goes over well. But if you want to make the celebration especially memorable, let me suggest these Jordan VIII high heels from Gucci-Sneakers.com.

Ladies are always complaining about their feet hurting from their uncomfortable shoes, but not in these bad riders. The high cut of the shoe, combined with the velcro strap system provides the support necessary for a night of dancing. Furthermore, the pull loop makes these heels easy to slip on and off, when compared to all those other basketball sneaker/high heel hybrids.

Six different colorways means your ladyfriend can match these to any item in her wardrobe. That leaves her no excuse for not wearing these every single day. At $65.00 a piece you can't afford to not buy every version.

Ball Don't Lie's Swag Rating: One (out of five) Muggsy Bogues ...

via Deadspin

Stack hasn't even played this year. Iverson carped his way through three Memphis Grizzlies losses. Memphis Grizzlies losses. No other team appears to want to take a flyer, save for squads that aren't outright dismissing things so as to keep things cheery with Iverson's agent.

You don't have to stay chummy with our agent. Just pop by around 3 p.m., Eastern, hit the jump, and submit a question for Hump Day Chat. No starters, no sixth men, just hoops talk. Cheerio, and all that.

(Note: If your comment doesn't appear right away, rest assured, it shouldn't. Comments are moderated, but because we like you and don't want to limit contributions to a level that other large sites do, we'll try to get to it. It might be a few minutes. It might be 20 minutes. Chill out. Eat some papaya.)

Forget all this talk about whether LeBron James(notes) could be star reciever in the NFL. He has a $90 million contract with Nike — it's never going to happen. Besides, I much prefer the idea of LeBron playing volleyball. Can you imagine the back row hits this freak would hammer home? I can. They'd look like this.

It's a girl for Ball Don't Lie power couple Adriana Lima and Memphis Grizzlies' guard Marko Jaric(notes)!

The Victoria's Secret model gave birth to a baby angel (sans wings) on Sunday, People.com reports.

"We pop champagne like Jaric won the champ-ion-ship game!"

"Adriana and Marko are thrilled to announce they had a baby girl, Valentina Lima Jaric, in New York City," a rep for Lima confirms. "Mother, father and baby are all doing well." Nice.

Markodrina™ first met in 2006 and became engaged two years later on the Brazilian model's 27th birthday — after winning BDL's 2008 Bedlam Title, of course. The couple eloped on Valentine's Day earlier this year and wed in a small ceremony in some place called Jackson Hole in February.

No baby pictures just yet. But through the power of technology — the Internet, and MakeMeBabies' "advanced face detection technology" — we have a good idea of what the new grizzly cub might look like:

Heaven sent indeed.

Congratulations, Marko!

On today's show, Skeets and Tas regroup from blooper day and charge forward. Could Allen Iverson(notes) be a Knickerbocker? Do the Nuggets need home court advantage throughout the playoffs? Could the Magic be looking for a new point guard? All that, plus casting "Space Jam 2," more so-bad-they're-good nicknames and Nene's big night.

Keep both eyes on the road, folks. You never know what's coming around the bend.

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As promised, Lakers forward Pau Gasol(notes) made a guest appearance on "CSI: Miami" on Monday for about, oh, 10 minutes before getting killed off by a deadly car crash instigated by a wandering alligator.

Gasol, who owned a profitable video game company in the episode, walked away from the accident — and pulled an unconscious victim from the other car — but died shortly thereafter in jail because "his brain stopped working."

Here's a look at the "highlights" ...

"It was challenging, it was fun to be on a big-time show," Gasol told The Los Angeles Times. "I'm proud of the job that I did."

Phil Jackson was less impressed, joking that his seven-foot center's television gig was responsible for his real-life strained hamstring. That, and how much "CSI: Miami" blows.

"I think he got injured on CSI and he's not telling us the truth," Jackson joked before the Lakers faced the Detroit Pistons at Staples Center. "I watched that program (Monday) night just to see if that was what it was about.

"He dragged that kid out of the car. I'm sure that's where he got his injury. I've never watched that show before. I can't believe people watch that stuff.

"I told him to keep his night job, what the heck."

That got out of hand, quickly.

Toronto actually hung in there for a good two and a half quarters or so before the Nuggets absolutely blitzed the Raptors with something only known to very good teams. Something called "the extra pass."

Thirty-four assists for the Nuggets in the win, on 48 field goals, and it felt like a 34-assist game. The interior passing for Denver was spectacular, all sorts of good looks and better finishes, as this went from a rather entertaining back-and-forth contest to an out and out blowout win for Denver.

Just under 133 points per 100 possessions for the Nuggets. This wasn't a pace-inflated offensive explosion. This was legit. 61.5 percent shooting, 27 made free throws and only 12 turnovers for Denver. In retrospect, the Raptors didn't have a chance.

Carmelo Anthony(notes) destroyed Toronto – 32 points on 15 shots, in just 30 minutes. Nene was all over the place, too. He just missed out on a few other steals, gave up plenty of good shots to send off the pass that led to the assists, but still finished with 20 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, two turnovers, four steals and four blocks. His on-court presence was as impressive as that stat line.

J.R. Smith(notes) was pretty hot in the first half, he finished with 29 points, Ty Lawson(notes) had six assists off the bench, and there is nothing more entertaining than watching Kenyon Martin(notes) grab a rebound, double-pump the ball in midair, let out a hoot, watch him preen, and notice as the announcer says "that's Martin's second rebound."

Midway through the third quarter, I should point out.

Chris Bosh(notes) had 13 points and 14 rebounds, but he was surrounded by shooters that really should have thought twice. Sonny Weems(notes), Marco Belinelli(notes), Antoine Wright(notes) — even Andrea Bargnani(notes). We know it's your gig, but do you know what Chris Bosh's gig is? Dominating in the post. At least, so far, this year. Let him get at it.

***

Oklahoma City 100, Miami 87

For those of you that thought Miami's hot defensive start was a bit of a fluke, well, enjoy this one. The Heat gave up about 114 points per 100 possessions in this one-sided affair, a Thunder win that was more impressive than you'd think because of the slow pace.

Kevin Durant(notes) was the catalyst, but not the focus, in spite of his 32 points. Russell Westbrook(notes) was able to penetrate at will against Mario Chalmers(notes) (who had enjoyed a good start to the season in terms of on-ball defense, after working as mainly an off-ball hawk last year), finishing with 24 points on just 13 shots. Seven assists for Russell, who turned the ball over only twice.

The Thunder continue to play expertly on defense. Daequan Cook(notes) finally came to life with 17 points off the bench, and Jermaine O'Neal(notes) had another nice game with 19 and 10, but Dwyane Wade(notes) missed 13 of 19 shots, and nobody else appeared to step up for the Heat. Thabo Sefolosha(notes) has always had success in guarding Wade.

***

New Orleans 110, Los Angeles Clippers 102

The Clippers couldn't stay in front of the Hornets sans Chris Paul(notes), and that's about all you need to know. I'll go on, but that's the game, right there.

Sure, New Orleans has some parts that Byron Scott refused to touch, and they should be a better team with a better talent evaluator handing out minutes. Is interim coach Jeff Bower that guy? Well, he has played Sean Marks(notes) about seven minutes a game since taking over, but otherwise this appears to be a fit.

Rookie Darren Collison(notes) came through with 12 points and six assists in less than half a game, rookie Marcus Thornton(notes) managed 12 points and no turnovers in less than half a game, while David West(notes) appeared pretty comfortable with the ball in his hands for more than a second at a time.

Not relegated to a screen, catch, and shoot role, West went off for 24 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in the win. West also helped the Hornets dominate the glass; they had 19 offensive boards and topped the Clippers by 15 overall.

Baron Davis(notes) was working with a bum shooting hand, letting every TV viewer and stadium attendee know about it at every given chance by favoring it, shaking it, grimacing, and drawing attention to it. This didn't stop him from shooting with the hand, of course, early in the shot clock and with little success. Davis missed 14 of 21 shots, and took 12 three-pointers despite a piss-poor career (32 percent), season (29 percent) and in-game (25 percent) success rate. Leadership!

Chris Kaman(notes) scored 17 points, but needed 18 shots and pulled in only six rebounds in 40 minutes. Al Thornton(notes) continued his strong play by dropping 30 points on 17 shots, though he did turn the ball over five times. The Clipper attitude and defense just wasn't up to it. They seemed willing to hand Bower a win in his first home game as coach, from the outset. As if the script had been written.

Sadly, Clipper guard Kareem Rush(notes) tore his ACL in the loss. At his age, this could be a career-ender.

***

Cleveland 114, Cleveland Golden State 108

Pretty hard to gauge either team at this point. The Cavaliers are without Shaquille O'Neal(notes), Anderson Varejao(notes), Jamario Moon(notes) (now out with a sprained ankle), and Delonte West(notes) (essentially, though he did play a few minutes in the win). The Warriors dress seven healthy players, and are actively trying to shop Monta Ellis(notes). So this sort of game doesn't represent a whole heck of a lot.

I can say that I don't think the Cavaliers gave Golden State the respect it deserved. The Golden State organization, sure, it doesn't deserve an ounce of respect. But these are good players, playing under a good coach who has decided to coach poorly, and the Cavs looked as if they expected the Warriors to fold.

That isn't to denigrate the Warrior players, or tell you that the only way they could compete with the Cavaliers would be in a game that the Cavs slept through. It's just that Cleveland never put the hammer down, despite repeated chances, and allowed little screwups to build up to the point where this was a one-point game with three minutes to go.

LeBron James(notes) had a good game, picking off open spaces in the Golden State defense on his way to 12 assists. He scored 31 points, as well, but he's also continuing his Baron Davis-esque fascination with a three-point shot that just isn't working for him. He missed four of five, and the one he tossed was a bad shot. No way around it.

The two starting centers in this game, Zydrunas Ilgauskas(notes) and Mikki Moore(notes), combined to play nearly 55 minutes. They also combined to pull in seven rebounds.

***

Indiana 91, New Jersey 83

The Nets try, but this is the rotation of an 0-11 team. This isn't the coach or in-game bad luck or something to fret over. This rotation, one that goes eight-deep with only borderline NBA talents like Bobby Simmons(notes) and Sean Williams(notes) picking up double-digit minutes, is worth about 11 losses and zero wins once you consider New Jersey's schedule.

Parts of it played well, to an extent. Chris Douglas-Roberts(notes) managed 27 points and 12 rebounds, but he needed 25 shots and turned the ball over five times. Brook Lopez(notes) contributed 26 points, 16 rebounds (eight offensive), and five blocks, but he missed 17 of 27 attempts from the field.

Otherwise, misery. Starting point guard — only point guard — Rafer Alston(notes) had more turnovers (five) than assists (four), rookie Terrence Williams(notes) looked lost, the team shot 36 percent and turned the ball over on 19 percent of its possessions.

Not a dominant effort from the Pacers, they shot under 40 percent as well and watched as the starting backcourt of T.J. Ford(notes) (still, forever, with the awful shots) and Brandon Rush(notes) combined to shoot 4-for-20 (with 15 points resulting) and as many turnovers (four) as assists. But Roy Hibbert(notes) contributed a career-high 19 points (that'll change two or three times before the end of the year), and Earl Watson(notes) came through with nine needed points off the bench.

***

Phoenix 111, Houston 105

The Suns are tough, man, and they've put together two strong defensive efforts in a row.

Now, giving up about 109 points per 100 possessions to both the Raptors and Rockets may not seem like much. In fact, it's right around the team's average of points allowed per that rate, which ranks them 21st in the NBA in defensive efficiency. But the Raptors are the best offensive team in the NBA by a good chunk, and the Rockets were the 11th-best offense (really) entering Tuesday night. For the Suns to hold serve like that, especially after quick starts by their opponents in both games, is impressive.

The Rockets are always impressive. They spread the floor well and usually finish expertly, despite size issues. The team's best scorer, Carl Landry(notes) (27 points and nine rebounds in the loss) comes off the bench, and you wouldn't have it any other way — not with way Chuck Hayes(notes) and Luis Scola(notes) have been playing.

But the Suns, with Jarron Collins(notes) and Jared Dudley(notes) (again!) leading the charge, just worked that interior and closed out like madmen in that second half. Offensively, Amar'e Stoudemire(notes) (23 points) and Jason Richardson(notes) (20 points) were there all game, and Steve Nash(notes) overcame a poor shooting night (eight of 10 of his attempts were misses) to dish 16 assists to three turnovers.

Also, Channing Frye(notes) is a fantastic shooter, one we've always been a fan of, and he's been a perfect fit for the Suns this season. But he also averages fewer than five rebounds a game and 3.6 fouls in around 30 minutes a contest, so anyone who is telling you that he's turning Phoenix's season around is a nutter.

Meanwhile, Trevor Ariza(notes) still has a ways to go before he justifies his high usage. After Tuesday, Trevor is averaging 18.5 points on 16.5 shots, and he hasn't made a smooth transition to a backcourt player who has to shoot quite a bit. His defense helps, but right now the Rockets are an average defensive team, so perhaps it's time to scale back a bit. The spacing should still be there, teams are afraid of Ariza's shot, so a step back could help.

***

Chicago 101, Sacramento 87

For a team with such sound offensive talents, holy cow, Chicago's offense is terrible. You think the Nets or Bobcats wouldn't kill for Luol Deng(notes) or Kirk Hinrich(notes) or John Salmons(notes) or even Brad Miller(notes) right now?

Derrick Rose(notes) would kill for a healthy pair of wheels. He's still not 100 percent, one that makes me wonder if it isn't in this team's best interests to sit him for a few games, unless reps and run are the way back from this injury. Either way, Rose barely looks starter-level at times out there.

Chicago did top 100 points for the first time this season. It took the Bulls until their 10th game, and they did have to play the Kings, but there ya go.

Defense and running for the Bulls, two glorious things. Chicago held Sacramento (a formidable offensive club, even without Kevin Martin(notes)) to just under 93 points per 100 possessions, as the team's lengthy frontline continued to make life tough on the drivers. Joakim Noah(notes) had another sterling effort with 15 points and 14 rebounds, with two blocks and quite a few more alterations, while Luol Deng managed 16 and 10.

John Salmons still looks shaky, but he managed 23 points on 18 shots. Kirk Hinrich still looks - well, he looks pretty good, actually, he just continues to miss shots (eight misses in nine attempts) he should make.

Same goes for the rest of the team. Though Deng made eight of 14 shots, he missed some gimmies, as did Rose and Salmons and a few others. I might be biased, but it seems as if Chicago clangs more in-wheelhouse shots than any other team. Take it for what that's worth.

Rough night for Sacramento's Jason Thompson(notes), a heck of a young forward who struggled through foul trouble and seven turnovers on his way to eight points and nine rebounds. Donte Greene(notes) was aggressive for the Kings, managing 24 points on 19 shots, and Tyreke Evans(notes) had another 20 point game.

Twenty-one turnovers (leading to enough Chicago transition points to make up for its awful half-court offense) and 4-for-21 three-point shooting did Sacramento in.

***

Los Angeles Lakers 106, Detroit 93

The Lakers were quick, really quick, reacting and moving and playing the aggressor in this win over Detroit.

Los Angeles stunk in that fourth quarter, and the Pistons were able to make things somewhat respectable against a Laker bench missing a major facilitator in the form of Luke Walton(notes) (out for a month and a half with a pinched nerve), but it wasn't ever too close. Los Angeles outscoring Detroit by 24 points over the second and third quarters made sure of that.

He had to work a lot harder than I would have liked, but Kobe Bryant(notes) didn't have to work nearly as hard as guys like LeBron James and Dwyane Wade on his way toward 40 points because of Kobe's obvious smarts, and that fabulous Laker offense. Five assists and three steals for Bryant, who needed 29 shots to get his 40, working all over the court.

Andrew Bynum(notes) came through with 17 points and 12 rebounds, but this was more or less on Kobe offensively.

Rodney Stuckey(notes) had three turnovers to one assists in 31 minutes (Kwame Brown(notes) had three dimes to three turnovers in 26 minutes, just sayin'), and he missed nine of 12 attempts from the field. Meanwhile, Will Bynum(notes) came through with 24 points and six assists in 36 bench minutes. I'm not saying Bynum should start, but he's clearly passed Stuckey at this point. Even with all health points being equal.

Los Angeles also dominated on the glass, 44-32.

Fist bumps and cake to Navjot Productions for splicin' together what we were all thinking: Kobe Bryant's(notes) hanging, two-handed, over-the-head scoop shot against the Pistons was so Michael Jordan-esque it hurts.

"It was a lucky shot," Bryant said afterward with a shrug of his shoulders. "I just flicked it up and it went in."

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The idea of bringing a fast break Lakers dunk to the Staples Center received no support at the Jason Maxiell(notes) council meeting last night.

Councilor Shannon Brown(notes) put forward the motion to investigate the feasibility of the dunk, but no councilors — especially The Honorable Jason Maxiell — were willing to second the motion.

"It was a very disappointing result, but I will be pursuing the matter further," Brown may or may not have said. "No one eats my babies without repercussions. Absolutely no one! You hear me?"

Each weekday morning, BDL serves up a handful of NBA-related stories to digest with your prosciutto-wrapped crudite.

Rusty Simmons, San Francisco Chronicle: "Newly-acquired Raja Bell(notes) told The Chronicle on Tuesday that he will have wrist surgery, a decision that adds to the Warriors' injury woes and could cost the guard the rest of the season. Bell, who was picked up from Charlotte in the Stephen Jackson(notes) trade Monday, will go back east for surgery to repair a partially torn ligament in his left wrist. He'll miss four or five weeks if the wrist is in decent shape and probably the rest of the season if screws are needed for the repair. 'I'm going into it, assuming it will be a big surgery,' Bell said. 'If I wake up and it's not, it's icing on the cake. I'm prepared for the worst-case scenario, and I'll go from there. After playing, it's pretty evident that I can't do the things I like to do and I feel would help the team the most. It's time to get it fixed.' The Warriors knew about Bell's injury when they acquired him. They encouraged the decision to go ahead with the surgery."

Tim Kawakami, San Jose Mercury News: "Multiple sources say that, apparently at Don Nelson's urging, the Warriors have been calling teams and offering to trade Ellis in recent days. It is likely that their efforts will only intensify, barring some 11th-hour peace treaty. Ellis has four years and $44M owed to him after this season, but several sources say that he will be less difficult to trade than Stephen Jackson was. And it seems inevitable that Ellis will be traded, presuming that Nelson remains in power, and every source I've talked to believes that Nelson will remain in power. Ellis' grievances with the Warriors date to their handling of punishment for his scooter accident and to concerns about Nelson's commitment to him as a player and to Rowell's decisions as the team's No. 1 executive."

Chris Tomasson, NBA FanHouse: "LeBron James is the first choice. But Chris Bosh(notes) certainly would be a solid backup for the Miami Heat next summer in free agency. And he's willing to consider it. The Heat, which figures to have more than $15 million of salary-cap room, is looking for a superstar to pair with Dwyane Wade(notes). And Wade, who talked last week about possibly luring James to South Florida while also mentioning Bosh, is positioning himself as a recruiter. 'Anything is possible, I guess,' Bosh, the Toronto star who can become a free agent next summer, told FanHouse in an interview before Tuesday's game at Denver about the possibility of going to Miami. 'I guess that seems to be an attractive place, you know, playing with Dwyane and playing in Miami and everything. I guess if they had the right chemistry, the right guys, that they could persuade guys to get there. But we'll see.' [...] Bosh said he doesn't plan to make any decisions until after the season."

Ronald Tillery, MCA: "Mike Conley's inconsistent play and regression from his late emergence last season compelled the Griz to sign veteran floor general Jamaal Tinsley(notes) over the weekend. While the Griz made Tinsley no promises for a starting job, the acquisition sent a clear message to Conley. Either Conley delivers stronger performances or a proven, veteran and true point guard will receive the keys to the team. 'In this league, you always hear footsteps,' Griz coach Lionel Hollins said. 'There's always somebody over there on the bench that wants your job, and if you don't play well they will eventually get it. Mike just has to continue to improve. He's got to be better defensively. He's got to be better at leading and directing. He was much better at those things last year. He's got to get back to being that and then get better from there'"

Michael Wallace, The Miami Herald: "There's no way to sugarcoat this. The Heat got punked. "This was Manny Pacquiao versus Miguel Cotto. This was Jay Z versus Soulja Boy. This was WalMart versus K-Mart. It was no contest. When you've got a jump-shooting center, a roster full of jump-shooting forwards, a spot-up point guard who doesn't really spot up all that much and one dude consistently capable of going to the basket to generate offense, it's easy to jump to these sort of conclusions after one bad night. Make that two bad nights. The difference was Dwyane Wade's three-point gift from God was able to help the Heat get past New Jersey with one-tenth of a second left. But there was no Wade-to-the-rescue moments for the Heat's offense in Tuesday's 100-87 thumping at home by Oklahoma City. The only productive thing the Heat can take out of Tuesday's meltdown to end its five-game homestand was the team's red-eye chartered flight to Atlanta for Wednesday's game against the Hawks. Poor shooting ripped through the Heat as if it were a strain of the swine flu."

Darnell Mayberry, The Oklahoman: "Kevin Durant grew speechless last summer, unsure of what to say to his childhood friend and former teammate who had fallen on hard times. Durant wanted to reach out to Michael Beasley(notes), but what would he say? The Thunder's star had never been admitted into a rehabilitation center as Beasley was in mid-August, never felt like it's not worth living and never got so frustrated that he needed to publicly declare that the world was against him. 'I didn't want to be the guy that said the same things everybody else had said,' Durant said. 'So I just prayed for him. That's all I could do because I didn't know what to tell him.' [...] Durant said he remains close with Beasley but admitted there isn't much time to be sociable during the season. The two players who were teammates on the same AAU squad as youngsters, however, routinely spend much their off-seasons together. Last summer was no different before Beasley left for Houston to train and work out in a new environment. Then Durant heard the news of Beasley checking into a rehab center, and like everyone else, he saw the controversial postings on Beasley's now-terminated Twitter account."

Jeff McDonlad, S.A. Express-News: "Fresh off performing yeoman's work defending Oklahoma City scoring star Kevin Durant(notes), Spurs guard George Hill(notes) wouldn't mind an even tougher assignment tonight in Dallas. Bring on Dirk Nowitzki(notes)? 'If the opportunity is there to guard Dirk, I'm going to welcome it with open arms,' Hill said. 'I like the challenge. I like to defend.' Hill's dream matchup is probably not going to happen. Though the 6-foot-2 Hill has demonstrated considerable ability to defend players taller than he is, the 7-foot Nowitzki is probably a little out of his range. Durant, 6-foot-9, was the tallest player Hill had been asked to defend. Hill held his own, helping to limit to Durant to 6-of-18 shooting. He finished with 25 points, getting 13 of them at the foul line. 'It was difficult guarding him, because he can do so many things, but it was fun,' Hill said. 'You can't stop someone like that from scoring. All you can do it make it difficult for them.'"

John Reid, The Times Picayune: "In the locker room after Tuesday night's game against the Los Angeles Clippers, New Orleans General Manager/Coach Jeff Bower had his players gather around him. He told them they gave a good effort, but he was caught off guard when injured point guard Chris Paul(notes) handed him the game ball. Paul, who is sidelined indefinitely with a sprained left ankle, was cheering and talking with teammates on the bench throughout the game. 'When Chris came in and gave him the game ball, it put a smile on my face,' guard Bobby Brown(notes) said. 'For him to get his first win is very exciting.' It was Paul who took the news the hardest when Scott was fired, saying he was disappointed and should have been consulted before the final decision was made. But he appeared to be in better spirits, although he walked with an immobilized boot on his left foot and did not speak with reporters after the game."

Inside Hoops: "NBA Commissioner David Stern announced today that Dikembe Mutombo(notes) will join the NBA in the newly created position of global ambassador. [...] After retiring from a playing career that spanned 18 seasons, Mutombo will now work to grow and celebrate the game through numerous international NBA events including Basketball without Borders. In addition, he will work closely on NBA Cares outreach efforts with Hall of Famer Bob Lanier who serves as Special Assistant to the Commissioner. 'Dikembe's extraordinary accomplishments on the court and in the community demonstrate why he is one of sports' outstanding humanitarians,' said Commissioner Stern. 'His commitment to using the values of our game to improve the lives of so many is an example of the special role we have in being leaders in social responsibility. We know the impact programs such as NBA Cares and Basketball without Borders have in being catalysts for change on a global scale, and Dikembe's continued contributions will be invaluable in our global efforts to bring attention to important social issues.'"

Brian Reynolds, RealGM: "Hawks head coach Mike Woodson has asked the Atlanta fans to show more support for the team. After a 99-95 win against Portland on Monday night, Woodson was asked if he was disappointed with the low attendance turnout at Philips Arena, especially since it was a matchup against two of the league's hottest teams. 'All I can say to our fans is we need your support,' said Woodson. 'These guys are playing for something this year, man. It's fun watching us play. I know the fans are there and we just ask you to come out and support us because they [the players] need it. I think amazing things can happen when the house is filled.' The official turnout of Monday's game was 12,997. However, it is unlikely that there were more than 3,000 fans in the stands at tip-off."

Lisa Dilman, Los Angeles Times: "Conventional wisdom held that a slimmer Al Thornton(notes) was supposed to be a new-and-improved Al Thornton. Instead, the Clippers' Thornton slid back a step or two after he dropped 25 pounds during the off-season, struggling with his confidence, struggling with his shot and ultimately losing his spot in the starting lineup. Apparently, you can be too thin too fast. Thornton said he believes he is getting close to where he needs to be, saying he is at about 80% to 85%. He surmised that his rapid weight loss may have played a part in his problems through the preseason and the opening weeks of the regular season. 'You know that might have been it,' Thornton said. 'I dropped so much weight so quickly, I don't know if my body adjusted to it. I lost 25 pounds, like, quick. It took a while for my game to get adjusted to it.'"

The Associated Press: "Memo to LeBron: With all due respect, you're taking this 'King James' thing too far. Being a great player and one of the best talkers in the league doesn't mean every half-baked idea that pops into your head has to come out of your mouth. If all you want is a new number, say so. If it's more adulation, then just say that. There is enough of both left to go around. If it's only the number, send a letter to the league office by March handing back No. 23, bring your marketing people into the loop and then show up next season — wherever that turns out to be — wearing No. 6. It's that easy. In the meantime, save your breath. Nobody is buying that cockamamie story about you wanting to make sure that Michael Jordan 's contributions to the game are 'recognized in some way — soon.'"

You think Carmelo's licking his chops, thinking about going up against the NBA's worst defense?

Well, he isn't. He doesn't go anywhere near chops these days, which is why he's in such good shape, which is why he's having a career year, and this is also the reason why Carmelo turns just about any team defense into the NBA's worst team defense.

A bit of a problem here, though. The Nuggets are going to have to guard what has been the NBA's best offense, thus far.

Can they handle that? Sure they can. Will they try to get into a Raptors-styled shootout, and ignore their own defensive abilities? That's the question.

Denver can be baited. Then can fly out of character, winning character, rather quickly. They could also keep it together long enough to win a championship. Good thing they have an even-keeled coach like George Karl around to ... oh, wait. Went down that path again.

Toronto? They bring the show. The other night, against Phoenix? They brought the defense. We could have a great one, here.

Denver Nuggets: 7-3, 95.4 possessions per game (sixth most in the NBA), 111.3 points scored per 100 possessions (fifth), 105.5 points allowed per 100 possessions (17^th).

Toronto Raptors: 5-5, 92 possessions per game (19^th), 116.2 points scored per 100 possessions (first), 115.1 points allowed per 100 possessions (30^th).

A look around the league and the web that covers it. It's also important to note that the rotation order and starting nods aren't always listed in order of importance. That's for you, dear reader, to figure out.

C: Rockets.com. "Three-fourths of the world is covered by water, the rest is covered by Chuck Hayes(notes)."
PF: The Association. Is Kobe Bryant's(notes) low-post game hurting the Lakers offense?
SF: Talk Hoops. Zach Harper negotiates the final chapter of Allen Iverson's(notes) NBA career.
SG: Hugging Harold Reynolds. Magic Johnson addresses those book statements about Isiah.
PG: Sports Radio Interviews. More AI: Chris Wallace talks about the decision to part ways with the guard.
6th: CelticsHub. Boston sports fans are kind of dramatic, huh?
7th: DallasBasketball.com. An evening with Mavs' rookie Roddy Beaubois and his playing cards.
8th: No Guts, No Glory. Man, Dwyane Wade(notes) had a jheri curlicious Halloween costume.
9th: SDNN. A look at some of the game's wee-sized warriors like Brandon Jennings(notes) and Ty Lawson(notes).
10th: Empty The Bench. What can basketball's Pythagorean Theorem tell us about the '09-10 season?

Got a tip or link for Ball Don't Lie? Hit me up at jeskeets [at] yahoo.ca or follow me on Twitter.

File under "Things You'll Never Hear," Joan.

With Stephen Jackson(notes) traded, it appears as though Monta Ellis, the Warriors' young leading scorer, is the new irritated Dub on the block.

That's right. If you thought Ellis was going to pull up his socks and take on a little more responsibility ... well, think again. The kid wants nothing to do with being a leader in Golden State, and I can't say that I really blame him.

Ellis, in an interview with Marcus Thompson II of the Contra Costa Times:

How tough will it be to lose one of your best players?
"It was tough when we had him. (laughs) Losing him, it's going to be tough. But we've got to find a way to get through it, man. I wish him the best. Now, it's on us. That's what they wanted, so they got it."

Will you have to do more to make up for the loss?
"I'm not (going to) put no more on my back. Somebody else gonna have to step up. I'm not gonna do more, somebody else gonna have to step up and take on the role that Jack had and be that player. But I'm not putting no more extra on my back."

Do you feel a need to be more vocal?
"Nope. Uh, uh. Not at all."

And as if that wasn't enough bus throwin' for one interview, Ellis thinks he is the only player left on the team that plays defense. Yes, defense. Monta Ellis.

"What we've been emphasizing the whole time is defense. That's one of our best defenders on the team. And we're trying to get better as a defensive team. And now, who we got now that's going to play defense? We got me. And who else?"

If you find yourself alone, playing basketball in the green fields with the sun on your face, do not be troubled. For you are in Golden State, and you're already dead!"

What a bloody mess.

NBA Twitter Top 10 is the new NBA Power Rankings. (Or something like that.) Combining "advanced algorithms" with your comments, BDL's NBA Twitter Top 10 cuts through the fat (see: lottery teams) to determine the best of the best on a weekly basis. Want to get involved? Follow the yellow brick road.

After the jump, Noah hands out some turkey.

Winner, Joshua S:
"Now you guys be sure and hang around for dessert, I made my SPECIAL brownies — wink, wink."

Co-runner-up, gaborik10m:
"This guy looks like he should be eating with us."

Co-runner-up, Imago Fan:
Joakim: "You just got served."
Homeless guy: "Not as bad as your face getting served by D-Wade."
Joakim: "That was pretty bad, but that wasn't me, that was Anderson Varejao(notes)."
Homeless guy: "Sorry, Mr. Polamalu. Loved you on the Madden cover."
Joakim: "That wasn't me either."
Homeless guy: "Then who the hell are you?"
Joakim: "I'm just Joakim."
Homeless guy: "Very funny ... I still don't get it. So are you going to give out Head and Shoulders too, or what?"

It has always been assumed that the alternate jersey was really just a marketing gimmick. There's really no need for a third team jersey, except to sell that jersey to fans who want to look super fresh at the next game. With that in mind, let's just say the 2000-01 Detroit Pistons nailed it, because — BINGO! — here's a Mateen Cleaves alternate jersey for sale on eBay.

I know it's only November, but buy this, and your Christmas shopping is pretty much done. Who wouldn't want to own the jersey of the most smiley point guard since Magic Johnson? Especially with the Pistons' vaunted cartoon horse logo. Everybody loved that look. And it only costs a single American penny. There is literally nothing bad about this jersey, except that it's a Mateen Cleaves(notes) alternate jersey.

Ball Don't Lie's Swag Rating: One smiley Muggsy Bogues ...

On today's show, Skeets and Tas choose their own NBA adventure. First through the murky waters of the Stephen Jackson(notes) trade, then onto the rollercoaster of the Hawks/Blazers game, and finally sliding down the black hole of the Iverson debacle. All that, plus ridiculous NBA nicknames, sKeats poetry and one more go-round on the Dirkus Circus.

Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!

Subscribe to the video show on iTunes | Download the .m4v directly
Subscribe to the audio show on iTunes | Download the .mp3 directly

Unfortunately, or, well, fortunately, Berra's linguistic ability was not quite on the same level as his baseball ability.

As you no doubt know, the former New York Yankee was well known for amusing non-sequiturs that are termed "Yogi-isms."

Examples include brilliant statements such as "It's déjà vu all over again," "You can observe a lot by watching," and "Baseball is 90 percent mental, the other half is physical."

And after reading the final paragraphs of Kevin Ding's Orange County Register column, I'm going to guess Lakers forward (and Queensbridge, New York native) Ron Artest(notes) is a big Yogi fan.

Artest was one of the few Lakers to have a decent game Sunday night but still missed 3 of 6 foul shots. He has made 17 for 33 this season: 51.5 percent.

Artest was shooting extra free throws after practice Monday but sometimes still showing an odd hesitation in his shot release. Jackson pointed out to Artest that the "hitch" comes and goes without Artest even realizing it anymore.

"I shot 75 percent last year," Artest reassured Jackson. "I know it's going to go in. I just don't know when." 

Emphasis added; giggles redacted.

Chris Ballard shows the reader his cards pretty early in "The Art of a Beautiful Game: The Thinking Fan's Tour of the NBA." On page 4, to be exact.

After an introductory anecdote about getting schooled in a pickup game by former Mavs and Pistons great Mark Aguirre, the veteran Sports Illustrated writer describes what follows as "a celebration of the game and those who play it at the highest level, the players for whom it is truly both an art and a science."

On that score, he definitely ain’t lying. Each of the book’s 12 chapters focuses on parsing out a specific element of what can make basketball and its greatest practitioners so engrossing and vital. From front to back, it’s a paean to the game — as well as the myriad games within the game, from the in-the-paint struggle to clear the glass to the between-the-ears battle of a shooter at the stripe — written by an utterly smitten dude.

(An utterly smitten dude whose gift with the pen produces epic wins like calling Aguirre’s low-post game a "Nor'easter of Ass" and comparing Marc Blount’s attempts at rebounding to "a kid playing Marco Polo and grasping for unseen prey." Such great heights help cushion the fail of one of the more heinous similes in recent memory, pinched off during Ballard’s recounting of a trip to Bradenton, Fla., to train with David Thorpe at IMG Academies: "Even though it is fall, the air is as heavy as a lover’s breath.")

At times, though, as the big heart of Ballard’s book beats from preface to postscript, you might find yourself feeling like the brain — that subtitular shoutout to "the thinking fan" — has kind of gotten short shrift. The really thought-provoking postulations in "The Art of a Beautiful Game" sometimes seem double-teamed by summations that don’t really get the synapses firing.

In the chapter on dunking, for example, one of Ballard’s more interesting suggestions — that basketball-as-art-form might be "entering the jam’s postmodern period, when the shot itself no longer evolves but our feelings about it do" — is followed quickly by some shallow throat-clearing ("Sometimes a dunk is more than a dunk") and a meandering discussion of whether or not Baron Davis’ monster slam on Andrei Kirilenko late in the fourth quarter of Game 3 of the 2007 Western Conference Semifinals "mattered." (To be fair, the reverse also takes place. Later in the book, a breakdown of Steve Nash’s(notes) pure point-guard skills features a ludicrous departure into the Sun’s propensity to give teammates high-fives that are "more of a five-digit pat on the back." That’s soon redeemed by an insightful comparison of Nash’s leadership style to the operational tactics of an effective CEO.)

At issue, really, is the definition of the "thinking fan." While the term doesn’t necessarily have to stretch to include the breed of fan thirsty for the post-grad hoops ontology of FreeDarko or the NASA math of the various advanced statistics sites, the meaning offered here seems a bit narrow. Do you need to be an especially thoughtful basketball watcher to grasp the premise of the book’s opening chapter: that Kobe Bryant(notes) is mad competitive? Or that such a killer instinct — as Ballard calls it, a "freakish compulsion" — can’t really be taught ("If so, Eddy Curry(notes) would be a six-time MVP, and Derrick Coleman would be getting ready for his Hall of Fame induction")?

Similarly, does it take a keen basketball IQ to deduce that the most important thing for a shooter is confidence — "whatever makes a shooter believe he’s invincible"? Or to understand that the reason the game appears effortless to the NBA’s elite is because they’ve worked their tails off to get their bodies and skills in peak condition? I mean, in 2K9, we hold these truths to be self-evident, right? In "The Art of a Beautiful Game," those givens are often treated as destinations, which might frustrate readers eager to use them as starting points.

Now, that’s not to say there’s no validity to the claim that this is a book for thinking fans. There’s an awful lot of great information in "The Art of a Beautiful Game," and much of it deals in nitty-gritty nuances.

Detail freaks — you know, the kind of cats that dig on Kelly Dwyer’s more angular riffs — will love reading bits like Kobe’s breakdown of a flaw in Tracy McGrady’s(notes) floor game (the Mamba says T-Mac isn’t good at coming back to the ball after he’s given it up, making it easier for an active defender to deny him possessions). Schadenfreude-minded stat junkies will enjoy learning that nearly one of five shots taken by Reggie Evans(notes) during the 2008-2009 season was rejected. Technique purists will appreciate the analysis of Ben Wallace’s(notes) talents as a "lateral" rebounder with a gift for jumping to the carom rather than going straight up and reaching for it.

There are also plenty of fun little accents and drop-ins that spotlight Ballard’s sharp reporting skills. Fans of jokes, absurdity and MTV’s Oddities will be pleased to learn:

— That Damon Jones(notes) nicknamed former Milwaukee Bucks teammate Michael Redd(notes) “Bombs Over Baghdad” (“Sometimes he kills the enemy and sometimes he kills the civilians. And we [Bucks players] are the civilians”);
— That Yao Ming(notes) loves U2’s “Desire” so much that he doesn’t feel comfortable listening to it while behind the wheel (“I begin to drive too fast,” he says);
— That French media dubbed Vince Carter’s 2000 Olympic evisceration of Frederic Weis “le dunk de la mort” (“the dunk of death”); and
— That at the age of 14, the number one item on Shane Battier’s(notes) list of goals for the year was “Building a giant city out of Legos.”

Such wonderful grace notes appear throughout "The Art of a Beautiful Game" and would make the book well worth reading even if it didn’t include info on stuff like the drill Steve Kerr practiced to get comfortable with shooting as soon as he came off the bench.

It’s a sweeping, passionate book, the equivalent of a really good undergrad course on basketball theory. It’d be totally satisfying, if only the cover didn’t have you kind of hoping for a master’s class.

You can reach Devine at devineboston@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter.

Loved this 'graph from Dime:

"Josh Smith is so good above the rim, he dunks so hard and makes it look so easy, that it's getting tough to even be that impressed by his dunks anymore unless he's dunking right on somebody. It's like he's playing on a nine-foot rim while everybody else is on 10."

Yes, that and with a bunch of 12-year-olds. (No offense, Roy.)

There were a fair chunk of screwups — this was no classic  — but two of the best teams in the NBA came through with a solid-enough showing in this Hawks win.

Portland could have had this. Atlanta's defense broke down quite a few times, allowing all manner of Trail Blazers open looks that they just couldn't connect on. Toss in 17 turnovers — not particularly egregious, but more than you'd like in a 95-possession game — and you get the difference.

Atlanta won this game on the boards. The offense sometimes came and went, which was just as often a function of sound Trail Blazer D as it was a letdown on Atlanta's end (the ball movement dried up), but it was quite obvious that the Hawks had their ears pricked up. Lots of talking, lots of pointing, lots of good team play.

There were plenty of hiccups. Joe Johnson(notes) broke plays a little too often early on his way toward missing 18 of 31 shots, but he also put up 35 points, dished nine assists, had plenty of big answerin' buckets, and turned it over only three times, despite dominating the ball for nearly 45 minutes. That's huge. Johnson may not be a game-decider on the level of a Kobe or a LeBron or Wade or Paul, but his ability to keep his team within a possession without making many mistakes keeps him at an All-Star level.

The late-game heroics — 18 points in fourth quarter and overtime — also help.

Jamal Crawford(notes) was another hiccup. He reverted a bit and missed eight of 10 shots while turning the ball over three times. But with the Hawks just owning the offensive glass, limiting Portland's second shots and keeping the turnovers relatively in check (three fewer), the Hawks were in the catbird seat. Even if they were playing from behind for most of the contest.

Eleven extra field-goal attempts for Atlanta, alongside three extra free-throw attempts. This adds up, even if Josh Smith(notes) took a couple of Josh Smith-styled 21-foot clunkers. Otherwise, Smith was on it — 20 points, 16 rebounds, two assists, two steals, two turnovers, two blocks. Al Horford(notes) was smaller than the opposing team's center and power forward, but still managed 15 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks. Marvin Williams(notes) is still struggling offensively, but he brought the defense, and Mike Bibby(notes) was a constant talker, even if his jumper (11 shots, 10 points) wasn't there.

A big win for Atlanta over a very good team, done without bringing the A-game. Not only that, Philips Arena has really turned into a hellacious place to play. Sure, it's been pretty loud for a few years, but it appears as if the Hawks (with Smith and Horford taking that next step) finally have a team worth fretting over if you're a visiting team. This is fun to watch.

***

Orlando 97, Charlotte 91

Orlando better get its big-boy game back, real soon.

Getting Rashard Lewis(notes) back helps. Lewis was pretty out of step on Monday, he didn't have his 3-point legs back (0 for 6, 4 of 15 overall), but he will be a threat and that will be enough until he rounds into shape. Glad to have you back, but let's still do better than two boards in 34 minutes next time around, ‘Shard.

Having Vince Carter(notes) around helps, but V.C. was kneed by Dwight Howard(notes) on Monday, and never looked right afterward. We can gripe all we want about Vince mugging and drawing out injuries, but the man has some bad luck.

Howard, Mickael Pietrus(notes) and Jameer Nelson(notes) continue to be a type of bad luck on their own.

Nelson continues to work a step slow defensively. Monday's beneficiary was Charlotte's Flip Murray(notes), who shot his way toward 31 points, and nearly had a few more as some bombs spun out. Nelson's trying, though.

Howard and Pietrus. They need to pick it up. Now.

Pietrus seems confused offensively, and he's reaching defensively. He's hurting the team overall, and this is a Magic squad that had hoped to plug him into the starting lineup and at least enjoy some of the sustained play they got last year from the 27-year-old. Monday's play wasn't his worst, but he still has a ways to go.

Howard? He was caught out of position defensively and on the boards quite a bit. He only turned it over one time according to the scorekeepers, but I think a few miscues that were handed to willing Magic passers were more Howard's fault than anyone else's. He missed eight of 14 free throws, and while he's shooting what he shot last year from the free-throw line (59 percent), it kind of hurts when you're unable to get more than five shots off in a game.

Dwight is averaging three fewer shot attempts per game than last season, and that's in a start that has seen Lewis, Carter and Ryan Anderson(notes) miss significant chunks. The Magic have won eight of 11, but very rarely have I felt Howard to be a significant, consistent force on either end. At least in comparison to where he was last season.

This has to change. The Thunder, Celtics, Raptors, Heat, Hawks and Bucks await. The team worked its way toward eight wins by alternating good defensive and offensive nights, but this cannot continue. Both have to show up, at once. The talent has demanded it all year. Soon, the schedule will demand it.

The old Magic, plus depth, have to show up now. Lest I point out how much owner Rich DeVos is paying for this team.

The Bobcats will always work hard. They're well-coached and well-intentioned; they're just not very well. Turnovers hurt the team early on, but it came back due to some sneaky smart play (not always good shots, but oh well) from Boris Diaw(notes), who scored 21. Diaw managed only three rebounds in 44 minutes, but let's be happy with what we have.

Raymond Felton(notes) ran a good game. He finished with only five assists to three turnovers, but he appears to be seeing the floor better this year than he has in the past.

Stephen Jackson(notes) played 45 minutes in his first game as a Bobcat, and he forced things. Some silly flat-footed 3-pointers in transition (with one defender back), the usual bit. He's always been a natural passer, which has always ticked me off because he so constantly refuses to acknowledge that aspect of his significant ability, but Jax did try to find his Bobcat teammates with limited success. He doesn't know the plays, and he didn't know that Tyson Chandler(notes) doesn't spot up on the baseline.

Jackson made of 4 of 14 shots and had nine rebounds, two assists, four turnovers, two steals and 13 points in his debut.

Charlotte could have had this, but ... no they couldn't. You have to appreciate the way this team works, though. I don't think it was the trade. It wasn't the Bobcats telling themselves, "Coach thinks we're just one player away." These are just good guys. They're just not playoff-good guys.

***

Dallas 115, Milwaukee 113 (OT)

Milwaukee could tail off defensively from here on out. I'm not sure. But even after Monday's game, they give up just under 98 points per 100 possessions a contest, best in the NBA. Whether they're that good for the long haul is up for conjecture. The point is that Dallas, an older team on the second half of a back-to-back, walked into Milwaukee and put up 115 points per 100 possessions.

This is on the Mavs. This was a decisive performance that, even if it ended with the Mavericks taking the loss, tells us that we can't bank on the "Dallas' core is on the other side of 30, and they played last night" warning shot. This isn't to say the team won't drag during some four-game-in-five-night endeavor before the All-Star break — every team does — but we do know for sure that these Mavericks have the mettle to work through those tired legs.

Dallas rode Dirk Nowitzki(notes), to a certain extent, but it didn't actually feel that way. Dirk took 25 shots, nearly twice as much as any other Maverick, but because he had to work so hard to get shots off in the face of sterling defenders like Luc Mbah a Moute and Ersan Ilyasova(notes), it never felt as if he was some in-rhythm superstar.

Because Dirk's so great, though, he still tossed in 32 points, 11 rebounds and — get this — he didn't turn the ball over in nearly 43 minutes of play. This is what allows teams to compete, allows teams the chance to win. You have a superstar who doesn't give the other side extra possessions? You're going to have a chance.

Nowitzki had help. Drew Gooden(notes) came out like a man possessed and sustained that active game, his second terrific outing in a row, finishing with 22 points and 14 rebounds. Four offensive boards for Gooden, who had Andrew Bogut(notes) muttering all night. Jason Kidd's(notes) five turnovers don't tell the story of how careful and considerate he actually was.

Kidd worked a fine floor game, finishing with 17 assists, 10 rebounds and nine points. He also pulled back when the time called for it, letting rookie Rodrigue Beaubois(notes) (12 points on nine shots in 24 minutes) or Jose Juan Barea(notes) handle things.

J.J. shot better in this win, but his defense is still pretty poor, and there's a reason he was -15 on the game. Jason Terry(notes) hit five big free throws (19 points overall), Kris Humphries(notes) continues to play well (six needed defensive rebounds, four points in 16 minutes), and the Mavs just couldn't help but roll.

By two points.

On the other end, this kid Brandon Jennings(notes) (a rookie guard, playing with Milwaukee) nearly led the Bucks to a comeback win down the stretch. Jennings would like some jumpers and floaters back, he still leans too much (especially while going right), but he also finished with 25 points (on 22 shots), eight assists, seven rebounds and only two turnovers.

Milwaukee's bench was big. Dan Gadzuric(notes) had a modest line (three offensive rebounds and two blocks in nine minutes), but he was a game-changing defender out there. Mbah a Moute easily came through with his best offensive performance of the season (13 points, six rebounds, three assists) while playing knockout (if ineffective) defense on Dirk. Ilyasova continues to play terrific basketball — great D, 19 points and 12 rebounds in just under 33 minutes.

And with Jennings somewhat struggling early, Luke Ridnour(notes) played an aggressive, sturdy point guard. He totaled 17 points, six assists, zero turnovers and four steals. All needed, for the Bucks to keep it close.

Very impressed by both these teams, right now.

Each weekday morning, BDL serves up a handful of NBA-related stories to digest with your spider dogs.

Eddie Sefko, Star-Telegram: "In billiards, they call it slop. On a Monday night in Wisconsin, when the troops are falling like flies and the legs are dead at the end of a long road trip, the Mavericks will call it a pure shooter's bounce. Dirk Nowitzki(notes) — given a chance to play hero after rookie Roddy Beaubois made the defensive play of the game — hit an 18-foot jumper at the overtime buzzer that hit front rim, back rim and the backboard glass before falling straight through the net for a 115-113 Mavericks victory over Milwaukee at the Bradley Center. It capped a 32-point night for Nowitzki, left the Bucks completely frustrated after a hard-fought rally and ensured that big-time efforts by Beaubois, Drew Gooden(notes) and Jason Kidd(notes) did not go unrewarded. 'It was a little lucky at the end,' Nowitzki said. 'I thought it was going to swish, then when it rattled off the rim, it seemed like it was in the air forever. The bounce obviously was lucky. But it dropped in and we'll take it.'"

Rick Bonnell, Charlotte Observer: "You find Stephen Jackson(notes) a high-maintenance player? Charlotte Bobcats coach Larry Brown knows high-maintenance, and it doesn't rattle him. 'I can deal with (high-maintenance) kids. All you have to do is be straight with them,' Brown told the Observer Monday. 'After six years with Allen (Iverson in Philadelphia), I don't look at anybody as a challenge. (Jackson) wants to play and he's a competitor. Guys like that you can make work in your locker room.' The Bobcats acquired wing scorer Jackson, along with point guard Acie Law(notes), from the Golden State Warriors Monday, giving up starting shooting guard Raja Bell(notes) and reserve forward Vlade Radmanovic. Brown is enthusiastic about this deal, and Jackson played at shooting guard against the Magic on Monday night."

Mike Bresnahan/Broderick Turner, L.A. Times: "Pau Gasol practiced Monday. Translation: Here we go again. This time, the Lakers forward seemed upbeat that he would not have another setback in his prolonged recovery from a strained right hamstring. On a day filled with injury news — Kobe Bryant(notes) practiced, but Luke Walton(notes) will be out at least six weeks because of an injured back — Gasol's possible return Thursday against Chicago carried more weight than everything else combined. 'It's possible,' Gasol said Monday. 'I definitely need a couple days of testing it out and making sure that it's not getting aggravated. I didn't get this far to take another [break] because of trying to do too much too quick and setting myself back again.' [...] Gasol has gone through a practice on two separate occasions over the last few weeks, only to report soreness the next day and be forced to dial back his regimen. 'This time it felt different,' Gasol said. 'I feel pretty confident that [today] will be another good day.'" 

Brian Schmitz, Orlando Sentinel: "Suspension-free, Rashard Lewis(notes) was back in Amway Arena for the first time in a month and a half. He had arrived earlier than any of his Magic teammates on the floor, as per his pre-game shooting routine. He noticed something he hadn't ever seen before in the rafters: The 2008-09 Eastern Conference championship banner. 'I haven't been in the arena and it was something I missed,' he said, referring to the banner-raising opening night. 'I was looking at the banner and it brought back memories of something we had accomplished.' Lewis scored just 10 points in a rusty return to help the Magic beat the Charlotte Bobcats 97-91 on Monday night. They improved to 8-3, but 8-3 is a Magic mirage of sort. Lewis realizes this version of the team does not yet resemble the team that won the East and reached the NBA Finals last season. 'We should start playing well soon,' he said. When? Coach Stan Van Gundy was understandably glum at first, lost in thought. 'I'm just waiting to see us play well,' he said."

Jason Quick, The Oregonian: "As is customary for pregame and postgame interviews, Trail Blazers coach Nate McMillan on Monday stood in front of a backdrop that carries the team's logo and one of its sponsors. Only this time, the cloth backdrop — held in place by duct tape — fell off the wall, partially draping McMillan's right shoulder as he answered a question from a national reporter. 'I will pretend I didn't see that,' McMillan said after looking out of the corner of his eye. Three hours later, he could have said the same thing after the Blazers wilted much in the same fashion as the silver backdrop, losing a 10-point fourth-quarter lead before falling 99-95 to Atlanta in overtime. So what was very nearly a perfect five-game trip instead turned into a series of what-ifs and could-haves, should-haves that led to the end of the Blazers' six-game winning streak. 'It was OK,' center Greg Oden(notes) said of the 4-1 trip. 'But it could have been great.'"

Mark Bradley, AJC: "Before Monday's game, someone mentioned to Mike Woodson that his team, wonder of wonders, had just ascended to the top of Marc Stein's NBA power ratings on ESPN.com. In case you missed that, let me repeat it: The Atlanta Hawks are, at least for this week, regarded as the finest basketball team in the best league in the world. The ... Atlanta ... Hawks. 'That's pretty nice,' said Woodson, smiling as he spoke. And Woodson, as you know, is frugal with his smiles. But think about where this franchise and this coach have been, and where they are now: From 13-69 in 2004-2005 to No. 1 after Week 3 in November 2009. (And not just according to ESPN. The power ratings by John Schuhmann of NBA.com likewise have the Hawks at the top. Can the BCS be far behind?) [...] 'It's just Week 2, though,' counseled Randolph Morris(notes), who was seated alongside. (Actually, it's Week 3. But close enough.) 'We want to be there at Week 50.' Which would be shortly after Halloween 2010, which I don't believe is what Morris meant. Still, you get the drift. It's a long season, et cetera. But you know what? These Hawks might be No. 1 for a while yet."

Kate Fagan, Philadelphia Inquirer: "Marreese Speights is the one with the partially torn knee ligament, but it looks as if 76ers coach Eddie Jordan will do the tweaking, possibly to his starting lineup. When reporters were permitted to watch the Sixers' practice yesterday at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, power forward Elton Brand(notes) was working with the second unit even as Speights walked the sideline, a brace supporting the partly torn medial collateral ligament in his left knee. Seeing Brand in a white practice jersey instead of first-team blue certainly raised eyebrows, but it did not necessarily guarantee that Jordan intended to change his starting lineup. But Jordan's and Brand's words afterward certainly pushed one closer to that conclusion. Asked about Brand's sporting second-team white, Jordan said he had him playing center with the second unit. Asked if that might indicate an impending switch in the starting lineup, Jordan said, 'Um.' He paused and smiled. 'Who knows?' he said."

Marc Stein, TrueHoop: "There is some hope, according to NBA front-office sources, for a three-way deal that is currently in the exploratory-discussion phase. Sources told ESPN.com that the Philadelphia 76ers and Sacramento Kings, in considering the feasibility of a Samuel Dalembert(notes)-for-Kenny Thomas swap, have discussed expanding that concept with Boston by trying to draw in the Celtics on a potential three-way deal that would land Andres Nocioni(notes) with the Celts. Sources further stressed over the past 48 hours that this should be classified as an ongoing conversation as the teams involved decide how much they like what's on the table. But the full deal as it stands, if it eventually gets that far, would send Nocioni to Boston, Kenny Thomas(notes), Tony Allen(notes) and Brian Scalabrine(notes) to Philadelphia and Dalembert and J.R. Giddens(notes) to Sacramento."

Charles F. Gardner, Journal Sentinel: "Ersan Ilyasova might have been the hero Monday night, but Bucks point guard Brandon Jennings(notes) didn't see him on the team's final possession in overtime. Instead it was Dallas' Dirk Nowitzki ... 'I wanted the ball at the last second,' Jennings said. 'Unfortunately I didn't know Ersan's man had doubled me. When I looked back at the tape, I saw he (Ilyasova) was wide open for the jump shot.' Ilyasova recorded his first double-double of the season with 19 points and 12 rebounds, and he combined with reserve guard Luke Ridnour(notes) to fuel the Bucks' second-half rally. The 6-foot-10 Ilyasova had 17 points and nine rebounds after halftime while shooting 6 of 11 from the floor, including 4 of 6 from three-point range. 'The second half was great for us,' Ilyasova said. 'To come back from 18 points (down) is not easy against Dallas.' Ilyasova also shared defensive duties on Nowitzki with Bucks forward Luc Richard Mbah a Moute(notes). 'He's one of the best players in the NBA,' Ilyasova said of the Dallas all-star. 'He can shoot; he can drive. I tried to do my best and just force him into tough shots, contested shots.'"

Frank Isola, New York Daily News: "Mike D'Antoni blamed himself Monday for the Knicks' 1-9 record, saying he 'should take all the responsibility' for the worst start in franchise history. 'My job is to get them to play,' D'Antoni added. 'So far we haven't done that. That's about all I can say. I'm leading the team and I haven't led them anywhere so far.' D'Antoni is in the second year of a four-year, $24 million contract. His record as Knicks' coach is 33-59 heading into tomorrow's game at Indiana. Although there have been calls for D'Antoni's head, team president Donnie Walsh reiterated that he fully supports his coach. 'I hate to put a coach in this position,' Walsh said. 'It's a difficult position and I've definitely done that. I'm happy with Mike. I'm very happy with Mike.'"

Frank Dell'Apa, The Boston Globe: "Coach Doc Rivers is taking the blame for the Celtics' recent downturn. He offered a mea culpa after practice yesterday, saying the team was not fresh in back-to-back defeats vs. Atlanta and at Indiana last weekend, and added that Paul Pierce(notes) (left knee sprain) should not have played against the Pacers. 'I told him, No. 1, I shouldn't have played him, in my opinion,' Rivers said of Pierce. 'He talked me into it and I shouldn't have played him. No. 2, he's not going to practice [yesterday or today]. I told him that after the game.' Pierce, though, did participate in agility drills yesterday, then went to the sideline as the Celtics scrimmaged, working out on a stationary bicycle, then going to the locker room to have his knee taped. Pierce's status for tomorrow's game against Golden State at TD Garden has not been determined."

Jeff McDonald, S.A. Express-News: "Manu Ginobili says the tight left hamstring that, depending on who you ask, kept him out of the fourth quarter of Saturday's loss to Oklahoma City is feeling fine. Ginobili re-iterated Monday that he never wanted to come out the Thunder game, and said he expects to be ready to play Wednesday at Dallas. 'I think I'm ready,' Ginobili said. 'I've got to convince, as always, Mr. Popovich.' [...] Unlike that night, Ginobili thought he could have finished the game against the Thunder. Never one to argue with a coach, Ginobili said he did not petition Popovich to put him back in. 'I didn't even have a shot to try to convince him,' Ginobili said. 'He just sat me. I never said my hamstring was hurting. I never said I wanted to rest. He just thought it was the best option, and he went for it. He's the one who decides who's in and who's out.' Ginobili very much expects to be in against the Mavericks. He hopes Popovich agrees."

Michael Grange, The Globe and Mail: "I'm getting the sense that the Raptors are going to make a waiver claim on Pops Mensah-Bonsu(notes) who was released last week by the Houston Rockets. With Reggie Evans(notes) still struggling to have his foot heal, the talk around the arena yesterday was of the wistful variety: wouldn't it be nice to have an energizing; rebounding game-changer off the bench. The release of Quincy Douby(notes) opened up the roster spot; Pops deal isn't guaranteed. Don't be shocked if the Raptors pick him up."