Ankle sprain keeps Golden State Warriors' Monta Ellis sidelined

Warriors guard Monta Ellis won't play tonight at Sacramento, the team announced at practice Monday evening.

Ellis' sprained right ankle is just severe enough to keep him out for the second consecutive game. He was at practice but in sweats. He is officially listed as day-to-day.

"I'm good," Ellis said through a team official after declining to speak with the media. "I'm playing on Wednesday (at home against New Orleans)."

According to several accounts, Ellis sprained his ankle (not the surgically repaired one) midway through the first quarter Friday against New Jersey when someone landed on his foot. He didn't ask to come out of the game until early in the third quarter. Ellis headed straight to the locker room and didn't return. He missed Saturday's game at Phoenix.

Coach Don Nelson said he hasn't decided who would start in place of Ellis — C.J. Watson, who returned from a four-game absence Saturday, or NBA Development League call-up Cartier Martin, who started in Ellis' place in the loss to the Suns on Saturday.

"It's a good experience for us to play without him. It's just different," rookie guard Stephen Curry said. "You know what his game brings night in and night out. So when that 26 points and six assists isn't there, you've got to figure out how to produce that in his absence."

Gray traded to Hornets for Brown

SAN ANTONIO -- While it wasn't the blockbuster trade for an All-Star that many fans are hoping for, the Bulls' acquisition of Devin Brown on Monday is a deal that should pay immediate dividends by improving the team's depth and perimeter shooting.

The best part of the trade is that the Bulls didn't give up anyone from their regular rotation. It was a straight-up deal, with the Bulls sending seldom-used backup center Aaron Gray to the New Orleans Hornets.

''Devin's a tough kid, a defender and can spread the defense with his shooting ability,'' Bulls coach Vinny Del Negro said.

Brown, a 6-5 guard, averaged 9.7 points in 24.8 minutes for the Hornets. He was shooting 39.4 percent overall and 36.7 percent on three-pointers.

But Del Negro said he wanted to see Brown in practice before he decided on how he would use him.

''Once you get your hands on him and take a look in practice and put him in the games, I'll give you a better recap,'' Del Negro said. ''All I've seen is obviously playing against him and on film, so we'll see how it works out.''

The Bulls were scheduled to practice today in San Antonio before traveling to Oklahoma City, where they face the Thunder on Wednesday. Brown will meet the team in Oklahoma City, so his first time on the court will be during the shootaround Wednesday.

Back in action

At the Bulls' morning shootaround, the usually upbeat Joakim Noah was a bit subdued, and it seemed unlikely he would play Monday night against the San Antonio Spurs because of plantar fasciitis of the left foot.

''It's frustrating because I had it for a while and it just got worse,'' said Noah, who missed Saturday's win against Houston. ''I'm trying to go, but I'm limited and I can't really go the way I want to. We'll see how it goes.''

Noah was able to get loose this time and started. He finished with 11 points and five rebounds in 24½ minutes.

Washington Wizards' Javaris Crittenton pleads guilty to gun charge

Wizards reserve guard Javaris Crittenton pleaded guilty in D.C. Superior Court on Monday to a misdemeanor gun possession charge stemming from his locker room confrontation with Gilbert Arenas at Verizon Center last month. He was sentenced to a year of unsupervised probation.

As part of a plea agreement, prosecutors agreed to drop a second misdemeanor charge and not seek jail time. Senior Judge Bruce Beaudin accepted the plea and sentenced Crittenton to the probation and $1,250 in fines. Crittenton also agreed to begin a mentoring program for District children and to work with the NBA on relief for Haiti earthquake victims.

Crittenton, 22, was charged Monday with unlawful possession of a firearm and attempting to carry a pistol without a license, both misdemeanors. Each charge carried a maximum year in jail.

"I accept full responsibility for my bad judgment and terrible mistake," a soft-spoken Crittenton told the judge. "I apologize to the District of Columbia, the Wizards, the NBA and my family for the embarrassment. I made a bad decision. This will never happen to me again." Crittenton's mother sat in the audience a few rows behind him.

In court, Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Kavanaugh revealed new details of the now-infamous argument between Crittenton and Arenas that led to the gun incident, and how Crittenton feared for his safety.

On Dec. 19, prosecutors say, the team flew on a chartered flight to the Washington area from Phoenix. Arenas and Crittenton got into an argument over a card game, and Crittenton suggested a fistfight. But Arenas said he was too old to fight and instead said he would burn Crittenton's car or shoot him in the face. Crittenton then told Arenas he would "shoot the [expletive]" out of Arenas and shoot Arenas in his surgically repaired left knee, prosecutors said.

Arenas later told Wizards employees that he was joking about the threats. But Crittenton told prosecutors that he took Arenas's threats seriously and packed the gun in his bag and brought it to Verizon Center for protection.

On Dec. 21, about 9:30 a.m., Arenas arrived at Verizon Center for practice. He came into the locker room wearing a black backpack with a silver Smith & Wesson .500 magnum revolver inside. He then placed four guns on the chair directly in front of Crittenton's locker. Arenas wrote "PICK 1" on a piece of paper and placed it on Crittenton's chair near the guns. Arenas said he also was joking.

When Crittenton saw the guns, he said, "What is this?"

Arenas told Crittenton, "You said you were going to shoot me, so pick one."

Crittenton said he did not need Arenas's guns because he had his own, prosecutors said in court papers. Crittenton picked up one of the guns from the chair and threw it across the locker room.

Crittenton then displayed his own pistol, a silver-colored, 9mm Taurus semiautomatic. But Crittenton never pointed the unloaded gun at Arenas, prosecutors said.

Crittenton's attorney, Peter White, added that Crittenton only saw three of the guns Arenas placed outside of his locker. Arenas then allegedly told Crittenton, "If I'm giving you these three guns, imagine what I have in my car."

The plea agreement was struck early Monday and the hearing was expedited onto Beaudin's calendar over the lunch break. Unlike the media- and fan-crazed entrance by Arenas when he entered the courthouse Jan. 15, Crittenton and his attorneys entered the courthouse completely unnoticed by dozens of court attendees gathered in the hallways.

During the 45-minute hearing, Beaudin used the time to remind Crittenton that many people, especially young people, were watching him.

"You are not the normal defendant. I want this to send a message to others, such as young people, who may have guns," the judge said.

Arenas, 28, pleaded guilty to a felony charge this month and faces sentencing March 26. As part of Arenas's plea agreement, prosecutors agreed not to seek more than six months in jail. The NBA has suspended Arenas indefinitely without pay.

Crittenton, an Atlanta native, who was traded to the Wizards in 2008 from the Memphis Grizzlies, is expected to meet with NBA officials Tuesday.

The 6-foot-5 guard hasn't played this season because of an injury. The Wizards have declined to pick up his fourth-year option, making him a free agent next summer. His attorney said this was his first arrest.

The Wizards released this statement: "The charges filed today against Javaris Crittenton and his subsequent plea represent another disappointing development in what has already been a long and frustrating process for the team, the NBA and, most importantly, our fans. Javaris clearly used very bad judgment in this situation and will now face the consequences of his actions."

An NBA spokesman said the league would have no comment at this time.

On Jan. 14, Arlington and D.C. police searched Crittenton's home looking for the gun, according to sources familiar with the investigation and court papers. Police did not find the gun or seize any other evidence at the home, Crittenton's attorney and the court papers said at the time. Prosecutors said Crittenton has since surrendered the gun.

At the meeting with NBA officials, White said his client "looks forward to explaining his actions to the NBA and returning to the basketball court as soon as possible."

Phoenix Suns may trade Amar'e Stoudemire, New Jersey Nets are potential suitors

Before dominating the Nets last week, Amar'e Stoudemire sounded like someone who not only would be willing to play in New Jersey next season but would actually like the chance.

That chance could come sooner than expected.

Stoudemire, one of the top power forwards in the league, is said to be on the trading block because the Suns are not certain that they can keep him after this season, when he can opt out of his contract. Several teams reportedly are interested in acquiring Stoudemire, including the Nets.

Asked last Wednesday if he thinks the Nets' dismal record - they are on pace for the worst season in NBA history - would scare away future free agents, Stoudemire said some players may stay away, but not him.

"There are some teams you may say no way (to). But I don't think the Nets are one of them," said Stoudemire, adding that he sees "potential" in the Nets and that he feels they can "definitely contend in the near future if they (add) the right pieces."

Stoudemire has lifetime averages of 21 points and 8.9 rebounds, including 20.9 points and 8.6 rebounds this season. If the Nets do get him, he would be a major upgrade over Yi Jianlian, who is averaging 15.1 points and seven rebounds and does not possess the aggressive demeanor that Stoudemire does.

If the Nets do work out a deal, Yi would likely have to be included. The Suns are said to be looking for a combination of young players, draft picks and salary relief, all of which the Nets could provide.

They own 10 draft picks over the next three years, including as many as five first-rounders. They could also offer young players like Chris Douglas-Roberts, Courtney Lee and rookie Terrence Williams.

Stoudemire is making $16.3 million this season and would get just over $17 million next season if he does not opt out of his deal.

Bulls pushed to their limits, but hold off Spurs

SAN ANTONIO -- The Bulls' improbable road winning streak became even more improbable Monday with a 98-93 victory over the San Antonio Spurs at the AT&T Center.

That's three straight wins on the seven-game trip -- all against teams with winning records in the tough Western Conference -- and there's little question that this one was the most impressive.

Despite ailments to a few key performers, the Bulls went toe-to-toe with the veteran Spurs down the stretch and made more plays at both ends to pull out the victory in a game that had an intensity level not usually seen in a January NBA game.

''Hopefully, it means we're growing a little bit,'' Bulls coach Vinny Del Negro said about the way his team was able to close things out.

With the score tied at 93 with less than a minute left (after the teams traded baskets for more than three minutes), the Bulls scored the final five points. Even more improbable than the result or finish was the source of the points -- center Joakim Noah, who seemed unlikely to play minutes before tip-off because of plantar fasciitis of the left foot.

''When I went out there to warm up, it actually felt better,'' Noah said. ''I didn't think I was gonna play when I got to the arena. But the taping on the bottom of my foot actually made it feel a lot better and I went through my routine and I felt like I could help the team.''

Also unlikely by the way he looked before the game was point guard Derrick Rose, who seemed out of it because of flu-like symptoms. But Rose played 34 minutes and had a game-high 27 points on 13-for-23 shooting. After the game, he dressed quickly and went to the team bus to rest and wasn't available for comment.

The Bulls (21-22) have pulled to within a game of the .500 mark with the win, but early on it appeared the Spurs (25-18) would roll to an easy victory.

The Bulls missed three of their first four shots and the Spurs -- looking youthful and energetic -- jumped out to a 15-4 lead. The Bulls just looked sluggish.

''We were a little shell-shocked to start the game,'' guard Kirk Hinrich said. ''After the first timeout, we were able to come out, get some stops and get back in the game.''

Hinrich (18 points) jump-started the Bulls by sinking shot after shot. He had 13 first-quarter points on 6-for-7 shooting, with the only miss on a half-court heave to end the quarter.

After trailing by 12 points (20-8), the Bulls took a 27-26 lead late in the first. After runs by each team the rest of the first half, the Bulls had a 52-50 halftime lead.

Early in the fourth quarter, it appeared San Antonio would open up a tight game by jumping out to a 77-72 lead less than two minutes into the quarter. But again the Bulls responded and put together a 13-2 run for an 85-79 lead with just over seven minutes left.

But just when it looked as if they had command, the Bulls went into a prolonged draught. San Antonio's defense had a lot to do with it. The Spurs scored eight straight for an 87-85 lead with under four minutes left.

The Bulls ended a scoreless stretch of more than three minutes with a Luol Deng basket with 3:27 remaining for a tie. The teams then traded baskets until Noah followed up a Rose miss for a 95-93 lead with 36.3 seconds left. Deng then made the play of the game when he blocked a shot by Manu Ginobili at the other end and Noah hit three of four free throws the rest of the way.

''When you get caught up in the game, you start forgetting about it,'' Noah said of the pain. ''It was pretty painful. It just feels good right now because we beat three solid teams in a row. It's good for our confidence as a team.''

J.R. Smith issue threatens Nuggets' goal of NBA title

Forget scares of a suspension, extra shooting practice and media training. The whole J.R. Smith mess comes down to this: The Nuggets' singular goal is to win an NBA championship, and if Smith doesn't change his antics, it could affect the team's chances.

"He's one of our best players, and if you have one of your best players not either playing at his best or acting as best he can, it's going to affect the team," said Nuggets captain Chauncey Billups, who has played in two NBA Finals, winning one. "And his role has been increased this year. The last couple years, he maybe wasn't a player we had to lean on every night. We need J.R. (this year). He knows that. We need him to be right — at all times."

Nuggets management considered suspending Smith after the guard's pouting antics during Saturday's game but backed off Monday. Against Charlotte on Monday night, he scored 12 points and was 2-for-9 from 3-point range, though coach George Karl said: "I thought he played with a focus and intensity. He knew it had to be a serious game."

After speaking just briefly after Monday's shootaround, he avoided the media by slipping out the side door after the game. When asked by a team-employed nuggets.com writer about potential criticism from the media, he said: "I don't worry about that stuff. They're out there just trying to sell newspapers. They can say what they want."

Management, including Karl, is hoping the possibility of a suspension might scare Smith straight. Then again, Smith has already had two suspensions for off-court behavior, served 24 days in jail last summer for his role in a fatal car crash and had countless pep talks from the coaching staff. Karl is open to anyone helping Smith realize he needs to be more coachable.

"I don't care who — if the janitor or security guard can help J.R., that's fine by me," Karl said. "Do I wish J.R. would be more in tune to our coaching — and not just my coaching, but our coaching? Yeah. . . . But it's a process of getting him to where you want him to get.

"I'm a big believer in how you play, more than how well you play. Right now, I'm more concerned about his defensive commitment, his turnovers, his focus on transition run-backs. There's a lot of confusion there on his part and my part. Getting him on the same page — and the same page with his teammates — is something that can change. And what I love about the NBA is it could change in three games."

That said, Smith could find himself suspended for, say, three games, if he continues to challenge Karl, and the organization, with immature antics and not buying into what he's told to do on the court. Karl, Billups and assistant coaches Tim Grgurich and Jamahl Mosley all have tried to reach him.

Billups said Smith is like "a little brother to me," and the two have had long talks about how to present yourself and be a pro. While he hasn't gotten through yet, Billups is confident "J.R.'s going to be fine."

Billups pointed to Smith's work ethic in the gym. Smith, who has been in a prolonged shooting slump, takes extra shots before and after practice.

"The one thing about that slump is, you work your way in, you've got to work your way out," Billups said.

Karl isn't angered specifically by Smith's shooting slump. Smith is 21-for-83 from 3-point range since Dec. 23. What does anger Karl is Smith's mentality on the court.

"I can handle bad shooting if you play hard, play the right way, play disciplined and try to get better," Karl said. "His shot selection, at times, stinks. But that's part of being disciplined. We have given him that freedom, and at times he's extended that freedom to the point where it's beneath the line."

Larry Brown, who coached Detroit to the NBA title with Billups as his point guard, was in town Monday. Asked about coaching lightning-rod players such as Allen Iverson, he said: "There are always bumps in the road, but they don't last, and as long as you deal with them right away, it then seems to be less a crisis than you might make it out to be. Players know you care. If you let them do what they want, it affects the team. At the end of the day, I know George cares about his players. He's going to always try to do what's right for them."

Tumultuous timeline

Per usual, it has been a roller-coaster season for Nuggets guard J.R. Smith. NBA writer Benjamin Hochman looks at five moments from this turbulent season:

Sept. 25: Smith arrives at media day and promises change, following 24 days in jail for his role in a fatal car crash: "Actions speak louder than words," he says.

Nov. 13: He showcases gritty defense against Kobe Bryant and the Lakers. His performance earns praise from coach George Karl.

Dec. 23: Though many come with the game in hand, Smith hits 10 3-pointers in a blowout of Atlanta. Karl talks afterward about respecting the game.

Jan. 9: Smith shoots just 2-for-8 and struggles defensively in a loss at Sacramento.

Jan. 23: Smith plays terribly in 12 minutes, and his pouting on the bench causes the Denver brass to discuss a possible suspension.

Lakers hailed by chief: Obama welcomes NBA champs

Lakers All-Star guard Kobe Bryant presents President Obama with a jersey during the team's visit to the White House on Monday.

Reporting from Washington - It was time for one last victory lap, seven months later, in the memorable confines of the East Room in the White House.

The Lakers met with President Obama on Monday, continuing the annual tradition of an NBA champion's visiting the White House, though this one had to be unique, accompanied by presidential trash talk and an audience that included reality TV star Khloe Kardashian.

The Lakers qualified for the meet-and-greet by winning their 15h NBA championship last June, beating Orlando in five games. The time lag between breaking down the Magic and getting broken down by Obama was related entirely to their schedule, which continues tonight against the Washington Wizards.

As the players stood in front of a large gold backdrop, Obama began the nine-minute ceremony with a compliment, as expected.

"I'm 48, and soon to be 49, and it's a little harder these days to move around on the court . . . but I still get enormous, enormous pleasure from watching great athletes on the court and nobody exemplifies excellence in basketball better than the Los Angeles Lakers last year," he said.

The former Illinois senator, an avowed fan of the Chicago Bulls, expressed delight in meeting Lakers Coach Phil Jackson, calling him "Zen master."

"I want to congratulate him on his 10th NBA championship, the most in history," Obama said, pausing for effect before dialing up the humor. "I do want to point out that six of them came with the Bulls."

Then he turned and ribbed Lakers minority owner Magic Johnson.

"You remember that, Magic," he said, mimicking Michael Jordan's famous layup in which the Bulls guard switched hands with the ball midair in the 1991 NBA Finals, won by Chicago over the Lakers in five games.

"I got a kick out of that," Johnson said later. "What can you say when the president of the United States can trash-talk you? Normally I have a good comeback, but this time I had to let him slide."

Obama didn't zing Kobe Bryant, the Finals most valuable player, calling him "one of the most competitive players I've ever seen."

"If I had a broken finger, I would have trouble getting out of bed, and he's still leading the team day in and day out," Obama said.

Bryant didn't hold much hope that Obama would become a Lakers fan.

"He's Chicago through and through," Bryant said afterward. "I'm going to work on that, though."

Bryant will get some private time with the president this morning. They are scheduled to have breakfast together.

"I spent time with President Bush as well, but you know President Obama's knowledge about the game is a little bit more extensive," Bryant said. "President Bush is more of a baseball guy."

Among the 150 or so Lakers guests who attended the ceremony were team executives Jeanie Buss and Johnny Buss, players' wives Kardashian and Vanessa Bryant, numerous Lakers personnel and about a half-dozen members of Congress who were "big Lakers fans," Obama said.

Kardashian, who married Lakers forward Lamar Odom in September, created the ceremony's first photo op when she was escorted by a White House aide from her seat in the 11th row to the front row of the audience, alongside other players' family members. Photographers caught every moment of it, clicking away.

Obama couldn't help getting in a political plug during the ceremony, lightly referring to his idle healthcare reform bill by mentioning Jackson's annual habit of buying a hand-selected book for each player before the longest trip of the season.

"I was hoping that, Coach, you were going to bring books for Republicans and Democrats in Congress, maybe to get them to start playing like a team together," Obama said.

Throughout the visit, there were plenty of smiles from the players and some other laughs as well.

Odom enjoyed Obama's mentioning him in an anecdote about last season's team, which broke every huddle by calling out, "One, two, three, rings."

"I wish I had a tape recorder," Odom said.

"Don't worry, they record everything in here," said longtime Lakers trainer Gary Vitti, standing nearby.

Ron Artest, the only player on this season's team who was not part of the championship run, missed the ceremony because he had symptoms of the flu, according to the team. He is expected to play tonight.

The ceremony ended with Bryant and Derek Fisher handing the president a Lakers jersey with "Obama" on the back and No. 1 on the front. Presumably, Jordan Farmar didn't mind.

The team also gave the president an autographed basketball.

"If this season's anything like the last one, I know that you guys have your sights set on the NBA Finals," Obama said. "So we might see you here before long."

Nets Could Face $7.5 Million Fine if They Move to Newark

New Jersey’s new governor, Christopher J. Christie, wants the Nets to pay a $7.5 million penalty if the team breaks its lease at the Izod Center and moves to the Prudential Center in Newark next season.

The suggestion was included in a 20-page document issued by the New Jersey Gaming, Sports and Entertainment Committee of the governor’s transition team. The report, compiled before the governor took office last Tuesday, focuses largely on the state’s casinos and horse racing, both of which, the committee said, were “broken.”

The report identified agreements made during previous administrations that the Christie Administration hopes to revise or undo. One is a plan created last year to allow the Nets to break their lease at the Izod Center two years early and move to the Prudential Center until their new arena in Brooklyn opens.

However, the committee said that the Nets “cannot leave the Meadowlands without paying the waiver amount. The impact upon suites and sponsorship dollars has to be part of the negotiations.”

The report did not specify how much the Nets pay to the New Jersey Sports and Exhibition Authority in suite and sponsorship revenue. But according to their Izod Center lease, they do not need to pay a penalty if they terminate their lease early because they would stay in Newark less than five years. The team would need a waiver to break its lease, however.

In return, the Prudential Center would cede many of its nonsports events to the Izod Center, under the plan developed by Jerold L. Zaro, former Gov. Jon S. Corzine’s economics czar.

CAVALIERS 92, HEAT 91 LeBron James made two free throws after a scary tumble with 4.1 seconds left for the winning points, and Dwyane Wade missed a jumper at the buzzer as Eastern Conference-leading Cleveland beat host Miami.

Wade had 32 points but he missed two free throws with 41.2 seconds left, as the Heat went 1 of 6 from the line in the fourth quarter. (AP)

JAZZ 124, SUNS 115 Carlos Boozer had 21 points and 20 rebounds and the rookie Wesley Matthews scored 10 of his career-high 21 points in the fourth quarter for host Utah.

Steve Nash had 15 points and 15 assists, making him the eighth player in N.B.A. history to surpass 8,000 assists. (AP)

CELTICS 95, CLIPPERS 89 Rajon Rondo had 16 points and 12 assists, leading Boston past Los Angeles in a game played on a TD Garden floor that had to be continually wiped because of condensation. (AP) NUGGETS 104, BOBCATS 93 Chauncey Billups had 27 points and host Denver won its season-high seventh straight despite missing its leading scorer, Carmelo Anthony, who is out with a sprained ankle. (AP)

BULLS 98, SPURS 93 Derrick Rose shook off flulike symptoms to score 27 points and visiting Chicago again impressively beat a Western Conference team with a winning record after surprising Houston and Phoenix last week. (AP)

IN OTHER GAMES Zach Randolph had 23 points and 19 rebounds as Memphis won its 11th straight home game, 99-94 over Orlando. ... Josh Smith had 22 points and 10 rebounds as Atlanta ended a 10-game losing streak in Houston, 102-95. ... Danny Granger had 26 points to lead Indiana past host Philadelphia, 109-98.(AP)

Angry Walsh to explore potential trades for Knicks

Knicks president Donnie Walsh would not guarantee he will make a trade by the Feb. 18 trading deadline. But Walsh admitted scenarios will be explored at this week's scouting meetings, as he expressed bitter disappointment with Sunday's disgraceful 50-point loss to the Mavericks -- the worst home defeat in Knicks history.

"[Sunday] was disappointing to the players, the coaches, the front office, the fans, the press," Walsh said in rare show of anger. "It was a terrible game. Obviously we have to pick it up if we hope to make the playoffs.

"This is the time to start to really pushing and playing well to have a good year. We can't play like that."

With the trade deadline looming, the Knicks have dropped six of eight games to fall nine games under .500 at 17-26 -- they are four games behind the Bulls in the loss column for the eighth and final playoff spot.

The Knicks, who host the Timberwolves tonight, are looking like a terrible team again, the one that started off 1-9.

If Walsh needed further indication a boost is needed, Sunday's horrific 128-78 loss was it. Walsh will meet all week with his scouting department to discuss available players and the prearranged pow-wow has taken on a new sense of urgency. Walsh's limitations is he is looking for players in the final year of their deal to protect his 2010 cap space.

"I will pick their brains, [as] they are out there looking at pro teams," Walsh said. "Who do you think can play that we don't know about or don't see a lot? That kind of thing. We have guys who know the teams. But it takes two to tango."

Things may not get better very soon. When the Knicks return to the scene of the Dallas crime tonight, they may be without staring shooting guard Wilson Chandler, who sat out yesterday's practice with a pulled groin, and backup point guard Nate Robinson, who likely will miss his second straight game. Al Harrington is also suffering from a sore knee, but will play.

"I came in and kept a smile on my face, but it hasn't been easy," David Lee said.

Walsh does not want to panic and knows a deadline trade can backfire. Walsh privately admits his trades last February, in which he obtained Larry Hughes and Chris Wilcox and shipped Tim Thomas, Malik Rose and Anthony Roberson, backfired.

"You're assuming any move would help us make the playoffs," Walsh said. " I don't assume. You have to make the right move in order to have something like that happen. If that's there, we do it. I wouldn't think I have to make a move. It isn't like I woke up and [said], 'Oh my god, I have to do something now.' "

Houston's Tracy McGrady should be traded at the deadline and perhaps Chicago's Tyrus Thomas, too. Both are squarely on Walsh's radar. Rockets general manager Daryl Morey only has interest in a Knicks' package if either rookie Jordan Hill or Chandler are part of it.

But point guard is the deepest void, with Chris Duhon mired in another awful stretch. That's the position he hopes his scouts will reveal a diamond in the rough. For now the Knicks' sparkle is gone.

"Nobody said it would be easy just because we had a great run," Harrington said of their vibrant December and 3-0 start to 2010. "Nobody said it would last forever. Going into the All-Star break is always time when injuries catch up with everybody."

The problem with Sunday is they didn't seem to care.

"What I saw [Sunday], we just didn't have it and nobody had it on the whole team," Walsh said. "Usually somebody comes out there and gives a lift."

The Knicks may be just running out of gas.

"These are the dog days where we got to get through them," D'Antoni said. "The only thing we're looking for is fight. We don't have to play well at times, but we do have to have fight."

Trail Blazers fall to Hornets, but Nicolas Batum's return is a bright spot

Forget the humbling final score and late-game collapse. Ignore Chris Paul’s impressive second-half performance.

Because beyond the discouraging 98-97 loss to the New Orleans Hornets Monday night at the Rose Garden, there was an important development for the Trail Blazers that could lead to better things down the road.

Nicolas Batum returned. And despite missing three months and 45 games recovering from surgery on his right shoulder, the second-year forward flashed glimpses of being a second-half difference-maker during his 10 minutes, 23 seconds of play.

“He was better than I thought he would be,” Blazers coach Nate McMillan said. “He was moving and attacking offensively. And did a good job. He was a big part of us having that big second quarter.”

Batum entered at the start of the second quarter to a rowdy standing ovation that he called “special” and “surprising.” He credited the crowd for fueling his adrenaline and he wasted little time cashing in on the boost, scoring 26 seconds later on a driving layup.

He added an alley-oop layup and a coast-to-coast fast-break layup, and by the time his first shift of the season was over, Batum had finished with six points, one rebound and one assist. In 6:18, he made 3 of 4 shots, played stout defense — he appeared to register at least one steal that he was not credited for — and was part of a 17-10 second-quarter run that helped the Blazers pull within 41-40 with 5:42 left in the first half.

And as positive as all that was, there also was this:

“No pain,” he said, when asked about the condition of his surgically-repaired right shoulder. “I’m good. No problem. (I’m) going to be all right.”

Batum, who did not score in the second half, said he was nervous about making his season debut. He had doubts about his shoulder’s ability to withstand the NBA grind and jitters about playing in what felt like his first NBA game all over again. But he walked away from the Rose Garden relieved and optimistic.

“I wasn’t tired,” he said, referring to his second-quarter shift. “When they took me out, they said, ‘Are you OK?’ I said, ‘Yeah, I’m good. Leave me on the court. I’m all right.’”

So even though the Blazers endured yet another painful victory, courtesy of another late-game meltdown, Batum’s return provided one gigantic positive.

“Three months is long; 45 games is too long to be on the side,” he said. “So it was great to be back.”

Gray trade could set stage for another deal

By trading center Aaron Gray to New Orleans for veteran guard Devin Brown on Monday, the Bulls are clearly hoping to move John Salmons or Kirk Hinrich before the Feb. 18 trade deadline.

The idea is to trade one of those guards for an expiring contract and create even more cap room to pursue free agents this summer. Such a deal won't be easy, because few teams are willing to take on add salary to their payrolls right now, two sources confirmed.

The 7-foot Gray has barely played this season after recovering from a stress fracture in his leg. A second-round draft pick in 2007, he did have some strong moments in his first season and a half with the Bulls.

His playing time faded along with Joakim Noah's improvement and Gray never seemed to get back in shape after the stress fracture knocked him out of training camp and the first two months of the regular season.

The 6-foot-5 Brown, 31, is an experienced guard who has played a major role in the past for the Spurs and Cavs, before joining New Orleans. He won an NBA title with the Spurs in '05.

He scored 22 points -- all in the first half -- when the Bulls beat the Hornets 96-85 at the United Center on Dec. 26. He’s been in a shooting slump recently, though, going 13 for 50 (26 percent) from behind the arc in January, compared to 26 for 57 (45.6 percent) in December.

Brown averaged 9.7 points, 1.5 assists and 2.8 rebounds for the Hornets this season. He knocked down 6 of 7 shots from 3-point range in that game against the Bulls, but is shooting just 39.4 percent overall this season, 36.7 percent from 3-point land. He is an accurate free-throw shooter (80.2 percent).

Brown has been getting steady playing time all season in New Orleans, logging 30 minutes as recently as Saturday against Denver.

For the Bulls, this move seems like a no-brainer, trading someone who never plays for a useful veteran guard. Of course, the Bulls could have used Brown last week when Kirk Hinrich and John Salmons missed games with the stomach flu.

Brown is expected to join the Bulls on Wednesday in Oklahoma City. How much he'll play when the Bulls are at full strength remains to be seen.

Why did the Hornets make this move? They saved a little bit on their luxury-tax bill, about $100,000. But New Orleans also lacks height on its roster, especially after giving away Hilton Armstrong a few weeks ago. The tallest inside players on the roster are 6-10 Emeka Okafor and Sean Marks.

The Hornets have also been getting strong play from rookie guards Marcus Thornton (9.4 ppg) and Darren Collison, so they probably felt Brown was expendable.

If the Bulls need an extra big man, Jerome James is relatively healthy after recovering from a torn Achilles tendon and could conceivably see game action soon. Last I heard, he was still preparing to pass one last fitness test to gain clearance to play.

The Bulls have been looking to add another guard for a few weeks and had serious discussions about signing Sundiata Gaines to a 10-day contract before he joinedd Utah. Gaines is the rookie guard from Georgia who drained a 3-pointer at the buzzer to beat the Cavs a couple weeks ago.

Evans gets a real bang out of Raptors' practice

Reggie Evans, the long-injured Raptors defensive specialist, returned to full-contact practice on Monday, banging with his teammates for the first time in more than three months.

"Today was a fun day for me," he said. "I finally got to a good stepping stone. ... I've got some work to do."

Evans's presence on the floor – and the attention he drew from a gaggle of reporters in the workout's aftermath – earned favourable reviews from teammates. His scrum with the media was interrupted by hooting and hollering from numerous Raptors, among them Chris Bosh and Jarrett Jack, the latter of whom repeatedly shouted, "The king is back!"

How did Evans play? He was slow to the ball, his jump shot looked wonky and he appeared out of shape, according to various accounts. And, for a guy who hasn't played since damaging ligaments in his left foot in an Oct. 14 pre-season game, none of that was unexpected. But he managed to grab a steal, according to the post-scrimmage boxscore Evans kept in his head, and he played hard, which is his calling card.

"I love playing against Reggie. He only knows how to play one way and that's all out," Bosh said. "I think it's good to have him back practising. Once he gets in shape, I think he can really help us."

Evans has said he hopes to make his regular-season debut for the club on Feb. 17, the first game after the all-star break.

"When that time comes, it'll be a big day," he said.

But as much as Bryan Colangelo, the Raptors general manager, has lamented Evans's absence, Jay Triano, the Raptors coach, put the forward's impending return in some perspective.

"We're excited about having him back," Triano said, "but I think a lot of people have been putting some undue expectations on him. I mean, to have him on the floor means we have to take somebody off the floor and Amir Johnson has been pretty good in his role as an energizer.

"(Evans) is not going to come back and be a saviour. We're excited about having him back because he gives us something in the toughness factor and the rebounding factor and the defensive factor that we think we can use to get better."

With each win over rivals, LeBron earning his lofty title

LeBron James has distanced himself in the best-player-in-the-league talk from Dwyane Wade.

There's a division title to be won, then a conference, then a league, and then free agency. LeBron James has his priorities in order. He's a big picture guy, which makes him unique among young superstars, who mainly live for the moment.

But in the process of going after those team-oriented goals, LeBron is taking great pleasure in going after Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade along the way.

Those are his only real peers, the only players who challenge him and push him to the limit, and the only players involved in the conversation whenever there's a debate about the NBA's best player. For those reasons, LeBron has seemed more intense than usual this season against the Lakers and Heat. It's almost like he wants to end all discussion and demonstrate that his nickname has a ring of authenticity to it.

The King? As we see, LeBron is trying to live up to it.

Since Christmas, he played Kobe twice and then Wade last night. LeBron went 3-0 and was big in the closing moments of the last two. In the final eight seconds against Wade, LeBron guarded him twice, coming up with a steal which led to his eventual game-winning free throws, then forced Wade to miss at the buzzer. In the win over the Lakers five days earlier, LeBron scored 37 points, 12 down a tight stretch. In both games, the Cavaliers were without Mo Williams.

And of course we all know what happened on Christmas. That game essentially started the Cavs on their current tear as LeBron had 26 points and nine assists and the Cavs issued a 15-point beatdown in L.A.

LeBron isn't caught up in the best-player hype and arguments that swing back-and-forth. At least not publicly, anyway. He always says the right things about how it's a team game, and the victory is what's important, blah, blah, blah. And he's being sincere about it.

But all superstars in all sports want to measure themselves against the best. They're more desperate to beat them than anyone else. It's only natural. It comes with the territory of being a star.

Magic Johnson always wanted to be extra sharp against Larry Bird, in part because Bird demanded your best, but also because Magic wanted to be considered better than Bird. They didn't play the same position, and they were friends, but the intensity level was highest when they played each other, even if those games weren't in the NBA Finals. The regular-season games were spirited because Magic and Bird had a measure of pride and wanted to earn each other's respect.

LeBron seems on a dual mission this season: To win a team championship first, individual championship second. And he just may pull off the double. The Cavaliers are rolling, and barring the unforeseen, should finish with the best record in the East because the Celtics are busy dealing with Kevin Garnett's health issues and the Magic are wrapped in a funk. Certainly the postseason will determine if Shaquille O'Neal has anything left in the tank and if Williams can hit the big shot. But there's nothing about the Cavaliers right now that suggests they won't be in the mix come May.

As for LeBron's other mission, how many players with his talent have ever answered to someone else? Such is the case with LeBron, mainly because of Kobe, mainly because Kobe has titles and LeBron does not. Of course, all but one of Kobe's titles were assisted by a younger Shaq. Still, ask most players in the NBA, and they will give Kobe the nod. Kobe is more clutch, they'll say, and is so cutthroat that he'll try to dribble through the entire team in the final seconds rather than pass off to a teammate (like LeBron would).

To a far lesser extent is Wade, who is also ahead of LeBron in the championship contest (again, thanks to Shaq). Wade's supporters argue that all things considered, his legendary performance against the Mavericks in the NBA Finals trumps any of LeBron's postseason stretches.

LeBron seems determined to settle all issues and feels this is his best chance. He's never had better teammates than now. The Cavs have never been positioned better than now. And should Cleveland emerge from the East, the Cavaliers could see the Lakers and Kobe. LeBron wouldn't want that perfect opportunity to slip away. He'd have the chance to pull off his double simultaneously -- as his commercials would undoubtedly say -- in front of witnesses.

This season, the Cavs are 4-0 against the Lakers and Heat, Kobe and Wade. This represents a solid beginning for LeBron's master plan.

But as we know, the ending is what makes for a good story.

Bucks' newest face still working out rust in his game

Bucks guard Jerry Stackhouse is still shaking off the rust after his long NBA layoff.

Three or four players and a few civilians were left in the Milwaukee Bucks' locker room late Saturday night when the relative quiet was pierced by the sound of someone going all "American Idol" in the shower. Turns out, it was Jerry Stackhouse's baritone echoing off the tile and down the hall, singing a tune no one instantly recognized but making known his presence that began with Milwaukee just five days earlier.

Eager to fill the void created by shooting guard Michael Redd's latest season-ending knee injury, seeking to replace some of the scoring and experience that Redd provided, the Bucks reached out to Stackhouse. Never mind that the long-ago North Carolina star had played in just 10 NBA games since the end of 2007-08 and none at all this season in what was looking more like a forced and endless furlough than any official retirement. The Bucks knew Stackhouse -- general manager John Hammond had been with him in Detroit, coach Scott Skiles actually played with him for a season in Philadelphia -- and felt he had something left in his tank.

So if that had been a rookie crooning away in the shower, the grinning folks in the locker room might have thought: Knuckleheaded new guy. But since it was a warhorse drafted nearly 15 years ago, taken No. 3 overall in 1995 ahead of fellow All-Stars Rasheed Wallace, Kevin Garnett and Michael Finley, Stackhouse's little audience could nod knowingly at his not-quite dulcet tones and think: Savvy veteran influence, keeping things loose.

I talked with Stackhouse Saturday before and after he blew out the carbon of nearly 1 1/2 seasons of inactivity in his new team's 127-94 cruise past Minnesota. In 28 minutes, playing in his third game in four nights, Stackhouse scored 14 points with three rebounds, five assists, two steals and four turnovers. Next stop: Dallas, where he spent five of his best NBA seasons but was dumped in a trade last summer to Memphis, a team that waived him almost immediately.

NBA.com: Third game back after such a layoff, were you ready for so many minutes?

Jerry Stackhouse: Nah, it's good. He [Skiles] knew what he was doing. He knew we had a day off tomorrow. I needed the blowing-out a little bit. And it was cool, because I got a chance to play with everybody. There were guys I hadn't really been on the floor with, I didn't know what those guys do, how they set screens, you know. I feel good. Always feel good after a win.

NBA.com: Did you wonder if you'd get a chance like this to play again somewhere?

JS: With the economy being what it was, I know a lot of teams were holding back. Every team my agent talked to, they talked about the luxury tax and the ramifications of bringing on a player who had as many years as I had. Teams talked about having to clear a roster spot, stuff like that. But I did expect that by maybe the All-Star break, when teams are normally adding guys for their playoff run, something would happen. This came a little sooner because of Michael's injury. I jumped on it.

NBA.com: Were you able to stay in NBA shape?

JS: No. You can't stay in NBA shape without being in the NBA. You can run, you can do whatever, but there's nothing like getting back into the fold, working against NBA players. I worked out with a high school team [in Atlanta] and tried to keep my body good with some cardio. I think the team was kind of impressed with where I was at from being off so long. That made it easier for them to sign me.

NBA.com: Were you actually playing?

JS: Yeah. But it was high school competition. I had fun with it -- I was able to get up and down the court a little bit. I had a couple of guys who had played overseas and we'd get together and work out.

NBA.com: How were you filling your days otherwise?

JS: I was helping out with my son's seventh-grade team, kind of coaching. The fun stuff that I hadn't been able to do over the last 15 years. It was cool. I think it sparked my passion for getting into coaching a little bit. Just seeing their growth, from showing them something to the next time when they're doing it, things they learned. They're like sponges. I don't know how much at the pro level I'd like it but high school, college, it seems like fun.

NBA.com: What's your initial snapshot view of the Bucks?

JS: More firepower than I thought. Obviously [rookie Brandon] Jennings kind of took the headlines because of how he was playing right off, but Andrew [Bogut], to me, if he plays that way consistently, he should be a perennial All-Star center. He has a lot of skill on the block and really competes.

NBA.com: So where do you fit in?

JS: I'm just trying to share some leadership with them. Being through the wars I've been through and handling the down moments -- everybody has ups and downs in an NBA season. I'm here to help them on the court but even more so, just sharing with them a little bit. Everyone I've talked to here has been real responsive to that.

NBA.com: The Bucks also have talked about you bringing "toughness." Now, you've had several run-ins in your past: A fight with Utah's Jeff Hornacek, a beef with the Jazz's Kirk Snyder that took place out by the bus after a game. You sent Shaquille O'Neal sprawling into the cameramen in the 2006 Finals and last season, you talked about wanting to kick New Orleans coach Byron Scott's butt after a verbal exchange. Then there was the incident in Detroit, when you and Christian Laettner came to blows on a team flight in April 1999. It was over a card game, and it popped into my mind after the recent Gilbert Arenas episode.

JS: Me and Christian were together the next day. That was just some snitch on the plane, that's the only reason it got out of the team. You're however many thousand feet in the air, just two guys who obviously weren't going to back down in a situation and it spilled out. Nobody was thinking about no guns.

NBA.com: Surprised that it escalated to that in Washington?

JS: I think it was a joke. That's who Gilbert is, he's a prankster, and he chose the wrong joke. The league had to step in and do what they did. I don't think he has a serious bone in his body. But I think this whole situation is making him have one.

NBA.com: Did you have "old heads" on the teams you played on as a young guy?

JS: Once I got to Detroit I did. We didn't really have that in Philadelphia -- it was just young guys, free agents, trying to build a team. But for any team to have success, you've got to have a mix. In Detroit, I had Joe Dumars, Rick Mahorn, Grant Long. Those were the guys who helped me learn how to be a pro.

NBA.com: Not that it would do any good now, but do you ever think what it would have been like for you to get drafted by a different team? In Philadelphia, it was all about you and Allen Iverson, two young scorers, finding a way to share the ball. Two years in, you got traded.

JS: I don't think about it like that. God put me on this path for a reason. If I went somewhere else, I might not be here right now. I might not have the blessed fortune of playing 15 years in this league. I had to deal with situations ... but I liked my path. I liked that I was able to get out there and play. That's the only way you're going to develop in this league, is getting on the court. It's great to sit behind veterans and watch -- that's been good for some guys. But I wouldn't change one thing. I like that, from my rookie year, I was thrown into the fire and had to either swim or drown.

NBA.com: You've played for five teams. Ever wish you'd been a one-organization guy?

JS: Not hardly. You can about count on one hand the guys who spend their whole careers with one team. Or two teams, for that matter. It's a business and, for whatever reason, if they don't have the success of winning it all, they start to change gears. That's the pattern for most teams.

Who do you have? Kobe and Paul Pierce? Those guys have probably been on their teams the longest. Then you have Jason [Kidd] and Shaq and Michael Finley, Rasheed, those guys I came in the league with, they've been on three, four, five teams. That's just the way it goes.

NBA.com: You've gone from the heights of averaging 29.8 points with Detroit in 2000-01 to just 10.7 in 2007-08 with the Mavericks. Last season, you got on the court for only 162 minutes. Were you ready to join the other retired guys from the Class of '95?

JS: Nah, nah, nah. I just think it was the little nags, the injuries that got me down. You can spend more time in the training room than on the court. What I love is the competition, whether it's in practice and going up and down [the floor], and [right before tipoff at] 7 o'clock or 7:30 -- that's the best time. When you're in a pool running, trying to fix a hamstring, that's when it starts to weigh on you.

But I think it's been a blessing in disguise that I hurt my foot last year. To be able to have pretty much the whole season and then half of this season to have my legs fresh now. Obviously, you have to do things to keep 'em from dry-rotting. But it's served me well.

NBA.com: What do you like best about your NBA career?

JS: What is there not to like about having an NBA career? Less than half of a percent of the world, less than that, is able to do what we do or even have a job that they love to do.

NBA.com: Yeah, but you haven't been on a championship team. The Inside the NBA guys turned that into a debate -- would a player rather have Steve Nash's career or Steve Kerr's? -- to weigh All-Star status against a ring collection.

JS: I don't hold a whole lot of stock in [needing a championship ring]. Some people get the chance to play for a championship, and I did in Dallas. [But] if Steve Kerr or somebody had a chance to play longer than he did, I'm sure he'd have jumped at it. He probably would have traded back a ring. It's great to say that you won. But at the end of the day, they're probably going to say you coat-tailed Michael Jordan for it anyway [laughing].

A lot of those guys who were on championship teams -- Keith Booth or Tony Brown -- don't you think they would trade those rings for four or five extra seasons of income and playing? At the end of the day, it's a business. You're working and trying to use the gifts you got from the Man Upstairs to create a legacy for your family. That's all that's going to matter once all of the air's out of the ball. How much have you been able to save and put away. You know the stories, the guys who squandered their earnings and outlived their means.

NBA.com: What have you liked the least about your career?

JS: Bad calls.

NBA.com: Really? You mean there are some from the past that still eat at you?

JS: No. I mean, they're still coming. That's part of the game. But when you're in one of those situations, for whatever reason, it always seems personal [laughing].

Marciulionis' Hall of Fame bid not about on-court work

Sarunas Marciulionis played seven seasons in the league, none of which were Hall of Fame-worthy.

It was 10 p.m. in Lithuania. Sarunas Marciulionis had returned home a few hours earlier from a trip to Siberia to watch an all-star game of Russian college-age players before your basic Krasnoyarsk-Moscow-Vilnius hop.

Through the bitter cold of the Eastern European winter, he was typically warm, the way the likeable Marciulionis is remembered from eight NBA seasons as a muscled 6-foot-5 guard barreling down the lane. Through the sketchy phone connection with the delay and occasional echo, he was clear.

"Wow," Marciulionis said. "That's how I reacted: 'Wow'."

Amazement in 2010 at where the amazing 1992 has led.

Marciulionis is nominated for the Basketball Hall of Fame not for his lengthy career around the world. He's nominated for helping create the Lithuanian Olympic team 18 years ago in a tumultuous time for the entire country, a work of quick fundraising and organization that culminated in the bronze medal in the Barcelona Games. It instantly shifted the landscape of international basketball.

Finalists in the induction class -- likely led by Karl Malone and Scottie Pippen -- will be announced in 2 1/2 weeks at All-Star weekend in Dallas, marking the final step before inductees are announced at the Final Four in Indianapolis.

Marciulionis had a decent NBA career -- 12.8 points a game with the Warriors, Sonics, Kings and Nuggets from 1989-97. He won a gold medal with the Soviet Union at the 1988 Olympics and bronzes with Lithuania in '92 and '96, too. It just wasn't anything at the level of Hall induction.

The uniqueness of Marciulionis' presence on the list is that the nomination spearheaded by long-time friend Tommy Sheppard, the Wizards' vice president of basketball administration, and Raymond Ridder, the Warriors' executive director of public relations, is centered on a historic event. That one moment turned out to have such significance, and so much human drama, that it is impossible to brush aside the Marciulionis candidacy. And the Sheppard-Ridder presentation packet that goes out to the screening committee that decides the finalists will emphasize the importance of 1992.

In 1990, Lithuania had become the first Soviet republic to declare independence, making it a time of tremendous upheaval. Its basketball heritage had already developed to where Marciulionis and Arvydas Sabonis would become important parts of NBA teams and were members of the Soviet Union's gold medal team in 1988. In the infancy stages of a new country, though, organizing sports federations, finding money and preparing for qualifying tournaments are hardly priorities.

Marciulionis was at the forefront of a drive to make it happen without so much as missing a single Olympics. Searching for sponsors, he at once landed financial backing and unimaginable publicity by signing on the Grateful Dead. Reports at the time put the actual donation at $5,000, but the real strike was the Dead getting one of its licensees to outfit Lithuanian players with red, yellow and green tie-dyed T-shirts that generated huge sales and worldwide attention.

Sabonis, Marciulionis and the new roster reached the Barcelona Games by winning the European qualifying tournament. In the Olympics, they advanced through the pool play that included a victory over what remained of the Soviet roster, now playing as the Commonwealth of Independent States. They beat Brazil in the quarterfinals of the medal round before being crushed 127-76 in the semis by the original Dream Team. Lithuania then beat the CIS for the bronze.

What followed was an outpouring of attention. Marciulionis returned to his Warriors life with Dream Teamer Chris Mullin and All-Star Tim Hardaway as teammates. Don Nelson, on his first tour as Golden State coach, was there, with young assistants Gregg Popovich and Donnie Nelson on the bench, too. The Lithuanian team moved on as one of the best programs in the world, remaining at the forefront of major international competitions. It has sent Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Darius Songaila, Linas Kleiza and Sarunas Jasikevicius to the NBA. Another countryman, agile 7-footer Donatas Motiejunas, is tracking to the 2010 lottery.

Marciulionis?

He got nominated for the Hall of Fame. He got the wow factor.

"It was a very remarkable time," Marciulionis said. "We had to qualify. We had to play against the best European teams. We won 11 games in a row and then got to the Olympics. We had to do so many things. The games. The fundraising. That whole atmosphere."

Marciulionis, 45, lives in Lithuania as a businessman who still works to promote basketball. He spends about three months a year in San Diego and may buy a place there. He stays in touch with Mullin, Mitch Richmond, Sheppard, Donnie Nelson and several others from his NBA life.

They share an amazement in what Marciulionis has accomplished, and an interest in what lies ahead.

Getting with the fans to pick a worthy All-Star team

Amar'e Stoudemire is an All-Star, whether you think he deserves it or not.

After Allen Iverson was voted to start for the Eastern Conference in next month's All-Star game and Tracy McGrady nearly edged dudes like Steve Nash and Chris Paul in the West, the yearly dissatisfaction with all star voting reached toxic levels. Some bozos want the fans taken out of the equation altogether. Great idea, guys. A game for the fans -- only, the fans have no say.

I do agree, however, that something has to change. I've never had a problem with what I like to call the Legacy Clause. It allowed guys like Dr. Julius Erving and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to play in All-Star games well past their deserving stages. So, A.I. in Dallas doesn't rub me too wrong. In fact, I want Shaq there, too.

It does rub me the wrong way, however, that Amar'e Stoudemire is starting. Pick any All-Star caliber big man -- Pau Gasol, Zach Randolph, Dirk Nowitzki, Tim Duncan -- and I'd argue they're more deserving than Stoudemire.

Whatever way you look at this process, one thing is very clear: Starting in All-Star games is a very special and weighty honor for players. They put a lot of stock in it. So I have what I think is the best solution. Dig it ...

The fans still set it all off by voting for the first five players on each side, the same way they do now -- one center, two forwards, two guards. Next the coaches vote for the final seven the same way they do now -- one center, two forwards, two guards, two wildcards. But here's the new, genius wrinkle. Once the 12 are set, the players select the starters. That pretty much solves everything, right?

So, now that I've taken care of that, let me get to my picks ...

Eastern Conference

STARTERS

Forwards: LeBron James, Cleveland; Kevin Garnett, Boston

No explanation needed for LeBron, who is now, clearly, the best basketball player on the planet. Not the greatest or most accomplished, but nobody plays the game at a better more impactful level than Bronski. KG will be on my All-Star team for as long as he plays. Know that. Legacy Clause in full effect. Should he be starting this season? Not with Paul Pierce, Chris Bosh and, arguably, Josh Smith having better years. But nothing egregious here.

Center: Dwight Howard, Orlando

Howard's production is down from last season. Some blame him, some blame the team/coach. If a player is truly great (like we all want Howard to be), then he doesn't allow his team to so conspicuously impact his production. I need for Howard to be far more assertive than he is. This is his fifth season. The kid act has to stop. And based on some of his recent comments about the team only going as far as he'll take them and his growing sense of irritation, I'm hoping we see Grown Man Howard for the season's stretch run. It's in him. At least I hope it is.

Guards: Dwyane Wade, Miami; Allen Iverson, Philadelphia

The three most indespensable players in the league: Bron, D-Wade and Chris Paul. A.I. is definitely not in that group, but I knew this was going to happen. Folks (especially my media brethren) fail to realize that A.I. is still, in many ways, the People's Champ. And when we (the media) tasted blood and piled on A.I. while he was without a team, it only emboldened his fans to throw even more support his way. Anyone banging the "A.I. should give up his spot" drum need to go kick rocks. This is what the fans want. And for the Legacy Clause record, in my book, A.I. can play in every All-Star game until he retires.

RESERVES

Forwards: Paul Pierce, Boston; Josh Smith, Atlanta

Pierce isn't what he used to be, but he's still the Cs most valuable player, and one of the five or six best big-game/big-shot players in the league. Josh doesn't get enough love. One aspect of his game that I just really started to key-in on this season is his court vision. You may or may not know, but Josh is a gifted passer. At this past Friday's game against the Bobcats, my guy and Turner colleague Sekou Smith (who covered the Hawks for about five seasons) said Josh is the Hawks' best passer -- better than Joe Johnson, Mike Bibby, Jamal Crawford, all of 'em. He's right. Add that to Josh's improved shot selection, game-changing weakside defense, momentum-swinging dunks and psuedo-omnipresent impact and I'd argue that he's the Hawks' MVP.

Center: Chris Bosh, Toronto

Yes, he's a power forward, but you're allowed to vote for reserves at the position "most advantageous for the All-Star team" and "not necessarily the one he plays most often during the season." So Bosh, the league's most efficient and productive power forward is a no-brainer choice at center.

Guards: Rajon Rondo, Boston; Joe Johnson, Atlanta

Rondo would be my starter in an ideal world. There's Chris Paul and everyone else. Of the "everyone else" there's an elite group that includes Steve Nash, Deron Williams, Chauncey Billups and Rajon Rondo. All the other dope point guards (Baron Davis, Derrick Rose, etc.) are one level down. Rondo is now the Celtics' best player. Joe Johnson is the best player on the division leading Hawks. Easy choices.

Wildcards: Shaquille O'Neal, Cleveland; Stephen Jackson, Charlotte

Legacy Clause in full effect. I don't want to think about All-Star weekend without Shaq. As long as he's in the league, I want to see Shaq playing on All-Star Sunday, trying to run a fast break, attempting a wack crossover or a running sky hook and jacking up at least one brick from three. The big fella needs to be in Dallas. Make it happen. And I'm only selecting one player from Charlotte. With that said, anyone that knows basketball can see that Jax is far more important and impactful than Gerald Wallace. I dig Wallace, love how he hits the boards with Marionesque tenacity; but Wallace is just out there balling. Jax is out there getting that rag-tag squad Ws. He takes and makes the big shots, he facilitates, he leads. When clutch-time arrives, Larry Brown and the Cats look to Jax. When the other team is making a run and someone on Charlotte needs to do something about it, Larry Brown and the Cats look to Jax. He's that squad's All-Star.

Snubs: Apologies to Wallace and David Lee -- both having commendable seasons.

Western Conference

STARTERS

Forwards: Carmelo Anthony, Denver; Tim Duncan, San Antonio

Remember when Melo was always the odd man out for a few All-Star games? Bron and D-Wade started their All-Star string two seasons before Melo. Even 2003 Draftmate Bosh got started a year earlier than Melo. Sometimes it was due to the glut of worthy candidates in the West, other times it was some dumb demerit, like, uh, sucker-punches at Madison Square Garden. Stuff like that. These days Melo is the second-most popular forward in the league and an MVP candidate. Meanwhile, Tim Duncan is avergaing 20 ppg, 11 rpg and two bpg in just 32 mpg. No Legacy Clause, here ... at least not yet. As of right now, Duncan is all the way legit.

Center: Amar'e Stoudemire, Phoenix

Not a fan of the fan's pick, here.

Guards: Kobe Bryant, L.A.; Steve Nash, Phoenix

For Laker fans hoping Kobe might sit out the ASG, here's a quote from No. 24: "It's broken. I have a break in two places. It's not going to go anywhere if I sit out. I can still play and let it heal on its own. If I hit it, it's not going to break anymore. It's just going to be sore. The healing is still the same if I sit out." So there. Nash may not deserve to start, but he definitely rebounded from a lackluster 2008-2009 season.

RESERVES

Forwards: Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas; Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City

This will be Dirk's ninth ASG in a row. The small lot of nutcases that don't think he's a first ballot Hall of Famer need to chew on that. And here's a prediction: At the start of the 2010-2011 season, following, hopefully, some lessons learned in his first-ever playoff series, KD will take his place with Bron, Kobe, CP, D-Wade and Melo as one of the "elite of the elite."

Center: Pau Gasol, L.A.

You could make the argument that Gasol is the best big man in the game.

Guards: Chris Paul, New Orleans; Brandon Roy, Portland

I love Charles Barkley. I can't imagine what TNT Thursdays will become whenever he moves on. But I have never seen a more indefensible snub than Chuck picking Aaron freaking Brooks over the best point guard in the game. CP leads all All-Star caliber point guards in points, assists, assist/turnover ratio, rebounds and steals. Depending on the day, he jostles with Wade and Melo for the "third best player on the planet" tag. It's bad enough the fans voted in Nash as the starter over him. Chuck's snub was jaw-dropping. Brandon Roy, until KD officially supplants him, leads the pack of players right below the Bron-Kobe-CP-Wade-Melo top five.

Wildcards: Zach Randolph, Memphis; Chauncey Billups, Denver

Zach is having a well-behaved career-year for the surprise team of the season (well, a surprise to everyone but me, who tweeted they'd make the playoffs back in September). Billups is as valuable, if not more, than Melo. He's the Nuggets' dad. He's averaging a career-high 18.9 ppg for the team with the second-best record in the conference. Sorry D-Will, next year.

Snubs: Apologies to Rudy Gay, Baron Davis, Chris Kaman and Aaron Brooks. And huge, super-huge, gargantuan, colossal, monstrous apologies to D-Will. He's as deserving as every West reserve not named Dirk, Kevin, Brandon or Chris; so if the coaches vote him in, I won't be mad.

All-Star Game reserves announced Thursday on TNT

TNT will have the exclusive announcement of the 2010 NBA All-Star reserves on Thursday, Jan. 28 during a special one hour edition of NBA Tip-Off presented by AutoTrader.com beginning at 7 p.m. (ET) with Ernie Johnson (host), Charles Barkley (analyst), Kenny Smith (analyst) and Chris Webber (analyst). TNT's exclusive coverage of the 2010 All-Star Game from Dallas, TX will air on Sun., February 14 at 8:30 p.m. (ET).

Following the pre-game show, the network will present an exclusive doubleheader. The first game will feature Eastern Conference All-Star starter Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic hosting Paul Pierce and the Boston Celtics at 8 p.m. (ET). Marv Albert (play-by-play) will call the game alongside Reggie Miller (analyst) with Craig Sager reporting. In the second game of the night, Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks will visit Western Conference All-Star starter Steve Nash and the Phoenix Suns at 10:30 p.m. (ET). Kevin Harlan (play-by-play) and Doug Collins (analyst) will be courtside with Cheryl Miller reporting. The Emmy® award-winning studio show Inside the NBA presented by Hyundai with Johnson, Barkley, Smith and Webber will recap the games.

This week, TNT will announce the nominees for its 'TNT All-Decade Presented by esurance: Buzzer Beaters: Regular Season' category. Fans can visit NBA.com's 'TNT All-Decade Presented by esurance' page to view clips of the previously announced nominees and cast a vote on who they think should win. 'TNT All-Decade' includes the top performances, games and moments throughout the 2000's and winners will be announced in a special one-hour show airing during TNT's exclusive coverage of NBA All-Star Saturday Night on Feb. 13 at 5 p.m. (ET).

Nuggets' Martin fined for actions after ejection

NEW YORK, Jan. 26, 2010 -- Denver Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin has been fined $35,000 for actions surrounding his ejection from last night's game vs. the Charlotte Bobcats, it was announced today by Stu Jackson, NBA Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations.

The incident occurred with 2:27 remaining in the second quarter of Denver's 104-93 win over the Bobcats at the Pepsi Center.

Suns' Barbosa has cyst removed, to miss six weeks

PHOENIX (AP) -- The Phoenix Suns say guard Leandro Barbosa underwent successful surgery Tuesday to remove a ganglion cyst in his right wrist and he's expected to be sidelined up to six weeks.

Barbosa has struggled with the wrist problem since last summer when he sprained it on a fall while playing for the Brazilian national team. He had fluid drained from the wrist in November, sat out three games and took anti-inflammatory drugs but the problems returned.

Suns officials say a decision on the surgery was reached last weekend after the swelling and pain in Barbosa's right hand worsened during Friday's loss to Chicago.

Barbosa is averaging 10.6 points this season, but has shot career-worst percentages from the field (42.2) and 3-point range (33.0).

Celtics' Scalabrine cleared to return from shoulder injury

WALTHAM, Mass. (AP) -- Boston Celtics backup forward Brian Scalabrine has been cleared to play after missing two games with a separated right shoulder.

Coach Doc Rivers said Scalabrine showed no sign of injury during practice Tuesday. The Celtics leave Wednesday for games in Orlando on Thursday and Atlanta on Friday. In 33 games, three as a starter, Scalabrine is averaging 1.8 points and 10.3 minutes.

Rivers is hopeful that guard Marquis Daniels will play in the first game after the All-Star break at the Sacramento Kings on Feb. 16. Daniels took part in passing drills Tuesday for the first time since being sidelined following thumb surgery on Dec. 9, Rivers said.

Hornets deal Brown to Clippers, avoid luxury tax

NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- The New Orleans Hornets will not have to pay the NBA's luxury tax this year after dealing reserve guard Bobby Brown to the Los Angeles Clippers.

The deal on Tuesday gives the Hornets a conditional 2014 second-round draft pick from the Clippers and brings the Hornets' player payroll below the $69.9 million luxury tax threshold.

The Hornets have shed millions in payroll through several trades this season, including Monday's deal that sent shooting guard Devin Brown to Chicago and earlier trades that sent former starting shooting guard Rasual Butler to the Clippers and reserve center Hilton Armstrong to Sacramento.

Hornets coach and general manager Jeff Bower says the deal helps the Hornets avoid the tax while keeping core players.

Condensation causing problems with Celtics court

BOSTON (AP) -- The Celtics' parquet floor is sweating.

Unseasonably warm temperature has been causing condensation to form on the famed floor during Boston's game against the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday night, causing a brief delay and forcing ball boys to scramble to keep the court dry.

With temperatures reaching the 50s and heavy rain falling earlier in the day, condensation built and caused a stoppage with 2:28 left in the first quarter.

As play moved from one end to the other, ball boys were out using long-handled dust mops to wipe the floor while the action was still going on. They would hustle off as teams went on fastbreaks.

The TD Garden has ice -- for Boston Bruins' games -- under the parquet floor.

Nuggets decide not to suspend J.R. Smith

DENVER (AP) - -- The Denver Nuggets have decided not to suspend J.R. Smith over his behavior on the bench that rubbed management the wrong way.

Smith, who has been mired in a prolonged shooting slump, sulked on the sideline Saturday night, when he played a season-low 12 minutes and scored just three points in a win over New Orleans.

On Monday night, Smith scored 12 points in nearly 28 minutes of play and helped the Nuggets beat the Charlotte Bobcats 104-93.

Denver coach George Karl was generally pleased with Smith's performance and his demeanor on Monday night.

"I still wish he'd shoot the ball better, but in general he played with a focus and an intensity," Karl said. "I think he knew it had to be a serious game and he gave us a serious game."

Smith, who was 5 of 14 shooting from the field, left the locker room without speaking to reporters. However, he spoke with the team's Web site.

"I don't worry about that stuff no more. They're out there just trying to sell newspapers, so they can say what they want," Smith told the site.