Celtics need safety Nets

The Celtics [team stats] silently walked off the floor and took a right turn down the hallway to their locker room last night.

No hoots, no jokes, no outward breaths. They just had won their third straight game, but in truth, there wasn’t any numerical significance to this one.

With defense again a stranger until late and the starters in need of a transfusion from the bench, the Celtics waffled through three mediocre quarters before finally pulling away with a 96-87 win against New Jersey at the Garden.

That’s New Jersey - a 4-45 team free-falling toward the worst record in NBA history.

If not for a late Eddie House wake-up call, the Celts likely would have become only the Nets’ second victim since Dec. 30.

But with House, Glen Davis and Rasheed Wallace coming off the bench to combine for 30 points - and also locking down defensively in a manner that seemed to elude the starters - the Celtics finally rediscovered themselves.

“Lackluster,” Wallace said of last night’s defensive effort. “We didn’t pick it up probably until the six- or seven-(minute) mark in the fourth. But what my high school coach once said was true - winners find a way to win. We dug it out, they kept it close the whole game, and we just pulled it out in the last minute.”

That, right now, is the problem.

A Celtics opponent shot better than 60 percent in the first half for the second straight game, but this time that opponent didn’t have Miami star Dwyane Wade.

Instead, players like Brook Lopez (19 points) and Devin Harris (17) made the biggest threats.

The Nets, despite the supposed drop in frontcourt talent, outscored the Celtics in the paint, 34-32.

House gave the Celtics the necessary range to pull away from Miami in the fourth quarter Wednesday night, and he awakened at precisely the same time against the Nets.

He turned in his biggest game of the season with a 10-point fourth quarter that included two 3-pointers.

Ray Allen, with a game-high 26 points, simply kept matters even until the C’s started making stops in the fourth.

“We just didn’t play well in the first half,” coach Doc Rivers said. “It was a game where we just thought we could outscore them. And we have those games. But all of a sudden with about four minutes left in the second quarter, we missed a lot of open shots. And they kept making shots because we weren’t defending.

“I didn’t say much at halftime. I just said, ‘I don’t think I need to talk. We’re a defensive team, and tonight we want to outscore them.’ And I said, ‘Good luck.’ ”

The reserves, at least, paid attention.

House opened the fourth quarter with his first basket of the game and then drained a 3. In the next 5:48, he followed with two more jumpers, including another trey.

The Nets, finally knocked back on their heels, drew brief life from a Courtney Lee 3. But back-to-back hoops from Kendrick Perkins [stats] and Allen - the latter’s trey gave the C’s a 93-84 lead with two minutes left - finally gave the hosts a cushion.

But there were still inexplicable mistakes, including a shot clock violation, an eight-second violation on Rajon Rondo [stats] and an offensive foul on House while attempting to run down the clock in the last two minutes.

“Our defensive energy picked up,” Rivers said. “That’s why we won the game.”

Shaky night for pained Kevin Garnett

Signs of slippage were everywhere in the Celtics [team stats]’ 96-87 win over New Jersey last night, but the problem seemed to crystallize in the person of an obviously hobbled Kevin Garnett.

The man who is expected to make this ride a long one couldn’t elevate to convert a third-quarter alley-oop pass from Rajon Rondo [stats]. This Hall of Fame-caliber defender was taken to the hole by Kris Humphries - yes, Kris Humphries.

But Garnett, despite continuing to favor his right leg, wrote his problems off to a one-night brain cramp.

“I was OK - I made some misreads,” he said. “Kris Humphries made a couple of baskets on me and I wasn’t too happy about that. Defensively you have to know what you are going to do when picks come, talking for guys like Rondo and Ray (Allen). I messed up a couple of times.

“I am human. I will get better at that, but right now my focus is on rebounding better and continuing to talk,” said Garnett. “I did miss some assignments tonight, which is something I don’t usually do.”

Weep not for Nets

It’s difficult not to feel bad for the Nets, except for one thing.

Players like Allen have been down that road, where the next win seems like it is months away.

“Everyone in this locker room has been through that at some point,” said Allen. “I don’t feel sorry for them. It’s almost like a rite of passage in the NBA. You have to learn what it is to be successful. Some guys have won immediately, but the majority of guys have gone through a lot of frustration. That’s why when you’re in that kind of situation it’s important to have fun.”

Thumb beat

Marquis Daniels thought he was going to get a full-contact workout - and thus a physical test for his surgically repaired left thumb - on Thursday.

Instead, the contact is expected to come today, with the Celtics swingman taking aim at tomorrow’s game against the Magic for his return.

Rivers has talked of Daniels’ need to practically relearn the offense, and Daniels believes that repetition should get him up to speed.

“I just have to get the sets back,” he said. “It’s the difference between seeing it and doing it.”

The process may be a little more involved than that, according to Rivers.

“Since Marquis has been out, we’ve put in a ton of things offensively and defensively, and he was still trying to learn the new stuff, the beginning stuff,” Rivers said. “We’ll have to throw him in there eventually. It may be (tomorrow) - I’m just not sure yet.”

Daniels is also waiting for his first serious whack on the thumb, just to get him reacclimated.

When it was suggested he just hold his hand out for Perkins to give it a chop, Daniels smiled and said, “Well, I’m not sure he’s the one I would want to do it, but it’s going to happen.

“There’s going to come a time. They’ll be looking to set screens to welcome me back soon enough. I just want to play - get back out there.”

At least he won’t have to wait much longer.

“Tomorrow we’ll be able to go up and down - that’s the first time he’s been able to do that,” said Rivers. “Not only repetition, but it’s training and rhythm. It’s completely different than if it was Paul (Pierce), coming back from injury for as long as Paul has been out. Paul knows the system - he’s been in the system, it’s very easy for him to pick up on stuff.”

Pierce pedals

Pierce, who remains an odds-on favorite to return in tomorrow’s game against the Magic, worked up a pregame sweat on a stationary bicycle.

“I don’t know just yet,” Rivers said of Pierce’s return. “I think I’ll have a better idea tomorrow; he’s doing a lot with B-Doo (strength and conditioning coach Bryan Doo), just working out.” . . .

Rivers was stunned by the news that he is the third longest-tenured coach in the league, behind Utah’s Jerry Sloan and San Antonio’s Gregg Popovich.

“I didn’t know that,” he said. “That’s sad. That’s unbelievable. That’s surprising. There’s some great coaches out there who clearly should have been doing that a lot longer than me. It’s a talent-based league, and if you have enough of it you’ll win.”

Rajon Rondo’s words worth it

It was interesting to follow reactions when Celtics [team stats] guard Rajon Rondo [stats] called out his team on these pages earlier this week.

Fans speculated on the objects of his ire. The coach thought people were overreacting, without actually reading the piece, and that Rondo was taken out of context. Kevin Garnett stepped in front of a postgame question to Rondo on Wednesday and said everything would be staying in house from now on. A certain percentage of readers probably figured Rondo had been drawn into saying something he wished he hadn’t.

But we’re not buying any of that. After seeing the process from its beginning to now, the following beliefs are firmly held:

1. Rajon Rondo is a very smart man (not exactly breaking news).

2. He knew exactly what he was saying.

3. His comments were true and much needed.

4. It worked, at least for one night.

5. Rondo did Doc Rivers a favor.

6. It will be a measure of the Celtics if they follow through. Or if they do not.

Rondo was still very comfortable with everything last night. He is not just a confident man on the court. And he will absolutely be the fulcrum as this club seeks to transition from this core to the next in the nearer-than-you-think future.

So let us examine the points above in order.

1. Rondo can be a little cocky and headstrong, but he is a pensive sort who doesn’t exactly fly by the seat of his baggy shorts. In “Bull Durham,” Annie may have been correct in general terms when she said, “The world is made for people who aren’t cursed with self-awareness.” But Rondo is an exception. Even his on-court ad-libs seem well considered.

2. Rondo and Kendrick Perkins [stats] were both answering different questions in separate interviews when they turned down a different road and questioned the effect individual agendas were having on the team. When the conversation was paused, and it was noted to Rondo just what he was saying, he continued in the same vein.

3. We can’t speak with direct knowledge of what happened in the dressing room when the media is not present, but too many players hinted about issues over the past few weeks.

4. On Wednesday vs. Miami, the Celtics shared the ball better than they had in more than a month.

5. The coach complained that the team has too often abandoned its offensive plays and defensive schemes, but both he and the players kept saying publicly that, “Hey, it’s early and there will be plenty of time to stop this junk and start playing the kind of basketball that is needed to win playoff games.” It was all getting a bit stale.

The way the Celts played Wednesday was reminiscent of a scene from every young man’s past. It was like two kids fighting in the elementary school hallway until the principal appears. The lads bolt to attention, claim in unison that nothing was going on and walk away together, forgetting what the brawl was all about.

“No, man,” said the Celtics [team stats] on Wednesday. “We don’t have any agendas.”

6. It was clear last night in the first half against the Nets, as it has been all year, that if the Celtics aren’t willing to do the smaller things (setting hard picks, boxing out on the glass, etc.) their larger goals will elude them.

Rondo may need to sing an encore . . . and a backing chorus would be nice.

Kickin’ House party

On a night when the Celtics [team stats] seemingly did everything possible to give the historically bad Nets a chance to win, Eddie House came to the rescue.

The reserve guard has been mired in a season-long shooting slump, but has recently shown signs of breaking out. The latest example was last night’s 10-point fourth quarter as the C’s pulled away for a 96-87 win at the Garden.

“In the first half I kind of rushed some shots, took some quick ones,” House said. “I just tried to let the game come to me in the second half. When I get my shot, I make sure it was in rhythm, wasn’t rushed, take my time with it and I knocked it down.”

House was scoreless on 0-for-4 shooting from the field before the final quarter, but stepped up when the Celtics needed him. He was 4-for-6 from the field and 2-for-2 from 3-point range in the fourth.

“As long as we win, that’s all I’m trying to do - is help the team win,” House said. “If you get looks in the fourth or you get them in the first, I want to make all my shots. When you get the shots in the fourth quarter, you definitely want to make them.”

Last night’s shooting display followed a 16-point outburst in Wednesday’s 107-102 win over the Heat. Though House is shooting just 39.5 percent from the field and 37 percent from 3-point range - both the lowest averages in his three seasons with the C’s - he believes he could be getting into a groove.

“It’s like the shots I’ve been getting all season. I’m just sticking with it,” House said. “(I) never lose confidence and keep on shooting the basketball.”

House’s numbers would be even better recently if it wasn’t for a string of bad breaks on replays. House lost two points in last week’s 96-94 loss to Orlando when a pair of 3-pointers were overturned and ruled twos after replay review.

Last night, House had a fourth quarter 3-pointer disallowed during a timeout, though it appeared he released the ball before the shot clock expired.

“I thought I got it off looking at the replay they were looking at, but hey, (it’s a) judgment call,” House said. “No big deal.”

Nets see room to move up

Courtney Lee has seen both ends of the NBA spectrum in his two seasons.

Lee was a key contributor on the Eastern Conference champion Magic last year. But an offseason trade to the Nets flipped Lee’s basketball world upside down.

Instead of seeking another NBA Finals berth, Lee is trying to help the Nets avoid finishing with the worst record in NBA history, which was set by the 9-73 Philadelphia 76ers [team stats] in 1972-73.

“Being on that team last year, you see what it takes and how hard everybody worked and how everybody was together on the same page,” Lee said before the Nets fell to the Celtics [team stats] 96-87 last night to drop to 4-45. “With this team, you just kind of lead by example and try to show them.”

Lee said the losing wore on him early in the season, but he has tried to keep a positive attitude.

“The losing part of it is very difficult,” Lee said. “Other than that, once I get out there, I just play basketball. I’m playing against the best players in the world, so I just go out there as a competitor and shoot for wins. If the outcome is a little bit different, you just have to try to stay as positive as possible.”

Tony Battie has been in the NBA for 12 seasons and has been on teams that have finished all over the standings. Though he rarely has played this season with the Nets, Battie understands the situation.

“This is kind of when the business of basketball takes over,” the former Celtics forward said. “You just have to be professional and ride with it. I’ve been in a similar situation in my rookie year (in Denver). I was on a young team and they chose to go with youth over the veterans, so I guess the shoe is on the other foot now. That’s the way it goes.”

Though they’re chasing the wrong type of history, Battie said his young teammates haven’t been demoralized.

“I think overall the spirit is pretty good,” Battie said. “We have a young group of guys that are having fun, being silly. When it’s time to focus in and they get between the lines, they compete real hard. You have to have an even balance of both, especially with the year we’re having. We can’t take it too serious or we’ll all be on suicide watch.”

Nuggets end Lakers’ winning streak in 126-133 defeat

LOS ANGELES — Chauncey Billups scored a career-high 39 points, including nine 3-pointers, and the Denver Nuggets defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 126-113 Friday night, ending the Lakers’ eight-game home winning streak.

Billups was 12 of 20 from the floor, 9 of 13 from 3-point range and made 6 of 8 free throws to go with eight assists for the Nuggets, who played without Carmelo Anthony for the seventh straight game because of a sprained left ankle.

Billups scored 21 points in the third quarter alone, the most against the Lakers in one period since Wilt Chamberlain of the Philadelphia 76ers [team stats] had 23 in a game in February 1966. Billups’ nine 3-pointers were the second-most ever against the Lakers.

Kobe Bryant scored 33 points on his sprained left ankle, but the first-place Lakers proved no match for the Western Conference’s No. 2 team, the one they beat in last year’s conference finals en route to their 15th NBA championship.

Hawks 91, Bulls 81

ATLANTA — Josh Smith posted his second career triple-double with 18 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists for Atlanta.

Joe Johnson had 18 points and Jamal Crawford added 17 for the Hawks, who regrouped after trailing by six to open the fourth quarter.

Luol Deng had 20 points and eight rebounds, and Derrick Rose scored 19 points for the Bulls, who lost their third straight.

Timberwolves 117, Mavericks 108

DALLAS — Jonny Flynn scored 19 points and Minnesota finished the game on a 13-2 run to snap a 13-game losing streak against Dallas.

Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki did not start after he was late for the team’s shootaround before the game. The nine-time All-Star finished with 21 points and grabbed eight rebounds.

Kevin Love had 17 points and 11 rebounds, and Al Jefferson [stats] and Ryan Hollins each added 15 points for the Timberwolves, who have won three straight for the first time this season.

Celtics [team stats] 96, Nets 87

BOSTON — Ray Allen scored 26 points, Rajon Rondo [stats] added 17, and Eddie House scored all 10 of his points in the fourth quarter as Boston rallied to win its third straight.

The Nets led 73-72 through three quarters, putting the Celtics in danger of losing to a team that had won just four games.

Brook Lopez scored 19 points and Devin Harris added 17 for New Jersey, which fell to 4-45 with its fifth straight loss.

Suns 114, Kings 102

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Steve Nash had 23 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds to help Phoenix complete a perfect four-game road trip.

Amare Stoudemire scored 30 points and had nine rebounds for the Suns, who last swept a road trip of at least four games in December 2006. Phoenix has a season-long five-game winning streak after losing seven of its previous nine games.

Donte Green scored a career-high 31 points for Sacramento.

Wizards 92, Magic 91

ORLANDO, Fla. — Caron Butler made a 19-foot jumper with 0.5 seconds remaining, capping Washington’s comeback from a 21-point deficit.

Butler finished with 31 points and nine rebounds, and Randy Foye had 22 points and seven assists for the Wizards, who snapped the Magic’s win streak at four.

Vince Carter scored 21 points and Dwight Howard had 20 points and 18 rebounds for Orlando.

76ers 101, Hornets 94

NEW ORLEANS — Thaddeus Young made his first seven shots and finished with 19 points to lead Philadelphia over short-handed New Orleans.

Andre Iguodala scored 14 points, Rodney Carney added 13 and Samuel Dalembert had 16 rebounds for the 76ers, who stretched their winning streak to a season-high three games.

Peja Stojakovic had 23 points for New Orleans, which has without All-Star point guard Chris Paul, who had arthroscopic knee surgery on Thursday and will be out four-to-six weeks.

Pacers 107, Pistons 83

INDIANAPOLIS — Danny Granger scored 25 points and Brandon Rush added 16 to help Indiana to one of its most lopsided wins over Detroit.

Only a last-second layup by Detroit prevented the Pacers from tying the franchise record for its biggest win over the Pistons, a 26-point blowout in 1995.

Ben Gordon scored 26 points and Rodney Stuckey added 16 for the Pistons.

Bucks 114, Knicks 107

NEW YORK — Brandon Jennings scored 19 of his 22 points in the second half, and reserve Ersan Ilyasova added a career-high 25 for Milwaukee in place of starting center Andrew Bogut, who was forced to leave midway through the first quarter with a migraine.

Jennings also had eight assists as the Bucks won their fourth in five games.

David Lee had a season-high 32 points and grabbed 15 rebounds for the Knicks, who lost for the eighth time in 11 games. Reserve Al Harrington scored 22 points.

Rockets 101, Grizzlies 83

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Aaron Brooks had 19 points and eight rebounds and Houston handed Memphis its fourth loss in five games.

Trevor Ariza and Carl Landry finished with 17 points apiece, and Luis Scola added 12 points for the Rockets, who have won three of four.

Marc Gasol led the Grizzlies with 17 points and eight rebounds and Zach Randolph finished with 14 points. Sam Young, Rudy Gay and O.J. Mayo each had 11 points but were a combined 8 of 23 from the field.

Durant's game is MVP-like, but OKC has to pick up the pace

Kevin Durant averages 29.7 points a game, second behind Carmelo Anthony.

Dazzling Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder would have a better chance of claiming his profession's highest individual honor if he worked in street clothes.

If only Durant led the Thunder from the sideline, in low-cut Cole Haans rather than those swooshy sneakers, in a coat and tie rather than his blue-and-orange skivvies. As it stands, his head coach, Scott Brooks, has a better chance of taking home personal hardware than does his precocious superstar.

That would be the Coach of the Year award, which has a much different tradition -- and frankly, a significantly lower threshold for those who win it -- than the Most Valuable Player award.

Indulge The Race here as it strives to make a larger point about the more stringent standards applied to MVP candidates vs. COY candidates. (By the way,The Race is skeptical that the "COY" acronym, used mostly in NBA inner circles, ever is going to catch on. When's the last time we heard an impassioned crowd chanting, ``C-O-Y! C-O-Y!'' as Brooks or Gregg Popovich or Phil Jackson made a pivotal late-game substitution?)

The fact is, serious MVP candidates typically have to win more than serious COY candidates, even though the latter are the ones who tote won-lost records around throughout their careers. And are hired and fired according to them. Consider:

• The last 27 MVPs have been awarded to players whose teams won at least 50 games (or were on pace to do so, since Utah's 37-13 in the 1999 lockout season was the equivalent of 61-21 when Karl Malone won the Podoloff). Count back that far in COYs and you'll find six that were presented to coaches whose teams won between 41-49 games.

• Only seven times has an MVP come from a team that didn't win (or project to win) at least 50. That has happened 16 times with the COY. And get this: The coaches didn't have an award of their own until 1963, seven years after the NBA officially began honoring its top player. By percentages then, MVPs have failed to lead their teams to 50 victories just 13 percent of the time (7 of 54). But 34 percent (16 of 47) of COYs have fallen short.

• For the record, the MVP twice has been awarded to a player from a losing team. A long, long time ago: Bob Pettit's St. Louis Hawks went 33-39 when he won the inaugural one in 1955-56. And Kareem Abdul-Jabbar got the fourth of his six MVPs with the 40-42 Lakers in 1975-76. That did at least acknowledge a 10-game improvement for Los Angeles. Count the swoon by the Milwaukee team Abdul-Jabbar had just left via trade -- the Bucks dropped from 59 victories to 38 in their first year without him -- and it revealed even more about the big guy's value.

Only one COY winner finished under water: Johnny (Red) Kerr guided the expansion Chicago Bulls to a 33-48 mark in their debut 1966-67 season. Seven of the league's 10 teams at the time had more victories that year, including Alex Hannum's 68-13 mark with Philadelphia 76ers' championship team that is considered one of the NBA's all-time best. But this was just five years into COY balloting, Hannum had won three years earlier for his work in San Francisco (48-32) and no one had repeated yet.

What does all this mean? It means that Durant's Thunder club had better pick up the pace if it wants him to crash the MVP party over Cleveland's LeBron James and L.A.'s Kobe Bryant. The Thunder greeted Friday with a 28-21 record, a .571 winning percentage that pro-rates out to 47-35 for the full season.

That might be good enough for a COY. But it rarely is good enough for an MVP.

Other players on whom The Race is keeping a watchful eye are in similar or even worse situations. We'll note those as we go. As for Miami's Dwyane Wade, The Race is giving him a one-week hiatus from this list in a nod to this MVP history. Before Heat fans, T-Mobile users, Chicago residents and other Wade watchers go ballistic, clogging up The Race's e-mailbox or voice mail line, they all should know that The Race has a Marquette degree hanging in its board room, or as we like to think of it, the star chamber.

So this isn't a case of (stupid expression alert) "hating.'' It's just a realistic and symbolic shrug, a concession that Wade needs to hoist the Heat (24-26) back above .500 -- however Herculean that feat might be -- to be a truly legit MVP candidate.

1. LeBron James, Cavs

G	MPG	PPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	FG%	3P%	FT%
51	38.6	29.4	7.1	8.2	1.5	1.0	.503	.357	.775

Last Week's Rank - 1
James has the Cavaliers at 40-11, the league's best record, so reaching traditional MVP territory, victories-wise, is a no-brainer. The Race was pleased to see LBJ shooting fewer 3-pointers and way more 15-footers (21 FTA) vs. Miami Thursday.

2. Kobe Bryant, Lakers

G	MPG	PPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	FG%	3P%	FT%
50	38.6	27.9	5.3	4.7	1.7	0.3	.460	.320	.813

Last Week's Rank - 2
Bryant helped the Lakers to a big win on the road and he was good for yet another "Kobe did it again!" moment with his late (and impeccably defended-by-Ray Allen) game-winner at Boston.

3. Kevin Durant, Thunder

G	MPG	PPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	FG%	3P%	FT%
49	39.9	29.7	7.3	2.9	1.4	0.9	.488	.374	.879

Last Week's Rank - 3
The last time anyone strung together 23 consecutive games scoring 25 points or more -- which Durant has done, the youngest guy ever to do so -- was Philadelphia's Allen Iverson in 2000-01. Iverson was named MVP that season after leading the 76ers to a 56-26 record. Durant's OKC club would need to finish 28-5 to match that. The Race is just sayin' ...

4. Carmelo Anthony, Nuggets

G	MPG	PPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	FG%	3P%	FT%
38	37.9	29.7	6.5	3.3	1.3	0.4	.464	.361	.861

Last Week's Rank - --
The Race overreacted to Anthony's sprained lef ankle last week. But 'Melo last played on Jan. 23 and is expected to miss at least seven, maybe eight or even nine games -- he practiced Thursday but his explosiveness was said to be lacking. It's impossible to quibble with Anthony's production or Denver's results, but if this were to drag on or become chronic, well, see No. 10 below.

5. Dwight Howard, Magic

G	MPG	PPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	FG%	3P%	FT%
49	35.1	17.8	13.3	1.6	1.1	2.7	.601	---	.596

Last Week's Rank - 6
Ten consecutive double-doubles, 30 blocks in his last six games and an 8-1 mark for the Magic over their past nine nudges the Orlando strongman up a notch.

6. Tim Duncan, Spurs

G	MPG	PPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	FG%	3P%	FT%
45	32.5	19.7	10.8	3.2	0.5	1.8	.527	---	.759

Last Week's Rank - 4
Duncan drops two spots since The Race's last report. Why? The Spurs went 2-2 and, applying the criteria cited at the top, San Antonio at 28-20 (.583) is on pace for a 48-34 finish. Just south of the desirable 50-victory mark for MVP winners.

7. Dirk Nowitzki, Mavs

G	MPG	PPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	FG%	3P%	FT%
48	38.0	25.1	7.8	2.4	0.9	1.2	.481	.382	.892

Last Week's Rank - 7
The Mavericks track a stat that shows Nowtizki outscoring the other team's power forward by 10 points or more on 30 occasions this season. At that position, others who have posted that 10-plus socring advantage include Chris Bosh (23 times), Amar'e Stoudemire (19), Zach Randolph (16) and David West (15). But The Race isn't genuflecting, since a recurring 10-point premium shouldn't be too much to expect for MVP candidates.

8. Chris Bosh, Raptors

G	MPG	PPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	FG%	3P%	FT%
50	36.0	24.2	11.4	2.2	0.6	1.1	.520	.400	.789

Last Week's Rank - 5
Same math, same problem. Bosh, for all his talent, had the Raptors just four games above .500 (27-23) as The Race closed its book on the week. That projects to 44-38, which would be a lesser record than 1982 MVP winner Moses Malone's Houston team (46-36). So we implore Bosh to give his team mo', mo', mo'.

9. Steve Nash,

G	MPG	PPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	FG%	3P%	FT%
51	33.7	18.3	3.2	11.1	0.6	0.2	.521	.433	.938

Last Week's Rank - 9
The Race always gets hung up on Nash because he seems more instrumental, even inseparable, from the way Phoenix plays than almost anyone else in the league. That said, the Suns are on pace to win 48 games. And that's worse than Utah with Deron Williams, Boston with Rajon Rondo and Atlanta with Joe Johnson, among the guys ready to claim this spot and climb higher.

10. Chris Paul, Hornets

G	MPG	PPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	FG%	3P%	FT%
38	38.7	20.4	4.6	11.2	2.3	0.2	.504	.420	.862

Last Week's Rank - --
Consider this a hearty farewell -- or at least "see ya later!" -- to the New Orleans point guard, a symbolic vote before he slips out of The Race. Paul's knee surgery Thursday could sideline him for the next six weeks, and MVP voters rarely overlook that when it comes time to honor guys who managed to stay healthy for all or most of the grind. It's too bad that his nod as the Western Conference's player of January, on top of All-Star status that he'll enjoy in casual clothes, likely will be Paul's last individual acclaim for a while. Then again, the Hornets project to 44-38 at the moment.

Plenty of 'what ifs' for Magic this season

The Magic are struggling to recapture the chemistry that launched them into the Finals last season.

There are times when you have to wonder whether all this would be happening, if Courtney Lee's shot had just gone in.

The reshuffling of the lineup, the re-examination of the plan, the reaction to every stumble by the Orlando Magic as if they were careening over the edge of a cliff.

What if Courtney Lee made this shot last June?

It was the final seconds of Game 2 of the NBA Finals on June 7, with the score tied, and just enough time for the lob pass to sail over Kobe Bryant's head. The ball settled into Lee's hands, he ducked under Pau Gasol's arm ... and he missed the layup.

If Lee makes the shot and the Magic go home to Orlando with the series tied 1-1 instead of down 0-2, is their confidence buoyed and their play inspired?

If Lee makes the shot and a routine 4-1 Lakers coronation turns into an honest-to-goodness best-of-seven battle for the title, are the Magic just a little more reluctant to turn the page?

If Lee makes the shot and the Magic feel they have a fighting chance, do they still balk at the $10 million asking price of free agent Hedo Turkoglu, who made all of those big plays in the playoff run, and replace him with the $16 million contract of Vince Carter?

If Lee makes the shot, is he still shipped out to New Jersey as part of the deal for Carter, who has struggled mightily all season to make a few shots of his own?

Nobody did much looking over their shoulders when the Magic began the season 17-4, picking up right where they left off from last year's upstart campaign that finished with an unappreciated 59 wins and the unexpected berth in the Finals.

But then a Christmas Day loss at home to the Boston Celtics led to a stretch of eight losses in 11 games and brought on more to worry about than merely coach Stan Van Gundy's often loud and gruff sideline demeanor.

Now, even though Orlando has won four in a row heading into Friday night's game against the Washington Wizards, there are questions about the Magic and who they are.

The questions in January where mostly about Carter, who averaged just 8.7 points a game and shot 28.4 percent from the field for the month. Things were so bad that during one three-game stretch, he played a total of just 85 seconds in the fourth quarter.

"I don't think that I've necessarily figured it all out, that's for sure," Van Gundy said. "I don't feel like I've really got it all together in terms of playing the best rotations, the best people at the right times or that we're necessarily taking the right offensive approach. I still think there are some things I've got to get solved.

"I'm comfortable with our defensive approach. Our defense isn't always what I want, but I'm comfortable with our approach and the way we do it. We've pretty well proven we can play good defense. In terms of lineups and substitutions, offense, I've still got to get better in that regard."

Last season's devastating inside-outside game has become more hit-and-miss as center Dwight Howard's shots-per-game average has dropped from 12 to 9.6 and his scoring average from 20.6 to 17.8 and wingman Rashard Lewis from 17.7 to 15.

While the Magic are still taking and making roughly the same number of 3-point attempts -- 10 of 28 this season, compared to 10 of 26 last season -- there have been more feast-and-famine swings. At times the defending Eastern Conference champions have appeared less-than-interested in the battles.

Following a dismal loss in Portland, newcomer Matt Barnes erupted. "Just because you went to the Finals last year, you can't go out on the floor and expect teams to lay down," he said. "We got no heart ... Everybody has to come and play hard, not just one or two guys."

Yet how bad can things truly be when the Magic are heading toward the All-Star break with a 33-16 record that is second-best in the East and third-best overall in the NBA? In play among the fearsome foursome of the East, the Magic are a combined 5-2 against Atlanta (3-0), Boston (2-1) and Cleveland (0-1).

Orlando opened the season trying to incorporate the newcomers Carter, Barnes, Ryan Anderson and Brandon Bass onto the roster while Lewis missed the first 10 games serving a suspension for having tested positive for a banned substance.

"You can underestimate what it's like to have all of the new faces, the new parts on the team," said Lewis. "This is just a process that takes time."

With the re-making of the roster, all of the adjustments to the offensive system, it's enough to make you wonder.

What if Courtney Lee's shot had gone in?

"There are always going to be changes to every season," Howard said. "We're just working things out ..."

Slam dance: Wallace risks life and limb in pursuit of dunk

Gerald Wallace is averaging 19.2 points and 11 rebounds a game for the Bobcats.

The guy has left skin and body parts at most every arena in the NBA just from ordinary game situations.

"Every arena, really," teammate Raymond Felton corrects.

OK. Every arena.

And now Gerald Wallace is going to be in the Slam Dunk contest at All-Star weekend, where the idea is to push the bounds of acrobatics?

The Sprite Slam Dunk contest is on Feb. 13 on TNT

This is good news for two groups: the Bobcats, who can use the national exposure of the showcase event, and any orthopedic surgeon in Dallas looking to pick up extra work.

Of course, this is also potentially bad news for the Bobcats, who may enter the All-Star break on pace for the first playoff berth in franchise history and can hardly afford to lose their starting small forward because gravity intruded again. They need him in the lineup, not traction.

Wallace's landings can deploy airbags. That much has been determined in 8 ½ seasons in which he has gone from the Kings' relatively unknown No. 25 pick in 2001 to Eastern Conference All-Star in 2010 -- not just an All-Star dunker. He knows about his sometimes crash landings, teammates joke about it, and Charlotte and Sacramento have the insurance forms to prove it.

In various arenas in various years, in going from a young player who tried to get by on elite athleticism to an older one developing a rounded game that includes a decent 37.4 percent from behind the arc, Wallace has tried to defy aerodynamics while charging to the rim, skying for a rebound or elevating for a block. Usually he lands fine. Too often he doesn't.

People crash. Knievel at Caesars Palace. Leno at 10 p.m.

It's just that Wallace seems to be daring fate with this one.

"Since I've been with him, and I've been with him since the beginning, I've seen a lot of stuff," Felton said of Wallace's time in Charlotte. "I've seen him hit his head, get his shoulder knocked out of place. I've seen some of everything. He can definitely crash."

"I'm not telling him anything," coach Larry Brown said. "But I was hoping he'd make the All-Star team and not participate [in the dunk]. I don't want him to change. He can't change the way he is and how he plays."

Wallace said he is committed to staying in the dunk contest at American Airlines Center despite being a reserve at the main event the next day at Cowboys Stadium. He just doesn't sound as if he belongs in the Saturday spectacle, a young man's event.

Once upon a time, absolutely. Athletic now, he was a marvel with a jet pack upon entering the league and the runner-up to Jason Richardson in the 2002 dunkfest in Philadelphia. Come 2010, though, Wallace is 27 and leading the league in minutes per game.

That's a lot of miles for someone who still has about a half-season to play, and he's feeling it.

"I'm more conservative about myself now," he said. "I try to stay healthy for my team."

No one knows better than he does that it doesn't alwasy work that way.

"Once at home, when I went for a dunk, me and Danny Granger collided in the air," Wallace said, going down the play list of his greatest hits. "And then I had a collision in mid-air with Andrew Bynum last year that actually broke some ribs and collapsed one of my lungs. Those are two of the most memorable.

"Most of the guys here pretty much know what to expect. I think they get mad because sometimes I do it when it's not necessary. They're just trying to keep me from getting hurt because of the run we have."

And that doesn't even count life without any takeoff. A few years ago, he bent over the ball, went head first into Mikki Moore's midsection and suffered a concussion. Concussions, in fact, became so prevalent that Wallace began to wear a mouth piece.

He won't actually get mangled in a dunking exhibition -- or at least probably not -- but it is amazing irony. Wallace, of all people, in an event that often requires a little crazy when he has never needed encouragement to risk life and limb.

All Charlotte will be rooting him on, watching with fingers over eyes. That's his daredevil life.

"Yeah," Wallace agreed. "Gotta keep going, though. Gotta keep going."

Scoring star Ellis can't end Warriors' All-Star curse

Monta Ellis is the league's No. 6 scorer, but won't be at the All-Star Game in Dallas.

Monta Ellis tried. Really, he did. As hard as anyone possibly could.

But even Ellis, perhaps one of the toughest 10 players to guard one-on-one in the NBA, couldn't snap the most dubious All-Star streak in the league. Which means the Warriors just went the decade without an All-Star, putting them on an island in that regard.

As the rest of the league parties on next weekend in Dallas, the Warriors are wallowing once again, struggling to elevate in the West. They're still trying to find an identity just three years removed from a shocking playoff run and are desperately on a star search to give them some much-needed credibility.

For the moment, let's just focus on the star search. It's not that the Warriors went dry on very good players in the decade, and Ellis would've raised few eyebrows had he made the game. But the lack of a true star just symbolizes the plight of the Warriors. For comparison's sake, Oklahoma City has had more All-Stars this decade, and OKC just got a basketball team like, yesterday.

Who else has been better? The Bucks, Clippers and Knicks have all had more All-Stars. And when Derrick Rose became the first All-Star in Chicago since you-know-who, even the Bulls -- dreadful as they've been since their dynasty ended -- moved past the Warriors.

Their last All-Star was Latrell Sprewell in 1997, which is nothing to gloat about, given how Spree's time in Golden State ended so unceremoniously. Before Spree, the Warriors must go back to Chris Mullin to find their All-Star.

That's too bad for the Warriors, and especially for Ellis, whose superb season is developing well under the radar. He's been playing hurt for stretches, and yet is seeing major minutes, often going no more than two minutes in games without rest. He had 46 points on Wednesday in Dallas, just as Chauncey Billups was deservedly being named an All-Star replacement for Chris Paul.

While Ellis is on a scoring binge, he's still turnover-prone (seven against Dallas) and is looking for his shot first. On almost any other team, Ellis would have to be more of a distributor, but on the Warriors, anything goes.

A case could be made for the Warriors making a push to trade Ellis, who'll never have higher value than now. The point guard spot would be in good hands with rookie Stephen Curry and the Warriors could begin rebuilding in earnest. Eventually, the losing will take its toll on Ellis, and there's no love lost between him and the organization from last season's scooter incident.

Or they can keep him around for next season and hope he finally gives the Warriors something they need: a genuine, NBA-certified star.

Reinforcements on the way, USA

Jerry Colangelo, the boss of USA Basketball, will announce a new national roster next week, and you can expect two names in particular: Derrick Rose and Kevin Durant. They're almost slam dunks to join and give the Olympic team an infusion of new blood.

Even better, Colangelo expects most (if not all) members of the core group from the Beijing Games to re-affirm their commitments to train this summer in preparation for the World Championships in Turkey.

"It's a very positive situation we're in," Colangelo said.

The tricky part is the free agency period, which begins July 1, and if LeBron James and Dwyane Wade and others will be available to train before they sign. Colangelo expects those A-list free agents will have their business in order well before the team embarks on a pre-World Championships tour of Europe in early August.

Line Score of the Week

Kevin Durant, Thunder: 40 minutes, 16-for-21 shooting, 11 rebounds, 45 points against the Warriors.

Tough call here; Andre Miller went for 52 against the Mavericks and compiled that many points while making only a single 3-point shot. But that was clearly an aberration for Miller, who's not a 52-point guy. What Durant is doing is epic, at least for this season.

He's gone 23 straight games with 25 or more points as he bears down on the scoring title. I can't tell whether Durant is the next Gervin or the next T-Mac ... maybe he's a hybrid. The guy gets points a variety of ways, which only makes him that much tougher to defend. Essentially, if his outside shot isn't working, he can still get 30 points by going to the line or the rim.

The only question is whether Durant can give LeBron a run for MVP. That will depend on what Oklahoma City does, along with Durant, in the final few months. But just by raising the possibility of Durant as MVP -- and he's not even in the prime of his career -- says plenty about his quick start.

Line Score of the Weak

Mike Bibby, Hawks: 24 minutes, 1-for-5 shooting, three assists, four fouls, four points against the Clippers.

The Hawks are going more with sixth man Jamal Crawford and less with Bibby, who is looking older and slower. He still starts at point guard but the ball-handling chores mainly belong to Joe Johnson and Crawford, who's getting starter's minutes and is on the floor in the fourth.

Bibby is one of the league's least-productive starting point guards, in terms of playing time and numbers. Only Derek Fisher, Jrue Holliday and Rafer Alston are averaging fewer assists among starters. And Bibby was never a great defender. If he's not hitting his outside shot (he's shooting 40 percent) then he's usually a liability on the floor. He rarely beats his man off the dribble for layups.

The Hawks gave him a three-year contract last summer at reasonable money (roughly $6 million a season) believing he could hold the starting role for at least two of those seasons. But as a possible title contender, they're hesitant to give his minutes to mistake-prone rookie Jeff Teague. Bibby turns 32 in May and they might need to find his replacement this summer.

Dis and Dat

Whatever happened to these guys, who once had decent roles and/or futures in the league?

Jason Kapono, Sixers: Solid shooter in Miami who led the league in 3-point shooting as recently as 2006-07 and won the 3-Point Contest in 2008. At one point, he was the most accurate 3-point shooter in league history. He landed a decent free agent contract with Toronto, was then traded for Reggie Evans, and now is wasting away on the Sixers' bench.

Marquis Daniels, Celtics: Was a good enough role player with the Mavericks to sign a six-year, $38 million contract, but has lost his way since, in Indiana and now Boston, where he's been out since early December with a thumb injury.

T.J. Ford, Pacers: Coach Jim O'Brien has lost faith in Ford, who's on the trading block. At one point, he was supposed to be the savior at point guard in the wake of Jamaal Tinsley's troubles, but now his future is elsewhere.

Brandon Bass, Magic: Was hailed as one of Orlando's top off-season pick-ups but is mostly sitting. He did get 17 points the other night against the Knicks in a rare sighting, but the Magic are using Ryan Anderson instead.

DeShawn Stevenson, Wizards: He's just been replaced in the starting lineup, and anyway, his minutes and importance to the Wizards were down. When all's said and done, he might be best remembered for being called out by Jay-Z in a rap song.

Ronny Turiaf, Warriors: He took the money and ran from the Lakers, and his timing was terrible, because the Lakers won the title the very next year. Meanwhile, Turiaf is still getting the same playing time in Golden State as he had with the Lakers. And losing a lot more games.

Kyle Korver, Jazz: Strictly a 3-point shooter who was useful in Philly and Utah, Korver has seen his minutes decrease as Utah is giving a look to Ronnie Brewer, Wesley Matthews and C.J. Miles at the swing positions.

Shaq inside has made a big difference for Cavs

Shaquille O'Neal has made a difference on both ends of the floor for the Cavs.

Looking at their overall statistical profile, this year's Cleveland Cavaliers are very similar to last year's. They play at the sixth slowest pace in the league, they rank in the top five both offensively and defensively, and they're tops in point differential.

But the way the Cavs are scoring and defending is very different this season. While Shaquille O'Neal, with Mo Williams out, is only now starting to put up numbers worthy of a spot on your fantasy team, he's made an impact on the way the Cavs play all season.

With the mid-range game being the most inefficient way to score in the league these days, the most important places on the floor are the paint and the 3-point line. The Cavs have thrived beyond the arc (both offensively and defensively) each of the last two seasons, but the paint is another story.

Look familiar?

Cavaliers by the numbers, last two seasons

Season Pace RK Off. Rat. RK Def. Rat. RK Rat. Diff. RK 2008-09 91.2 25 109.7 4 99.4 3 +10.3 1 2009-10 93.5 25 108.0 5 99.6 3 +8.5 1

Last season, the Cavs scored 36 percent of their points in the paint, a lower percentage than all but three teams in the league. This season, they rank 12th by scoring 43 percent of their points in the paint. Their mid-range points (those not scored in the paint, at the line or beyond the arc) are down to 22 percent (10th in the league) last season to just 16 percent (28th) this season.

The presence of the Diesel has made an impact on the defensive end of the floor as well. Last season, the Cavs' opponents scored 41 percent of their points in the paint. This season, that numbers is down to 37 percent, the lowest in the league. As a result, their opponents' mid-range points are up from 21 percent (15th in the league) last season to 24 percent (third) this season.

So while Shaq isn't the offensive force that he was in the past and he doesn't move too well defensively anymore, he's still a presence in the paint. He hasn't gotten any smaller as the years have gone by. And you can't coach size.

The Cavs have outscored their opponents in the paint in 35 of their 50 games so far this season, and they've won 30 of those. They're just 5-4 when they're outscored in the paint and 4-2 when paint points are even.

Per 100 possessions, the Cavs have a points-in-the-paint differential of +9.4, which is tops in the league. Last season, they ranked 19th with a differential of -1.4.

Who was No. 1 last season? Shaq's Suns, of course.

Points in the paint have been tracked since the 2000-01 season. And in eight of the 10 seasons since, Shaq's team has ranked in the top three in points-in-the-paint differential.

One anomaly was the 2002-03 Lakers, when Kobe Bryant became the team's leading scorer for the first time and shot a lot more threes than he ever had. The other was the season when Shaq was traded from Miami to Phoenix in February and played just 61 games total.

Diesel in the paint

How Shaquille O'Neal's teams have fared

Season Team PIP Diff Rank 2000-01 Lakers +6.7 3 2001-02 Lakers +7.1 2 2002-03 Lakers +3.6 8 2003-04 Lakers +6.6 1 2004-05 Heat +10.5 1 2005-06 Heat +12.0 1 2006-07 Heat +5.5 3 2007-08 Heat (47 G) -5.3 28 2007-08 Suns (34 G) +0.1 17 2008-09 Suns +12.6 1 2009-10 Cavs +9.4 1

PIP Diff = Difference between points-in-paint made and points allowed in paint

Now, outscoring your opponent in the paint isn't necessarily a formula for success. This season, the 16-31 Pistons rank fifth in the league with a differential of +2.9, while in 2005-06, the 64-18 Pistons were very much a jump-shooting team and ranked last in the league with a differential of -8.6. If you've got four or five guys on the floor who can shoot and you move the ball well, you can still be successful without a post presence.

But the Cavs believe that controlling the paint will be critical for them come May and June. That's why they traded for Shaq last summer and that's why, despite his much larger expiring contract, he won't be the center they trade if they want an upgrade at power forward.

Even though there are some good teams at the bottom of the rankings when it comes to points-in-the-paint differential -- Portland ranks 30th, Toronto ranks 22nd and Dallas ranks 21st -- the teams the Cavs are focused on are all near the top.

The Celtics rank third with a differential of +5.8, the Lakers rank fourth at +3.4, the Magic rank sixth at +2.5 and the Hawks rank 10th at +1.5. So if you can match their size and take away the paint, you will have an advantage against those teams. It's not a coincidence that the aforementioned Pistons, despite their poor record, are one of only three teams who have beat Atlanta, Boston and Orlando this season.

The Cavs, of course, are 5-1 against the Lakers, Celtics and Hawks, with the only loss coming on opening night against Boston. They've won the points-in-the-paint battle in each of the six games, by an average of 10.3 per contest.

A year ago, the Cavs were 6-7 against those teams in the regular season and famously lost to the Magic, 4-2, in the conference semifinals. In two regular season games against the Lakers, they were outscored 104-52 in the paint. They didn't get outscored in the paint in that Orlando series, but Dwight Howard averaged 30.3 points on 66 percent shooting in Orlando's four wins, and it was his size and quickness on the pick-and-roll that allowed his teammates to shoot 41 percent from 3-point range.

In eight career games against Shaq, Howard has averaged just 13.6 points on 56 percent shooting. In the Cavs' Nov. 11 win in Orlando, Howard had just 11 points and took just three shots from the field.

On the surface, Shaq's impact on the Cavs seems minimal. But in the games that matter most, his presence is critical.

All stats are through Wednesday, February 3.

Yao Ming and wife expecting a baby girl

BEIJING (AP) -- Houston Rockets star Yao Ming says he and his wife are having a baby girl, and excited Chinese fans have already posted photo mashups of the couple's faces online to predict what she'll look like.

A column in the China Daily newspaper first mentioned the news in passing Thursday, but it made the front page Saturday as fans sent Yao's comments whizzing through online forums.

"Yao told me about his excitement of becoming a father; especially when he first heard his daughter's heartbeat on the monitor," columnist Yang Lan wrote Thursday.

The first child for Yao and his wife, Ye Li, is due in July.

Scientists have predicted the girl will grow up to be about 1.86 meters (6-foot-2), China Daily reported Saturday.

The 2.25-meter (7-foot-6) Yao has been sidelined since surgery in May to repair a hairline fracture in his left foot.

Grizzlies Arthur to return Tuesday against Hawks

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) -- Memphis Grizzlies forward Darrell Arthur, who has not played this season because of right pectoralis surgery in October, plans to make his debut Tuesday night against the Atlanta Hawks.

The 6-foot-9 Arthur, in his second season out of Kansas, was cleared to play and began full-contact practice on Thursday. He participated in Friday's warmups before the Grizzlies' game against the Houston Rockets.

Memphis coach Lionel Hollins said he was prepared to play Arthur against the Rockets, but the forward opted to push back his first appearance to help familiarize himself with the offense.

Arthur's return could provide the Grizzlies with a needed boost off the bench. The Grizzlies average 103.1 points, but the reserves are contributing only 19.8.

Bogut leaves game against Knicks with migraine

NEW YORK (AP) -- Andrew Bogut left Milwaukee's game against the Knicks in the first quarter Friday night because of a migraine and the Bucks said he would not return.

Bogut was off to a strong start, making all three shots and scoring six points in 6 minutes before departing.

Bulls' Noah held out with left foot injury

ATLANTA (AP) -- Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah is not with the team for Friday night's game against the Atlanta Hawks due to a left foot injury.

Team spokeswoman Sebrina Brewster says Noah is in Chicago receiving treatment for plantar fasciiitis, a painful irritation and swelling of the bottom of the heel. He also missed the Jan. 23 game at Houston with the injury and is not expected to return to action until after the All-Star break.

Brad Miller was the fill-in center and forward Chris Richard, who signed a 10-day contract on Friday, also was expected to play.

Noah is averaging 11.2 points and ranks third in the league with 12 rebounds per game.

Cavs' West scrimmages, gets closer to return

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio (AP) -- Injured Cavaliers guard Delonte West played in a scrimmage, moving him a step closer to returning to Cleveland's lineup.

West has missed seven games with a broken left ring finger, which was recently fitted with a protective brace. On Friday, he handled the ball without any trouble and shot normally during the workout with Cleveland's reserves and assistant coaches.

The Cavs have listed him as day-to-day as they prepare for Saturday's game against New York.

Also, Cavs starting point guard Mo Williams shot around after practice. He has missed eight games over two weeks with a sprained shoulder. The Cavs expect him to be out at least one month.

Cleveland has won 10 straight.

Bulls sign F Chris Richard to 10-day contract

CHICAGO (AP) -- Forward Chris Richard has signed a 10-day contract with the Chicago Bulls.

Richard, who played in six preseason games with Chicago before getting waived, averaged 10.1 points and 8.6 rebounds in nine appearances with the Tulsa 66ers of the NBA Development League. He was expected to be in uniform Friday when the Bulls visited Atlanta.

A 2007 second-round draft pick by Minnesota, he averaged 1.9 points and 2.6 rebounds in 52 games for the Timberwolves.

Oklahoma to honor former Kings' star Tisdale

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) -- The University of Oklahoma will honor the late OU great Wayman Tisdale at halftime of the Oklahoma-Texas basketball game.

Tisdale's family will be joined by former teammates, coaches and his band. The band will perform before the game and will join singer Toby Keith at halftime.

A portion of the upcoming documentary "The Wayman Tisdale Story" will also be shown at halftime.

Tip-off for Saturday's game between the Sooners and Longhorns is at 3:05 p.m.

Spurs' Parker returns from left ankle injury

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- Tony Parker has returned to the San Antonio Spurs' starting lineup after missing three games with a mild left ankle sprain.

Parker injured his ankle on Jan. 27 in San Antonio's 105-90 victory over Atlanta.

He is averaging 16.9 points, 2.5 rebounds and 5.8 assists in 40 games this season.

Parker, a three-time All-Star, has been troubled by the same foot all season. The French star missed four games earlier because of another ankle sprain and has been bothered by plantar fascitis.

LeBron fills in at point guard in place of Gibson

CLEVELAND (AP) -- Cavaliers point guard Daniel Gibson didn't start Thursday night's game against Miami so he could be with his pregnant fiancee, singer Keyshia Cole.

Gibson recently moved into the starting lineup, filling in for injured guards Mo Williams and Delonte West. The Cavs announced Gibson's absence about 30 minutes before their game against the Heat.

Cavs general manager Danny Ferry said Cole, who is expecting her first child with Gibson, has been hospitalized for precautionary reasons. Gibson returned to Quicken Loans Arena in the second quarter.

LeBron James started at point with Jawad Williams taking James' spot.

Hornets' Paul has knee surgery, out 4-6 weeks

NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- New Orleans Hornets point guard Chris Paul will be out about four to six weeks after having arthroscopic knee surgery Thursday.

Paul will start rehabilitating immediately and be on crutches for two or three weeks, the team announced.

He will miss the Feb. 14 All-Star Game at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

"Obviously this is a tough thing for me," Paul said in a statement. "I have been fortunate through my career as a basketball player to not have suffered many injuries. The main thing is for me to get back healthy and to help this team however I can."

Paul was injured Jan. 27 against Golden State, then aggravated the injury when he collided with a camera while chasing an errant pass in the final seconds of regulation against the Chicago Bulls last Friday.

New Orleans (26-23) is in danger of missing the playoffs for the first time in three years. The Hornets have lost three consecutive home games and are in last place in the Southwest Division, two games out of the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Paul sat out eight games earlier this season with a sprained ankle. New Orleans is 5-6 when he does not play.