Jermaine O'Neal is contemplating sitting out the rest of the season. Mike Wells of The Indianapolis Star talked with him on Sunday: "Indiana Pacers forward Jermaine O'Neal, who has dealt with constant injuries the past three-plus seasons, told The Star that he is willing to sit out the rest of the season to let his ailing left knee completely heal. O'Neal is having his worst season since 2000-01, his first with the Pacers. O'Neal, who can opt out of the final two years of his contract at the end of the season, sat down with The Star after practice Sunday to discuss his frustrating season."
Michael Wallace of the Miami Herald: "To put the victory drought into context, the last time the Heat won a game, Bill Parcells had yet to arrive to run the Dolphins, the price of milk and gas were about a nickel cheaper a gallon and the troubled Britney Spears still had custody of her kids. Every player has his own ways of coping and searching for an end to the vicious cycle against the team that started it. The Cavs beat the Heat 96-82 on Dec. 25 in Cleveland to set off a slide that has included losses of every variety. ... Common themes in the losses have been Miami's weak perimeter defense, rebounding and bench play."
Marc J. Spears of The Boston Globe reports: "Martin Luther King Jr. Day will be celebrated across the NBA today, including at the Celtics-Knicks game. And while the nation commemorates the slain leader of the civil rights movement, Hall of Famer Earl Lloyd will surely reflect on his belief that the Celtics ultimately opened the door for him to be the first African-American to play in an NBA game. 'I truly believe this, that if the Celtics did not draft Chuck [Cooper] in the second round, you could not tell me that the Washington Capitols in 1950 were going to make me the first black player to play in this league. No way ... The Boston Celtics had a tremendous influence on my acceptance in the NBA,' said Lloyd in a recent phone interview."
Marc Berman of the New York Post: "Talk about symbolism. Stephon Marbury's Starbury sneaker line is selling now at a cut-rate $7.99 in a special winter clearance at most Steve & Barry's outlets. The Starburys, which have received national acclaim, are normally priced at an already basement price of $14.98. Steve & Barry's have never disclosed Starbury sales. ... Marbury, whose jersey is the NBA Store's ninth-best-seller, is experiencing the most trying time of his personal and professional career, having lost his father and seeing his once-close relationship with Thomas become smashed."
Chris McCosky of The Detroit News: "It would not surprise me one bit if commissioner David Stern takes on the issue of buyouts this summer, or maybe at the next round of collective bargaining discussions. It is getting out of hand, if you ask me. You want to give owners a way to extricate themselves from bad contracts, but recently, it's becoming a tool for unhappy players. More and more players seem to be maneuvering themselves toward buyouts as a way to get out of a losing situation and onto the winning team of their choice."
Chris Tomasson of the Rocky Mountain News: "If Coby Karl plays against Denver tonight, George Karl would become only the third NBA coach to have his son face him. New Orleans Jazz coach Butch van Breda Kolff met son Jan of the New York Nets on Nov. 9, 1976. Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy Sr. has coached 17 times this decade against Mike Jr., now with Indiana. 'The opportunity to compete against my son is a dream come true,' Karl said. 'It will be a special situation any time, but the first is going to be more special. ... It's a feeling very few fathers will ever have.'"
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