Thursday, January 7, 2010

Wizards' Arenas suspended indefinitely as new details emerge in gun incident

National Basketball Association Commissioner David Stern suspended Washington Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas indefinitely without pay Wednesday, saying a gun incident in the Wizards' locker room last month and Arenas's behavior since had led him to conclude "that he is not currently fit to take the court in an NBA game."

Stern's action, announced in a scathing statement issued from his office in New York, cast into doubt the future career of one of Washington's most colorful athletes who once delighted fans with his all-star play but has been seeking to regain his form this year after missing most of the past two seasons with a knee injury.

It also came as new details emerged about the locker-room confrontation between Arenas and Javaris Crittenton, a Wizards teammate, on Dec. 21 that suggest a potentially far more volatile incident than was originally reported by Arenas to team officials.

The two players had been arguing during a card game on the Wizards' flight back from Phoenix Dec. 19, and the dispute spilled into the team locker room at Verizon Center before practice two days later. Arenas has acknowledged bringing his handguns to the arena and displaying them in the locker room that morning in what he maintained was a playful gesture aimed at his teammate.

According to two first-hand accounts of the confrontation, Crittenton responded to Arenas's action -- which included laying the four unloaded weapons in Crittenton's cubicle with a note that read, "Pick One" -- by brandishing his own firearm, loading the gun and chambering a round.

Two of the five people in the room that morning, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Arenas had originally not disclosed Crittenton's action to protect the little-used guard from prosecution and had told Crittenton he would assume full responsibility for the actions of both players that day.

In a two-hour interview with police and federal prosecutors Monday, Arenas, in his version of the story, spoke of Crittenton's loaded gun, a person with knowledge of Arenas's testimony said.


Mark Bartlestein, Crittenton's agent, declined to comment. Crittenton, in a series of text messages responding to a request for comment, said the account provided by the witnesses was "false."

"I have done nothing wrong. Let the investigation process take its course and you will see that," he said. "My name is dying in this situation."

Crittenton has been injured all season and has yet to play in a game. Arenas signed a six-year, $111 million contract in July 2008, $80 million of which remains after this season.

Neither the NBA nor the Wizards would comment Wednesday on the depth of Crittenton's involvement. But officials from both the team and the league, speaking on condition of anonymity, said they had heard the version of the story told by people who witnessed the altercation.

"We still don't know all the details yet," a senior Wizards official said. "That's just one version of the story we heard."

A source familiar with Monday's meeting between Arenas and police and prosecutors said that prosecutors agreed to only use Arenas's statements as part of their investigation, not as direct evidence to be presented to the grand jury or to be used during a trial or hearing. Also, Arenas told prosecutors Monday that he would be willing to meet with them again or appear before a grand jury in the coming days if they requested.

Prosecutors began presenting evidence to a D.C. Superior Court grand jury in the case Tuesday. The case is still being investigated by the police and the league, which has yet to interview all players involved. D.C. police declined to comment.

A 'respected' decision

Arenas, reached by telephone in his Cleveland hotel room, where he watched the Wizards lose to the Cavaliers on Wednesday night, said he "respected" Stern's decision to suspend him.

"He is the same man who put me on my second all-star team after I got snubbed by the coaches," Arenas added. "That decision came down for me. He made a tougher decision today that went against me. And I have to accept it."

In his statement, Stern held out the prospect of a prolonged suspension for Arenas, who turned 28 Wednesday.

"The possession of firearms by an NBA player in an NBA arena is a matter of the utmost concern to us," Stern said. "Although it is clear that the actions of Mr. Arenas will ultimately result in a substantial suspension, and perhaps worse, his ongoing conduct has led me to conclude that he is not currently fit to take the court in an NBA game."

Stern, who originally had said through the league that he would wait until the police investigation concluded before taking action, decided to act after Arenas playfully formed his hands into pistols and pretended he was shooting his teammates as the Wizards huddled courtside before their game against the 76ers in Philadelphia on Tuesday night.

The Wizards issued a statement supporting the commissioner's move. "Strictly legal issues aside, Gilbert's recent behavior and statements, including his actions and statements last night in Philadelphia, are unacceptable," said the team's statement, which was signed by team President Ernie Grunfeld; Irene Pollin, the widow of late owner Abe Pollin; and their two sons. "Some of our other players appeared to find Gilbert's behavior in Philadelphia amusing. This is also unacceptable."

Arenas has maintained that he brought the four guns to Verizon Center and put them in a locked container to get them out of his Virginia home following the birth of his third child Dec. 9. They were taken by arena security after the incident.

Crittenton's gun, according to the witnesses of the altercation, was never found. Both witness accounts said they were unclear how the gun was disposed of.

Preston Burton, a defense attorney and former assistant U.S. attorney in the District, said it would be difficult to build a criminal case against Crittenton based on the scenario described by the witnesses. He said prosecutors would look at factors, including whether they could prove Crittenton had a weapon, and whether the gun was real.

"It's going to be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to make a case without a gun," Burton said.

In the telephone interview, Arenas hoped he could soon meet with Stern.

"That's not so I can ask him to reinstate me right now," Arenas said. "I just want to remind him of who I am. I'm the kid who jumped off the trampoline at the all-star game, the kid who throws his jersey to people in the stands. I'm not the hoodlum that's being written and talked about right now.

"I'm sorry for my teammates, the city of Washington, the memory of Mr. Pollin and his family, and all my fans that support me and the game of basketball. I mean that. This shouldn't have happened. It shouldn't have got this far. I know that."

The dispute between Arenas and Crittenton began on the team plane during a popular card game between players called "Boo-ray." Crittenton lost roughly $1,100 to JaVale McGee, a Wizards center, in the game, according to a player who watched the game and who also spoke on condition of anonymity. Crittenton, already angry over a dispute over the game's rules, became irate when Arenas began needling him.

Their barbs escalated to a point where Arenas, smiling, said he would blow up Crittenton's car, according to two players on the flight, who requested anonymity. Crittenton replied that he would shoot Arenas in his surgically repaired knee.

Walking into the locker room two days after the dispute on the team plane, according to two witnesses, Arenas laid out the guns in Crittenton's locker. Two other teammates eventually sauntered in and, while Arenas was writing the note in front of Crittenton's cubicle, in walked Crittenton, according to their account.

Asking Arenas what he was doing, Arenas replied, "If you want to shoot me, I'd just thought I'd make it easy for you." As other teammates laughed, Crittenton crumpled up the paper, tossed one of Arenas's guns across the room, where it bounced in front of a team trainer, and said he didn't need any of Arenas's firearms because he had his own, according to the witness accounts.

Crittenton then drew his weapon, loaded it and chambered a round, the witnesses said.

Neither witness said the gun was ever pointed at Arenas, but both said Crittenton began singing as he held the gun.

Arenas began laughing, the witnesses said, telling Crittenton, "Look at that little shiny gun," as two other players slowly retreated to the training room.

Arenas eventually followed. By the time the players came back out, Crittenton was gone.

It was unclear Wednesday when Arenas's suspension might be lifted.

An NBA official said equating Arenas's indefinite suspension as a precursor to a lifetime ban for Arenas would not be accurate, especially given the fact that Arenas has yet to be charged in the case.

Arenas, who was told by his attorneys not to comment directly on the details of the case, said, "I'm sorry for what happened and how people took that."

"The gun charge, I'm taking serious," he said in the interview. "The media painting a picture of me, casting me as someone I'm not, that's what I reacted to. I'm reacting to what people are saying about me not the seriousness of the situation."

Andre Miller erupts at Blazers practice in confrontation with Nate McMillan

Blazers introduce Andre MillerNew Blazers point guard Andre Miller is introduced to the Portland media Tuesday, July 28, 2009.

Trail Blazers practice on Thursday was halted nearly 60 minutes into the workout when veteran point guard Andre Miller and coach Nate McMillan engaged in a shouting match that lasted for nearly 30 minutes.

Miller shouted throughout the exchange, and McMillan mostly listened, but at times broke in with shouting of his own.

One of the topics discussed was an incident late in Tuesday's game with Memphis, when Miller told Jerryd Bayless to make his second free throw with 4.3 seconds left and the Blazers trailing by two. The coaching staff and team captain Brandon Roy told Bayless to miss the free throw so the Blazers could attempt to rebound and make a tying basket.

When practice was opened to the media, Miller and McMillan were not on the court.

UPDATED: General manager Kevin Pritchard was on hand for the incident and said he was hopeful that it could result in a positive.

"I encourage open and honest dialogue, I think that is always good,'' Pritchard said. "I think it can be (healthy). We have the ability to take it one of two ways and I believe in the character of this team, and you know, I think we can come together.''

Pritchard said the exchange was "normal".

"On every team I have ever been on ... guys have opportunity to speak what they feel. That's OK. The question is, can we become better because of it. Either you can or you can't. I'm hoping we can.''

Pritchard and McMillan both said there would be no punishment forthcoming.

"Absolutely not,'' Pritchard said. "We don't muzzle people. It's like being in a marriage. If you don't say something it builds and builds, then it's said, and when it is and it is honest and open, you can get better from it.''

McMillan was sharp when asked about the exchange between he and Miller.

"I'm not going to comment on my talk with the team. It wasn't with Andre, it was with the team,'' McMillan said. "We talked as a group.''

Love gives team scare after knee takes a blow

It's probably a reflection of how jinxed the Timberwolves feel that when Kevin Love lay writhing in pain on the Target Center floor, grasping his left knee, probably everyone in the building assumed the worst. So Al Jefferson -- whose season ended two months early last February when he tore ligaments in his own knee -- was happy to hear the diagnosis: Just a bruise.

"I just knew how bumping knees hurt," Jefferson said. "It just takes a little time for the pain to go away, and he'll be all right. But he'll be sore tomorrow."

Love, moving into position in hopes of taking a charge from Corey Maggette with three minutes left in Wednesday's 107-101 loss to Golden State, banged his left knee into Maggette's knee, then slumped to the floor in obvious pain. The 21-year-old forward was helped into the locker room as the small Target Center crowd fretted. But he emerged to cheers just a couple of minutes later and finished the game, scoring 23 points with 16 rebounds.

"He's a tough kid," coach Kurt Rambis said of Love, who received treatment for a half hour after the game. "He was limping after the ballgame, but we'll find out what his status is tomorrow."

The ties that bind

There was a time Stephen Curry thought he would be with the Wolves. Come to think of it, he can remember the exact moment when he was most certain he was headed for the Twin Cities.

"About 7:30 p.m. in New York," he joked about draft night. "Right up until the moment [Jonny Flynn's] name was called."

Yes, Curry was as surprised as the rest of the basketball world that Wolves boss David Kahn decided to use both the No. 5 and 6 draft choices on point guards Ricky Rubio and Flynn. When Rubio's name was announced as the fifth pick, Curry began picturing himself in snowboots and parkas.

"I was pretty positive" he would be Kahn's choice, Curry said. "I had done a lot of talking to them during the whole draft process, and when they had two picks, I didn't think they would take both" point guards.

Nelson nears record

With the victory, Golden State's Don Nelson is now 13 victories short of Lenny Wilkens' NBA record of 1,332, a mark that reflects the coach's 31 years on an NBA sideline. But Nelson was a Hall of Fame player before moving to the bench, a trait he shares with each of the six winningest coaches in league history.

So do most NBA players have the potential to run a team, too?

"No, not at all," Nelson said. "Maybe 10 percent."

The typical player, Nelson said, masters his own position. "That's the way most guys play. But a guy [who can develop into a coach] has to understand all five positions, all the defensive schemes," he said. "It's a very complicated game we have here. It looks simple, but it's very complicated at this level."

Nelson understands the complexity better than most, Rambis said of the 69-year-old legend. "He always finds a way to be productive with the players he has," Rambis said. "... He's very good at getting the most from his players."

Hollins out

Reserve center Ryan Hollins missed the game because of an upper respiratory infection. His absence cleared playing time for Nathan Jawai and Oleksiy Pecherov and allowed guard Alando Tucker to suit up for the first time since being acquired from Phoenix a week ago. Tucker did not play.

Nuggets' Billups says he's fit to play against Cavaliers

The Nuggets' treatment room was full Wednesday. It's not the sight anyone in the organization cares to see, but it's the reality in which they live.

Chauncey Billups, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Andersen, Nene and Ty Lawson are the main concerns, but Anthony Carter also limped out of the Pepsi Center with ice bags covering various joints on his lower body.

The Nuggets are banged up. But Billups offered a glimmer of hope when he participated in an abbreviated practice Wednesday and then pronounced himself fit to play Friday night against Cleveland.

The veteran point guard has missed eight of the Nuggets' past nine games and admitted he probably pushed himself to return too fast, causing a setback.

"I made a point to definitely be smart with this one," Billups said. "I came back a little premature at Christmas. Thought it felt good, but obviously it wasn't ready. I think I took it a lot more seriously this time."

Billups also said he'll be fit to get through the injury mentally.

"Any injury that you have, the mental aspect is going to play a big role in it," he said. "You have the confidence to know that you can do the same move that got you hurt. I've been working extremely hard. I feel good going side to side, as well as 'north and south.' "

Anthony went through a light workout Wednesday. The star forward has missed three consecutive games with a bruised right knee, and it's still unclear whether he will play Friday.

"I thought Melo was being conservative," coach George Karl said. "He's definitely making sure he felt comfortable. I don't think he pushed it as much as Chauncey did."

Lawson said he's still iffy for Friday's game. He sprained his left ankle during Tuesday's 123-122 victory against Golden State and went through a day of treatment Wednesday.

"It feels all right," Lawson said. "It feels a lot better than Tuesday."

Lawson has been a bright spot in Billups' absence. With more than 30 minutes of playing time in each of the past three games, Lawson responded, averaging 22.3 points, 8.6 assists and 1.3 steals.

Andersen's sprained left ankle did not allow him to dress for the Golden State contest. He will likely miss Friday's game too. However, he did get rid of a protective boot Wednesday that he had worn for the past few days. Nene has a sprained right ankle, but vows to play against the Cavs.

The bevy of fallen Nuggets has given others the chance to shine, and Joey Graham and Malik Allen took full advantage Tuesday night. Graham scored 20 points in 29 minutes, and Allen finished with six points in 22 minutes.

"You never like this amount of injuries," Karl said. "But I'm a big believer that if you continue to win and survive, it can make your team better and stronger."

Jazz notes: D-Will: Hurt wrist won't be serious

Although Deron Williams did get on the court before Wednesday's game, the left-handed jumpers he was launching were the surest sign he wouldn't be playing against the Grizzlies.

After suffering a bruised and sprained right wrist in Monday's loss to New Orleans, Williams missed his third game of the season. He wore a brace on the wrist Wednesday and was still waiting to see improvement 48 hours later.

"It's one of those things where overnight it just stiffens up, tightens up, starts hurting a little bit more," Williams said.

Williams underwent an MRI exam, which confirmed the sprain and bruise, and was hopeful his wrist only would prove a short-term nuisance.

"I don't think it's going to be something serious," Williams said. "It's just real sore right now and it's on my shooting hand, so I can't really follow through or do a dribbling motion, which is important."

From the boss

Jazz chief executive Greg Miller went on FSN Utah before Wednesday's game to express his frustration with the team's recent play, saying, "We're not content to just let whatever happens, happens."

"If this group of players can't get it together," Miller added, "and figure out how to give 100 percent every quarter, every play, every game, then we'll have to make changes until we get a group of guys that want to do that.

"Those changes could take many different forms. Hopefully, it's just an attitude adjustment. Hopefully, it's something as simple as just recommitting -- the ones that need to -- and doing what needs to be done to win because we've proven we can win."

Miller said he had yet to approach players out of respect for the "chain of command," but added, "I'm reconsidering how quiet I want to be relative to the players."

Welcoming Gaines

For a player who went undrafted out of Georgia and never has taken part in an NBA training camp or summer league, Sundiata Gaines ' rise has been remarkable, culminating Tuesday when he was called up by the Jazz from the NBA Development League.

"It's surprising to a lot of people," admitted Gaines, who averaged 23.9 points and 6.9 assists with Idaho. "I'm new to the team and the fans and people in the NBA basketball world, but I'm just going to work hard and try to build and start something good."

Signed to a 10-day contract, Gaines went through shootaround Wednesday, trying to pick up the Jazz's basics. He was asked how it felt to join the team at a time when it has been recently reeling.

"Just looking at them, I realize they've been up and down," Gaines said, adding, "If coach asks me to go out, play defense, dive for loose balls or whatever it may be, I just want to help the team get back on a winning track and be consistent as much as possible."

Matt who?

Only two weeks after they traded Matt Harpring 's rights to Oklahoma City, the Jazz gave away Harpring's old No. 15 as well. Gaines will wear the number with the Jazz, same as he did in the D-League. "Matt doesn't work for us any more," coach Jerry Sloan joked.

No return date for Clippers' Griffin

Blake Griffin would love to know when he'll be able to play his first game for the Los Angeles Clippers. To set a date, circle it on his calendar and call up all his friends and invite them to the game, maybe even tweet it.

Griffin
Griffin

That's not possible just yet.

"I'll be back when I'll be back. My doctor doesn't even know yet," Griffin said on Wednesday, when asked about a report saying the team was targeting Jan. 20 as a possible debut for the No. 1 overall pick, who has been recovering from a stress fracture in his knee since the preseason.

"I don't even have an appointment scheduled yet. I feel good, it's just a matter of getting cleared."

Here's the latest on what Griffin can and can't do:

He can: run on a treadmill, shoot 3-pointers, do agility drills on the court and lift weights.

He can't: participate in scrimmages or full-court baskeball drills.

"I have no idea where that Jan. 20 date came from. I don't think it's an accurate date at all," Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy said. "But he's progressing. He's on the court. He's shooting the ball. He's on the treadmill with full body weight. He's shooting, running around, controlled stuff right now.

"We don't need to set dates. The first day he's ready to play, that's when we want him."

Pau Gasol is pain-free after workout

Finally some good news for the Lakers in regards to a hamstring and Pau Gasol.

"He worked pain-free today," Coach Phil Jackson said Wednesday. "So that's nice to know."

It wasn't an on-court workout, and a basketball wasn't involved, but the Lakers' forward-center wasn't sore after doing abdominal and other strengthening exercises with trainers.

Gasol sat out his second consecutive game because of a strained left hamstring and said he won't play Friday at Portland.

He's back . . . maybe

Lamar Odom broke free of a lengthy slump by getting close to a triple-double Tuesday against Houston, but Jackson cut off a reporter's question about it.

"Don't start predicting things," he said. "That's not good."

In other words, one game does not a trend make.

On the other hand, Odom had nine points, 16 rebounds and five assists Wednesday against the Clippers.

"Lamar's not one person that we always say, 'Well you can pencil in 15 or 20 points when Lamar's out there,' " Jackson said before the game. "That's not something you do with Lamar."

Then he paused as he watched Odom enter the locker room 20 minutes late.

"You pencil in Lamar coming late to the arena or you can pencil in the fact he's going to get 12 to 15 rebounds on the night and five to 10 assists, those things," Jackson said.

Jackson said he probably wouldn't fine Odom.



What's next?

Jackson's contract doesn't extend past this season, but he definitely won't be a front-office type if he doesn't come back to coach the Lakers.

"I'm just thankful I've never had to do that," he said. "No interest. I don't want to deal with agents. I don't want to have to lie. You have to do a little bit of negotiating with truth a lot of times in that situation."

Etc.

On the day Washington Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas was suspended indefinitely after admitting he brought a gun into the locker room, Jackson said the NBA had a battle on its hands. "We've had someone come in the last couple of years to talk to our players specifically about guns, ownership of guns and their place in society. We feel like it's never enough because you get new people, you get new situations, you get players that have issues that may evolve in which they feel unguarded or unprotected. I think there's a real challenging level for our league to address this head on. Society too." . . . Former Lakers guard Coby Karl was waived Wednesday by the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Miami Heat will pay luxury tax to keep Carlos Arroyo for season

   Miami Heat guard Carlos Arroyo drives past Atlanta Hawks guard Mike Bibby during their game on Monday, Jan. 4, 2010 at AmericanAirlines Arena in Miami.
Miami Heat guard Carlos Arroyo drives past Atlanta Hawks guard Mike Bibby during their game on Monday, Jan. 4, 2010 at AmericanAirlines Arena in Miami.

A day after trading reserve point guard Chris Quinn to clear room to potentially add free agent Rafer Alston, Miami guaranteed Carlos Arroyo's $1.1 million contract for the season.

The Heat faced a 6 p.m. deadline Wednesday to release Arroyo and avoid an additional luxury tax expense or guarantee his one-year deal for the rest of the season.

Coach Erik Spoelstra said Arroyo's play this season, particularly the 10 games he started before Wednesday, factored into the decision.

``It was never really a concern,'' Spoelstra said of the decision. ``He's done everything we've asked.''

That still didn't keep Arroyo from knocking on Spoelstra's office door at AmericanAirlines Arena as the deadline neared.

There was some uncertainty because team president Pat Riley's desire to reduce Miami's luxury tax bill, which stands at about $2 million after the Quinn trade.

``I talked to coach, and I thanked him for [keeping] me,'' said Arroyo, a former FIU standout in his eighth NBA season. ``To have an opportunity like this, you have to be grateful for it and count your blessings.''

WADE ON ALSTON

Heat guard Dwyane Wade said he would embrace Alston's return to Miami. The two were teammates during Wade's rookie season in 2003-04.

Alston was released by the Nets on Tuesday and plans to sign with the Heat for the season. The earliest Alston could join Miami is 6 p.m. Thursday, which would fall after the Heat's practice in Phoenix to start a six-game trip.

``It would be great to reunite with a guy like that,'' Wade said. ``You just know what to expect of a veteran guy like him.''

O'NEAL RETURNS

Jermaine O'Neal was back in the Heat's starting lineup after he sat out Monday's game with a strained right groin and hip.

``I had one of my best workouts of the season, and I feel good,'' O'Neal said of his session with team trainers before Wednesday's game.

Evans practices, Greene sits

The latest on the Kings and those troublesome ankle sprains.

*Tyreke Evans practiced today. He said he had trouble sleeping last night but after treatment this morning his right ankle began to loosen up.

It's the same ankle that's bothered Evans off and on this season.

*Donte' Greene did not practice and received treatment on his left ankle. He's listed as day-to-day. Greene left the first half of Tuesday's game against the Suns with the injury and played briefly in the second half.

*Kevin Martin said that he feels "ready" to play. He's waiting for clearance to return following next Tuesday's doctor's appointment.

*Paul Westphal's observation of how practice is different now that Francisco Garcia is able to participate:

"It's a lot louder when he's out there. Can't always understand what he's saying but he is enthusiastic."

Westphal doesn't anticipate Garcia being able to return to the team full time before the end of the month.

*The (potentially) scary moment of practice was seeing Garcia bump into Jon Brockman. There was nothing violent about the collision and nothing to really worry about. But whenever Brockman's involved, I anticipate someone falling to the floor hard.

New York Knicks forward Danilo Gallinari to play through pain against Charlotte Bobcats

New York Knicks forward Danilo Gallinari's sore lower back will not force him to miss a start.
New York Knicks forward Danilo Gallinari's sore lower back will not force him to miss a start.

The injury report on Danilo Gallinari said nothing about a sore lower back, which was the first sign of good news for the Knicks.

Instead, Gallinari was held out of contact drills due to a sore right shoulder which, according to coach Mike D'Antoni, will not prevent the second-year forward from starting tonight's home game against the Charlotte Bobcats.

The Knicks have managed to keep their top players healthy through the team's first 34 games, which is a crucial factor for an up-and-coming club that is looking to reach the playoffs.

A back injury limited Gallinari to 28 games as a rookie last season. He eventually had surgery and this year the Italian forward has appeared in 33 of 34 games. David Lee, Al Harrington, Wilson Chandler and Chris Duhon have played in all 34games.

Following a 1-9 start, the Knicks (14-20) come into tonight's game playing as well as any team in the Eastern Conference, having won six of their last nine. They've also won four of their last seven on the road.

Larry Brown's Bobcats figure to present a tough challenge. Tonight's meeting will be the fourth and final game between the two teams this season and it could have playoff tie-breaking ramifications.

Charlotte won its two home games against the Knicks, including on Dec.15 when it rallied from a 12-point deficit.

GUARANTEED: Forward Marcus Landry, a longshot to make the club in training camp, had his contract guaranteed for the remainder of the season.

Landry's brother, Carl, plays for Rockets, who the Knicks will play tomorrow. The 8:30 p.m. game will be televised on Ch. 11.

Nash still trails McGrady in All-Star voting

In the fourth returns of 2010 NBA All-Star balloting, Phoenix Suns star Amar'e Stoudemire holds a comfortable lead at center and Steve Nash continues to trail Tracy McGrady at guard.

In the Western Conference, Stoudemire (1,304,470) is the leading vote-getter among centers, followed by the Lakers' Andrew Bynum (743,182).

For the two starting guard spots, Nash (744,250) trails the Lakers' Kobe Bryant (1,793,782) and the Rockets' Tracy McGrady (746,625).

The Nuggets' Carmelo Anthony leads forwards in the West (1,568,259) with the Mavericks' Dirk Nowitzki (826,130) second.

In the Eastern Conference, Miami's Dwyane Wade leads at guard (1,719,359) followed by the 76ers' Allen Iverson (930,713). Iverson's votes on the Western Conference ballots count towards the Eastern Conference guards due to his signing with Philadelphia on Dec. 3. Cavaliers star LeBron James leads the forwards with 1,769,287 votes, followed by the Celtics' Kevin Garnett (1,467,365). The Magic's Dwight Howard leads all centers with 1,681,897 votes; the Cavaliers' O'Neal is second (609,486).

This is the final balloting update leading up to the announcement of the All-Star starters on Jan. 21 televised on TNT.

Following the starting lineup announcement, the head coaches in each conference will vote to determine the remaining All-Stars in their respective conference, which will be announced Jan. 28 on TNT.

The 2010 NBA All-Star Game will be played at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, before an expected crowd of more than 80,000 on Feb. 14.

Fans can cast votes at NBA arenas, at NBA.com and through mobile phones by texting the player's last name to 6-9-6-2-2 (M-Y-N-B-A). Paper balloting will continue through Jan. 10, while wireless and online voting will conclude Jan. 18.

2010 NBA ALL-STAR BALLOTING WESTERN CONFERENCE

Guards: Kobe Bryant (LAL) 1,793,782; Tracy McGrady (Hou) 746,625; Steve Nash (Pho) 744,250; Chris Paul (NO) 701,417; Aaron Brooks (Hou) 443,369; Jason Kidd (Dal) 429,720; Chauncey Billups (Den) 310,281; Deron Williams (Utah) 285,185; Manu Ginobili (SA) 261,107; Brandon Roy (Por) 257,231; Tony Parker (SA) 248,951.

Forwards: Carmelo Anthony (Den) 1,568,259; Dirk Nowitzki (Dal) 826,130; Tim Duncan (SA) 776,225; Pau Gasol (LAL) 754,070; Kevin Durant (OKC) 556,847; Trevor Ariza (Hou) 504,725; Luis Scola (Hou) 437,944; Shawn Marion (Dal) 295,310; Ron Artest (LAL) 266,554; Lamar Odom (LAL) 194,567; LaMarcus Aldridge (Por) 177,663.

Centers: Amar'e Stoudemire (Pho) 1,304,470; Andrew Bynum (LAL) 743,182; Nene (Den) 261,295; Marc Gasol (Mem) 217,675; Antonio McDyess (SA) 157,346; Al Jefferson (Min) 146,773; Greg Oden (Por) 136,388; Marcus Camby (LAC) 121,981; Andris Biedrins (GS) 102,095; Mehmet Okur (Utah) 96,897; Emeka Okafor (NO) 94,685; Spencer Hawes (Sac) 31,767.

2010 NBA ALL-STAR BALLOTING EASTERN CONFERENCE

Guards: Dwyane Wade (Mia) 1,719,359; Allen Iverson (Phi) 930,713; Vince Carter (Orl) 745,581; Ray Allen (Bos) 510,885; Gilbert Arenas (Was) 445,473; Derrick Rose (Chi) 385,829; Joe Johnson (Atl) 329,100; Rajon Rondo (Bos) 269,566; Jose Calderon (Tor) 157,354; Mike Bibby (Atl) 155,078.

Forwards: LeBron James (Clev) 1,769,287; Kevin Garnett (Bos) 1,467,365; Chris Bosh (Tor) 724,317; Paul Pierce (Bos) 366,234; Josh Smith (Atl) 334,338; Andre Iguodala (Phi) 228,343; Danny Granger (Ind) 213,371; Michael Beasley (Mia) 188,552; Rashard Lewis (Orl) 151,717; Hedo Turkoglu (Tor) 133,445; Caron Butler (Was) 110,003.

Centers: Dwight Howard (Orl) 1,681,897; Shaquille O'Neal (Cle) 609,486; Al Horford (Atl) 178,360; Andrea Bargnani (Tor) 168,684; Brook Lopez (NJ) 154,362; Andrew Bogut (Mil) 143,545; Jermaine O'Neal (Mia) 111,065; Rasheed Wallace (Bos) 87,590; Kendrick Perkins (Bos) 56,598; Samuel Dalembert (Phi) 53,880; Tyson Chandler (Cha) 44,279; Brad Miller (Chi) 40,182.

Spurs' Ginobili is now pain-free

The headaches and sore sinuses that robbed Manu Ginobili of a decent night's sleep during the Spurs' road trip to Washington and Toronto were gone by the time Wednesday's game against the Detroit Pistons tipped off at the AT&T Center.

It was the Pistons who felt the pain of Ginobili's restored health.

Ginobili took two charges and had a steal during an 11-0 fourth-quarter run that turned an air-tight game into a blowout victory for the Spurs. His defensive aggression, often applied full-court, keyed one of the most lopsided single quarters of the season for the Spurs.

“Oh, yeah, that felt good,” Ginobili said. “It looked like we were more energetic. We hustled more, played with more edge. It's great to see the team playing playoff-style, especially in the fourth quarter.”

The nasal congestion and headaches Ginobili had suffered on the Spurs' Eastern trip were cured he said by home cooking and lots of bed rest.

“The last three games were really tough for me, but I think you could tell I played with much more energy. I felt really good.”

Hairston guaranteed: Wednesday was an important day for second-year Spur Malik Hairston.

The 6-foot-7 swingman from Oregon was among a large group of players whose contracts became fully guaranteed at the end of Wednesday's business day.

The league's collective bargaining agreement specifies all contracts are guaranteed, as of Jan. 10 of each season. Because Jan. 10 this year falls on a Sunday and the league office is closed all weekend, players had to be waived by Wednesday in order to clear waivers by the end of Friday's business day.

Hairston will make $736,420.

Backing Stern: Roger Mason Jr., a former teammate of suspended Washington Wizards star Gilbert Arenas, said he agreed with commissioner David Stern's decision to suspend Arenas indefinitely for recent actions around an incident involving guns in the Wizards' locker room.

Stern's announcement included a statement that the player “is not currently fit to take the court in an NBA game.”

“I think those words from commissioner Stern speak for themselves,” Mason said. “That's not something that you make light of.

“It's unfortunate. Nobody wants to see anybody suspended. You don't want to see anybody lose money. At the same time, I think that was obviously poor judgment on his part. It's serious.”

Painful cut for Lester Hudson

MIAMI - Lester Hudson was waived by the Celtics [team stats] yesterday for reasons having far more to do with basketball than finances - and little to do with Hudson.

The rookie point guard’s release came on the day players had to be waived to avoid having their contracts guaranteed.

But the Celts are more interested in keeping a roster spot available should they need to add a player or make a deal before next month’s trade deadline.

According to director of basketball operations Danny Ainge, there is no other imminent move.

“This just gives us a roster spot that we don’t feel we need to use right now,” Ainge said. “We do save some money with this, but that wasn’t why we did it.”

Hudson had some $260,000 left on his $457,588 obviously non-guaranteed contract. Because of the luxury tax, the Celtics will save $520,000.

But it was decided that flexibility was more important than what Hudson might be able to contribute this season.

“We like Lester a lot,” said Ainge. “We still think he’s an NBA player, and it’s possible we might try to sign him again at some point.

“But we’re trying to win now, and we think it’s better to have a spot free. You never know what players might become available down the line, and sometimes there are trades where you bring back more players than you send out. And you don’t want to have to be in a position where you’re waiving somebody (with a guaranteed contract) if you don’t have to.”

The Celtics have added free agents down the stretch the last two seasons.

Bounce back

Kendrick Perkins [stats] gave the Celtics 41 minutes in last night’s 112-106 overtime victory over the Heat, after two days of being very ill. He had 20 points and 10 boards, though he felt worn out.

“I think it was food poisoning,” he said. “I ate some chicken tenders at the movies. I think that’s what it was, for real, because right after I ate them I was messed up.”

Let’s just say Perk got a new appreciation for the term fast break. As for the flick, he saw “The Blind Side.”

“That’s a good movie, man,” he said. . . .

There is a chance Eddie House (flu) could join the Celtics in Atlanta, where they play tomorrow night.

“But we don’t know that,” said coach Doc Rivers. “We just know he can’t get out of bed.” . . .

Kevin Garnett (right knee) is with the team, but not ready to play.

“It’s the same thing,” said Rivers. “Maybe a week, two weeks. I have no idea.”

Quick healer

Marquis Daniels may not be out as long as first anticipated. He had a new cast put on his surgically repaired left thumb Tuesday.

Past reports said he was shooting to come back after the All-Star break, but when asked yesterday if there’s a new timetable, he said, “Maybe before then. It all depends. When I go back and get this removed again, I hope everything will be good. . . . It’s healing really good.”

Daniels has been running, and he will go back and have this new cast removed in about three weeks.

As for his mood, he said, “It’s good. I mean, guys keep my spirits up. It’s great to be on a good team. If you’re on a bad team, it usually goes down the other way. But we’ve got a bunch of comedians around here, so it keeps your spirits up.”

Wizards lose game and Arenas

In the span of a few hours, the Washington Wizards lost their leading scorer, their on-court leader and maybe their season.

Taking the court in Cleveland only hours after star guard Gilbert Arenas was suspended indefinitely by pitiless NBA commissioner David Stern, the Wizards were beaten 121-98 by the Cavaliers last night, a possible preview of darker days ahead for Washington.

“It’s like a black cloud over us,” guard DeShawn Stevenson said. “Hit us over the head again and we might break.”

LeBron James piled up 23 points, eight assists and seven rebounds in just three quarters, and Shaquille O’Neal added 17 points in 17 minutes as the Cavaliers took no mercy on the Wizards and posted a season high for points to win for the 13th time in 15 games.

Washington ended a long, draining day with a lopsided loss.

Arenas was suspended by Stern, who in a scathing statement called the gregarious guard’s recent behavior “not currently fit to take the court.”

Stern handed down his stiff sentence on Arenas while the three-time All-Star is being investigated by federal and local authorities after admittedly bringing unloaded guns to Washington’s locker room.

Arenas’ problems began after an alleged dispute over card-playing gambling debts and a heated discussion in the locker room with teammate Javaris Crittenton. The New York Post reported that the two drew weapons on each other. Arenas said in a statement that he took unloaded guns from his locker in a “misguided effort to play a joke” on a teammate.

The Wizards don’t find any of it funny now.

“This situation has put the whole organization in a bad light,” Jamison said. “It’s sad, but this is not what we are. It’s a bad decision on two people and we have to pay for it.”

Suns 118, Rockets 110 - Steve Nash scored 26 points and had 12 assists, Amare Stoudemire added 25 points and 11 rebounds, and host Phoenix squandered a 16-point lead before rallying from a 16-point deficit to beat Houston.

Spurs 112, Pistons 92 - Tony Parker and Roger Mason Jr. keyed a decisive run in the fourth quarter as host San Antonio sent Detroit to its 11th consecutive loss.

Hawks 119, Nets 89 - Jamal Crawford scored 29 points and host Atlanta used one of their best shooting nights of the season to end a four-game losing streak and beat struggling New Jersey.

Hornets 97, Thunder 92 - David West scored 19 points, Chris Paul had 14 points and 13 assists and visiting New Orleans moved above .500 for the first time this season by defeating Oklahoma City.

Warriors 107, Timberwolves 100 - In Minneapolis, Monta Ellis had 20 points, seven rebounds and six assists in 38 minutes as Golden State snapped an eight-game road losing streak with a victory over Minnesota.

In other games, the Toronto Raptors beat the Magic, 108-103, in Orlando; and the Utah Jazz tuned up on the Memphis Grizzlies, 117-94, in Salt Lake City.

Clippers end Lakers’ mastery over them

LOS ANGELES — Score one for the L.A. team derisively known as the junior varsity.

The Clippers snapped a nine-game losing streak against the Lakers with a 102-91 victory Wednesday night, riding inspired play by Baron Davis (25 points, 10 assists). It remains conceivable that the teams, separated by 11½ games in the standings, could meet in a first-round playoff matchup in a few months.

For the Lakers, the loss was a reminder that they didn’t exactly look dominant early in the season when missing Pau Gasol, who is injured again with a different hamstring pull.

Without Gasol, the Lakers did just finish off Dallas and handle Houston — two of the Western Conference’s better teams — but the Lakers mustered little enthusiasm for this crosstown matchup.

Kobe Bryant had one hot spell but otherwise was missing the touch with his fractured right index finger, going 10 for 30 from the field to get his 32 points. Ron Artest (eight points, four rebounds, one assist) was mostly a non-factor in his second game back from his concussion.

Lakers coach Phil Jackson said before the game he was "very curious" to see how Andrew Bynum, who has more opportunities when Gasol is out, would perform in a head-to-head situation with Clippers center Chris Kaman, who has had a resurgent season and might garner more of the necessary coach votes than Bynum to be named a Western Conference All-Star reserve.

"His stats are great," Jackson said of Kaman, who entered averaging 20.3 points, 9.1 rebounds and 1.3 blocks — better numbers in the first two cases than Bynum’s 15.3 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.6 blocks.

Clippers announcer pleads not guilty to theft

Los Angeles Clippers announcer...
Los Angeles Clippers announcer Michael Smith

SANTA ANA, Calif. — Los Angeles Clippers announcer Michael Smith has pleaded not guilty to stealing $735,000 from a golfing buddy in a failed development deal.

Orange County district attorney’s spokeswoman Farrah Emami says Smith posted $25,000 bond Thursday. A pretrial hearing is scheduled for Feb. 5.

Smith and business partner Bruce Furst are charged with grand theft. They are accused of persuading a friend into using his home for collateral on a $735,000 loan to finance a Dana Point development deal. The market collapsed, the deal went sour and the victim is expected to lose his home.

Smith and Furst face up to five years in prison if convicted. Furst posted bail Monday.

Smith, 44, played for the Clippers and Boston Celtics [team stats] before becoming a broadcaster.

Paul Pierce-Rajon Rondo combo leads to wild OT win

MIAMI - With low temperatures here reaching down near the freezing mark yesterday, it would have been hard for the Celtics [team stats] to feel much more at home. The place was like Revere Beach with palm trees. Albeit without Kelly’s.

And the Celts could have used a celebratory clam plate after this one.

Dancing fitfully between heaven and a bad road loss, they survived Dwyane Wade’s 44 points and their own 25 turnovers to claim a 112-106 overtime victory against the Miami Heat.

Rajon Rondo [stats] shook off a balky left hamstring to score 25 points, six of them in the extra inning as the Celts pulled away by scoring 11 of the game’s last 14 points.

With 16.4 seconds left and Ray Allen heading to the line to ice it, a large portion of the crowd commenced with a loud chant of “Let’s go Celtics.” All that was missing was a parquet floor.

The OT was rather anticlimactic, for people will be talking for quite some time about the wild end to regulation.

The Celtics had the ball with 5.5 seconds to go in a tie game and were looking for the last shot. But Wade stole the ball from Allen and raced in to jam with six-tenths of a second left.

Doc Rivers had to yell to hustle his dejected troops in for a 20-second timeout, but their mood would change shortly.

“I had to drag them to the timeout,” the coach said. “They thought the game was over. (Assistant coach) Kevin Eastman kept yelling, ‘The game is not over.’ ”

Paul Pierce [stats] inbounded the ball from the left sideline and lofted an alley-oop feed to Rondo, who beat Mario Chalmers and made the reception and layup in one leap to beat the buzzer. It’s a play the Celts have worked on quite a bit.

“It’s worked against us,” Rivers said. “The tough part about the play is the pass. It’s a tough one to guard. We needed it. I mean, what a great win for us.”

Making it even more dramatic is the fact Pierce missed the last five games with a knee infection and Rondo had sat out the last one with a sore left hamstring. They played 43 and 50 minutes, respectively.

“I thought (Rondo) and Paul really gutted it out tonight,” Rivers said.

And they were ready with less than a second left.

“We’ve been working on that play for a long time, actually since last year,” said Rondo, who made 9-of-12 shots from the floor and 7-of-8 from the line. “And as soon as Wade stole the ball, I knew exactly that was the play we were going to run.”

Said Pierce: “We don’t panic. And thank God that little Rondo can jump so high. He just made a spectacular play, man.”

The Celtics [team stats] made a few of them, with all five starters in double figures, but they nearly undid it all with the turnovers and allowing Miami 17 offensive rebounds and 16 second-chance points.

“But we still won the game,” Rivers said. “We found a way.”

The Celts were on the ropes, having been beaten into an 89-78 deficit by a 28-9 run that had them teetering in the fourth quarter. But they suddenly turned their thermometer upside down. They had made just three of their previous 13 shots, turning the ball over eight times in that span. But they proceeded to score on eight straight possessions to take a 96-93 lead.

Wallace fouled out with 1:10 to go as Udonis Haslem got the Heat within one with two free throws. Ray Allen then drilled a trey to make it a four-point game, and Jermaine O’Neal got it to 99-97 with a jumper at 33.5. Pierce milked the clock, but he drew no iron on his move to the hoop with the 24-second clock running out. The Heat got the ball down the floor quickly, and Allen fouled Wade, who tied the game with two free throws at 5.5.

That set the stage for the Wade-Rondo tango that is undoubtedly flooding your TV screen this morning.

“We felt at home because of the cold weather,” joked Pierce. “It didn’t bother us. It probably bothered them a little more than us. We’re used to it.”

Suns' Nash continues to be a numbers marvel

After watching Steve Nash score 30 points and hand out 12 assists to pull a Suns win out of the team's blown-lead hat, Sacramento coach Paul Westphal handed him the best compliment anyone has given him this season.

"I don't think I've ever seen him play this well and he's got two MVPs," Westphal said. "He's unbelievable."

It's hard to argue. Nash's 54 percent shooting is the best of his 14-year career and better than any other NBA point guard or wing player. For the fourth time in six seasons, Nash (26 points, 12 assists in Wednesday's 118-110 win over Houston) is the NBA assist leader with more games of 14 or more assists (nine) than the rest of the league's players (eight). He is on pace to have a fourth season in which he shoots at least 50 percent from the field, 40 percent from 3-point range and 90 percent from the free-throw line. Larry Bird is the only other player to ever do it twice.

"I feel great," said Nash, who turns 36 in one month. "When Alvin (Gentry) took over last year, I played just like I'm playing now. I feel like I played just as fast, other than the kind of experimental two-thirds of a season last year where we really were a post-up team. That was the reason people felt like there was a dip or slowing down of my career. Last year just limited my opportunities. I dribbled the ball up the court and threw it in the post. So you're not going to see me be the same player."

Tuesday's game was Nash's fourth 30-point game of the season after having two in losses last season. Phoenix is 3-1 when he scores 30 this season, and he still has averaged 8.8 assists in those games. The Suns were 8-3 in Nash's 30-point games in 2005-06 and 2006-07.

Nash is as close as ever to Mark Price for the NBA career free-throw percentage record. Price shot 90.39 percent over his career and Nash's best career free-throw game Tuesday (13 for 13) put him at 90.21. But with 2,747 career tries entering Wednesday, it will take some doing to keep improving, even with his career-best 94 percent rate this season.

Lou's free throws

Nobody is going to celebrate a free-throw percentage of 55.6 too much, but that mark entering Wednesday is progress for forward Louis Amundson, who made 44.2 percent of his free throws last season. He began working this summer with a shooting coach, Dave Love.

"It's coming along," said Amundson, whose goal was 67 percent this season. "It's a process. I felt pretty comfortable (vs. Memphis when he went 4 of 5). The struggle with me on the line is to relax and not let my head get in the way."

Budinger's back

Rookie Chase Budinger, a former University of Arizona player, returned to Houston's lineup Tuesday and played more Wednesday after missing seven games with an ankle sprain. He was averaging 8.2 points before the injury.

"He's going to give us someone that runs the floor consistently and makes shots," Houston coach Rick Adelman said. "He's an energy guy and gives us size at the three-spot behind Shane (Battier). We haven't had that."

Griffin's back, too

Rookie Taylor Griffin rejoined the Suns on Wednesday for medical evaluation after a groin strain. He will return to his D-League assignment with Iowa this weekend.

Bynum's chances grow with Gasol out

LOS ANGELES - Instead of taking umbrage at Andrew Bynum admitting that he's more focused with Pau Gasol out of the lineup, Lakers coach Phil Jackson defended his young center's approach.

Jackson insisted there's a better explanation for Bynum's production increasing so dramatically when he doesn't have to share the block with Gasol than just a lack of concentration.

"It's a matter of productivity," he said. "Who are they going to put on Pau? The biggest guy on the floor? No, they're going to put him on Drew because he's got the size. So for the most part Pau's going to have the advantage situation, so he's going to have more opportunities and he's probably going to be more productive in the post than Drew is."

The discrepancy between Bynum's scoring numbers with and without Gasol is staggering this season. Entering Wednesday's game, Bynum averaged 20.5 points in the 11 games in which he played and Gasol didn't, but his scoring average dipped to 12.5 in the 21 games in which they shared the floor.

That trend continued Wednesday night as Bynum again was the focal point down low against a Clippers team he torched for 42 points and 15 rebounds last January. Bynum scored eight first-quarter points despite frequent double teams, finishing with 15 points and 14 rebounds.

"I get a lot more touches on the block," Bynum said. "We get close to the basket. If they double me, I just kick it out and we swing the ball."

No GM Job in Future

Whatever Jackson's future holds when his contract expires after this season, it appears a general manager position will not be part of it.

Asked whether he could ever envision having both the coach and general manager's role as Mike Dunleavy has with the Clippers, Jackson said he has "no interest" in ever becoming a general manager.

"I don't want to deal with agents. I don't want to have to lie," Jackson said. "I don't want to throw out there like "lie," but you have to do some negotiating with truth a lot of times, and I don't want to do that."

So Jackson never has to negotiate the truth with his players?

"I tell them they're better than they are," he said, chuckling.

Gasol Pain-Free

Gasol had a pain-free session of stretching and therapy on Tuesday afternoon, another sign this hamstring strain is not as serious as his previous one, according to Jackson.

"If there's no pain that's significant or noticeable, that's a good sign," he said.

Lakers coach Jackson not surprised over Arenas suspension

Lakers coach Phil Jackson wasn't surprised that NBA commissioner David Stern suspended Gilbert Arenas of the Washington Wizards for storing guns in his locker. The indefinite length of the suspension also didn't shock Jackson.

He said Wednesday the collective bargaining agreement between the league and its players makes it clear that guns will not be tolerated in the workplace. He said the Lakers have stressed to their players that the rules must be followed to the letter.

"I don't know about other teams, but we've had someone come in the last couple of years and talk specifically to the players about guns, ownership of guns, their place in society," Jackson said "It's never enough. It's never enough.

"You get new people (who join the team through free agency and trades). You get new situations. You get players with issues that may make them feel unguarded. I think there's a real challenge for our league to address this. Society, too."

Jackson said he supports the right to bear arms, but he has made it clear he's not a fan of handguns. He said Sunday, "My message is that it attracts violence, there's no doubt about it, and the violence that happens around guns is death."

Lakers medical report

Pau Gasol went through his therapy session without experiencing pain in his strained left hamstring, Jackson said. There is still no timetable for Gasol's return to the practice court. He was injured while warming up before Sunday's game against Dallas.

Lamar Odom said he was still feeling weak because of a case of gastroenteritis. He had 17 points, 19 rebounds and nine assists in Tuesday's victory over Houston, and Jackson joked that he encouraged him to maintain his pregame diet.

"I don't think he feels a whole lot better," Jackson said of Odom, who fell ill Sunday afternoon. "He's not feeling that great yet. I told him to stay on the same diet as (Tuesday) night. He had a Big Mac before the game."

Ron Artest reported no setbacks after playing for the first time Tuesday since suffering a concussion in a fall at home Dec. 25. Artest was shaky, according to Jackson, who added, "His physical performance was fine. His mental performance was not."

Asked to elaborate, Jackson said, "He didn't handle the situations right a few times. He dribbled into territory he shouldn't have gone into, with numerous turnovers as a result. I thought his timing was off a little bit."

Griffin update

Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy said an Internet report that rookie forward Blake Griffin would make his NBA debut Jan. 20 was untrue.

Griffin, the No. 1 overall pick in last year's draft, has been sidelined since suffering a stress fracture of his left patella during training camp.

"I have no idea where that January 20 date came from," Dunleavy said. "I don't think it's an accurate date at all. But he's progressing. He's on the court. - We don't need to set dates. The first day he's ready to play, that's when we want him."

Inconsistent Bulls are tough to figure out

Just a few days ago, the Bulls stretched their winning streak to four by beating Orlando and their slump appeared to be over.

Now they're back on a two-game skid following losses to Charlotte and Oklahoma City. Once again, there is no telling how the season with turn out.

Since the Bulls took Wednesday off, this is a good time to search for their elusive winning formula, if one exists. For example, playing a bad team at home doesn't fit, otherwise the 3-31 New Jersey Nets would be 2-32.

The Bulls (14-19) have plenty of losing formulas, such as 0-7 in the second leg of back-to-back games and 0-11 when the opponent scores 100 points.

A cursory check of their performance based on certain milestones showed a couple of trends. Outrebounding the opponent is good, with the Bulls producing a 12-8 record when that happens.

A common sight when the Bulls were playing their worst was Joakim Noah tapping a rebound two or three times but unable to reign it in as he battled three opponents for the ball with no teammate in view.

The other positive trend is bench strength. The Bulls are 9-4 when they win the battle of bench points, or at least beak even. That's not surprising, since most of their problems can be traced to the fact that four players have consistently showed up - Noah, Derrick Rose, Luol Deng and Taj Gibson.

Give those guys a little help and the Bulls can be pretty good. The problem is the inconsistent efforts from a number of players, mainly Brad Miller and John Salmons.

Since exiting the starting lineup on Dec. 26, Salmons has had four games where he averaged 17.0 points and two games in which he scored a total of 3 points.

Miller has been a major disappointment. He scored 16 points against Indiana on Dec. 29 and played a good defensive game against Orlando's Dwight Howard last week. Otherwise, the veteran center has averaged 1.7 points and 2.0 rebounds in his last eight games.

The Bulls are 8-18 when either Rose or Deng score 20 or more points, which is probably another sign that balanced scoring is their best way to win.

They'll have another day off before the next dreaded back-to-back, featuring Milwaukee on Friday at the Bradley Center and Minnesota at home on Saturday.

No second chances: There was a statistical oddity in Tuesday's 113-108 loss to Charlotte. The Bobcats collected just 1 offensive rebound in the game. Yes, 1.

It happened late in the third quarter when Gerald Wallace rebounded a Boris Diaw miss and immediately had his putback attempt swatted away by Joakim Noah.

(A check of the play-by-play revealed Charlotte did get 3 team offensive rebounds).

According to the Bulls' media guide, that is a franchise record for fewest offensive rebounds in a game. The old mark was 2, by the way. There has been one other instance this season in the NBA when a team had just 1 offensive rebound, by Washington at Milwaukee on Dec. 23.

Bull horns: Derrick Rose confirmed on bulls.com Wednesday that he plans to defend his title in the Skills Challenge during all-star weekend. Rose knocked off New Jersey's Devin Harris in last year's championship round. - According to yahoo.com, the Clippers are targeting the Jan. 20 home game against the Bulls for No. 1 draft pick Blake Griffin to make his NBA debut. Griffin has been out since training camp with a stress fracture in his knee.

John Rohde: Scott Brooks’ answers tell all

Thunder coach Scott Brooks has always been able to maintain his composure during post-game interview sessions.

He'll be a dribbler for sure — a 'Little Yao' is on the way

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Yao Ming and his wife, Ye Li, are expecting a baby in July.

There will soon be — in the mother of all oxymoronic phrases — a “Little Yao.”

Rockets center Yao Ming and his wife, Ye Li, are expecting their first child this summer.

"My wife and are excited about our family to be," Yao said in a statement. "Thank you for your support."

The baby is expected in July, although no decision has been announced about where Ye will deliver.

The couple is in Shanghai while Yao is attending the start of the China Basketball Association season in his first year as a co-owner of the Shanghai Sharks. He returned to the United States briefly last week to attend the Rose Bowl to promote the World Expo in Shanghai.

Yao, 29, and Ye, 28, married in August 2007. NBA teams might not wait long to begin scouting their child. At 7-6, Yao is the tallest NBA player. Ye, 6-2, also played for the Chinese National team.

Bobcats GM: Finances won't block roster moves

Charlotte Bobcats general manager Rod Higgins told the Observer Wednesday that finances wouldn’t stop him from adding depth at power forward.

That doesn’t mean the Bobcats will add a power forward, seemingly their greatest area of need.

“I don’t think finance has anything to do with it,’’ Higgins said in an exclusive interview. “(Paying) the luxury tax was always something we weren’t going to do. But if something makes sense, you’ve got to look at everything.’’

The Bobcats are roughly $2 million below the threshold where the team would start paying luxury tax.

Coach Larry Brown said Tuesday he doubted the team would add a power forward, either by 10-day contract or a waiver claim, despite having an open roster spot.

“I’ve thought all along we’ve needed somebody to back up Boris (Diaw). I don’t think because the (contract) guarantee date is coming up that it will make any difference at all,’’ Brown said. “There are a lot of guys out there you could have brought in (already) without a guarantee.’’

Higgins agrees the Bobcats need more depth at power forward. But he questions whether players willing to sign 10-days – likely development-leaguers – would help.

“When you look at backup power forwards in (the NBA), a lot of them look like what we have,’’ Higgins said. “After Boris Diaw, we play Gerald Wallace or Stephen Jackson or Derrick Brown – 6-7 or 6-8 players -- in that role.

“I don’t know that a guy who is not playing in the NBA could come right in and give us impactful minutes.’’

Higgins also doesn’t think recalling 7-footer Alexis Ajinca from the D-League Maine Red Claws would impact the active roster. A 2008 first-round pick, Ajinca has been with the Bobcats’ minor-league affiliate since late November, to mixed results.

“Alexis has shown at times that he’s improving, but over the last week or so he hasn’t shown it,’’ Higgins said. “Watching his game from yesterday, for instance, he still commits some of the same mistakes he committed as a young player last year at the beginning of (his rookie) season.

The Bobcats seemingly have a similar situation with rookie shooting guard Gerald Henderson, who has played in one of the last five games. But Higgins indicated he wasn’t leaning toward a D-league stint for Henderson.

“He’ll be just fine. We’re kind of loaded at that spot right now,’’ Higgins said. “The kid continues to work on his game. I’m sure it’s frustrating for him, but he’s going to have a long career.’’

In hierarchy of L.A. hoops, Lakers always seem to reign

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The Clippers' moments as kings of L.A.'s basketball scene have been few and far between.

Imagine the state of basketball in Los Angeles right now if Kobe Bryant didn't have a sudden change of heart.

He was almost a Clipper, you know. Well, at least that's the impression he gave the Clippers. Six years ago, right after the Lakers shipped Shaquille O'Neal to Miami, and with Kobe exploring free agency, he met with the Clippers and everyone left that afternoon thinking it was a done deal.

You know why car salesmen never want a customer to leave the lot without signing the papers? Because of the very real possibility the customer will never step foot on the lot again. And that's what happened when Kobe met Lakers owner Jerry Buss the next day. He never saw the Clippers again.

When Kobe left the Clippers hanging, it all but guaranteed the Clippers would remain second-class citizens in the city they share with the league's glamour franchise. In that brief moment, when Kobe essentially told the Clippers "I'll get back to you," the chance of a historic tilt in L.A. looked possible. And then Kobe, as he often does to teams on the basketball court, ripped the Clippers' hearts out.

Last night the teams met at Staples Center, where all the Laker banners and retired numbers hang. The Clippers claimed victory and a temporary sense of satisfaction, although nothing changed overnight in the big picture.

Nothing lasts forever, and yet you wonder if there will ever be a lengthy role-reversal in L.A. In just about every other metropolitan area with two teams in the same sport, the pendulum manages to swing occasionally in each directions. Both the Athletics and Giants have shared success in the Bay Area. Same for the Dodgers and Angels in Southern Cal. Even the Mets won a pair of World Series and paraded in New York, infuriating spoiled Yankee fans.

But basketball in L.A. has been monopolized by the Lakers ever since the Clippers moved from San Diego a quarter of a century ago.

Is Jerry Buss just luckier than Donald Sterling? Or does he just know how to hire better people? Both are probably true. Would Buss be hailed as a great owner if he never had Jerry West picking the talent all those years? Well, hiring West made Buss a great owner. But what about the Gail Goodrich trade made with the New Orleans Jazz prior to Buss becoming owner that allowed the Lakers to draft Magic Johnson? Would Buss' reputation as owner be completely different without that stroke of good fortune?

And remember: Shaq came to L.A. from Orlando mainly because of the entertainment possibilities in addition to the money. Once again, though, it reflected well on the Lakers and by extension, Buss.

Buss did make one decision that clearly showed how shrewd an owner he is: He chose Kobe over Shaq when the two had to be split up. Actually, maybe his best choice was buying the Lakers instead of the Clippers.

Sterling had Elgin Baylor as his general manager for decades and had crummy luck with injuries. And when Sterling's team had the No. 1 pick overall, Magic Johnson wasn't on the board; Michael Olowokandi was. And Danny Manning, who quickly came up lame, as did Shaun Livingston and now Blake Griffin, out until the end of the month. And when Sterling finally decided to pay big money to players, it went to Baron Davis and Corey Maggette and also Elton Brand, who left the Clippers for Philly right when the Clippers had just signed Davis.

The first season the Clippers played in L.A., 1984-85, the Lakers won the championship. And they've been winners ever since, for the most part. The Clippers, meanwhile, won plenty of trips to the draft lottery.

Only four times did they finish with a better regular-season record than the Lakers, and for two weeks in the spring of 2006, L.A. belonged to the Clippers. The Lakers were eliminated by the Suns in the first round while the Clippers advanced to the next round and pushed Phoenix to seven games. For the Clippers, it was the summit of their existence in L.A. and their one shining moment in any comparison with the Lakers. And it would be fleeting. Kobe eventually got Pau Gasol, Brand eventually skipped town, and the status quo returned to L.A. basketball.

While it's hard to imagine the Lakers sinking to the Clippers' level as long as Kobe is healthy and bloodthirsty, the Clippers do have intriguing young talent. Assuming Blake isn't injury-prone or cursed, he could become a star and a staple on the front line for many years. Chris Kaman is having a career year. There's Eric Gordon and Al Thornton and, because tradition is hard to break, another lottery pick coming soon.

The Clippers are still spending their days and nights and years looking up to the Lakers, but keep this in mind: Kobe can opt out of his contract this summer. Would he cross the street and kick the tires on the Clippers' lot again?

At this point, rather than be burned for a second time, would the Clippers even let him? Uh, yes, actually.


Depth makes mark when it matters most

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Flip Murray's play last week gave the Bobcats a new franchise accomplishment.

While we usually reserve this space in Five on the Rise to spotlight a player who stood out last week, we're changing things up a bit. In our review of the best Five on the Rise-type performances, we saw a trend: depth making an impact.

Whether it's contending for a championship or just trying to make the playoffs, quality depth is what makes either run possible. Last week, the Bobcats, Nuggets and Celtics -- all of whom have differing definitions of "contending" -- showed what depth did to help their causes.

The Bobcats opened the new year with a tough stretch: back-to-back road games against the Heat and Cavaliers, a day off, and then a home game against the rising Bulls. All Charlotte did was go 3-0, thanks mostly to some key baskets from offseason acquisition Flip Murray.

Denver has been without All-Star point guard Chauncey Billups since Dec. 16 and All-Star forward Carmelo Anthony has a right knee contusion that kept him out of Tuesday's game against Golden State. Yet there was J.R. Smith, hitting key baskets in a crucial Northwest Division win at Utah and making a pair of free throws to seal a controversial home win over the Warriors.

Rasheed Wallace signed with Boston to provide some veteran experience and clutch baskets in the postseason. We still have yet to see if that happens, but Wallace sparked the Celtics to a win over the Raptors last week while starters Rajon Rondo, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce nursed injuries.

Thanks to those performances, Wallace, Murray and Smith all make their debut in this week's Five on the Rise. In fact, four of the five spots in this week's list are new faces. The one thing they all have in common? All five players kept their teams in the thick of whatever race (title-contending, playoff-chasing) that the teams were running.

NBA.com's Five on the Rise is a weekly look at which young players (and resurgent veterans) have yet to reach stardom and have made the biggest impact for their team in the last week. These rankings are just one man's opinion and are released every Thursday during the season. If you have an issue with the names on this list, or have a question or comment for Jeff Case, send him an e-mail.

G. Flip Murray, Bobcats
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Last Week's Rank - N/A
As a key midseason acquisition to the Cavs in 2005-06, Murray no doubt knows how loud Cleveland's Quicken Loans Arena can get. So it's not a big surprise he was more than comfortable draining a late dagger 3-pointer against the Cavs in Sunday's 91-88 win. "After Flip made that shot, all we had to do was get stops," teammate Stephen Jackson said. "It's a great way to start off the year and to get some confidence and momentum." Murray said his shot felt like it "took the air out of the building" as Charlotte got its first win in Cleveland in franchise history. One night earlier in Miami, Murray delivered again, scoring 14 points off the bench as the Bobcats got a key win over a Southeast foe that could prove vital if Miami and Charlotte are battling for a spot down the stretch. Coach Larry Brown has shown confidence in Murray as one of Charlotte's clutch performers, starting with a Dec. 15 comeback win over the Knicks in which Murray hit a late 3-pointer. Since that game, Murray is averaging 9.7 ppg and is shooting 45 percent as the Bobcats have gone 4-5 and emerged as the No. 7 seed in the East. And as our own Sekou Smith points out, the combination of Murray, Jackson and rebounding dynamo Gerald Wallace give the Bobcats perhaps the toughest trio in the NBA since the Bad Boys-era Pistons. There's reason for hope in Charlotte if this keeps up.

G. J.R. Smith, Nuggets
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Last Week's Rank - N/A
"Whenever I shoot the ball, I think I can make it -- that's why I never think I shoot any bad shots." That was Smith's quote to the Denver Post on New Year's Day, and little did he know his willingness to shoot would help (and not hurt) Denver last week. On Tuesday night, Smith's desperation heave from about 40 feet drew a controversial shooting foul on the Warriors' Monta Ellis, allowing Smith to nail the first two (and intentionally miss the third) free throws to give Denver a comeback win. In a road win over the Jazz, Smith provided a big scoring punch off the bench with 18 points and exploited the defense played on him by C.J. Miles and Wesley Matthews. Give Smith credit for filling his usual role of sixth man and allowing Denver to stay atop the Northwest Division despite the injuries to Billups and Anthony. Coach George Karl knows, though, that for every game Smith puts in against Utah and Golden State, he'll also have to live with a 4-for-12, eight-point effort that Smith tends to sandwich between big games. "J.R., once you have a game like that, he continues to force the issue," Karl told the Denver Post. "He always takes one, two, maybe three more, and I don't think great players do that. . . . I just don't think great teams shoot a lot of degree-of-difficulty shots. The way our offense is structured, we're going to shoot more than most. But that doesn't mean we should be emphasizing to do so."

C. Rasheed Wallace, Celtics
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Last Week's Rank - N/A
In case you've missed a good part of the season, 'Sheed hasn't exactly been tearing it up in Boston. He's averaging career-worsts in points (9.4), FG percentage (.394), 3-point shooting (.285 pct) and rebounding (4.3). Yet in that win over the Raptors, Wallace seemingly hopped into a time capsule and offered up a classic line: 16 points, 6-of-11 shooting, two 3-pointers, six rebounds, four assists and three steals. Not only did 'Sheed's performance snap Boston's three-game slide, it also was the culmination of his efforts to lead Boston while KG, Pierce and Rondo are on the mend. Rondo and Pierce were both back for Wednesday night's thrilling OT win over the Heat, in which Rondo provided most of the highlights. But Wallace, starting again in place of KG, delivered a 16-point, nine-rebound performance and nailed a trio of 3-pointers. Credit center Kendrick Perkins with getting in Wallace's ear to take charge of the team while those three stars were out, something that Wallace said he embraced. "I realized that earlier in the summer, when Boston was one of the teams I was thinking about," Wallace told the Boston Herald. "I knew Kevin coming back wouldn't be 100 percent. If he was on a roll, feeling good and playing I knew my minutes would be down. On the other hand I knew that if he did go down I would have to step in there with more."

F. Zach Randolph, Grizzlies
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The Z-Bo redemption tour continues, this time with big stops in Phoenix and Portland. That Randolph put up monster stat lines in both stops (18 points, 11 rebounds in a blowout of the Suns; 27 points, 14 rebounds in a comeback win over the Blazers) wasn't a surprise; Randolph always seems to find his way to a double-double each night in Memphis. What's most surprising is that few would have thought that the Grizzlies' resurgence (and first time over .500 since 2005-06) would be led by Randolph. All that aside, another solid month from Z-Bo. He should be looking at his first All-Star game apperance. He is fourth in the league in double-doubles (behind former All-Stars Chris Bosh, Dwight Howard and Carlos Boozer) and has a healthy lead on the offensive rebounding crown, too. Memphis owner Michael Heisley, who was routinely criticized for his decision to trade for Randolph, has some chuckles of his own at his detractors now. "Everybody told me he was a black hole," Heisley told The Commercial Appeal. "I think we understand he's not a black hole at all. He ought to be an All-Star. ... I'm very happy with all of my guys. Quite honestly, if we play .500 ball for the whole season I'll be very, very happy."

F. James Posey, Hornets
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If New Orleans wants to keep its hopes of making the playoffs (or even moving up in the West) alive, the Hornets will have to do it on the road. The Hornets have 10 of their next 15 games away from Louisiana, with plenty of games scheduled against playoff hopefuls in the East and West. Posey, for his part, has helped New Orleans get off to a good start to their long jaunt. In a comeback win at home over the Rockets on Jan. 2, Posey nailed a late 3-pointer to give New Orleans a 93-89 lead and then took a charge from Carl Landry to help seal the win. He was equally huge in a road win over the Jazz, scoring 12 points as the Hornets moved ahead of the Jazz in the West among the playoff hopefuls. Finally, he had a solid nine-point night against the Thunder on Wednesday and hit two big free throws to clinch the win. In his last 10 games, Posey has gotten more playing time and has found his shooting touch from 3-point land, making .341 percent of his shots. For the Hornets to have a shot at regaining their status as contenders, Posey needs to continue making 3-pointers and break out of the season-long shooting slump that's made it all-too-easy to defend the Hornets this season.

The Next Five

G: Nate Robinson, Knicks -- After sitting on the bench in DNP-CD land for over a month, Krypto-Nate broke out on New Year's Day with a 41-point effort, which led NBA TV's Rick Kamla to say Robinson had the best New Year's Day of anyone on the planet. While that claim is tough to prove, undoubtedly Robinson has become a factor in the Knicks' rotation after a month in playing time purgatory. The Knicks needed all of his 41 to complete their overtime rally against the Hawks, but in New York's following game, it's becoming apparent that Robinson is back in the rotation. He played 23 minutes in a blowout of the Pacers on Jan. 3, scoring six points. Robinson was on the bench much of the season because the team played better with Larry Hughes, but as the New York Times points out in a recent article, coach Mike D'Antoni is going to play whoever helps the team win now. It will be interesting to see what happens when Robinson goes into a scoring slump, but for now, he seems to be a player on the rise in New York.

G: J.J. Barea, Mavs -- From playing time to scoring average, Barea is setting career highs in just about every statistical category. The stat we're most impressed with is this one: 10-4 -- that's the Mavs' record since coach Rick Carlisle made Barea a starter on Dec. 8. Barea put together a solid night in last week's win over the Kings (17 points) and gives Dallas' starting lineup a scoring boost in the backcourt while the Mavs weigh whether or not to put Josh Howard back into the starting lineup. While Barea has done a nice job in the backcourt, we're interested to see how his outside shot comes along and what the Mavs do next. Teams are backing off Barea and forcing him to score from the perimeter and in his 14-game run as a starter, he hasn't exactly delivered against the best teams. Just last week, he scored 10 points on 5-of-9 shooting against the Lakers, but the Mavs were blown out 131-96. "They're paying more attention to me, so it makes it a little harder, but I think it's all about my outside shot," Barea told ESPNDallas.com "If my outside shot goes in, it's easier to attack."

C: Andrea Bargnani, Raptors -- Bargnani caught our attention for his sweet baseline move and dunk on Tim Duncan in last week's home win over the Spurs. Then a few nights later, he put up 18 points and helped Chris Bosh keep Dwight Howard and the Magic frontcourt busy in a thrilling 108-103 win in Orlando. "Andrea did an outstanding job on Dwight,'' coach Jay Triano told the Toronto Sun. "He made him work all game. We tried not to double at any point. I thought Andrea did a real good job of playing him by himself and forcing him to take tough shots."

F: Kenyon Martin, Nuggets -- The Denver Post recently had a great article on how Martin has embraced the role as the Nuggets' middle linebacker of sorts, directing the defense on each posession and serving as the player who rattles young foes when they venture into the paint. Watching Martin work on defense is truly one of the under-appreciated aspects of the Nuggets, but of late, Martin has turned into quite the offensive force, too. He's recorded double-figure scoring in eight straight games, his longest streak since last season and the third-longest streak in his time with Denver. We'll be interested to see how Martin keeps up his offensive play and still manages the defense as Chris Andersen -- Denver's other low-post defensive whiz -- makes his way back from an ankle sprain.

F: Gerald Wallace, Bobcats -- Should he stay in the top five in rebounds per game (as he is now), Wallace would become perhaps the most athletic player to finish among the league's rebounding leaders since Shawn Marion was in Phoenix. We are consistently amazed each night by the rebounding totals Wallace puts up, especially considering his size (6-foot-7, 215 pounds) compared to the names above him (Joakim Noah, Dwight Howard) in rebounds per game. Heck, even Marion -- who is also 6-foot-7 -- has a five-pound advantage on Wallace. While Wallace doesn't have the clutch factor that Jackson and Murray possess, there's no doubt he's taking the burden of leading the Bobcats' playoff run on his shoulders. He's upped his scoring average each month this season, is second on the team in field goal attempts (trailing Jackson) and is averaging a career-best 7.9 free throw attempts per game.