Amare Stoudemire, it has been reported, prefers to play power forward instead of center. Elias Spotrs Bureau, however, points to some numbers showing that he's more effective as a center. He has a much higher career scoring average as a starting center than in games that he has started at forward (23.2 compared to 17.1). His field-goal percentage is nearly 100 points higher in games he started at center (.574) than at forward (.475). Phoenix's record reflects those numbers: 152-53 (.746) when Stoudemire started at center, 63-62 (.504) when he started at forward. One possibility to explain some of this: maybe has played more center against teams without a dominant big man?
Last year at this time, Gregg Popovich gathered his team together and told them nobody was going to be traded. He's not doing that this year. And, Mike Finger of the San Antonio Express-News: "Throughout the league they have towered over for the better part of a decade, the Spurs have an almost unquestioned reputation for serenity. Viewed as the Kipling-type guys who keep their heads when all about them are losing theirs, the Spurs are thought to be above panic and immune to overreaction. It's a flattering perception. Even if it's not completely accurate. 'People freak out here, too,' guard Michael Finley said. 'It might not be as obvious, but it happens.' Consider, then, the signing of Damon Stoudamire as the Spurs' version of setting their hair on fire."
Very thorough and interesting converation about where Memphis is headed. Chris Wallace does not keep his cards so tight to his chest, which makes him a good interview.
The Globe and Mail's Michael Grange: "Every once in a while you will encounter someone who tries to make the case that they like college basketball better than NBA basketball, or at least, that in college basketball they play harder than in the NBA. I enjoy these moments, as they are the fastest ways I can think of to identify that a) the person you are dealing with knows very little about basketball and b) they might just be a complete idiot. College basketball is fun, colourful, interesting and dramatic. No doubt. It's also often quite corrupt and despite being generally over-coached, is usually played very poorly."
Kurt Thomas led the league in scoring and rebounding in college, and he's making sure his young Sonic teammates know about it. Gary Washburn of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer: "Kurt Thomas is the voice of reason on the Sonics, the steady patriarch who tells wise tales of his college games when he dominated the Southwest Conference. And yes, Kevin Durant was aware that before the days of the Big 12, the Texas Longhorns were in the Southwest Conference and opposed tiny TCU every season. 'I tried to,' Durant, 19, said when asked whether he searched for footage of Thomas on the Internet. 'But I don't think they were making film back then. I saw it in the (Texas) media guide when Texas used to play TCU. Kurt played OK. I can't even imagine Kurt dunking or doing anything like that.'"
Branson Wright of the Cleveland Plain Dealer: "LeBron James said the Boston Celtics and the Detroit Pistons are two teams that do plenty of trash-talking. 'It's in a competitive way, but they back it up,' said James. 'We all know they fly off the mouth sometimes, but they play great basketball. That's not what our team is about, but when you win ball games, you do want you want to do.' James has had some run-ins with the Celtics' Paul Pierce over the years. They've had some classic duels, and they've also shared a few choice words. 'Pierce and I are two competitors,' James said. 'We look at each other as two of the best forwards in the game. We go at it, and it's just competitive. I love going against the best, and he's one of the best.' Not every team engages in trash-talking. 'The quietest team is Utah,' James said with a smile. 'Utah doesn't say anything, they just kick your [butt].'"
John Reid of The Times-Picayune: "They started their trip in good spirits with Chris Paul and David West earning reserve spots on the All-Star team. Scott got the nod as the West coach because the Hornets had a better record than the Mavericks before the Feb. 3 cutoff date and Phoenix's Mike D'Antoni was ineligible after coaching last season's team in Las Vegas. Since the announcement of those selections, West has been unable to attack the basket. Sacramento and Utah used a similar defensive scheme, crowding him once he catches the ball in the high post. In both games, West was held to 12 points. Paul had one of his worst performances this season against Utah. He was unable to stay in front of guard Deron Williams or avoid foul problems. 'We have a bull's-eye on our back,' Paul said. 'We have to be professional and play to win every night.'"
Tim Povtak of the Orlando Sentinel: "For a guy who has spent his entire, illustrious career making teammates better -- a perfect point guard making perfect passes -- Jason Kidd sure has dropped the ball this time. Kidd, 34, is headed for his ninth NBA All-Star Game this month, eventually bound for the Basketball Hall of Fame. In the meantime, though, he has submarined his New Jersey Nets with a midseason demand to be traded. He may be leading them onto the court tonight against the Orlando Magic -- and he still plays the game better than most -- but he has left them without an emotional leader."
John Denton of Florida Today: "Physically, Jameer Nelson is the smallest player on the Orlando Magic's roster at barely 5 feet, 11 inches and 190 pounds. But in some ways, Nelson, who is teased constantly by his teammates for his pint-sized frame, has become the proverbial 500-pound elephant in the locker room no one wants to discuss. Even though he's healthy now following a nagging foot injury, Nelson has fallen out of head coach Stan Van Gundy's rotation, and plummeted all the way to third-string status. Shocking stuff, indeed, for the player who was named a co-captain before the season, and received a five-year contract extension in late October that could be worth $35 million."
Geoff Lepper of the Contra Costa Times: "Where the overwhelming majority of NBA players -- if they're being totally candid -- will tell you they don't get to shoot the ball often enough, Al Harrington has the exact opposite problem: He's sick of doing precious little other than hoisting 3-point shots."
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