Until he gets an MRI, we won't know the extent of Kevin Martin's groin injury. Wisdom from Reggie Theus, via the Sacramento Bee's Sam Amick: "Groins are a funny animal ... You don't mess around with a groin."
When can you play, LeBron James and Anderson Varejao? Because the Cavaliers need help, as Brian Windhorst of the Akron Beacon-Journal points out: "As the Cavaliers were being introduced Wednesday night, the Barnum & Bailey theme played over the Verizon Center's loudspeakers. It was just a little joke aimed at mocking the visiting team, but for the Cavs, it came pretty close to the bone. Their traveling circus has gotten past the laughing stage now, though, after another blowout loss. The Washington Wizards were the latest team to dish humility, hammering the Cavs 105-86 to run the losing streak since LeBron James' injury to five games. It's the longest skid the team's had since the 2005-06 season and now, with a 9-11 record, they are two games below .500 for the first time since the end of the 2003-04 season. Surely, the Cavs have injuries and schedule issues, but they also aren't even getting close in these games. A night after coach Mike Brown publicly and privately challenged them to raise their energy level and compete, they were ripped in the early going Wednesday and were behind by 19 points at halftime. By early in the third quarter, the deficit surged to 28 points and it was virtually over."
Allen Iverson had 51 in a loss to the Lakers, and makes Kobe Bryant look like the guy who has mastered working with teammates. Mark Kiszla of the Denver Post: "Anybody could see the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Nuggets 111-107 Wednesday night. But what was revealed is that not all Hall of Fame players are created equal. There is great, which Iverson will be, forever and always. And there is transcendent, which makes Bryant a basketball god on the order of Magic, Oscar and Wilt. What went down in the Pepsi Center was far more than two superstars in top form, because this was an enduring lesson in basketball history, a game that should be studied and replayed in the minds of everyone who loves the sport and wants to understand its essence."
Steve Nash beats Toronto in the Canada Bowl. The Globe and Mail's Michael Grange includes a telling Nash quote: "Sometimes I have to be careful, because I can take the joy out of the game, because I'm critical. And I have to careful not to lose that passion and joy. We play so many games, and now I've played so many years, that that joy is very important for me, to get up and have that motivation and that desire that allows me to handle my job."
Darius Miles insists he is coming back this year. The Blazers are less sure, but are putting him through one-on-one workouts against Josh McRoberts, and coach Bill Bayno says Miles looks good so far.
Take a look at this picture. It's an effort to put together a little bit of this player, and a little bit of that one, to create the worst player in the NBA. Here's the explanation.
Billy King says a classy farewell, while saying that if he had thought he was being judged by the team's record early in this rebuilding year, he might have played his cards a little differently.
Checking the big man cabinet, finding it's bare: the Charlotte Bobcats. (How'd they let Golden State snap up DJ Mbenga?)
Remember Luol Deng's big scoring nights? They're back, at least for one night. Matt from Blogabull points out that Chicago was best against Charlotte with a lineup of Chris Duhon, Ben Gordon, Luol Deng, Andres Nocioni, and Joakim Noah: "As noted by the telecast, they kept running a play where Duhon would come up to the three point line on the near side, and dribble back against two screens, first by Nocioni and then Noah. And it seemed that every time, Okafor would follow Noah out and try and challenge Duhon way out by the three point line, leaving the paint free of their shotblocker for Noc, Deng, or Gordon to get an easy look or at least cause an extra rotation to leave a shooter open. And after doing fine work in setting those screens, Noah effectively finished the game at 1:30 left with a jumpshot, capping a great night from him."
Bonzi Wells was great last night, taking pressure off Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady, but has been missing layups like crazy as of late. Wells says the solution is to give him the ball more, but if he has never been Mr. Consistency, is that smart long-term strategy? Welcome to the dilemma of coaching a mercurial third wheel.
Pat Riley as quoted by the Miami Herald: "Until we accept that we're 4-13 and one of the worst teams in the league -- until they humble themselves to accept that -- this isn't going to change. If you think it's going to change on its own because you have a bunch of high-profile names on the back, it ain't going to work."
If you're worked up about the All-Star ballot (all you Devin Harris fans) here's where you can read one of your own going toe to toe with a committe member. I think one solution might be to have all the voting be electronic. That way you don't need a ballot, especially not one that's created before the season even starts.
More clips (adult language for sure) from the playground basketball documentary "Ballin' at the Graveyard." Anyone who has ever played in the park can relate to the clip called "NEXT Crazy!"
Kevin Arnovitz of ClipperBlog: "There seems to be a swell of support for a Maggette trade in these parts. But here's what advocates for such a deal are missing: Unless you can get an expiring contract in return, you're saddled with more payroll going into a fine free agent class this upcoming off-season. If Maggette walks, you get something far more valuable than a body -- $7.8 million in cap space."
John Hollinger's new toypredicts whether or not your team will make the playoffs. UPDATE: Chicago has a 12% chance of making the playoffs, says Hollinger. That's way better than Portland's 0.1% This thing is going to set some kind of record for starting arguments.
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