Happy Memorial Day. Going to be some light posting today. But in the meantime:

• New thing teams should, apparently, be telling rookies: If, during the off-season, you want to drink Courvoisier on ice, stand on the porch, stand in the backyard, stand in the living room ... but do not stand on the sidewalk. What happens next may make people forget how incredibly hard you played all year.
• Kobe Bryant fake-jumping over a swimming pool of snakes in the name of selling sneakers. Much more impressive to me are the people who actually get in that pool.
• Following the NBA from Shanghai.
• Darryl Howerton writes: "In the 54:04 that Kobe Bryant went against Tim Duncan and Bruce Bowen in the first two games, the score was 101-101 ... and Kobe was limited to 30 points and 6 assists, while making four turnovers. In the 22:35 that Kobe has played where Timmy and/or Bruce rested, the Lakers lead 53-27 ... and Kobe has gone off in that limited time for 19 points, 6 assists and 0 turnovers. In Game 3, Duncan and Bowen were in the game for 33:21 of Kobe's 38:47 -- the longest period they've faced him together in this series. ... For those of you keeping score at home, the Spurs have a 170-159 advantage when Timmy and Bruce face Kobe, and in that span, Bryant has been contained to 56 points, seven assists and eight turnovers in the 87:25 minutes those two NBA All-Defenders have guarded him. Contrastingly, when one or both of them is not in the game, Kobe and the Lakers have gone off -- L.A. enjoys a 64-48 edge and Kobe tallied 23 points, 6 assists and 0 turnovers in only 28:01."
• Ron Artest has an early termination option, which is a little different than a player option. Some explanation. The key difference: If you have an ETO, and you do nothing, then you stay under contract. If you have a player option, and you do nothing, then you become a free agent.
• Brian McCormick on Ryan Anderson: "If Anderson was from Serbia, he would be a lottery pick for sure. He is everything NBA executives crave: a 6'10 power forward with some back to the basket game, mobility and three-point range. Sure, he needs to add some strength, but potential lottery picks Brook Lopez, Donte Greene, Anthony Randolph and DeAndre Jordan need strength as well. However, they possess 'upside' and 'length' while all Anderson possesses is offensive fundamentals and demonstrated ability in the NCAA's best conference. NBA execs travel to Europe every year to find the next Nowitzki. However, the next Nowitzki might be from El Dorado Hills playing his college ball in Berkeley (ironically, had Nowitzki attended college rumors had him headed to Cal). Before falling in love with the length and upside of some other players, NBA execs should travel west to check-out the accomplished Anderson. In the right system (Orlando, Houston), Anderson will be a very good professional player, while some of the players with 'upside' and 'potential' will never realize their potential or utilize their upside."
• Yao Ming can change your tires.
• Basketball players who didn't quite make it, and Antoine Stoudamire's (Damon's brother) rap career.
• Should Chauncey Billups sit to help his team?
• Mark Cuban has a very interesting case to make against the way the current salary cap works. Makes a lot of sense. The problem, as he sees it, is that when big market teams do really well, the current system requires small-market teams to spend more to keep up with the cap.
• Rajon Rondo is called the most underrated player.
• Manu Ginobili has an arthritic ankle. At this age? He needs like, 50+ more years out of that thing.
• Tidy little look at five top draft picks.
• Examining the relationship between Boston and basketball.
  
• Channing Frye's take on the new Indiana Jones movie: "WAIT FOR DVD should be stickered at the front of the movie. I mean, really, what the heck it was in 3 words: tacky, corny, and unoriginal. And furthermore, my popcorn was extremely salty, which also probably made me not like the movie even worse."