Sources: Michael Finley on Green radar

After making an inquiry on Zydrunas Ilgauskas, the Celtics [team stats] now are looking into whether Michael Finley might be interested in joining the club.

According to league sources, the C’s are in the market to add to their roster and last night were awaiting the final list from the league of players bought out by the deadline.

In the case of Ilgauskas, the Celts found what has been expected all along: The big man will be returning to the Cavaliers.

Finley could be another story, though it is uncertain whether the Celtics can offer him much in the way of guaranteed playing time. But having a 6-foot-7 wing player who can hit 3-pointers is intriguing for a team that has traded away Eddie House and now has little reliable perimeter shooting off its bench.

The San Antonio Spurs waived Finley after nearly five seasons, giving the 15-year veteran a chance to finish the season with more playing time elsewhere.

The Spurs said they honored Finley’s request to be released from his contract, which was in its final year after he exercised a $2.5 million option this season.

“I was very surprised, but we granted his request,” Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich said before the Spurs faced the Hornets in New Orleans last night. “That’s for other teams to decide if they think he can be useful. But we did grant him his release before the deadline so he would have the opportunity to play some place in the playoffs if he so desired.”

Finley lost his starting job this season and missed several weeks with a sprained ankle. He appeared in only 25 games, averaging 3.7 points and 1.5 rebounds.

The former All-Star joined the Spurs in 2005 in search of an NBA championship, and he finally got one in 2007. He started all but five games last season but became a bench player after the Spurs signed Richard Jefferson last summer.

“On and off the court, he set a great example for everybody and he was a joy to have in the program the entire time he was here,” Popovich said.

Thumb’s up for Paul Pierce

WALTHAM - Paul Pierce [stats] is coming back to the Celtics [team stats] lineup for two reasons. His right thumb doesn’t hurt, and it had become increasingly painful to watch his team play.

“It was difficult, man, just watching my team go through what it went through,” the captain said after yesterday’s practice. “I started thinking maybe I shouldn’t have showed up to the games. I didn’t show up for the New York game and we won, so maybe it was something I did.”

Pierce said the Celts have “really no excuses” for the recent losses to Cleveland and New Jersey. And he feels no need to remind people that he’s been out for three games and thus could have made a difference had he played.

“No,” Pierce said, “not at all. I’m part of this team. Regardless of what goes on, I still feel like we should win.

“This is not three years or four years ago when if I sat we had no chance of winning. You know, we have a team out there that we should win. We won when Kevin (Garnett) sat out. We should win when I sit out (or) if Ray (Allen) happens to sit out. You know, these are games I thought, the last couple, we should have won. So there’s no excuses. There’s no excuses at all.

“I think it’s just 48 minutes of concentration, playing through the game,” he added. “We’ve been doing this for the last couple of weeks, not running through the race. When you get into the race, you’ve got to finish the race, and that’s what it’s all about. We played great for the whole Cleveland game, then the third quarter and fourth quarter. It seemed like the New Jersey game we were just pretty much off the whole game. So hopefully we can get things back on track. Guys were really upbeat today, really had a good practice today.”

Asked for reasons why things have slipped, Pierce said, “I think the thing we’re always going to point to is our defense, because we’re a defensive team first. We’ve got to get better in pick-and-roll defense. I think that’s really affecting how we play on offense. When the defense is going well, it seems like the offense is going really well. Then when one thing is not going, it’s vice versa. So one thing that’s got to remain constant is our defense and being consistent there, because there are going to be nights when our shot’s not going to fall and things aren’t going to go our way.”

There have been times when players have said they are slow to rotate because they are not sure the support will be there on their man, and there are other occasions when improper rotations are being made.

“I think it’s a combination of both,” Pierce said. “It’s second and third effort, I think, that’s really hurting is. I think the first effort is there every time, but it’s the second and third efforts are the things that are going to help you win ballgames, help you get loose balls and help you rebound.”

Pierce’s return should help in all aspects. He struggled for 2 games after getting hit on the thumb by Derek Fisher near the end of the first half against the Lakers on Feb. 18. The Celts held him out a little longer to prevent reinjury.

“I feel great,” Pierce said. “It really felt good to get up and down the court. I think the main issue with me was just making sure I could catch the ball, dribble it, shoot it without any pain. And I feel great.

“(The break has) been really good for me. I had a chance to just get my body some rest. I got some conditioning and was able to lift, get my body back stronger, heal some of the injuries so I can be ready.

“I thought if I had played maybe a couple of games ago, if it had gotten hit it really would have hurt really bad. So I’m at the point where if it gets hit it’s not going to really bother me. So I’m ready to go. I did the necessary treatment, I rested it and I should be good.”

Ill Kendrick Perkins left behind

WALTHAM - Kendrick Perkins [stats] is down, but he may not be out.

The Celtics [team stats] center didn’t accompany the team to Michigan yesterday afternoon, the latest victim of flu-like symptoms that are running through the club. But there is a chance, albeit slim, he still could be on the court against the Pistons tonight.

“If he’s feeling better, he’s going to fly up (today) to the game,” said coach Doc Rivers. “Obviously I don’t see that happening, but if he’s feeling a lot better we’ll have him do that.

“We just have so many guys that aren’t feeling well right now we can’t afford to even have a guy around anybody else to let it start up again. So we’re taking a different measure right now. We’re just keeping all unhealthy people away from each other.

“Even with injuries,” Rivers added with a smile. “Just stay away.”

The coach said Rasheed Wallace “most likely” will take Perkins’ place in the starting lineup.

Inside story

Rivers didn’t completely buy in to Wallace’s claim in yesterday’s Herald that he’s wanted to play inside more, but that the plays have called for him to be on the perimeter.

“It’s both,” Rivers said. “It is what it is.”

The coach is pleased that Wallace has been taking a higher percentage of his shots inside the arc since the All-Star break.

“I like our pace now,” Rivers said. “It’s getting back to where we should have it. But it’s on the guards to make the right play calls, too. It’s everything. It’s not one little thing. It’s a little bit of him going out there and being comfortable out there. We’ve just got to get it right.”

Taking a spin

Rivers took a trip to the spin zone. He talked openly about the Celts’ shortcomings, but tried to put things in a better light.

“At the end of the day, we’re still in the loss column one game out of the second spot in the East,” he said. “We’re a game behind Denver. We’re three or four (actually six) behind the Lakers. I mean, as bad as we so-called have played, we’re still in the thick of things. And that’s what you want at this time because we haven’t played well.

“In some ways maybe we’re lucky in that way that other teams have faltered in other places, as well. But we have a lot of games to get it right, and we’re going to have to try to do that.”

Citing loss column numbers is a bit specious, in that as of yesterday afternoon the Celts had played three fewer games than Orlando and the Lakers and two fewer than Denver. But Rivers is correct in saying his club is close enough to move up the standings and get a better playoff position.

No block party

Glen Davis was disappointed to learn that Cleveland center Shaquille O’Neal is expected to be sidelined for eight weeks after undergoing thumb surgery yesterday. O’Neal injured the thumb last Thursday against the C’s when Davis smacked his hand while blocking a shot.

“It (stinks) it just happened like that,” Davis said. “He’s just playing and gets fouled like that - well not get fouled - but just gets a crazy hit like that. I hope he does get better. I’m going to call him to see how he’s doing.” . . .

Rajon Rondo [stats]’s season-high 17 assists against the Nets gives him six straight games with double figures in that category. It’s the longest such run for the Celtics [team stats] since Nate Archibald went seven straight in the 1981-82 season.

Nate Robinson defensive about getting settled

WALTHAM - As a former football player, Nate Robinson is accustomed to learning extensive playbooks. But what has greeted the recently acquired guard in his first week with the Celtics [team stats] has been a lot to digest.

“I’m just trying to figure out this defensive playbook that’s pretty crazy,” Robinson said after completing his second full practice with the C’s. “The offense is going to come easy, guys are helping me out with the spots. But they’re helping me out a lot on defense. That’s the main thing that I’m focused on right now.”

Robinson learned plenty about defense when he started at cornerback for the University of Washington as a freshman. But he dropped football as a sophomore to focus solely on basketball, presumably leaving the days of major playbook cramming behind.

That was the case until he was traded, along with Marcus Landry, from the Knicks to the Celtics on Feb. 18. With his new team, Robinson has received a crash course in assistant coach Tom Thibodeau’s defensive schemes.

“For me and Marcus, everything is coming at us fast,” Robinson said. “It’s kind of like baseball. They put you out there and they say to hit a 100-mph fastball. It’s like, ‘How do I do that?’ You just have to keep playing and keep working.”

Robinson’s comfort level at the other end already is rising. He scored 13 points off the bench in the C’s 104-96 loss to the Nets on Saturday.

“His role is going to be good. It’s just going to take time,” Celts coach Doc Rivers said. “I said when we made the trade, that position is the most difficult one.”

To make the adjustment easier, Rivers installed a few sets that Robinson ran in New York.

“I got to teach the couple sets that we ran in New York to make it easy for me to transition. They liked the offense that we showed them and we’re trying to run with it,” Robinson said. “I know when I’m in I’m going to be calling that play 99.9 percent of the time. I’m going to be real comfortable with that. I’m just trying to learn their plays and the defense. That’s the main thing.”

Doc Rivers homes in on woes

WALTHAM - Of all the issues facing the Celtics [team stats] - and the list seems to grow daily - the team’s inability to defend its homecourt stands out most to coach Doc Rivers.

The Celtics have a worse record at the Garden (16-11) than on the road (20-10). The Philadelphia 76ers [team stats] are the only other team in the league with a better record away than at home.

“It is troubling. Of all the things to me, even over the rebounding and everything, is how we’ve performed at home,” Rivers said after yesterday’s practice. “If you ask me, the one thing that’s bothering me more than anything has been that. Because I don’t care what your injuries are or whatever - you should win at home. On the road, it becomes difficult. At home, you should win those games.”

Those struggles reached a low point last week when the C’s were crushed by the Eastern Conference-leading Cavaliers, 108-88, on Thursday and then lost 104-96 on Saturday to the Nets, the NBA’s worst team.

To a man, the Celtics insist they’ll snap out of their two-month-long funk by the time the playoffs arrive. But the home struggles suggest this team might not be championship material.

The Celts have lost nearly as many games at home this season than the previous two combined (70-12 record).

Rivers wishes he had a solution to the woes, but like many of the issues facing his team, there is no easy fix.

“I don’t know the answer,” Rivers said. “Obviously if I did then it’d be fixed. We’re just going to keep working. The bottom line is we have to become a better team and we have to do it together.”

Last year, the Celtics finished second in the East, though their focus down the stretch was as much on the health of Kevin Garnett as it was on seeding. With the team mostly healthy now, Rivers plans to fully pursue homecourt.

“We’re not conceding homecourt,” he said. “We are as far as the Cavs - it’d be impossible (to catch them) unless they go on an amazing losing streak - but we would love to get the rest of the series (at home) because we are healthy enough to go for it. I don’t concede this. Obviously we concede the No. 1 seed. It’d be very difficult.”

Despite his team’s struggles at the Garden, Rivers is confident the C’s will benefit from a homecourt advantage this spring.

“I know in the playoffs, you want homecourt,” Rivers said. “No matter how well or poorly you’ve played at home, at the end of the day, we’ll be good at home in the playoffs.”

Not your garden variety Celtics

One trait NBA champions share is a decided homecourt advantage. The past 14 title winners each finished the regular season with no more than 10 losses on their home floor. That doesn’t bode well for the 2009-10 Celtics [team stats], who are currently 16-11 at the Garden. In fact, the Celts are one of only two teams (the Sixers are the other) with a worse record at home than on the road. This is all very un-Celtic-like, of course. The C’s enjoyed remarkable success at home during their 17 championship seasons, losing double-digit games only twice on the parquet. Here is a look at the numbers:

YEAR NBA CHAMPIONS, HOME RECORDS

2008-09 -- Lakers, 36-5

2007-08 -- Celtics, 35-6

2006-07 -- Spurs, 31-10

2005-06 -- Heat, 31-10

2004-05 -- Spurs, 38-3

2003-04 -- Pistons, 31-10

2002-03 -- Spurs, 33-8

2001-02 -- Lakers, 34-7

2000-01 -- Lakers, 31-10

1999-00 -- Lakers, 36-5

1998-99 -- Spurs, 21-4

1997-98 -- Bulls, 37-4

1996-97 -- Bulls, 39-2

1995-96 -- Bulls, 39-2

1994-95 -- Rockets, 25-16

CELTICS CHAMPIONSHIPS HOME RECORDS

2007-08 -- 35-6

1985-86 -- 40-1

1983-84 -- 33-8

1980-81 -- 35-6

1975-76 -- 31-10

1973-74 -- 26-6

1968-69 -- 24-12

1967-68 -- 28-9

1965-66 -- 26-5

1964-65 -- 27-3

1963-64 -- 26-4

1962-63 -- 25-5

1961-62 -- 23-5

1960-61 -- 21-7

1959-60 -- 25-2

1958-59 -- 26-4

1956-57 -- 27-4

Scouting report: Celtics at Pistons

TONIGHT - 7:30, Palace of Auburn Hills, Mich. TV - CSN. Radio - WEEI-AM (850).

THE NUMBERS 48.3: Celtics [team stats] shooting percentage this season.

27: Percent shooting by the Celts in the second half of a 92-86 loss to the Pistons on Jan. 20. The C’s shot 58 percent in the first half.

WHO’S HURT For the Celtics, C Kendrick Perkins [stats] (illness) is doubtful and F Paul Pierce [stats] (thumb) is probable. For the Pistons, C Chris Wilcox (back) is questionable.

WHO’S HOT For the C’s, G Marquis Daniels has made 22-of-31 shots in his past four games. For the Pistons, G Richard Hamilton is averaging 21.8 points in his past four.

WHO’S NOT For the Celts, G Rajon Rondo [stats] has made one of his past nine 3-point attempts. For Detroit, G Ben Gordon is averaging 5.7 points in his past three, all losses.

BOTTOM LINE The Celtics need to have a good defensive game after trying to clear up issues on that end of the court in yesterday’s practice. The return of Pierce should help. The Pistons are coming off a four-game trip out west, so the Celts should be the fresh team.

Cavs hammer Knicks, 124-93

CLEVELAND — LeBron James had 22 points, seven rebounds and seven assists, and the Cleveland Cavaliers used a 74-point first half to hammer the New York Knicks 124-93 on Monday night in their first game since learning Shaquille O’Neal will miss the rest of the regular season.

The Cavaliers didn’t miss the 15-time All-Star, who had surgery on his injured right thumb Monday morning and is expected to miss two months. The team is hopeful he will return for at least part of the playoffs.

The 31-point margin of victory is the largest this season for Cleveland, which equaled a season high with its 74-point first half — set three weeks ago against the Knicks. The Cavaliers outrebounded New York 60-31 and led by as much as 49. They have won eight straight in the series.

Reserve Bill Walker scored 21 points for New York.

Magic 126, 76ers 105

PHILADELPHIA — Jameer Nelson had 22 points and 10 assists, and the Orlando Magic beat the Philadelphia 76ers [team stats].

All five starters scored at least 14 points for the Magic. They reached the 100-point mark late in the third quarter and kept the pressure on in the fourth to match their highest point total of the season.

Vince Carter and Rashard Lewis each scored 19 points. Dwight Howard had 14. Orlando hit five 3-pointers in the third and shot 69 percent to turn a seven-point lead at halftime into a total rout.

The Sixers played without Elton Brand (right Achilles’ tendinitis) and Allen Iverson [stats] (personal).

Mavericks 89, Bobcats 84

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Dirk Nowitzki scored 27 points, Jason Terry had several key buckets down the stretch, and the surging Dallas Mavericks beat Charlotte to spoil the Bobcats’ first game since Michael Jordan agreed to buy the team.

Jordan’s presence courtside and a difficult travel schedule couldn’t stop the NBA’s hottest team from their eighth straight win. Caron Butler added 22 points and Terry scored 13 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter for Dallas, which rallied from a 12-point third-quarter deficit.

Stephen Jackson scored 20 points, but also had six of Charlotte’s 20 turnovers. Tyrus Thomas added 16 points and 12 rebounds for the Bobcats, who dropped to 0-12 against the Mavericks, the only team they’ve never beaten.

Trail Blazers 103, Grizzlies 93

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Brandon Roy scored 25 points and Nicolas Batum added 21 as Portland erased a 14-point first-half deficit with a strong third quarter and defeated the Memphis Grizzlies.

LaMarcus Aldridge finished with 13, and Andre Miller scored 12 points and handed out 11 assists as the Trail Blazers ended their five-game road trip with four victories. They also solidified their hold on the Western Conference’s eighth playoff spot.

The win was the seventh straight road win for Portland over the Grizzlies. Meanwhile, Memphis extended its current home losing streak to seven. Zach Randolph led the Grizzlies with 22 points.

Spurs 106, Hornets 92

NEW ORLEANS — George Hill scored 23 points and the San Antonio Spurs won their second straight, beating the New Orleans Hornets.

Tim Duncan added 22 points and nine rebounds, and Tony Parker had 18 points for the Spurs, who shot 51 percent and led by 20 in the third quarter before holding on without much drama.

Rookie Marcus Thornton was 6 of 7 from 3-point range, setting a career high for 3s in a game, and scored 30 points for New Orleans, which has dropped two straight and four its last five. Emeka Okafor scored 18 points and David West added 13 for the Hornets, who never led in the final three quarters.

Hawks 116, Bulls 92

CHICAGO — Jamal Crawford scored 21 points, Josh Smith added 17 points and a season-high 18 rebounds, and the Atlanta Hawks beat the short-handed Chicago Bulls for their fourth win in five games.

Marvin Williams had 18 points as Atlanta pulled away down the stretch after its 18-point, second-quarter lead was cut to five early in the fourth.

Williams scored seven during a 9-0 run following a basket by Chicago’s Derrick Rose, making it 94-79 midway through the fourth and breaking open a six-point game.

Rose led the Bulls with 24 points despite missing most of the first quarter after hurting his right knee, but it was a long night for a team that had won eight of 11.

Rockets 116, Raptors 92

HOUSTON — Kevin Martin and Aaron Brooks scored 28 points each in three quarters and the Houston Rockets rolled to a win over the struggling and beat-up Toronto Raptors.

The Rockets led by 32 after three and both teams played mostly reserves the rest of the way.

Houston scored the first five points of the game and never trailed in this one as the Raptors dropped their fourth in a row in their sixth straight game without injured All-Star Chris Bosh.

Marcus Banks led the Raptors with 15 points.

Suns 101, Nuggets 85

PHOENIX — Amare Stoudemire had 19 points and 10 rebounds, and the reserves keyed a big second quarter for the Phoenix Suns in a victory over the Denver Nuggets.

Goran Dragic scored 10 first-half points off the bench and the reserves scored 24 of 33 second-quarter points, when the Suns quickly erased an early double-digit deficit.

Grant Hill added 19 points and Channing Frye had 16 for the Suns, who won their fifth straight at home and their sixth in seven games overall. Phoenix has won 10 straight at home against the Nuggets dating to 2003-04.

Heat owner confident Wade will stay

The chances of Dwyane Wade signing with the Bulls this summer appear mostly cloudy.

Heat owner Micky Arison allows for only a 5 percent chance that his Chicago native will bolt.

"The bottom line is he has publicly and privately said that this is where he wants to be," Arison was quoted as saying in the Sun Sentinel before Saturday night's game against the Bucks. "I believe him. I'm 95 percent sure that he would be here next (season). You can never be 100."

Overheard: Sunday's overtime Olympic gold medal hockey final between the United States and Canada illustrated how far Americans have advanced in the sport.

"No doubt about it. U.S. hockey has come a long way," said former Blackhawks star and Montreal native Denis Savard. "Some of those (American) guys got recognized in 1980 for that ‘Miracle' team. That was probably the biggest upset, ever, in any sport. Since then, (the U.S.) has reduced the gap big time." …

Magic All-Star Dwight Howard struck up a friendship with Bulls guard Derrick Rose over the summer during the USA Basketball tour.

"We talked a little bit when we were in China, about him being the leader of this (Bulls) team, about getting this team over the hump by being a better player. I am just happy to see his progress," Howard said..

Jazz hope to keep roaring

The Jazz roar into March as one of the NBA's hottest teams.

No lyin'.

Utah is 19-4 since Jan. 9, heading into Monday tonight's game at Staples Center against the Los Angeles Clippers.

The Jazz went 10-3 in February, including 5-1 on the road and 4-0 on the second night of back-to-back games.

"Great February," Carlos Boozer said. "Looking forward to March."

Just ahead, however, is a treacherous stretch during which Utah plays 10 of 15 games on the road and four back-to-back.

Deron Williams didn't seem too concerned, however, when he was asked if the compact, road-oriented schedule could be a barrier between the Jazz and a home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

Referring to a sloppy 103-99 loss at Sacramento on Friday night, Williams said, "We're a better road team now. Just throw [that] one out because we are definitely a better road team. We've been able to find ways to get stops on the road, execute down the stretch and win ballgames."

The Jazz are 14-13 on the road this season, after winning seven of their last eight, including games at San Antonio, Portland, Houston and New Orleans.

Considering the fact Utah went 32-50 on the road in the previous two years and hasn't won as many as 21 road games since 2000-01, its current streak has been a welcome change of pace.

"Hopefully, we'll keep giving the [necessary] effort," said coach Jerry Sloan, "because this team still has to learn how to consistently win on the road.

"To lose some of the games we've lost on the road, you don't expect that, given our record at home. It should be fairly consistent, if we are trying to do it together."

The Jazz have managed only two winning road records in 11 seasons since they appeared in the 1998 NBA Finals.

Utah has finished with a winning road record only seven times in franchise history.

Like Williams, however, Sloan seems confident that the Jazz can stay hot and keep pressing first-place Denver in the Northwest Division race.

Pointing out that Utah just finished playing eight games in 12 days following the All-Star break, he said, "It will be tough, if we aren't ready to play.

"But a month or so ago, everybody said, 'This is going to be a difficult time for you.' ... The bottom line is, if you win games, you're all right. It's a difficult schedule only if you don't win."

The Jazz tuned up for their March on the road with a 133-110 win over Houston on Saturday night at EnergySolutions Arena.

Williams finished February with a 35-point, 13-assist performance that ranks as one of the best in his career.

The Jazz's chance of success the rest of the season will jump sharply if he continues to play like he did against the Rockets, who were impressed.

"Deron Williams came out and played great," said Aaron Brooks.

"I said something to him," said Kevin Martin, "because he came out really looking to attack. I was like, 'You're feeling it tonight, huh?' And he was like, 'I had a bad game [Friday] night.' Great players in this league, that's what they do. ... That's why he's an All-Star."

The Jazz could be short-handed against the Clippers.

Forward Andrei Kirilenko continues to be bothered by recurring back spasms. His availability against the Clippers will be a game-time decision.

Kirilenko has missed four of Utah's last five games.

Thunder Happy To Hear Durant Isn't Preoccupied With Contract

Most of the focus this summer will be on the current group of free agents, but July is also when the Thunder can begin negotiating with a 2011 free agent: small forward Kevin Durant. The Thunder would have until Oct. 31 to work out an extension, or Durant would become a restricted free agent the following summer.

Durant, however, says he hasn't been thinking about his next contract, something that GM Sam Presti was pleased to hear.

“One of the things that makes him special is his ability to focus on what's in front of him,” Presti told NBA.com. “And what's in front of him right now is this season. He's thinking about what can make him a better player and a better teammate today. We're fortunate that we have a young player with that kind of maturity.”

Nuggets Coach Karl Hasn't Given Up on Ilgauskas

LOS ANGELES -- Everybody knows center Zydrunas Ilgauskas will be returning to Cleveland. Well, apparently everybody but Denver coach George Karl.

Karl said before Sunday's game against the Lakers at the Staples Center he talked to Ilgauskas earlier that morning.

"I'm not giving up on that,'' Karl said. "I got a phone call into Big Z at 9 o'clock (Sunday). I did talk to him (Sunday).''

So is Ilgauskas interested in the Nuggets?

"It was on a bus so we didn't make it clear,'' Karl said. "But we did have a conversation for later (Sunday) afternoon.''

Karl, who can't drink during his ongoing treatment for a form of throat cancer, added, "I think he should come out to Denver and hang out. I'll drink beer with him.''

Ilgauskas, who was traded from Cleveland to Washington on Feb. 17 and then had his contract bought out, is expected to re-sign with the Cavaliers around March 20, when the NBA-required 30-day period runs out before a traded player can return to his former team. But it's no surprise Ilgauskas is continuing to field calls from other teams because his camp does not want it to be thought there was any sort a prearranged deal for Ilgauskas to return.

Michael Reghi, a former Cavaliers broadcaster, reported on Cleveland's WKNR-AM 850 on Friday that Ilgauskas has made up his mind to return to the Cavaliers.

The Nuggets are searching for another big man to help during their playoff run. One possibly could end up being free-agent center Mikki Moore, who is due to be healthy in mid-March after having December surgery to repair a right heel spur.

At least the Nuggets on Sunday were able to get back starting power forward Kenyon Martin after he missed Friday's game against Detroit due to a left knee contusion. Martin banged knees with Golden State guard Monta Ellis on Thursday.

"He's going to go,'' Karl said before the Lakers game. "He's going to try. Hopefully, he can give us 35 good minutes.''

The Nuggets, though, did lose backup point guard Ty Lawson for the remainder of Sunday's game due to a left shoulder contusion suffered in the second quarter. He's listed as day-to-day.

LeBron to the Lakers: The Most Ridiculous Rumor of Them All

The NBA's summer of 2010 has been easy money for sportswriters, and has been for quite some time now. With LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and a whole host of others being available on the free agent market at the end of this season, writing about rumors and possible combinations of which players may end up where has been the simplest way to both fill space and increase page views, all by doing nothing more than speculating on the future.

But this most recent rumor? The one from Roland Lazenby that suggests LeBron James has begun to make it known to the Lakers that they are his destination of choice next season? Now, at this very moment, things have officially gone too far.

Before we tear down the notion that this could possibly ever happen in our universe, it's probably best that we start with the obligatory citation:

The greatest NBA free agent of all time, LeBron James, is quietly making overtures to the Los Angeles Lakers.

He wants to play for them. And James is not all that concerned whether Kobe Bryant is part of the equation. Bryant, of course, has yet to sign a contract extension with L.A. and could wind up a free-agent himself, albeit one with high mileage.

But the overtures have been made. LeBron wants to wear the purple and gold. Mainly, he wants to wear a championship ring, which means he wants to play for Lakers coach Phil Jackson.

Where does one begin with statements as silly as these? Let's start with Kobe Bryant.

It's true that Bryant hasn't yet signed an extension with the Lakers, and that yes, if he wanted to, he could become a free agent. But no one in their right mind actually thinks this will happen; Bryant is simply waiting until the season is over to get the contract stuff done so as not to let it become a distraction during the team's campaign to try to repeat as champions. Bryant is going to end his career as a member of the Lakers, and it would take a highly unlikely series of circumstances to prevent him from doing so.

One of the theories where Bryant might not continue with the Lakers revolves around the re-signing (or not) of the team's current head coach, Phil Jackson. Just as Lazenby has in the past, at the end of this current piece on LeBron and his "overtures," he details the supposed power struggle going on behind the scenes in the Lakers front office. Specifically, the fact that Phil Jackson's deal too is up at the end of this season, and that, at a price of $12 million a season, the team's ownership may want to go in another direction.

Bryant is likely to be very vocal when it comes to the team retaining Jackson's services, and the fact that he has his yet-to-be-signed extension as a bargaining chip makes it all the more likely that Phil will be back as the head coach for as long as he wants to be. And this is where the pairing of LeBron and Kobe begins to fall apart. Because unless Bryant and his max contract leave town, how in the world are the Lakers supposed to fit James and his (required) max deal under the team's salary cap?

The simple answer is, they're not. LeBron James doesn't get to play with Kobe Bryant and be coached by Phil Jackson, unless the team completely guts itself of all essential components to a run at a championship. Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom, Andrew Bynum: all gone, if LeBron is to be signed by the Lakers.

So yeah, there's no way this is happening. Did Lazenby simply make this up? Of course not; he cites one of his "best inside sources, a close Jackson associate," and even quotes this person a few times throughout the article.

An anonymous source is a journalist's best friend, especially one that can be quoted with fairly innocuous comments, which can later be extrapolated into something much more ominous that would have a juicier impact on the league at large.

Just to be perfectly clear, I'm not insinuating in any way that Lazenby is fabricating any of this. But it's so preposterous that it is, at the very least, irresponsible to write this up with a "LeBron a Laker?" headline. Even for someone who, not so coincidentally, has a new book out on Lakers legend Jerry West, and links to its Amazon.com purchase page at the end of the story.

Bulls will need to determine their future small forward

There's a question the Bulls need to answer that has little to do with making the playoffs or attracting a top-notch free agent.

It could have an impact on the team's future, however.

Who's better: James Johnson or Joe Alexander?

This could turn into an interesting practice battle in the next two months. Both players are big, athletic forwards who can attack the basket. They also appear to have similar, developing jump shots.

Which one will be the better NBA player?

Their credentials are similar. Alexander was the No. 8 pick of the 2008 draft by Milwaukee, Johnson the No. 16 pick in 2009. In age, Alexander is two months older.

Alexander made his name with a 22-point, 11-rebound performance in West Virginia's NCAA Tournament upset of Duke. Johnson helped carry Wake Forest to a short-lived No. 1 ranking last winter.

Neither has seen much playing time in the NBA. Johnson is averaging 9.1 minutes during his rookie season. Alexander logged 12.4 minutes per game with the Bucks last year, but hasn't played in the NBA at all this season because of a hamstring injury. He's healthy now and was on a D-League assignment when the trade went down sending him to the Bulls with Hakim Warrick, while John Salmons went to Milwaukee.

Talking to Alexander, he sounds anxious to prove he's not a draft bust. The Bucks made a stunning decision last fall to not pick up his third-year option, essentially cutting Alexander loose based on a rookie season and sophomore training camp.

Johnson has brought an immensely popular personality to the Bulls' locker room. On the court, he has some intriguing skills, but it's difficult to tell if he'll ever fit well into one of the forward spots. Johnson might turn out to be a classic 'tweener, someone not quite fast enough to excel at small forward, and not tall enough to survive as a power forward.

Johnson and Alexander went one-on-one a few times at the end of Thursday's practice and it was an interesting battle. Alexander appears to be a more polished and experienced player at the moment.

It will be a challenge to accurately judge the futures of Johnson and Alexander, but the Bulls need to try. Thanks to Milwaukee's decision last fall, Alexander will be an unrestricted free agent this summer. The Bulls will have to choose him or lose him.

If the Bulls end up trading Luol Deng this summer for a big man, the small forward spot will be open and available. Splitting it between two unproven young players doesn't make much sense.

On the other hand, maybe there's no chance to trading Deng. The Bulls would gladly do a sign-and-trade for Chris Bosh or Carlos Boozer, but teams may fear the cost. Deng carries a $14.3 million price tag in the 2013-14 season.

If that's the case, the Bulls don't need both Johnson and Alexander as backups. Johnson has a reasonable rookie contract and figures to be tradable.

Alexander had a chance to play Saturday in Indiana, but the Bulls mistakenly left him off the active roster that was turned in before the game. Coach Vinny Del Negro mentioned that he's never seen Alexander play.

On the surface, the Bulls fared reasonably well at the trade deadline. They landed competent replacements for Salmons (Flip Murray) and Tyrus Thomas (Warrick), while also clearing cap room for the summer and adding a future first-round pick from Charlotte.

But it's also possible they acquired a couple of hidden gems in Alexander and guard Acie Law, two former lottery picks who haven't played much in the NBA.

Should the Bulls find playing time for the underutilized new acquisitions? With a playoff spot at stake, will they even bother?

There could be a nice reward down the road.

Will Iverson return to 76ers?

The strained right calf that kept Elton Brand out of yesterday's practice became little more than a footnote during this disappointing 76ers season.

That's because the question of whether Allen Iverson will return is the hot topic surrounding the Sixers these days.

Tonight's game against the Orlando Magic at the Wachovia Center had been considered a target date for his return. Iverson, however, did not attend yesterday's practice at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine.

It is unclear when or even if he will return to a Sixers team that is struggling at 22-36. Last week, Iverson left the team for the second time this season to be with his 4-year-old daughter, who is suffering an undisclosed illness.

"I'm sure we will have some discussions in the next day or two about it," Sixers coach Eddie Jordan said yesterday of Iverson's status with the team. "Maybe I will talk to [Sixers general manager] Ed [Stefanski] a little bit today and certainly tomorrow while we are in the office."

Jordan said Stefanski has talked with Iverson, the player's business manager, and Leon Rose, Iverson's agent.

"I have no gut feeling at all" on whether Iverson will return, Jordan said.

Iverson missed the last three games of the Sixers' trip, which concluded Friday with a loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.

Before that, he missed the Sixers' last five games leading into the all-star break almost three weeks ago. Since returning Feb. 16 against the Miami Heat, he had averaged just eight points on 25 percent shooting from the floor (7 of 28) in 26.3 minutes per game.

Asked if he expects Iverson to return, Andre Iguodala responded, "I don't know."

"It's a situation where I think he has something a little more important than basketball right now," Iguodala said. "Guys are praying for him, not just our team, but across the league. So, hopefully, his situation gets a lot better and his family is healthy. That's most important."

Teammate Willie Green said he doesn't know if Iverson's tenure with the Sixers this season is over.

"I hope it's not, though," he said. "I'm saying from a standpoint of Allen just continuing to play basketball for us and going into next season . . . if that's what he wants."

Green said he supports Iverson's decision not to play.

"But if it's better for him to play, I want him to play," Green said. "I love watching him play. . . .

"I came in when he was in his prime. And he's just a fun guy to watch."

Brand ailing. Brand hopes to play against the Magic. The forward sat out practice with soreness in his calf and is listed as day-to-day.

"Definitely, I don't want to miss any games," Brand said. "We are going to try to play through it for sure."

He was hurt in the fourth quarter of a victory over San Antonio on Feb. 19. Brand has played through pain the last four games.

"We had a day off, so they just kind of wanted me to rest a little bit," Brand said.

Notes. Rookie guard Jrue Holiday missed the end of practice after bumping his lower lip in a collision with Lou Williams during a drill. Holiday received five stitches in his lip during the Lakers game. . . . Green (shoulder), who missed Friday's contest, will be a game-time decision tonight. Big man Jason Smith (ankle), who also missed Friday's game, is available to play.

Shaquille O'Neal could miss rest of season for Cleveland Cavaliers with thumb injury

CLEVELAND - Suddenly, the possibility of LeBron James leaving at the end of the season is not the Cavaliers' only problem.

Shaquille O'Neal will undergo surgery Monday to repair his injured right thumb and could miss the rest of the season.

The Cavs will have to adjust to life without their big man starting tonight against the Knicks. O'Neal was diagnosed yesterday at the Curtis National Hand Center in Baltimore, where he learned he will need the surgery.

The initial diagnosis at the Cleveland Clinic over the weekend was that Shaq had suffered a sprained ligament Thursday in the Cavs' win in Boston. But yesterday's exam revealed a tear, which typically sidelines players for 6-8 weeks. There are seven weeks left in the regular season.

"Whether he's taking a trip to Baltimore or not, I'd be concerned," Cavs coach Mike Brown said before learning the bad news. "There's been plenty of games he's played for us where, without him, we probably would not have won. He's had an impact against the Lakers and Orlando and a lot of teams. When we won 13 in a row, he was a big part of it."

O'Neal is averaging 12 points and 6.7 rebounds in 53 games this season and figured largely in the Cavaliers' playoff plans, especially against Orlando center Dwight Howard.

James didn't have anything to say about O'Neal or the Knicks yesterday, declining interview requests after sitting out Cavaliers practice due to an assortment of minor ailments. While he will be back on the court tonight, James has not revealed what he thinks about the Knicks' move that will enable them to sign two superstar free agents in July.

James' teammates realize that they might have to win the title in June to prevent him from joining a second maximum-salary player in New York. When the Knicks created the cap space to recruit James and Toronto's Chris Bosh by trading for Tracy McGrady, the Cavs took notice.

"Winning a championship can beat a lot of money," said guard Mo Williams. "The organization has been great to him. We've gotten better my last two years here. That's all you can do for a player of his stature. Teams are going to come after him this summer, not only New York, but also other teams, because he's a free agent. It happens. You've just got to lay it on the line and do what it takes to keep him."

Celtics to bring out Rasheed Wallace’s inside game

As they stand now - wobbly as the aftershocks of Saturday’s loss to the New Jersey ne’er-do-wells still reverberate - the Celtics [team stats] are masters of their own fate. Or demise.

Ray Allen noted that no cavalry is coming over the hill to the rescue. About the only substantive change the club could make now would be, in anticipation of greater doom, to fire team physician Brian McKeon and replace him with Dr. Jack Kevorkian.

But Rasheed Wallace thinks such talk is unwarranted. He still believes the Celts will engage their parachute, break their fall and regain their place in the championship discussion. He is sure of this, citing the Celtics’ experience and heart.

As a guy much wiser than the apparent crazy man arguing with referees, however, Wallace understands that all these points must be corroborated by actions.

“We’re a great team on paper if you look (and) see what we have,” he said. “But we have to go out there and prove it. We have to go out there and put fear in our opponent’s heart.”

And if the Celtics don’t, if they continue to come up small as the tests become even larger, Sheed knows the No. 30 on his chest and back will take on the appearance of a target.

“Aw, that ain’t nothing new,” said Wallace. “(Expletive), I’ve been facing it since Day 1 when I came into the NBA. People get upset with me because I speak my mind. I don’t hold my tongue. I don’t care who it is or who it’s about. In this league and this game and this business, they don’t like that. They want you to kiss (butt). I ain’t no kiss-(butt) dude.”

His game is alternately endearing and infuriating to fans. His makes beget some of the Garden’s loudest cheers; his clanged treys set of a chorus of groans. That Wallace is bold and unapologetic simply highlights the latter.

“Like my mom said, 50 percent of the people are going to love you and 50 percent are going to hate you,” he said. “You can’t please everybody. That’s pretty much how I play. I don’t sit out there and worry about what the next person is thinking at all. ‘Oh, he’s got too many techs (technical fouls) and he shoots too many 3’s.’ I don’t worry about that.”

Just as opponents don’t worry much when Wallace work’s outside the arc. Prior to a recent game, an assistant coach from another club saw him practice his 3-pointers and said, “Every guy in the league loves to watch that. They love him shooting 3’s.”

When it was mentioned that Wallace’s inside game is better than expected, the assistant said, “Unstoppable. Unstoppable. He’s got so many moves down on the low block that you can’t stop him. That’s why we love to see him outside.”

Wallace came to the Celts with a .471 career field goal percentage, with a .342 mark on treys. This year he’s .404 from the floor and .283 from long range. Hidden therein is the fact he is shooting .518 on 2-pointers.

Asked about getting inside more, Wallace said, “That’s where I was born at. That’s my bread and butter. That’s what I want. That’s what I want. But if that play design is for that 3, then that’s what I have to do.”

He has made good on his vow to do more in the paint after the All-Star break. Prior to that point, 216 of his 431 attempts (50.1 percent) were treys. Since then, 24 of his 64 shots (37.5 percent) have been from the distance.

Wallace spoke of a certain unnamed opponent/friend.

“He was telling me, ‘Oh, I can guard you. All you’re going to do is go to the turnaround,’ ” Sheed recalled. “I said, ‘Dude, I taught you half of your (expletive). The teacher doesn’t show the student all his moves.’

“You know, I don’t show my whole package during the beginning of the season. If you do, then that’s what’s going to be in the scouting report on me. So now, come money time, it’ll say that I’m going to go to the turnaround. Yeah, I’m going to turn around, but I’m going to go by you left, by you right, come with the jump hook. I told my buddy to look at it like a kung fu teacher. I might teach you the lotus and I might teach you the tiger, but I’m not going to teach you the crane, because the crane can beat both of them.”

But Wallace knows, too, that if he and his mates don’t get it going, the crane they see after the season could have a wrecking ball attached to it.

Tracy McGrady puts out welcome mat for LeBron James

GREENBURGH, N.Y. — Given the opportunity on July 1, and if the Knicks still want him after this season, Tracy McGrady gladly will do all he can to bring LeBron James to New York.

But tonight in Cleveland, where the two teams meet for the final time this season, it won’t be about trying to impress "King James," as McGrady called him Sunday, a first time for the newest Knick and the last time for his new team. That’s because he and Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni doesn’t believe that will matter.

"Nobody knows what LeBron James is going to do but LeBron James," said McGrady, who expects to play tonight after sitting out the second half of Saturday’s 120-109 loss to Memphis with stiffness and soreness in his surgically repaired left knee. "We can’t control that. We have no control over that. …

"Come July 1 I will certainly … I would like to play with a lot of those guys that are going to be a free agent. And I’m sure this is a very attractive place to play. You have the bright lights, big stage every night. You have the most passionate fans in basketball. It’s the Mecca of basketball. This is it.

"It’s a very attractive place and I’m sure a lot of guys will definitely consider that."

"I’m just going to put a nice suit on," D’Antoni said of impressing LeBron. "That’s all I know."

Yet, they know LBJ torched them for 47 points, including 35 in the first half, less than a month ago in a 113-106 victory. And they also know that they won’t have the defender who started on him that night and would have again tonight, Wilson Chandler, who left the team Sunday for personal reasons.

That means Danilo Gallinari starts on LeBron, D’Antoni said, and gets a chance to show what the Knicks’ coach has called his improved defensive prowess.

And McGrady gets to show whether he can bounce back from Saturday’s setback and, even though he won’t say so, demonstrate to LeBron that he could be a suitable sidekick next season, presuming the Knicks keep him.

Actually, the possibility of James coming to New York with another max-salary sidekick next season is somewhat similar to McGrady leaving Toronto for Orlando 10 years ago to play with Grant Hill.

The difference: Hill played just 114 games overall during their four seasons together, including only 18 their first two seasons. That allowed McGrady, who played in the shadow of Vince Carter in Toronto, to emerge as a star in Orlando.

James already is that and beyond. And McGrady, who said Sunday, "I think I made a smart decision" signing with the Magic, is trying to be both smart and positive, even though he now seems almost as fragile as Hill.

"It’s been a really tough road for me and the only way I’m thinking now is positive thinking," he said. "I’ve had so many negative thoughts going through everything that I went through.

"Now it’s just all positive for me."

Center-less Cavs reclaim No. 1 spot

February is the shortest month of the year and includes a four-day break for All-Star, but there was still enough basketball played last month for the Bucks to go from ninth place in the East (three games out of a playoff spot) to seventh, with a 1 1/2-game cushion over the Heat.

The Thunder made a similar push to put themselves in the top six in the West. At 9-2, Oklahoma City had the league's best record in February. Meanwhile, the Jazz (10-3) and Bucks (10-4) had the most wins.

Miami was both the best defensive team (allowing just 97.4 points per 100 possessions) and worst offensive team (scoring just 98.4) of the month. The best offensive team was Cleveland (113.6).

The Magic ranked fifth both offensively and defensively, but they were the best team overall, with a differential of +9.5 points per 100 possessions. The worst team overall? No, it wasn't New Jersey.

The Clippers picked up as many wins (four) as the Nets (two) and Knicks (two) combined, but they were outscored by 8.2 points per 100 possessions over the course of the month.

The Cavs take back the top spot in the rankings this week, but they have bigger issues to deal with. Shaquille O'Neal will have surgery on his right thumb on Monday and will likely miss the rest of the regular season. And they will have to play at least another nine games without Zydrunas Ilgauskas.

That stretch could be critical as they try to hold off the Lakers for the best record in the league and home-court advantage in a potential Finals matchup. Remember that the team that starts the Finals at home has won 19 of the 25 series since the league went to the 2-3-2 format.

Cleveland currently has a one-game lead over L.A. and holds the tiebreaker. And while the Cavs have to go center-less for at least another 2 1/2 weeks, the Lakers have their own challenge: 11 of their 15 games in March are on the road.

• Last Week: Cleveland stumble clears way for Jazz to take over top spot

Hero Team of the Week: Dallas (4-0) - The Mavs beat the Lakers for the second time this season, and then won in Atlanta two nights later. Their seven-game winning streak is their longest in more than two years.
Zero Team of the Week: Boston (1-2) - The Celtics barely beat the Knicks before getting smoked by the Cavs in the second half and then losing to the Nets for the first time in three years.

High jumps of the week: Dallas (+5), Milwaukee (+3), Six teams (+2)
Free falls of the week: Toronto (-5), Utah (-4), Boston (-3)

East vs. West: The West is 194-152 (0.561) in inter-conference games and was 16-9 this week.

Pace: Possessions per 48 minutes (League Rank)
Off: Points scored per 100 possessions (League Rank)
Def: Points allowed per 100 possessions (League Rank)
The league averages through Sunday are 95.2 possessions (per team) per 48 minutes and 104.2 points scored per 100 possessions.

NBA.com's Power Rankings are just one man's opinion and are released every Monday during the season. If you've got an issue with the rankings, or have a question or comment for John Schuhmann, send him an e-mail. You can also follow him on twitter.

	TEAM (LAST WEEK)	REC.	BREAKDOWN
1	Cleveland (3)	46-14	Pace: 93.2 (25), Off: 109.1 (2), Def: 101.4 (8) The Cavs have recovered from their three-game losing streak, but they needed to out-gun the Raptors to get their third straight win. With a nine-game stretch in which they allowed opponents to shoot 49 percent, they've sunk five spots defensively.
2	L.A. Lakers (2)	45-15	Pace: 96.0 (9), Off: 105.9 (11), Def: 99.2 (1) Kobe Bryant brought another game-winner when he returned to action, but the Lakers' offense has yet to get going. As it has all season, the defense has carried them. The Nuggets scored just 37 points on 12-for-38 shooting in the second half Sunday.
3	Orlando (5)	40-20	Pace: 94.9 (16), Off: 107.1 (7), Def: 99.8 (3) On Friday in New Orleans, another terrible fourth quarter (their second in eight days) cost the Magic another game. They're still a game ahead of the Celtics and Hawks in the loss column and have a few warmups before they host the Lakers on Sunday.
4	Dallas (9)	39-21	Pace: 94.4 (20), Off: 106.2 (10), Def: 102.9 (12) Friday's incredible performance in Atlanta was one thing. But the last two weeks have been evidence of how important a point guard like Jason Kidd is to a talented team that has gone under a major roster change. Kidd has brought it all together on the fly.
5	Utah (1)	38-21	Pace: 95.3 (14), Off: 106.7 (8), Def: 102.2 (10) It was hard to expect the Jazz to hold on to the No. 1 spot when they had to play Monday without Deron Williams, less than 24 hours after they returned from a four-day trip. There's no excuse for letting the Kings shoot 55 percent on Friday, though.
6	Oklahoma City (4)	35-23	Pace: 95.3 (13), Off: 103.8 (16), Def: 99.8 (4) The Thunder's winning streak came to an end when they blew a late lead to the Suns on Tuesday. Kevin Durant's 25-plus streak came to an end when Manu Ginobili rejected him at the rim a night later. A visit to Denver is this week's test.
7	Denver (6)	39-20	Pace: 97.7 (5), Off: 109.0 (3), Def: 104.4 (16) The Nuggets' Feb. 6 win over the Lakers was one of their best offensive games of the season. Sunday's loss was one of their worst, and they still almost won. They have a tough schedule this week and play 10 of their 16 March games on the road.
8	Atlanta (10)	37-21	Pace: 93.0 (26), Off: 108.0 (5), Def: 103.8 (13) It was a crazy weekend at the Highlight Factory, as the Hawks fell victim to a Jason Kidd flashback on Friday and survived another OT against the Bucks on Sunday. Their defense has gotten worse every month of the season, with a 104.9 rating in February.
9	Phoenix (11)	37-24	Pace: 98.2 (4), Off: 111.2 (1), Def: 107.8 (29) It shouldn't be a surprise that the Suns' five-game winning streak came to an end in San Antonio. But it's bizarre for it to happen because Jason Richardson missed a dunk and Steve Nash made a mental mistake. The Suns host the Nuggets on Monday.
10	Boston (7)	36-21	Pace: 94.0 (23), Off: 104.5 (14), Def: 99.5 (2) Danny Ainge criticized his team's focus and effort this week, and that was before the Celtics lost to the Nets on Saturday, easily the low point of the season. They simply got outworked by the worst team in the league, and turnovers (18) were a problem once again.
	TEAM (LAST WEEK)	REC.	BREAKDOWN
11	Portland (12)	35-27	Pace: 90.0 (30), Off: 107.6 (6), Def: 104.3 (15) The Blazers are 3-1 on a trip that ends Monday in Memphis. They didn't need much of Brandon Roy in Minnesota, but he got his rhythm back in the first three games (23.7 ppg). As a result, the offense has been sharper (115.9 rating on the trip).
12	San Antonio (14)	33-24	Pace: 94.0 (22), Off: 106.5 (9), Def: 102.5 (11) Sunday's win over the Suns gave the Spurs a winning record (6-5) in February, got them even with Phoenix in the loss column, and was just their fifth win in 14 games decided by six points or less. Richard Jefferson's 20 points were the most he's scored in 2010.
13	Toronto (8)	31-27	Pace: 95.7 (11), Off: 108.8 (x), Def: 109.3 (30) Canada's success this week was limited to events in British Columbia, as the Raps were one of just two teams to go winless. Of course, they were playing three tough teams (and took the Cavs to OT) without Chris Bosh, who's out at least one more game.
14	Chicago (13)	31-28	Pace: 95.9 (10), Off: 100.0 (27), Def: 101.2 (6) Struggling to score, the Bulls dropped road games to the Wizards and Pacers this week. Now they face a tough nine-game stretch, with eight of the nine against teams with winning records. And they may be missing Joakim Noah (plantar fasciitis) for the first few.
15	Milwaukee (18)	30-29	Pace: 94.9 (15), Off: 101.5 (23), Def: 101.4 (7) The Bucks rank 29th in the league in field-goal percentage and weren't exactly scorching the nets (44 percent) in February, but a 10-4 month has them threatening to move all the way up to fifth in the East. Up next is a home-and-home with the Wizards.
16	New Orleans (15)	31-29	Pace: 94.7 (17), Off: 104.6 (13), Def: 105.6 (19) Darren Collison is averaging 21.3 points and nine rebounds in his latest 14-game stint as a starter. Though he's not doing it quite as efficiently, those numbers are near Chris Paul's level. This week is huge for the Hornets, as they face the Spurs twice.
17	Memphis (16)	30-29	Pace: 95.5 (12), Off: 105.0 (12), Def: 107.1 (23) It would have been a great week for the Grizzlies if not for Kobe Bryant's game-winner and a flurry of late threes from the Bobcats. They've won four straight on the road, but have dropped six straight at home, where they play six of their next nine.
18	Charlotte (19)	28-29	Pace: 93.0 (27), Off: 101.2 (25), Def: 100.8 (5) The Bobcats salvaged their four-game trip with a win in Memphis on Friday and they're back in eighth place. They play the Mavs, Celtics and Lakers in the span of five days this week, but after that, their schedule gets easier: 11 of 15 against losing teams.
19	Miami (17)	29-31	Pace: 92.6 (28), Off: 103.4 (19), Def: 101.6 (9) Dwyane Wade has returned, but he wasn't able to help his team from falling into ninth place. The Heat have shot 41 percent as they've lost four straight. They play nine of their next 10 at home, but that includes visits from the Lakers and Hawks this week.
20	Houston (20)	29-29	Pace: 96.1 (7), Off: 103.7 (17), Def: 104.7 (17) The Rockets have been relatively healthy all season, but without Trevor Ariza and Shane Battier, they had their worst defensive game of the year in Utah. Their playoff chances are slipping away, but they have a favorable schedule over the next two weeks.
	TEAM (LAST WEEK)	REC.	BREAKDOWN
21	Washington (22)	21-36	Pace: 94.7 (18), Off: 102.5 (22), Def: 106.5 (22) The Wizards' offense has come alive (107.3 rating) since they traded their stars away. Andray Blatche has averaged 26.6 points and 11.7 rebounds in the seven games since the All-Star break. He also dished out a career-high six assists on Friday.
22	Philadelphia (21)	22-36	Pace: 94.1 (21), Off: 102.9 (20), Def: 105.8 (20) Since their five-game winning streak before the break, the Sixers have gone 2-5, struggling to score (98.7 offensive rating). For the record, their offense was down (102.1 rating) in the 25 games in which Allen Iverson played, but so was their defense (104.7).
23	L.A. Clippers (24)	24-35	Pace: 94.6 (19), Off: 101.2 (24), Def: 105.3 (18) Travis Outlaw holds the distinction of being the only Clipper with a positive +/- this season (he's a plus-13 in 80 minutes). Outlaw has averaged 10.8 points on 45 percent shooting in his four games in L.A. The Clips play their next five against top 10 teams.
24	Indiana (23)	20-39	Pace: 100.1 (2), Off: 99.5 (28), Def: 103.9 (14) Think the Pacers don't miss Jeff Foster? They've outrebounded their opponent just twice in their last 20 games. There isn't a four-game trip much tougher than the one they're about embark on. They visit the Lakers, Blazers, Nuggets and Suns this week.
25	Golden State (26)	17-41	Pace: 102.8 (1), Off: 103.6 (18), Def: 107.4 (25) Update: The Warriors are still the worst rebounding team of the last 20 years, grabbing just 45.3 percent of available boards. They've played four games without Monta Ellis over the last few weeks, but have won three of them.
26	Detroit (25)	21-38	Pace: 91.2 (29), Off: 100.4 (26), Def: 106.2 (21) On Wednesday, Ben Gordon was held scoreless for the first time in his career when playing at least 15 minutes. On Saturday, the Pistons became the third team the Warriors have held to under 90 points this season. The other two? The Nets and the Nets.
27	Sacramento (29)	20-39	Pace: 97.2 (6), Off: 102.8 (21), Def: 107.3 (24) About 15 hours before the Nets shocked the Celtics in Boston, the Kings' defense pulled off an equally stunning upset by holding the Jazz to just 41 percent shooting. It hasn't been consistent, but Sacramento is showing signs of improvement on that end.
28	New York (27)	20-38	Pace: 96.1 (8), Off: 103.9 (15), Def: 107.4 (26) When the Knicks had a 12-6 stretch in December, they were playing at a slower pace (93.7 possessions per 48). But they're back playing fast again and the results have not been good. The only team they've beat in the last 33 days has been the Wizards.
29	Minnesota (28)	14-47	Pace: 98.2 (3), Off: 98.4 (29), Def: 107.6 (27) The Wolves got road win No. 5 when they out-uglied the Wade-less Heat in Miami on Tuesday. But why is Kevin Love averaging fewer than 30 minutes per game this season, just 26.8 in February? Is Kurt Rambis saving him for the 2012 playoffs?
30	New Jersey (30)	6-53	Pace: 93.8 (24), Off: 96.1 (30), Def: 107.7 (28) The Celtics drew plenty of criticism for Saturday's result, but the Nets deserve credit for 48 minutes of effort on a Saturday afternoon late in what has been a lost season. Unfortunately, their sixth attempt at a winning streak had the same result as the first five.

Ilgauskas situation something the NBA should fix

Will anyone be shocked to see Zydrunas Ilgauskas (right) back in Cleveland?

Seven questions for the next seven days:

Long time no Z?

There will be so many significant things to sort out on the road to a labor deal between the owners and players. But one has to hope that when the new collective bargaining agreement is finally hammered out, there will be a patch to cover the huge loophole that will allow free agent Zydrunas Ilgauskas to likely return to the Cleveland Cavaliers later this month.

Everyone knows, of course, that Ilgauskas was sent to the Washington Wizards as part of the deal that brought Antawn Jamison to Cleveland. Everyone also knows that any rule permitting Ilgauskas to simply get a buyout from the Washington Wizards and return to the Cavs for the playoffs is wrong.

To quote Woody Allen in Bananas: "It's a travesty of a mockery of a sham of a mockery of a travesty of two mockeries of a sham."

In fact, it is nothing but bananas to think that any team should be able get away with such a blatant circumvention of the salary cap.

Lakers coach Phil Jackson has called it a charade and a sham. When asked his opinion, San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, smiled and said, "Me just coach," and then rubbed his thumb and forefinger together as a reminder that previous criticisms of league policy have cost him money.

Sure, Denver, Atlanta, Dallas and Utah, among others, made overtures to Ilgauskas. But it has appeared all along that he is on his way back to Cleveland. The league, to protect its integrity, needs to patch that hole.

Would you like milk with those cupcakes?

The Dallas Mavericks are already riding a seven-game winning streak with the addition of newcomers Caron Butler and Brendan Haywood. Now they have a prime chance to overtake Denver for the No. 2 seed (and home-court in a possible second-round playoff series) or even the Lakers' hold on No. 1.

The opportunity comes courtesy of an extended tour through Cupcake City over the next three weeks. Beginning tonight in Charlotte, the Mavs will play six of their next eight games against teams with records below .500. The combined opponents' record in that span is 118-233 (.336).

A comeback or a setback?

Well, all the feel-good talk around Tracy McGrady in New York certainly went up in smoke now that he's back on the bench with an aching knee.

After McGrady played just 15 minutes, shot 0-for-3 and sat out the second half of Saturday night's loss to the Grizzlies, the New York Post said it's a good thing the Knicks aren't in the playoff race or the McGrady experiment would be a disaster.

Let's see ... he mostly limped through 47 cameo minutes in six appearances in December with Houston. Then, he proclaimed that earned him about 35 minutes a night of playing time for coach Rick Adelman.

Anybody still wondering why the Rockets decided it was time to finally call an end to the T-Mac Era?

Is this the last roundup?

How many more weeks will people give them before they start to comprehend that the Spurs are not going to suddenly find an "on" switch?

Coach Gregg Popovich has tried more lineups than he has fingers and toes and nothing has worked to give the offense a spark or the defense the old tenacity and character that carried the Spurs to four championships.

Never mind Sunday's win over Phoenix. It's one step up and two steps back in San Antonio these days.

The question isn't how deep they'll go into the playoffs, but how will the Spurs get themselves out of the $15 million entanglement with Richard Jefferson for next season?

Why would the Bucks stop here?

When does everyone start to appreciate the under-the-radar job done by general manager John Hammond and coach Scott Skiles that has turned the Milwaukee Bucks into a below-the-radar success story?

It was all about Brandon Jennings' 55 points early in the season. Now, it's about Andrew Bogut and John Salmons and a lineup that has seven different players averaging double figures en route to six wins in seven games and a possible playoff spot.

On the road again? And again?

Just when LeBron James and the Cavs have stumbled a bit and it looks like Kobe Bryant and his friends can make a run at the league's best record, up comes March. The Lakers play 11 of their 15 games this month on the road.

The traveling begins with a three-game road trip week that takes the Lakers from Miami to Charlotte and then to Orlando for Sunday's NBA Finals rematch, Part II. The Lakers won the first meeting this season 98-92 on Jan. 18.

Is it hot in here?

Everything is relative. So when you're the New Jersey Nets, two wins in seven games might feel like you're the 1971-72 Lakers during their 33-game win streak.

After their win in Boston on Saturday, the Nets' 6-53 record is actually ahead of the pace for all-time ineptitude. The 1972-73 Sixers were only 4-55 at this point on their way to 9-73.

But the Nets have a tough week ahead with home games against Cleveland and Orlando prior to the start of a five-game road trip.