- Super video mayhem, all of close finishes: The Wizards and the Bucks, the Nets and the Timberwolves, the Mavericks and Nuggets, the Cavaliers and Lakers, the Magic and Celtics, the Kings and SuperSonics, the Knicks and the Warriors, the Blazers and the Hawks. A great day for NBA basketball. I recommend watching them all again and again.
- Paul Oberjuerge of the Los Angeles Daily News: "LeBron James may not own Kobe Bryant and the Lakers. But he is leasing with an option to buy. Hard to spin this any other way, Lakers fans. James outscored Bryant 41-33 and the Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Lakers 98-95 in a marquee NBA matchup Sunday at Staples Center. And it was James at the top of this marquee, with Bryant reduced to co-star status. That's five consecutive defeats for Bryant and the Lakers at the hands of James and the Cavaliers. One defeat? Probably meaningless. Two or three? Probably can be explained away. Five straight? That's a trend."
- Benjamin Hochman of The Denver Post: "Today in New Orleans, Chris Andersen's two former teams, the Nuggets and Hornets, will face each other. Today in New York, Andersen's fate will be debated -- the Denver resident, sober and apologetic, has applied for reinstatement to the NBA. 'As I hope to resume my career, I feel healthier -- mentally, physically and emotionally -- than I have ever felt before,' Andersen said. 'I've definitely kept in shape and kept up my basketball work ethic, and I'm also doing stuff in the community off the court, as well. It's in the NBA's hands, now. And I'm thankful for an opportunity for a second chance.' ... It's hard to gauge how well the 29-year-old Andersen will play if reinstated. But Joe Abunassar is making sure Andersen is as prepared as possible. 'He's maintained his speed, athleticism, aggressiveness, leaping ability,' Abunassar said. 'Those are things we monitor very carefully, to make sure he doesn't get too big (in the weight room) that he'd lose the bounciness that makes him so special. And we've done a lot of work on the court.'"
- Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel: "In one year, how does Doc Rivers transform himself from idiot to genius? Did he take a crash course in the low-post offense during the offseason? Did he go to a career-altering seminar on the ins and outs of the pick-and-roll? Did he go to L.A. and spend the summer soaking up John Wooden's knowledge? What's up, Doc? Why are you a better coach now? 'Better players,' Rivers said openly and honestly. 'It's no secret. This is a league of missing and making and shots. When you have the right players, you're a better coach.'"
- Mike Jones of The Washington Times: "In addition to a rigorous offseason training program, Wizards forward Caron Butler attributed his career-high 21.5 points and .481 shooting percentage to the work of shooting coach Dave Hopla, who joined Washington's coaching staff this season. One of the elements of Hopla's expertise is shot charting, which is new to Butler and his teammates. It allows a player to see the spots on the floor from which he's shooting well -- or poorly. 'It lets me know what I need to work on,' Butler said. 'And with the percentage now, I know from the floor, I'm shooting like 80 [percent] from 16 on in. It gives me confidence. I can come to a spot on the floor and know it's a good shot. I can be like 'Coach, I'm shooting 80! It was a good shot!'"
- Steve King of the Philadelphia Daily News: "Beginning Feb. 10, Louis Williams can start showcasing his skills and voice on 100.3 The Beat, when he launches his own radio show called 'The Louis Williams Show.' 'My main goal is just to go out there and promote myself, my teammates and the Sixers' organization and just try to get some more fans in the seats at the Wachovia Center,' Williams said. He will have a 4-hour show every Sunday, from noon to 4 p.m. According to 100.3 The Beat program director Colby Colb, Williams will have full creative control over his show. ... 'Basketball is priority. Period. I want that to be made clear,' said Williams. 'This radio thing is just a hobby of mine. I love doing it. Music is in my blood and this is just something extra for me to do to occupy some extra time.'"
- Chris McCosky of The Detroit News: "The NBA is littered with players who talk about making sacrifices and being team players. Tayshaun Prince isn't one of those guys. He never talks about it. He just does it, game in and game out, year in and year out. And for his efforts, Prince, universally regarded as one of the most diversely skilled small forwards, will not be selected to the Eastern Conference All-Star team for the sixth straight year. 'I am never going to be recognized as an All-Star player unless I put up numbers,' Prince said after practice Sunday. 'In this league, they won't say that, but you have to put up numbers to be an All-Star. If there was ever a situation where you didn't have to put up numbers to make an All-Star team, I would have already been on one a long time ago.'"
- Tom Oates of the Wisconsin State Journal: "Michael Redd didn't suit up against the Washington Wizards Sunday and the Milwaukee Bucks played one of their better games of the season. Some people are starting to see a correlation there, especially after the Bucks' 105-102 overtime victory at the Bradley Center gave them a 4-1 record when Redd, their leading scorer for the fifth straight season, is unable to play. Redd's teammates are not among the people making that connection, however. 'He's one of the better players in this league, so don't make that mistake by any means,' guard Mo Williams said. 'With Mike being out, I think guys have stepped up and played well. ... We got it from a lot of different areas (Sunday). But by no means do I think we play better without Mike.'"
- Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer: "Holding pla
yers accountable is good. Demanding is good. Deflecting blame is not. Sam Vincent could have learned a lot from his predecessor, Bernie Bickerstaff, about the difference between correcting and embarrassing. The most dangerous thing for an NBA coach is to be tuned out by his players. Vincent is on the cusp of that. He suggested the players don't care enough about winning, and as a reporter who sees most of their games live, I just don't buy that." - Mike Ganter of the Toronto Sun: "Jamario Moon said Rudy Gay's decision to go to the web has not shaken his confidence. 'I think Jay is the most creative guy I every met,' Moon said in reference to assistant coach Jay Triano, who along with reserve guard Juan Dixon has been helping Moon out with some new dunks. 'He has come up with some crazy ideas. 'I think the ideas we are taking into the dunk contest are going to be the most creative,' Moon said. Bosh, whose brainchild to put up a homemade vote-for-me video on YouTube earlier this season probably was the impetus for Gay's foray onto the Net, has been keeping track of the responses Gay has been getting and so far has been unimpressed."
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