On the NBA: "The Unknown Superstar"

The Unknown Comic was the stage name for stand-up comedian Murray Langston, best known for his performances on The Gong Show during the 1970s.

It was a goofy gimmick in which the comedian performed with a paper bag over his head, but it enabled Langston to enjoy quite a career with over 100 major television appearances.

I can't help but think Brandon Roy and Langston may be kindred spirits.

You see, Roy may very well be the NBA's "Unknown Superstar."

Roy's "paper bag" is the City of Portland, the nation's 23rd largest television market.

While most of the East Coast was catching up on its shut-eye last night, Roy was torching the Phoenix Suns for a career-high 52 points at the Rose Garden. The University of Washington product capped his big night by burying the go- ahead jumper from beyond the arc with 1:01 remaining as Portland beat Phoenix, 124-119.

Brandon Roy may very well be the NBA's "Unknown Superstar."

But, just how many actually saw the scintillating performance?

Sure you can catch the highlights on SportsCenter, but it's just not the same as seeing history unfold. And make no mistake, the half-century mark is a big deal in the NBA.

When you look at the players that have scored 50 points in a game, the list is littered with names like Chamberlain, Jordan, Baylor and Gervin.

Among current players, Roy became just the 21st to ring up the magic number when he went 14-of-27 from the field, including 5-of-7 from three-point range against Phoenix. He also hit 19-of-21 free throws and had six assists and five rebounds for the Blazers, who snapped an 11-game skid to the Suns.

Usually the rarified air of 50 is reserved for superstars like Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Allen Iverson.

Sure, occasionally you will see a Jerry Stackhouse on the list or a Jamal Crawford, guys who aren't great players but have well-above average offensive skills and can light it up for a night here and there.

It's pretty clear which group Roy belongs in.

Most may not know it since the Seattle native is toiling in the relative obscurity of the Pacific Northwest but he's already a star, well on his way to elevating the Blazers to the top of the league.

Roy will never jump out at you with the incredible athletic ability of a Bryant, James or Dwyane Wade. He's not the quickest guy in the world, he doesn't jump out of the gym and he doesn't possess the freakish length to make things difficult on the defensive end.

What Roy does, however, is everything well. The 6-foot-6 All-Star is a plus shooter and ball-handler, who can move without the rock, create his own shot and defend some of the better two guards in the league.

Simply put, he's the NBA's "Unknown Superstar."

Cheeks was his own worst enemy

There's a few rules out there we all have to follow.

You know, real common sense stuff.

Don't spit in the wind...don't tug on Superman's cape...or in the case of
Maurice Cheeks, how about don't emasculate your boss.

I'm not saying Ed Stefanski doesn't deserve it. It's just a bad business
decision.

Mo Cheeks isn't exactly a type-A personality . In fact he might be the last
person you would peg as passive aggressive. In fact, Cheeks might be the nicest guy in Philadelphia sports judging by how quickly the locals jumped on their swords to defend him despite an embarrassing coaching performance this season.

If you listen to Mo's apologists, all the Sixers problems laid at the feet of
someone else, be it Stefanski, Elton Brand, Andre Iguodala or Samuel
Dalembert.

I, for one, am not buying it.

There's no question we all over-evaluated the talent Stefanski put together. Elton Brand looks like the proverbial square peg being forced into the round hole. Andre Iguodala should be embarrassed that his talent level translates to so little on the floor. Samuel Dalembert may be the first player in the history of the NBA, whose basketball IQ shrinks every time he hits the floor and Lou Williams looks like the stereotypical prima donna who mailed it in when he got the big contract.

Mo could have used all that as an excuse if he actually used the players
assembled by Stefanski the way his GM envisioned.

Instead, Cheeks played hard-head, coaching with little imagination or vision and stayed status-quo no matter how badly his "guys" performed.

The coach clearly didn't believe Brand was cut out for the running game and he
stopped pushing the ball like the team did last year when they overachieved.

Meanwhile, a few more minutes for Donyell Marshall or Kareem Rush when
Iguodala and Willie Green were throwing up brick after brick in the half court set would have went a long way.

If we all saw Brand look bad running up and down the floor, Marshall looking
his age and Rush looking like he should be playing in Turkey, Cheeks would
have indicted Stefanski and put this team's faults on the shoulders of the GM.

Instead, Stefanski's vision is the unknown.

And the unknown is a hell of a lot better than 9-14.

NBA in 3-D

Turner Sports, the National Basketball Association and Cinedigm Digital Cinema will team up to broadcast TNT's coverage of "NBA All-Star Saturday Night" in live 3-D to 80 digitally equipped theaters across the United States. Scheduled for February 14, the broadcast will play on as many as 160 screens in 35 states.

The event represents the first-ever fully marketed deal to deliver an NBA sporting event to the public in live 3-D.

Participating theater chains include Carmike Cinemas, Celebration Cinemas, Cinema West, Emagine, Galaxy Theatres, Marquee Cinemas, MJR, NCG, Rave Motion Pictures, Showcase and UltraStar Cinema.

"NBA All-Star Saturday Night," which also be broadcast live on TNT at 8 p.m. ET will feature the league's top-players in such events as: Haeir Shooting Stars, with San Antonio players David Robinson, Tim Duncan and Becky Hammon; PlayStation Skills Challenge, with Utah Jazz guard Deron Williams; Foot Locker Three-Point Shootout, with Toronto Raptors forward Jason Kapono; and Sprite Slam Dunk, with Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard.

The event will employ Cinedigm's CineLive technology, which enables live 2-D and 3-D streaming currently to more than 80 theater complexes with more than 160 3-D screens in the U.S. Cinedigm expects to further expand its CineLive network throughout 2009 to at least 150 locations.

Last chance for McHale in Minnesota

Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - The NBA's coaching ranks are starting to resemble the killing fields.

Minnesota's Randy Wittman was the fourth head coach to pay for the sins of his boss this season when Kevin McHale, the Timberwolves vice president of basketball operations, wielded Paul Bunyan's axe to Wittman's career on Monday.

But, unlike Sam Presti, who unloaded P.J. Carlesimo in Oklahoma City, Ernie Grunfeld, who jettisoned Eddie Jordan in Washington and Bryan Colangelo, who ousted Sam Mitchell in Toronto, McHale is going to have to oversee the mess he created in the Twin Cities.

T-Wolves owner Glen Taylor "convinced" McHale to relinquish his front-office duties in order to take over the club and concentrate on coaching.

Reading between the lines, a rather long honeymoon is finally nearing an end for McHale in the Twin Cities.

Your average general manager with a similar resume to McHale would have been shown the door years ago. But, McHale, a Hall of Fame player with an incredible drop-step move for the Boston Celtics, is a Minnesota legend.

"I'm confident that we can get this turned around and get back to playing a brand of basketball that our fans can be proud of," Kevin McHale said.

Born in Hibbing, he was Minnesota's Mr. Basketball during his senior season at Hibbing High School. The 6-foot-10 power forward then moved on to the University of Minnesota where he was named All-Big Ten in 1979 and 1980.

Simply put, Kevin McHale is basketball in Minnesota. In 1992, he was elected to the Minnesota State High School League Hall of Fame and, in 1995, he was selected as top player in the history of University of Minnesota men's basketball.

McHale's tenure running the Timberwolves pales in comparison to his brilliant exploits on the court, however. His teams won just two playoff series during Kevin Garnett's 12 brilliant seasons in Minneapolis. He then jettisoned Garnett in July of 2007 for five players and two draft picks in the NBA's largest deal for a single player, a trade that looked like a favor to his old teammate Danny Ainge.

Of course, Garnett went on to win four playoff series during his first season in Boston and the NBA championship. This season, the Celtics are off to a gaudy 20-2 start.

Meanwhile, the Wolves are a miserable 26-75 since the trade and 4-15 this season, including a lopsided loss at home to the equally woeful Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday.

So, Taylor threw down the gauntlet and put McHale on notice.

"There were certain goals and expectations that we had for this team at the start of the season, and we have not lived up to them," Taylor said in a statement. "I am disappointed in our record and believe that we have more talent than our record indicates. A change had to be made and with three-fourths of the season remaining, there is still time to make substantial progress this year."

The last time McHale stepped down from his throne was during the 2004-05 season after he fired his good friend Flip Saunders and coached the final 31 games that season. He actually did a good job, injecting life into the Wolves and guiding them to a 19-12 record down the stretch.

A similar showing is needed if McHale hopes to avoid joining Wittman on the unemployment line.

"Kevin has assembled the players on this team, and believes in their talent and skill level," Taylor said. "It is my expectation that Kevin will be able to get the most out of our team and our players in his new role as head coach."

With his back against the wall and his tenure hanging in the balance, McHale agreed.

"I truly believe that we have a talented group of players in our locker room who have a great amount of potential," said McHale. "I'm confident that we can get this turned around and get back to playing a brand of basketball that our fans can be proud of."

Of course, what else could McHale say?

He is the architect of the eyesore that is the T-Wolves, and now he is finally being held accountable.

Better you than me

Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - Better you than me.

It's a simple philosophy with its roots stemming in survival of the fittest.

We are a quarter of the way through the NBA season and 10 percent of the league's coaches have already been shown the door, with more certain to follow.

In any walk of life, when things aren't going well, the higher-ups on the food chain always need a scapegoat. In this sour economy, you can pick up a newspaper every day and read about some company downsizing to make its bottom line look a little more enticing to its stockholders. In essence, it's the people in power saying to their underlings -- better you than me.

In the NBA, that means general managers sacrificing coaches to placate restless owners.

When Oklahoma City and Washington made changes, it was understandable. As I wrote last week, professional sports is a bottom-line business, and the bottom line was pretty ugly for both the Thunder and the Wizards early this season.

P.J. Carlesimo's Thunder were off to a dismal 1-12 start when Sam Presti went looking for his fall guy, while Eddie Jordan's Wizards were a miserable 1-10 when Ernie Grunfeld made him an example.

But, how about Toronto?

The Raptors were supposed to be much improved this season but were off to a sluggish start, so general manager Bryan Colangelo fired coach Sam Mitchell Wednesday, a day after one of the most embarrassing losses in franchise history, a 132-93 drubbing at the hands of Denver in the Rocky Mountains.

"Obviously, (the Denver) game was just an absolute kick to the gut," Colangelo said. "When you look back, it's a culmination of things. Expectations are high. We want to win."

The addition of six-time All-Star Jermaine O'Neal and the continued development of one of the NBA's most underrated point guards, Jose Calderon, had many thinking the Raptors should be a 50-win team that would make things tougher on the Boston Celtics in the Atlantic Division.

Toronto won its first three games but has gone just 5-9 since so Mitchell, who led the Raptors to the playoffs in each of the last two seasons and was the NBA's coach of the year for 2006-07, was sent to the unemployment line. and replaced with assistant Jay Triano.

Triano, the first Canadian head coach in NBA history, will attempt to turn around a team that has underachieved but is nowhere near ready to compete with the Celtics.

"This is a difficult but necessary step the franchise must take," Colangelo said.

Difficult? Yes.

Necessary? Not really. The change won't mean much. If the Raptors can stay healthy and continue to develop better chemistry they will improve, but Colangelo over-evaluated his team.

You simply can't expect him to admit it, however. After all, better you than me.

Maurice Cheeks could be next after the Sixers' pedestrian 8-11 start.

So who's next?

Stick in the Atlantic and look at another underachieving team overvalued by its head honcho, the Philadelphia 76ers.

If you are the pilot of a struggling team you definitely don't want the general manager sniffing around, but that's exactly where Maurice Cheeks found himself this week after the Sixers' pedestrian 8-11 start.

Ed Stefanski followed his team to Chicago on Tuesday and had a little get together with the media before the team's game with the mighty LA Lakers on Wednesday.

Stefanski is clearly not happy with the team he has cobbled together, and spoke about a number of things in a clandestine way.

"Mo is coaching, the players are the players and they all have to figure it out with me," Stefanski said before Wednesday's game. "We talk and communicate daily to try and straighten this out. All of us, including everybody in that locker room, are not happy."

The GM acknowledged that Andre Iguodala has had a difficult time with the two spot, and might need more minutes at the three. Asked if that meant a possible trade for a legitimate shooting guard, Stefanski said not necessarily, intimating that Willie Green, who he called one of the team's most consistent players early in the season, or Kareem Rush, who Cheeks has virtually ignored, could be answers.

Stefanski also said the team is trying too hard to fit in around Elton Brand and needs to revert back to a team that fuels the break with pressure defense. Stefanski feels Brand, who injured his hamstring against the Lakers, is a good enough player that he can flourish in any system.

"You'll never hear 'patience' come out of my mouth," Stefanski said. "I'm not going to say I'm shocked that we're taking a little time to try to get this all figured out."

So, what if it never gets figured out?

Better Cheeks than Stefanski.

LeBron is Eastern Conference Player of the Month

CLEVELAND – Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James was named today as the NBA’s Eastern Conference Player of the Month presented by KIA for games played in the month of November.

In 15 games during the month, James averaged 28.6 points on .497 shooting, 7.1 rebounds and 6.2 assists per game. James has now won the award eight times in his career: for the first time this season; two times during 2007-08, once in 2006-07, twice in 2005-06 and twice during the 2004-05 campaign.

During November, James ranked second in the NBA in points per game (28.6) and ranked sixth in assists (6.2) and steals (2.1) among Eastern Conference players. James led his team to a 13-2 record during the month, which tied for the most wins in a month in franchise history and was their best November record ever. James also won Eastern Conference Player of the Week twice during the month (for weeks ending November 9th and 16th).

With his second steal at Dallas on November 3rd, he became the youngest player (23 years, 308 days) and fastest (395 games) to reach the following milestones in five statistical categories: 10,000 points, 2,500 rebounds, 2,500 assists, 700 steals and 300 blocks.

During the month of November, James scored 41 points three times and became the first player since Michael Jordan in 1991 to reach the 40-point mark at least three times in his team’s first eight games of a season. James scored 41 points twice against Chicago (November 5th and November 8th), becoming the first player to have consecutive games with 40 or more points versus Chicago since Rick Barry (1974-9175) and he has now scored 30 or more points against the Bulls in seven straight games. He joins Nate Archibald (9 games from 3/10/72-10/10/73), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (8 games from 2/13/71-2/20/72) and Oscar Robertson (7 games from 12/2/67-11/9/68) as the only players to accomplish that feat. In the Cavs’ next game on Nov. 11th, he scored 41 points versus Milwaukee on 16-24 shooting (.667) and added six assists and three steals. With James’ 13th point in the first quarter at New Jersey on November 18th, he became the youngest player in NBA history (23 years, 324 days) to score 11,000 points, surpassing Kobe Bryant who reached the plateau at 25 years, 99 days.

The New Orleans Hornets’ Chris Paul was named the Western Conference Player of the Month. Other nominees for Eastern Conference Player of the Month were New Jersey’s Devin Harris, Orlando’s Dwight Howard and Toronto’s Chris Bosh.

CP3 is top player in Western Conference for November

NEW ORLEANS - The NBA announced today that New Orleans Hornets point guard Chris Paul was selected as the Western Conference Player of the Month presented by Kia for games played from the start of the season (Oct. 28) through November. The honor is the third of Paul’s career (December, 2007 and March, 2008). He becomes the first Hornet to win the award three times.

“It is an honor to receive this award, especially with how many great players are in this conference,” said Paul. “I have to give a lot of credit to my coaches and teammates, we are all striving towards one collective goal, a championship."

Paul averaged 20.3 points, 11.6 assists, 5.7 rebounds and 2.8 steals in guiding the Hornets to a 9-6 mark since the start of the season. Paul’s start included collecting an NBA-leading two triple-doubles and 12 double-doubles. He also scored 20-plus points in 10 of the 15 games and had 10 games of 20-plus points and 10-plus assists. In addition, Paul had a steal in every game during the season to extend his steals streak to 99 straight games, just six short of the NBA record set by Alvin Robertson (Nov. 16, 1985-Dec. 29, 1986).

“Chris is a special player and deserves all the credit and awards coming his way,” said Hornets Head Coach Byron Scott. “He is one of the best players in our league and the leader of our team.”

Paul had 24 points, 15 assists and one steal in a 104-92 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Nov. 1. He collected 30 points, 13 assists, seven rebounds and four steals in a 86-93 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Nov. 12. On Nov. 22, he had 29 points, 16 assists, 10 rebounds and three steals to secure his first triple-double of the season in a 109-97 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder. Paul had his second straight triple-double against the Los Angeles Clippers on Nov. 24, garnering 14 points, 17 assists and 10 rebounds in a 99-87 win. He collected 22 points to go along with 10 assists and three steals in a 105-101 win on Thanksgiving night on TNT at Denver.

Paul ranks first in the NBA in assists, steals and triple-doubles, while ranking second in double-doubles and 21st in scoring.

Courtney Sims is D-League Player of the Week

Courtney Sims of the Iowa Energy today was named the NBA D-league Performer of the Week for games played during the week of Nov. 24. Sims becomes the first Energy player and the first player of the 2008-09 season to earn the weekly honor.

In the season’s first two games for Iowa, both wins, Sims averaged a double-double of 22.5 points and 14.5 rebounds in addition to 8.0 blocks while shooting .542 (13-24) from the field. He opened the season with a triple-double on Friday against the Sioux Falls Skyforce, tallying 22 points, 17 rebounds, and 11 blocked shots. Sims' 11 blocks ties the NBA D-League single game record set by Cheikh Samb last season.

A 6-11 center from Michigan, Sims joined the Energy late last season after opening the 2007-08 campaign with the Indiana Pacers, where he played in three games. Sims averaged 15.5 points and 6.5 rebounds in 15 games with Iowa last season and also participated in the New Orleans’ Hornets training camp this past fall.

Other top performers last week included Austin’s Malik Hariston, who averaged 25.0 points, 9.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists in two games for the Toros; Richard Hendrix, who averaged 21.5 points and 13.5 rebounds for the Bakersfield Jam while on assignment from the Golden State Warriors; Colorado’s James Mays, who posted 22.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 3.5 steals over two games for the 14ers; Joe Crawford, who scored a league-leading 31.5 points during his first two games for the Los Angeles D-Fenders and Damone Brown, who finished the first week of play averaging 22.5 points and 14.0 rebounds for the Reno Bighorns.

Rose, Mayo Rookies of Month

NEW YORK, December 1, 2008 – The Chicago Bulls’ Derrick Rose and the Memphis Grizzlies’ O.J. Mayo today were named the Eastern and Western Conference T-Mobile Rookies of the Month, respectively, for games played from the start of the season (Oct. 28) through November.

Rose is ranked first among all Eastern Conference rookies in scoring average (18.4), assists per game (6.0) and minutes per game (38.0). He has scored in double-figures in all but one game and has led his team in scoring six times and in assists 13 times. He became the first Bulls rookie since Michael Jordan, in 1984-85, to score 10 or more points in the first 10 games of his rookie season. His nine assists in his NBA debut tied for the second-most by a No. 1 pick in his pro debut since the common draft began in 1966.

Mayo leads all rookies in scoring with 21.9 ppg, the highest scoring average for a first-year player since Allen Iverson (23.4 ppg) in 1996-97. He ranks in the Top 10 among rookies in seven major categories, including scoring average, minutes, assists, steals, field goal percentage, three-point field goal percentage and free throw percentage, and is the first rookie to have four 30-plus point games within his first 17 career games since Allen Iverson (five) in 1996-97. In addition, Mayo is on pace to become just the fifth rookie since the 1996-97 season to average over 39.0 minutes, joining LeBron James, Tim Duncan, Allen Iverson and Shane Battier.

T-Wolves' Brewer done for season

MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL – The Minnesota Timberwolves today announced that forward Corey Brewer will miss the remainder of the season after suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study done this morning revealed the extent of the injury, which occurred during Minnesota's game vs. Denver on Saturday night. The date for surgery has yet to be determined.

"This is a tough situation for Corey and we feel for him," said Timberwolves VP of Basketball Operations Kevin McHale. "Corey has worked extremely hard on his game. He was starting to really feel comfortable on the floor and was playing well. We'll miss his energy, defensive mindedness and toughness moving forward."

Wasted Talent

When I think about Stephon Marbury's career, I can't help hearing Lorenzo "the bus driver" from 'A Bronx Tale' in my ear.

For those of you who may have overlooked this gem of a film, 'A Bronx Tale' is the 1993 directorial debut of the brilliant Robert De Niro. The movie is set in New York City during the turbulent 1960s and follows the path of a young man guided by two distinctly different father figures, played by De Niro and Chazz Palminteri.

In one of the better scenes, Lorenzo (De Niro) tells his son Calogero (played by Lillo Brancato Jr.), "The saddest thing in life is wasted talent."

The enigmatic Marbury has evidently never seen the film.

Professional sports is filled with underachievers like Marbury. Guys with unbelievable talent that throw it away on vices ranging from to women to drugs to plain old fashioned hubris.

I'm not sure if stupidity qualifies as a vice but if it does, Stephon should be headed to the next anonymous meeting with the other 12-steppers intent on turning their lives around.

Stephon Marbury has not played this season and has been at odds with new coach Mike D'Antoni.

Marbury has not played this season and has been at odds with new coach Mike D'Antoni, who had planned to use the Brooklyn native in a very limited role since...well...Marbury is a jackass.

Few blamed D'Antoni for wanting to go with guys with far less talent, and the early results were promising. The Knicks were finally turning things around, albeit slowly, and dreaming of the day they could make a run at LeBron James.

New York's roster situation changed dramatically last week when they began clearing cap space for the inevitable run at LeBron and dealt guards Jamal Crawford and Mardy Collins. So, D'Antoni needed Marbury, if only for a few games.

Instead of looking in the mirror, taking self-inventory and recognizing a chance to prove everyone who thinks he is a lost cause wrong, Marbury balked at playing and ripped the well-regarded D'Antoni in the process.

"I wouldn't trust him to walk my dog across the street," Marbury reportedly said of D'Antoni.

Personally, I think the canine would relish spending time with D'Antoni over Marbury if it had a choice.

The Marbury era in New York is mercifully coming to an end and the Knicks finally suspended the petulant one on Friday.

It was a toothless penalty considering the former All-Star guard was docked one game's pay and an additional 1/110th of his massive $21.9 million dollar salary for refusing to play against the Pistons.

"A player's central obligation is to provide his professional services when called upon," Knicks president Donnie Walsh said in making the announcement. "Because he refused the coach's request to play in the team's last game, we had no choice but to impose disciplinary action."

Marbury's central obligation is to himself.

Always has been. Always will be.

Wasted talent indeed.

D-League starting to set rosters

The Bakersfield Jam, the affiliate of the Golden State Warriors and Orlando Magic, have a pair of players assigned by the Warriors, guard DeMarcus Nelson and forward Richard Hendrix. Here's the roster:

Num. Name Hgt/Wght Position College

#2 Trey Johnson 6-6/216 Guard Jackson State University

#3 Jeff Trepagnier 6-4/200 Guard University Southern California

#7 Derrick Byars 6-7/220 Forward Vanderbilt University

#10 Jovan Harris 6-3/175 Guard San Francisco University

#14 Ashanti Cook 6-2/185 Guard Georgetown University

#17 Terrance Thomas 6-6/220 Forward Baylor University

#21 DeMarcus Nelson * 6-4/200 Guard Duke University

#23 David Berghoefer 6-10/245 Center Western Kentucky

#24 Mateen Cleaves 6-2/205 Guard Michigan State

#32 Terrence Gamble 6-10/255 Center Tarleton State

#34 Richard Hendrix * 6-9/250 Forward University of Alabama

#44 Nick Lewis 6-10/240 Forward University of San Diego

* NBA assigned players from the Golden State Warriors

Practice player:

#33 Demarcus Hall 6-7/200 Forward Cal State University Bakersfield

“We should be a competitive team from the first tip,” coach Scott Roth said. “We have a strong nucleus of returning guys in Mateen Cleaves, Trey Johnson and Nick Lewis, and the fact the Warriors assigned DeMarcus Nelson and Richard Hendrix accentuates our feelings here.”

The Jam made final cuts to the roster this morning, waiving guard Derek Wright due to injury and placing forward Demarcus Hall on the active practice squad. Hall played for the local university and lives in Bakersfield.

Meanwhile, The Utah Flash waived guards Mike Hall, Chris Moore and Chris Mannix. The Flash season-opening roster stands at 12 including Boston Celtics assignees J.R. Giddens and Bill Walker.

No Player Pos Ht Wt College DOB

00 John Barber SF 6-7 220 Youngstown State 3/28/1985

7 Ryan Diggs PG 6-2 170 Western Washington 12/8/1983

11 Dontell Jefferson PG 6-4 195 Arkansas 12/15/1983

12 Andre Ingram SG 6-3 190 American 11/19/1985

15 J.R. Giddens* SG 6-5 215 New Mexico 2/13/1985

23 Eddie Ard G/F 6-5 215 Lipscomb 6/28/1985

24 Bill Walker* G/F 6-6 220 Kansas State 10/9/1987

32 Brian Jackson PF 6-9 244 Oregon State 10/4/1980

33 Gavin Grant SF 6-7 200 North Carolina State 3/12/1985

34 Bennet Davis PF 6-9 225 Northeastern 3/14/1984

42 Steve Newman C 6-9 235 Georgia 10/25/1984

99 Carlos Wheeler PF 6-7 220 Campbellsville 5/16/1978

Power Poll

Check out this week's power poll by banging the link...

Success starts at the top

Professional sports is a bottom-line business, and the bottom line was pretty ugly in both Oklahoma City and Washington early this season.

P.J. Carlesimo's Thunder were off to a dismal 1-12 start when Clay Bennett put Latrell Sprewell's nemesis out of his misery over the weekend, while Eddie Jordan's Wizards were a miserable 1-10 when Abe Pollin pulled the plug Monday morning.

And just like that, two bright, well-regarded NBA coaches joined our country's ever-expanding unemployment line.

It's almost impossible to get basketball people to criticize either Carlesimo or Jordan. Heck, even the teams that fired them had trouble saying anything bad about the vanquished.

"This was a very difficult decision to make," Thunder executive vice president and general manager Sam Presti said of Carlesimo after announcing the change. "I am very appreciative of the hard work and effort that P.J. gave to this team and we wish him the best in his future endeavors."

P.J. Carlesimo was let go by Oklahoma City after opening the season 1-12.

Pollin offered similar sentiments to Jordan.

"This was an extremely difficult decision because I'm personally very fond of Eddie," Pollin said. "He helped bring our franchise back to the playoffs and became engrained in the Washington, DC community. I will forever be grateful for his dedication and hard work."

So where did it go wrong?...

Both coaches were simply the victim of circumstance.

Carlesimo was a red-hot property when he sat next to Gregg Popovich on the bench in San Antonio, but made a serious mistake by taking over a rebuilding team looking to flee Seattle for Oklahoma City.

It wasn't a problem to tank in the Emerald City last year since Bennett wanted to pack up for Oklahoma anyway. Apathy was actually the owner's friend in the Pacific Northwest.

Improvement, even slight improvement, was necessary for Carlesimo this season but the veteran coach just didn't have the horses to put on the floor alongside Kevin Durant, a brilliant scorer that doesn't have an NBA body and offers little on the boards or at the defensive end.

Jordan, who was the longest-tenured coach in the Eastern Conference and guided his club to the playoffs each of the past four seasons -- the longest consecutive stretch for the franchise since a five-year run in the mid-80s, went to war this year without two significant weapons in All-Star guard Gilbert Arenas and center Brendan Hayward.

Red Auerbach couldn't have succeeded with what Carlesimo and Jordan had to work with.

Scott Brooks, a former journeyman guard, has taken over for Carlesimo on an interim basis in Oklahoma City, while Ed Tapscott, the Wizards director of player development whose only experience as a head coach came on the collegiate level with American University, is handling things in the nation's capital.

Neither is likely to remind you of Auerbach any time soon. In fact, neither is likely to remind you of Chris Ford.

That said, Carlesimo wasn't the problem in Oklahoma City and Jordan wasn't the issue in the District. Brooks and Tapscott won't be either.

In fact, both first-timers may perform admirably, but bad organizations are usually bad for a reason and it starts at the top.

Brooks and Tapscott are about to find that out.

Making a run at LeBron

Every time LeBron James wears a New York Yankees cap, the basketball fans in Gotham smile.

I guess the reasoning is simple and goes something like this...Since the Cleveland Cavaliers' superstar loves baseball's most storied franchise, he must relish the thought of playing in the nation's No. 1 media market.

Knicks fans ask: "Who wouldn't want to play in the world's most famous arena, Madison Square Garden?"

And Nets fans counter with, "Who wouldn't want to play on a team partially owned by their close friend, hip-hop mogul Jay Z?"

Both teams are fueling their fans' fantasies by opening up significant cap space. In fact, the Nets and Knicks have been doing everything possible to clear enough salary cap space by 2010 to lure James.

The Nets jettisoned Jason Kidd last season and followed that by waving goodbye to Richard Jefferson in the offseason. Meanwhile, Knicks president Donnie Walsh made his first big move Friday, agreeing to send guard Jamal Crawford to the Golden State Warriors for the disgruntled Al Harrington.

LeBron James will certainly opt out of the final year of his contract in Cleveland to test the market.

That is just the first of what could be a number of moves for the Knicks, who are also working feverishly on sending high-priced forward Zach Randolph to either Dallas or the Los Angles Clippers.

Of course, there are problems with either scenario.

The Nets' move to Brooklyn has been slowed by delays, the faltering economy and legal challenges to Atlantic Yards, the proposed development that would include the team's new arena.

In fact, the latest piece of litigation has pushed a possible groundbreaking back to next spring at the earliest, with a projected opening in 2011, a year after James would be scheduled to arrive with the Nets. North Jersey is close to New York in proximity, but not in stature.

On the other hand, the Knicks, while improved under Mike D'Antoni, still sport a pair of expensive anchors to the franchise, enigmatic guard Stephon Marbury and out-of-shape center Eddy Curry.

Does LeBron, who has been knocked for not leading the Cavaliers to a championship, really want to go to a far less talented team that spent two years gutting its roster to acquire him?

James will certainly opt out of the final year of his contract in Cleveland to test the market but, barring a sign-and-trade agreement, the Cavaliers will be able to offer James a longer and more lucrative contract than any other team.

Meanwhile, for what it's worth, James claims he loves playing for the Cavs.

"I love being here, I love playing in front of these fans," James, an Akron native, told The Cleveland Plain Dealer before the season. "My family's here. I grew up 30 miles away from here. I never gave any indication I did not like playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers."

By their actions, the Nets and Knicks feel James is just posturing and winking at both of them.

Of course, it's always nice to have a backup plan, and James will likely be joined in the 2010 free agent class by Toronto's Chris Bosh, Miami's Dwyane Wade and Phoenix's Amare Stoudemire.

With that kind of security blanket, the Knicks and Nets have gone all in. A gamble that entails making a two-year run at LeBron.

Radio Spot

Listen To John McMullen tonight on The Nightly Sports Report with Troy Derengowski by banging the link...

NBA loses a legend

One thing about David Stern's NBA, it's a marketing machine.

Think about it - names like Kobe, LeBron and Shaq are every bit as recognizable around the world as Britney or Madonna.

Pete Newell's name certainly didn't have the same cachet to the general public but inside the game, he was every bit the legend as any of its superstars.

In the coaching ranks, Newell was best known as the college level. where he spent 15 years coaching at the University of San Francisco, Michigan State and Cal-Berkeley, compiling an impressive 234-123 record and leading the Bears to a national championship in 1959.

In fact he was one of only three coaches to have won an NIT, NCAA and Olympic title, joining Bob Knight and Dean Smith.

But Newell, who spent time as the general manager of both the San Diego Rockets and Los Angeles Lakers in the '70s and engineered the trade that brought Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to Los Angeles, really made his mark in the NBA while running his world famous instructional basketball camp.

Pete Newell was known for running his world famous instructional basketball camps.

The annual camp for centers and forwards, housed in Los Angeles, Honolulu and most recently Las Vegas, was known simply as "Big Man Camp."

Its origins were humble. Newell was working with Kermit Washington, the former NBA player best known for punching out Rudy Tomjanovich in one of the league's uglier incidents. Under Newell's tutelage, Washington's footwork and overall game rapidly improved and more and more big men started to work with him.

Newell and his camp grew to such a level he became known as "The Footwork Master" and it became standard procedure for every single big man of any significance to stop in for tutelage.

The camp's alumni is a who's who of NBA's players that reached over 200, including superstars like Bill Walton, Hakeem Olajuwon and Shaq himself, who called Newell the "best teacher there is" after working with him.

Needless to say, Newell could have made quite the living on his reputation but from the time he opened the camp in 1976 until his death, he never accepted any money for his services.

"I owe it to the game," Newell once said. "I can never repay what the game has given me."

Newell, who was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1979. died at 93 on Monday. He had been in bad health since undergoing surgery in 2005 to remove a malignant lung tumor.

"This is obviously a very sad day for the game of basketball, whether you are associated with the NBA, college or high school ranks," Warriors coach Don Nelson said. "Pete was a great coach and a great man who had the ability to relate to players and people on every level."

Basketball will never find another like him.

Nobody contributed more to the game and its history than Pete Newell.

Lakers-Celts in two-horse race

Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - When I wake up in the morning, I'm like a lot of men who like sports -- I grab the newspaper (yes people my age still read newspapers) and immediately navigate to the sports section.

But, at the risk of sounding haughty, I do consider myself rather well-read, and will eventually peek through the "more important" parts of the paper.

And I have to admit when I see the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers dominating things in the NBA, I almost expect to see Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev on the front page, signing some kind of treaty in Iceland.

It's been a very long time since Magic Johnson and Larry Bird "rescued" the NBA and forever stamped Lakers-Celtics as the preeminent rivalry in the sport.

Since then, Isiah and the "Bad Boys" ignited the Motor City, Michael surpassed Magic, Larry and Wilt as the greatest player in NBA history and Shaq, Kobe and Phil Jackson brought another dynasty to Hollywood with three straight tiles.

The Lakers and Celtics have combined for a 15-1 record so far this season.

But, the Lakers and Celtics were never good together.

That all changed last year when Danny Ainge rebuilt Boston into a 66-win juggernaut and a world champion in just one offseason.

Of course, the Celtics faced Los Angeles in the NBA Finals for the first time since 1986-87 and Boston tortured the Andrew Bynum-less Lakers with the pick-and-roll, and on the boards, en route to its first title since '85-86.

Barring a significant injury, you can book the sequel.

I realize its only mid-November but the Lakers and Celtics have combined for a 15-1 record and the only other championship-tested contender, San Antonio. is a miserable 2-5 as Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker sit on the sidelines with ankle injuries.

Atlanta is a great story and almost stunned the Celtics in Beantown Wednesday night before cold-blooded Finals MVP Paul Pierce buried a fadeaway jumper with 0.5 seconds to play, handing the Hawks their first loss of the season. As talented as Atlanta is, however, it's still far too early in the careers of Al Horford and Josh Smith to take the team all that seriously.

So how about the other roadblocks?

With all due respect to Kobe Bryant, Cleveland's LeBron James is my choice for the best player in basketball, and Mo Williams was a nice addition for the Cavs, but general manager Danny Ferry just hasn't done enough to compete with the big boys.

In the Big Easy, Chris Paul's daily double-double is nice but doesn't make up for one of the league's thinnest benches.

I suppose the fountain of youth could be in Phoenix and a healthy Shaquille O'Neal might carry the Suns a long way, but it's hard to imagine a team changing so drastically in philosophy being a championship-type club.

As usual, Utah is the most unselfish team in basketball but can't play on the road in big situations.

Meanwhile Joe Dumars already waved the white flag in Detroit when he acquired Allen Iverson.

It's a two-horse race in the NBA, and the participants are awfully familiar.

NBA All-Star ballot

2009 NBA ALL-STAR EASTERN CONFERENCE BALLOT

EAST GUARDS (24)

Ray Allen, Boston

Gilbert Arenas, Washington

Mike Bibby, Atlanta

**Chauncey Billups, Detroit

Jose Calderon, Toronto

Vince Carter, New Jersey

Jamal Crawford, New York

Raymond Felton, Charlotte

TJ Ford, Indiana

Ben Gordon, Chicago

Richard Hamilton, Detroit

Devin Harris, New Jersey

Joe Johnson, Atlanta

Stephon Marbury, New York

Andre Miller, Philadelphia

Jameer Nelson, Orlando

Anthony Parker, Toronto

Michael Redd, Milwaukee

Jason Richardson, Charlotte

Luke Ridnour, Milwaukee

Rajon Rondo, Boston

Derrick Rose, Chicago

Dwyane Wade, Miami

Mo Williams, Cleveland

EAST FORWARDS (24)

Michael Beasley, Miami

Chris Bosh, Toronto

Elton Brand, Philadelphia

Caron Butler, Washington

Luol Deng, Chicago

Mike Dunleavy, Indiana

Kevin Garnett, Boston

Danny Granger, Indiana

Andre Iguodala, Philadelphia

LeBron James, Cleveland

Antawn Jamison, Washington

Richard Jefferson, Milwaukee

Rashard Lewis, Orlando

Shawn Marion, Miami

**Antonio McDyess, Detroit

Andres Nocioni, Chicago

Paul Pierce, Boston

Tayshaun Prince, Detroit

Zach Randolph, New York

Josh Smith, Atlanta

Hedo Turkoglu, Orlando

Gerald Wallace, Charlotte

Marvin Williams, Atlanta

Yi Jianlian, New Jersey

EAST CENTERS (12)

Andrew Bogut, Milwaukee

Eddy Curry, New York

Samuel Dalembert, Philadelphia

Brendan Haywood, Washington

Al Horford, Atlanta

Dwight Howard, Orlando

Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Cleveland

Emeka Okafor, Charlotte

Jermaine O'Neal, Toronto

Kendrick Perkins, Boston

Ben Wallace, Cleveland

Rasheed Wallace, Detroit

2009 NBA ALL-STAR WESTERN CONFERENCE BALLOT

WEST GUARDS (24)

Rafer Alston, Houston

Leandro Barbosa, Phoenix

Raja Bell, Phoenix

Kobe Bryant, LA Lakers

Michael Conley, Memphis

Baron Davis, LA Clippers

Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City

Monta Ellis, Golden State

Derek Fisher, LA Lakers

Manu Ginobili, San Antonio

**Allen Iverson, Denver

Stephen Jackson, Golden State

Jason Kidd, Dallas

Kevin Martin, Sacramento

O.J. Mayo, Memphis

Tracy McGrady, Houston

Steve Nash, Phoenix

Tony Parker, San Antonio

Chris Paul, New Orleans

Brandon Roy, Portland

J.R. Smith, Denver

Jason Terry, Dallas

Beno Udrih, Sacramento

Deron Williams, Utah

WEST FORWARDS (24)

LaMarcus Aldridge, Portland

Carmelo Anthony, Denver

Ron Artest, Houston

Shane Battier, Houston

Carlos Boozer, Utah

Bruce Bowen, San Antonio

Tim Duncan, San Antonio

Pau Gasol, LA Lakers

Rudy Gay, Memphis

Grant Hill, Phoenix

Josh Howard, Dallas

Andrei Kirilenko, Utah

Kevin Love, Minnesota

Corey Maggette, Golden State

Kenyon Martin, Denver

Mike Miller, Minnesota

Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas

Lamar Odom, LA Lakers

Luis Scola, Houston

Peja Stojakovic, New Orleans

Amar’e Stoudemire, Phoenix

Al Thornton, LA Clippers

David West, New Orleans

Chris Wilcox, Oklahoma City

WEST CENTERS (12)

Andris Biedrins, Golden State

Andrew Bynum, LA Lakers

Marcus Camby, LA Clippers

Tyson Chandler, New Orleans

Nick Collison, Oklahoma City

Al Jefferson, Minnesota

Chris Kaman, LA Clippers

Brad Miller, Sacramento

Greg Oden, Portland

Mehmet Okur, Utah

Shaquille O'Neal, Phoenix

Yao Ming, Houston

NBA Atlantic: No championship hangover in Boston

Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - Conventional wisdom had the Boston Celtics taking a step back in 2008-09.

Maybe not a large step in the wrong direction since the Celtics are far too talented to languish but let's face it, the 'Boston Three Party' of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen finally reached the top of the NBA mountain last year so the sense of urgency for the veteran trio is gone.

Human nature and the loss of super-sub James Posey almost guaranteed the Celtics would falter a bit compared to last year, especially early on. But, give coach Doc Rivers credit, he has found a way to motivate his veteran laden team and keep them focused on a great opportunity to repeat.

Doc Rivers has found a way to motivate his veteran laden team and keep them focused on a great opportunity to repeat.

The Celtics are off to a brilliant 7-1 start and are a perfect 4-0 at TD Banknorth Garden. Garnett, Pierce and Allen have been buoyed by the continued development of center Kendrick Perkins and point guard Rajon Rondo along with a deep bench that now features Tony Allen as its main component.

Rivers mentioned in the preseason that he expected big things from Tony Allen and the Oklahoma State product has delivered, averaging 9.9 points and 1.5 steals in just under 21 minutes per game.

"The last three or four games, our bench has been the reason we have won," Rivers said before the Celtics beat division rival Toronto on Monday. "The energy off our bench has been absolutely terrific. They play together. They share the ball. They do all the little things that make them as a group a good group."

The Boston bench also includes sharp-shooting guard Eddie House and young bigs Leon Powe and Glen Davis but the team would like a veteran presence in the frontcourt that can handle himself on the boards and knock down a jumper in a big situation.

SIXERS STUMBLE OUT OF THE GATE

On paper the Philadelphia 76ers look impressive. On the court, they have looked anything but.

When Sixers basketball guru Ed Stefanski added power forward Elton Brand and sharp-shooting role players Kareem Rush and Donyell Marshall to a nucleus that included star swingman Andre Iguodala, underrated point guard Andre Miller and rising second-year star Thaddeus Young, it looked like a winning combination.

So why are the Sixers just 2-4 early in the season?

A couple of reasons. Sixers coach Maurice Cheeks has struggled with his rotation, leaving Rush and Marshall on the bench in favor of mediocre outside shooters like Willie Green and Royal Ivey. That has allowed opposing teams to double-down on the talented Brand without worrying about the weak-side three.

The far bigger problem, however, has been Iguodala, who hasn't been able to settle into his role as a supporting piece to Brand. A.I. version 2.0 is shooting just 37.7 percent from the floor and averaging 11.0 points per game. As the team's second offensive option, Iguodala is playing with little confidence, forcing far too many awkward shots and turning the ball over at an alarming rate.

"We just need to keep working and play better as a team," Iguodala told me last week. "I don't think I am having trouble fitting in (with Brand). It's (chemistry) just something that has to develop over time."

If Iguodala can't fit in around Brand and Cheeks doesn't find a way to better utilize his role players, it could be a long year in the City of Brotherly Love.

ANOTHER GREAT TRIO

Much has been made of Danny Ainge bringing Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen to Boston to team with Paul Pierce. When a championship ensued, you knew other league executives would follow suit and play copycat.

In Toronto, general manager Bryan Colangelo brought in multi-time All-Star Jermaine O'Neal from Indiana to team with Olympian Chris Bosh and rising star Jose Calderon at the point.

Things have been a little uneven during a 4-3 start but the Raptors have quickly established themselves as the chief rival to the Celtics in the division.

Pierce torched them for 22 points in the fourth quarter as Boston rallied to win on Monday in Beantown but Toronto outplayed the Celtics for most of the game and served notice that they will be a tough team to deal with.

To take that next step, the Raptors need to develop more chemistry, learn how to finish games and find a defensive option to handle a player like Pierce.

"In the fourth quarter, they did a good job of making shots," O'Neal said after the loss in Boston. "Ray, Paul and the others have an incredible comfort level with each other. We've got to figure a way to keep those guys down, especially when we're up 15 or 16 points in a game, especially in the second half."

CHANGING THE CULTURE

I first wrote about "changing the culture" in reference to a sports team during the early '90s when covering football in Minneapolis. Since that time, the phrase has turned into a sports cliche.

When a struggling team turns the page of a bad coach or an overmatched general manager, some front office exec inevitably talks about how the new guy is about to "change the culture" in town.

It rarely comes to fruition at least until the roster turns over but in the case of the New York Knicks, the team's new mentor, Mike D'Antoni, is actually "changing the culture" with the same flotsam that made Isiah Thomas and Larry Brown miserable.

D'Antoni brought his seven-seconds-or-less offense from Phoenix to Madison Square Garden and gave malcontents Stephon Marbury and Eddy Curry some pretty sweet season tickets at the end of the bench.

The result has been three straight wins and a 4-2 record with branded losers like Jamal Crawford and Nate Robinson showing they could be actual contributors in a winning equation.

Most recently Crawford poured in a game-high 32 points to lead New York in a comeback win over the previously unbeaten Utah Jazz, 107-99, at Madison Square Garden on Sunday.

Zach Randolph added 25 points and 14 rebounds for D'Antoni's club, while Robinson ended with 10 points and four steals.

Offseason acquisition Chris Duhon, the underrated quarterback of the team, chipped in 16 points and nine assists in the win.

Crawford was so pumped up after the game, he broke out our favorite cliche. "We're changing the culture around here," Crawford said. "Guys are really competing, we're playing together and coach believes in us. He's positive and upbeat all the time."

HARRIS IS KEY TO NETS

Jason Kidd and Richard Jefferson are long gone but the Nets still have eight- time All-Star Vince Carter on hand. And, there's no doubt Vince can still fill it up when motivated but it has become abundantly clear that Devin Harris has turned into Lawrence Frank's most indispensable player.

It's got to be tough taking over a team from one of the best point guards of all-time but that's exactly what Harris was asked to do when he arrived in North Jersey as the replacement for the aging Kidd.

The former Wisconsin star has flashed his gaudy skills at times and poured in a career-high 38 points during the Nets' upset of the Detroit Pistons last week. But, Harris sprained his left ankle during that contest and was forced to sit out losses at Indiana and Miami.

Harris is listed as day-to-day for the 2-4 Nets and may miss a third straight game when the team faces the Pacers again on Wednesday.

New Jersey will continue to struggle as long as Harris stays on the bench.

Keyon Dooling is a competent replacement but Harris can really break down a defense off the dribble and take over a game. He still needs to become more consistent, improve his shooting (39.6 percent) and take better care of the basketball, but a big year from Harris is about the only thing that will save the Nets from the Atlantic Division basement this season.

Hinrich tears ligament in thumb

Chicago Bulls guard Kirk Hinrich was examined earlier today by Dr. John
Fernandez, and Bulls team physician, Dr. Brian Cole, both of Rush
University Medical Center. The results of that exam confirmed the
earlier MRI which showed a torn ulnar collateral ligament of his right
thumb. The injury will require surgery, which will be performed on
Tuesday, Nov. 11 at Rush.

Hinrich may be out as long as 12 weeks following his surgery. The injury
occurred in the third quarter of last evening's Bulls win over Phoenix.
On the year, Hinrich has appeared in six games and averaged 8.3 ppg, 4.0
apg, 1.8 rpg and 1.33 spg in 24.5 mpg.

In his sixth season with the Bulls, Hinrich has appeared in 389 regular
season games with the Bulls, and missed just 21 games during that span.
Chicago's first round pick (seventh overall) in NBA Draft 2003, he owns
career averages of 14.3 ppg, 6.3 apg, 3.5 rpg, 1.30 spg and 35.0 mpg.

Sloan wins No. 1000

SALT LAKE CITY (November 7, 2008) – Utah Jazz head coach Jerry Sloan captured his 1,000th victory as head coach of the Jazz tonight with a 104-97 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder at EnerySolutions Arena. Sloan is the first head coach in NBA history to achieve 1,000 wins with one team. The Jazz head coach currently holds an overall record of 1094-717 and a 1000-596 record with the Jazz.

In his 21st season as head coach, Sloan is 205 victories ahead of Red Auerbach (second all-time wins with one team) and 367 wins ahead of the only other active coach in the top five, San Antonio’s Gregg Popovich (third all-time). Sloan is also the longest-tenured coach in all of professional sports. There have been 219 coaching changes in the NBA since he was named head coach of the Jazz on December 9, 1988.

Over his first 20 seasons, he has produced two conference championships, seven division titles, 16 consecutive winning seasons, 12 seasons with 50-plus wins and 18 playoff appearances. The 5-0 Jazz are seeking the team’s third straight Northwest Division title in 2008-09.

Sloan will celebrate his 20th anniversary as head coach on December 9 when the Jazz travel to Minnesota to take on the Timberwolves at 6 p.m. MST.

Warriors name Larry Riley assistant GM

The Golden State Warriors have named Larry Riley Assistant General Manager, it was announced today by President Robert Rowell. In a related move, Pete D’Alessandro has been relieved of his duties as Assistant General Manager.

Riley, 64, has spent the last two-plus seasons as an assistant coach on Don Nelson’s staff with the Warriors. He has accumulated over 20 years of NBA experience, including stops in Golden State, Dallas, Vancouver and Milwaukee. Overall, Riley has amassed 37 years of basketball experience in various coaching and administrative positions.

Riley, who will cease his duties on the coaching staff, will report directly to Mullin and assist in the overall day-to-day dealings in the Warriors’ Basketball Operations Department.

Knicks give Houston front office position

The New York Knickerbockers President of Basketball Operations Donnie Walsh announced today that Allan Houston has been named Assistant to the President for Basketball Operations.

“Allan has great knowledge and understanding of this league and our franchise, and I think he will be a tremendous asset to our front office in player development as he continues to learn and educate himself,” Walsh said. “I have always respected Allan as a player and as a person, and I have been thoroughly impressed with the work he has put in with our organization.”

Duke still King of NBA

Duke hasn't won a national title in basketball since 2001, but it's the reigning champ in at least one hoops category: Most current NBA players. The ACC power had 14 players on opening night rosters, including Golden State rookie DeMarcus Nelson, an undrafted free agent who has been starting at the point for the Warriors. Several other schools also had double-digit representation. Connecticut and UCLA each had 12 players on opening night rosters, while Kansas and North Carolina -- to the delight of Blue Devils fans worldwide -- had 11 each. Arizona, Florida, Georgia Tech and Kentucky had nine each. On the international front, France had the most players with nine, with Argentina, Serbia and Spain tied for second with five each.

Duke - 14
Chicago Bulls xx Luol Deng
Denver Nuggets xx Dahntay Jones
Golden State Warriors xx Corey Maggette
Golden State Warriors xx DeMarcus Nelson
Indiana Pacers xx Josh McRoberts
New York Knicks xx Chris Duhon
Orlando Magic xx JJ Redick
Philadelphia 76ers xx Elton Brand
Phoenix Suns xx Grant Hill
Sacramento Kings xx Shelden Williams
Utah Jazz xx Carlos Boozer
Houston Rockets xx Shane Battier
Indiana Pacers xx Mike Dunleavy
Portland Trail Blazers xx Shavlik Randolph

Connecticut - 12
Boston Celtics xx Ray Allen
Charlotte Bobcats xx Emeka Okafor
Chicago Bulls xx Ben Gordon
Detroit Pistons xx Richard Hamilton
Golden State Warriors xx Marcus Williams
Memphis Grizzlies xx Rudy Gay
Milwaukee Bucks xx Charlie Villanueva
Minnesota Timberwolves xx Kevin Ollie
New Jersey Nets xx Josh Boone
New Orleans Hornets xx Hilton Armstrong
Philadelphia 76ers xx Donyell Marshall
Washington Wizards xx Caron Butler

UCLA - 12
Detroit Pistons xx Arron Afflalo
Los Angeles Clippers xx Baron Davis
Los Angeles Lakers xx Trevor Ariza
Los Angeles Lakers xx Jordan Farmar
Milwaukee Bucks xx Dan Gadzuric
Milwaukee Bucks xx Luc Mbah a Moute
Minnesota Timberwolves xx Kevin Love
Oklahoma City Thunder xx Earl Watson
Oklahoma City Thunder xx Russell Westbrook
Phoenix Suns xx Matt Barnes
Toronto Raptors xx Jason Kapono
Charlotte Bobcats xx Ryan Hollins

Kansas - 11
Boston Celtics xx Paul Pierce
Chicago Bulls xx Drew Gooden
Chicago Bulls xx Kirk Hinrich
Indiana Pacers xx Brandon Rush
Memphis Grizzlies xx Darrell Arthur
Miami Heat xx Mario Chalmers
New Orleans Hornets xx Julian Wright
Oklahoma City Thunder xx Nick Collison
San Antonio Spurs xx Jacque Vaughn
Cleveland Cavaliers xx Darnell Jackson
Portland Trail Blazers xx Raef LaFrentz

North Carolina - 11
Atlanta Hawks xx Marvin Williams
Charlotte Bobcats xx Raymond Felton
Charlotte Bobcats xx Sean May
Dallas Mavericks xx Jerry Stackhouse
Detroit Pistons xx Rasheed Wallace
Golden State Warriors xx Brandan Wright
Minnesota Timberwolves xx Rashad McCants
New Jersey Nets xx Vince Carter
Washington Wizards xx Antawn Jamison
Cleveland Cavaliers xx Jawad Williams
Washington Wizards xx Brendan Haywood

Arizona - 9
Atlanta Hawks xx Mike Bibby
Dallas Mavericks xx Jason Terry
Los Angeles Lakers xx Luke Walton
Milwaukee Bucks xx Richard Jefferson
Philadelphia 76ers xx Andre Iguodala
Portland Trail Blazers xx Jerryd Bayless
Portland Trail Blazers xx Channing Frye
Toronto Raptors xx Hassan Adams
Washington Wizards xx Gilbert Arenas

Florida - 9
Atlanta Hawks xx Al Horford
Chicago Bulls xx Joakim Noah
Miami Heat xx Udonis Haslem
Minnesota Timberwolves xx Corey Brewer
Minnesota Timberwolves xx Mike Miller
New York Knicks xx David Lee
San Antonio Spurs xx Matt Bonner
New York Knicks xx Anthony Roberson
Philadelphia 76ers xx Marreese Speights

Georgia Tech - 9
Atlanta Hawks xx Mario West
Detroit Pistons xx Will Bynum
Indiana Pacers xx Jarrett Jack
Memphis Grizzlies xx Javaris Crittenton
New York Knicks xx Stephon Marbury
Philadelphia 76ers xx Thaddeus Young
Toronto Raptors xx Chris Bosh
Golden State Warriors xx Anthony Morrow
Utah Jazz xx Matt Harpring

Kentucky - 9
Atlanta Hawks xx Randolph Morris
Boston Celtics xx Rajon Rondo
Charlotte Bobcats xx Nazr Mohammed
Detroit Pistons xx Tayshaun Prince
Golden State Warriors xx Kelenna Azubuike
Houston Rockets xx Chuck Hayes
Orlando Magic xx Keith Bogans
Memphis Grizzlies xx Antoine Walker
Miami Heat xx Jamaal Magloire

Iguodala flailing in Philly

Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - Early returns are not necessarily a harbinger of the future.

If they were, John Kerry would have been running for reelection on Tuesday and John McCain would have cried uncle two months ago.

So, we all went through the motions, while McCain hoped every single poll in the civilized world got it wrong.

"It ain't over til it's over," isn't just a rallying cry.

Just ask the Atlanta Hawks, who stormed back from a 23-point deficit to stun the Philadelphia 76ers in Atlanta last week.

And that brings me full circle to Andre Iguodala, the Sixers' "star" swingman who inked a six-year $80 million dollar extension in the offseason.

A.I. version 2.0 had his coming out party last season, his first free of the "selfish" Allen Iverson. And give Iggy credit, he looked a lot more comfortable being "the guy" who never shied away from a big shot in a big situation.

Through five games, Andre Iguodala is shooting a woeful 38.8 percent from the floor and averaging just 10.0 ppg.

The Sixers surprised everyone by finishing 40-42, making the playoffs and taking the mighty Detroit Pistons to six games in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals.

Of course at the end of the day, 40-42 is what it is...mediocrity.

Sixers basketball chief Ed Stefanski knew Iguodala was best-suited as a complimentary piece, a player that should pattern his game after Scottie Pippen -- stuff the stat sheet and help your team win a different way every night.

Stefanski got his primary option during the offseason in Elton Brand and the former Duke product has been as advertised, averaging a double-double, 16.4 ppg and 11.8 rpg, through five contests.

The problem in Philadelphia has been Iguodala, who can't seem to accept his reduced role, at least if the early returns can be trusted.

When Iverson was in Philly, everyone was quick to write off Iguodala's faults. After all, the enigmatic Iverson needed the ball and ignored his teammates. So, when Iguodala went in his funks, the Sixers conveniently blamed it on a player they wanted to go.

What's the excuse now?

Brand is the most unselfish star in the NBA this side of Kevin Garnett. Iguodala gets plenty of touches but seems to sulk on the floor.

Through five games, the former Arizona star is shooting a woeful 38.8 percent from the floor and averaging just 10.0 points a game -- fifth on the team He's also turning the ball over at an alarming rate for a team that leads the NBA in flubs.

Things hit rock bottom in South Beach on Wednesday when the Sixers were routed by a poor Miami team, 106-83, to fall to 2-3 on the season.

Heat superstar Dwyane Wade piled up 29 points, seven rebounds, six assists, five steals and three blocks with Iguodala as his primary defender. The offensive end of the floor was even worse for Iggy, as he was limited to two points on 1-of-7 shooting.

It's conceivable that Iguodala's start is an anomaly and he flips the switch, finally accepting his role and flourishing.

Of course, the last time I looked Barack Obama was elected as the 44th President of the United States on Tuesday.

Moral of the story?

Sometimes the early returns are spot-on.

Iverson to Pistons is official

Detroit Pistons President of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars announced today that the club has acquired guard Allen Iverson from the Denver Nuggets in exchange for guard Chauncey Billups, forward Antonio McDyess and center Cheikh Samb.

“We are pleased to welcome Allen Iverson to the Pistons organization,” said Dumars. “Allen has proven he is one of the elite players in the league and we like what he adds to our roster at the guard position. We appreciate everything that Chauncey Billups, Antonio McDyess and Cheikh Samb brought to the organization during their time here in Detroit and we certainly wish them all the best.”

Iverson, the NBA’s Most Valuable Player in 2001, ranks 20^th among NBA all-time scoring leaders with 23,031 points. His long list of NBA achievements include NBA Rookie of the Year (1997), All-NBA First Team (1999, 2001, 2005), All-NBA Second Team (2000, 2002, 2003), All-NBA Third Team (2006), NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player (2001, 2005) and NBA Rookie Game Most Valuable Player (1997). Iverson has been named an NBA All-Star nine times (2000-08), Player of the Week 23 times during his career and Player of the Month three times. He shares the NBA record for most seasons leading the league in steals per game (2000-03) and ranks 13^th among all-time NBA leaders in steals (1,902).

Iverson spent his first 11 ½ seasons in Philadelphia where he helped the 76ers to the Eastern Conference Championship and an NBA Finals berth in 2001. He spent the last one-and-a-half seasons in Denver where he averaged 25.8 points, 7.2 assists and 3.0 rebounds per game and helped the Nuggets reach the playoffs each season. The 6-0, 165-pound guard holds the second-highest career playoff-scoring average in history (29.7 ppg), trailing only Michael Jordan (33.4 ppg). In 831 career NBA games, the former Georgetown product has compiled averages of 22.7 points, 6.3 assists and 3.8 rebounds per game. Iverson has posted 132 career double-doubles, 12 games scoring 40-plus points and dishing 10-plus assists, 79 career 40-plus scoring efforts (fourth most in NBA history) and 11 career 50-plus scoring efforts. He has led the NBA in scoring four times (1998-99, 2000-01, 2001-02, 2004-05).

Billups six-year career in Detroit is highlighted by back-to-back Eastern Conference Championships and two NBA Finals appearances in 2004 and 2005. He was named NBA Finals Most Valuable Player during the Pistons NBA Championship season in 2003-04 when he averaged 21.0 points, 3.2 rebounds and 5.2 assists in five games vs. the Los Angeles Lakers. The Denver, CO native was named an NBA All-Star three times with Detroit, All-NBA Second Team (2006), All-NBA Third Team (2007) and All-NBA Defensive Second Team (2005, 2006). In 760 career NBA games, Billups has averaged 14.8 points, 5.5 assists and 2.9 rebounds in 31.8 minutes per game. He ranks 18^th among NBA all-time leaders in three-point field goals made (1,272 - 10^th among active players).

McDyess helped lead the Pistons to the Eastern Conference Championship and an NBA Finals appearance in 2005. In four seasons with Detroit, he averaged 8.5 points and 6.5 rebounds in 321 games. McDyess has career averages of 13.4 points, 7.7 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 805 NBA games, compiling three 40-plus scoring efforts, seven 20-plus rebound games and four 20-point/20-rebound efforts. He has scored in double figures in 526 of his 805 career games. McDyess was named an NBA All-Star in 2001, All-NBA Third Team (1999), NBA All-Rookie First Team (1996) and was a member of the gold medal winning Team USA squad at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia.

Samb was acquired by Detroit during a draft night trade on June 28, 2006 from the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Maurice Evans. Drafted 51^st overall by the Lakers, Samb played in four games last season for the Pistons, averaging 1.8 points and 1.8 rebounds in 7.8 minutes per game. The 7-foot-1 center made two assignments to the NBA Development League last season and averaged 10.9 points, 7.1 rebounds and a league-leading 4.0 blocks in 19 games for the Ft. Wayne Mad Ants.