Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Rookie Rankings: Unorthodox trainer leaves mark on '09 class

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Stephen Curry's summer work with trainer Idan Ravin has helped make his rookie season a success.

If anyone knows this rookie class on an intimate level, it's the man they call The Hoops Whisperer.

Idan Ravin, a former lawyer-turned-personal trainer, puts such stars as Carmelo Anthony and Chris Paul (to name just two) through notoriously grueling workouts, but his fingerprints are all over the 2009 Draft class.

Before last summer's Draft, Ravin held training sessions with five rookies currently in the league -- Stephen Curry, Jonas Jerebko, Wesley Matthews, Sam Young and Lester Hudson. All but Hudson have had immediate impacts on their teams. Curry has been impressive in Golden State and continues to improve with each game. Detroit's Jerebko has been the biggest steal of the second round (or so I think). Matthews, who went undrafted, has been a diamond in the rough for the Jazz. And Young, whom the Grizzlies got with the 36th pick, has managed to average 8.1 points for a team loaded with scorers. All four are among the top 11 among rookies in scoring.

"With all those guys the thing that was most impressive looking back was their consistency and their effort level," Ravin said. "They were very serious in their approach and that is very important. A lot of these guys have impressive resumes and come in with high expectations, but they really put in the work and stayed humble."

In a recent phone interview, Ravin sounded like a proud father when talking about how well "his guys" have made the transition. Ravin's training regimen features high-intensity drills that put players through game-like situations that test a player's limits.

"Ninety-nine point nine percent of the game is mental," Ravin said. "There's so much mental stamina required for these guys, when you consider that these guys have played their whole lives as a superstar and to come in and get DNPs is a big change for them."

Fortunately, Ravin's charges -- surprisingly for Jerebko, Matthews and Young -- are getting playing time, and making the most of it.

"A lot of those draft reports are hocus-pocus to me," Ravin said. "You could be ranked the second-best player in the draft, but if you go to the wrong system or to a team where you're not allowed to grow, you'll never succeed. I think all those kids went to places where it was a good fit and they went in with the right mindset."

Credit Ravin for instilling that mindset. Despite working with a plethora of superstars -- including LeBron James at one point -- Ravin enjoys seeing his young players find success at the next level.

"I treat every client like it's my first client and my last client," Ravin says. "By their success is how I measure my work."

If that's the case, this rookie class is making Ravin look pretty good.

NBA.com's Rookie Rankings are just one man's opinion and are released every Wednesday during the season. If you've got an issue with the rankings, or have a question or comment for Drew Packham, send him an e-mail. You can also follow him on Twitter. For past week's rankings, click here.

1. Tyreke Evans, Sacramento Kings
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3337.220.65.14.91.50.5.457.257.784
Last Week: 1 | Drafted: 4
When asked to name the rookie that's impressed him most, Radin didn't hesitate. "I like Tyreke a lot," Radin said. "I don't think people understand just how big he is. I've had more than one veteran tell me, 'I can't believe how strong he is.' When he's got the ball in his hands, he's just so hard to stop. Tyreke is a volume guy, he needs his shots, but he sure can score."

2. Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
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3632.212.53.74.41.80.3.464.426.833
Last Week: 5 | Drafted: 7
On Curry, Ravin had this to say: "He was under my umbrella the whole summer, so I had him working out with veterans. Guys like Kevin Durant, Carmelo, Chris Paul. He impressed all the vets. Everyone walked away saying, 'that kid's gonna be tough.' I told him, 'You know, you've got a long way to go, but just to let you know, you're earning the respect from these veteran guys.' What's interesting about him is there's no rookie transition. He's grown up around this game his whole life, so the cars and all these accoutrements don't influence him. Nothing was a surprise to him, since he's been around it his whole life. ... I truly believe he could be scoring 20 points a game. He could be Rookie of the Year if he wanted but he's playing within the system."

3. Brandon Jennings, Milwaukee Bucks
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3534.418.23.76.01.10.3.389.395.813
Last Week: 2 | Drafted: 10
Besides getting burned on Twitter by a Jordan Farmar impostor (leading him to delete his Twitter account late Tuesday night), Jennings has seen his numbers slip as the Bucks have lost two of their last three. In three games, Jennings was just 10-for-44 from the field (22.7 percent) while averaging 9.7 points and 6.3 assists. At a time when other players are stepping up, Jennings seems to be slipping.

4. Omri Casspi, Sacramento Kings
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3528.412.95.01.40.60.3.480.440.646
Last Week: 3 | Drafted: 23
Coming off a streak of four-straight, 20-plus scoring nights, Casspi finally cooled off last Friday. In the Kings' 108-101 loss to the Warriors, Casspi was just 1-for-8 from the floor (0-for-3 on 3s) for four points. Casspi bounced back with 16 points in a win over the Nuggets and closed out the week with his fourth career double-double (11 points, 11 rebounds) in a blowout loss to the Magic. With Jennings struggling, Casspi had a chance to give the Kings the 1-2 spots, but his poor shooting (31.4 percent) did him in this week.

5. Jonny Flynn, Minnesota Timberwolves
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3929.314.12.33.91.20.0.421.343.808
Last Week: 4 | Drafted: 6
After 39 games, Flynn is still trying to find himself. Last Wednesday, Flynn had what he called one of his worst games, going 1-for-11 from the field for six points in the Wolves' 107-101 loss to the Warriors. In four games this week, Flynn was 14-for-47 (29.7 percent) from the field as the Wolves went 1-3. "You don't know where you fit sometimes during games," Flynn said last Thursday. "That's kind of where I am right now, not knowing my specific role at times. I'm still searching for that. Hopefully, I find it soon." Minnesota coach Kurt Rambis, as usual, isn't worried. "He's a rookie. You have to live with that. He will have great days and poor days. The main thing for me is that he continues to learn."

6. Jonas Jerebko, Detroit Pistons
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3527.18.55.30.60.70.3.472.250.716
Last Week: 7 | Drafted: 39
Ravin had this to say about Jerebko, who he trained the past two summers in preparation for the draft. "He has an amazing work ethic. He's incredibly humble and he wants to learn everything. He reminds me a little of Andres Nocioni, a very tough kid with a chip on his shoulder. Because who's gonna think this blond-haired kid out of Sweden can play? I think that's part of his makeup that he has this chip on his shoulder to prove a lot of people wrong. And he can play -- he's skilled, and he's smart. He's gonna be in the league a long time."

7. Taj Gibson, Chicago Bulls
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3624.38.46.20.60.70.9.496.000.597
Last Week: 9 | Drafted: 26
Gibson's production -- he leads all rookies in rebounding at 6.2 per game -- is even more impressive considering he's been battling a case of plantar fasciitis. "He's feeling a little bit better, but it's been bothering him most of the season," Bulls coach Vinny Del Negro said recently. "He really irritated it the other night in the (Minnesota) game. It's not a tear or anything, but he's got some inflammation in there so he needs some treatment."

8. James Harden, Oklahoma City Thunder
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3722.59.63.12.31.10.3.383.357.795
Last Week: 8 | Drafted: 3
Harden averaged 10.0 points in the Thunder's back-to-back wins to close out the week. More importantly, he had five steals in those two wins. Harden may not be doing anything flashy, but he's still sixth among rookies in scoring (9.6 ppg) and in the top 10 in almost every category. "I think that's what makes us different from other teams," Harden told The Oklahoman. "We stick to the easy plan, and we get the job done. It's a good thing. I guess that's the type of players that they want here in this program. ... My game is simple, getting the job done, going out there and making the easy play."

9. Ty Lawson, Denver Nuggets
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3522.69.52.23.90.90.1.515.442.795
Last Week: 6 | Drafted: 18
What some thought was a weakness has become a strength for the Nuggets rookie. Despite being a 47 percent 3-point shooter at North Carolina, many wondered if Lawson could still be successful with the NBA's additional four feet. Apparently, Lawson -- who is 23-for-52 (44 percent, which would be first among rookies if he qualified) -- has made the adjustment just fine. "From the moment training camp started and I got a chance to work out with Ty, and playing against him, he was a much better shooter than I thought he was in college," teammate Chauncey Billups told the Denver Post. "Like, a much better shooter. He can hit that. You can't just leave him open. He's getting his opportunity to prove that to everybody now."

10. Wesley Matthews, Utah Jazz
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3823.28.42.01.10.40.1.480.355.781
Last Week: 10 | Drafted: FA
Matthews scored in double digits in three of the Jazz's four games this week, despite playing 16.5 minutes per game. On whether he was surprised to see Matthews go undrafted, Ravin had this to say: "Yes and no. Yes, because I thought, how can these teams not see what I see?' Then again, I don't really know what metrics they use for making decisions. But I talked to the kid and I knew he could play at the NBA level. ... It was almost a blessing he didn't get drafted because he could go somewhere he could fill a role. He understands that there's nothing personal and it's a business. What Wesley did well is that he identified that and it's a testament to his wisdom."

Honorable Mention: A.J. Price, Pacers: Averaged 16.3 points and 4.0 assists in three games this week while playing big minutes in crunch time; Jon Brockman, Kings: Played 38 minutes in first career start, scoring five points and grabbing 12 rebounds in the Kings' 102-100 win over the Nuggets. Has given the Kings a much-needed inside presence off the bench; Marcus Thornton, Hornets: Averaged 12.5 points in last two games while going 5-for-7 from three-point land; Serge Ibaka, Thunder: Averaged 6.0 points, 5.0 rebounds in three games this week.

Lakers' Bynum still working on co-existing with Gasol

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Andrew Bynum, right, thrives when Pau Gasol is out of the Lakers' lineup.

The good news for the Lakers is that, in another day or two, Pau Gasol is coming back. The bad news is Andrew Bynum, therefore, must be leaving.

Not leaving in the literal sense, unless you put much stock into Bynum going to Toronto for Chris Bosh, which doesn't make much financial sense for the Lakers (more on that later). Just leaving in terms of visibility. Bynum's best games happen when Gasol isn't around, which presents a conundrum for the Lakers. When one of their important big men checks in, the other checks out, at least mentally.

All of Bynum's seven double-doubles this season happened without Gasol in the lineup. Bynum went 23 straight games without getting double figures in points and rebounds until -- you guessed it -- Gasol grabbed his left hamstring last week. Then the big Bynum games, not so mysteriously, began to reappear. He had 24 points and eight rebounds against the Rockets, 15 and 14 against the Clippers. Earlier, with Gasol gone, he managed 19 points against the Mavericks. He averages 19 points and 11 rebounds without Gasol.

With Kobe Bryant slogging through one of his worst shooting games in quite some time, Bynum put the Bucks away Sunday with 17 points and 18 rebounds, and did it against Andrew Bogut, not exactly a slouch. As he has lately, Bynum looked totally in control in that game, demanding the ball, taking up space in the paint, playing aggressively, taking charge.

So maybe the question isn't whether Bynum can handle himself in the presence of Bogut, but rather, in the presence of own teammate?

"I think so," said Lakers coach Phil Jackson, a firm believer in the duo.

Well, the Bynum-Gasol combo remains a work in progress. They're still ironing out the wrinkles, which may be the difference in the Lakers winning a second straight championship. It's pretty clear that whenever Gasol is around, Bynum becomes passive and adopts a role-player mentality, willing to assist but rarely looking to step forward. That's understandable to a degree, especially offensively. Along with Kobe, Gasol casts a rather large shadow. Most of the offense in the low post goes through him.

Another reason is familiarity. Entering this week, they've appeared in only 22 games together, and because of injuries have never played a full season together since Gasol arrived almost two years ago.

"I'm still learning," Bynum said, and that, too, is an issue: He is just 22.

Bynum has never truly been a team go-to player for any long stretch of time, not really in high school, where he was awkward until his junior year, and he never spent a day in college. The Lakers will go to him early in games and he'll have a few aggressive moments, but in tight situations he almost never sees the ball, not with Kobe and Gasol around. One rival general manager suspects Bynum will never fully flourish and learn a signature move until he gets his number called regularly and he's asked to carry more of a load.

Because the Lakers are built to win now, and because of the presence of Kobe, that scenario will have to wait. Bynum will not see 12-15 touches, and a good portion of his scoring will likely remain off missed shots or an occasional layup.

So the Lakers will gladly accept defense and rebounding from Bynum when Gasol is on the floor. The problem is, he suffers in those areas, too. Bynum averages 12 rebounds without Gasol, six with him. He had a stretch of four games with Gasol when he grabbed three or fewer rebounds.

"I tend to defer," Bynum admitted.

The Lakers have hitched themselves to Gasol, the only player Kobe will defer to in certain situations, for good reason. Gasol is better skilled and his low-post moves and passing ability mean the Lakers will likely get something out of any possession that goes through him. They've looked vulnerable without him recently, although Kobe's broken finger perhaps also played a role in that. The Lakers were so worried about life without Gasol that they handed him an extension through 2013-14 worth $64 million, even with a recession, a mushrooming luxury tax and a pending labor deal.

"He's a very nifty, gifted player," said Jackson. "Has a good touch. Maybe he's not a center, maybe more of a power forward. His athleticism is often overlooked. Pau just has a real sense of what he's going to do with a basketball, more than most players his size."

The Lakers seem just as committed to Bynum, effectively dismissing any thoughts of a deal for Bosh. That trade would require a new contract for Bosh this summer and push the Laker payroll well over $100 million, considering they still must sign Kobe to a contract extension this offseason.

It makes much more sense to keep their big men together. And, maybe, just tell Bynum to pretend Gasol isn't there.


Promise fulfilled as Nowitzki reaches impressive plateau

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A 7-footer who can nail a 3-pointer, Dirk Nowitzki has been one of the harder players to defend.

In an age when pre-teen players are scouted from the time they begin filling up hoops in middle school, there are very few surprises when it comes to identifying prospective NBA talent.

Yet on one night in San Antonio, back in March of 1998, the echoes of basketballs bouncing off the walls were mixed with the sound of so many jaws practically hitting the hardwood floors.

Donn Nelson, then a Dallas Mavericks scout and now the team's president of basketball operations, remembers glancing around the stands and wondering how many other NBA bloodhounds were on hand to catch a whiff of what he'd just witnessed. There was the scent of potential in the air.

A tall, skinny, blond-haired teen from Germany had just put on a clinic against the best young talent that America had to offer at the Nike Hoop Summit -- 33 points, 14 rebounds, three steals and more moves than a belly dancer -- and all Nelson could think of was the future.

"A versatile 7-footer who could shoot from out there and run the floor?" Nelson recalled not so long ago. "Imagine the possibilities."

Nearly 12 years later, the promise has been fulfilled as Dirk Nowitzki moves to become the 34th player in NBA history to score 20,000 points in a career. He is averaging 25 points a game this season and needs 16 Wednesday against the Los Angeles Lakers to reach the plateau.

NOWITZKI THROUGH THE YEARS

From his impressive showing at the Nike Hoop Summit in 1998, Dirk Nowitzki has come a long way in the NBA, becoming just the 34th player to score 20,000 points in a career. Check out some of the best images during his career, which has been filled with numerous All-Star Game appearances and an MVP award in 2007.
View Photo Gallery

From the record books, one can see that Nowitzki has been an eight-time All-Star, a four-time All-NBA first team selection and was chosen the 2007 Most Valuable Player. From the video highlights, it's easy to see an ambidextrous, multi-position player who is unique in combining his size with his shooting skills. He's a 7-footer who is a career 47.2 percent shooter from the field and has canned more than 1,100 3-pointer while also grabbing 8.5 rebounds. Nowitzki is a deft ball-handler and nimble enough big man to spin around defenders and finish with slam dunks.

But who sees and understands more than an opposite number in a different color jersey, the player most often regarded as the fiercest competitor in the game today?

"He's tough," said the Lakers' Kobe Bryant. "That's what I like about him. He's not a punk. A lot of superstar players don't like to get touched. They're kind of finicky about how they go about things. Dirk's nasty and that's what I like about him. He'll take the gloves off and go at it."

That's a far cry from the early days of a career that had him labeled as "soft" and had Nowitzki known as Irk -- no D. Over the course of his career, Nowitzki has developed into a solid team defender, become the Mavs' unquestioned team leader and has staked his claim as the best international player to jump straight to the pro ranks in the NBA. Nigerian Hakeem Olajuwon spent three years learning the ropes at the University of Houston before stepping into the NBA and Argentine Manu Ginobili honed his game for two years in the Italian League before joining the San Antonio Spurs.

The Americanization of Nowitzki began as a 19-year-old with little more than a sweet jumper and an outsider's tentative grasp of a different culture, coming from the picturesque Bavarian town of Wurzburg, Germany, known for architecture, art and white wine. His career path has been a steady, upward line on a graph that has frequently had Nowitzki playing off the charts.

"It's tough to argue that he's not the best international player ever," said Bryant. "We're gonna try to make a case when it's all said and done for [Spaniard] Pau Gasol years from now. But Dirk is phenomenal right now.

"If you look at some of the games that he's had against great players, it's amazing. I think his coming out party years ago was against [Kevin] Garnett. Garnett is a phenomenal player and Dirk was putting up 35 and 20 rebounds. That's ridiculous. I'm looking at that like, 'Whoa, Garnett's one of the best defensive players ever and [Dirk] torched him.' "

Two nights before, Houston's Tracy McGrady had his legendary 13-points-in-35 seconds finish to defeat the San Antonio Spurs on Dec. 4, 2004, T-Mac dropped 48 points in Dallas. In the same game, Nowitzki hit back and scored 53.

"Dirk's not gonna back down. I like that," Bryant said. "He's not soft. Oh, no."

Though he grew up trying to emulate the all-around skills of Scottie Pippen, because he's blond and tall and white and can shoot with either hand, from the time he entered the league Nowitzki has always drawn the comparisons to the legendary Larry Bird.

"They're very different actually," Bryant said. "The similarity is that they're big guys that can shoot. But I think that's where it ends. Bird with the Celtics, they ran a lot of things through him to facilitate things for others. In Dallas they use Dirk more as a striker.

"Hopefully the fans in Dallas can appreciate what they watch -- a 7-footer that can put the ball on the floor, can shoot it from the outside, can post. Dirk's a rare breed, man. A rare breed."

Who's come a long way to get so far.


TNT's Harlan on TV, radio and the NBA vs. the NFL

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Kevin Harlan, with Kevin Garnett in 2004, also does NFL games on radio.

Kobe Bryant ain't got nothin' on Kevin Harlan. The familiar voice of NBA games on TNT, now in his 12th season working the network's coverage, was a high school prodigy every bit as much as the Los Angeles Lakers star. Only Harlan's career roots came from atop the roof of an old station wagon, hanging onto a telephone pole for balance, while calling prep football games as a student at Green Bay Premontre.

Harlan has the bloodlines, too, same as Bryant (son of Joe): Bob Harlan, Kevin's dad, spent a lifetime in sports, eventually becoming the longtime president of the Green Bay Packers. So it might seem preordained that his oldest child would make a living in and around games, too. Except that Kevin Harlan wanted nothing more as a teenager than to fly commercial airliners. He talked about that early passion recently, among many topics, from a hotel room in Salt Lake City, where he was working the Orlando-Utah game:

***

NBA.com: Your old pal, Timberwolves broadcaster Tom Hanneman, told me you once confided your ambitions to be an airline pilot. True?

Kevin Harlan: Some kids want to be firemen or policemen, I wanted to be a pilot. I'd ride my bike to the Green Bay airport and sit by the runway under the few planes that were there. Then my dad said to me one day when I was in high school, "To be an airline pilot, you have to know a lot of math and a lot of engineering." Of course I didn't like either of those. Then he said, "You'll probably have to go into the military to get flight time." I didn't know how much that appealed to me either when I was 12, 13 years old.

He'd been a journalism major at Marquette and he told me, "If I had to do it all over again, I might look into radio and television. You can be involved in sports and you can be at these great games, and you can still travel and have that as part of your life."

NBA.com: So you end up flying for a living anyway. When I saw the George Clooney movie, Up In the Air, I laughed at the scene where he and his female counterpart top each other with all their special frequent-flyer clubs and travel status. NBA writers travel a lot, but what you do is ridiculous, living in a non-NBA city (Kansas City).

KH: This is going to be a pretty significant year, too, because I threw the Monday Night Football thing [for Westwood One Radio] in there. I stick to two airlines, really. Living in Kansas City, I don't have the greatest selection of flights, so I've got to connect quite a bit through Chicago or Minneapolis or Denver. So it's like I'm flying double what everybody else does.

NBA.com: So you're, what, Titanium Level in everything?

KH: With United I'm in this level called Global Services, which is the top of the top of the top. I guess it's in the Clooney movie. And I qualified with Delta for a new status called Diamond Medallion. And that's their top of the top of the top. I don't take great pride in that. It just helps me if there's a cancellation or something else that's happened -- they'll take care of me pretty quickly. They'll get me where I need to be.

NBA.com: How have you handled the double-duty of NBA and NFL schedules?

KH: It's tough when these two seasons are going head to head. You can't give 100 percent to either -- you've got to go down to about 75 percent on each. There's just so much to cover, doing three games in about a five-day span. From Thursday with TNT to Sunday with CBS to Monday Night Football [for Westwood One]. It's become a little daunting, more so than I actually thought. I only signed a one-year deal because I wasn't sure how it would work out with Monday Night Football. I'm not sure whether I'll continue or not. It's a lot.

NBA.com: You're not living check to check at this point, so why do it?

KH: People cannot believe that I do football. I'm so much associated, I guess, with basketball, so I'll hear, "I never knew you did football." I've only been doing network football since 1994 with Fox. It's interesting. I guess [it's] because every game is national on TNT.

But when I was growing up, my whole goal -- and I started doing this when I was 13 -- was to do network radio play-by-play. I just loved everything that the radio side had to offer. That you could use your words to create every emotion, every visual in a person's mind. And convey the excitement. TV, you're accenting picture [but] your analyst is the star and you're setting him up all the time. In radio, you're creating everything. You're setting up every play: Where the quarterback is. Where the running backs are. How the offense is set up. What kind of secondary does the defense have? What color are the uniforms? What direction are they headed? You take it for granted when you see it, but if you're listening on radio, there's so much empty that you've got to color on that canvas. That's the great challenge of it, to have the right words to create the right picture in a listener's mind. I've always been real intrigued by that. That's what I wanted to try.

NBA.com: How different is it, working basketball vs. football?

KH: A lot. Basketball's so high-energy. Every play, every score has some highlight value to it. Whether it's a great screen that opens up some drive down the lane. A great shot. A great move by a defender. They score every time they touch the ball, basically. Well, the NFL, you might have a ton of plays where it's a 5-yard gain, a 2-yard gain, a 1-yard gain and a punt. Then you take your 2 1/2 minute commercial. You come back again and maybe you do the same thing again with no scoring. You might have a nice run or a good catch, but the number of highlights in an NBA game are constant. You could get excited on every play.

In the NFL, it's kind of a march and you're marching along, trying to set up your analyst. You're throwing out little anecdotes about the team and you're trying to get the rhythm of the drive. In basketball, it's truly an ongoing conversation as you both almost try to call the score, the play. Doug [Collins] is so good at that -- if he's in the middle of something and a guy has a quick drive, he'll say "... as you see Iverson scoring right there..." and then he'll continue with his story. In football, once the analyst hands it over to you, it's yours until the end of the play. There's no jumping in by him. It's two completely different sports.

NBA.com: Have you done baseball too?

KH: No. I had a chance when I was in Kansas City. The baseball Cardinals and the late Jack Buck, I had a chance to become the third guy in their broadcast in the late '80s. I was doing Missouri football and basketball. But my dad was in baseball for six years [St. Louis Cardinals media director, 1965-71], and the reason he got out of baseball was it's such a long season, and he was gone all the time. We were little guys and we'd go with him to the ballpark. While he was typing up his game notes, my brother Bryan and I would be at another desk typing up our supposed "game notes," too.

NBA.com: So he went from SID at Marquette to St. Louis?

KH: Right, he was with Al McGuire at Marquette. Then he was with the Cardinals when they opened up the stadium and had the All-Star Game and, of course, won two World Series. Then when Dan Devine left the University of Missouri, he [hired] my dad.

NBA.com: You started in high school with that "10-watt radio station'' in Green Bay you talk about. Take us forward from there.

KH: Well, in my freshman or sophomore year, the Packers were playing a preseason game in Milwaukee against the Patriots and it was being televised nationally by NBC. Jim Simpson and John Brodie were doing the game and, as was the case a lot of times, they were looking for somebody to get them Coca-Colas or popcorn. But on this particular night, they asked me to be on a headphone back to New York to relay baseball scores back to the broadcaster. I'd get these scores from New York, write 'em down on a piece of paper and hand them to Jim Simpson.

Just watching how they constructed that broadcast and how they conducted a network game, I was sold from that point on.

NBA.com: Why Kansas for college instead of Wisconsin?

KH: Gary Bender was doing a Packers game in Chicago and happened to ask my dad where I was thinking about going to school. He said Madison. Gary Bender told him I should go see "this guy'' at the University of Kansas who had helped a lot of young broadcasters over the years. I gave him a call and went down there, and loved the school. And everything they promised me came true: As a freshman, I was doing pregame, halftime, postgame and sideline on the KU football network.

NBA.com: Where were all the sophomores, juniors and seniors?

KH: They had never used a student before; they basically created this position for me. Then I did some stuff on commercial stations and had an internship in Topeka the first summer. The next year, I started producing the Kansas City Chiefs' radio pregame show and postgame shows. One thing kind of led to another.

Getting out of school, [current Bulls broadcaster] Neil Funk, who'd been doing the Kansas City Kings, took a job to go do the Philadelphia 76ers. The Kings were looking for someone very young and very cheap, and I was a young, cheap hire. I did their last year, '84-85, and I had a decision whether I was going to follow the team out to California. It just so happened, during this decision process, that Wayne Larivee -- who was doing the Chiefs -- accepted a job to do the Chicago Bears' radio play-by-play. And I got the Chiefs job.

NBA.com: Your timing has been impeccable. You started calling Minnesota Timberwolves games when the franchise was born in 1989 but you had an unusual arrangement -- you commuted to and from the Twin Cities to call their games.

KH: We had a little baby at that time, so my wife and I moved up there. And she's an Oklahoma gal and we went through a winter up in Minneapolis ... we were pregnant with our second one, too, so she was really homebound. And that was a particularly tough winter, as I recall. I asked if I could move back to Kansas City -- I loved the job -- and so I commuted for the next eight years.

NBA.com: With some brutal itineraries. Hanneman recalled a Wolves game on the West Coast on a Saturday night, after which he flew back home with the team. That day, he turned on his TV and you were doing the Chiefs game in Miami.

KH: There are a lot of guys who put this together. If you look at a lot of them, they've got a schedule like mine. Marv Albert, when he was busy with all his stuff, he had the same brutal schedule. I'm just doing one NBA game a week -- some guys are doing three or four, then trying to do something on the weekends with another team or another network.

Early on, I was trying to be back with the kids all the time [Kevin and wife Ann have four children]. And I really don't think I missed that much. There were some all-night drives and some red-eyes [flights], but we all did that stuff. I feel fairly confident that my kids would say, "Yeah, he missed some things. But he was around for the important stuff. And if you have a dad who works from 7 in the morning until 7 at night and does it five days a week, I'd rather have it the way my dad had it.'' And I've got my summers off.

NBA.com: Vin Scully just signed on for his 61st season with the Dodgers. Since you've done multiple teams, multiple sports, have you ever totaled up how many "team seasons'' you've done?

KH: Well, a lot, because I've always done at least two [jobs]. But you'd be surprised -- I think there are a lot of guys like that. But you can never have too many balls in the air because of how fleeting some of these jobs are. Plus I'm still in my 40s, so I feel like I still need to [push].

NBA.com: Any particular role models among sportscasters?

KH: The guys I admired growing up were nothing like I am now, but guys like Pat Summerall, John Facenda, Ray Scott, they're the ones I guess I dreamt how I would be. Then beyond those voices that I loved while I was young, there were two NBA broadcasters I listened to religiously: Jim Durham in Chicago with the Bulls and Joe Tate in Cleveland. Living in Green Bay, I could get their stations as clear as a bell across the Great Lakes. Those were my two guys.

I never really heard of Marv Albert until I got to the league and people said, "You kind of sound like Marv Albert. Do you try to sound like him?'' I'd never really heard of him growing up because I never got his broadcasts. Those other guys, I went to bed listening to every night.

NBA.com: What do you make of the stature attained by local broadcasters such as Johnny Most with the Celtics and Chick Hearn with the Lakers?

KH: There's nothing more fulfilling than being the recognized voice of a team and feeling like your voice, your product, is as identifiable as the team itself. I think that's what Most was in Boston and Chick was in Los Angeles. They loved where they were and what they were doing. They were fulfilled as broadcasters, and such a part of those franchises, that's a pretty powerful thing. Just like Cawood Ledford at the University of Kentucky, John Ward with the Tennessee Volunteers and Larry Munson, the longtime voice of Georgia. Those guys were all good enough that maybe they could have moved on to something else. But there is a satisfaction there that you don't get when you do a network broadcast. You are never part of those fans' minds the same way -- unless you're like Marv, who's the indelible voice of all those NBA Finals or Vin Scully with the World Series.

Plus you travel around with this extended family. You know the history of the team, you feel you're a part of the team. At the network level, you don't feel any of those things. You're part of a team, but I've got a group of about four or five people I travel with and that's my team. It's pretty business-like. Enjoyable, but a different satisfaction.

NBA.com: I'd like to have you tell me your favorite -- and least favorite -- analysts to work with, but I know you won't. So tell me how much you adjust your call to fit the guy sitting next to you?

KH: More and more the older I get. I feel that on television, I'm a distant third. It is the picture first, the analyst second and then the play-by-play guy. Our job is basically to fill in some of the factual gaps and then to set up and complement what the analyst says first and what a graphic might say second.

I'd be a fool to do it any other way. Doug Collins is in the Hall of Fame for his work as a broadcaster. I'm very comfortable "following" and I wouldn't have it any other way. It's a better listen if we're setting them up and going back and forth, than if it's a play-by-play heavy broadcast.

NBA.com: In Minnesota, you and Kevin McHale put on some incredibly entertaining broadcasts with a team that often wasn't entertaining at all.

KH: The great thing about Kevin was, he was so honest. And he was funny with his honestly.

When he became the president, I don't know if that came out as much because he was in a completely different theater. But as a broadcaster and a guy who had just left the game, he was someone who could give great insight and not sugarcoat it either way. He was so remarkably good that NBC pursued him for a long time to become their lead analyst when they had the NBA and had people leave for coaching or whatever.

The shocking thing was, the team was really struggling then and maybe one of the bright spots, they thought, was they had a telecast that was a little bit irreverent and pretty honest and maybe annoying to some but entertaining to others. McHale was such a big Minnesota name that he drew people to that broadcast.

NBA.com: Things could get a little rambunctious, from eating popcorn on the air to other crazy moments.

KH: I am amazed that I was never fired or reprimanded. The only thing anyone ever said to me was, occasionally I got "too excited'' for the opposing team. My response was, well, our team wasn't doing much and we're trying to sell the NBA. If we can make this sport look so captivating, when you do get a good player, maybe there will be some sort of carryover.

Nothing was scripted. If the game was good, we just did the game. If the game was rotten and we were getting creamed, Tom Hanneman and I would start to giggle and that would just lead to a horrible, wayward broadcast. We would pretty much try to amuse ourselves. But that was a great time to do the Timberwolves. There was such optimism and the team was new and the market was so into them. McHale took over and Garnett came along in there, and they had a little run. But the majority of the years I did it there, they were just really bad.

NBA.com: People talk about some of your calls, including referring to Tom Gugliotta as "Googly-oogly-ottal'' and nicknaming Kevin Garnett "The Big Ticket.'' Do you have any favorites?

KH: They all were just such spur-of-the-moment things ... The "No Regard For Human Life!'' with Garnett came when he was young and he was just starting to get some meat on his bones and show that great emotion. There was one time -- I don't recall what game -- he threw the ball down so hard that guys backed up and backed away. The first thing that came to my mind was, he had no regard for what was in his way. I've used it a couple times on TNT because the same basic scenario played out. Kobe, one time in Madison Square Garden, I used it. I used it with LeBron against Kevin Garnett, ironically enough, where it had the same feel to it.

Some of those things are so silly and just ridiculous. I will tell you, more times than not, I turn away and cringe when I've gotten caught up in the heat of the moment. Never planned, never scripted, it just happened and kind of popped out.

NBA.com: There were times when you actually would rise out of your chair during the call.

KH: That was all radio. On my Monday night gig with Westwood One, I've noticed that I'll rise out of my chair. I don't know if that's to get the right words out or if I'm just like a fan. But those big plays, they're just so fun to watch. When it happens in basketball and, say, it's a great dunk, it requires so many words and every ounce of energy you have to push a big call through, sometimes standing up helps you, for whatever reason.

NBA.com: Last thing: Do you still have the metabolism of a hummingbird? Many of us have never seen someone who can eat as much as you do.

KH [laughing]: Yeah, for whatever reason. That has not escaped me. I have not battled my weight. Maybe it's because I miss meals, I'm going so many different directions, I'll double up when I have a chance to. Whatever. I enjoy a good meal like everybody, I guess.

NBA.com: So do you have any restaurant recommendations around the league?

KH: To be quite honest, I come in the last flight the night before a game. Then I leave the earliest flight [the morning] after a game. I like Joe's Stone Crab in Miami. And I like the places that have great ambiance too. There are so many great little places... When Doc Rivers and I were doing games, we liked this little hot-dog place in Portland called "Good Dog, Bad Dog.''

NBA.com: That downtown spot has closed, but a PDX location remains. Seems about right, Harlan picking an airport restaurant.

Clippers' Blake Griffin to have surgery, miss entire season

Blake1 Clippers rookie Blake Griffin's season is over. Then again, it never really started for the star-crossed Clipper.

The Clippers announced today that the power forward experienced some "discomfort in his recently accelerated rehabilitation program" and will require knee surgery, meaning he will be out for four to six months.

The No. 1 pick in the NBA draft last summer suffered a stress fracture in his left kneecap in the Clippers' final preseason game in October, and had only recently been cleared to increase his workload, late last month. The Clippers had hoped he would soon be able to practice.

The team said, in a statement: "It has been determined that the healing in his left patella area has not improved to the expected required level."

Clippers Coach Mike Dunleavy said: "Obviously it's disappointing for Blake, and for us, because of the impact we think he could have had on our team. The most important thing we've considered, obviously, is how we get him healthy for the long term."

Apparently Griffin felt discomfort when he was doing some jumping in the pool, one of the steps he needed to do before proceeding to the next level of his rehabilitation.

"He experienced some pain [in the pool], and obviously when I heard that, that wasn't good news," Dunleavy said. "But I didn't know it would turn into the point where he would quickly need knee surgery."

Kobe Bryant still felt pain in back after game

Kobe Kobe Bryant swayed back and forth after the game, doing whatever he could to relieve the pain from the back spasms that took him down during the Lakers' loss to the San Antonio Spurs Tuesday night.

He first felt his back go out early in the first quarter. He went to the locker room for treatment, played in the second and third quarters, but had to shut it down in the fourth.

Now the game was over and Bryant was trying to deal with the pain.

"I've felt better," he said.

Bryant said his back felt tight before the game, but nothing more than his usual feeling.

But after he made a 14-foot bank shot over Manu Ginobili with 3:27 left in the first quarter, Bryant felt the pain shoot through his body.

Bryant already was playing with an avulsion fracture on his right index finger.

Pau Gasol missed his fifth consecutive game with a strained left hamstring. Ron Artest suffered a sprained right index finger against the Spurs, Sasha Vujacic suffered a strained right hamstring against the Spurs and Luke Walton played in his first game in eight weeks after being out with a pinched nerve in his back.

Bryant was asked if he was concerned about his team's injuries.

"No," Bryant said. "It's part of the business. I won't allow my guys to even think about that or have the attitude. Pull up your boots, get ready to play."

Bryant said he was "pretty sure" that he would play Wednesday night against the Mavericks.

He said he knew he faced a difficult flight from San Antonio to Dallas Tuesday night.

"It doesn't make it easier," Bryant said, trying to smile. "I'm not going to drive my [butt] to Dallas, that's for sure."

The Lakers have lost four consecutive road games, three by double-digits.

They have lost three of their last four games.

Dallas won't be any easier.

"This is just a period in the season right now where it's a tough stretch," Bryant said. "But you have those every once in a while."

Kings' Martin could return Friday

Kevin Martin is back – almost.

The sixth-year Kings shooting guard received his long-awaited medical clearance Tuesday, setting the stage for what could be a Friday return in Philadelphia.

Martin has not played since Nov. 4, and underwent surgery to repair a hairline fracture in his left wrist Nov. 9.

"We'll see how these practices go the next couple of days," Martin told The Bee by phone immediately following his doctor's appointment. "It's a good thing I have been doing basketball-related workouts for three weeks so it should be real quick."

Exactly how quick will be determined in the next few days. Martin started working out Tuesday afternoon and planned to get in as much work as possible before Friday.

He will practice with the team today, and follow with extra work on his own. The team isn't scheduled to practice Thursday, but Martin is planning to work out with an assistant coach that night in Philadelphia. From there, Martin hopes Kings coach Paul Westphal deems him ready to return.

It's a déjà vu experience for Martin, who missed 21 games in the 2007-08 season with a groin injury and 31 games last season with an ankle injury that was ultimately found to be a bone bruise. He has missed 32 games so far this season.

Yet beyond the question of whether Martin can stay healthy the rest of the season, there is the matter of whether the pairing with rookie guard Tyreke Evans will work. Kings basketball president Geoff Petrie said he is as eager as the team's fans to see what they can do together.

"I just think they could complement each other very well, if they learn to play off each other a little bit," Petrie said. "Kevin is a lights-out shooter and scorer (who) not only stretches defenses but has the ability to break someone down off of someone else's penetration. That can make it easier. You've got size there, which makes (defensive switches) easier."

Martin averaged 30.6 points (42.3 percent shooting), 5.4 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.4 turnovers in his five games this season. Evans, who played just two games before turning the right ankle against San Antonio – an injury that has plagued him for much of the season – averaged 11.2 points (35.5 percent shooting), three rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 2.4 turnovers during that span.

Evans has since become a leading Rookie of the Year candidate, averaging 20.7 points (46.2 percent shooting), 5.1 rebounds, five assists and three turnovers per game.

Executives around the league will be watching closely, with many teams hoping to land Martin by the February trade deadline should the Kings make him available.

League sources indicate Houston, Toronto, Cleveland, Phoenix and Dallas are among those keeping watch.

The Kings, who are believed to be looking for a significant frontcourt addition, have given no indication they intend to move Martin.

Petrie said he has no reason to believe the Evans-Martin combination won't work.

"Both guys get along with everybody," Petrie said. "(Evans is) not a one-man show. He's a very good show. … There's going to be some trial and error there, too. They haven't played together yet, really."

Orlando coach Stan Van Gundy agreed with Petrie about the possibilities the two can be successful together.

"I just feel like good players always find a way to play with other good players," Van Gundy said. "To me, it's bad players that are tough to fit in, or selfish players. I don't sense that in (Martin or Evans), but it'll take time.

"It seems to me that Tyreke, even though he can play off the ball, is more of a point guard, and certainly it seems like he wants to get the ball to other people. Kevin is one of the great scorers in our league, so I don't know why it wouldn't work, really."

Dwyane Wade might miss Warriors game with wrist injury

   Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade leaves the floor after a collision late in the first quarter of the Heat's NBA basketball game against the Utah Jazz on Monday, Jan. 11, 2010, in Salt Lake City. Wade suffered a sprained right wrist in the collision but returned to the game.
Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade leaves the floor after a collision late in the first quarter of the Heat's NBA basketball game against the Utah Jazz on Monday, Jan. 11, 2010, in Salt Lake City. Wade suffered a sprained right wrist in the collision but returned to the game.

Dwyane Wade received extensive treatment for his sprained right wrist Tuesday and is questionable for Wednesday's game against the Golden State Warriors.

An X-ray taken on Wade's wrist after Monday night's loss in Utah was negative, and the Heat did not hold a routine practice Tuesday in the Bay Area. Wade will be reevaluated after the Heat's shootaround Wednesday morning.

The Heat has lost two of its first three on its season-long, six-game western road swing that wraps after Wednesday with a back-to-back set at Houston and Oklahoma City.

Wade sustained the injury with 1:22 left in the first quarter when he lunged after a loose ball and ran into Jazz guard Sundiata Gaines near the free-throw line. Wade was taken to the locker room and missed seven minutes of game time before he returned in the second quarter.

Visibly affected by the injury, Wade scored a season-low 13 points in 29 minutes before his night ended in the third quarter of a 118-89 loss.

``He came back and his wrist was pretty sore, but he was able to play,'' coach Erik Spoelstra of Wade, held below 20 points for only the fifth time this season.

The Heat (18-18) would face an overwhelming challenge to replace Wade's averages of 26.6 points, 6.1 assists and five rebounds a game. The Warriors rank second in scoring at 107.3 points.

But Wade has played through similar pain in his wrist. He first sprained the same wrist on his shooting hand when he jammed the ball against the rim on a failed dunk attempt during a Dec. 11 home loss against Dallas. He was held out of practice the next day and said the injury affected his ability to handle the ball.

That was also the case Monday, when Wade attempted only seven shots, with none from three-point range, after he returned to the game.

``I wasn't going to force any shots,'' said Wade, who has not missed a game this season.

The Heat, which has lost six of its past eight games and had dipped to .500 for the first time in 13 months, doesn't have many productive options if Wade is limited or can't play.

Starting small forward Quentin Richardson has gone five games without scoring in double figures. Backup shooting guard Daequan Cook is mired in a season-long slump and is shooting just 28.7 percent from the field this season.

Cook entered Monday's game when Wade left but shot 3 of 10 and finished with eight points and two assists in 20 minutes. It was Cook's first action in four games.

Using Tuesday for rest and recovery might have been the best remedy for the Heat, which followed an impressive victory at Phoenix on Friday with consecutive double-digit losses on the trip.

``You have to keep perspective,'' Spoelstra said. ``It's not as bad as all of us feel right now, nor was it as good as we felt after the Phoenix game.''

NBA players' union executive to meet with Wizards' Gilbert Arenas

NBA Players Association chief Billy Hunter will meet on Wednesday with suspended Washington Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas to offer his support and gain a better understanding of the law enforcement authorities' investigation into Arenas bringing four weapons to Verizon Center last month. Hunter sat courtside for the Wizards' 99-90 loss to the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday and said he would wait until the investigation is concluded and NBA Commissioner David Stern determines Arenas's punishment before deciding what action the union would take.

"Once the commissioner makes his decision, that will determine what extent we get involved and don't get involved," Hunter said, adding that he understood why Stern suspended Arenas indefinitely last week after he mimicked shooting his teammates before a game against Philadelphia. "I think the commissioner felt compelled to take action under the circumstances, to try to quiet things down.

"But everybody is entitled to due process," he said. "The question becomes one of ensuring that the punishment fits the offense. You don't use a sledgehammer to drive a tack. That's what I'm about, to ensure due process. A lot of it depends on how quickly the investigation by the authorities gets completed."

The latest round of players met with law enforcement officials on Tuesday in the Arenas probe, with JaVale McGee, Mike Miller and Andray Blatche taking their respective turns explaining what they knew about the dispute between Arenas and Javaris Crittenton that led to guns being displayed on Dec. 21. At least nine players, Coach Flip Saunders and President Ernie Grunfeld have been brought in for questioning over the past 10 days, with more team personnel expected to follow this week.

McGee said he sat with the grand jury for about 30 minutes, describing the experience as an episode of "Law & Order." Caron Butler, one of three players to speak with law enforcement officials Monday, said he hopes the team can get some closure soon with regards the investigation.

"It's been a little chaotic around here for the most part, the past couple of days -- a big inconvenience," Butler said. "It was tough because that's something you don't want to have to keep revisiting. As a player, you want to focus on basketball only."

Saunders said he has tried to convince his players that playing basketball could have a "calming effect" for them with all the outside distractions. But these have been far from calming times for the Wizards.

They played without Blatche, who was suspended for the Pistons game for conduct detrimental to the team. Blatche arrived at Verizon Center in the morning as he prepared to make a statement to lawyers before speaking with law enforcement authorities later in the afternoon.

Blatche was still unsure of the exact reason he was suspended Monday, saying he was shocked when he arrived for practice and Saunders sent him home. Blatche said the best he could surmise is that he was suspended because of his attitude during a timeout in Sunday's 115-110 loss to New Orleans.

A person with knowledge of the situation said Blatche sat six seats down the bench and stared at the scoreboard while coaches attempted to speak with him. On Monday, Blatche complained on his Facebook page about having no shot attempts in the game. He wrote, "Never have I played a game and had no shot attempts, they got me all [expletive] up."

Saunders addressed Blatche's concerns about shots before the morning shootaround. "I know he says 'I didn't get a shot.' If you're 6-10, 6-11, you can get an offensive rebound. For anybody who thinks that a coach has to run plays to get you shots, that's a team that's not going to be a good team," Saunders said. "My biggest thing since coming here, I've been to four straight conference championships, I have never ever, on those teams, had a player ask about shots. And since I've been here, my main focus is to change the number of players who say, 'I've got to get shots.' In Detroit for three years, I never had one player ever ask. Same thing in Minnesota. The only player I think I ever had in 14 years, was maybe Wally Szczerbiak, a few times. And 'Dray is one of them."

Blatche said he didn't say anything to the coaches about his lack of touches. He said the coaching staff told him to get in the low block on Sunday, but whenever he got in the post, "It's like I'm invisible." He said that's why he often drifts out to the perimeter to get the ball.

After the loss on Sunday, head athletic trainer Eric Waters approached Blatche and asked him to head to the training room to check on his knee. Blatche angrily responded, "Do I look like I care about my knee?" Blatche said he had complained about soreness in his left knee for almost a week and had never been offered treatment until he was dressed and ready to leave. "I'm always the guy they want to make an example of," he said.

Saunders said that his players have to change their priorities if the team is going to be successful. "I hope he comes back energized. I hope he comes back with a focus. I hope he understands what it takes to win," Saunders said of Blatche. "We have to have a mind-set change, if what we talk about doing is trying to be a winning team and winning a championship. It might not happen this year. If we want it to happen down the road, certain things have to change."

Spurs' Parker has plantar fasciitis

Tony Parker, the Spurs' All-NBA point guard, has seen his offensive production dip this season, from 22.0 points and 6.9 assists per game to 16.5 points and 5.8 assists.

Now we know why.

After scoring 20 second-half points to lead the Spurs to a 105-85 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night at the AT&T Center, Parker revealed he is suffering from plantar fasciitis in his left foot.

Asked why he has had occasional problems this season on drives to the basket, Parker volunteered the news about his injury.

“I'm a little bit slower, that's why,” he said. “I don't think it's much different. It's just my plantar fasciitis is killing me.”

Then, holding up a special sock designed to lessen the effects of the painful injury, Parker said he will play through the injury as long as he can.

“Got my sock, though,” he said. “Gonna wear it on the road.”

The injury is particularly difficult for the three-time All-Star because he naturally jumps off his left foot.

“(It's) the left one, that I plant and everything,” he said.

Parker's injury is the same one that befell Spurs captain Tim Duncan in the 2005-06 season.

“I have to wear my sock, do treatment every day: cold tub, ultrasound, same old, same old,” Parker said. “Just like TD (Duncan) in 2006. He had it the whole season. I asked TD what I have to do. He said the sock is great.”

For now, Parker doesn't anticipate missing any games but said Spurs coach Gregg Popovich will make the judgment on when he will play and when he will rest.

“Pop talked about it,” he said. “Right now, I don't want to miss games. I want to play. Maybe down the road, in March or April, maybe I'll miss back-to-backs or something like that. But Pop knows about it. It's up to him.”

Parker, who came into Tuesday averaging 31.5 minutes, logged 34:26 against the Lakers. He finished with 22 points and six assists.

Dynamic defender: Spurs guard George Hill matched up defensively against Kobe Bryant for long stretches of the first three quarters, forcing two Bryant turnovers and doing a credible job pestering the NBA's No. 2 scorer.

When Bryant left late in the third with back spasms, the 6-foot-2, 180-pound second-year pro ended up on 6-7, 260-pound Ron Artest.

“Kobe is Kobe; Artest is strong,” said Hill, an Indianapolis native. “I play against Ron in the summer, when he comes back to Indianapolis and stays.”

DUI hearing for Kings player reset for February

An arraignment scheduled this morning for Sacramento Kings player Andres Nocioni (left) has been continued for a second time and is now scheduled for February.

Nocioni was arrested Nov. 5 on suspicion of driving under the influence in downtown Sacramento.

Nocioni is scheduled to appear in court again Feb. 3.

He faces two counts of driving under the influence and one count of driving without a valid license, according to Sacramento County Superior Court records.

Previous coverage:

Nocioni's DUI arrest extends Sacramento Kings' streak of bad news - Nov. 6, 2009

Categories: DUI arrests

Dallas Mavericks' Nowitzki set to join 20,000-point club

Dirk Nowitzki will join the club tonight.

Assuming he has a routine game, or something approaching his usual high standard, he'll get the 16 points he needs against the LA Lakers to reach 20,000 for his career.

He'll become the 34th player in NBA history to reach the plateau that validates the great scorers in league history.

And, at the still-prime age of 31, the best European ever in the NBA who also is the best 7-foot shooter of all time is far from done.

"He has a lot of years left," said Jason Kidd, who is thrilled for Nowitzki, but also likes to keep him grounded. "When he gets into his high 30s he'll be a guy who stands behind the (3-point) line.

"And he'll be getting a lot of attention. He can make shots and could end up pretty high on that list."

The top 10 in all-time scoring certainly is in his reach, assuming he keeps rolling for a few more years.

"It's an unbelievable milestone," Nowitzki said. "Looking back 11 years ago, I don't think any of you guys thought I could score a thousand. But my main goal now is a championship. All the individual goals will be nice when I'm done, but as for now, it doesn't mean that much to me. I'm still chasing my dream and that's to win a championship."

Being in the 20K club is only the start for Nowitzki's personal portfolio. It almost guarantees that he will end up in another elite club: the basketball hall of fame.

Of the 33 players who have reached 20,000 points before Nowitzki, all of them that are eligible to be in the hall of fame are in it, except for Mitch Richmond and Tom Chambers, who each barely squeaked into the 20,000 club.

"We all knew it, right?" president Donnie Nelson said with a drip of sarcasm. "We felt good about the pick, but I'd be lying to you if I told you back then that Dirk would be looking at those kind of numbers. With all good players, it's a combination of what the Good Lord gave him and a ticker as big as all outdoors and good-old fashion work ethic."

As for how Nowitzki gets his 20,000th point, Kidd said he won't try to orchestrate something. "When you do that," he said, "it never works out."

What Nowitzki knows is it'll be more memorable than his first point in the NBA, which came at Seattle in the opener of the lockout-shortened season in 1999. He was playing against Detlef Schrempf, who along with Uwe Blab was the first German in the NBA who was an idol of sorts to Nowitzki growing up in Germany.

"There were Germans all over the place," Nowitzki said. "It was just a mess. The stadium was so big and I was in awe the whole time. I was 0-for-3 or 0-for-4 from the floor and made two free throws. So those were my first points. Looking back, it was one of the worst games I've ever played."

NBA ALL-TIME SCORERS

1. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar; 38,387

2. Karl Malone; 36,928*

3. Michael Jordan; 32,292

4. Wilt Chamberlain; 31,419

5. Shaquille O'Neal; 27,969**

6. Moses Malone; 27,409

7. Elvin Hayes; 27,313

8. Hakeem Olajuwon; 26,946

9. Oscar Robertson; 26,710

10. Dominique Wilkins; 26,668

11. John Havlicek; 26,395

12. Alex English; 25,613

13. Reggie Miller; 25,279*

14. Jerry West; 25,192

15. Kobe Bryant 24,914**

16. Patrick Ewing; 24,815

17. Allen Iverson; 24,187**

18. Charles Barkley; 23,757

19. Robert Parish; 23,334

20. Adrian Dantley; 23,177

21. Elgin Baylor; 23,149

22. Clyde Drexler; 22,195

23. Gary Payton;21,813*

24. Larry Bird; 21,791

25. Kevin Garnett; 21,712**

26. Hal Greer; 21,586

27. Walt Bellamy; 20,941

28. Bob Pettit; 20,880

29. David Robinson; 20,790

30. George Gervin; 20,708

31. Mitch Richmond; 20,497*

32. Ray Allen; 20,238**

33. Tom Chambers; 20,049*

34. Dirk Nowitzki; 19,984**

35. Tim Duncan; 19,906**

36. John Stockton; 19,711

37. Bernard King; 19,655*

38. Clifford Robinson; 19,591*

39. Walter Davis; 19,521*

40. Terry Cummings; 19,460*

*Not in the basketball hall of fame; **Active players

FASTEST TO 20,000

Dirk Nowitzki needs 16 points tonight to reach 20,000 points. He will be playing his 876th NBA game.

Name Game No. When Season No.
Wilt Chamberlain 499 1965-66 season 7
Michael Jordan 620 Jan. 08, 1993 vs Milwaukee 9
Oscar Robertson 671 1968-69 season 9
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 684 1976-77 season 9
Elgin Baylor 711 1968-69 season 11
Allen Iverson 713 Jan. 23, 2007 vs. Denver 11
Jerry West 720 1970-71 season 11
Shaquille O'Neal 727 March 20, 2003 vs. Sacramento 11
George Gervin 745 1985-86 season 10
Bob Petit 760 Nov. 13, 1964 11
Dominique Wilkins 763 Nov. 05, 1992 vs New York 10
Karl Malone 772 Jan 20, 1995 vs Cleveland 10
Adrian Dantley 775 Dec. 11, 1987 vs. Washington 12
Larry Bird 809 Nov 20, 1990 vs Washington 12
Kobe Bryant 811 Dec. 23, 2007 vs New York 12

Others of note: Hakeem Olajuwon, 833; Moses Malone, 837; Charles Barkley, 858

Tayshaun Prince just might be trade bait

Washington, D.C. -- If you're covering the Pistons, you're sure to get a pile of suggestions as to which player to trade.

Pretty much everyone has been mentioned recently. And considering the way this team has played, that's no surprise.

Richard Hamilton is a leading target, if that's the right word. Heck, even last summer's free agent acquisitions, Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva, have gained steam. Neither has done the job, in the eyes of the fans.

Then, there's Tayshaun Prince. He, too, has been a top target.

And, I happen to agree.

Rookies Austin Daye and Jonas Jerebko are playing with as much effort and passion as anyone on the roster.

Now, whether they will ever develop into star players remains to be seen. But in the short-term, one, or both, are capable of filling Prince's spot in the lineup.

But here's the flip side: Finding a team to take on Prince and his $11.1 million salary for this season, and next, won't be easy.

Most teams are shedding salary, not adding.

His injury situation this season also doesn't help.

Still, on certain teams -- championship-caliber teams -- Prince could be worth the price. He has championship experience, is a good locker room guy, plays hard, and can pose difficult matchup problems.

In defense of Arenas

Will Bynum knows Gilbert Arenas , the embattled Wizards guard who was suspended indefinitely by the NBA for violating the league's gun rule (players are not allowed to bring firearms to any NBA facility).

Bynum played briefly with Arenas at Arizona, and the two worked out with other NBA players in Chicago last summer.

"Wrong is wrong and to have guns in the locker room is wrong," Bynum said. "The situation was a tough situation."

But Bynum wants this to be known about Arenas.

"He was always a great guy on and off the court," Bynum said of Arenas. "Always had fun, nothing violent. He didn't mean anything violent (with this situation), I know that 400 percent."

Villanueva can't understand

Seeing Villanueva at his locker after Monday's debacle against the Bulls pretty much summed the Pistons' plight.

Villanueva has been in the NBA five years and never has been on a team with such a lengthy losing streak --13 entering play Tuesday).

"This hurts, this hurts a lot," Villanueva said. "It's a frustrating time. Guys want to win."

When asked why it's gone so wrong, Villanueva was struck.

"I don't know," he said. "I can't put a finger on it. I just don't know."

By the numbers

1 Baskets Charlie Villanueva made in 11 attempts Monday against the Bulls

10M Scoring plateau in the NBA reached when Ben Gordon scored at 3:51 of the second quarter last Saturday

18 Pistons shooting percentage from 3-point range (2 for 11) Monday against the Bulls, a season low

Maxiell's minutes

Jason Maxiell has had quite a ride lately, going from bench to starter and back to the bench. His minutes the last six games:

Date Opponent Minutes
Dec. 31Chicago6
Jan. 5DallasDNP
Jan. 6San Antonio25
Jan. 9Philadelphia20
Jan. 11Chicago5
Jan. 12Washington18
No defense

Opponents have been shooting a high percentage against a Pistons defense that hasn't been very imposing:

Date Opponent Pct.
Dec. 27Toronto52
Dec. 29New York51
Dec. 31Chicago47
Jan. 5Dallas44
Jan. 6San Antonio58
Jan. 9Philadelphia57
Jan. 11Chicago57
Jan. 12Washington44

Orlando Magic notes: GM Otis Smith isn't looking to deal Marcin Gortat or Brandon Bass

Orlando Magic general manager Otis Smith said Tuesday that he likely wouldn't consider making a trade before the deadline next month unless the team was hit with a serious injury.

"It would depend at what position," he said. "Right now, I don't see anything happening."

Despite rumors that pop up from time to time, Smith has no plans to deal back-up C Marcin Gortat or PF Brandon Bass. Both players have been frustrated with their playing time. He said he felt the Magic had enough big men to challenge for a title.

Although the Magic are paying the luxury tax because of a high payroll, Smith also said that he planned on keeping the franchise's first-round draft pick this season. The pick likely will come very late in the round if the club advances deep into the playoffs.

Carter remains out

Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said that SG Vince Carter's injured left shoulder has improved but the eight-time all-star isn't expected to play until near the end of the club's four-game road trip.

Carter sat out Tuesday night's game against the Kings in Sacramento.

He sustained what the team called a "mild" separation last Friday night in a loss to the Wizards in Washington, D.C.

He sat out Saturday night's game against the Atlanta Hawks, and has received numerous treatments since then.

J.J. Redick is expected to start at shooting guard until Carter returns to action.

"I really don't know. I would hope by the end of the trip," Van Gundy said after Tuesday's shootaround at Arco Arena. "There has been some improvement. He said he can raise his arm, but not across his body."

Carter, Orlando's leading scorer, missed four games earlier this season after spraining his left ankle.

Layups

SF Matt Barnes, who appealed a $20,000 fine levied by the NBA after he tossed a basketball into the stands Nov. 25, said it's likely his appeal won't be heard until after the end of the season.

PG Jason Williams played with the Kings his first three seasons after leaving the University of Florida.

Lakers' Walton finally returns to lineup

SAN ANTONIO - Luke Walton's long wait to play ended Tuesday night.

He peeled off his sweats and entered the Lakers' game against the San Antonio Spurs with 5.1 seconds left in the first half, his first appearance in two months.

OK, so it wasn't exactly a significant one. He didn't handle the ball as the Lakers misfired on a last-second play before halftime. But it marked his return to action after an extended absence because of a back injury.

Walton also played 5 minutes, 55 seconds in the fourth quarter, scoring four points on 2-for-4 shooting in the Lakers' 105-85 defeat.

With Pau Gasol sidelined for a fifth consecutive game because of a strained left hamstring and backup small forward Adam Morrison suffering from an illness, Lakers coach Phil Jackson turned to Walton for help up front.

Walton last played Nov. 13, when he scored two points in six minutes during the Lakers' loss to the Denver Nuggets. The Lakers originally said he would be sidelined for up to six weeks because of a pinched nerve in his back. Recently, he set Friday's game against the Clippers as his return date.

"There have been a lot of ups and downs to this whole six-week period," Walton said. "Some days I felt great. Other days I felt like I was never going to get better. Within the last seven to 10 days, with the amount of work we've done, we've really ramped it up and it's pretty much stayed pain-free throughout that whole time.

"It still gets sore afterwards, but nothing really bothers me while I'm playing, which is all that really matters."

Walton hurt his back during training camp and now believes he returned too quickly and aggravated the injury, which forced him into a longer layoff. He has gone through a couple of light practices with teammates in the past week.

"I told him I feel good," Walton said, referring to Jackson. "I told him I would be ready if he does call me. I mean, I feel good enough to play basketball. It feels a lot better right now than it did before this whole thing (started during training camp in October).

"As of right now, the goal is to maintain this level, but we won't know that until we start to play. Obviously, I'm not in the same shape I was going into the season, but once I start playing, adrenaline and all that stuff takes over."

More medical news

Gasol has targeted Friday as his date to return to the active roster. He did not play Tuesday against the Spurs and was not expected to suit up for tonight's game against Dallas.

Ron Artest suffered a sprained right index finger in the first half. He played limited minutes in the fourth quarter. He said he expects to play tonight after first denying there was anything wrong with his finger.

Sasha Vujacic strained his right hamstring in the first half. He returned for a brief appearance just before halftime, but then did not play in the second half. He said he hoped to play tonight.