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For the first time this season, the "Big 3" for the Miami Heat each scored at least 20 points in a game en route to a 101-89 win over the New Jersey Nets on Saturday. LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh combined for 73 of those points with Wade leading the way with 29 points, James with 23 and Bosh with 21. The Heat improved to 5-2 with two of those wins coming at the Nets' expense.

LeBron James has punished the Nets in transition this season. In the third quarter Saturday, LeBron went 3-for-3 in transition and drew two fouls that sent him to the line.

It took Bosh, James and Wade seven games before each of them scored 20 plus points in the same game. When it comes to other notable trios, Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce accomplished that feat in just three games while Charles Barkley, Clyde Drexler and Hakeem Olajuwon did it in their first game together.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

FROM THE ELIAS SPORTS BUREAU:The Hornets beat the Bucks 87-81 to improve their record to 6-0, though their largest margin of victory this season has been by nine points. New Orleans is only the second team in NBA history to open a season with six straight wins, with none of the wins by a double-digit margin. The 1948-49 Washington Capitols, coached by Red Auerbach, was the only other team to open the season with such a streak.

FROM THE ELIAS SPORTS BUREAU: John Wall, who had 10 assists in Washington’s loss to Cleveland Saturday night, has handed out at least seven assists in each of the five games he has played in the NBA. Oscar Robertson is the only other player in NBA history to record at least seven assists in each of his first five career NBA games. The “Big O” did it in each of his first 10 games in the NBA in 1960-61.

• Doug Smith of the Toronto Star: "It is hugely significant that Chris Bosh will make his pre-season debut for the Raptors in Minneapolis on Friday night, but another development at the Air Canada Centre on Thursday was just as welcomed by the team's brass. As Bosh went through some post-up drills with assistant coach Marc Iavaroni at one end of the practice court, Hedo Turkoglu was involved in some full-speed shooting drills at the other. And getting the high-priced free agent into action with his new teammates is of paramount importance to the Raptors. 'I'm feeling much better physically and mentally, too,' Turkoglu said after his workout. 'Hopefully next week, I'll start practising with the team and hopefully get into game shape and try to be 100 per cent on opening night.' Bothered by sore knees and a body worn down by a busy summer, the 30-year-old Turkoglu hasn't done anything of substance so far in training camp."
• Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel: "One of Mickael Pietrus' best dunks from last season lives on in an Internet video clip and in the pain he still feels in his right wrist. The highlight-reel play occurred last December against the Detroit Pistons. Pietrus dribbled across the lane, elevated off his right foot and slammed the ball home left-handed. 'Check it out on YouTube!' Pietrus said recently, grinning. 'It was nice.' Nice, yes. But costly, too. Pietrus collided with Detroit's Jason Maxiell and tumbled to the floor, bracing himself with his right hand. Pietrus fractured his shooting wrist. The wrist still hurts, though you wouldn't know it by how he's performed this preseason. Pietrus is excelling despite the pain, just as he did in last year's playoffs. 'He's shot the ball really well in training camp, so whatever the problem is, he should leave it exactly the way it is,' joked Orlando Magic Coach Stan Van Gundy."
• Kate Fagan of The Philadelphia Inquirer: "Yesterday at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, the Sixers practiced for about two hours: On multiple occasions, Dalembert dished to cutters for quick hoops. Such a display was a 180-degree turn from last season's struggles, when Dalembert requested a trade and spent much of the season frustrated with his role and playing time. 'I love Sam,' Eddie Jordan said. 'I love what Sam is doing for us. I love his approach, I love his attitude, I love his enthusiasm. ... Sometimes I have to tell him, 'Look for your shot, look for your shot.' And he's a willing passer out of the post.' This praise could come across as hollow as a basketball, but all on-court evidence supports Jordan's assertions: Dalembert's midrange shot has been consistent, as has his unselfishness in the post. 'Sam is an emotional guy and he knows this coaching group has his back,' said point guard Lou Williams. 'He's happy. Sam is happy. He's joking with guys again, he's talking; he's back to his normal self. We're going to need him to be that way.' Jordan said Dalembert has the second-best shot on the team, behind forward Jason Kapono, who is one of the best three-point shooters in the NBA."
• Michael Lee of The Washington Post: "In case you haven't noticed, Brendan Haywood has been around a while. 'Everybody is gone except me,' said Haywood, who is entering his ninth season with the Washington Wizards. 'It is weird, when I tell somebody I've been in the league, coming up on nine years, they say, 'How many teams?' I say, 'Just D.C.' They say, 'Wow, that's crazy.' Because normally you get through free agency or trade, people leave their cities, but I've always been here. It's been fun and I hope I can end my career here.' Haywood is one of just 10 active players in the NBA to spend at least eight seasons with one team. He is the only player on the Wizards roster whom President Ernie Grunfeld wasn't responsible for bringing to town. (Michael Jordan acquired him from Orlando in August 2001 after Haywood was drafted by Cleveland and traded to the Magic on draft night.) And now, Haywood is in the last year of a five-year, $25 million extension and fully plans to enter free agency for the first time next summer."
• John Jackson of the Chicago Sun-Times: "Fans don't get a chance to see a coach work with players in practice, so I can understand why most Bulls fans had a negative opinion of Vinny Del Negro. All they saw were the games and there were too many mistakes to have any other opinion. I know it's just the preseason, but I've noticed a change in Del Negro so far. The year of experience seems to have made a big difference. He's more confident and isn't as defensive. He's been very organized and the team got a lot accomplished in the first two weeks of camp. Barring any major injuries over the next three weeks, the Bulls should be prepared for a fast start in the regular season. Although the ultimate test of Del Negro's improvement will come when he's involved in a tight game in the regular season, I think Bulls fans will be pleasantly surprised this season. I'm not saying Del Negro will be the second coming of Phil Jackson, but he knows the game, has a sound philosophy and I believe he will be a good NBA coach."
• Jimmy Smith of The Times-Picayune: "It's not as though Hornets rookie point guard Darren Collison is normally quiet and soft-spoken when he's on the basketball court. Nonetheless, New Orleans Coach Byron Scott has been telling Collison, the team's first-round draft choice, he has to be more assertive when running the show. Problem is, while Collison was a starter in college at UCLA and ran the Bruins' offense, he never got much chance to talk. 'That's what the coaches are telling me,' he said Thursday night, after he made his NBA debut in the Hornets' 108-101 preseason loss against the Charlotte Bobcats. 'Make sure I call the plays out. Just make sure I do little things like that. At UCLA, I never called any plays out. We just called one play the whole time. As a point guard, it's something that has to be natural. But it's something I'll get accustomed to.' "
• Ailene Voisin of The Sacramento Bee: "Omri Casspi had three tough days and what he thought were three legitimate reasons to be in a funk. He thought the coach was down on him. He thought his fans in Israel were disappointed. He thought the glut of Kings small forwards foreshadowed a season of down time, depriving him of an opportunity to establish himself in the league. He was wrong about everything except the glut of small forwards. The rookie must fight through the crowd to earn playing time, but he already projects as an intriguing, energetic wild card. He runs. He shoots. He dunks. He dives on the floor. He plays fast and physical, and wants to play faster. And unofficially, and only because the exhibition season doesn't count, he already h
  as become the first Israeli to rouse an NBA crowd in the closing minutes of a home-court debut ? which he did during the Kings' loss to Portland on Wednesday night at Arco Arena. The ebb and flow of his rookie season thus far suggests that this is a good week. So Casspi, 21, should breathe a little. You know, chill. Resume the search for quality hummus. Enjoy."
• Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe: "While the Celtics' focus in training camp has been Kevin Garnett's rehabilitation from knee surgery, Ray Allen's decline in the postseason was a cause for concern. He shot 48 percent during the regular season, his best clip since 2000-01, but with no Garnett in the playoffs, opposing defenses focused on Allen, whose shooting dipped to 40 percent, 35 percent from the 3-point line. Fatigue may have been a factor, especially with Allen approaching his 34th birthday, and the guard also said he was nursing a sore hamstring during the postseason that was diagnosed as a sore lower back. So that's why he was running sprints after practice as if he were still in high school. Shirtless, Allen ran with fluidity and precision, determined to tire himself out. 'I think about field goal percentage, I think about 3-point field goal percentage and all those things are directly related to what kind of condition I am in,' said Allen. 'I did do a lot more this summer. I never really eat too bad but a lot things, you know you go to barbecues and eat more hot dogs and cheeseburgers on the grill, I cut that back a little earlier. It was just one of those things that felt necessary.' "
• Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle: "Chuck Hayes gets it. The idea that he is - at a stocky 6-6 with few offensive skills - a starting center in the NBA, inspires the same reaction from him that he imagines others have at the sight of him in such an exalted position. 'I laugh,' he said. 'It's funny. We have the shortest point guard (Aaron Brooks) and the shortest center. But we find ways to make it happen.' The Rockets used to have the tallest center, adding to the sight gag. With Yao Ming out, they have gone from a 7-6 wealth of offensive skills and celebrity, a former first pick of the draft and seven-time All-Star, to Hayes, a relative unknown who is a foot shorter, was undrafted and worked his way back to the Rockets through the D-League. It is little wonder Hayes is amused by such a turn of events, with another reminder likely tonight in a matchup with Orlando's gifted young giant, Dwight Howard. The Rockets, however, have found that at a time things could fall apart, they need him to he hold them together. 'He's really important to have on the floor for us,' Rockets coach Rick Adelman said. 'I'm pretty sure he's going to be on the floor a lot because he's our best defender. There is nobody on our team close to him as far as defending inside.' "
• Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News: "Back when he was in the Eastern Conference, Richard Jefferson used to look forward to a game against the Spurs the way a child looks forward to a visit to the dentist. The only upside was that he had to do it only twice a year. 'They were a team that, if they weren't scoring, neither were you,' Jefferson said. 'They were consistently one of the best defensive teams in the league.' If coach Gregg Popovich gets his wish, the Spurs will soon get back to playing the kind of defense Jefferson used to know and loathe. After a decade of standard-setting when it came to the art of suffocating other teams, the Spurs slipped from "elite” to 'just pretty good' last season. They finished ninth in field-goal percentage defense at 45.3 percent, the team's lowest rank and highest number in a dozen full seasons under Popovich. For a while, the Spurs were floundering along in the low 20s, a ranking that rendered Popovich practically apoplectic. ... Popovich has spent much of his time on the pulpit this preseason preaching the need for his team to return to the glory days. 'We tried to institute some new things the past couple of years, and they didn't really work out,' Popovich said. 'So we're going back to the good old days when we tried to lead the league defensively.' "
• Mike Baldwin of The Oklahoman: "After facing him in a playoff series, Pat Riley said, 'If he gets much better, he's going to be one of the better players in this league.' And Jason Kidd called him the best big man he had ever played with. In 2006, that was the trajectory of Nenad Krstic's career. But a serious knee injury three days before Christmas altered his future, a major reason the 7-foot center from Serbia is now on the Thunder's roster. 'People in Oklahoma City probably don't know how highly thought of he was around the league,' said one Eastern Conference scout. 'He was starting to really take off. If he can be that player again, he would be a steal for them.' The looming question, the scout said, is whether Krstic can return to the form that impressed Riley, Kidd and Jefferson."
• Frank Isola of the New York Daily News: "Marcus Landry paid his own way to New York just for a tryout. As if answering a want-ad in the newspaper, he arrived without a place to stay and without much of a shot of making the Knicks. 'I don't like to think of myself as a longshot,' Landry says. 'I'll let the coaches decide that.' Undrafted, undersized but mostly undeterred, Landry is becoming the feel-good story of training camp. The 6-foot-7 rookie out of Wisconsin is making a strong push for a roster spot, having survived the first round of cuts while impressing Mike D'Antoni and Donnie Walsh with his work ethic and toughness. 'That's the kind of player we need,' Walsh said. It's been an eventful three weeks for Landry. The Knicks thought so little of him that they didn't provide a ride from the airport or pay for his $80-a-night hotel room. But after a solid training camp and in subsequent practices, let's just say Landry's accommodations have been upgraded. 'I just come out here every day, work hard and leave it up to Coach D'Antoni and Mr. Walsh to decide,' Landry said. 'We'll see what happens.' "
• Mary Schmitt Boyer of The Plain Dealer: "Shaquille O'Neal raised a few eyebrows after practice Thursday by declaring this Cavaliers team 'the best team I've ever played on. On paper, anyway.' Some might take the 1999-2000 NBA champion Lakers with Bryant, Glen Rice, Robert Horry, Ron Harper, A.C. Green and Derek Fisher, or the 2003-04 Lakers who finished 56-26 with Bryant, Karl Malone and Gary Payton. When skeptical reporters questioned O'Neal about the comment, he said: 'I've always begged management to get me the power forward I've needed and the shooters I've needed. Here you've got a guy that's been starting 10 or 11 years [Zydrunas Ilgauskas] that's backing me up, you've got Varejao who's one of the top forwards in the league and you've got D-Block [Jackson] coming off the bench. We have a lot of great shooters, so on paper, I'd say yes.' When told of the c
  omment, coach Mike Brown smiled and said: 'When the big fella talks, you've got to listen. If he says that, it's something that has to be heard.' "
• Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer: "One thing is indisputable: D.J. Augustin is back to full health. An abdominal strain robbed Augustin of his explosion and change-of-direction the second half of last season. But Thursday he drove his way to 18 free throws, making 16, in the Charlotte Bobcats' 108-101 preseason victory over the New Orleans Hornets at Greensboro Coliseum. Augustin, a second-year point guard, finished with 22 points and the Bobcats totaled 58 free-throw attempts."
• Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times: "The facility might not be entirely cooperative, but tonight could still shape up to be Fabulous. The Lakers return to the Forum in Inglewood for an exhibition game against Golden State, a blast from the past in a season that holds a promising future. The Lakers haven't played there since leaving for Staples Center in 1999, but owner Jerry Buss has wanted to return to the Forum for years. Now seemed like a good time, the franchise's 50th year in Los Angeles. ... The Lakers had to transport their basketball court from Staples Center to the Forum. There's no longer a scoreboard, so they will hang two large LED screens over the court. They will also bring their lighting trusses, basketball hoops and scorer's table from Staples Center. In fact, leaving no chance for faulty locker-room plumbing, the Lakers don't plan to shower at the Forum after the game. Players will take a team bus bound for the training facility in El Segundo, where hot water is guaranteed to await them. It might seem like a lot of extra work for an exhibition game, but, well, this is the former site of six Lakers championship teams."

• A prediction this year's champion will come from the East, where David Berri's numbers say Orlando, Boston and Cleveland are far ahead of the rest of the conference.
• They asked all the Blazers which NBA players they respect the most. Kobe Bryant and Tim Duncan tie for first with three votes each. 
  
• Chris Douglas-Roberts has the messiest locker of all Nets, and he doesn't like getting taped up for games, because the tape hurts the skin on the bottom of his feet. Also, word that Douglas-Roberts and Courtney Lee are locked into a "nasty" battle for playing time.
• The Madrid team's whole starting front line is injured for their exhibition against the Jazz this afternoon. Madrid's new coach, Ettore Messina, blogs about the slow work of integrating many new players.  On Sports.ru, he also writes about a player who won't be playing for Madrid: "As we agreed terms with [Pablo] Prigioni, a possibility to talk to Ricky Rubio came up. So, good offers were made both to Joventut Badalona and the player himself. After a week of thinking, Ricky decided that he wanted to spend the following two years (before leaving for the NBA) in Barcelona, close to his family and friends. At that point there was no way persuading him to come to Madrid. Though, obviously, we still wish him good luck." Worth noting that Messina has the impression Rubio will come to the NBA in two years -- even though it would make financial sense to wait for three.
• Antawn Jamison doing yoga.
  
• Sergio Rodriguez, for a moment, forgot which team he was on.
• I have a pet theory that long players who can hit open jumpers, pass and play D all over the court are super valuable to any team. Suns rookie Earl Clark could be one of those guys. 
• Weird thing: Dennis Rodman is one of the best players in NBA history, thanks to the fact that nobody has really ever rebounded like he did. That's what makes him great. Yet it's clearly not what people most loved about him. Here's how I know that: I just spent 20 minutes trying to find a really good highlight reel of his rebounding prowess. I thought it would be something we could all learn from, especially about recognizing and pursuing rebounds out of your area. And there are a zillion highlight reels of the guy. But as far as I can tell just about all of them are mostly dunks, fights, blocks, 3-pointers and clowning. It feels a little like we love those elements of basketball so much that even when we're celebrating a great rebounder, we won't actually do so with, you know, rebounds.
• It's getting to be just about time for Julian Wright to show what he can do. How did the young Hornet fare in a preseason game against the Hawks? Bret LaGree of Hoopinion was there: "Julian Wright has a great (I fear it may be an innate) ability to overcomplicate a situation, to try to squeeze three moves into a play where only one is necessary but that wasn't in evidence tonight. At the start of the game, he and Morris Peterson would spot up outside the arc, leaving the paint (extended) to Paul and West, maybe Sean Marks if he set a ball-screen for Paul. Wright would cut to the basket if his man helped defensively. The three he missed was in rhythm and as good a look from that range as he's likely to have. The 16' jumper he made on the baseline in third quarter looked very instinctual. He was far superior to the Hawks 2nd/3rd string in the fourth quarter."
• The assertion that if roles were reversed -- Will Bynum has been a first-round pick, and Rodney Stuckey had been undrafted -- Bynum would be the Pistons' starter.
• "More Than a Game" -- the LeBron James documentary -- is said to rank up there in the sports documentary world with the Muhammad Ali story "When We Were Kings." High praise, indeed.
• "We Believe" proved to be a bad tagline for the Clippers.
• Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel: "The officiating by the replacements was so atrocious that fill-in official Robbie Robinson could become the first referee to ever be fired twice by the NBA."
• Clark Matthews, writing for Daily Thunder, on the cheap seats in Oklahoma City: "Do we have to keep calling the third tier 'Loud City?' I know the Hornet marketing team, which did an excellent job selling the sport to this market, came up with the idea, and a lot of people have embraced this, but I've sat up there a lot. It isn't loud and it's not a city."
• Pacer rookie A.J. Price wore the wrong gear to practice and couldn't be in the team photo. Travis Diener, writing on the Indianapolis Star's website: "Those darn rookies. You've got to hold their hands through everything."
  

From the archives, a nice little tribute to Vlade Divac.

They ask Del Harris if he taught Vlade Divac how to flop. He cracks up. "Did I teach Vlade Divac how to flop? Are you kidding me? He came over here and taught the whole NBA how to flop."

• Terry Pluto of The Plain Dealer: "It's still hard to believe, Shaquille O'Neal in a Cavaliers uniform. Then there's LeBron James, the league's Most Valuable Player -- and he's yet to celebrate his 25th birthday. And there's Mo Williams, an All-Star guard. Anthony Parker and Anderson Varejao, two respected role players who'd start for most teams. That was Tuesday's starting five: Parker, Williams, O'Neal, Varejao and James. As for Delonte West, he remains a question mark because of his emotional and legal issues. Obviously, with West, the Cavs are a stronger team. But even minus their starting guard, they are still loaded with talent. You could see it Tuesday night in the preseason opener, a 92-87 victory over Charlotte at Quicken Loans Arena."
• Michael Lee of The Washington Post: "He sat in his corner locker room stall, headphones blaring the sounds of Jay-Z and Notorious B.I.G., as he got himself prepared for his first preseason game in almost two years. As much as Washington Wizards fans have waited for Gilbert Arenas to return to the basketball court, the delay from the game he loves has been much more arduous and painful for Arenas. From a very brief flirtation with retirement this January, to pushing himself in the weight room for countless hours this summer with renowned trainer Tim Grover, Arenas has worked diligently to get back to play again on his surgically repaired left knee. Having already retired his Agent Zero and Hibachi personas last week, the three-time all-star hit the court against the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday, simply to resume the career of Gilbert Arenas, the facilitator. Arenas had five points and 10 assists in 24 minutes in the Wizards' 101-92 victory and looked remarkably agile after three surgeries on his left knee limited him to just 15 regular season games the past two seasons."
• Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle: "There were plenty of signs of how the Rockets want to play, starting with those 15 first-quarter fast break points. The point guards and power forwards look like the strength of the team, which is not much of a surprise when there aren't any shooting guards and centers (well, almost) on the team. More than all that, though, Chase Budinger just kept doing what he has been doing, holding his own in the battle of the 'how did he get into the second round' draft picks."
• Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News: "DeJuan Blair was a smash in his preseason debut, scoring a team-leading 16 points and grabbing 19 rebounds in 22 minutes. 'I did what they asked me to, and that's rebound,' Blair said. 'Everything else came off of that.' Only Gregg Popovich could keep Blair, a second-round pick out Pittsburgh, from becoming the first Spurs player to grab 20 boards in the preseason since Will Perdue in 1996. He sat Blair for most of the fourth quarter, choosing to look at other players. After the game, Popovich pronounced himself pleased with Blair's first-game performance. Before it, the coach had cautioned about expecting too much, too soon from the 6-foot-7 rookie. 'I don't want to denigrate anything he's done in the past, and I don't want to over-emphasize anything he's doing well,' Popovich said. 'I just don't know exactly where to put him yet, as far as what kind of impact he might make.' "
• Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune: "David Kahn credits an epiphany for setting his franchise on a determined player-development course that brought former Timberwolves guard Chris Carr to practice Tuesday for an audition. Kahn's revelation last summer was that the Wolves can become league leaders in making their own players better. They already have interviewed several candidates for a sixth assistant coaching position, devoted solely to working with players on their skills. Former Timberwolves players Darrick Martin and Tony Campbell came to town before the team left for training camp in Mankato. Carr arrived Tuesday after a short crosstown trip from Hopkins, where he operates a basketball training academy for schoolchildren of all ages. The hire is another step in Kahn's effort to remake a franchise that hasn't made the playoffs since 2004."
• Ted Kulfan of The Detroit News: "Backing down simply isn't acceptable in the NBA. A young player must establish himself from the start, basically in each and every game. Reptuations are earned quickly, and unflattering ones don't go away easily. Weakness is noticed in this league, maybe more than any other sports league. Weaknesses will be exploited. It's early in the Pistons' season, but it's already apparent that no NBA bully is taking the lunch money of rookies Austin Daye, DaJuan Summers and Jonas Jerebko. Those were the indications from last week's training camp, and fortified Monday in the exhibition opener against the Miami Heat. 'These guys are fearless in the way they play the game,' coach John Kuester said. 'They play the game the right way.' "
• Tom Enlund of the Journal Sentinel: "New coach? New system? That's certainly nothing new for forward Hakim Warrick of the Milwaukee Bucks. After experiencing a revolving door on the coach's office during the first four years of his NBA career in Memphis, Warrick signed with coach Scott Skiles' Bucks as a free agent in July. Warrick is now playing under the fifth coach - or sixth, depending on how you count - since he entered the league in 2005. So it's easy to understand why the 6-foot-9 Warrick is looking for a bit of coaching stability. Warrick, in fact, had to stop and think for a moment when asked how many coaches he had played for in Memphis. 'I started with (Mike) Fratello, then we had (Tony) Barone, and then (Marc) Iavaroni ... and if you wanted (to count him), we had Johnny Davis for a game or two. And Lionel (Hollins). So that would be five in four years.' Hollins started last season as an assistant to Skiles but took the Grizzlies' coaching job in January."
• Dan Tomasino of the New York Post: "Jordan Hill is a quiet guy, but the amount of noise he makes on the court this season is of utmost importance to the Knicks' future. The first-round draft pick must prove he was worthy of such a high selection (No. 8 overall) to keep fans from losing faith in the drafting prowess of team president Donnie Walsh and coach Mike D'Antoni. And he must show he is a building block of a championship-caliber team in order to lure LeBron James to New York. The Knicks gambled on drafting Hill, a 6-foot-10 power forward, despite the presence of David Lee at the position and the team's obvious need for a point guard. In fact, Hill was drafted ahead of talented point guard Brandon Jennings, who greatly impressed scouts and executives with his Summer League performance. The Knicks selected Hill because they believe he has Amare Stoudemire-like ability. That'
  s the kind of player who would be a great complement for James, should the Knicks sign the superstar free-agent-to-be next summer. If Hill fails, The LeBron Plan could fail with him because Lee and Nate Robinson are on one-year contracts and Danilo Gallinari, 2008's lottery pick, so far has been a bust. The Knicks need to show James that they have some pieces in place and they aren't the toxic club they were made out to be when several free agents spurned them this past summer."
• Dave D'Alessandro of The Star-Ledger: "The likely starting backcourt tandem ended Tuesday's practice with only two good ankles between them, and if that wasn't enough to make Lawrence Frank reach for the nitroglycerin tablets, it's only because the Nets don't have another preseason game until Friday. Devin Harris rolled his left ankle and sat out much of the session, and just 10 minutes later, Courtney Lee turned his right ankle and was taken off for X-rays, which revealed a sprain. The unwitting instigator in each case was a guy who could actually benefit from their absences. 'Tazmanian Devil over there kind of knocked out two guys today,' Harris said, referring to rookie Terrence Williams. Harris was injured while he was backpedaling in a defensive transition: Williams stepped on his foot and 'My body went one way and the ankle went another.' Lee, who missed the last four days of work because of a bruised left foot, had the more serious injury. After colliding with Williams in a rebounding drill, he landed badly, his right ankle swelled. Though X-rays were negative, he could miss a few days."
• Ronald Tillery of The Commercial Appeal: "Mike Miller, traded from Minnesota to Washington during the offseason, has moved around in the NBA more than he thought he would. Miller spent six seasons with the Griz and is now on his fourth team. He acknowledged being a bit surprised to see Iverson land in Memphis. 'Especially a great player like him, to see him move around,' Miller said. 'That puts some comfort in me because I've been moving around a bit. You see stuff like that, but that's the NBA, you find a place and you go out there and play as hard as they can. I know he's going to play hard.' Miller offered this advice to Iverson about the fans in Memphis: 'They love basketball. If they get out there and win some games, they are going to love him.' "
• Jimmy Smith of The Times-Picayune: "With newly acquired Emeka Okafor out for this week's three preseason games, the first tonight in Philips Arena in Atlanta against the Hawks, Hilton Armstrong might have had yet another chance to impress Coach Byron Scott with his ability to play in the post. But a strained left thigh is jeopardizing that possibility, according to Scott, who said Tuesday he might rest Armstrong for the first two games. ... Already this season, pundits are predicting that Armstrong's $2.8 million salary will be the perfect trading-deadline number to erase from New Orleans' payroll to lessen the expected blow of a luxury-tax bill at the end of the season. Yet Armstrong, in his fourth year and the Hornets' first-round draft pick in 2006, has never been far from a positive assessment in the last week and half since the team convened for training camp in Lafayette. Almost every day, when someone asked Scott to evaluate the players in camp, Armstrong's name has been one of the first he has mentioned. Why? 'Two things,' Scott said. 'No. 1, his conditioning is fantastic. No. 2, he's just much more aggressive than he has been in the past. And No. 3 is probably his confidence level. Those three things have been pretty evident when you watch him out here playing.' "
• Steve Buffery of the Toronto Sun: "It took the crowd of 7,213 at the John Labatt Centre about five minutes before they started chanting the name of their favourite new player, Reggie Evans. And Evans no doubt will become a fan favourite at the Air Canada Centre too. He brings a style of play -- toughness, rebounding, energy -- which the Raptors have lacked in recent seasons. Last night, in the Raptors' 107-98 loss to the 'host' Philadelphia 76ers, the energetic Evans lived up to his advance billing, firing on all cylinders right from the opening buzzer. In the first quarter, the former Iowa star picked up six points (despite missing a number of layups under the basket), three steals, two offensive rebounds and an assist -- prompting the chant of 'Reggie, Reggie, Reggie'. 'It was a cool,' Evans said of the crowd. 'But at the end of the day, we've got to get the fans a win.' "
• Sam Amick of The Sacramento Bee: "Tyreke Evans received the start from Kings coach Paul Westphal and didn't look likely to give it up anytime soon, finishing with 12 points on 5-of-13 shooting, two assists, five rebounds and just one turnover in 24 minutes. His play continued to be predictable in all the right kinds of ways, with no one mistaking him for a pure point guard but nearly everyone recognizing the sheer impact he can have on a game. 'He looked like a veteran out there,' Kings coach Paul Westphal said of the player taken fourth overall in the June draft out of Memphis. 'He fit right in. For a first game on the road in a place like this against a team like this, there were a lot of good things to take away from it.' "
• Elliott Teaford of the Long Beach Press-Telegram: "Derek Fisher worked out with Peter Park, who has served as the strength and conditioning coach for cyclist Lance Armstrong, during the summer. As a result, Fisher showed up for training camp, older, wiser and just as fit as ever. Maybe fitter. It was a clear signal to all concerned he was back and ready for a run at a second consecutive NBA championship. It also was a sign he wouldn't be content to fade into the background after winning the fourth title of his career. Jordan Farmar and Shannon Brown, the heirs apparent, took notice. 'Fisher's been around,' the 22-year-old Farmar said. 'He's won four rings. He still takes care of himself. He still gets the job done, so I've got to continue to keep working and support him in practice. Shannon is going to be there, too. We're all going to keep pushing each other, and that's going to make us better.' Farmar also is in the final season of his contract, so he has a good deal to prove as he hopes to play well enough to secure a big payday next July. Pushing for more playing time, battling Fisher in practice is the only way to get a bigger and better deal."
• Marcus Thompson II of The Oakland Tribune: "The last few years in Warriors world, the atmosphere has been nothing short of volatile. Players often speak of the unpredictability of the Golden State environment. Then there's Andris Biedrins. The 23-year-old center is a picture of consistency for the Warriors, one of the few reliable producers. Perhaps his most important area of consistency is his steady improvement. Biedrins has increased his scoring and rebounding averages in each of his five NBA seasons, and he has expanded his presence in the locker room. Can the Warriors expect more from him? He thinks so. 'I can always get better,' said Biedrins, who at one point last season posted a triple-double in 17 consecutiv
  e games, one off the Warriors' record. 'You want to keep adding stuff to your game.' "
• Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel: "Vince Carter executed the beginning of the pick-and-roll perfectly. Carter drove past the defender who had been guarding him, sped into the lane and threw the basketball to Dwight Howard. Problem was, Howard wasn't expecting the ball. 'Man, I didn't know you were going to pass it,' Howard said. 'I thought you were going to score.' That sequence from a recent practice -- and described to reporters by Carter -- illustrates perhaps the biggest challenge the Orlando Magic face this preseason: The addition of so many new players means the defending Eastern Conference champions must build team chemistry all over again. The chemistry experiment will continue tonight when the Magic play the Miami Heat at Amway Arena. 'I want us to have an understanding season from Day One,' Carter said. 'We're trying to make our way through, instead of just feeling our way.' "
• Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald: "While all Green eyes are certain to be on Kevin Garnett tonight when the Celtics take the floor in Hidalgo, Texas, for their preseason opener against the Rockets, Doc Rivers doesn't see this as a grand opening. 'No, it's just another day,' the coach said after yesterday's practice. 'I'm sure it'll be billed as that though. You know, he's back on opening night as far as I'm concerned. Right now he's just going to play basketball.' The Celts will continue to try to manage Garnett through his comeback from right knee surgery, though both the club and player reiterated there is no trouble with the repaired area. But Rivers noted he'll keep KG out if the shin splints and calf problems persist."

• Broderick Turner and Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times: "Derek Fisher, 35, in his 14th season and the final year of a contract that pays him $5 million, said he plans on playing beyond the 2009-10 NBA season. 'I'm definitely not shutting it down after this season,' Fisher said after the Lakers' practice Monday. He plays point guard, a position in which so many younger players are quick and looking to attack him. Fisher knows that teammates Jordan Farmar, 22, and Shannon Brown, 23, are looking to push him for the starting job. Fisher is not ready to think about retirement. 'I don't see any reason why he can't play past this season,' Lakers Coach Phil Jackson said. 'I know that we all think that we can get away with age, but age does have a tendency to level us out as we go along. But he's done such a great job of keeping his whole physique and his training together, it's awful hard to see any flaws in him right now.' Fisher said he spoke with Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak so he was aware of where Fisher stands."
• Bob Finnan of The News-Herald: "The Cavs made a lot of fans unhappy over the course of last season by standing up in front of their bench. The NBA has since ruled players can no longer stand in front of the fans. LeBron James isn't sure he likes the ruling. 'It's hard to take that out of the game,' he said. 'Part of the game is emotion. Do you want to take that out of the game? Sometimes, your teammates are all you have.' The league has softened its stance on the dress code. James said he thinks the same thing will happen with the no-standing order. 'That's something you can't take out of the game, guys cheering,' he said. 'There's no way you can do it. That's part of the reason we played so well. We cheered on each other.' "
• Jonathan Abrams of The New York Times: "The N.B.A. union began tracking the classroom migration this year. Debbie Rothstein Murman, the director for career development for the union, said the number was much higher than in the past, although she does not have earlier numbers. For elite athletes, who command seven-figure salaries, returning to college is an investment and a hedge against what can be an uncertain future. Chris Paul of the New Orleans Hornets resumed classes at Wake Forest, and Russell Westbrook's teammate Kevin Durant continued working toward his degree at Texas. ... The Thunder and the Golden State Warriors each had three players enrolled in summer courses. While some are establishing building blocks for the future, others are fulfilling promises to loved ones or aiming to become the first member of a family to graduate from college. 'I have a younger brother, and it sets an example for him and how important it is,' said Westbrook, who declared for the N.B.A. after his sophomore season at U.C.L.A. The lectures could be boring, he said, and it took an entire day to write one page of the first paper assigned to him. But he also had the benefit of attending a university where a number of N.B.A. players convened for pickup games. So Westbrook easily shuttled from the court to the classroom. He recently posted on Twitter that he had received all B's in his summer classes."
• Scott Cacciola of The Commercial Appeal: "It is a coincidence that Allen Iverson's official public unveiling as a member of the Grizzlies will play out tonight in Richmond, Va., a short drive down Interstate 64 to the Atlantic shore, where he grew up. The Grizzlies' preseason opener against the Washington Wizards promises to be a homecoming of sorts for Iverson, still beloved by many in the state who watched him star in football and basketball at Bethel High in Hampton, Va. But the game also underscores an indisputable fact, one to which the rest of the team must grow accustomed: Iverson, at this stage of his career, is a bigger brand and greater draw than the Grizzlies. And it could create an interesting dynamic as Lionel Hollins continues to emphasize the need for team building."
• Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle: "Aaron Brooks has seen his role change in small ways. He is the first point guard in drills, rather than waiting his turn. He has been featured in appearances and often the first request of the media during the sessions after practices. 'I still kind of know what the rookies are going through,' Brooks said. 'Everything is going 100 miles per hour. The thing that is most different for me is that everything slows down. You've seen everything. You know all the plays. You know what people are going to do before they do it. You relax, go out and play and try to be more vocal.' There will be more important tests, beginning with the back-to-back today and Wednesday against the Spurs and Celtics and similarly swift point guards Tony Parker and Rajon Rondo. It could be premature to expect Brooks to run in that fast company, but he said he does not mind the expectations or feel the pressure. As the trip back to McAllen reminded, he has come too far too quickly to worry about where he can go next."
• Scott Souza of The MetroWest Daily News: "With only six practices in the first seven days of preseason, and not a single double session, Celtics coach Doc Rivers acknowledges he is not even close to putting in all the sets and plays he normally might by the eve of the exhibition opener. But that's fine with the Celtics. With the experience both coming back and coming into this year's roster, they may still be well ahead of the game. 'We put in a few sets and we're playing off that so well right now,' said Paul Pierce. 'Doc sees these guys are picking it up easy. But at the same time we want to get in a good flow with the things we have in there so far.' Newcomer Rasheed Wallace predicted the collective basketball IQ of the main rotation will allow the Celtics to create so much out of a handful of sets that a book full of plays will hardly be necessary. Ray Allen said yesterday he's seen evidence of that in how few plays the team runs even when it's trying to go through plays with Wallace and fellow free-agent acquisition Marquis Daniels."
• Benjamin Hochman of The Denver Post: "In the past decade, only one Western Conference team did what the Nuggets are trying to do this season. The stars aligned above, fittingly, for the Suns in 2005, and three of their players competed in the NBA All-Star Game. As for Denver, if Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups play as well as they did last last season, they will be headed to Dallas. But who's the third? 'Shaq is gone, Yao is out,' Nuggets coach George Karl said. 'This is the year of opportunity for Nene.' For the past couple of years, Karl has mentioned that Nene could someday be an all-star. This season might be his best chance. With Shaquille O'Neal in Cleveland and Houston's Yao Ming out with a foot injury, the 6-foot-11, 250-pound Nene is on the shortlist of the West's elite centers, along with the Lakers' Pau Gasol and the Suns' Amare Sto
  udemire, who technically is a power forward, as is Minnesota's Al Jefferson. Also, Emeka Okafor has joined New Orleans, bringing his 13.2 points and 10.1 rebounds per game to the Hornets."
• Mike Monroe of the San Antonio Express-News: "When Antonio McDyess got into the first five-on-five scrimmage of training camp with his new teammates, he knew what to expect of most of the other big men. Once he found himself matched up against Ian Mahinmi, however, he began to wonder about a youngster with uncommon size and athleticism. 'I said, 'Oh, my goodness, this guy is good,' ' McDyess said. 'I wondered why I hadn't heard more about him. I love his game.' Spurs fans have been waiting to see more of Mahinmi since the Spurs made him the 28th pick in the 2005 draft. Beginning with tonight's preseason opener at the AT&T Center against the Houston Rockets, they will get another chance. Mahinmi knows tonight's game is the start of the most important preseason of his young career. He must prove he merits consideration for a spot in a frontline rotation that has added McDyess, veteran Theo Ratliff and rookie DeJuan Blair."
• Tom Enlund of the Journal Sentinel: "During a water break at a recent Milwaukee Bucks practice at the team's training center, forward Luc Richard Mbah a Moute positioned himself alone at a basket and hoisted a number of jump shots while the other players quenched their thirst. It's also not uncommon to see the second-year player stay after practice and put up even more jumpers with assistant coaches. Improving his mid-range jump shot has been high on Mbah a Moute's list since the end of last season and it's something he took seriously over the summer and in training camp. 'He's put in hours and hours on it,' said Bucks assistant coach Bill Peterson, who worked regularly with Mbah a Moute over the summer. 'And good, quality time. Not just messing around. I think we'll see progress. Will he be where we want him to be? Not quite yet. He's only a second-year player. He's really focused on it. He wants to get better.' "
• Eric Koreen of the National Post: "It is only pre-season. Veterans do not get overly worked up about the first exhibition game of the year. Rookies, though, might get a bit over-excited to play their first professional basketball game. That is where those veterans are supposed to calm the youngsters down. Toronto Raptors veteran Chris Bosh is taking a different approach with the team's lone rookie, DeMar DeRozan. He is doling out some more practical advice. 'Don't mess up,' Bosh said. Well, that should relax the 20-year-old as he kicks off his career when the Raptors visit London, Ont., to play the Philadelphia 76ers.
• Mark Woods for the Chicago Sun-Times: "With Derrick Rose nursing an injury and John Salmons 4,000 miles away awaiting the birth of a child, Kirk Hinrich figures to start for the Bulls today when they meet the Utah Jazz in an exhibition game at the O2 Arena. As for when that will happen again, who knows? ''Right now, they'll probably be bringing me off the bench,' Hinrich said. ''John is just more of a natural two-guard. I'm more of a combo. I really don't care. I just want to play when it counts and help this team any way I can.' Ask any member of the Bulls, and they'll tell you they need all the help they can get after losing leading scorer Ben Gordon, who signed a free-agent deal with Detroit. And for Hinrich, starting his seventh year in the NBA, it's a chance to re-emphasize his worth after he missed 31 games because of injury last season and underwent an awkward transition to the bench."
• Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press: "Dwyane Wade couldn't do anything but laugh Monday night. The Heat star had just taken an outlet pass and was going to glide in for an emphatic dunk late in the second quarter of the exhibition opener for the Pistons and Heat. But midway through the glide, Pistons rookie Austin Daye came over to block the dunk and knock it out of bounds, eliciting a cheer from the sparse Palace crowd. Wade looked around and grinned. Later in the possession there was a Pistons foul, and Wade just joked and laughed with the Pistons' bench -- particularly Tayshaun Prince -- telling it that it was a great play. The good cheer continued throughout the night for the Pistons as they opened with an 87-83 victory. Pistons coach John Kuester grinned when asked about the play afterward, saying Wade's reaction showed his class. Kuester remarked how Daye and his fellow members of the Pistons' draft class -- Jonas Jerebko and DaJuan Summers -- will compete against anybody and doesn't really realize when they are going against a superstar."
• Lisa Dillman of the Los Angeles Times: "It takes a village to raise a free-throw shooting percentage. Or something like that. But advice and affirmation from learned elders and helpful teammates can go only so far when you are flirting with sub-Shaq-like numbers. The Clippers' DeAndre Jordan, mindful of the grim 38.5% free-throw shooting in his rookie season, got his 6-foot-11 self into the gym in the summer. And stayed in the gym. 'I'm working on my free throws. A lot, a lot,' Jordan said. 'At the beginning of the summer, I had to make 10 in a row after I worked out to actually leave. The first couple of days it was tough. I would be here, like, an hour. I'd get to nine, like, eight times and missed the 10th in a row, like twirling the ball out. I'd be kicking a ball all the way over there. I'd have to stick with it and the time would get shorter and shorter.' He went six for nine from the line Sunday in the Clippers' opening preseason game at Oakland, a 108-101 loss to the Golden State Warriors. Jordan had his own eye-catching numbers: 22 points and 10 rebounds."
• Rachel Tobin Ramos of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: "The movie theater that bears Magic Johnson's name at Greenbriar Mall -- opened amid much hoopla 13 years ago -- will show its last movie on Sunday. The theater owner, Kansas City, Mo.,-based AMC Entertainment, said the 12-screen complex is underperforming. Employees were told last week the theater will close Oct. 11. The company would not say how many people are employed at the theater or whether they will be offered positions at other AMC properties. Ex-NBA star Johnson is no longer a partner in the theater, though it has borne his name since he invested $8 million to build the complex in 1996."

• "When we put pursue universal principles ... we do ourselves a massive disservice." That's Malcolm Gladwell talking about coffee, but it applies to analyzing basketball players.
• Chris Paul says his dad spent his entire 401k on his kids' AAU basketball. Wow. Paul says he also had to have a 3.0 grade point average or his parents wouldn't let him play.
• The NBA has a real tap-dance to do, talking about replacement referees. They sell us on the integrity of the game with promises of the best referees in the world. Now those same people have to sell us on the acceptability of a whole other bunch, including some people they previously fired for incompetence. So ... does the NBA demand the best referees in the world, or not?
• The Maloofs say they won't apply to relocate the Kings before the March deadline. 
  
• Brian Windhorst of the Plain Dealer: "Delonte West is at Cavs practice, more info to come."
• Everybody's talking about the important new addition to the Spurs. Richard Jefferson? Try Antonio McDyess.
• A video report on the Wizards' four candidates -- DeShawn Stevenson, Mike Miller, Randy Foye and Nick Young -- to start at shooting guard.
• Zach Harper of Cowbell Kingdom: "Sean May made weight (sub-265 lbs.), which earned him the final $100,000 of his contract this season. I on the other hand decided I didn't want to walk up the stairs to my bathroom and weigh myself, so I stayed downstairs, watched the latest Sons of Anarchy, and paid my DirecTV bill. So he made 100 Grand by not eating 100 Grand and I gave a big corporation $115 dollars. I can totally relate to his life."
• If Blake Griffin signs your sandwich, and you eat it, will it make you more Griffinish?
• When Carlos Boozer is healthy, the Jazz have been really good. The Jazz play tonight, in the pre-season's first game against the Nuggets. Hopefully Hall-of-Fame coach Jerry Sloan won't have to deal with traffic. Ross Siler of the Salt Lake Tribune writes: "Sloan's commute to the Jazz's practice facility has been negatively impacted by construction for a new highway off-ramp for a Karl Malone Toyota dealership. 'I'm going to get on his butt and see if he can get that done with,' Sloan joked."
• The NBA has e-mailed to say that any reports that the league has told people not to shake hands ... are false. 
• Channing Frye on Inglorious Basterds: "It is really a bit graphic at times but, no lie, so is life. The one thing I really can't get enough of is the great dialogue. The conversation between characters is what makes the movie, what molds the storyline, what draws me in. The action and craziness gives me a cherry on top."
  

• Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News: "After missing 43 games last season -- including all of the playoffs -- with various ankle ailments, the prescription for Manu Ginobili's offseason included rest, rest and more rest. The one non-negotiable rule: No picking up a basketball. 'I guess they didn't trust my judgment,' Ginobili said. Ginobili arrived at training camp completely healed of the stress fracture in his right distal fibula that ended his season on April 5, and had transformed one of the league's most feared postseason performers into a helpless spectator for the Spurs' first-round playoff ouster against Dallas. Of all the additions the team made during the offseason, and there were many, the one they might be most excited about is a healthy Manu Ginobili. The Spurs were 36-12 with him in the lineup last season. They were 23-20 without him, including five playoff games. 'Hopefully, Manu will just be Manu,' Tony Parker said. The last time Ginobili took an entire Argentine winter off -- in 2007 -- he responded with the best season of his NBA career."
• Ramona Shelburne of the Los Angeles Daily News: "One thing about Tuesday's annual Lakers media day was downright shocking. As reporters, camera crews, radio producers and assorted other random people with handheld cameras positioned themselves to speak with the newest Laker -- Ron Artest -- and the newest Kardashian -- Lamar Odom -- the reigning Finals MVP walked onto the court with hardly anybody noticing. That would be Kobe Bryant, in case you've been too distracted watching the live feed of Odom's Sunday nuptials on TMZ's Web site. Two years ago, his entrance to the Lakers' practice facility meant the End of Days had been averted, with reporters stationed in the parking lot jotting down his exact arrival time after he spent the summer asking to play on Pluto. Last season, his was the only voice that carried much weight after the franchise recovered from a humiliating loss to the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals. But this time around, Bryant looked like an extra on the set just trying to earn his SAG card. 'I love it,' he joked. 'It's cool and smooth.' Bryant, asked if he was grateful to Odom and Artest for taking the spotlight off of him, smiled and said, "I'll be thanking them all season long." He meant it as a joke, but no one will be laughing if any of the new, let's call it 'exposure,' becomes a distraction for the Lakers on the court."
• Sekou Smith of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: "So much for taking it easy on his stitched-up fingers. Hawks forward Josh Smith was on the floor for all but the scrimmage portion of Tuesday's first training-camp practice. He did this after saying Monday that he would 'probably stay out of the mix' to keep the stitches between the index and middle fingers on his left hand out of harm's way. 'I've got a pad on there, and my fingers are separated with tape to keep it all safe and secure,' Smith said. 'I did some conditioning on the treadmill while they did the five-minute [scrimmage] drill, but other than that, I feel great. My body is in great shape, and nobody needs to be worried about anything. This was just a minor setback.' Smith gashed his hand two weeks ago during a pickup game at the Hawks' practice facility and needed seven stitches to close the cut."
• Mike Jones of The Washington Times: "The day before the Washington Wizards began their first training camp under Flip Saunders, Caron Butler said he was anxious to see how things would unfold. He never expected what awaited the Wizards at their team dinner Monday night. Saunders, a part-time magician, brought in John-Ivan Palmer, who calls himself 'The Fastest and Funniest Hypnotist,' to provide entertainment and a little team building. Palmer, upon whom Saunders called a few times during his days with the Minnesota Timberwolves, had several players join him on stage. He successfully hypnotized Nick Young, Mike James and Gilbert Arenas but couldn't quite get DeShawn Stevenson or Butler to fall under his spell. At one point, whenever the lights went off, Young galloped around the room on a balloon as if it were a horse. James couldn't remember his last name and barked like a dog every time he heard the word 'defeat.' Arenas couldn't open his hand and moved like he was using a hula hoop."
• Kate Fagan of The Philadelphia Inquirer: "When last season ended for the 76ers, it did so with inner turmoil that included players' claims of mismanagement. A month later, the team had a new head coach: Eddie Jordan. Yesterday at St. Joseph's University -- home of the Sixers' training camp -- Jordan began installing his standards for discipline, efficiency, and execution. 'He's very strict on things,' guard Lou Williams said. 'One of the main things, he stopped the drill and we had to tuck our shirts in, and I think that's the first time we've had a coach that's been so set in his ways. And I think the type of team that we are, we're going to need that. We're going to need our coach to be our leader, and it's going to have to transfer to the guys on the court.' The Sixers practiced twice yesterday. The morning session went three hours, and Jordan focused on defense. The night practice was dedicated to the Princeton offense, Jordan's pass-and-cut system."
• John Jackson of the Chicago Sun-Times: "Despite having offers elsewhere for more money and years, Jannero Pargo didn't hesitate to accept when the Bulls called over the summer and offered a one-year, $2 million deal. 'It's my city. I'm from here and I'm familiar with the organization,' he said. 'But most of all, I thought it was an opportunity for me to come in and help a team be a little more successful than it was last year. Things are moving in the right direction and I want to be a part of it.' Pargo, who played at Robeson, spent two-plus seasons with the Bulls from 2004 to 2006. Although he was always caught in a numbers game in a crowded backcourt then, Pargo was a valuable backup because he had the ability to come in and provide consistent scoring without consistent playing time. 'That's one of the pluses I bring to a team, just being ready at all times; not playing a game or two and being ready that third game when called upon,' he said."
• Ronald Tillery of The Commercial Appeal: "Veteran guard Allen Iverson appeared to enjoy his new surroundings. The 34-year-old in his 14th season sang whenever there were stops in the action, yet went through every drill with high energy or in game mode. 'I still hate (training camp),' Iverson said, laughing. 'But if you can get through training camp, it makes it easier to get through the season. ... It's different because I'm the oldest one in here. I feel like one of the coaches.' The Grizzlies' first scrimmage during the morning session had Ive
  rson working with the second unit. Gay, Zach Randolph, Mike Conley, O.J. Mayo and Marc Gasol made up the first team. Hollins cautioned not to read too much into early lineup combinations. He told the team that the players who started last season begin camp in starting roles."
• Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune: "When asked if Kevin McHale's approach with him in particular benefitted him last season or if it was too conservative, Kevin Love answered simply, 'Too conservative.' He also admitted he reported to his first training camp a year ago this week in no shape for such a long professional season. 'Absolutely not,' Love said. 'I'm 20 pounds less coming into camp than I was last year. It took me a month and a half, two months to get into shape last season. Coming into training camp in shape this year really is going to help me in the long run.' Wolves new basketball boss David Kahn calls Love 'remarkably sleeker.' New coach Kurt Rambis terms Love's physical condition 'OK' and 'good enough' for what Rambis will expect from him on a team instructed to run, run, run this season."
• Howard Beck of The New York Times: "Danilo Gallinari's scouting report came to life Tuesday night, with dunks, deft passes and fluid moves. From the sideline, Mike D'Antoni could only smile and try not to get carried away. It was just one training-camp scrimmage, the Knicks' first of 2009. But watching a healthy, energetic Gallinari run the floor and make plays underlined what D'Antoni, the Knicks' coach, has been saying all along: the kid can play. 'I'm excited,' D'Antoni said. 'I'll try to tone it down. But you see that he knows how to play.' The superlatives and expectations keep growing for Gallinari, the sixth overall pick in the 2008 draft. He showed no signs of discomfort in Tuesday's two practices, or any indication that he had undergone minor back surgery five months ago. He did, however, show off his full range of skills while playing with the first unit in the evening scrimmage."
• Al Iannazzone of The Record: "The Nets opened training camp Tuesday not worried about who they lost or who might be coming next season but how they can make something of the 2009-10 campaign. To a man, the Nets talked about proving wrong the critics who picked them to be awful, and doing it with defense. It was so stressed that when coach Lawrence Frank was asked when he would put some new offensive plays in he replied, 'We're not doing offense.' So many things have to go right for the Nets to have an unexpectedly successful season, and everything starts with point guard Devin Harris. Vince Carter's trade to Orlando in June means the Nets are Harris' team. 'I like the sound of it,' Harris said after the first practice. 'You put your mark on it, your personality on it. It's not so much talking about it or voicing it but leading by example.' Who would fill the leadership void was of major concern but Harris, 26, seems ready to take the next step in his NBA development."
• Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer: "Raja Bell said the core group all being together this preseason should instill some continuity the team lacked. Bell agrees with Mohammed that there's enough talent to reach the playoffs. But he acknowledges the margin for error is small because of the absence of a superstar. 'If you have a Kobe Bryant or a LeBron James, you can get away with a little less continuity,' Bell said. 'When you have a team of guys who are all good players, but no guy who is going to the free-throw line 27 times a night, you have to play together. That's going to be the beauty of us all being in the same training camp (following a season of roster churn). And Larry Brown is the perfect guy to navigate us through those waters early.' "
• Jimmy Smith of The Times-Picayune: "The ice man cometh to Cajun country. And it was a good thing. After a first-day workout that lasted a little more than 3 1/2 hours, the Hornets' training and equipment staff was busy distributing more than 40 ice bags to the 17 players in training camp. 'More than a normal day,' equipment manager David Jovanovic said of the total number of swelling-reducing packs used Tuesday. All-Star forward David West sat on the sideline of Louisiana-Lafayette's Moncla Indoor Practice Facility with a bag on his back, one on each knee, and one on his left hamstring. All-Star guard Chris Paul had both knees iced. Rookie No. 1 draft pick Darren Collison walked around with ice attached to the back of each calf. Forward Julian Wright had his knees and calves iced down. 'As advertised,' Collison said of his first day in an NBA camp. 'We were cramping a little bit, but it's something you just have to push through.' "
• Michael Grange of the Globe and Mail: "Jay Triano has instituted a policy of no phones or computers for those watching practice, a ban that extends to team president Bryan Colangelo, who admitted that he was going through withdrawal after going nearly two hours without using his Blackberry. Colangelo said he's allowed to check his messages, but if he needs to respond to one, he has to leave the gym. The idea is that time in the gym should be spent on basketball; if other business needs to be done, it's less distracting if it's taken care of elsewhere, Colangelo said."
• Chris Dempsey of The Denver Post: "In the backdrop of the possibility of George Karl getting a contract extension with the Denver Nuggets this season is a milestone that would make it all worth the hassle. 1,000 wins. Friends and family have already broached the subject of Karl staying in the NBA at least until the mark is reached. 'There's some summer talk every once in a while about winning 1,000 that my kids have kind of joked with and some of my friends feel it would be a great mark,' Karl said. 'It means I'm an old (guy) that's coached a lot of games and have had some good teams.' "
• Ross Siler of The Salt Lake Tribune: "If he is at all concerned about the reception that awaits him at EnergySolutions Arena, Carlos Boozer wasn't letting on Tuesday, just two days before the Jazz will host Denver in their preseason opener. 'I haven't thought about it at all, to be honest,' Boozer said. 'I'm looking forward to playing, looking forward to proving a lot to everybody, to myself, and getting back to being an All-Star player.' Back for a sixth season in Utah, Boozer will be making his first appearance Thursday before Jazz fans since conducting a series of offseason interviews in which he pushed for a trade, even naming Chicago and Miami as preferred destinations. With the Jazz having opted to bring him back, Boozer was asked if he thought fans eventually would be supportive. 'Honestly, I don't know,' he said. 'I hope they support me. I hope the fans support me. I love our fans. I hope they know that I'm happy to be here, love being here. I'm going to bust my tail for them and give them everything I've got and prove everything on the court.' "
• Israel Gutierrez of The Miami Herald: "For those who thought the Dwyane Wade Show reached its climax last season, it's safe to say they will be pleasantly surprised. It hardly is a stretch to consider that Wade will be better than last year. In his seventh year, Bryant's scoring average jumped almost five points to 30 a game. Wade is entering his seventh season. Want to compare ages instead of experience? Fine. When Bryant was 27, he had his best statistical season, averaging a ridiculous 35.4 points. Wade begins this season at age 27. 'This is the prime of his career,' Spoelstra said. 'He's [27] years old and he'll never have times like this again when he gets older. This is what players want to play at, when they have the experience but also the athleticism and quickness. I think he can play at this level for another four, five, six years.' Now that makes sense."

• What obligation to teams have to their fans to keep them informed about injuries? Zach Lowe of CelticsHub: "As for the state of [Kevin] Garnett's knee toward the end of last season, it's reasonable to assume the Celitcs knew more than they revealed publicly. To us, as outsiders, it seemed a near certainty that Garnett would play in the post-season; the announcement that he would not came as a surprise gut punch. But the team likely knew the odds were against Garnett playing. At the very least, they knew there was a significant chance he would not play. Should they have told us that? Do they owe us that sort of openness?"
• Stan Van Gundy follows many different kinds of new basketball statistics, and is particularly a fan of John Hollinger's work. He also says Otis Smith's easiest decision of the off-season was bringing Adonal Foyle back.
• Beno Udrih says the Kings lacked direction last season (when they were coached by Reggie Theus until mid-December, then Kenny Natt): "We were definitely confused."
• Sam Amico, on the ClevelandFan.com, writing about Cavs guard Mo Wiliams: "Williams preferred to keep things light, continuously insisting that he's beat everyone on the team in pool. But that was news to fellow backcourt-mate Daniel Gibson. 'Oh no he hasn't,' Gibson said with a grin. 'He hasn't played everyone. That sounds like a challenge to me. Tell him I accept.'"
• A tale of Brandon Roy interrupting his own workout to greet a rookie, and invite him to come in to work out together the next day. Dante Cunningham tells BlazersEdge: "That's somebody that I want to go to battle with."
• I've talked to many team stat people who don't know which other teams even have stat experts. Everyone knows about the Rockets, Mavericks, Cavaliers, Nuggets, Celtics, Spurs and Blazers. Jeff Bower, Hornets GM, tells Hornets247 that his team has been on it for years, and has their own internal measures and databases. He also describes Vince Carter and Antonio McDyess as two of the bigger off-season acquisitions.
• Drew Gooden, holding it together.
• Clipperblog's Kevin Arnovitz: "Baron Davis looks fantastic, a shadow of his 2008 self. How did he get in such good shape over the summer? 'Crack,' Davis said in jest, before attributing his svelte physique to a summer regimen that had him either in the gym or in Asia -- both sure-fire ways to drop LBs."
• Alando Tucker loses a bet, has to grow a rat tail like Eddie Murphy in "Coming to America."
• Tony Parker will be doing limited duty in Spurs' training camp. That could be an opportunity for George Hill, who looked good in summer league.
• Jeremy from Bucksketball quotes Scott Skiles on Luc Richard Mbah a Moute: "Whatever Luc's high water mark as a player is going to be in the league he's going to reach it. When he's done playing you're going to say he's gotten the most out of his ability."
• Patty Mills was drafted in the second round by the Blazers, then broke his foot. He's almost recovered, though, and angling to make the NBA. (Via BlazersEdge)
• "All hell fell loose." It's a new saying, and I love it. Credit Tracy McGrady. 
• Jerry Sloan urges his players to cut the replacement referees some slack.
• LaMarcus Aldridge is disappointed his contract isn't done.
• UPDATE: Watch a Warriors' practice live online right now.
• UPDATE: It's back! The infamous off-season "15 pounds of muscle." A year ago we dug into this phenomenon. In an Oregonlive podcast, the Oregonian's Jason Quick made the point that the last time you saw all these players they were gaunt, gassed and spent by the rigors of the season. A lot of players are looking big and ripped for that reason alone. A TrueHoop reader urged us to consider what 15 pounds of meat would look like. That's like a Thanksgiving turkey. Is it really possible to add that much bulk? 

• Tom Knott of The Washington Times: "David Stern is playing tough with the NBA referees. You could argue it is long past time. The lack of consistent officiating in the NBA is the dynamic that never goes away. It is the dynamic that drives coaches, players and fans ballistic. Maybe now, finally, Stern wants to drive a stake through the heart of a union that let him and the NBA down in the Tim Donaghy scandal. It comes with a risk. As maddening as the officiating can be - and maddening is too soft a description whenever LeBron James is allowed to 'crab-dribble' his way to the basket - it promises to become even more infuriating with the replacement referees. These are the backups who ply their craft in the WNBA and NBA Development League, in venues where being out of position goes with the program. It is one thing to use replacement referees in the preseason. It will be another to dump them on a public that pays big dollars to attend an NBA game. That will cheapen a product that already has taken a hit in a struggling economy. That will cheapen a product that routinely fights the charge that its 82-game regular season lacks intensity and drama."
• Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel: "Michael Beasley Sr. said Saturday that his son is scheduled to be released from a Houston rehab center Sunday and expects the Miami Heat to experience a more mature player upon the second-year forward's return to the practice court. 'He said he learned a lot about himself in this process,' the elder Beasley said by phone, 'and it was a wake-up call for him that he needs to take his career more seriously.' The younger Beasley has been in inpatient treatment since last month, after committing a violation while in the NBA's substance-abuse program. His father said the two spoke for more the two hours on the eve of the forward's scheduled release. 'He's OK. He's got his head together. He's happy,' Michael Beasley Sr. said. 'He talked about the decisions he made that got him where he was. And once he took responsibility for that, then he took the program more seriously.' Beasley initially was placed in the substance-abuse program after a violation at last year's rookie-orientation symposium, where the scent of marijuana was present."
• Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe: "Many NBA observers speculated that the signing of controversial and aging guard Allen Iverson was merely a publicity stunt to sell more tickets. Chris Wallace says no. The former Celtics general manager, given the nearly impossible task of rebuilding a franchise lacking any tradition and doing it in a troubled economy, said the Iverson signing, along with the plethora of moves executed the past two years, is part of an elaborate blueprint. Wallace came from Boston with the express purpose of being the lead decision-maker, not having to check with the team president as he did in Boston with Danny Ainge. As vice president of basketball operations/general manager, he has filled the transaction wires with trades, signings, salary dumps, and draft picks, hoping to make the Grizzlies competitive and fun to watch. Iverson's presence, he said, is intended to add fire to an organization that seemed content to lose as long as it competed into the fourth quarter. Iverson may want to start, and may want the ball 40 times per game, but he will play hard."
• The Hoop: "Allen Iverson was present at the Finals of the Eurobasket 2009 and as it was expected he gathered a lot of media attention. The NBA star was asked whether he had an offer from Olympiakos this summer and his answer was 'yes'. Iverson was asked by Greek newspaper 'Goal' whether he had an offer from Olympiakos and he said it's true but he had to turn down the offer. He also said that it was difficult for him at the time to bring his family to Europe so he preferred to stay for another season in the States. Iverson said that he still has lots of fuel in his tank and he is certainly not closing any doors. 'I might come over to play in Europe one day' were his last words."
• Mike Baldwin of The Oklahoman: "Training camp is just around the corner. In eight days, Scott Brooks will begin his first full season as a head coach. Brooks abruptly was given the reins a week before Thanksgiving when P.J. Carlesimo was fired less than a month into the season. Training camp will provide Brooks a chance to implement some changes he couldn't make on the fly last season. During visits with players in their hometowns this summer, taking trips ranging from Washington, D.C., to Los Angeles, Brooks stressed improving defensively is his No. 1 priority. 'That's the one part we have to do is get consistent on the defensive end,' said Jeff Green. 'Sometimes we were lackadaisical on the defensive end, myself included. If we get consistent at that, work well together as a team, with a training camp under our belt, that will help us a lot.' "
• John S Reid of The Times-Picayune: "With China's population exceeding 1 billion and its surging middle class holding affection for pro basketball, NBA Commissioner David Stern has intensified efforts to make it the league's most successful market outside of the United States. In 2004, the NBA had only three full-time employees in China. Now it has more than 145, and operates offices in Beijing, Shanghai, Taiwan and Hong Kong. In an effort to run efficiently for the long term, the league established NBA China last year, a subsidiary that places all of the league's business in Greater China under one umbrella. Disney/ESPN and several China-based companies invested $253 million to become partners. The NBA China's biggest project is designing, constructing and operating up to 12 NBA-styled arenas in major cities throughout China. AEG, a leading sports and entertainment presenter that owns the Staples Center, is partnering in the project. Ultimately Stern has hinted about the possibility of establishing an NBA-sanctioned league in partnership with the Chinese Basketball Association, which produced NBA players Yao Ming and Yi Jianlian."
• Bob Finnan of The News-Herald: "Not only will Delonte West likely face suspension from the NBA, it's possible he'll have to do jail time. Police seized his guns and his three-wheeled motorcycle. He was released from jail early Friday on his own recognizance. He is scheduled to appear in court Nov. 20. The Cavs are playing in Indiana that night. Timberwolves guard Sebastian Telfair was suspended for three games for having a loaded gun in his possession. Don't be shocked if West is not eligible to play for several games this season. Could his possible suspension be as long as 10 games? Are you glad the Cavs signed Anthony Parker now? ... After former Browns tight end Kellen Winslow Jr.'s motorcycle accident, fans in Cleveland are well aware of the potential pitfalls of such mishaps. But West has become a key cog on the team. He's important to the
  ir defense and offense, and he plays well off LeBron James. West, 26, has battled depression and is bipolar. He's not a bad guy. He's not a Pacman Jones. He's a guy who has issues. West recently was married and purchased a $1.05 million home in Fort Washington, Md., a suburb of Washington, D.C. He might be able to get past this incident, but he'd better have a very good lawyer."
• Chuck Jaffe of the Boston Herald: "Horace Grant, a former professional basketball player, won a $1.46 million arbitration case against Morgan Keegan & Co. last week, for losses related to mutual funds that made bad bets in subprime mortgage debt. The allegations were related to investments Grant made in Regions Morgan Keegan Strategic Income, Multi-Sector Income, High Income and Advantage Income, all closed-end funds, and specifically suggest that the brokerage firm did not disclose the speculative nature of the funds. Grant played in the NBA for 14 seasons, winning three titles with the Chicago Bulls and a fourth with the Los Angeles Lakers. A former all-star and member of the NBA's all-defensive team, he's the kind of guy who can make headlines because he has the name, the fame and the deep pockets to fight a case like this one and win it. But what he also had was a case."
• Julian Garcia of the New York Daily News: "The Russian billionaire who is on the verge of funding the Nets' long-awaited move to Brooklyn is a hard-partying bachelor who was arrested in 2007 on suspicion he was involved in an upscale prostitution ring. Mikhail Prokhorov, recently named the 40th wealthiest man in the world by Forbes, has an estimated net worth of $9.5 billion. And while Forbes estimates that the 43-year-old tycoon lost approximately 51% of his fortune in the last year, Prokhorov is still reportedly close to issuing a $700 million bond through his investment firm, Onexim, that would help Nets owner Bruce Ratner build the long-delayed Barclays Center in downtown Brooklyn."

• Dan Duggan of the Boston Herald: "After averaging 16.9 points, 9.7 rebounds and 9.8 assists in the Celtics two playoff series, it would be understandable for Rajon Rondo to be looking back on that performance as a springboard heading into this season. But as he spoke yesterday at the opening of a Boost Mobile store in Mattapan, it was clear Rondo's focus is centered on Oct. 27, when the Celts open the 2009-10 season in Cleveland against the Cavaliers. 'I just want to get the season started,' Rondo said. 'What I did last year is behind. It's a whole new season. Stats start over, everything starts over. The record is 0-0 so I'm ready to start.' The past few months have been quiet after Rondo's offseason got off to a tumultuous start, beginning with rumors of a trade to the Detroit Pistons. Things took another turn in late June when general manager Danny Ainge publicly criticized Rondo and said he was not a 'max contract player.' With Rondo entering the final year of his rookie contract, he is in line for a major raise. Ainge said the sides would discuss a contract extension this fall, but Rondo reported that talks hadn't begun. Though he was tight-lipped on the issue, Rondo said he wasn't optimistic about signing a contract extension in the near future. If the sides don't agree to an extension by Oct. 31, Rondo will become a restricted free agent next summer. The best way for Rondo to ensure a big payday is by continuing to improve."
• Brian Windhorst of The Plain Dealer: "It isn't an infallible rule, but quite often in professional sports winning can make a franchise recession proof. As the shockwaves from last year's financial meltdown slam the NBA -- the teams were insulated to a certain degree last season because season tickets and sponsorships had mostly been sold before the September crash -- the Cavaliers find themselves cautiously above water. The team is doing relatively well financially and officials are saying it is not planning any layoffs or salary reductions. In fact, over the last year the Cavs have been adding to their staff. 'We have been very fortunate, our fans have continued to show us tremendous support,' said Len Komoroski, the president of the Cavaliers and Quicken Loans Arena. 'We have seen it in many different levels from record ticket sales, television ratings and Web hits.' Komoroski said the team has also been helped by strong regional support, especially from the Pittsburgh and Columbus areas. Last season, 23 percent of the team's individual ticket sales came from out of state."
• Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle: "Going against an economy that is taking its toll on efforts to sell tickets in many NBA cities and competing with the Tracy McGrady/Yao Ming injury factors, the Rockets are ahead of their usual ticket sales pace. Success in NBA season-ticket sales, however, is largely determined from Labor Day to Thanksgiving, making the weeks to come the key to the Rockets' hopes of claiming a business victory. 'We are not only ahead of where would previously be (in mid-September), we have sold more tickets to date than any other year we have been in Toyota Center, more full-season tickets,' Rockets chief executive officer Tad Brown said. 'Certainly, our momentum began toward the end of the season and ran through the playoffs, but it hasn't slowed.' Much of the Rockets' good start on ticket sales comes from their postseason success last season. Since their move to Toyota Center in 2003, this will be the first time they begin a season having won a playoff series."
• Ted Kulfan of The Detroit News: "The economic hardship that's continuing to grip the region is going to affect the Pistons this season. Owner Karen Davidson, who took over the team when her husband, Bill, passed away last season, said economics will have an impact. 'We're going to have to work harder. Everything has to be better and we have to give more for the dollar,' Davidson said Wednesday as the Pistons and Coca-Cola teamed up to purchase back-to-school supplies for needy kids. 'You see it everywhere you go. We've always given away tickets -- it's good to get them in the house, so to speak -- but we have to get them (fans) out. And we have good product, I feel real strong about it this year. We'll just go forward. I love Michigan. We're all going to come back. It's a great place to be. I feel optimistic but there's a long way to go. There's a lot of people who need jobs and that's primarily why we're stepping up for this (Wednesday's promotion at an Auburn Hills Costco), too.' "
• Sekou Smith of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: "It's not often that rookie free agent center Garret Siler is forced to look up to someone on a basketball court. But that's exactly what happened to the 7-footer Wednesday when Los Angeles Lakers center Andrew Bynum cut through the door of the Hawks' practice facility to get a workout in at the John 'Beans' Beckett Invitational. Bynum and Siler matched up in two different games and Siler acquitted himself well, neither big man dominated the action -- that honor belonged to veteran pro Jerry Stackhouse (who has been on a tear this week on both ends of the floor against players much younger). Siler said he was just happy to have the chance to compete against a pro of Bynum's caliber. 'This is the best test for me to see guys like [Hawks center] Al Horford and [Bynum] out here,' Siler said. 'It helps mentally when you can say, 'hey, i'm d'ing this guy up and he plays for the world champions. He's got a ring.' So if you can hold your own going against and he's not just destroying you, hey, you must be doing something right.' "
• Mike Finger of the San Antonio Express-News: "Fabricio Oberto needed to talk. I didn't know him well. We'd met at his first public Texas appearance, the day he was introduced as a member of the Spurs four years ago, but it's not like he was a popular locker-room interview subject. More often than not after games, he'd slip out past the crowds of cameras and microphones surrounding Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili without saying a word. But this day was different, and you didn't need to be a psychoanalyst to figure out why. We were bound for San Antonio -- the city he and his family had called home since 2005, the city where he was recently told he was no longer needed, and the city where the house he'd always figured he'd retire in now stood half-empty with a 'For Sale' sign in front of it. Understandably, Oberto had a few things on his mind. Most of us never dream we'll end up feeling sympathy for millionaires, particularly professional athletes. They live a recession-proof, jet-setting life of luxury, with ego-stroking admirers and work days that look like recess. Sure, they have their problems, but we'd trade ours for theirs in a heartbeat. So it's jarring, then, when you find yourself in the curious position of trying to cheer up a guy who spent your approximate net worth on his guest room. The conversation didn'
  t start out that way -- in fact, the tipping point might have been a discussion about the upcoming Austin City Limits music festival. Last year, Oberto attended all three days. This year, he'll miss it because of the Washington Wizards' training camp. 'I wish I didn't have to leave,' he said."
• Jimmy Smith of The Times-Picayune: "Facing the possibility of a roster with about a half-dozen new faces, New Orleans Hornets Coach Byron Scott figured some early bonding might be in order this season. What better way to accomplish that than having his team be a captive audience at the outset of training camp, where closeness for a week in Lafayette, Scott hopes, will breed brotherhood. 'With six or seven new faces, I just wanted us to get away,' Scott said Wednesday at the announcement that the Hornets will spend six days working at Louisiana-Lafayette's Leon Moncla indoor practice facility. 'I didn't want practice to end and everybody go home. I wanted us to be in a hotel close to one another. 'We're going to be at the hotel after practice having lunch together and then dinner; they are basically on their own. But you know when you've got guys in the same hotel, they'll start calling each other to see where they want to go for dinner, and that's just to speed up the camaraderie and the togetherness.' "
• Paola Boivin of The Arizona Republic: "The Diamondbacks are stagnant, the Coyotes irrelevant and the Cardinals worrisome. If you are in need of a dose of positive Valley sports karma, spend a few minutes with Jared Dudley. Training camp opens in 11 days and no one is more excited about wearing a Suns jersey than the third-year forward. If you're looking for a tangible example of what's right with professional sports, for a guy who won't go Serena Williams on an official or suffer repeated bouts with unsportsmanlike behavior off the court, Dudley's your man. He's an NBA anomaly, a 6-foot-7 forward with questionable hops, so questionable that when he dunks in practice, his teammates stop action and demand it's recorded on video. If you put Dudley through NBA pre-draft workouts, 'in the combine portion, he'd come out undraftable,' David Griffin, the Suns senior vice president of basketball operations, said smiling. 'But in the Wonderlic category? He's a lottery pick.' "
• Bob Kravitz of The Indianapolis Star: "The Simons' stewardship of the Pacers always has been driven by the best intentions. NBA franchises aren't money trees, not until you sell them. This is a small market, and generating revenue is an annual, uphill battle. There are a million business propositions out there that are far more profitable than ownership of an NBA team. In the past year, we've seen Herb take a more active, hands-on role with the franchise, helping repair the reputation of a franchise that was once a model, only to fall into temporary disrepair after The Brawl. The Simons were (are) the best kinds of sports owners: Low-key, background sorts who have left the basketball to the basketball people and have given those basketball people the financial help they need to build a team. 'Mel was a giant of a man, and I suspect he was more responsible for making Indianapolis a big-league city than anybody,' said Morris, who is now the Pacers Sports & Entertainment president. 'His generosity, his unselfishness, his love for Downtown. It's an extraordinary story how Mel came here, chose to live here, built his business here. He could have lived anywhere in the world.' ... Mel and his brother have left Indianapolis with more gifts than we'll ever be able to count. And for that, we say thank you."
• Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel: "For all the offseason drama created by Michael Beasley's time in a Houston rehab facility, Heat teammate Udonis Haslem said Wednesday that he expects the detour to have minimal impact on the team and its training camp. 'Everybody is making a big deal about Mike not being here because of the situation,' Haslem said. 'But, the truth of the matter is, a lot of guys haven't been here. Some guys are just coming back. So it's something that, obviously, I think has been blown out of proportion, just because of the situation of where he's at.' ... As Haslem spoke about Beasley, the Heat's other captain, Dwyane Wade, was dealing with an arbitration hearing regarding the guard's failed business dealings, noting on his Twitter account that it was a 'day of handling business.' Haslem said, as professionals, it is important such issues be managed in a manner that does not get in the way of team goals. 'Everybody has their own distractions,' he said. 'I'm dealing with my mother's cancer issues. None of those issues even compare to the issues that I'm going through. I don't focus on other people's issues; I focus on mine and I do what I have to do in my life. And when it's time to come to basketball, that's when I focus on the team.' Asked if he believed the Beasley or Wade situations would carry onto the practice court, he said, 'not at all, not at all.' "
• Jerome Solomon of the Houston Chronicle: "In the conference semifinals against the Lakers , Aaron Brooks averaged 26.3 points in the three victories and 11.8 in four losses. Basically, when he played well the team won. When he didn't, it lost. It would be unfair to say success this coming season depends on Brooks' play, but when it comes to the Rockets' offense, you're not going to read an endless stream of 'Get the ball inside to Yao' stories. Brooks' stat line will be the first one checked after most games. 'I think there's going to be more pressure on me to make plays, not just score,' he said. 'We added some great pieces, so it'll be more on me to initiate the offense and get us some good looks.' Creating is not a particular strength of Brooks. He is a scorer. But as any middle schooler called into the principal's office would do -- we were in Dr. José Covarrubia's office -- Brooks defended himself. 'Passing's not my strongest suit -- I mean, my scoring ranks higher -- but I wouldn't say passing is a weakness,' he said. 'My first year, I could relax, throw the ball to Tracy or Yao, and sit in the corner waiting for 3s. It was very simple. It wasn't my team. Now I'm in a different role.' "
• Howard Beck of The New York Times: In a last-ditch effort to avert a lockout, the N.B.A.'s 57 referees have instead locked themselves in, setting up camp indefinitely at a Chicago airport hotel until they reach terms on a new contract. The referees met for seven hours Wednesday and unanimously rejected the N.B.A.'s latest offer. But they apparently sensed enough progress in the talks that they decided not to leave town. 'The referees are locking themselves in, in an effort to get a deal done as soon as possible,' Lamell McMorris, the referees' chief negotiator, said just after midnight, following the marathon meeting. He characterized the lock-in as a symbolic gesture that showed the referees' commitment to getting a deal done, even if it meant spending several days in a
  hotel, rather than with their families. 'Every referee is here, from all around the country,' he said. 'They're not leaving.' "
• Bill Bradley of The Sacramento Bee: "The NBA on Wednesday resumed negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement with its referees union. The previous agreement expired Sept. 1, and it doesn't look good for labor harmony before the 2009-10 season. As odd as it may sound, we could see replacement refs for the first time since 1995 when the NBA exhibition season starts Oct. 1. Some of the 57 refs have been quoted as saying they are bracing for a lockout when the regular season begins. There are lots of rumors the league has been hiring replacement refs from the NBA Development League. The sides have agreed on a two-year deal with no raises this season and 1 percent the next. The sticking point is the NBA wants to cut the referees' benefits, travel budget and per diems. Sure, start the jokes: Any three blind mice -- or even a disgraced Tim Donaghy -- could do as well. But with a possible work stoppage for the players in 2011, the NBA doesn't need to give the impression it has an inferior product. Officiating has been an NBA hot button. It doesn't need to push it."

• Charles F. Gardner of the Journal Sentinel: "Brandon Jennings had a well-publicized taped phone conversation that played on YouTube earlier in the summer, and one of the things Jennings said was that guard Ramon Sessions wouldn't be with the Bucks during the upcoming season. It turns out, Jennings was right. Sessions signed a four-year, $16.4 million offer sheet with the Minnesota Timberwolves and officially joined the Western Conference team Friday when the Bucks declined to match the deal. Now, Jennings will face fellow rookie Jonny Flynn and Sessions in the opening pre-season game Oct. 4 when the Bucks play the Timberwolves in Mankato, Minn. 'I wish him the best of luck,' Jennings said of Sessions. 'He did get a deal; he did get a team. I'm happy for him. I'm sure it was tough for him, waiting around and waiting around figuring out who was going to pick him up.' Strangely enough, Ricky Rubio's decision to stay in Spain paved the way for Sessions' departure from the Bucks. It's highly unlikely the Timberwolves would have pursued Sessions if they had been able to sign the Spanish point guard, the fifth overall selection in the June draft."
• Mike Wells of The Indianapolis Star: "Media day is Sept. 25 and the first practice is the following day. There seems to be different feeling - a positive one - about the Pacer this season. People have gone from saying they need to trade this person or that person to talking about the team's potential. The guy that put in my new furnace last week spent about 15 minutes talking nonstop about the Pacers. I sort of think he did it to get my mind off how much money I owed him. A lot of you have said the Pacers should make the playoffs this season. It's way too early to give any kind of prediction, but I've got them lumped in with a handful of teams that should compete for one of the final two playoff spots."
• Joe Freeman of The Oregonian: "When training camp opens in two weeks, the Blazers figure to have three starting positions up for grabs -- point guard, small forward and center. Batum will compete with veteran Martell Webster to retain the starting spot at small forward he unexpectedly earned about this time a year ago. And heading into camp, coach Nate McMillan says, Batum is the favorite. Although reports from Blazers workouts suggest that Webster has looked phenomenal in recent weeks during pickup games at the practice facility, the fact remains that the one-time starter missed virtually all of last season with a foot injury and only last month was cleared to resume full basketball activities. Batum impressed in Webster's absence last season, particularly on defense, as the starter on a 54-win team. And his play this summer has reinforced the fact that the Blazers orchestrated one of the steals of the 2008 NBA draft when they acquired Batum, the 25th overall pick, in a trade with the Houston Rockets."
• Jimmy Smith of The Times-Picayune: "There never has been much doubt about the competitive nature of Hornets guard Chris Paul. So it should be no surprise that Paul's personal sporting résumé has broadened to include golf. And the benefactors of his latest hobby will be several local children's charities who will receive funding from the proceeds of Paul's first CP3 Celebrity Golf Classic that tees off today at TPC Louisiana under the auspices of the CP3 Foundation. Long a bowling aficionado, Paul recently has been smitten by that frustrating outdoor adventure known as golf, where he can join other NBA players and his coach, Byron Scott, for a friendly game on the links. 'It's funny, because I've been doing bowling and all the other things for years,' Paul said. 'People said, 'You should do a golf tournament.' During the season, every morning I'd wake up and I'd try to call over to my brother's (C.J.) room, and he'd never be there. He'd always be at the golf course. I went to a really good golf school in Wake (Forest, alma mater of the legendary Arnold Palmer). And I would go with my roommate and hit golf balls every now and then. But after the season I just got the bug. I've been going to play about every day since the season got over.' "
• Sam Amick of The Sacramento Bee: "When Kevin Martin signed a shoe deal with the Jordan brand last summer, it was a decision driven more by childhood idolatry of His Airness than the extra paycheck. Growing up in Zanesville, Ohio, the Kings' sixth-year shooting guard was among the millions worldwide who plastered Michael Jordan on their walls and tried to emulate his every move on the basketball court. His reverence for Jordan was so great, his disinterest in other shoe companies so obvious, you almost wonder if Jordan needed to pay him. Yet last weekend in Springfield, Mass., Martin felt like the richest man alive as he joined Jordan for his induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. ... Martin -- the relative rookie in a group of Jordan brand players on hand that included Ray Allen, Carmelo Anthony, Michael Finley, Juwan Howard, and Richard Hamilton -- was thrilled to spend a few private minutes talking with Jordan at his afterparty. 'I was congratulating him, just telling him it was well-deserved,' Martin said. 'And the first thing he said was, 'I can't wait to be here for your (Hall induction).' So I told him, 'Quit drinking.' ' Martin, who was admittedly surprised and humbled by the compliment, said it's one he won't soon forget."
• South Florida Sun-Sentinel: "The economic realities that could have the Miami Heat operating below the NBA's roster limit this season also have taken a bite out of the team's coaching department. While Erik Spoelstra's staff will return intact, all will operate at salaries significantly lower than last season. Seeking to avoid the type of layoffs that cost the business side of the team's operation about 20 jobs in May, Heat President Pat Riley instead asked those on the basketball side of the team's operation to voluntarily accept pay cuts ranging from two percent to 20 percent. The cuts, which include everyone from the team's media-relations staff to the scouting staff to the executive staff, will cost Spoelstra and Riley well into the six figures. With all members in basketball operations agreeing to the cuts, the coaching staff will return intact from 2008-09. That means Spoelstra again will be joined on the bench by assistants David Fizdale, Bob McAdoo and Ron Rothstein, with assistant coaches Keith Askins and Chad Kammerer working from behind the bench."
• Sekou Smith of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: "As much fun as he was having Monday, Al Horford acknowledged that the stakes are dramatically different now compared to what he was doing as recently as last week in Puerto Rico. 'It's a big difference between just pro basketball and when you're playing against other countries,' he said. 'It's a big deal. There's a lot of heart and a lot of emotion. It's such a big de
  al. It's a lot of fun. It's different basketball, but a lot of fun.' For Horford and the Hawks, the real fun begins in a couple of weeks with the start of training camp. And after back-to-back playoff seasons the expectations are sky-high. With added frontcourt help in the form of veterans Joe Smith and Jason Collins, Horford is feeling better than ever about the Hawks' chances of living up to their newfound hype. 'I like what we've done,' Horford said. 'I'm happy we were able to get both those bigs and with Zaza [Pachulia] and then Josh [Smith] and myself, i think we're going to be good. I'm excited. I'm looking forward to getting everybody in here and training togtether so we can get our chemistry down and be ready to go from the start.' "
• Ross Siler of The Salt Lake Tribune: "There are going to be a lot of folks in Orem rooting for Ronald Dupree when he goes to training camp with the Jazz next week. By all accounts Dupree was a great guy who helped the Utah Flash to the D-League Finals last season. Most fans have an appreciation for just how tough life in the D-League can be, with players making $30,000 a season along with $30 a day in per diem on the road. Not only was Dupree, a five-year NBA veteran, willing to spend all of last season in the D-League, but he did something sure to bring a smile to Jazz coach Jerry Sloan's face when he learns about it. While he was with the Flash, Dupree would cook meals at home to bring on the Flash's road trips. The team would get on its flight to wherever in the D-League and Dupree would have a tub of red beans and rice with him. Not only was he able to save some money, Dupree figured he was eating better than he would at whatever fast-food joint on his D-League per diem. Needless to say, with his appreciation for self-sufficiency, I'm sure Sloan would be impressed."
• Ronald Tillery of The Commercial Appeal: "The new-look Grizzlies will bond in Birmingham. At the behest of head coach Lionel Hollins, the Grizzlies' training camp opens Sept. 29 in Alabama at the Bill Battle Coliseum on the campus of Birmingham-Southern College. The week-long camp, which includes two-a-day practices, ends Oct. 5. 'We are very grateful to Birmingham-Southern College for welcoming our team to the city of Birmingham,' Hollins said. 'Many NBA teams hold training camp away from their home cities, and Birmingham will give our team a chance to bond and focus on the upcoming season.' Memphis has just two players -- Rudy Gay and Mike Conley -- who were with the team two years ago. The Griz have eight new players on their 15-man roster for this season."
• Luis Arroyave of the Chicago Tribune: "Michael Jordan-related Internet traffic spiked around the time of his induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame, and not just because of his blistering induction speech. Of the four Jordan-related searches in Google's Hot Trends list for Friday, three involved his date to the ceremony, Yvette Prieto. According to Hot Trends, which measures searches that experience a boost in popularity, the term 'Yvette Prieto' was No. 19, 'Michael Jordan girlfriend' was No. 21 and 'Michael Jordan's girlfriend' was No. 38. Jordan's mother, Deloris, sat on his right during the ceremony while Prieto sat on his left in a hard-to-miss red dress. Prieto has previously been spotted with the Bulls legend at NBA All-Star weekend in Phoenix in February and again in May, when she and Jordan wore color-coordinated outfits to the Kentucky Derby. The Cuban model once dated singer Julio Iglesias Jr."
• Ted Kulfan of The Detroit News: "Robert Traylor, the former University of Michigan and NBA basketball player, was sentenced Monday to 60 days in jail for breaking the terms of his probation from a 2007 tax conviction. Traylor, 32, pled guilty to three violations of his probation terms before U.S. District Judge Avern Cohn. Traylor hasn't paid the more than $175,000 in taxes, interest and penalties he owes the Internal Revenue Service, he has not set up a payment plan as ordered, and he has not filed his 2008 income tax return."

• John Jackson of the Chicago Sun-Times: "Over the next few days, the tributes to Michael Jordan will be glowing and abundant. And that's precisely as it should be. He is one of the greatest basketball players of all-time, arguably the best, and his enshrinement into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame tonight provides a perfect opportunity to celebrate his illustrious career -- especially in Chicago, where he quenched the city's thirst for a winner with a flood of championships. But in spite of his accomplishments and iconic status in the late 1980s and 1990s, I sense a growing disconnect between Jordan and his adopted hometown these days. Of course, he remains immensely popular and people still revel in the Bulls' remarkable run of six titles in eight years. Those exploits, though, seem so long ago. Sure, time is a factor. It's been more than 11 years since Jordan famously made his exit as a Bull, hitting that clutch jumper from the top of the key to wrap up the franchise's sixth title in June 1998. Another significant reason for the divide is he hasn't been apart of the Bulls organization since his playing days. His career ended and then -- poof! -- he was gone."
• Rick Morrissey of the Chicago Tribune: "It's not as if there has been a lot of suspense leading up to this moment. Michael Jordan hasn't chewed his fingernails down to the cuticles wondering whether this, at long last, might be the year he gets into the Hall of Fame. But to act as if it's no big deal that he's being inducted into the Hall -- duh, of course MJ is a Hall of Famer! -- is wrong too. The man deserves his due. The best way to describe Jordan's place here is to say that the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame has been living a diminished life without him. By definition, there can't be a basketball hall of fame -- lower case, upper case, generic, whatever -- without Michael Jordan. And thus it follows that, even though it's a slam dunk he's a Hall of Famer, he needs to be honored for it, and honored in a big way. And if you're of the mind that the attention surrounding this inevitability is excessive, allow me to get morbid for a brief moment. The next time everyone will be getting together to reminisce about Jordan like this will be in eulogy form. So Michael will be inducted into the Hall of Fame on Friday, amid much pomp, circumstance and Nike product placements. And he deserves it."
• Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel: "Speaking on WQAM from Springfield, Mass., where he is attending the Basketball Hall of Fame inductions, Pat Riley said he not only has no regrets about retiring Michael Jordan's No. 23 at AmericanAirlines Arena, but believes it is something other teams should emulate. 'His jersey hangs in AmericanAirlines Arena out of respect to him and what he's meant to this game,' Riley said, with Jordan to be inducted tonight, 'and we feel great about doing that.' "
• Mike Monroe of the San Antonio Express-News: "Michael Jordan is responsible for one number that bothers some about the 2009 enshrinement proceedings: The $1,000 price tag for each ticket to attend Friday's ceremony at Springfield Symphony Hall is more than double the cost to attend last year's ceremonies, when Hakeem Olajuwon, Patrick Ewing, Adrian Dantley and Pat Riley were inducted. Jerry Colangelo regrets that some fans were priced out of Friday's enshrinement ceremony, but defended the decision to leverage Jordan's remarkable popularity. 'The Hall has had a difficult time making ends meet,' he said. 'The location is a difficult issue. Springfield is where the game was born, it's true, but it's a difficult place to get in and out of. So there are a lot of handicaps. Is ($1,000 per ticket) unusual? Yeah. But I think you take advantage of opportunity when it's there. We knew we were going to have a big crowd, for sure, and this is to support the Hall of Fame. If some people are turned off by it, I feel badly about that, but as part of the decision-making process, I don't.' Count Anilee Pollard among those a tad miffed. 'I think it's awful,' she said. 'When Jim was inducted, I think tickets were $50.' "
• Jody Genessy of the Deseret News: "With neatly trimmed hair and an age-defying, almost-cherubic face that made him appear to not be too much older than the number 12 on his jersey, there's no doubt John Stockton had a squeaky, clean-cut image. Knowing he came from a Catholic background and attended a private Jesuit college, some jokingly called him an alter boy or a choir boy. He was adored and admired, did amazing things, was more generous than anybody in his profession, and spread happiness to many during 19 years under the spotlight. The word 'perfect' was even used by a couple of different, significant people in describing him recently. With that kind of praise, you might think the special ceremony being held tonight on his behalf -- and for four other elites -- could be moved from Springfield, Mass., to the Vatican. Though he seemed to pull off a few miracles on the court, the legendary Utah Jazz point guard will not be granted sainthood anytime soon -- even if Saint Stockton has a certain ring to it. The man considered by many to be the greatest pure point guard in NBA history will instead receive well-deserved and everlasting glory in the hoops world, not necessarily in the heavens, as a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame."
• The Globe and Mail: "It says a lot about Steve Nash that, one sunny evening this summer, there was no place he wanted to be more than a cemetery in Port Coquitlam, B.C. The sun was setting, the beer and wine were flowing and the mood was light yet poignant. Nash was gathered with a small crew of filmmakers at the grave of Terry Fox on June 28, the 28th anniversary of Fox's death, a current Canadian hero paying tribute to his own hero. 'He was a big influence,' Nash said of Fox, who in 1980 started a run across Canada to raise money for cancer research. When Fox's cancer metastasized, he had to end his run near Thunder Bay, and he died a year later. His effort inspired a six-year-old Nash to rise each morning in the summer of 1980 in Victoria to trace Fox's progress in his Marathon of Hope. 'I feel really lucky,' Nash said. 'I'm not sure there are many stories like that around the world. Who grew up and had someone enter their lives like that, who came from nowhere to become a national hero all for the right reasons and motives?' Nash did, and now the Phoenix Suns' star has married his fascination with Fox and his new interest in filmmaking for a one-hour documentary about his childhood hero that will be shown on U.S. cable giant ESPN next spring. Nash's commitment to the project was evident to Terry's older brother Fred when Nash spent a couple of days in Port Coquitlam gathering footage for the film, interviewing Fox's parents and even driving the white support van used for Fox's run."
• Steve Buffery of the Toronto Sun: "The Red Rocket will be wearing red and white at the world basketball championships next summer. Canadian men's coach Leo Rautins said former Raptors forward Matt Bonner almost certainly will have his paperwork completed in time to play for Canada at the 2010 worlds in Turkey. Bonner, who started 67 games for the San Antonio Spurs last season, has taken the necessary steps to acquire Canadian citizenship. He married a Toronto girl and spends much off the off-season in Canada. Rautins said that almost immediately after the Canadian team qualified for the 2010 worlds last week in Puerto Rico, team officials began receiving text messages from Bonner. 'He's jacked. He's completely pumped and waiting to play,' Rautins said. 'It's going to happen, and we're anxious to have Matt. He's a high-character guy, who's committed to the game. And for the international game, he is multi-faceted. He can play at the three, four and five spots.' "
• Sekou Smith of the The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: "First impressions amongst your peers in the NBA can go a long way. For Hawks rookie point guard Jeff Teague, the buzz traveled from an impressive mini-camp in late July all the way through Labor Day and until now. And it's not just his Hawks teammates that have noticed. His point guard peers around the league, at least the veterans that have been on the floor with him this summer (and mainly in the past week or so at the Hawks' practice facility), have noticed. And they see plenty that they like about the former Wake Forest star. 'The one thing that sticks out to me is that he makes shots,' said former Hawks point guard Anthony Johnson, who plays in Orlando these days but still calls Atlanta home in the offseason. 'That's going to go a long way here in the system he'll be in and really in his career. If you're a guy that can get shots, that can make shots and create shots, you've got the package you'll need to be successful. And he's got all that.' "
• Robbi Pickeral of the News & Observer: "As a starter on North Carolina's 2005 national championship team, swingman Rashad McCants earned the reputation as an athletic scorer, a determined winner and a moody player. The latter is a stigma that followed him to the NBA, and that he thinks has helped keep him unsigned this offseason, despite the fact that he has averaged 10 points, 2 rebounds and 1.3 assists over four pro seasons. 'I was always tough-skinned and hardworking, and I didn't really care what people said about me, because I knew my ability,' said McCants, who was drafted 14th overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves after his junior year, was traded to Sacramento last season, and is now a free agent. 'But now, after five years, [that reputation] is still around, and it's still haunting me from getting a job and being successful.' After having a heart-to-heart with former Tar Heels Makhtar Ndiaye, Shammond Williams, Vince Carter and Terrence Newby in Chapel Hill last week, the Asheville native decided he wanted to try to open up to both Tar Heel fans – and potential NBA bosses. In a wide-ranging interview with The News & Observer on Thursday, he explains why he thinks he gets a bad rap, how he feels about former coaches Matt Doherty and Roy Williams, the genesis of the ailment that caused him to miss four games his junior season, and why he didn't need a psychologist his freshman season."
• John Reid of The Times-Picayune: "With a roster that includes rookie guards Darren Collison and Marcus Thornton, New Orleans Hornets point guard Chris Paul already is embracing his role as a mentor. In his four seasons, Paul always had a more experienced point guard playing behind him. But earlier this week, the Hornets traded 12-year veteran Antonio Daniels to the Minnesota Timberwolves, making Paul the most experienced point guard on the roster. 'Actually it's a funny feeling, and all summer I've been thinking and talking about it,' Paul said. 'It's crazy that I'm going into my fifth year and actually have a young group of guys to play that position with me.' Paul, 24, resumed workouts in New Orleans this week and has taken the initiative to mentor Thornton, whom the Hornets obtained on draft night after the Miami Heat selected him in the second round. 'I wake up and work out at 6 a.m., and Marcus said he had been working out at 8 a.m.,' Paul said. 'I told Marcus we're going at 6. I think that's part of being older now, and that I can sort of tell him that he's going to work out with me.' "
• Paul Coro of The Arizona Republic: "Jason Richardson joined the Suns' voluntary workouts Thursday but he doesn't necessarily share his teammates' eagerness for the Oct. 28 regular-season opener. The NBA suspended Richardson for the first two games because he pleaded guilty this summer to a December driving under the influence charge, which came in his second week with the Suns. 'That's what comes with the consequences of what I've done,' he said of the suspension. 'After these two games, I put this behind me, learn from my mistakes and move on with my life and career.' Two in-season driving arrests ultimately will cost Richardson $353,535 in salary, including the one-game suspension the Suns gave him in February after an arrest for criminal speeding and endangerment. His DUI sentence included three years' probation and a day in jail. 'It's tough,' he said of jail. 'Never want to do that again.' "
• The Minneapolis Star Tribune: "Ramon Sessions could be headed to the Timberwolves today, if the Milwaukee Bucks do not match a four-year, $16.4 million offer sheet to the restricted free-agent guard. The Bucks are facing a deadline today on the 23-year-old Sessions, a two-year pro who played in 79 games and led the team in assists last season. Barring a last-minute deal to clear some salary space, the Bucks are not in position to sign Sessions and remain below the league's luxury tax level of $69.92 million. 'We want to keep our options open until the last possible minute,' Bucks General Manager John Hammond said Thursday. He indicated he was continuing talks with other teams about potential trades."

• Words of wisdom, from Kermit Washington to a young college football player, LeGarrette Blount, who is suddenly, like Washington, famous for punching an opponent in the face. Washington, still known mainly for almost killing Rudy Tomjanovich with one swing of his fist in 1977, has dedicated his life to fighting HIV and hunger in Africa.
• Stephon Marbury's response to rumors: "If you think I'm gay, leave me in a room with your girlfriend for an hour."
• Omer Asik played well in Turkey's last Eurobasket game. There are those who think he'll be the Bulls' big man of the future. (Also, a lesson from the same boxscore: Every single Bulgarian player but one has a last name that ends in the letter "v.")
• When Spain played Great Britain, Laker Pau Gasol lit up Blazer draftee Joel Freeland, while Ricky Rubio continued to display his lack of scoring ability, making one of two shots to go with six assists in 22 minutes.
• In building interest in his clients, an agent has made them into a team and is taking them on a barnstorming tour of Ireland. And they're offering to fly some professional basketball coaches in to watch.
• Benjamin Balskus of ChicagoNow, on Derrick Rose: "Derrick has said his goal, every season, is to be the MVP. To get there he will have to learn ways of making space in the pick and roll, how to play two or three steps ahead of the action on the court. To learn that sometimes he needs to be more selfish. That defense is not about reacting to what your man does, but understanding what he is trying to do and frustrating those ambitions. That sometimes, as Dywane Wade knows so well, the shortest path to two points is not the basket but the foul line. So this season, give Derrick more than he can bear. Push him to his breaking point. Watch him struggle, get knocked down and beaten up. Trust that he will keep working hard, and that with experience he will get stronger and overcome. Bring on the Rondos and the Chris Pauls. By the end of the season Derrick should be ready."  
• A zillion really amazing basketball shots, on video, from summer camp.
• Last year in New Orleans, in a sentence (from Hornets247's Ryan Schwan): "I expected [Tyson] Chandler to give the Hornets 73 games and something like the production he'd given them the previous two years. Instead, Chandler didn't do jack, Peja [Stojakovic] broke down, Julian [Wright] regressed, [Rasual] Butler gave less than [Morris] Peterson the year before, [Devin] Brown replaced [Jannero] Pargo and somehow was worse, and Hilton Armstrong . . . well, I've said enough about him.
• Deadspin founder Will Leitch is blogging again, I guess in competition with Deadspin, although he assures me it's not full-time.
  
• David Robinson, stat monster.
• Yet another new design for the Nets proposed Brooklyn home.
• Mark Cuban, on an interesting idea that failed: "This summer, in response to the changing sports media landscape, I wanted to create a 'media pool' for the Mavs. I wanted to assemble a group of unpaid interns that would acquire video, write game reports, track unique stats, do interviews, interact with fans, and then compile all of this incremental media and provide it free to any and every outlet we could think of. If a middle school newspaper or website wanted up to the minute Mavs reports, check. We had em. Social networks ? All the content you need. Of course we would update our Mavs.com, mavswiki.com, friends.mavs.com websites and offer the content to any and every blogger out there."
• The Spurs' Marcus Williams talks at length about the D-League. He has horror stories, including asking for extra blankets to make it through a very cold pre-game night in a dingy Colorado hotel. But he also tells Tim Varner of 48 Minutes of Hell this: "I don't think you'll ever have guys who'll dream of playing D-League. But more and more you'll have guys who realize it's a big help. It helped me become a better player. It has helped guys like Mike Taylor. Those guys are in the NBA because of their time in the D-League. One thing college kids don't understand is how hard it is to get to a team and not play. Because most teams don't play rookies. In the NBA you don't really practice much after the beginning of the season. And if you're not good enough to play, that means you're just sitting around. The coaches are busy, the stars are resting, there isn't a lot of time for player development. Being in the D-League allows you to keep your confidence up, to play a lot of minutes, and to work on your game."
• UPDATE: All hail Ersan Ilyasova.
  

A smart early attempt at making an equation that predicts how swapping one player for another would affect a team's winning percentage.

The equation (which passed the small retroactive test of predicting the Magic's team performance with Jameer Nelson compared to Rafer Alston) suggests the Bobcats will be improved with Tyson Chandler in place of Emeka Okafor.