Chris Tomasson of the Rocky Mountain News: "The showdown is set.The Nuggets and the Warriors both took care of business Tuesday night. They meet Thursday in Golden State, with the Western Conference's eighth and final playoff berth likely on the line. The Nuggets beat the Clippers 117-99 at the Staples Center. The Warriors, meanwhile, defeated Sacramento 140-132 at home. 'Right after the buzzer,' guard Allen Iverson said of when his Nuggets started thinking about Thursday's game."
Gary Washburn of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer: "Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban refuses to write Seattle off as an NBA city, even if city and state leaders aren't giving him any reason for his faithfulness. Cuban, churning out miles on his Stairmaster, said Tuesday that he would vote against a Sonics' relocation to Oklahoma City, even if it means he is the lone owner to support the Sonics remaining in Seattle. Cuban said he believes market size is critical. Seattle is the 14th-largest media market while Oklahoma City is 45th. 'I'm going to wait to get all the information,' he said before the Sonics' game against the Mavericks. '(But) my preference is the Sonics stay in Seattle. My prejudice is against having a Dustbowl Division in this part of the country because I don't think in the big picture that helps the NBA and I think the bigger market helps the NBA.'"
Ailene Voisin of the Sacramento Bee: "... the Kings' best player is confronting ongoing medical matters far more devastating than any sprained thumb: Diamond's recurring cancer. No parent wants to hear their 4-year-old daughter, after undergoing chemotherapy treatments, is experiencing a recurrence of cancer in her only kidney. Yet this is what [Ron] Artest learned Monday after soliciting a second opinion. This is his real world, and right now, it's overwhelming."
Phil Jasner of the Philadelphia Daily News: "This might not be an overriding factor in the 76ers' resurgence, but if it was worth coach Maurice Cheeks' mentioning it to his players, it's worth mentioning to everyone: To this point, the Sixers are the only team to have qualified for the NBA playoffs without a representative in this season's All-Star Game, although the Golden State Warriors are sitting precariously on the doorstep. 'It says the way we play as a team, the way we utilize everyone, everyone is vastly important to our success,' Cheeks said as the Sixers prepared to face the Detroit Pistons tonight in the Wachovia Center."
Jerry Zgoda of the Minneapolis Star Tribune: '"Greg Buckner, he was the reason why we had the chance to win tonight,' Wittman said. 'Nobody else. He hadn't played in a couple of months and he didn't mope. We called and he was ready to play. Our young guys should learn a lesson from that. We're not going to let guys go out and play with no effort or purpose.' After the game, Buckner said he wondered whether he was going to play another minute this season. 'I didn't see this coming at all,' said Buckner."
Terry Foster of The Detroit News: "On Monday, the old and the new mingled. Rasheed Wallace spoke with Edwards. Chauncey Billups picked the brains of Thomas and Dave Bing while Tayshaun Prince had a long sit down with McCloskey. They all are competitors who made the Pistons better. But nobody's fire burned brighter and more intensely than McCloskey. He's no longer the fierce competitor on the tennis court. But beware. Trader Jack has taken up golf."
Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald: "Considering he received more votes than players like Sidney Moncrief, Marques Johnson and Bob Lanier, there's something to be said that in a recent Internet fan poll, Allen was voted the third most popular Buck of all time. Only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Oscar Robertson had more votes. ... Sam Cassell, also named to the Bucks' 40th anniversary team, has a theory about the Allen vote. 'What you have to understand is that the people who did all the voting remember Ray better than the others,' said Cassell. 'Ask a 22-year-old guy who Sidney Moncrief is.' With that Cassell shouted over to Glen Davis, 'Hey Baby, who was Sidney Moncrief?' Davis, puzzled by the question, said, 'Sidney Moncreek? ' before shaking his head in confusion."
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