NBA Columns: Pro Sports Daily

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March 15

Denver Post

columnist Chris Dempsey

"So Kenyon Martin's out, and the Nuggets are winning anyway — and fairly easily in a couple of cases. I wouldn't get too comfortable with that. But it does bring up a question I've gotten fond of asking lately. What is the value of defense? "Not $90 million," a friend of mine said. Fair enough. But shouldn't it be fairly high? If you stop a last-second shot as often as say, Kobe Bryant makes a last- second shot, are those two things equal? If you hold elite scorers under their averages night after night and your team wins because of it, is that equal to an elite scorer putting high numbers on the board and his team winning because of it? If defense wins championships, why aren't the players ..."

Raps tough talk not enough

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March 15

Toronto Sun

columnist Mike Ganter

"Well, the passion appears to be back. But that small matter of winning a game still seems to be giving the Raptors trouble. A four-game road swing through the West started and ended on a better note than the games in between, but it was still a four-loss trip. A night after Chris Bosh basically asked his teammates to start competing, his message appeared to get through but it wasn't enough to knock off a pretty good Portland Trail Blazers team. The Blazers hung on for a 109-98 win Sunday night at the Rose Garden despite the Raptors best effort since the trip began with a buzzer-beater loss to Kobe Bryant and the Lakers. With the loss, the Raptors fell a game below .500 for the first time ..."

A smart move by Felton

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March 15

Charlotte Observer

columnist Rick Bonnell

"Smartest basketball play I've seen in a while: Raymond Felton slithering under the basket, spinning toward Magic center Dwight Howard, and lifting himself toward the rim in such a way that Howard had little choice but to commit his third foul late in the first half. Felton probably wouldn't have scored, but that wasn't the point. He recognized Howard's intensity wouldn't allow him to back off defensively, and that foul was the last thing Magic coach Stan Van Gundy wanted at that juncture. At $18 million this season, wouldn't you think Magic forward Rashard Lewis could make at least one of five first-half shots. Lewis was probably the Orlando player most hurt by Hedo Turkoglu's departure ..."

The best the Sixers can hope for next year is mediocrity

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March 14

Wilmington News Journal

columnist Martin Frank

"The train wreck of this 76ers season is almost over, at which point management will try to pick up the pieces, duct tape everything together and go forward with most likely a new coach, perhaps a new general manager, but definitely a new philosophy. Maybe this will lead to a return to the mediocrity that the Sixers achieved in the past two seasons when they were right around .500 and were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. It will be hard to expect much more. Because while the coaches may change -- the Sixers could be on their fourth since the start of the 2008-09 season if they fire Eddie Jordan -- the players will remain the same. This reality will be on display this week ..."

Brazen Barnes finds form for Magic

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March 14

San Francisco Chronicle

columnist Bruce Jenkins

"Welcome back, Matt Barnes, to the realm of NBA relevance. It's been too long. When the Warriors signed Barnes in the fall of 2006, he'd been cast aside by six different teams and had spent some time in the NBA Development League. He gave the Warriors style and substance during their unforgettable run to the playoffs, but then dropped off the map just as quickly. His mother died in November 2007, and the emotional impact on Barnes was so great, he went into a shell - for months. "That whole season was a wash," Barnes said the following summer. "By the time I got my head up out of the clouds, it was March or April." If you include Barnes' departure among the countless mistakes made by the ..."

Time to state the obvious: Nelson should be fired

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March 14

Contra Costa Times

columnist Tim Kawakami

"This is no secret indictment, by any means. This has probably been obvious to you, me, the rest of the NBA, the Warriors locker room and maybe even to Don Nelson himself for weeks. Nelson has to go, sooner rather than later. But it might not be obvious to Chris Cohan and Robert Rowell, who make their largest decisions based on money and mesmerizing fear of what to do next. You'll notice I didn't mention "desire to win" as one of their prime motivations. Hey, the Warriors haven't failed to make the playoffs 15 out of Cohan's 16 seasons by accident. Nelson's still coaching, with a $6 million contract for next season. The Warriors are still losing, and this leaky franchise has never seemed ..."

It's crunch time: Eastern Conference teams battling for playoff positions

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March 14

The Deseret News

columnist Loren Jorgensen

"Just one month remains in the NBA's regular season, so it's down to crunch time for teams trying to improve their seeding — or even to simply make it into the playoffs. Last week in this space, we looked at the remaining schedules for the eight likely playoff teams from the Western Conference. Today, we'll look at the Eastern Conference. The top four teams in the East are in. Red-hot Milwaukee, now in fifth, will be in the playoffs barring a complete collapse, while four other teams are fighting for the final three postseason berths. It should be interesting."

Jordan is Bobcats' last-best hope

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March 14

Charlotte Observer

columnist Rick Bonnell

"NBA Commissioner David Stern knows how to emote: I've heard him combative, charming, intellectual, dismissive and flippant, and that was all in the same press conference. Over the phone Friday morning, I heard just one mood in Stern's voice - relieved. This Bobcats ownership transfer is nearly complete, and Stern has shepherded it along. He's relieved Michael Jordan stepped up to buy the team because - my words, not Stern's - Jordan is the last-best hope to make Charlotte thrive again as an NBA market. Stern isn't easily defeated; his insistence not to give up on the WNBA demonstrates that. He understands the disconnect between Charlotte and the NBA (yes, this town really did once lead the ..."

Bad stretch has put Miami Heat on a scorching hot seat

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March 14

Miami Herald

columnist Greg Cote

"Who better than an NBA team nicknamed Heat to be going through a season from hell? I'm not even talking about the struggle to make the playoffs, despite having one of the league's elite players in Dwyane Wade. Or the scary prospect of keeping Wade in an uncertain free agency this summer. I'm talking about a roster fraying like one of my cheap suits: Dorell Wright, suspended by the team after a DUI arrest and driving with an invalid license. Carlos Arroyo, booked for resisting arrest following a traffic stop. Rafer Alston, absent and incommunicado in an ego pique after losing his starting job. All three PR grenades exploded in the past week or so, just when the team should (theoretically) ..."

Raptors' slide certainly has Heat's attention

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March 14

Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel

columnist Ira Winderman

"A few weeks back, it appeared as if the Toronto Raptors were poised to run away and hide from the rest of the second-tier playoff pack in the East. Now it appears as if the Raptors simply are looking for a place to hide. From a solid hold on the No. 5 seed, Toronto, with losses in seven of eight heading into the weekend, finds itself very much caught in the scramble for one of the final playoff berths in the conference. That makes Toronto's March 28 visit to AmericanAirlines Arena a crucial one for the Miami Heat, which heads into the season-series finale down 2-1 against the Raptors. But with the Raptors there is far more in play for the Heat than a mere tiebreaker. To refresh, the Heat ..."

How dunks have corrupted basketball

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March 14

Atlanta Journal-Constitution

columnist Steve Hummer

"Look out below. Are you girded for another NCAA Tournament? Then, on its heels, the never ending NBA playoffs? It's on the way - an assault of rim-rattlin', rafter-rockin', jaw-droppin', Vitale-shockin' - oh, stop me please - dunks. They will be the manna of the basketball feast to come. They will make arenas tremble. They will make giants thump their chests with barbaric pride and lift viewers clean from their couches and barstools. And should someone in the women's tournament throw one down with authority, you will be instructed to stay tuned to your local emergency broadcast station for further instructions."

Celtics' work cut out

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March 14

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

columnist Tom Enlund

"Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers doesn't spend much time these days perusing the NBA's Eastern Conference standings. At least the upper portion of the standings. "I rarely look at where we are as far as the top four," Rivers said during the Celtics' visit to the Bradley Center last week. "We're three or four, whatever - that will play itself out. But I do look at the teams (we might play in the first round of the playoffs). I do focus on that. "Starting about now, you start watching all the teams that are in the five, six, seven, eight spots because you can play one of those teams. But I never look at the top four. That's going to be (determined by) how we play." The Celtics have not been ..."

These Bucks know no shame

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March 14

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

columnist Michael Hunt

"It was mentioned to the general manager that my preseason victory total for the Bucks was 37. "If you had said 37 in October, I'd have said you'd lost your mind," John Hammond said. No one would question that last part, but with 18 games left, the Bucks are sitting on 35. For now, it looks like 37 was crazy. Crazy low. Still, Hammond is worried. You could hear the concern in his voice over the phone all the way from Kansas City, where he was scouting the Big 12 tournament. "Everybody said we'd be horrible this season," he said. "Now we've raised the bar and people take it for granted we're going to make the playoffs." The GM proceeded to rattle off the remaining schedule one by one and, ..."

25 years ago: Reinsdorf jumps into the Bulls market

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March 14

Chicago Sun-Times

columnist Tony Gennetti

"It all started because George Steinbrenner was tired of writing checks for a losing proposition known as the Chicago Bulls. Surely, the New York Yankees' mogul couldn't have imagined the seeds that were planted 26 years ago during a casual dinner conversation with Jerry Reinsdorf: A stunning rise to world renown for a franchise that, back then, couldn't even draw flies. Two strings of "three-peat" NBA championships in the 1990s that elevated not only the city but the professional game itself."

Rest of season will be McGrueling

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March 14

New York Post

columnist Marc Berman

"Tracy McGrady has waved the red flag. He has come to the realization his left-knee pain probably won't ease this season and that fans won't get to see the old T-Mac until next season. But McGrady said he believes if he stays healthy enough to play and help the team in small ways, such as a playmaker and rebounder, then he will get a contact somewhere next season. But as far as the acrobatic artist and dominant go-to guy, forget about it. "I know I'm not healthy," McGrady said at FedEx Forum after a four-point outing vs. Memphis Friday. "I'm not healthy to go out there and be as effective as I wanted to be every night. It's not happening and I have to have patience with it. I'm not going to ..."

This Reggie Miller Is the Straw That Stirred the Garden

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March 14

New York Times

columnist Richard Sandomie

"Is the ESPN documentary "Winning Time: Reggie Miller vs. the New York Knicks" a hoax? Did the playoff series that it depicts between the Knicks and the Indiana Pacers actually occur or are its claims of a snarling, slicker-heartland rivalry as dubious as U.F.O.'s in Area 51? Is it accurate that Miller once scored 25 points in the fourth quarter of a game and that the Knicks once had a center before Eddy Curry named Patrick Ewing? This exhilarating period piece (which will have its premiere Sunday at 9 p.m. Eastern) is ostensibly culled from footage shot during the mid-1990s. If the story of great basketball is factual, what has been going on at Madison Square Garden in most of the years ..."

Kobe overruling Phil, Ron high-fiving a fan and 50 reasons Cleveland could win it all

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March 13

Orange County Register

columnist Kevin Ding

"Morrison, sans all that fingernail, leads charge to mob Kobe after he nails fadeaway over Wright/Bargnani w/1.9 left. Lakers survive. Bosh hits 26-foot 3-pointer for 107-107 tie with 9.5 seconds left. Adam Morrison devouring his fingernails on Lakers bench. LOL. Artest goes over to give high-five to courtside fan to knocked ball away before Calderon could get to it and save possession for TOR. RT @DuranLA: Pau got up and spoke to Phil who shook his head, Pau sat back down. Every whistle Pau looks Phils hoping to get called in. Behind the play, Kobe waits for Drew and gives him eye contact, nod and high-five for more good defensive activity. Bynum has 22 points on 8/11 shooting. Sometimes ..."

Miller gives an assist to young readers

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March 13

Portland Tribune

columnist Kerry Eggers

"Andre Miller was never much of a reader as a kid. "Read my schoolbooks," says the Trail Blazers' point guard, "and that was about it." Later, Miller says, he got into magazines and newspapers and the occasional book for recreational purposes. And somewhere along the line, he got the message that reading is knowledge, and knowledge can help a person get ahead in life. "Education is No. 1 before anything," Miller says. "That's what I teach my son." Miller's son, Duane, is 10, so he would have fit right into the scene last Friday at Gilbert Park Elementary in the David Douglas district. "Read to Achieve," a national "NBA Cares" initiative promoting reaching by schoolchildren, visited Gilbert ..."

Nothing But 'Net: After early struggles, Grizzlies' Williams steady as he goes

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March 13

Memphis Commercial Appeal

columnist Scott Cacciola

"Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins watched Thursday's practice from a folding chair, and he seemed about as relaxed as he gets. Wearing loafers and jeans, he was chatting with general manager Chris Wallace during a scrimmage when he noticed something that bothered him. So he spoke up. "Marcus!" he barked. "That's two plays in a row where you faked a pass to Ronnie and then kept dribbling. Make the easy play!" Perhaps realizing his tone was harsh, Hollins paused and softened his critique. "Because you're good at it!" he added. There is an understanding shared by many of the team's reserves, and that includes backup point guard Marcus Williams: If Hollins stops yelling, it means he has stopped ..."

Feeling sorry for Vinny. OK. Enough. Now what about Derrick?

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March 13

Chicago Tribune

columnist Steve Rosenbloom

"It's not as if Bulls coach Vinny Del Negro had any chance to come back next season even if they slipped into the playoffs this season. But when you combine Del Negro's coaching shortcomings with a run of injuries to four of the five starters, then you've got a death spiral that almost makes you feel sorry for Del Negro. Not sorry enough to argue for bringing him back to continue this two-year mistake, mind you, but sorry enough that he won't even have a chance to delude himself into believing he has a case. Heading into Thursday night's game in Orlando, Joakim Noah and Luol Deng were hurt and out. They're not superstars, but then the Bulls aren't good, so, while Noah and Deng barely would ..."

After what they've put you through, are you still hip to Clip?

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March 13

L.A. Daily News

columnist Tom Hoffarth

"The Clippers ...

Who?

Who are they trying to fool here? Who's buying it?

Who's at all surprised any more about the way they handle anything?

The Clippers ...

What?

What bizarre message is Donald (T, as in technical) Sterling trying to send here - to a presumed season- ticket base, a skeptical media and an indifferent rest of the league - with the preposterous manner by which he disposed of Mike Dunleavy, first making it seem as if it was a mutual decision to give up his coaching spot, then canning him as general manager with an e-mailed news release without so much as a text message to the employee in question?

What's greater, Sterling's buyout of Dunleavy's contracts ..."

Two sides of the same game ...

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March 12

The Deseret News

columnist Tim Buckley

"Two sides of the same game … Add the Detroit Pistons to the long list of NBA teams that seemed so impressed by the Jazz after losing to them. "They're outstanding,'' Pistons coach John Kuester said after losing to Utah on Wednesday night. "The cuts that those guys make and the screens that they set — they do a great job,'' Kuester added. "Jerry Sloan is one of the best coaches in the league. There are certain teams that come with a blue-collar work ethic, that you have to come out with a lunch pail and be ready to go at them … that's what you've got to do. You know you're in a game anytime you play the Utah Jazz.'' Added Pistons guard Ben Gordon, as quoted by the Detroit Free Press: ..."

Grizzlies' playoff hopes still feasible

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March 12

Memphis Commercial Appeal

columnist Ronald Tillery

"Like a picture in a frame, the Western Conference playoff scene has remained the same for the past two weeks. That is to say the Grizzlies would be the first team out of the postseason, going by the current standings. Going into Thursday night's games, Memphis was 31/2 games behind Portland for the eighth and final slot. The Griz were 41/2 games back from seventh-place San Antonio. But are the Grizzlies completely out of the running to earn their fourth playoff berth with 17 games remaining, including tonight's meeting with the New York Knicks in FedExForum? Mathematically, the answer is no. Memphis still has an outside chance. However, it remains to be seen if a team can make up such ..."

What if Sixers keep Jordan for one more year?

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March 12

Philadelphia Daily News

columnist Bob Cooney

"THERE IS no question that it is totally unfair - borderline ludicrous, in fact - to ask 76ers fans to practice patience. Heck, 27 years is a long time since the team's last championship, and another one doesn't seem to be a remote possibility for a long, long time. But we're going to do it anyway. We only ask that you take off your fan hat and put on your business cap, just for a few minutes. Common preference among fans is to get rid of Eddie Jordan and Ed Stefanski immediately, like yesterday. Totally understandable. The team's 23-41 record is a far, far cry from what was envisioned before the season. The defense has been terrible, the offense nondescript, the move to bring back Allen ..."

Stackhouse was spark floundering Bucks needed

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March 12

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

columnist Charles F. Gardner

"Jerry Stackhouse worked out for the Milwaukee Bucks coaches in Houston in mid-January, when the team was floundering at the end of a long western road swing. The Bucks liked what they saw in the 35-year-old Stackhouse, even though he had been home in Atlanta since the start of the season and had tried to stay in shape by working out with a local high school team. The match became a perfect union, with Stackhouse providing some needed offense off the bench and a veteran presence in the Bucks' locker room. "We were already on a bit of an uptick with the way we were playing," Bucks coach Scott Skiles said. "All of a sudden we add him, a veteran with toughness. Then here comes John (Salmons). ..."

Warriors coach Don Nelson's quest for NBA wins record isn't enthralling

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March 11

Oakland Tribune

columnist Monte Poole

"Don Nelson is ascending to the pinnacle of his profession, within walking distance of history, soon to be king of the NBA coaching jungle. Where is the roar? The Warriors coach is seven wins away from surpassing Lenny Wilkens to become the league's all-time leader in wins by a coach. Yet he approaches the finish line not to the sound of cheers, or even a visible or audible countdown. Any sign of anticipation for consummating this lifetime achievement is muffled, if not utterly muted. "I'm OK with that," Nelson said after practice Wednesday. "I really think I prefer it that way.'' His bosses don't have a choice. They're caught in the middle, between their loyalty to Nelson and their ..."

Time to give Howard some puppy love

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March 11

Orlando Sentinel

columnist George Diaz

"A rather dapper-looking Dwight Howard — the ascot was a nice touch — started barking in the locker room after the Orlando Magic whacked the defending NBA champions Sunday afternoon. "Woo-woo-woo," I'm a puppy dog," Howard said after beating the L.A. Lakers. "Woo-woo-woo." It was a funny — and pointed — dig at some critics like, ahem, George Diaz, who recently suggested that Howard needs to "become the alpha dog, not the tail-wagging, happy-go-lucky puppy." A lot of people — columnists, NBA Hall of Famers, Joe in the 27th row — have gone Dog Whisperer on Howard, suggesting he isn't fit to be the pack leader because he's just too warm and fuzzy and amiable. Howard's comeback has been to ..."

These Lakers don't look like champions

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March 11

Los Angeles Times

columnist Bill Plaschke

"The shot sailed through the basket, the brightly colored strips of paper fell from the rafters, the fans stood and screamed. And then, see ya. The only thing quicker than Kobe Bryant's game-winning basket against the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday night was the celebration afterward. The fans hustled out of Staples Center as if leaving a bad movie. The Lakers hustled off the floor as if leaving a messy house. They all know. The NBA knows. If we're going to be honest with ourselves, all of Los Angeles should know. Based on their current attitude and work ethic, the Lakers are not a championship team. If they can't summon the consistent urgency of last season, they are not even a Finals team. ..."

Heat's two power forwards too much of a good thing

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March 11

Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel

columnist Ethan J. Skolnick

"An hour before Wednesday night's tipoff against the Los Angeles Clippers, Michael Beasley had one simple request. "I just want something with white that I can draw on," he said. He found that coveted blank canvas on the toe box of a leather basketball shoe. There, his black marker went to work, producing a passable portrait of Mickey. Mickey, as in Mouse. Not Micky, as in Arison, the Heat owner. That's Michael Beasley. That's fine. So long as he doesn't dawdle on the court, there's no harm in doodling off of it. He's immature, but also earnest, and endearing. It would nice for him to play the next decade here, to see what sort of person and player he becomes. It would also be nice to see ..."

Don't overlook Luukko's liability for 76ers

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March 11

Philadelphia Inquirer

columnist Stephen A. Smith

"The amazing thing about the 76ers these days is not that they are pathetic, embarrassing, and downright laughable. It's that as the losses mount, while faith in them plummets by the second, the players don't appear to have a problem with the situation at all. There's no other explanation for what transpired last night against the Charlotte Bobcats at the half-filled Wachovia Center, and against a coach, Larry Brown, who took this team to the NBA Finals in 2001. The Sixers were down by 85-58 at the end of three quarters to a .500 team, clearly having given up - and alarmingly looking like a team that is trying to get coach Eddie Jordan fired. Although that may happen - and it will be a ..."

Lakers need what Fisher preaches, Odom promises

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March 10

Orange County Register

columnist Kevin Ding

"Derek Fisher and Lamar Odom are, respectively, the head and the heart of the team. And with the Lakers stumbling up to the crossroads of this post-championship season, both Fisher and Odom came to share a vision Tuesday night. They grew tired of their team being pulled left or right or backwards by individual concerns or even resting comfortably with an eye peeking back at the title already behind them. As Fisher told his teammates in a compelling halftime speech and then Odom told reporters in a fierce postgame rant, there is only way for the Lakers to react to these crossed roads: Go hard. Straight forward. With the Lakers again being slow, cautious and indecisive en route to an ..."

Since hand-check rule change, NBA has become a perimeter player's league

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March 10

The Oklahoman

columnist Mike Baldwin

"The NBA six years ago literally put the ball in point guards' hands. Frustrated the league had evolved into a physical, plodding game, a major rule change abolished hand-checking above the free-throw line. "The game has changed big-time," said Dallas point guard Jason Kidd. "When I came in you could hand check and hold a little bit. You could definitely be more physical with the ball-handler. Now if you just touch them it's a foul. It definitely gives quicker guys an advantage." New Orleans rookie point guard Darren Collison, who plays the Thunder tonight in the Ford Center, is a perfect example how the rule change has benefitted quick point guards."

Ain't gonna cut it

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March 10

Toronto Sun

columnist Mike Ganter

"Hedo Turkoglu has never had a stretch like this. And he never wants another like it. His run of bad luck began on the final day of January. A broken orbital bone below his right eye courtesy of an errant elbow by Indianapolis forward Mike Dunleavy was the first setback. He missed the next two games. When he returned he did so with a mask that, while protecting him from possible further serious injury, hampered his play. He eventually ditched it despite concerns from both team management and doctors. The return to the court though was short-lived as he wound up missing the final game before the all-star break to rush back to Turkey where his mother was undergoing open heart surgery. Upon ..."

Kings promote Evans for Rookie of Year

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March 10

Sacramento Bee

columnist Ailene Voisin

"Tyreke Evans is five weeks and 18 games away from joining Derrick Rose, Kevin Durant, Brandon Roy, Chris Paul, Emeka Okafor, LeBron James, Amar'e Stoudemire and Pau Gasol as recent Rookies of the Year. OK, forget the part about the disappointing Okafor. Pretend he never happened. But this is a first for the Kings, who genuinely believe their 6-foot-6 guard is the most deserving candidate. They are ramping up the rhetoric and festivities because, frankly, Evans hints at a future beyond furloughs and foreclosures. How long has it been? How many years now? Accordingly, for tonight's game against the Toronto Raptors, the first 10,000 fans will receive a commemorative "Rally for RekeROY" ..."

Losing Mike Dunleavy feels like addition by subtraction for Clippers

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March 10

Los Angeles Times

columnist Bill Plascke

"After 26 years and two winning seasons and one playoff series victory and zero championship credibility, it's finally, wonderfully happened. The Clippers have run out of things to blame. The final sawing of the limb upon which Mike Dunleavy has been sitting for the last month — the fallen coach is now the felled general manager — has cleared the last of the thick and messy brush. If Clippers fans look up today, they can see the limit to this team's possibilities. It's called, rather improbably, the sky. Of course, as long as Donald Sterling is still the owner, that sky could still be falling. But for the first time in a long time, it is clear enough to see, close enough to touch, and real ..."

Can anyone find the right Answer?

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March 9

Washington Examiner

columnist John Keim

"Former NBA and Georgetown star Allen Iverson apparently has more problems than just a pending divorce from his wife. We already knew about his sick child, though no one has yet said what's wrong with his 4-year-old. Now comes a column by the Philadelphia Inquirer's Stephen A. Smith (OK, put aside your feelings on the former ESPN yapper for a moment). Smith wrote that Iverson's problems also include alcohol and gambling. Last year an Internet report said that Iverson had been banned from a Detroit casino, which he denied. However, now Smith said Iverson has been banned from casinos in Detroit and Atlantic City."

Can't blame Knicks' Lee for wandering eye

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March 9

New York Post

columnist George Willis

"Maybe he was just saying the politically correct thing, which is what David Lee normally has done during his four years with the Knicks. Despite playing on a series of underachieving teams, he never complained about the coaching, never ridiculed teammates who seemed less committed than he; never questioned trades that destroyed any chance for the Knicks to be competitive. Instead of voicing frustration, Lee has tried to stay positive and do his job, even if it meant playing center when he should be playing power forward. "I'm in the position I'm in right now, so I'll do my best at it," he said last night after totaling 19 points and 13 rebounds in the Knicks' 99-98 win over the Hawks at ..."

While Raptors hit road, DeRozan feeling at home

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March 9

Toronto Star

columnist Dave Feschuk

"Banged-up veterans reached for ice packs. On-court stragglers hoisted a few final jump shots. Raptors practice was winding down on Monday afternoon, until DeMar DeRozan wound it back up. In a rare moment of post-workout explosiveness, DeRozan, the rookie swingman, threw down a towering baseline dunk atop Patrick O'Bryant, his 7-foot teammate. The jam stirred no end of trash talk among the travelling hoopsters. And it put a smile on the face of Jay Triano, the Raptors coach. "DeMar," said Triano, "is happy to be home.""

Knicks' strategy is worth it

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March 9

Bergen Record

columnist Steve Adamek

"When squawk radio wasn't breaking down every permutation of the Yankees' 2010 batting order the past week or so (which you can't get enough of in early March) it actually discovered that the Knicks have been playing for more than four months. And not well, some realized. Some folks even concluded that the plan of the last two seasons should be trashed like the health-care bill for … something akin to what failed the seven straight seasons before. People, people, people. Here's the first, second and beyond thing you should realize about what Donnie Walsh and Mike D'Antoni have wrought the past two seasons. This roster was not built to win, no matter how much they pipe-dreamed it could, but ..."

Iverson needs more than a prayer

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March 8

Philadelphia Inquirer

columnist Stephen A. Smith

"His closest confidant asked the basketball world to pray for Allen Iverson, as if no one has all these years while seeing this train wreck coming. He acted as if the former 76ers star hadn't needed a significant dose of prayer, luck, and divine intervention until now. And as the rest of us are forced to bear witness to a disintegration, the rapid decline of a career clearly lacking nurturing, the time has arrived for Iverson's inner circle to stand up and be counted, to provide some semblance of tough love - by any means necessary. Unless those people are willing to write his epitaph instead. Just listening to Gary Moore, Iverson's business manager and the person he trusts most, they may ..."

Heisley's engaging, blunt, but out of touch

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March 8

Memphis Commercial Appeal

columnist Geoff Calkins

"Heisley said he would like to see more Griz fans take advantage of $5 tickets and also put to rest constant rumors that the team is moving: "There is a contract that holds the Grizzlies into Memphis for 17 years. People should get off of this." Mike Heisley is charming, accessible and wonderfully blunt. But he doesn't get it. He doesn't know how to build a successful NBA franchise in this town. I take no pleasure in writing this, by the way. Some of you think I get a kick out of criticizing Heisley. You couldn't be more wrong. The guy has always treated me remarkably well. It didn't matter if I was defending him -- as I did during the team's early years here, especially in connection with ..."

Dikembe Mutombo has set charity bar high

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March 7

New Orleans Times-Picayune

columnist John Reid

"Since establishing his foundation in 1997, former NBA player Dikembe Mutombo built the first hospital and research center in his native Democratic Republic of Congo in 40 years. The $29-million, 300-bed facility named after his mother, Biamba Marie Mutombo, was completed in 2007, and Mutombo's foundation has been vital in improving health, education and quality of life for the people of the Congo. Mutombo has raised the bar for other African-born NBA players or those with parents who are African immigrants. "Our philosophy is to help people so they can help themselves,'' Mutombo said in a statement. "You never know what direction life will take you or what road you will travel.'' ..."

Will Michael Jordan pay cost to win?

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March 7

Charlotte Observer

columnist Rick Bonnell

"What happens when Michael Jordan, the compulsive competitor, debates Michael Jordan, the guy unused to risking his own assets? I've thought a lot about that since it was announced about a week ago that Jordan is buying out Bob Johnson's controlling interest in the Charlotte Bobcats. This is new territory for Jordan; he's used to using other people's money, leveraging his fame to do business. This is different – whatever the purchase price, we know Jordan agreed to put up a bundle of his own money to make this happen. He had to, since he hadn't yet lined up a group of investors. Jordan lives to win. He's used to winning. But he's unused to bearing the cost of winning. And that's where this ..."

Mavericks clearly mean business

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March 7

Denver Post

columnist Benjamin Hochman

"John Ross Ewing Jr., the Dallas businessman with the devilish grin, famous- ly said that "anything worth having is worth going for all the way," which brings us to another Dallas businessman with a devilish grin, who, yes indeed, is going for it all the way, thanks to a Texas-sized trade and 10-gallon gall. Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, the basketball baron, is making a run not only at the Nuggets' seemingly predestined No. 2 seed in the West, but also at those high-and- mighty Lakers. No, Cuban's Mavericks probably won't catch L.A. in the regular season, but the way the post- trade Mavericks are playing, one wonders if they could knock off the Lakers when it matters. Since acquiring Caron ..."

Was A.I. experiment worth costs?

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March 7

Camden Courier-Post

columnist Martin Frank

"In the end, the Sixers will have to ask themselves if it was worth bringing Allen Iverson back, to go through the drama that Iverson brought -- reporting out of shape and missing four games with an arthritic knee, plus taking two leaves of absences and missing nine more games before leaving for good last week. The Sixers believe that it was worthwhile, though Iverson's play had clearly declined and the Sixers' record with him (10-15) wasn't much better than their record without him (12-24). Don't be fooled. Iverson's tenure wasn't worthwhile -- and that includes at the box office -- and it could end up costing Sixers coach Eddie Jordan his job. For starters, it's never a good sign when the ..."

Spurs' Ginobili will be in demand

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March 7

San Antonio Express-News

columnist Mike Monroe

"When the Hornets made a fourth-quarter run at the Spurs in Friday's game at the AT"

Trade goes through, and it's Mason's turn

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March 7

San Antonio Express-News

columnist Buck Harvey

"They are saying six weeks, and that doesn't count the time it takes to regain touch. That floater in the lane doesn't work as well with a brace or a bruise. So do the math, and Tony Parker becomes this season's Manu Ginobili. Nearly every Spur used the same word to describe a night when they won a game and lost a teammate. "Devastating," they said. They were finally feeling better about their chances, and now they feel worse than ever. But of all of them, no one was more confused than Roger Mason Jr. After all, no one stands to gain more now. The box score stated that Saturday night. Mason played three minutes in the first half, and he was lucky to get that. He didn't play a second in the ..."

Unfamiliar teams in playoff push

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March 7

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

columnist Tom Enlund

"Meaningful games in March. Barring an unlikely total collapse by the Milwaukee Bucks, it's an expression that will be heard often in these parts in the weeks ahead. The Bucks will be playing key games down the stretch and - at least the younger players - learning what it takes to make the NBA playoffs. But the Bucks won't be alone in this endeavor, as other playoff-starved teams such as Oklahoma City, Charlotte and Memphis are being educated in just how tough it gets around this time of the year. Meaningful games in March? It sure beats the alternative, which Bucks center Andrew Bogut has discovered over the past few seasons. "Last year, I stuck around (despite being injured) and it was ..."

D'Antoni: 'It's about as bad as it can get'

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March 7

New York Post

columnist George Willis

"For the first eight minutes of last night's game between two teams who can't wait for the season to end, it looked like the Nets had taken the early vacation. They were down 24-8 with 4:42 left in the first quarter, maintaining the kind of ragged form that led to their 6-55 record entering last night's cross-river affair at the Garden. But the Knicks are the Knicks. As if we needed reminding. It took just one quarter for the Nets to regroup and take a 56-50 lead at the break. By the end of the third quarter, you would have sworn the Knicks were the team in danger of setting an NBA record for worst record in a season. The Nets exploited the Knicks' lack of size and heart to enjoy a ..."

Young Wizards' hard play not resulting in victories

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March 7

Washington Examiner

columnist Craig Stouffer

"The good times are always short-lived. After winning three of their first four games after the All-Star break and a flurry of moves at the NBA trade deadline, the Wizards (21-38) have lost four of their last five and are now confronting the true picture of what they have become, a group of mostly young, scrappy players that will only go so far with just energy and determination. "That's what I said right after the trades," said guard Mike Miller. "It's one thing to do it right away for the first couple games. It's another thing to maintain it." And it won't get any easier, with Sunday's visit to the Celtics (39-21) kicking off a stretch of seven games in 10 days. "Yeah, I'm concerned with ..."

For the short-handed Mavericks, less was best in win over Bulls

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March 7

Dallas Morning News

columnist Eddie Sefko

"The reasoning behind going to battle with nine brave souls Saturday night was simple. The Mavericks didn't have anybody on the bench bigger than Eddie Najera. One injury or foul trouble, and the Mavericks would have been in a serious manpower bind. Still, there's some sensible thinking behind the decision not to make a phone call to Jake Voskuhl or Mikki Moore or any other big man who might be available for a 10-day rental. First of all, the Mavericks have faith in Najera, who gave them plenty of solid minutes against the Bulls. Second, bringing in another player would have provided six more fouls. But when you look at the Mavericks' upcoming schedule - plus the fact that Erick Dampier ..."