Indiana has been trying to trade Ford for "years," an NBA source told ESPN.com on Sunday night as Ford sat out the entire 48 minutes and Indiana was steamrolled 132-89 by the New York Knicks. "Not weeks. Not months. Years," the source said. - ESPN.com
The Milwaukee Bucks have requested waivers on guard Roko Ukic (6-5, 190), General Manager John Hammond announced today. Ukic requested to have his contract voided by Milwaukee, removing any further obligation by the Bucks for the remainder of his contract. - NBA.com
The Golden State Warriors waived center Mikki Moore on Monday, which cleared the way for the team to keep center Chris Hunter on the roster. Moore, 34, appeared in 23 games with Golden State this season (20 starts), averaging 5.0 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 17.7 minutes. A 12-year NBA veteran, Moore underwent surgery to remove bone spurs in his right heel on Dece. 18. - Oakland Tribune
Steve Kerr: The beauty of this job though is that if you’re a basketball junkie like I am, it doesn’t feel like work a lot of time. I love watching basketball, and when we’re playing well I love sitting in the stands and watching the game unfold and seeing our players perform. I don’t feel like I’m working at all. - Suns.com
The NBA Development League Showcase returns to Qwest Arena in Idaho's capital after a successful run in 2008. The four-day event running through Thursday features all 16 D-League teams, including the host Idaho Stampede, playing a total of 16 games. Seven games will be broadcast live on NBA TV, which is a first, and the remaining nine games will be streamed for free via NBA Futurecast on nba.com/dleague. - NBA.com
Reserve center Chris Andersen sprained his left ankle in the second quarter, and though X-rays were negative, Karl said Andersen could be out this week (Denver plays Tuesday, Friday and Saturday). Carmelo Anthony (right knee contusion) missed his second straight game and said the bruise is worse than originally thought. He's questionable for Tuesday against Golden State as is point guard Chauncey Billups, who has missed seven of eight games because of a left groin strain. - Denver Post
Now, with Germany having been named a wild-card entry into the World Championships, (Chris) Kaman said he's ready to play in Turkey under one condition: Nowitzki, Dallas' star forward who carried the German flag in the Opening Ceremonies at the 2008 Olympics, must also commit. - FanHouse
Speaking before the Lakers game against the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday -- Artest's fifth game missed after sustaining a concussion following an accident at his home on Christmas Day -- Artest said he was "almost" ready to return to game action as well. Los Angeles next game is on Tuesday when it hosts Houston, Artest's former team. Lakers head coach Phil Jackson said he was "hopeful" Artest would be ready for that game, but the 11-year veteran didn't sound as optimistic. - ESPNLosAngeles.com
Pau Gasol left the game after suffering a strained left hamstring with 7:12 left in the first quarter. He sat out the Lakers' first 11 games because of a strained right hamstring and will undergo further medical testing today, including an ultrasound exam, at which time the Lakers will issue a timetable on his return. - Los Angeles Times
It is a facile observation that the Nets are a team with a good talent level and little clue as to how to use it. That’s not an indictment of the coaching staff or the players’ collective basketball IQ. That’s simply the elephant in the room when a team of kids happens to be 3-30. But one of the emerging problems is their lack of an identity at the offensive end, particularly since point guard Devin Harris has returned from injury and Kiki Vandeweghe has taken over as head coach. - Star-Ledger
Bosh, who also had 15 rebounds, made a jumper from the top of the key with 1:39 left in the third quarter to eclipse Vince Carter’s mark of 9,420 points. Bosh, who now has 9,428 points, was honored with a video tribute and standing ovation at the end of the quarter. - AP
Coach Flip Saunders spoke at practice yesterday and questioned the way in which Arenas is being portrayed. The coach said various reports are trying to "lump a lot of things together." He added that such an approach toward Arenas is "not fair to him from that standpoint." - Philadelphia Daily News Wire Services
In the NBA, partially guaranteed contracts such as Iverson's become guaranteed Jan. 10, with a 48-hour waiver period preceding it. Because Jan. 10 falls on a Sunday, the date has been moved to Jan. 8, with teams needing to waive a player by the start of the 48-hour period - this Wednesday. - Philadelphia Inquirer
For the season, Lawson is averaging 8.8 points and 3.6 assists in 22 minutes per game. Last night was his fourth straight start, and he again was good for 23 points and nine assists in the Nuggets' 108-105 loss to the Sixers. Lawson has shown nice progression for the Nuggets, though Karl wasn't ready to sing his praises just yet. - Philadelphia Daily News
Several of Ginobili's teammates have reported symptoms similar to those that have deepened Ginobili's voice and given him headaches. Among the newly afflicted are Matt Bonner, still on the injured list with a broken bone in his right hand, and reserve forward Marcus Haislip. Starting point guard Tony Parker also was sniffling and coughing after Sunday's game against the Raptors. - San Antonio Express-News
Practice time, let alone actual NBA minutes, has been hard to come by for Celtics J.R. Giddens, Bill Walker, and Lester Hudson. But with injuries to Kevin Garnett (knee hyperextension), Paul Pierce (knee infection), and Rajon Rondo (hamstring), the window of opportunity has opened slightly. - Boston Globe
Earning a postseason berth still remains a tall order. The Griz's pushing their record above .500 anytime soon seems daunting, too, given their immediate schedule. They'll face Portland in the Rose Garden on Tuesday night, and then play a home-and-home series with Utah to round out a difficult week. - Memphis Commercial Appeal
The last time Duncan came off the bench was on March 18, 2004, his first game back after missing three straight with irritation in his left patella femoral joint. This time, Duncan is completely healthy. Since a team spokesperson said no official reason was given for coach Gregg Popovich's decision to sit Duncan at the start, speculation centered on the Spurs captain's having played more than 36 minutes in Saturday night's game against the Wizards, in Washington, D.C. - San Antonio Express-News
Slowly but surely, Howard is regaining his form, to the point where he's found himself pleasantly surprised with the progress his surgically repaired left ankle has made. When he played the entire fourth quarter against Sacramento on Saturday, producing eight points and two rebounds, then came back and was good to go against the Lakers on Sunday on the second half of a back-to-back, it was a terrific sign. - Dallas Morning News
Even if the local and federal governments don't bring indictments -- and no one has the slightest inkling about which way that will go -- the Wizards not only think the league will ultimately throw the book at Arenas, but more than one employee believes that the incident will be the catalyst for wholesale housecleaning, on the court and in the front office, by the new ownership group led by Ted Leonsis, the billionaire owner of the NHL's Washington Capitals. - NBA.com
The two sides also have to finesse the whole notion that McGrady's next destination is not likely to be his last. Would a team trying to do a deal for him release him immediately, so that he might be able to sign with a playoff contender that wouldn't have to pay his close to $23 million tab? Some probably would, but some wouldn't. - NBA.com
Daryl Morey on what went into the decision to explore trades for McGrady: “I don’t think it’s unusual but I can understand why people look at it that way. As far as staring at what coach and I were staring at, we were taking the best approach that we thought was fair to him and the team. I think coach covered it pretty well. Understandably he was looking to play more and I think also understandably coach felt like he couldn’t make any commitment to how much more. He needed to see how he was playing and how the team was playing before he could grow his minutes." - Sports Radio Interviews
The Warriors likely won’t request another exception now. Since the league obviously won’t allow them to carry a non-guaranteed injury exception past Friday, they would have to cut another player in order to sign, say, Cartier Martin. Even to a 10-day. - Contra Costa Times
Kenneth L. Wainstein, a partner in the Washington, DC office of O'Melveny & Myers LLP and attorney for Gilbert Arenas, stated today: "This afternoon, Gilbert Arenas voluntarily met with federal prosecutors at the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia and detectives of the Metropolitan Police Department to explain the circumstances surrounding the presence of his unloaded firearms at the Verizon Center last month. - Washington Post
And there’s been no mention of Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld reportedly telling the league about guns being in the locker room but failing to reveal a confrontation involving the guns, along with the potential consequences any truth to those allegations in the New York Post may entail. - Stephen A. Smith
Statement From The Pollin Family: "We want to take a moment to address our Wizards fans and the public. The situation involving an incident in the locker room is troubling to our family, our organization and our fans. We know our fans are frustrated and angry. The fact that guns were brought to the Verizon Center is dangerous and disappointing and showed extremely poor judgment. Guns have absolutely no place in a workplace environment and we will take further steps to ensure this never happens again. While the police investigation proceeds, we are limited in what we can say, but we want our fans to know that we will not rest until this situation is resolved and has come to a satisfactory conclusion. On behalf of the Wizards organization, we want to thank our fans for their support during this very difficult time." - NBA.com
Hasn't Arenas, I asked, put all of your careers in jeopardy? Jamison is 33, and running out of time to play on a contender. He re-signed in Washington, and the Wizards have (so far) resisted trade offers from the likes of the Cavaliers, because they believed they had a "Big Three" that, when healthy, was as good as anyone's. But it hasn't happened, and now it doesn't look like it's going to happen. "That's the thing," Jamison said. "Once a decision comes around as far as what's going to happen, that's when you get into the nitpicking as far as that. If he ends up missing games or whatever, that's when you realize (it). We're where we're at right now with him. I think eventually we're going to get a nice eight- , nine-game win streak. But it's most likely to happen with him on the court." - NBA.com
Caron Butler, who was again complimented by Saunders but simultaneously has become the subject of trade speculation and rumors, said, "Just control what you can control. The only thing, as a player, that you can control is, the time that practice starts, coming an hour early, getting your treatment, getting a lift in, going out there, leaving it all on the court, talking to the media, saying all the right things [smile], getting in your car and getting on the plane, going to philly and playing hard out there." - Washington Examiner
"There's no way," Fegan said. "It makes great copy, but it's unfortunate, because it's at Gilbert's expense. They're struggling right now, and because Gilbert's not Kobe, he's taking the heat. He's the 10th leading scorer in the league after a two-year hiatus, and in a few weeks he could be top five. It's absurd that they're talking about that." - NBA.com
Rockets guard Chase Budinger began traveling with the team and went through a shooting drill before the game in New Orleans, but he is expected to be out for the rest of the week with a sprained left ankle suffered Dec. 19. “I told him we would wait and get it 100 percent, try to get some practices in,” trainer Keith Jones said . “I don't want to put him back for a game. Coach (Rick Adelman) would want him to practice first.” - Houston Chronicle
But somehow, Del Negro has survived, but that doesn't mean he's out of the woods, even taking his team's four-game winning streak into considering. One gets the impression that he's one more embarrassing loss from getting shown the door, which in most cases would be a huge distraction for an NBA team. Not this one, apparently. - HoopsWorld
Celtics head coach Doc Rivers was not on hand for today's practice at the Sports Authority Complex in Waltham. Celtics spokesman Jeff Twiss said Rivers had to attend to personal matters but would rejoin the team tomorrow with the Celtics heading to play Miami on Wednesday. - Boston Globe
Cuban reached an agreement to pay $285 million for the Mavericks on Jan. 4, 2000. The Mavericks' rise from league laughingstock to one of the NBA's elite since then has been a wild ride, with Cuban leading the way in his uniquely brash, charismatic, energetic, occasionally obnoxious, always heavily involved manner. - ESPN.com
Oden and Przybilla are done for the season, while Batum and Fernández aren't expected back until late January. Outlaw, according to Pritchard, is still eight to 10 weeks away from playing. Aldridge isn't expected to miss more than a week after his injury. McMillan's heel injury required surgery, and he was on crutches when his team played against Sacramento on Dec. 15. - Sacramento Bee
I asked Hawks star Joe Johnson, one of the 2010 free agents, if Atlanta's homecourt advantage has gotten any better as the team improved. He didn't try very hard to sugarcoat the answer. "Don't get me wrong, it's the home team and I enjoy playing there and I enjoy when the fans do come out," Johnson said. "But by no stretch of the imagination have we got one of the best home crowds. We don't. I can't really even say it's getting there. "In the playoffs, yeah, they're there. Throughout the regular season, it's not much of a big difference from what it was. It's different, but it's not that big of a difference than what is was when I first got there." That comment alone doesn't mean anything, but it shows that players do appreciate fan support. - Arlington Heights Daily Herald
A few balls were slammed, a few expletives were shouted in frustration. Corey Maggette and Monta Ellis got the night off. Maggette showed up on the court halfway through practice and sat on the side and watched. Ellis apparently came and lifted weights, but stayed in the locker room area. Nelson was so disappointed in the effort during Saturday’s loss at Portland that he put it on them at practice. During practice, he went off on them about his disappointment, two players told me. He shared some of his frustrations during his post-practice interview. - Contra Costa Times
Beasley, at 15.7 points per game, is the Heat's second-leading scorer after Wade (26.4 ppg). But Beasley, who can score from inside or outside, is considered a late-game defensive liability. Beasley's late-game absences might be the No. 1 personnel gripe among fans as the Heat (16-15) carries its season-worst three-game losing streak into Monday's game against Atlanta (21-11) at AmericanAirlines Arena. - Miami Herald
In the loss to the Bobcats, Shaq got just five shots. He made four of them. He even made two of his three free throw attempts. It was the 11th time in the last 14 games he's not gotten at least 10 shots. It was the eighth time he hasn't gotten more than seven. And there were stretches in the fourth quarter when he was being guarded by Boris Diaw. The Cavs have been winning and there aren't really major problems right now. Their biggest offensive issue is when they stagnate and making sure Shaq gets more touches probably isn't the greatest answer to that. But there's little doubt that they aren't using this massive weapon enough. - Cleveland Plain Dealer
Evans' charge is to figure out the NBA game, to dominate like he did back home in Chester, Pa., and at the University of Memphis, while always sticking to the script. The plan first calls for a Rookie of the Year Award, to be followed by NBA championships, league MVP trophies and two maximum-salary contracts over a 15-year career. This is, they all agree, Evans' basketball destiny. - Sacramento Bee
The Milwaukee Bucks have requested waivers on guard Roko Ukic (6-5, 190), General Manager John Hammond announced today. Ukic requested to have his contract voided by Milwaukee, removing any further obligation by the Bucks for the remainder of his contract. - NBA.com
The Golden State Warriors waived center Mikki Moore on Monday, which cleared the way for the team to keep center Chris Hunter on the roster. Moore, 34, appeared in 23 games with Golden State this season (20 starts), averaging 5.0 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 17.7 minutes. A 12-year NBA veteran, Moore underwent surgery to remove bone spurs in his right heel on Dece. 18. - Oakland Tribune
Steve Kerr: The beauty of this job though is that if you’re a basketball junkie like I am, it doesn’t feel like work a lot of time. I love watching basketball, and when we’re playing well I love sitting in the stands and watching the game unfold and seeing our players perform. I don’t feel like I’m working at all. - Suns.com
The NBA Development League Showcase returns to Qwest Arena in Idaho's capital after a successful run in 2008. The four-day event running through Thursday features all 16 D-League teams, including the host Idaho Stampede, playing a total of 16 games. Seven games will be broadcast live on NBA TV, which is a first, and the remaining nine games will be streamed for free via NBA Futurecast on nba.com/dleague. - NBA.com
Reserve center Chris Andersen sprained his left ankle in the second quarter, and though X-rays were negative, Karl said Andersen could be out this week (Denver plays Tuesday, Friday and Saturday). Carmelo Anthony (right knee contusion) missed his second straight game and said the bruise is worse than originally thought. He's questionable for Tuesday against Golden State as is point guard Chauncey Billups, who has missed seven of eight games because of a left groin strain. - Denver Post
Now, with Germany having been named a wild-card entry into the World Championships, (Chris) Kaman said he's ready to play in Turkey under one condition: Nowitzki, Dallas' star forward who carried the German flag in the Opening Ceremonies at the 2008 Olympics, must also commit. - FanHouse
Speaking before the Lakers game against the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday -- Artest's fifth game missed after sustaining a concussion following an accident at his home on Christmas Day -- Artest said he was "almost" ready to return to game action as well. Los Angeles next game is on Tuesday when it hosts Houston, Artest's former team. Lakers head coach Phil Jackson said he was "hopeful" Artest would be ready for that game, but the 11-year veteran didn't sound as optimistic. - ESPNLosAngeles.com
Pau Gasol left the game after suffering a strained left hamstring with 7:12 left in the first quarter. He sat out the Lakers' first 11 games because of a strained right hamstring and will undergo further medical testing today, including an ultrasound exam, at which time the Lakers will issue a timetable on his return. - Los Angeles Times
It is a facile observation that the Nets are a team with a good talent level and little clue as to how to use it. That’s not an indictment of the coaching staff or the players’ collective basketball IQ. That’s simply the elephant in the room when a team of kids happens to be 3-30. But one of the emerging problems is their lack of an identity at the offensive end, particularly since point guard Devin Harris has returned from injury and Kiki Vandeweghe has taken over as head coach. - Star-Ledger
Bosh, who also had 15 rebounds, made a jumper from the top of the key with 1:39 left in the third quarter to eclipse Vince Carter’s mark of 9,420 points. Bosh, who now has 9,428 points, was honored with a video tribute and standing ovation at the end of the quarter. - AP
Coach Flip Saunders spoke at practice yesterday and questioned the way in which Arenas is being portrayed. The coach said various reports are trying to "lump a lot of things together." He added that such an approach toward Arenas is "not fair to him from that standpoint." - Philadelphia Daily News Wire Services
In the NBA, partially guaranteed contracts such as Iverson's become guaranteed Jan. 10, with a 48-hour waiver period preceding it. Because Jan. 10 falls on a Sunday, the date has been moved to Jan. 8, with teams needing to waive a player by the start of the 48-hour period - this Wednesday. - Philadelphia Inquirer
For the season, Lawson is averaging 8.8 points and 3.6 assists in 22 minutes per game. Last night was his fourth straight start, and he again was good for 23 points and nine assists in the Nuggets' 108-105 loss to the Sixers. Lawson has shown nice progression for the Nuggets, though Karl wasn't ready to sing his praises just yet. - Philadelphia Daily News
Several of Ginobili's teammates have reported symptoms similar to those that have deepened Ginobili's voice and given him headaches. Among the newly afflicted are Matt Bonner, still on the injured list with a broken bone in his right hand, and reserve forward Marcus Haislip. Starting point guard Tony Parker also was sniffling and coughing after Sunday's game against the Raptors. - San Antonio Express-News
Practice time, let alone actual NBA minutes, has been hard to come by for Celtics J.R. Giddens, Bill Walker, and Lester Hudson. But with injuries to Kevin Garnett (knee hyperextension), Paul Pierce (knee infection), and Rajon Rondo (hamstring), the window of opportunity has opened slightly. - Boston Globe
Earning a postseason berth still remains a tall order. The Griz's pushing their record above .500 anytime soon seems daunting, too, given their immediate schedule. They'll face Portland in the Rose Garden on Tuesday night, and then play a home-and-home series with Utah to round out a difficult week. - Memphis Commercial Appeal
The last time Duncan came off the bench was on March 18, 2004, his first game back after missing three straight with irritation in his left patella femoral joint. This time, Duncan is completely healthy. Since a team spokesperson said no official reason was given for coach Gregg Popovich's decision to sit Duncan at the start, speculation centered on the Spurs captain's having played more than 36 minutes in Saturday night's game against the Wizards, in Washington, D.C. - San Antonio Express-News
Slowly but surely, Howard is regaining his form, to the point where he's found himself pleasantly surprised with the progress his surgically repaired left ankle has made. When he played the entire fourth quarter against Sacramento on Saturday, producing eight points and two rebounds, then came back and was good to go against the Lakers on Sunday on the second half of a back-to-back, it was a terrific sign. - Dallas Morning News
Even if the local and federal governments don't bring indictments -- and no one has the slightest inkling about which way that will go -- the Wizards not only think the league will ultimately throw the book at Arenas, but more than one employee believes that the incident will be the catalyst for wholesale housecleaning, on the court and in the front office, by the new ownership group led by Ted Leonsis, the billionaire owner of the NHL's Washington Capitals. - NBA.com
The two sides also have to finesse the whole notion that McGrady's next destination is not likely to be his last. Would a team trying to do a deal for him release him immediately, so that he might be able to sign with a playoff contender that wouldn't have to pay his close to $23 million tab? Some probably would, but some wouldn't. - NBA.com
Daryl Morey on what went into the decision to explore trades for McGrady: “I don’t think it’s unusual but I can understand why people look at it that way. As far as staring at what coach and I were staring at, we were taking the best approach that we thought was fair to him and the team. I think coach covered it pretty well. Understandably he was looking to play more and I think also understandably coach felt like he couldn’t make any commitment to how much more. He needed to see how he was playing and how the team was playing before he could grow his minutes." - Sports Radio Interviews
The Warriors likely won’t request another exception now. Since the league obviously won’t allow them to carry a non-guaranteed injury exception past Friday, they would have to cut another player in order to sign, say, Cartier Martin. Even to a 10-day. - Contra Costa Times
Kenneth L. Wainstein, a partner in the Washington, DC office of O'Melveny & Myers LLP and attorney for Gilbert Arenas, stated today: "This afternoon, Gilbert Arenas voluntarily met with federal prosecutors at the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia and detectives of the Metropolitan Police Department to explain the circumstances surrounding the presence of his unloaded firearms at the Verizon Center last month. - Washington Post
And there’s been no mention of Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld reportedly telling the league about guns being in the locker room but failing to reveal a confrontation involving the guns, along with the potential consequences any truth to those allegations in the New York Post may entail. - Stephen A. Smith
Statement From The Pollin Family: "We want to take a moment to address our Wizards fans and the public. The situation involving an incident in the locker room is troubling to our family, our organization and our fans. We know our fans are frustrated and angry. The fact that guns were brought to the Verizon Center is dangerous and disappointing and showed extremely poor judgment. Guns have absolutely no place in a workplace environment and we will take further steps to ensure this never happens again. While the police investigation proceeds, we are limited in what we can say, but we want our fans to know that we will not rest until this situation is resolved and has come to a satisfactory conclusion. On behalf of the Wizards organization, we want to thank our fans for their support during this very difficult time." - NBA.com
Hasn't Arenas, I asked, put all of your careers in jeopardy? Jamison is 33, and running out of time to play on a contender. He re-signed in Washington, and the Wizards have (so far) resisted trade offers from the likes of the Cavaliers, because they believed they had a "Big Three" that, when healthy, was as good as anyone's. But it hasn't happened, and now it doesn't look like it's going to happen. "That's the thing," Jamison said. "Once a decision comes around as far as what's going to happen, that's when you get into the nitpicking as far as that. If he ends up missing games or whatever, that's when you realize (it). We're where we're at right now with him. I think eventually we're going to get a nice eight- , nine-game win streak. But it's most likely to happen with him on the court." - NBA.com
Caron Butler, who was again complimented by Saunders but simultaneously has become the subject of trade speculation and rumors, said, "Just control what you can control. The only thing, as a player, that you can control is, the time that practice starts, coming an hour early, getting your treatment, getting a lift in, going out there, leaving it all on the court, talking to the media, saying all the right things [smile], getting in your car and getting on the plane, going to philly and playing hard out there." - Washington Examiner
"There's no way," Fegan said. "It makes great copy, but it's unfortunate, because it's at Gilbert's expense. They're struggling right now, and because Gilbert's not Kobe, he's taking the heat. He's the 10th leading scorer in the league after a two-year hiatus, and in a few weeks he could be top five. It's absurd that they're talking about that." - NBA.com
Rockets guard Chase Budinger began traveling with the team and went through a shooting drill before the game in New Orleans, but he is expected to be out for the rest of the week with a sprained left ankle suffered Dec. 19. “I told him we would wait and get it 100 percent, try to get some practices in,” trainer Keith Jones said . “I don't want to put him back for a game. Coach (Rick Adelman) would want him to practice first.” - Houston Chronicle
But somehow, Del Negro has survived, but that doesn't mean he's out of the woods, even taking his team's four-game winning streak into considering. One gets the impression that he's one more embarrassing loss from getting shown the door, which in most cases would be a huge distraction for an NBA team. Not this one, apparently. - HoopsWorld
Celtics head coach Doc Rivers was not on hand for today's practice at the Sports Authority Complex in Waltham. Celtics spokesman Jeff Twiss said Rivers had to attend to personal matters but would rejoin the team tomorrow with the Celtics heading to play Miami on Wednesday. - Boston Globe
Cuban reached an agreement to pay $285 million for the Mavericks on Jan. 4, 2000. The Mavericks' rise from league laughingstock to one of the NBA's elite since then has been a wild ride, with Cuban leading the way in his uniquely brash, charismatic, energetic, occasionally obnoxious, always heavily involved manner. - ESPN.com
Oden and Przybilla are done for the season, while Batum and Fernández aren't expected back until late January. Outlaw, according to Pritchard, is still eight to 10 weeks away from playing. Aldridge isn't expected to miss more than a week after his injury. McMillan's heel injury required surgery, and he was on crutches when his team played against Sacramento on Dec. 15. - Sacramento Bee
I asked Hawks star Joe Johnson, one of the 2010 free agents, if Atlanta's homecourt advantage has gotten any better as the team improved. He didn't try very hard to sugarcoat the answer. "Don't get me wrong, it's the home team and I enjoy playing there and I enjoy when the fans do come out," Johnson said. "But by no stretch of the imagination have we got one of the best home crowds. We don't. I can't really even say it's getting there. "In the playoffs, yeah, they're there. Throughout the regular season, it's not much of a big difference from what it was. It's different, but it's not that big of a difference than what is was when I first got there." That comment alone doesn't mean anything, but it shows that players do appreciate fan support. - Arlington Heights Daily Herald
A few balls were slammed, a few expletives were shouted in frustration. Corey Maggette and Monta Ellis got the night off. Maggette showed up on the court halfway through practice and sat on the side and watched. Ellis apparently came and lifted weights, but stayed in the locker room area. Nelson was so disappointed in the effort during Saturday’s loss at Portland that he put it on them at practice. During practice, he went off on them about his disappointment, two players told me. He shared some of his frustrations during his post-practice interview. - Contra Costa Times
Beasley, at 15.7 points per game, is the Heat's second-leading scorer after Wade (26.4 ppg). But Beasley, who can score from inside or outside, is considered a late-game defensive liability. Beasley's late-game absences might be the No. 1 personnel gripe among fans as the Heat (16-15) carries its season-worst three-game losing streak into Monday's game against Atlanta (21-11) at AmericanAirlines Arena. - Miami Herald
In the loss to the Bobcats, Shaq got just five shots. He made four of them. He even made two of his three free throw attempts. It was the 11th time in the last 14 games he's not gotten at least 10 shots. It was the eighth time he hasn't gotten more than seven. And there were stretches in the fourth quarter when he was being guarded by Boris Diaw. The Cavs have been winning and there aren't really major problems right now. Their biggest offensive issue is when they stagnate and making sure Shaq gets more touches probably isn't the greatest answer to that. But there's little doubt that they aren't using this massive weapon enough. - Cleveland Plain Dealer
Evans' charge is to figure out the NBA game, to dominate like he did back home in Chester, Pa., and at the University of Memphis, while always sticking to the script. The plan first calls for a Rookie of the Year Award, to be followed by NBA championships, league MVP trophies and two maximum-salary contracts over a 15-year career. This is, they all agree, Evans' basketball destiny. - Sacramento Bee
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