Jim Moore of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer: "Want to know what Shaq thinks about the Sonics' possible move to Oklahoma City? He feels like most Sonics fans. 'It's dumb, it's stupid,' O'Neal said. 'They should have to wait from the bottom like everyone else.' I'm not sure what that meant, but since Shaq said it, I wrote it down. I'm assuming he thinks Oklahoma City should have to wait for an expansion team instead of taking someone else's. ... 'Seattle has tradition, the Space Needle, and there's water here. Oklahoma City's a college town. You're not going to have the TV market there.' ... 'When I think of Seattle, I think of G.P., the Reign Man, Sikma, Lenny Wilkens,' Shaq said. 'The Oklahoma City Sonics? When my son asks me about that, I'll say there's no such thing.'"
Randy Galloway of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram: "OK, the record will show plenty of personal love for the Jason Kidd acquisition. If it makes Dirk better -- and since Kidd arrived, Dirk has never been better -- then it's a very good thing for the Mavs. But for the second time, over 15 games with Kidd, here's a confession after what was observed in the debacle against the Lakers on Tuesday night: A veteran point guard, who at least will be a borderline Hall of Fame candidate, registered an FTC in the box score. FTC? Failure to Compete. If that happens tonight, with the Celtics in town, then chalk up another critical L in the most important and telling homestand of the season for the Mavericks. But Kidd is already out of excuses in this area. Once was not acceptable. Twice is a crime. And the first FTC came a couple of weeks ago."
Phil Jasner of the Philadelphia Daily News: "Peace in our time. That was accomplished before the ball ever went up last night, when Allen Iverson went to the 76ers' bench and hugged Maurice Cheeks. Iverson, who left for Denver after being traded in December 2006 without speaking with his coach and friend, broke the ice. The story had taken on a life of its own. All anyone wanted to know was how it would end. Meeting with reporters before the Sixers' 115-113 victory, Iverson said that somehow the lack of communication had made their relationship stronger. 'We haven't talked to each other, but [the relationship] is a lot better than it was when I left, because it was such a pivotal point in my life, being here all those years and then basically trying to get him in here as the coach,' Iverson said before making his first appearance as a visitor at the Wachovia Center."
Michael Hunt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: "Fact is, nothing is going to change until Herb Kohl hires a strong, independent-minded basketball guy and gets the heck out of his way. But who is going to want to take this job? Doug Collins? Life seems too good for him to get ulcers over this chaotic situation. You want to think that the Bucks can get it back, like it was not so long ago, like it was in the '80s, when being a Milwaukee Buck actually meant something. Good luck to the next guy. You're going to need it."
Howard Beck of The New York Times: "The Indiana Pacers' home was dubbed a basketball cathedral when it opened in 1999. Every game began with a history-filled video montage and a dramatic declaration: 'In 49 states, it's just basketball. But this is Indiana.' A rapturous roar always followed. But the rapture has left the building, along with thousands of disillusioned Pacers fans. The Pacers rank last in the N.B.A. in home attendance, drawing 12,107 fans a game. On any given night, there are 6,000 to 8,000 empty green seats. They have not sold out a single game this season. When the Pacers and the Knicks played earlier this week, the upper deck appeared 95 percent empty. In a state where basketball is the unofficial religion, the mass exodus falls somewhere between shocking and apocalyptic."
Linda Hamilton of the Deseret Morning News: "Deron Williams, Carlos Boozer and the current Utah Jazz team have the opportunity tonight -- starting at 8:30, when the Los Angeles Lakers invade EnergySolutions Arena -- to set a franchise record. As Boozer says, that's not something that comes along every day for Jazz players of the post-Malone/Stockton era. 'It's something that hasn't been done here before, and any time you get a chance to go into the record books in Utah -- which is tough to do with the success they've had here before -- you want to take advantage of it,' said Boozer, who also admitted, 'Oh, we're excited' over the chance to win a 20th straight home game and break the thrice-hit franchise mark of 19."
Mark Saxon of The Orange County Register: "How many people will be watching today's game strictly because of Mayo, Beasley and Walker? For the players, it's about savoring a short stay on campus -- and an even shorter brush with March Madness. USC coach Tim Floyd has coached at both levels. 'I remember Ron Artest, who had played two years of college, as a 19-year-old sitting on planes with Will Perdue, who is 39, married, two kids. Nothing in common,' Floyd said. 'You know, our guys were goofing around the hotel today, sneaking each others' iPods and all that kind of thing. You don't do that in the NBA.'"
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