ESPNNBA

• Stephen Colbert to David Stern: "I might want to pat down your groin before this interview is over." Stern's response: "I was hoping you'd say so."
• What's not working for the Heat.
• The Bobcats and Timberwolves obsessed over how they lined up for a key crunch time jump ball, and it paid off the 'Wolves.
• "He used to eat my M&Ms." A fan says Rasheed Wallace is her favorite Blazer ever, in a video that's 20 minutes of Blazer benchwarmer Patty Mills wandering the streets, largely in costume, talking to Portlanders.
• Jrue Holiday demonstrates exactly what a "hot and cold" season looks like.
• The Suns made 22 3-pointers, causing the Lakers to shrug off a loss to a strangely hot team. But an intrepid reporter examines all those 3-pointers, and finds plenty of defensive lapses.
• Carlos Delfino has played with post-concussion symptoms, but will now sit. The word comes from his official website, not the team.
• By the sounds of things, Scott Raab wins the award for "person writing the angriest book about LeBron James."
• Watch how much trouble Roy Hibbert has guarding Brad Miller. The amazing thing about this video, to me, is Brad Miller demonstrating how slowly one can move, while still doing a lot of damage on the dribble from the perimeter all the way to the hoop.
• John Hollinger (Insider): "After absorbing a series of savage beatings to begin the season, Minnesota is on a hot streak that's boosted the Wolves all the way up to 29th in the Power Rankings. That's more impressive than it sounds -- five games ago, they were so far behind the other 29 teams that I was going to have to rank them behind a few Big Ten squads."
• Some things you didn't know about Steve Blake: Ketchup is as exotic as he gets in the food world, he used to be good at roller hockey, he has a secret tattoo, and the movie "Top Gun" made a huge impression on him.
• I love this Ronnie Price block.
• Tayshaun Prince and John Kuester getting in each other's face a little bit.
• Could the Miami Heat use Michael Beasley?
• Did Tyrus Thomas travel? Upon close examination ... yes he did.
• Charlie Villanueva's stats are not bad.
• Royce Young of Daily Thunder: "Jeff Green hasn’t played well enough to keep that starting spot. ... the question is just unavoidable now. Oklahoma City is 3-0 with [Serge] Ibaka starting and after his career-high 22 points to go with 11 rebounds and four blocks against the Jazz Monday night, Ibaka has forced his way into the discussion. I mean, with that jumpshot, those athletic abilities and that size, Ibaka is nearly a perfect, prototypical starting power forward. Which is what we all want, right? Plus, he’s not even begun to scratch what he can be. So who should start the remaining 72 games? Jeff Green or Serge Ibaka?"
• Allen Iverson talks about life in Turkey, where he just lost his first game after scoring 15 points.

Remember that draft? It was actually pretty fun. In the days leading up to it, nobody knew who'd go first. There was some sentiment for LaMarcus Aldridge, who had length and skill but couldn't bench press much. Tyrus Thomas -- an incredible athlete -- earned some consideration. But in the end, a relatively unknown young Andrea Bargnani was the top pick.

As that crew enters its fifth season, it's time for the 2006 draft class to stop trading on potential. These players are squarely in their primes, and some things are coming into focus:

• Neither Aldridge, Bargnani nor Thomas should have been the top pick.
• Based on production thus far, the seven best have been Rajon Rondo, Brandon Roy (although his production is way down), Rudy Gay, Aldridge, Bargnani, Tyrus Thomas (his 23.2 PER this season is 15th in the NBA) and Paul Millsap (who leads the class with a 24.9 PER).
• That was a terrible draft.

The lottery included Adam Morrison, Patrick O'Bryant, and Saer Sene who have already been sent packing. The first round also included Cedric Simmons, Shawne Williams, Oleksiy Pecherov, Quincy Douby, Josh Boone, Sergio Rodriguez, Mardy Collins and Joel Freeland -- none of whom has played a game in the NBA this season, nor are expected to anytime soon.

And if you're looking for middle-of-the-road players, there aren't even many of them. After the seven "stars" listed above, the only first-rounders with current PERs over 13 (15 is average) are Ronnie Brewer, Shannon Brown, and Jordan Farmar.

Williams, Randy Foye, J.J. Redick, Hilton Armstrong, Thabo Sefolosha, Rodney Carney, Marcus Williams, Maurice Ager and, especially, Kyle Lowry have been playing this season but not producing anything much that shows up in PER.

First-round pick Renaldo Balkman, it should be noted, has a current PER in negative numbers.

The second-round wasn't much better. Feast your eyes on the entire draft board. But for the occasional Millsap or Boobie Gibson, it's all James White and Damir Markota. Not pretty.

Usually the media trashes the front offices who pick badly. In 2006, maybe it's simpler just to give everybody a pass, and praise those very few teams -- the Celtics and Jazz, for instance -- who found real players.

• Brad Rock of the Deseret News: "When 19th Century German author Christian Morgenstern wrote 'Home is not where you live, but where they understand you,' he clearly didn't have the Utah Jazz in mind. Here in Salt Lake, nobody understands the Jazz. They're as enigmatic as cold fusion. Hence, the Jazz are in the midst of one of the wackiest starts in franchise history. Has there ever been an early season with so much drama? So far, here are the early returns: talent and heart, but a propensity for easing up on the gas just when they're picking up speed. Monday night at ESA, the Jazz led by 12, trailed by 13 and lost by seven (115-108). If they proved anything in last week's four-game road sweep, it was that they need to take care of their own place first. Miraculous comebacks and road wins are nice, but they're also just icing. Home is where you bake the cake. All those good years in the 1990s, the Jazz were a monster in the market. 'That's, in the coaching business, what you look at the most, see ... hope it doesn't fall apart,' said coach Jerry Sloan, when asked about defending the home court. 'If guys stay together and work at it, we'll be all right.' "
• Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman: "So much has been so bad for the Oklahoma City Thunder that the last thing this team needed Monday night was a tough start. But the Thunder found itself in a nightmarish start when Utah point guard Deron Williams promptly splashed his first three 3-point attempts through the net, opening a nine-point lead less than three minutes into the game. And with the way OKC has underachieved all season defensively and sputtered at times offensively, there was little to suggest the Thunder could dig itself out of a hole in one of the NBA's toughest buildings. After securing a hard-fought 115-108 victory over the Jazz, however, the Thunder showed there is at least one characteristic from last year's lovable 50-win team that has indeed spilled over into this season of inconsistency. Pride."
• Jeff Caplan of ESPNDallas.com: "Is it possible that the Dallas Mavericks actually enjoy playing defense, and even find themselves challenging one another to rise up when games get down and dirty in crunch time? 'I think it would be better to ask the players that question because we identify defense as the No. 1 variable to us being a true contending team,' Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said. 'If the answer is yes, then we're making some real progress. If the answer is something else, then we've got to take a hard look at where we're at.' 'But,' Carlisle continued, 'I think our guys realize that hard, consistent defense and staying with a system is the most important part of our success and it's the most important part of continuing the success that we're having.' Monday night was another example that the answer just might be a resounding, 'Yes.' The Mavs trailed the previously unbeaten New Orleans Hornets by 10 points with 7:44 left in the game. From that point, Dallas' defense, which entered the game ranked third in the league in points per possession, allowed eight points on 3-of-16 shooting and turned stops into a 3-point barrage at the other end to pull out a dramatic 98-95 victory."
• Kevin Spain of The Times-Picayune: "The adage, attributable to NFL Hall of Fame coach John Madden, is that winning is the best deodorant. So Hugh Weber should smell pretty good right about now. The New Orleans Hornets were 8-0 entering Monday’s game against the Mavericks in Dallas, the best start in franchise history, a start engineered by first-year General Manager Dell Demps and first-year coach Monty Williams. And, rightfully, accolades have been showered on the two rookies. But neither likely would have a job in New Orleans if it wasn’t for Weber, the Hornets’ president and the link between what appeared to be a too-long search for a head coach, and a too-quick pick for a general manager. Weber adamantly maintained he was looking for the right fit in each case. We couldn’t blame him now if he decided to issue an 'I told you so' or 50. Wisely, though, he won’t. 'The objective of building a culture can’t be evaluated in seven games, 10 games, 20 games,' he said. 'We haven’t seen how this team performs with higher expectations, we haven’t seen how this team performs under different types of challenges. But I will tell you that the mindset of Monty and Dell and the character that they bring and the preparation they bring, that puts you in step to be able to deal with those things. I don’t want the person who’s got all the answers. I want the team of people who knows how to find them, because we don’t know what the questions are yet.' "
• Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press: "It remains to be seen how this season will play out for the Pistons. But after the fireworks of Monday night, it’s safe to say it won’t be boring. After a first half that featured a confrontation between Pistons coach John Kuester and Tayshaun Prince and a whopping deficit of 32 points, the Pistons (4-7) forged a furious second-half rally only to fall, 101-97, to the Golden State Warriors. The Pistons will come home to face the Lakers on Wednesday night after a 2-2 West Coast trip, but fans will probably show up at the Palace to see if they can catch another dramatic episode. Monday’s drama started with what Prince said was a disagreement over how to defend the Warriors, who were carving up the Pistons. Prince’s man scored three consecutive baskets as the Warriors upped their lead to 25 points. Kuester called time-out at the 4:27 mark, and Prince barked at Kuester as he walked to the bench. Kuester started yelling back and the two kept exchanging words. As Kuester was drawing up a play, Prince slammed a towel on the Oracle Arena floor. Kuester stood up and walked toward Prince, then assistant coach Darryl Walker got between the pair. At the end of the time-out, Kuester walked toward Prince again, yelling at him, but Prince, a towel wrapped around his shoulders, just waved off his coach. The Pistons trailed, 65-42, at the half."
• Howard Beck of The New York Times: "The clamoring for a talent infusion may only grow louder, with all signs pointing to Carmelo Anthony, a three-time All-Star who badly wants to join his good friend Amar'e Stoudemire in New York. The Broadway pairing sounds attractive. But Anthony may not solve the Knicks’ problems and in fact -- given his salary demands and style of play -- could even prolong them. Anthony is an elite scorer but a below-average playmaker and a mostly indifferent defender. He can provide 25 points a night and a go-to option in the final minutes of a tight game, but he would not give the Knicks what they need most: a player who elevates everyone around him. To get that player, the Knicks will have to wait for another antsy superstar to hit the trade market: Chris Paul. 'They need a lot of pieces,' said an Eastern Conference scout, who did not want to be named while evaluating a rival team. 'A point guard would be the first thing that I would look for.' ... 'Carmelo needs the ball in his hand all the time to be a factor,' the scout said, concluding, 'Carmelo is not the immediate answer.' It also bears noting that Anthony did not win a playoff series until 2009, after Denver acquired a great point guard (Chauncey Billups) to lead the offense. The Knicks need outside shooters and improvement at shooting guard and center, but they need a playmaker most of all. They would be better off with a short-term rental of Steve Nash (if the Phoenix Suns make him available) until they can chase Paul or Deron Williams. But it is Anthony who is available now, and it is Anthony who will stand in the Knicks’ path Tuesday night, bringing equal measures of intrigue and angst."
• Lisa Dillman of the Los Angeles Times: "The University of Clippers suffered a major blow to their NCAA chances on Monday night. (Well, there always is strength of schedule.) Kidding aside, when you present a starting lineup consisting of five players all still possessing NCAA eligibility, it's always going to hold an element of peril and high risk. The Clippers' starters were two 20-year-olds (Eric Bledsoe and Al-Farouq Aminu) two 21-year-olds (Blake Griffin and Eric Gordon) and one 'veteran,' 22-year-old DeAndre Jordan. So this team might look terrific in March in the NCAA tournament, but this is, for better or worse, the NBA in the opening month. And the Clippers (1-10) are off to their worst start in 12 seasons, bringing back bad memories of the 0-17 opening in that lockout-shortened campaign of 1998-99. Loss No. 10 didn't exactly come against an NBA heavyweight, as the Nets defeated the Clippers, 110-96, at Staples Center, lulling them into a slumber in the first half and rolling over them with a Brook Lopez onslaught in the second."
• Charles F. Gardner of the Journal Sentinel: "Luc Richard Mbah a Moute knows what he's up against Tuesday night. Just call it Kobe duty. It could be the toughest task facing an NBA player, trying to control Los Angeles Lakers all-star Kobe Bryant. But it's a challenge the Milwaukee Bucks third-year forward relishes as the Lakers make their only Bradley Center visit of the season. 'He's the best at what he does,' said the 6-foot-8 Mbah a Moute. 'I feel every team has a player like that who can score the ball. 'But Kobe does a lot of other things. He's got a motor and he gets his teammates involved even when he's not scoring. We've just got to do it as a team. He has the ability to turn it on whenever he wants to. You've got to come out and make it tough on him no matter what. Sometimes it feels like he can go 0 for 10 in the first half and 15 for 20 in the second half. Mbah a Moute and Bucks shooting guard John Salmons will be the primary defenders against Bryant, the NBA Finals most valuable player each of the past two seasons. 'You've just got to know coming in that he's going to get touches and he's going to make tough shots,' Salmons said."
• Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon-Journal: "Desperate to find a way to cure their second-half collapses, the Cavaliers have considered everything from dancers to Hollywood movie characters. The past few nights, the second half of games have played out like a horror script. One assistant coach half-jokingly recommended treating the start of the third quarter like the start of the game, complete with music, handshakes, dancing cheerleaders and a fire-breathing scoreboard. Coach Byron Scott on Monday channeled Norman Dale, the Gene Hackman character in the movie 'Hoosiers'. Scott demanded the players make four to five passes during practice before attempting a shot -- just like the legendary coach in the movie -- to get the players in the habit of creating good ball movement, making hard screens and learning proper spacing. Those have all been areas of concern that continually seem to break down in the second half lately. The Cavaliers drag a four-game home losing streak into Tuesday's game against the Philadelphia 76ers (2-8). They have been outscored in the third quarter of all but one game this season and those offensive problems have lingered into the fourth quarter of each of the past two games. 'Somehow we have to trick ourselves into thinking we're down 15 to 20 points [at halftime],' Scott said. 'We have to come out with that type of attitude. We all know we can't come out and play the way we've been playing in the third quarter, and the last two games, the entire second half.' "
• Ronald Tillery of The Commercial-Appeal: "It is what it is. Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins realizes his team's early schedule is difficult to say the least. But Hollins is asking the Griz to not dwell on the degree of difficulty. 'You've got to survive,' he said, alluding to his desire for the Griz to hover around 500 this month. The Orlando Magic presented Memphis with its ninth opponent in 11 games with a record .500 or better. The Grizzlies' seven losses have come against teams with a combined 40-18 record. Portland enters FedExForum tonight as the fifth straight Memphis opponent that has the distinction of reaching the playoffs last season."
• Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee: "After scoring 20 points with 11 rebounds Friday in Phoenix, Carl Landry had 19 points and eight rebounds against Detroit on Sunday. Perfect, no, but even he noted that he's closer to having his confidence and feel on the court back after a slow start in training camp. Still, he's not satisfied. He may be finishing stronger around the basket and is quicker off the floor, but he said he would like to drop three or four pounds and wants to continue to improve his overall game. 'I wouldn't say I'm all the way there yet,' Landry said. 'I'm not 100 percent, but I'm still working every day.' Landry said the last time his confidence peaked was after he was traded to the Kings in February. As the key player in the deal that sent Kevin Martin to Houston, Landry flourished. After averaging 16.1 points and 5.5 rebounds as a reserve for Houston, Landry averaged 18 points and 6.5 rebounds in 28 games with the Kings. 'I was playing at a high level,' Landry said. 'I've just got to get it back. It takes repetition. It takes watching film. It takes practices. It takes playing with your teammates.' "
• John Canzano of The Oregonian: "I'm concerned that the Blazers gave Brandon Roy a max contract without looking at an MRI of his knees. They looked, right? Please tell me they did. This is a major concern for an organization that feels like it's guessing right now. This doesn't feel like a training staff issue. It feels like a management issue. Roy won't play tomorrow at Memphis, and his long-term prognosis feels iffy. I think GM Rich Cho has to seriously think about life without Roy, and start thinking about how the organization might use the expiring contracts of Andre Miller and Joel Przybilla to keep the Blazers from falling too far behind the rest of the Western Conference."
• Mike Ganter of the Toronto Sun: "A day and night off in South Beach. Endless possibilities right? The Dolphins were in town. Miami’s famed nightlife was there to be enjoyed. So what did Jarrett Jack do? The Raptors point guard went to a 2-year-old’s birthday party. Of course this particular 2-year girl happens to have Chris Bosh for a father, but come on Jarrett, days off in the middle of the schedule in South Beach don’t come down the pike every day. Jack made it very clear he had no regrets with his decision. 'It was cool,' Jack said. 'I hadn’t been to a children’s birthday party in a very long time. I know with Chris’ schedule, him being gone so much, it was really special for him to be able to spend it with his daughter.' ... The party was held at the children’s museum across the street from American Airlines Arena, but Jack got invited back to Casa-de-Bosh afterwards. 'It’s amazing,' Jack said of Bosh’s new home. 'Very nice. It’s unbelievable, man. It’s modern, but it’s not George Jetson.' "
• Mike Monroe of the San Antonio Express-News: "According to the NBA, Matt Bonner on Sunday became just the third non-starter in league history to be perfect on at least seven 3-pointers in a game, a slice of basketball trivia entirely appropriate for a self-described New Hampshire nerd. Of course, the backup center-forward said the submarine sandwich he consumed before Sunday’s game deserved much of the credit for his success. 'Just mayo, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, American cheese, a good old-fashioned sandwich,' he said. Bonner was unaware he was one 3-point hit shy of Steve Smith’s club record for consecutive 3-ball hits. 'I didn’t know that,' he said. 'I definitely would have jacked more shots up.' Sam Perkins made all eight 3-pointers he attempted for Seattle on Jan. 15, 1997, and the Hornets’ Bobby Jackson went 7 for 7 on threes on Jan. 11, 2008."
• Frank Fitzpatrick of The Philadelphia Inquirer: "In eight days, when a four-ton wrecking ball begins to pummel it like a Broad Street Bully, the Spectrum, a landmark arena that launched a sporting renaissance in Philadelphia, will crumble into oblivion after months of pre-demolition ballyhoo but almost no opposition. Its impending demise points out something contradictory about this sports-mad city: No matter how rich their history, Philadelphia venues such as Convention Hall, Connie Mack Stadium, Municipal Stadium, the old Arena, and now the Spectrum seem to be expendable in a way that more historically authentic or architecturally appealing structures often are not. While threats to old and ornate buildings or to prized works of art (remember the battles that kept Thomas Eakins' The Gross Clinic and Maxfield Parrish's Dream Garden in Philadelphia?) frequently ignite fruitful outrage, the disappearances of these urban sports palaces rarely has. Why? 'I'm not quite sure,' said Scott Doyle, director of grants and state historical markers for the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. 'But there has been no concerted efforts that we're aware of to preserve the Spectrum. And there weren't any when Municipal/JFK Stadium came down, either.' "

• Why did Kobe Bryant shoot two 3s so quickly in the final minute? Probably because he was playing for an extra possession, as the clock approached 24 seconds left in the game.
• Plus/minus is imperfect, and lacking in some ways. One of the things it has been lacking, I realize now, is a chart loaded to the gills with crazy facial expressions.
• Derrick Rose is magical in his ability to avoid defenders. But if he avoided them a little less, especially in the lane, wouldn't he get to the line more?
• The Mavericks may offer some insight in how to defend Rajon Rondo. They went crazy chasing Celtic shooters -- his passes are less deadly when the guy on the receiving end is covered. They also switched a ton on the perimeter -- if you want Rondo to shoot, who cares who's guarding him out there? In the paint, however, it was a total team effort, with almost everyone collapsing. That lets him pass it back to Kevin Garnett at the elbow, but that's not the worst thing in the world.
• A nice little chart comparing the average age of NBA rosters and the average age of who actually gets the minutes. For instance, the Cavaliers' average age is pretty young, somewhere below 27. But the average age of who actually plays (weighted by minutes) is older than 28.
• John Hollinger says Monty Williams is the coach of the year so far, because New Orleans was the NBA's 22nd ranked defense a year ago, and now they're first.
• Kyle Singler, Duke star, indulges his inner eighth grader with a video camera.
• Dirk Nowitzki, Mavericks star, indulges his inner eight grader with a still camera.
• And they say Kobe Bryant doesn't like to pass. He likes passing so much, he found a way to pass to himself! In all seriousness, it's beautifully executed, and he was wide open in the lane ...
• Serge Ibaka is so jumpy.
• Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic quoting Alvin Gentry: "We're just so (inappropriate term) small but we fight. We tried everything we could to get Pau moved out. That guy's so (inappropriate term) long and he's a lot stronger than anybody thinks he is. We don't have that real physical guy that can be physical with him."
• Does the Suns' fast pace really make opponents run their own offenses more quickly? It sure looks like it on this video.
• Some tough talk from Kobe Bryant about the collective bargaining agreement.
• Jeopardy's big loser: Tim Duncan.
• Who's the better Raptors point guard. Jose Calderon or Jarrett Jack?
• Rashard Lewis has been a bad offensive player this season.
• Recently retired NBA journeyman point guard Kevin Ollie has an optical mishap with of one of those stretching bands.
• Jacob Mustafa of Rockets blog Red94: "Of all of the terrible things that can be said about the 2010-11 Houston Rockets, no one can ever say that they are the New York Knicks. And for that, we should all be very, very grateful."

There’s a certain power forward for a talented team who has heard some of the worst criticism any NBA player ever hears. They say he's too soft. They say he doesn't like contact. They say he's only good on offense. Most brutal one of all, they say he's the kind of guy who will never win a championship.

Of course you know who I'm talking about. Yep, it’s ... Pau Gasol!

Did you think I was talking about Chris Bosh? In a way, I was. But first let's recall the story of Gasol.

I vividly remember, during the 2008 playoffs, when the new Laker was being savaged in this way.

I defended him vigorously. I discussed how much pushing and shoving exists in international play and the Euroleague, and said that no player of Gasol's pedigree would be overwhelmed by what they found in the NBA playoffs. I mentioned how he had been a target for his team -- and the opposing defenders -- for a decade plus, and yet had always been amazingly productive. I thought the "haters" were dead wrong.

I picked the Lakers to beat Boston in six games in 2008 largely because I believed in Gasol.

Then, as we all saw, he got his butt kicked up and down the court. There is no other way to see it. Boston pounded him into a player I didn’t recognize. In the Finals, he was soft. Period.

But let's not forget what happened next. Gasol responded like a champion. He made himself into an even better player than he was before, and won a ring the next year, having developed the toughness he lacked just a year earlier.

Then, he got better still, and helped lead his team to that memorable Game 7 in Los Angeles last June.

The box score from that game shows Boston's entire team -- famous for its toughness -- grabbed eight offensive rebounds. And “Euro-soft,” shaggy, skinny Pau Gasol had nine all by himself. Gasol had more offensive rebounds in the first quarter than super tough Kevin Garnett had in total rebounds for the game. Gasol's productivity was remarkable. He finished the biggest game of his career with 19 points, 18 rebounds, four assists, two blocks and just one turnover.

The day after the Lakers lost Game 6 in 2008, who thought Gasol would be a two-time champion, and quite possibly, the best power forward in the world, just a couple of years later? His failure in 2008 created a monster that just keeps getting scarier.

Titles are won in June. And the journey there often shapes the characters involved.

The Chris Bosh we see today will not be the one we see in the spring.

Could he melt under the pressure? Sure.

But I do not expect that to happen. Instead, like Gasol, I think failure today -- that is, failing to commit a hard foul, failing to outfight an opponent for a loose ball, failure to bang an opponent out of an advantageous rebounding position, failure to take a charge in a tight game, and failure simply to be tougher than he is now -- will be nothing but fuel for tomorrow. And a reminder of just how much failing on a big stage can be humiliating.

Pain can be a great motivator, and without doubt, Bosh feels pain now and will feel more later. He’s adjusting to far more than a new coach, new teammates, new system, new lifestyle and new daily routines. He’s the third best player on a team almost certainly for the first time in his life. New, however, never lasts. It becomes old, and comfortable, in time. He only has to look out West to gain insight into his challenge, because Gasol faced so many similar challenges.

So for all of you who think Chris Bosh today is just like Pau Gasol was then, too soft to help his team win a ring, I keep thinking one thing: the Heat should be so lucky.

• Gordon Monson of The Salt Lake Tribune: "OK, knock those wacky grins off your faces. This is getting stupid now, and you all darn well know it. This whole uncharted Jazz-winning-five-straight-games thing -- the last four coming on the road -- after trailing in each by more than 1,000 points. Yeah, so that’s a lie. But it doesn’t feel like one. The Jazz have consecutively charged back from deficits of 18, 22, 18, 11, and 19. And, in the process, they’ve done something even more remarkable. The Jazz have come back from a dark, cold place in the NBA called … Nobody Gives a Crap. They were simply idling in near-anonymity, nothing more than another Chicago or Milwaukee or Houston or Phoenix or Portland or Oklahoma City or Denver or any other team that is OK to good but that has no overwhelming quality or characteristic about them to make them anything beyond weak sisters to the Lakers. Suddenly, the Jazz have what even Kobe’s team doesn’t: A weeklong string of regular-season miracles. These comebacks are not miracles, technically, at least not as front-line definitions go."
• Paul Coro of The Arizona Republic: "Suns Hall of Fame announcer Al McCoy has never uttered 'Shazam!' as much as he did Sunday night at Staples Center. The Suns made beating the world-champion Los Angeles Lakers a side achievement Sunday by setting a franchise record with 22 3-pointers in a 121-116 road victory. Phoenix sank 22 of 40 3-points, also breaking the Lakers' opponent record and coming within one of Orlando's NBA record of 23 3-pointers in a game. The Suns' previous record was 20, set in April 2006 against New Orleans/Oklahoma City and January 2008 against Denver. Phoenix needed them all, especially Hedo Turkoglu's fifth 3-pointer that gave Phoenix a 115-109 lead with 34.7 seconds to go, sending the Suns to their fourth win in five games to make them 5-4 this season. 'We really talked about trying to amp up the tempo a little bit, to play a little faster and see if we could get in the open court,' Suns coach Alvin Gentry said. The Lakers, who started the season 8-0, suffered their second consecutive loss with guard Jason Richardson leading the 3-point brigade with seven makes on 10 tries. Richardson scored a team-high 35 points, still second this season to his 38-point game against Memphis. 'I was feeling it,' Richardson said. 'It was one of those nights you have sometimes where you feel like every shot you have is going in.' "
• Mark Heisler of the Los Angeles Times: "You say you want a devolution … Suggesting the West isn't what it was, the Lakers and Suns, last spring's conference finalists, met with less fanfare Sunday night. Actually, there was no fanfare at all. No talk of payback for last spring's 4-2 Lakers victory. No talk of a Western Conference finals preview. Also, no Amare Stoudemire, who doesn't play for Phoenix anymore. So if Steve Nash, Jason Richardson and vaguely familiar people showed up wearing Phoenix uniforms, it looked like the end of the Suns' world as they've known it. Of course, whoever they were, they put on a fireworks show that broke even the Suns' team record, making 22 three-point shots in a 121-116 victory over the Lakers. That made two losses in a row after the Lakers' 8-0 start, suggesting their midseason ennui has kicked in early. Remember when they ruled the West? After three No. 1 finishes, they're going to have to come from behind this season. Well, not too far behind yet, but they're now No. 3 behind 8-0 New Orleans and 8-1 San Antonio. Even that is a novelty. Two seasons ago, the Lakers led wire-to-wire after starting 21-3."
• Mike Monroe of the San Antonio Express-News: "It was a historic night for the Spurs at Ford Center on Sunday, so it was fitting that it will be remembered for one of the greatest shooting performances in club history. Never in club history has a Spurs team opened a season better than this season’s version, which is off to an 8-1 start after extending its win streak to seven games with a 117-104 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder. Matt Bonner, off the injured list and playing just his third game of the season, was a perfect 7 for 7 on 3-point shots, one of only three Spurs who made at least as many shots as he missed. Only once, when Steve Smith made all eight 3-pointers against the Trail Blazers, on Nov. 3, 2001, has a Spur had a better night beyond the arc. .... Bonner said he was surprised how open he was all night, each shot seeming to be easier. 'I always think every one of them is going in, but this was just one of those nights when all of them did fall,' he said. 'You hit the first one, the second one, the third one, and then the hoop just keeps getting bigger and bigger.' "
• Jonathan Abrams of The New York Times: "The Knicks’ last winning season was a decade ago. New faces cycled in and out. Then at his signing this summer, Amar'e Stoudemire proclaimed, 'The Knicks are back.' They are back, but to the familiar state of losing. Houston, without two of its primary scorers, Yao Ming and Aaron Brooks, handed the Knicks their fifth straight loss. It is their longest stretch of losses since an eight-game streak last February, long before the roster makeover. The Knicks are 1-4 at home this season and 3-7 over all. They depart this week on a trip that will further test them, against Denver, Sacramento, Golden State and the Los Angeles Clippers. 'I don’t understand why we’re not playing with the urgency,' said Stoudemire, who scored a team-high 25 points. 'I’m not used to that. We’re not playing like we’re on a four-game losing streak, now five. We don’t have that sense of urgency. It’s almost as if it doesn’t matter.' After reporters had moved on, Stoudemire remained at his locker, gazing down. Both knees were wrapped in ice, and Stoudemire said he had been hit on his thigh twice."
• Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee: "Detroit Pistons center Ben Wallace didn't win Defensive Player of the Year four times in his career because he doesn't know a few tricks. That's something Kings rookie DeMarcus Cousins learned during the Kings' 100-94 loss to the Detroit Pistons on Sunday at Arco Arena. Wallace, who is in his 15th season, knows how to get away with 'a lot of holding,' Cousins said. ... Wallace offered Cousins some encouragement after the game, telling him to relax and have fun. 'The sky is the limit,' Wallace said. 'He has a lot of talent, and he is going to have every opportunity to be a star in this league. He just needs to keep working and not get frustrated.' Patience is key for a rookie, Wallace said. He noted that the game can be frustrating, but it is for most young players. 'The boys that can settle down, control their emotions and continue to approach the game with a positive attitude are the ones that usually take off the fastest,' Wallace said."
• Jeff Schultz of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: "The Hawks are 7-4. There are a couple of ways to look at that. One is that 7-4 really isn’t bad. The Miami Heat – they’d love to be 7-4. (Maybe they need to make a splash in free agency.) The other way to look at 7-4 is the Hawks could be better. They should be better. They followed an impressive six straight wins to open the season with four straight losses. That streak came to an end Sunday at Philips Arena with a sloppy 111-105 win over 3-8 Minnesota. Don’t celebrate too much. The Timberwolves are the equivalent of the gum under your shoe among NBA teams. ... If this continues, the issue of whether the Hawks can take the next step as currently built will linger. Do they need a tough guy on the front line? Do they trade popular Crawford, who’s in the final year of his contract? Do they explore dealing Smith (which seems rumored every other week)? At 7-4, it’s too early to draw conclusions. But it’s not to early to conclude that they should be better."
• Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald: "They are the widest and the thinnest players on the Celtics. They reside at different levels of the height spectrum, as well. Yet these opposites attract, and the combination is becoming even more attractive. Shaquille O’Neal and Rajon Rondo are a poster waiting to happen, the juxtaposition jumping from the photo. Or maybe they could star in one of those buddy movies about two detectives who see crime from different angles. On Saturday in Memphis in the 116-100 victory, O’Neal had five authoritative dunks among his 7-for-10, 18-point night. Rondo, the lightning to Shaq’s thunder, is always looking his way. Rondo and Goliath have found a groove. 'He’s definitely adding assists to my game, and that’s going to increase,' said Rondo. 'If his man’s off his body, all you’ve got to do is throw it toward the rim. He’s going to finish it.' O’Neal returns the salute, saying, 'All I have to do is work to get space and he’ll find me. I play my game and he gets me the ball.' 'Yeah, it goes both ways,' said Rondo. 'I love playing with him, and vice versa. I think he enjoys playing with me, as well.' It is a measure of Rondo’s burgeoning greatness that his locker was not surrounded with media after he delivered 17 assists (and 11 points) at FedExForum. Seventeen? Yawn."
• Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News: "If a show of hands was requested from those who had the New Orleans Hornets as the last remaining undefeated team in the NBA, all it would do is reveal who the fibbers are. Nobody had this, not even Tyson Chandler, who has good friends there from when he was a Hornet from 2006 to 2009. Like everybody else, the Mavericks' center is surprised and impressed that New Orleans comes to American Airlines Center at 8-0 tonight. He also figures it's up to him and his new teammates to introduce the visitors to their first loss of the season. 'Trust me, it's definitely on my mind and I made it known in the locker room that it would be huge for us,' Chandler said. 'They're the only undefeated team in the league and everybody's got to lose at some point, and it would be good for them to get that loss here.' The Mavericks will have two cracks to do it since they visit New Orleans on Wednesday. It's one of those rare scheduling quirks that teams don't like because it's hard to beat a team two games in a row. The Mavericks found that out against Denver during a home-and-home pair a couple of weeks ago."
• Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune: "Kevin Love apparently set a high standard for himself Friday when he produced the NBA's first 30-point, 30-rebound game since Moses Malone did it in 1982. On Saturday night, NBA TV whisked Love away to its Atlanta studios for an interview with Cheryl Miller and Dennis Scott as soon as the Wolves arrived from Minnesota. On Sunday, the Hawks paid extra attention to him and held him to 22 points and 17 rebounds while he played 40 minutes in consecutive games for the first time in his career. 'He never did that before?' forward Michael Beasley asked. 'I did that once or twice. It's very tiring. And I'm pretty sure he's going to play 40 minutes tomorrow [Monday in Charlotte]. He still had amazing numbers, 22 and 17. How many assists? [Zero.] Oh. ... He still had great numbers. Getting 31 and 31, that's just an out-of-body experience.' "
• Michael Lee of The Washington Post: "Gilbert Arenas, who made seven three-pointers and scored a season-high 30 points against the Bulls, spoke to John Wall in the locker room afterward to ask him what he had learned playing against Derrick Rose. Arenas said he talks with Wall after every game to make sure he is taking notes and making progress. Arenas said he could see Wall improving each game. When asked who was faster between Wall and Rose, Arenas said: 'John Wall's faster. But at that speed they're going, it really doesn't matter.' Wall said after the game that there is a simple explanation for why the Bulls have been successful. "Look at the point guard. You got a point guard that's that talented, he puts a lot of pressure on the defense. He can score, and he does a great job.' When told that the same description could work for the Wizards, Wall chuckled and hobbled out of the locker room. He understands his team has some room for improvement -- and needs to get healthy as well."
• Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press: "Rodney Stuckey had 17 points, seven assists and three rebounds to help the Pistons win their fourth in five games after starting 0-5. ... Stuckey gets knocked because he isn't considered a true point guard by the fans. And more eyebrows were raised earlier this season when he had to sit out a game as a disciplinary measure. But he has played well since, averaging nearly 18 points and six assists since he missed the Nov. 5 victory over Charlotte. 'I don't even think about it, to tell you the truth,' Stuckey said when asked about his play since his issues with coach John Kuester. 'That's the past. That (stuff's) over.' "
• Bob Finnan of The News-Herald: "Coach Byron Scott has been harping about J.J. Hickson's lack of rebounding. The other day at practice, he was asked how someone who jumps so high isn't a better rebounder. 'I was wondering the same thing,' Scott said. If Hickson paid as much attention to hitting the boards as he does scoring, he could be on the verge of an All-Star selection. But he doesn't, and until he does, he's going to have some problems with Scott. 'Rebounds are about desire and effort,' Scott said. 'Just go get it.' "
• Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Daily News: "Rookie Evan Turner has started the past four games. In his two starts with Andre Iguodala sidelined with an Achilles' injury, Turner averaged 14.5 points and shot 12-for-24 from the field. With Iguodala back the past two games, Turner has five points total and is 2-for-9 from the floor."
• Kate Fagan of The Philadelphia Inquirer: "Andre Iguodala has not formally requested a trade, and the Sixers are not actively trying to deal him. There is no 'For Sale' sign in front of Iguodala, but the Sixers would listen if you fell in love with the place and knocked on the door anyway. If you ask those around him, Iguodala "just wants to win." That's the answer to any number of questions: Might he ask for a trade by the all-star break? He just wants to win. But wouldn't it be nice, having a fresh start? We don't care about that, just winning. How happy is he in Philly? He just wants to win. Well, the Sixers aren't winning. If you walked into a vegetarian restaurant and made it clear only a steak would satisfy you, the easiest remedy would be to leave, not wait until they changed the menu. Right now, the Sixers aren't serving winning. But that's what Iguodala would like to order. The temperature on this situation is rising, but it's nowhere near the boiling point. So we could continue on like this for another few months, possibly into the off-season, but players tend to carry more value when they aren't pressing the phone into your palm and demanding that you find them a new home."
• Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel: "Stan Van Gundy already has had a heart-to-heart with Rashard Lewis, so he got to him before the rest of us. Remember that scene in the movie, 'Airplane,' where all the passengers line up to smack another who loses it because the flight is apparently doomed? I got a feeling a lot of fans might want to, uh, help Rashard snap out of it. Something's amiss. Van Gundy says that it's simply Rashard's shot. 'My only concern with Rashard, as I told him, is he lets something as minor as a shooting slump affect his energy and enthusiasm for playing,' Van Gundy said. ... This is a guy who led the NBA two seasons ago in 3s attempted and made. Lewis takes 3s when he steps out of his car. Hey, Rashard: Maybe you need to take another trip to GNC for some human-growth goodies. I'm kidding. If you're wondering whether Van Gundy would bench Lewis, the answer is no. Not now, anyway. If Stan didn't sit Vince Carter through a horrid January last season, I don't think he'll turn Lewis into a sixth man."
• Fred Mitchell of the Chicago Tribune: "Repeat after the Bulls: 'This is not a road trip, this is not a road trip, this is not a road trip …' The Bulls will travel to Houston to face the Rockets on Tuesday and will be out of town through Nov. 27. After Houston, the Bulls head to San Antonio, Dallas, Los Angeles (Lakers), Phoenix, Denver and Sacramento. 'We can't think of it as a road trip,' said Bulls forward Luol Deng of the team's two-week odyssey. 'It's just a bunch of away games. We've just got to focus on one game at a time.' Coach Tom Thibodeau has also convinced Derrick Rose that this circuitous 'circus trip' is nothing to fear. 'We're just thinking about Houston,' said Rose, who scored 24 points and handed out eight assists in the Bulls' 103-96 win over Washington Saturday night that capped a three-game winning streak at the United Center."
• Doug Smith of the Toronto Star: "Toronto’s trip through Florida on the weekend was something of a coming out party for DeMar DeRozan, who laid waste to both the Orlando Magic and Miami Heat on back-to-back nights. He had 21 points against the Heat on 7-for-12 shooting from the floor in Saturday’s loss after pouring in a career-high 26 points on 8-13 shooting in Friday’s win in Orlando. The most significant statistic was his ability to get to the free throw line: He was 7-for-11 in Miami and 10-for-12 at the line against Orlando. That was in stark contrast to his previous three games when he was a pedestrian 7-for-21 from the floor and hadn’t attempted a single free throw. ... Part of his emergence can be attributed to a decision by the coaching staff to give him more responsibility down the stretches of close games. On a team starved for someone to take control in those one-possession games that come up so often, allowing DeRozan to learn what it takes to make those significant plays is one of the major goals of this season. ... At just 21 years old, DeRozan is still very much a work in progress and his ability to win close games in the dying seconds is certainly not a given. But the wishes the coach expressed last April are starting to come to fruition in a Raptors season that’s as much about development as it is anything. 'He’s getting better,' said Triano. 'He’s still a university basketball player (but) he’s starting to get it, yeah.' "

• Michael Grange of the Toronto Globe and Mail, on Chris Bosh: "His dreams of national exposure are turning into the nightmare of being exposed; his too-slow-rotations, excused in Toronto when he was putting up big numbers at the other end, make him suddenly part of the problem ..."
• M. Haubs of The Painted Area: "We think [John] Wall is significantly ahead of [Derrick] Rose at the same age, and projects to be significantly better. So far, we think John Wall looks like a potential all-time great. Increasingly, with Wall's combination of lightning speed, court vision, handles, finishing ability, defensive potential, and competitiveness (not to mention, noticeably improved shooting form), we think we might be looking at a 6-4 Isiah Thomas."
• Beckley Mason of HoopSpeak on Ray Allen's 3s: "Allen did not make one three over a hard contest. Not that it always matters– Allen has hit his share of leaning 26 footers with a guy in his chest—but when he has opportunity to jog into a transition three or set up unmolested on the weakside, it’s unlikely he’ll miss. Ever. The Heat shouldn’t see his performance as a fluke. This was Allen doing what he does best, and the Heat defenders showing a disheartening lack of awareness." NBA Playbook digs into the video, and finds the series of mental errors that led to Ray Allen being wide open, again and again, from behind the 3-point line.
• In what appeared to be a spur-of-the-moment decision, Joe Maloof promises lieutenant Jeff Mennicke a new car if he can hit a free throw, and he rattled it home. Wonder what kind of car it'll be.
• Is it worth taking a bad shot to guarantee your team an extra shot at the end of a period? I bet Daryl Morey knows the answer to that.
• Pau Gasol has been amazing this season, but had a forgettable night in Denver, and the Lakers had their first loss. In his new book, Jackson does not talk about many Laker opponents, but says that the Nuggets worried them last season. "We are very concerned about our matchups versus Denver," he wrote months ago. "They are painting themselves to be our challengers in the West in the playoffs. ... Derek Fisher versus Chauncey Billups and Ron Artest against Carmelo Anthony. ... The Nuggets have one of the strongest front lines in the game, even though they give up some height. In the past two playoffs, we have won with our big men scoring in the lane and with Kobe's scoring prowess. This season they have geared their team up to try to match our strengths."

Justin Kubatko, founder of Basketball-Reference, consultant to the Blazers, and undefeated champion in his two appearances in the TrueHoop Stat Geek Smackdown, is among the most respected names in NBA stat geekery. He's also, now, writing for the New York Times.

He kicks off his season in advanced stats by holding our hand a bit through some of the tools he uses to look at the game.

He explains that basketball trails baseball, generally in the state of analysis, but also says that "progress on the basketball side has been steady" and "much has been accomplished."

Then he goes into some of the ways simple tweaks to analysis can give us not just different, but better ways to assess the game. I'm with him every step of the way.

For example, he addresses total rebound percentage, which he says is "an estimate of the percentage of available rebounds a player grabbed while he was on the floor. It is an improvement over rebounds per game because it takes into account opportunities, which are influenced by the pace that a team plays and the number of missed shots that a team forces."

Once you know that number exists, it almost seems silly to obsess over rebounds per game, right? I mean, you don't even know how many minutes each person played, let alone how many rebound opportunities they had. If you're trying to assess who is best at getting the ball, you want to know how many chances they got to try, right?

To use a baseball analogy, the way we used to measure this is like saying an outfielder caught seven balls in a game, and is therefore better than a guy who caught six. How many balls were hit to his area? How many innings did he play? What? You don't know?

Or, worse yet, you do know, but decide to ignore all that?

Kubatko is very measured, but you can feel it, just a little, the urge to toss aside some of the sillier older metrics. "With the help of statistics like these," says Kubatko, "fans can get a better, more complete view of the players and the teams than they would with a cursory look at the traditional box score."

So, hats off to The New York Times for egging on the NBA's statistical revolution.

And as for all those suckers who still believe in things like rebounds per game, HA! We scoff at you for living in the dark ages.

But ... Wait a second.

I linked to the online version, but I read this on newsprint, where Kubatko's article appears on page B15, less than an inch away from page B14's "NBA Leaders" listings. Papers have been carrying forever. Four sets of top ten lists, three out of the four expressed the old way. The dumb way: Per game.

And lookie there, we have rebounds per game ... the very thing Kubatko just explained to us is lacking.

That old school list (which is also, literally, old -- it's through November 10) tells us that the league's best rebounder, by far, is Joakim Noah at 15 per game. Some others in the list: Luis Scola (fourth), David Lee (fifth), Pau Gasol (seventh), Lamar Odom (eighth) and Kevin Garnett (tenth).

On Kubatko's excellent Basketball-Reference, I looked up the statistic he prefers, the league leaders in total rebound percentage. Things are pretty darned different. By total rebound percentage, Noah is fourth, and Reggie Evans is the guy well ahead of the pack, followed by Kevin Love and Marcus Camby.

And those other guys I mentioned from the rebounds per game list? None is even in the NBA's top 15 by the better metric, and some of them are off in the distance somewhere -- Scola's 27th for instance, and Gasol is 34th.

Meanwhile, the paper's list ignores people like Samuel Dalembert, Marcin Gortat, Ben Wallace, Derrick Favors and Andris Biedrins, who are all in the top ten by the more useful measure.

Am I the only one getting mixed messages from my morning paper?

I realize I'm ruthlessly picking on The New York Times here -- they're doing what everybody does with these lists, and they're about as smart as anybody with stats in general. But if stat geekery as a movement has villains, these lists are surely among them. People have long been hypnotized -- and owners have long overpaid -- for players ranked highly here. Curing that inefficiency drives the field.

Serving up both kinds of content side-by-side shows that things are changing, but there's still plenty of room to grow.

• Jackie MacMullan of ESPNBoston.com: "The point guard was clairvoyant. Rajon Rondo doesn't talk much, but he sees plenty. Before the Miami Heat suffered another big-time, big-game meltdown against the Boston Celtics on Thursday night, before Rondo dropped 16 assists on the star-studded (and noticeably sagging) South Beach caravan, before he spurred his team on to 60 percent shooting in the first half, he calmly predicted Miami would have no answers for him. He also hypothesized they would make a concerted effort to squelch his creative juices by throwing a variety of defenders his way, including the one Rondo feared most -- LeBron James, the 260-pound power forward. 'He's like Kobe,'' Rondo explained before the sufficiently hyped Celtics-Heat rematch that Boston won 112-107 at American Airlines Arena. 'He can give me space and still challenge my shot because of his incredible wing span. But if they put LeBron on me, who guards Paul? Who guards Ray?' Clearly, the answer was no one. The Heat did intermittently shift LeBron on to Rondo in the first half, which meant Pierce was left to gleefully feast on post-up opportunities against Dwyane Wade, Jerry Stackhouse and, later, old friend Eddie House. It should come as no surprise Pierce finished with 25 points on 10-of-16 shooting. ... he Heat will get better. Their chemistry will develop and they have enough talent to become a legitimate threat. In the meantime, don't mind Rondo and the Celtics if they move on and start concentrating on teams that are ready to challenge them now. The point guard sees what could be with this Celtics team. He knows they could win it all. And this time, his fingerprints will be all over it."
• Israel Gutierrez of The Miami Herald: "Uh-oh. You can almost feel the tidal wave of disappointment and furor and scrutiny forming. You can practically see an entire community of basketball fans hovering over the panic button ready to press. You can actually see Dan Gilbert wringing his hands in diabolical pleasure. This Heat team that wasn't supposed to lose two games in a row all year just lost three of four, including two in a row at home. This Heat team that was supposed to be relying on its defense while its offense caught up has given up 196 points over the past 77 minutes of basketball (that's about 31 points per 12 minutes). This Heat team that was supposed to challenge the Celtics for superiority in the Eastern Conference has been handled twice by those Celtics and at 5-4 is closer to the Pacers, Cavaliers and Bucks than it is to the top of the conference. If someone would've predicted before the season that the Heat would start off with this record, which included back-to-back home losses, you probably would've assumed some drastic change was on the way."
• Dave Feschuk of the Toronto Star: "Chris Bosh, the former Raptors all-star, has enumerated another reason why he’s happy to be playing in his native United States. Bosh told reporters in Miami on Thursday that his seven years in Toronto deprived him of what he called 'the good cable.' He was speaking of cable TV. He said he was glad to be living in Miami because he can now subscribe to League Pass, the pay package that carries every NBA game. NBA types in Toronto couldn’t help but break out laughing, as they’ve been doing frequently when they’ve watched Bosh’s abysmal (albeit early) failure to fit into the Heat’s game plan. Bosh’s comments suggested that he spent more than half a decade in Toronto apparently unaware that League Pass is widely available in Canada. While Bosh clarified that his Etobicoke waterfront condo was exclusively loyal to a TV carrier that didn’t give residents that option, he was also apparently dumb to the fact that anyone with a brain and a bit of money -- and Bosh made $15.6 million (U.S.) in his final season in Toronto -- can arrange to have a grey-market U.S. satellite package installed in their home with one phone call. 'We should have informed him that he could have got (League Pass),' Jay Triano, the Raptors coach, said with a laugh. 'I don’t remember one day when he came into practice and said he was mad because he didn’t have good cable.' "
• Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times: "Kobe Bryant's shot abandoned him. Pau Gasol no longer scored with ease. Shannon Brown, of all people, tried to keep the Lakers among the undefeated, but it all dissolved in front of an overjoyed Pepsi Center crowd, the Denver Nuggets dropping the Lakers on Thursday, 118-112. The Lakers surrendered 33 points in the fourth quarter, their defense sputtering badly, matched in ineffectiveness only by Bryant's outside touch. Bryant had 34 points but made only 11 of 32 shots. Gasol wasn't much better: 17 points on six-for-17 shooting as New Orleans (7-0) became the NBA's only undefeated team. 'Just another game in November,' Bryant said, not taking the loss all that hard. The Lakers (8-1) blew a chance at the second-best start in franchise history, though it could almost be predicted based on their recent play. They were sloppy against Toronto, stellar against Portland, but again apathetic in a slim victory against Minnesota. It all seemed to catch up to them Thursday."
• Gordon Monson of The Salt Lake Tribune: "If the Jazz were a stock or a tradable commodity, everybody would be buying. Everybody should be buying. They’re going to get better. They’re going to gain in value. And here’s the best part: The risk factor is low. What’s happened during the past few games, especially the last two, is just a glimpse at their potential. Skeptics might call it dangerous good fortune, this habit the Jazz have of falling behind by major double-digits and then finding a way, some stupid way, to come storming back to win. Living on the edge, some figure, is no way to invest. If Paul Millsap has to score 46 points and hit three three-pointers to give the Jazz a chance, then what’s sound about that? If the Jazz trail by large margins, not just against the Heat in the first half and the Magic deep into the third quarter on the road, but early against the Clippers at home, how is that supposed to create confidence? If the Jazz need to be yelled at by Jerry Sloan or inspired by Raja Bell during halftime speeches to wake up and play ball, again, where’s the assurance there? Well. The assurance comes in a simple equation that applies to any team, but especially to this particular version of the Jazz: E + E = W. Energy plus efficiency equals wins. It takes no Einstein to grasp that. Even Al Jefferson will understand it, and it won’t take him until January to do so."
• Benjamin Hochman of The Denver Post: "After tonight’s big win against the Lakers, Carmelo Anthony was asked about the Nuggets front office shakeup. Nuggets president Josh Kroenke and executive VP of basketball ops Masai Ujiri got rid of longtime front-office adviser Bret Bearup, who had been helpful in many past trades -- and had his hand in cooking up recent deals for Melo. Asked about the Nuggets getting rid of Bearup from the front office, Anthony said, 'That’s a step. I think that was a big step, not just for Josh (Kroenke) and Masai (Ujiri) but for the whole organization -- for the whole league to know what they’re doing here, to make progress. Positive (step). They made some changes obviously for the better of the organization. That’s their decision.' Also, asked about his looming trade possibilities, Melo said: 'TNT loves drama, don’t it?'
• Kerry Eggers of The Portland Tribune: "When the Trail Blazers invade New Orleans Arena Saturday night, they’ll be walking into a Hornets’ nest. Defense is New Orleans’ calling card. Opponents are averaging 90.1 points (tied for second in the NBA); so far, none have scored as many as 100 points. Foes are shooting .425 from the field (fourth). The Hornets are also committing 13.5 turnovers a game (third). 'We’ve been talking about defense from day one, and guys are buying in,' says Monty Williams, an assistant on Nate McMillan’s Portland staff the previous five years. “We’re taking care of the ball. It’s our guys who are doing this. They’re playing hard and have committed at the defensive end.' ... Williams deflects credit for the Hornets’ start. 'These guys would have responded to anyone,' he says. 'Our guys are motivated by competition, by trying to win games. They would have played this way regardless. I wouldn’t attribute it to me.' "
• John Rohde of The Oklahoman: "Heading into today's 8:30 p.m. contest against Portland inside Oklahoma City Arena, the Thunder is shooting 87.3 percent from the free-throw line, which easily leads the league. That is a monumental 4.1 percent higher than the NBA season record of 83.2 percent by the Boston Celtics in 1989-90. Thunder coach Scott Brooks said it is unrealistic to expect his team to stay at such a lofty percentage, but he does expect a level of excellence to continue. Brooks has set a standard of at least 80 percent for his team. The Thunder finished second in free-throw shooting last season at 80.5 percent. 'That is the personality of our offense,' Brooks said. 'We want to get to the rim, attack the basket and get to the free-throw line. It's a great asset to have.' Not only is the Thunder's charity stripe prowess an asset, it's a weapon, particularly late in contests when an opponent fouls to stop the clock while playing catch-up."
• Marla Ridenour of the Akron Beacon-Journal: "In the first half Wednesday night at Quicken Loans Arena, the colleague to my left said he believed Ramon Sessions would prove to be the best player on this season's Cavaliers. The colleague to my right wasn't so sure, adding J.J. Hickson and Daniel Gibson to the list of one. That question might be answered sooner than either thought. The groin injury suffered by point guard Mo Williams in the 95-87 loss to the New Jersey Nets thrusts Sessions to the forefront. Although Williams echoed a postgame query that he hoped to be ready to play Saturday, his body language indicated otherwise. He missed almost a month of preseason and the first three games with the same injury in a different spot. Asked how he was feeling, Williams sighed and said, 'I wish I could say good.' Later he added, 'It's emotional for me because I'm thinking about so much stuff.' That certainly does not sound like someone who will play any time soon. The Dec. 2 showdown with the Miami Heat when LeBron James returns to Cleveland might even be out the window. But the low moment for Williams could be the breakout moment for Sessions."
• Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel: "Stan Van Gundy sent a message to Brandon Bass before the Orlando Magic started training camp. The coach told Bass that his playing time would be determined by how well he rebounds and plays defense. Message received, loud and clear. Perhaps no Magic player has improved from last season to this one as much as Bass. His rebounding numbers have soared. His defense has become more reliable. And, not coincidentally, his playing time also has increased. 'I think what he's done this year is exactly what we wanted,' Van Gundy said. Bass could play a significant role when the Magic play the Toronto Raptors on Friday night at Amway Center. Van Gundy has been disappointed lately with power forward Ryan Anderson, and Anderson's difficulties might open the door for Bass to play more in the days and weeks ahead."
• Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News: "For nine-plus NBA seasons, Tony Parker has walked a high wire every night. He is the Spurs’ point guard, so he is supposed to facilitate the offense. He is also one of the Spurs’ best scorers, so his job is to put the ball in the basket. It’s a fine line Parker admits he hasn’t always walked with ease. 'That’s always the tough part, since I’ve been here,' Parker said. 'When to shoot, when to pass. Every year, I try to get better at it.' Through the first seven games of his 10th NBA season, Parker has tiptoed that tightrope with a skillfulness fit for both Barnum & Bailey. He is averaging 16.7 points, a tad off his career mark, but is also averaging 8.4 assists -- a number which, were it to hold for the entire season, would mean a career best by nearly two per game. While the Spurs’ season so far has been headlined by the scoring exploits of Manu Ginobili, the stunning resurrection of Richard Jefferson and the untapped promise of Tiago Splitter, Parker’s metamorphosis into a facilitator has been an overlooked facet of the team’s 6-1 start. 'Tony has done the best job that he’s ever done here, as far as playing that role between scorer and passer,' coach Gregg Popovich said. 'He has shown great leadership running the show, distributing the basketball and scoring when it’s appropriate for him.' In Popovich’s view, Parker’s approach has been more of a tweak than a transformation."
• Michael Wilbon of The Washington Post: "The look on Allen Iverson's face in that moment he was introduced to his new life was one of pure amazement, equal parts shock and fear. And that gave way to the realization that these people halfway around the world - in a place he never thought much about and would never have reason to - loved him, adored him. The expressions on Iverson's face when he landed in Turkey the other day, and again at the soccer game where they stood and chanted for him, were priceless. Don't get me wrong, Allen Iverson shouldn't have to play in Turkey - or anywhere in Europe or Asia. Iverson, now 35 years old, should be taking his curtain calls here, at home, for an NBA team, preferably a contender. You can't convince me that Iverson can't help a good team, that he can't come off the bench and be an asset. ... Iverson will be playing with, as one writer put it recently, a bunch of guys who a few years ago would have been paying to see him play. The players, according to scouts, will be college-level, in terms of talent. His team plays in the Turkish league, not the superior Euroleague. Even so, the Turks will want to see the player they idolized as kids, the one who crossed over Michael Jordan as a rookie, who led the NBA in scoring four times, who led his team to the NBA Finals once, who was the league's MVP. And perhaps, if it's meant to end sweetly, Iverson will play up to expectation in Europe and the real curtain call will come in the NBA, in America, at home, where his final bows ought to come."

After an 8-0 start tied for the second-best in franchise history, the Los Angeles Lakers cooled off Thursday losing 118-112 to the Denver Nuggets in the Mile High City. The loss was their fourth in their last five games to the Nuggets and their fourth straight at the Pepsi Center. The 118 points was by far the most the Lakers have allowed this season.

The Lakers ran into problems in the fourth quarter. They led by eight points after three quarters, but L.A.'s poor shooting and turnovers in the final period helped the Nuggets come back.

FROM THE ELIAS SPORTS BUREAU: Despite the loss, Kobe Bryant scored 34 points becoming the youngest player in NBA history to score 26,000 points. Bryant was 32 years, 80 days old when he accomplished the feat surpassing Wilt Chamberlain who was 32 years, 114 days old. Bryant is the 12th player to score 26,000 points and the eighth fastest to do so in terms of games.

• South Park is back on the LeBron James project, at about the 4:25 mark of this episode. Generic South Park decency warnings apply.
• The Warriors' defense involves snuggling. Also, the Lakers are using less triangle.
• Revisiting the Hornets' offseason. In real-time, there were plenty of surprising moves, but all looks a lot better now. One possible drawback: Has Julian Wright finally started to blossom?
• Luke Walton, Renaldo Balkman, Quinton Ross, Roger Mason, Kyle Lowry, Joe Smith, Bobby Simmons, Etan Thomas, Darius Songaila ... players who have really helped NBA teams at one time or another, but right now have negative PERs. A really amazing PER is 30. An average NBA player is 15. Negative is jaw-dropping.
• As long as we're studying PER, Gary Forbes is the NBA's top-ranked rookie at the moment. He plays for the Nuggets, by the way.
• Wonder if the Heat will guard Rajon Rondo on the perimeter tonight?
• For all the talk about how Brandon Roy hasn't been himself, he has still been arguably the best Trail Blazer. (Via Portland Roundball Society)
• Lego NBA players. Oh wow. That's cooler than it ought to be.
• A reminder to Knick fans that the pick used on Jordan Hill in 2009 could have been used on Brandon Jennings, Jrue Holiday or Darren Collison.
• You can be an official blogger for Ron Artest's website.
• In his illegal upside down headband, Michael Beasley had an amazing game.
• Ted Leonsis watched the Wizards vs. Rockets with Magic Johnson, and notes that John Wall played a little like Magic.
• Canada doesn't have "the good cable," according to Chris Bosh.
• J.J. Hickson with an amazing dunk in traffic. But listen to the play call! What'd he say? May be PG-13. You tell me.
• Romana Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles: "Minnesota forward Kevin Love had 24 rebounds by himself. The Lakers' starting frontcourt of Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom and Ron Artest combined for 22 rebounds."
• Rob Mahoney of the Two Man Game: "Tyson Chandler, a career .603 free throw shooter, is currently leading the Mavs in free throw percentage (.909). He’s also third on the team in free throws attempted (22, or 3.1 per game), so there’s no foul play with the sample size."

• Kevin Ding of The Orange County Register: "Kobe Bryant said about the Jerry West statue the Lakers are set to unveil in February outside Staples Center: 'It’s about time.' West brought Bryant to the Lakers in 1996 and is one of his mentors. 'Obviously his contribution to the organization is phenomenal,' Bryant said Wednesday."
• Dan Shaughnessy of The Boston Globe: "Miami’s basketball team can’t lose enough games to make me happy. When I pass under a television in a crowded airport and see the score crawl, if the Heat are losing, I crack a big smile. I hope they lose ’em all. The Celtics are in Miami tonight to play the third-place Heat. The third-place Heat. Don’t you love it? I want them to be the Miami Clown Machine. We are a couple of weeks into this historic NBA season, and the Heat own a 5-3 record, trailing the Orlando Magic and Atlanta Hawks in the vaunted Southeast Division of the NBA East. If the playoffs started today, the Heat would be the No. 4 seed, behind the Magic, Hawks and Celtics. It’s going to be tough for the Celtics to beat the Heat for a second time, because the Green might be without the wounded-knee O’Neal brothers tonight and Delonte West still has some suspension to serve. Miami no doubt will bring its A game. But the early trends are exactly what I was hoping to see."
• Joseph Goodman of The Miami Herald: "On Wednesday, a practice day for both the Heat and the visiting Boston Celtics at AmericanAirlines Arena, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra acknowledged the physicality opponents have displayed in recent games against the Heat. In the Heat's win against the Nets on Saturday, New Jersey reserve Terrence Williams shouldered James into the baseline seats at AmericanAirlines Arena and was charged with a flagrant foul. 'We're very aware of that right now,' Spoelstra said. 'That's how we're being played, and we understand that and we welcome it and we are a physical team as well. We weren't able to close it out [on Tuesday], but our guys understand what it takes.'' The Heat (5-3) should have no problem playing with an edge at 8 p.m. Thursday against the Celtics (6-2) at AmericanAirlines Arena. The Eastern Conference champions defeated the Heat 88-80 to begin the season. Heat guard Dwyane Wade expects a physical game. 'This is a very good team coming in and, of course, you would love to come off a win coming into a game like this, but also the way that we lost [on Tuesday] I think guys are going to be more in tuned into what we have to do defensively,' Wade said."
• Jody Genessy of the Deseret News: "Magic happened. Again. And it happened for the team from Utah -- not the squad whose players sport that enchanted word on their chests. It's become quite the act for the Jazz, who are making a habit out of pulling comeback victories out of their hats. For the third straight game -- and the second in as many nights in Florida against an Eastern Conference power -- Utah made a double-digit lead vanish en route to a captivating victory. The Magic -- the Orlando version, that is -- became the latest mystified opponent wondering what happened after the Jazz rallied from down 18 to claim a 104-94 victory at a sold-out Amway Center. 'It says we have a lot of fight in us,' Jazz point guard Deron Williams said, when asked about the team's new comeback knack. 'But we can't keep relying on getting down and coming back, especially on the road. It is tough to do.' But they're perfecting that trick. Just ask the Magic, Heat and Clippers, who've combined to botch 58 points worth of leads against the Jazz since Saturday. 'Consider us lucky,' Williams said. By the way, the Jazz aren't celebrating their latest deficit-defying win -- a night after overcoming Miami's 22-point lead -- by going to Disney World on today's rare off-day. They're headed to Atlanta for the third game in this brutal-but-oh-so-thrilling four-game road trip on Friday."
• Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel: "What upset Stan Van Gundy most is that he had seen it all before. Once again, his team stopped defending after it built a big lead. Once again, his team turned the ball over in bunches. Once again, his team missed lots of free throws. This time, it spelled disaster. An 18-point lead late in the third quarter slipped away, and the Orlando Magic lost 104-94 to the Utah Jazz, who are quickly becoming the comeback kings of the NBA. 'Obviously, a very tough loss,' Van Gundy said. 'A very disturbing loss.' And also a loss that left Van Gundy puzzled. Just four days earlier, Orlando built an 18-point lead against the Charlotte Bobcats and almost lost. How could the veteran Magic roster fail to learn from that experience? Indeed, what occurred Wednesday night -- before a sellout crowd at Amway Center, no less -- seemed all too familiar. The Magic turned the ball over 21 times. They missed 11 of their 25 free-throw attempts. They allowed an opponent to shoot 50 percent from the field. Not exactly a championship-caliber performance, was it?"
• Gene Wang of The Washington Post: "John Wall produced his most emphatic testimonial to date as the current and future centerpiece of the Washington Wizards, logging the first triple-double of his brief NBA career in a 98-91 victory over the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night before 16,665 at Verizon Center. Wall finished with 19 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds, and for good measure, he added six steals and had but one turnover in a performance that further validated Washington selecting him No. 1 overall in the draft. Not that Wizards brass necessarily was demanding more evidence it made the correct decision, but on night's such as this, it's clear why optimism reigns despite the team's early travails. 'It's fun to watch,' Coach Flip Saunders said of his star pupil. 'The thing tonight he did is that he did it very much under control. One turnover is impressive, to have as many assists as he had to just one turnover, so it does show you one, his intelligence and how coachable he is.' ... Wall became the second player in NBA history to have a triple-double as well as six steals in the first six games of his career. The other player was Magic Johnson, perhaps the most accomplished point guard in basketball history, and it was appropriate the Los Angeles Lakers Hall of Famer happened to be watching courtside as a guest of Wizards majority owner Ted Leonsis. Johnson spoke with the team before the game, and judging by the results, his message came through crystal clear."
• Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune: "Pat Riley said the day after he traded the 2008 draft’s No. 2 overall pick to the Timberwolves last summer that Michael Beasley likely would come back to haunt the Heat -- or somebody -- with a 29-point, 19-rebound some faraway night. On Wednesday, Beasley scored a career-high 42 points -- 18 of them in the game’s first 10 minutes, 27 in the first half alone -- on 17-for-31 shooting and on a bruised left hip that delivered the Wolves their first victory since the season’s second game. 'I had my popcorn ready, just watching the show,' Wolves injured point guard Jonny Flynn said as he sat in a joyous locker room afterward. 'And that was definitely a show. Mike Beasley put on a show.' "
• Jimmy Smith of The Times-Picayune: "If there has been any reason for New Orleans’ bolting out of the starting blocks with an unblemished 7-0 record, other than its new defensive mindset, it has been the play of the subs, an area initially thought to be deficient. The Hornets took steps to address that perceived weak link almost until the opening tip of the regular season, making trades to acquire Willie Green and Jason Smith from the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for Darius Songaila and rookie Craig Brackins, then dealing a future first-round draft choice to Portland for Jerryd Bayless five days before opening night. Those transactions are now reaping huge dividends, and never was that more evident than Tuesday night when Green and Bayless combined for 26 fourth-quarter points, allowing Coach Monty Williams the luxury of keeping workhorse point guard Chris Paul out of the game for the final 14 minutes, 19 seconds as the Hornets improved upon their best start in franchise history."
• Mike Wells of The Indianapolis Star: "Mike Dunleavy knew something was up because his phone was going off nonstop with calls and text messages late Tuesday night. ... ESPN showed all 20 of their field goals and gave the Pacers almost as much airtime as Utah's come-from- behind victory over LeBron James and the Miami Heat. 'I was thinking it must been all over 'SportsCenter,' ' Dunleavy said. 'The Pacers, we don't get a lot of national attention.' The Pacers had 17 assists on their 20 field goals. Six players scored in the record-breaking quarter. The 54 points in the quarter was a franchise record and tied for fourth-most points scored in any quarter in NBA history. 'It was a great way to try to kick-start our offense,' forward Danny Granger said. 'We were struggling a little bit lately. It was great for everybody. I got a lot of text messages, phone calls and e-mails.' "
• Mike McGraw of the Daily Herald: "After Wednesday’s practice at the Berto Center, Joakim Noah and Derrick Rose were featured on WMVP’s 'Lunch with a Legend' series. Or in this case, 'Early Dinner with a Famous Duo.' Noah took the opportunity to once again express his dislike for Boston’s Kevin Garnett, calling him 'ugly' at one point and 'a very mean guy.' No reason to think calling out KG is bad strategy for the Bulls. Noah already called Garnett a dirty player after the playoff skirmish with Miami’s Quentin Richardson last spring. The first time he saw the Celtics this season, Noah collected a career-high 26 points. After insulting the city of Cleveland in the playoffs, Noah produced the first 20-20 playoff game in franchise history. The more Noah talks, the more he focuses."
• Janet Cho of The Plain Dealer: "LeBron James wants to know 'What should I do?' A better question might be 'What should WE do?' A group of Cleveland-area advertising, marketing and public relations pros are asking how Northeast Ohio should welcome home the prodigal MVP when the Cavaliers host the Heat on Dec. 2. Like the rest of us, they have divergent opinions. Some say fans need to take the high road and keep in mind that national media will be watching and TV cameras will be rolling. 'We should coach everybody who goes to the game that night to be good sports, and not one 'boo,' ' said Jerry Hoegner, retired director of marketing services for The Plain Dealer and former vice president of marketing at Wyse advertising agency. But others at a forum Wednesday said James' prime-time announcement July 8 that he was quitting the Cavs to play for Miami is still too raw and painful. 'I'm still bitter about LeBron,' said Bryan Baylog, a former broadcast executive who now works for New York Life. When James left, 'we lost our chance for a championship.' Either way, James' return is sure to be an enormous event in Cleveland. People have talked about it since the day he left, and tickets for the game are sold out. Floor seats are available on eBay for close to $1,700 each."
• Michael Cunningham of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: "It seems no one outside of Atlanta can believe the Hawks really are willing to stick with this group and see how far it can go. So the trade rumors keep percolating. The latest comes from Hawks blog legend Sekou Smith, who floated a rumor that the Pistons and Hawks were discussing a deal for Tayshaun Prince and someone else (possibly Will Bynum) for Jamal and Teague. MLive.com’s Chris Iott shot down that rumor and also the bogus Josh talk. The day prior Iott’s colleague, Justin Rogers, explored the Josh situation and wrote: 'Predictably, Atlanta management shot the rumor down. That certainly doesn’t mean it’s off the table . . .' Well, sure it does, since it was never on the table to begin with, as Iott reinforces. Can we at least wait to see if the Hawks fall apart before trying to trade them all away?"
• Eric Koreen of the National Post: "The Air Canada Centre was spotted with fans -- just 14,309 tickets were purchased. A power outlet on press row fried, and for two quarters, nobody could keep track of the statistics. The human male inside of the Toronto Raptors’ plush mascot uniform was applying an ice pack to the back of his head at halftime after a stunt gone wrong. And the public address announcer lost his voice. So it was not only the duelling 1-6 records of the Toronto Raptors and Charlotte Bobcats that made Wednesday night’s affair a little less than glamorous. However, it is this type of game, and not the marquee affairs in Miami or Boston, that will define the Raptors this year. Will they beat the teams they have a shot against? Or will they be truly bad? The early returns indicate the latter will win out."
• Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer: "At his current pace -- three techs over the first eight games -- Stephen Jackson would have 30 or more T's by the end of the season. Imagine, if this continues, what it would cost Jackson, who just received a $50,000 fine for berating officials following a road loss to the Detroit Pistons: Under the new, graduated, fine scale. Jackson would end up paying $120,000 in fines for 30 technicals and would serve seven one-game suspensions by the end of the regular season. Jackson promised the day before the start of training camp he'd adapt to the new rules. Sure hasn't happened yet."
• Chris Dempsey of The Denver Post: "The problems with uniforms as we knew them: They stuck to the athletes, got heavier because of sweat, and promoted overheating and feeling uncomfortable. Those are some of the things that Adidas' NBA Revolution 30 uniforms aim to eliminate. The uniforms, which debuted in the NBA this season, are made from 60 percent recycled materials and feature the company's 'Formotion' technology. Formotion decreases the friction between the jersey and the player's skin, so it won't stick when the player sweats. In the past, many NBA players changed jerseys at halftime because the jerseys would be so heavy from being wet. Adidas says sweat is cleared away in less than three seconds courtesy of ClimaCool fabric, and the jersey stretches and moves with the player. There is a reduction of the seams in the garment, which is 30 percent lighter than previous uniforms. Interestingly, much of that 30 percent was gained by making lettering mesh, said Adidas Global Business Unit director Travis Blasingame. Together, the names and numbers on the jersey and other patchwork on the uniform 'actually weigh almost as much as the jersey itself does,' he said."

• The NBA store in New York may be going away, but did you notice the same thing I did in the Associated Press story about why? "The NBA store on New York's Fifth Avenue will close at the end of February, and the league is searching for a new location. ... NBA executive vice president of global merchandising Sal LaRocca said Tuesday that Kushner Cos. was seeking an increase comparable to the one obtained when the Japanese clothing company Uniqlo signed a lease for other space in the building said to be worth $300 million over 15 years." That number. $300 million. $300 million? Renting some retail space on Fifth Avenue, for a decade-and-a-half, costs more than Michael Jordan paid to buy the freaking Bobcats? Not to mention, by my math, just to pay the rent you'd have to sell more than $50,000 worth of gear every day for 15 years. Could that be a typo? A league source says it's not.
• Bret Lagree of Hoopinion, on video: Al Horford may be the Hawks' best perimeter defender. He spent plenty of time guarding Steve Nash last weekend.
• On the Heat Index, Michael Wallace got an interesting quote from the Heat's Eddie House after their meltdown against the Jazz: "For whatever reason, I don't think we had that sense of urgency. I think we got up 20 (points) and might have just gotten bored with that process of how we got up 20." On the one hand, we're all thinking holy cow, you play like 48 minutes every few days, and that's it for work, how can you not have perfect focus the whole time? On the other hand, everybody -- everybody -- has those same motivation issues from time to time, right? In a way, isn't this the easiest thing in the world to understand?
• With David Stern talking more contraction than expansion, Sonic fans -- defined as anti-relocation -- consider trying to get an NBA team to relocate.
• David Thorpe (Insider) on Clipper rookie Eric Bledsoe: "Bledsoe was simply dreadful in Vegas summer league for the most part. He showed incredible talent physically, but little ability to run a team or be a good decision-maker. However, after replacing an injured Baron Davis in the starting lineup, Bledsoe has looked more adept at finding ways to use his great athleticism. And his shooting has looked better, too. He's still more dangerous in transition than he is in the half court, but he's starting to look more composed and patient in this area."
• It's just insanity to already be talking about the Heat trading Chris Bosh. Let that cake bake for a minute before you start selling pieces of it. (Consider the words of Doc Rivers, who remembers his big three stepping on each other in crunch time until they figured it out.) It's even more insanity for a Rockets fan to write that "hell no" he wouldn't trade Luis Scola for him. I love Scola, but everyone remembers who Daryl Morey's dream free agent acquisition was, right? The Chris Bosh backlash is out of control.
• On that note, Paul Millsap ignored Chris Bosh in the closing second, which was the key to Jazz forcing a tough shot.
• Tom Thibodeau moved from the Celtics to the Bulls. Did team defensive prowess move with him? At this early stage, there is no such evidence. Although I think this is a question best analyzed in April, or later.
• Dave from BlazersEdge with Brandon Roy wisdom: "The solution could be as simple as rest or just playing less and waiting it out. It could be as painful and complex as an adjustment to the team. It could be as daunting as Roy re-shaping his game to remain effective instead of mourning what used to be. My hunch is that it's a combination of all of these things and that the fix comes a little from Category A and a little from Category B. But even if Brandon were done for a game or done for the season -- and neither would completely surprise me -- I have a hard time believing he'd be done for his career. That doesn't seem like the Brandon we know and love.Without knowing more about the situation, without knowing which of the three factors in play -- physical, mental, environmental -- weigh heaviest, there's no way to predict an outcome. We could be crying about this tomorrow. We could be laughing about it in April. I'm not sure Brandon himself could say right now which is more likely. The only recourse is to hold on tight and see. It sounds like that's what #7 is doing, anyway. Preceding him over the edge of the bridge seems like bad form."
• Is it Rudy Fernandez time?
• Gilbert Arenas, in a Chris Mannix Sports Illustrated article, on his mentality, which has a lot to do with this movie: "There was one other source of inspiration: Undisputed III, a direct-to-DVD movie about a prison fighter who overcomes a grotesque knee injury to reclaim his status as the best fighter in the world. Arenas watched it more than a dozen times over the summer, and the mountain-man beard he sported during training camp was modeled on the facial hair of the film's protagonist, Yuri Boyka. '[Boyka] wanted to prove he was still the man,' says Arenas. 'That was my whole mentality over the summer. Right now I'm just trying to sit back and let John get comfortable. As he gets comfortable, then I'll bring my will into it.' Boyka is a brooding character, and Arenas has adopted that trait as well, becoming uncharacteristically standoffish with the media since his return."
• You can learn one of Arenas' best moves -- the scissor dribble -- in this "how to" video.
• When Toney Douglas is shooting well, the Knicks win.
• Moses Malone credits a lot of his success to a guy named Babyhead.
• Paul Millsap poster for the ages.
• Kevin Durant remembers when he was mocked for not being able to bench 185 before the draft. He wants you to see him, now, benching 315.
• Jeff Lind of Salt City Hoops: "The refs made a GUTSY call. Not very many crews would call a game ending foul for a relatively unknown (Elson), on a superstar (Wade) in the superstar’s house (Miami). Kudos to the refs for stepping up to the plate and making the right call."
• Happy Birthday, Forum Blue and Gold.

The Pacers were one Josh McRoberts miss away from going the entire third quarter without a miss. (Bob Kravitz in the Indianapolis Star: "If we're going to be completely honest, most McRoberts' 3-point tries inspire a chorus of 'nooooo's!'' from the crowd; he's a 28 percent career 3-point shooter. This time, though, the 'nooooo's!' came from the bench, as well.")

That near-perfect quarter inspired TrueHoop reader Dave -- amazing memory, that guy -- to recall another quarter like it from 1993. The Celtics trailed the Lakers by 15 going into the fourth, and promptly made 15 of 16 to cruise to a ten-point win. Helene Elliott wrote the recap for the Los Angeles Times. In that one. Robert Parish played the role of McRoberts:

Boston sank 15 consecutive shots, including 15 of 16 in the fourth quarter, for a 93.8% figure that matches the best ever against the Lakers. It contributed to the Celtics' 49 fourth-quarter points -- the most against the Lakers since they moved to Los Angeles -- and fueled a comeback 129-119 victory before a Forum sellout crowd of 17,505 that seemed weighted toward the visitors.

The Lakers had a 96-81 lead after a reverse slam by Elden Campbell, but the Celtics scored the next 10 points. A layup by Vlade Divac halted the tide, but only momentarily. The Celtics scored the next 13 points, tying the score, 98-98, on an outside jump shot by Xavier McDaniel with 7:25 to play and taking the lead for good on an outside shot by Dee Brown with 6:55 to go.

"Once we started hitting shots, it was like the playgrounds. Everybody was taking their man and going one on one," said McDaniel, who had 13 points in the fourth quarter and 22 overall. "I don't know who missed that one shot, but we were shooting the lights out."

The one shot was missed by Robert Parish.

• Did anybody watch the Bulls beat the Nuggets last night? A lot of people took from that game that Derrick Rose owned the Nuggets, because he scored a few buckets in crunch time. Others saw Carmelo Anthony do some scoring in the third quarter and said ooh, I bet the Bulls wish they had traded for that guy. I see people hypnotized by scoring: To me that game was exhibit A in why the Bulls were right to keep Joakim Noah, who finished with 19 rebounds, and was freaking everywhere. Nobody but him did much of anything that mattered in the paint at either end, and as a help defender he frustrated almost everything the Nuggets did. And he got the win. No way, watching that game, I'd regret not trading him for Anthony, even if Anthony did have one of the finest, and toughest, crunch time buckets of the season in a losing effort.
• Pat Riley as Yoda, on 790 the Ticket: "You can wish all you want. You can want all you want, but it’s the doing that counts.”
• Bret Lagree of Hoopinion on Josh Smith's improved jumper: "Despite the improved outside shooting, Josh Smith's scoring rate is down about five percent from last season and, despite a marked improvement at the free throw line (up to 67.7% from 61.8% last season), his True Shooting Percentage has only improved slightly, moving from 53.6% to 55.5%. The reason? Smith isn't augmenting his devastating finishing at the rim with better results from the perimeter. He's shooting jump shots instead of scoring at the rim."
• With less than a second left, and lots of worrying to be done about backdoor cuts, why not just play zone and prevent everything at the rim? Also ... there is no defensive three seconds in that situation.
• If, at any point, you forgot that Chris Paul was the best point guard in the NBA, then you have to buy Zach Harper a new laptop, and for the record he likes fancy ones with all the latest bells and whistles.
• On the road with the crazies in Andrew Bogut's Squad Six, as they invade Indiana.
• The Thunder are 25th in John Hollinger's power rankings. When I was wrapping up a conversation with Thunder big man Nenad Krstic about earthquakes, I asked him about the team this year, and he sounded wary: "We have a tough tough schedule coming up. It's going to be interesting. We got to play better. We don't play consistently. Maybe it's like last year, we were like 12-14 or something and we turned it up and played better. But I don't know if that's going to be the case this year. ... We'll see."
• Ted Leonsis, owner of the Wizards, loved the Conan O'Brien joke about getting a written offer saying he is going to be paid "Less ... Much Less" than he used to get paid. Who'd blame Leonsis for fantasizing about delivering a letter like? For instance, perhaps to one of his Wizards player, too. Unrelated: Gilbert Arenas jokes that he's playing NBA basketball this season mainly as a way to get out of the house.
• An important shakeup in the Nuggets' front office. Owners like to have their own insight, from outside the mainstream of the organization. Stan Kroenke's guy was Bret Bearup, but now Bearup is out. Masai Ujiri and Josh Kroenke will be calling the shots.
• More stories of Donald Sterling saying things that sure sound racist.
• Learn the name: Linos Chrysikopoulos. Got it?
• There's plenty of talk about Brandon Roy being in decline, or injured. Then there's also talk that eight games is not enough to say much of anything. My best guess is that his driving to the rim causes injuries he is eager to avoid, and doing so is less valuable now that, instead of kicking it out to an open shooter, he kicks it out to Marcus Camby or Andre Miller.
• NBA refs are sometimes accused of allowing or favoring spectacular, highlight-reel plays. This is the opposite of that.
• Rajon Rondo got really mad at Ray Allen after Jason Terry hit a big 3 last night.
• Stat guys, calling Andrea Bargnani a bust.
• When I first saw this headline, I thought it said: "Lakers enjoy an off-day game against Minnesota" which seemed like a real burn.
• Del Harris is broadcasting in Spanish? Jeff Caplan of ESPN writes: "Harris learned Spanish 35 years ago when he coached the Puerto Rican national team. He also coached there for seven summers and spent a year coaching in Barcelona." For some reason I find that incredibly impressive.
• Arsenalist of Raptors Republic, breaking down some photos with a classic line: "On this play the Raptors have three help defenders. None of them help."
• Rob Mahoney of The Two Man Game: "I’m not sure who this Brendan Haywood is, but I wouldn’t mind seeing the old one come back."
• Marcus Camby talks about his mentors, in an interview with a homeless advocacy newspaper.
• Phil Jackson sees some D-League in his rookies' futures.
• Allen Iverson gets a hero's welcome at a Turkish soccer game, says he's thrilled with fans at airport.