The Rockets had spent the season searching for two things: ball movement and body movement.

The worse the loss, the less they moved. And after each standstill defeat, Rockets coach Rick Adelman lamented the tendency to stand around, waiting for Tracy McGrady to create or Yao Ming to somehow catch the ball down low and draw double-teams.

There had been signs of improvement. In three of four games since the blowout loss to the Lakers, the Rockets moved the ball well and scored consistently. But in those games, they did not feel late-game pressure, did not have to come back in the fourth quarter or hold off an opponent's charge.

In the first two games of the road trip, they did.

Dwight Howard might be regarded as the best center in the NBA by the end of this season, but Yao Ming let him know that debate still has a ways to go before it's settled. Yao, Houston's 7-foot-6 All-Star, outplayed Howard in nearly every phase Saturday night, scoring 22 points and taking down 13 rebounds while carrying a tired Houston Rocket team to a 100-95 victory over Howard and the Orlando...

Yao Ming is 7-foot-6. JaVale McGee's wingspan is 7-foot-6. Once McGee gets some NBA seasoning, the two could have quite a duel. But in Round 1 on Friday night, McGee was a rookie making his second NBA start. He didn't back down -- he even won the opening tip and scored the game's first basket with a layup over Yao -- but the six-time All-Star from China and teammate Tracy McGrady dominated in the...

The way Jason Terry was shooting, the Dallas Mavericks hardly needed Josh Howard on Wednesday night. The Houston Rockets, meanwhile, sorely missed Yao Ming. Terry scored 31 points, and Dirk Nowitzki added 24 points and 12 rebounds in the Mavericks' 96-86 victory over the Rockets. Howard, the Mavs' second-leading scorer, was inactive because of a left ankle injury.

For a lot of us, it's going to take a while to stop calling the guy "Scotty Brooks," because he's a coach now. The man deserves our respect, and for us to lose that extra syllable.

Brooks was a pretty underrated guard during his playing career. The UC-Irvine grad didn't have the foot speed to hang with opposing guards defensively, and he could be turnover-prone, but the man nailed shots. Quite accurately. And he was a much better passer than your typical shoot-first Steve Kerr/Daniel Gibson-type.

But he was also smaller than Kerr and Gibson, and while Brooks was listed at 5-11, he sure didn't look it. So he was the typical third guard, as evidenced by the way most people remember him: backing up Kenny Smith and Sam Cassell during Houston's 1994 championship run, and spelling Chris Childs and Charlie Ward on the 1997 Knicks.

Brooks actually started coaching as a head man, with the wacky reformation of the ABA that took place earlier this decade, before moving on to work as an assistant for the Denver Nuggets in 2003.

Considered one of two potential usurpers hired by Kiki Vandeweghe (along with Michael Cooper) that would be ready to take over should Jeff Bzdelik eventually fall short, Brooks never got a head gig in Denver as Cooper ended up taking over. He moved on to the Sacramento Kings in 2006, and then latched on with the Seattle SuperSonics in 2007-08.

Seattle moved to Oklahoma City last spring, P.J. Carlesimo never really was able to do much with the Thunder despite low expectations, and here we are.

Brooks has worked under some interesting and accomplished coaches, so it's anyone's guess as to whom he'll emulate the most.

The new Thunder boss played for Dick Motta, Rudy Tomjanovich, Jeff Van Gundy, Mike Fratello, Bill Musselman (and would eventual work as an assistant under Musselman's son, Eric, in Sacramento), and Jim Lynam.

Rumors abounded for a spell, but what we appear to finally have is the truth: the Knicks just dumped Zach Randolph off on the Los Angeles Clippers. Donnie Walsh has become the un-Isiah.

There's no point in killing the Clippers too much for making what is essentially a pretty pointless move. They don't need Zach Randolph, at all. The idea of Randolph and Chris Kaman playing alongside each other kind of reminds of Zach and Eddy Curry trying to go at it, though Kaman has more high post gifts than Eddy Curry. Michael Kamen had more high post gifts than Eddy Curry, for that matter, but that's beside the point.

Randolph's contract is horrible, and I still think he hurts teams despite his point and rebound production, but the contract isn't piling on the mess in the same way that Isiah piled bad deal after bad deal on his Knicks.

The Clippers had to pay Cuttino Mobley and Tim Thomas anyway next season, so they're not losing any money this year or next, and with Marcus Camby's contract coming off the books in 2010, the Clippers will have some flexibility in Randolph's final year.

What the deal is, though, is pointless. The Clippers are 29th in offense, and Randolph will help, but what the squad desperately needs is some sort of wing scorer. Actually, they needed two. Cuttino Mobley and Al Thornton have both had their moments this year, but they use up a lot of minutes and a lot of shots to get their (average the two out) 15 points per game. There's a reason this team is so inefficient, and Thornton/Mobley/Ricky Davis' play at the wings has the most to do with it.

And as horrible as Baron Davis has been at times, he's still helping the offense. Not a lot, but he is averaging eight assists for a team that only 35 field goals a game. That's a Steve Carlton-on-the-Phillies level of production, if Carlton had a 9.72 ERA and struck out 12 guys all season.

Davis is shooting 36 percent, he's taking an average of 6.5 three-pointers per game and making an average of 1.6 a contest (re-read that, it's astounding), and he's getting to the line nearly half as much as he used to. Other than that, bang on.

But while Baron should be playing better per his contract and abilities, he's not the problem. Mobley and Thornton and Ricky Davis have been. The team is just getting nothing from those wing spots.

And the team's rebounding, somehow, is awful. The Clippers are being out-rebounded by about five and a half per game, even though Kaman and Camby are combining to average over 20 per game. I don't see how Randolph can help that, because his rebounding acumen will come at the expense of another good rebounder's minutes.

So, essentially, the Clippers have further weakened their weakest position, added a superfluous big man, and a year's worth of salary. Not the end of the world, but not good, either. Maybe they can trade Camby back to the Nuggets for J.R. Smith and a part?

The Knicks, as you know, killed it. Thomas and Mobley don't have to play a game. Hell, if I'm New York, I do a favor to their agents and try to work the buyout. Let them try to catch on with a contender. You don't need old, bad (Thomas' PER is about 10, Mobley's is 11) players taking up space on your team. Trade like mad, if you can.

As it stands, as Woj mentioned, the Knicks have lopped off about $17.34 million off their 2010-11 books, and are only set to send about $18.1 million combined to Eddy Curry and Jared Jeffries that year (both player options ... thanks Isiah!), plus the rookie deals of Wilson Chandler and Danilo Gallinari (about $5.4 million, combined). That's a pretty barren landscape, with lots of flexibility.

It doesn't have to be for LeBron, or D-Wade, or Chris Bosh. It just has to be a way to start over. The same start Knicks fans have been waiting for since it became obvious that the Ewing/Sprewell/Houston troika wasn't going to work some eight or nine (depending on your fandom) years ago. What a fantastic trade.

And the Clippers? Thanks for knowing your role.

The continuing melodrama of Charles Barkley, Dwyane Wade and their trusty T-Mobile cellular telephones unveiled a new television commercial last night with the addition to the mix of Yao Ming, a waitress and live shrimp. Take a bite.

David Barron of the Houston Chronicle informs us that the new spot, titled 'Yao's Comfort Food' and produced by Publicis West USA in Seattle, is the first of three in T-Mobile's fourth season of NBA-themed advertisements.

"We liked the international flavor of it, coming off the heels of the Olympics," Jenna Beardsley-Smith, the company's director of advertising. "It reflects the international flavor of the NBA. Yao was a good fit, and he is a very funny man."

I agree; Yao is freaking hilarious. He needs to star in an as many commercials as possible. And you know, D-Wade and Charles' reactions were pretty good, too. They're definitely getting more comfortable in front of the camera. Two thumbs up all around.

Toronto 101, Miami 95

I truly do apologize for making this so simple, but the difference between a Raptor loss to the Magic and a win over the Heat comes down to Jose Calderon's presence. Orlando's a better team than the Heat, there's no doubting that, and the rebounding issues remain, but Calderon just makes things happen for this team.

He moves everyone down a spot, too. Just eight points and seven assists (to one turnover) for Jose in the win, but his presence allows Will Solomon (five assists, two turnovers) to play fewer minutes and against lesser talent, while Roko Ukic doesn't play at all. Also, Andrea Bargnani (25 points at starting small forward, and he missed some bunnies) was mighty fine.

PG-rated words don't do Dwyane Wade's night (40 points, 11 assists, three turnovers, five blocks) justice. Honestly, the three turns might be the most impressive number of all. To have a hand in that much action, take as many risks with the ball as he has to, play nearly 43 minutes, and come out with just three turnovers? The man is back, people. 

Atlanta 91, Washington 87

The Wizards looked, and really they can't but help but have looked, rightfully despondent during this loss.

Another fine game (18 points and 11 rebounds) for Antawn Jamison, a fantastic contribution from Caron Butler (32 points, seven boards, four assists, three steals, just one turnover), and they still can't pull the win. Atlanta plays without Josh Smith, Al Horford, and Washington can't win. Atlanta's best player (TV's Joe Johnson) makes less than a third of his shots, and the Wizards are 1-8. No fun.

This isn't to say that Washington had no chance in this. They could have pulled the win off with better shot selection and a more focused effort on the boards from both interior and wing-types.

Heaps of bad shots, then the Hawks out-rebounded this lot by a 58-40 margin, and Mike Bibby seemed to have a little extra push in his 30-year old calves. Bibby was nailing shots from all over, even a few Tim Hardaway-esque turnaround jumpers, and Marvin Williams' late-game three-pointer (a bad shot, really) sealed it for the Hawks.

Portland 116, Chicago 74

Sorry for taking away from Portland's fabulous night, but have you seen any team (outside of the SuperSonics/Thunder) play as poorly as Chicago did on Wednesday night over the last year or three?

That was a miserable effort, with miserable planning, miserable movement, shot selection, attitude, and coaching, and executing. And inspiration. And as Goathair noted, "Aaron Gray is starting."

On the sunny side, how giddy is everyone about Greg Oden (11 and 10 with three blocks in 17 minutes) right now?

Minnesota 102, Philadelphia 96

Here's a bit of a shocker. The Minnesota Timberwolves were averaging about 26 points per quarter over the first three quarters of this game, and in the fourth quarter Randy Wittman's team came through with ... 26 points!

You can't blame me for waiting for the bottom to fall out from Minnesota's fourth quarter offense, as it has all season. Al Jefferson just had it going, though. The team got to the line, handled Philadelphia's 31 points (with several tough makes from Andre Miller and Elton Brand going in) just fine, and pulled out an admirable win.

Also, it is as if Mike Miller has become the fourth option on a 60-win team, and he's just doing it all. Sadly, for a team that will be lucky to win half that, BUT THIS IS NOT THE POINT. 10 points, 10 boards, six assists, a couple of steals for Miller; who didn't see the ball much but still nailed a game-clinching three-pointer toward the end. Craig Smith and his knee brace also contributed 21 points.

Utah 105, Milwaukee 94

You just want to strangle the Jazz sometimes, though not in the way Harry Anslinger intended.

You see Andrew Bogut barely able to get up and down the court, he's so winded, and yet he gets the ball in the post against Carlos Boozer. Two dribbles and a move into the paint for the jump hook, one that's obviously going to fall about 14 inches short, and Boozer ... pushes him. Just gives up on the play, shoves two arms into him, and Bogut gets to go to the line. Gah.

Luckily Boozer and C.J. Miles came alive in the second half, keeping the Bucks at bay while helping to overcome more than a few other defensive brain freezes. Boozer had 20 and 11 in 34 minutes, none of his shots were blocked (so there), and Miles' smooth touch (love how his shots sometimes bounce softly around the rim) came through with 25 points in 29 minutes.

On top of that, Andrei Kirilenko (16 points, seven rebounds, three assists, two turnovers, five steals and four blocks in 29 minutes) partied like it was 2004, and that's always fun.

Detroit 96, Cleveland 89

Sorry for denigrating a great win, but a lot of you saw it ... the Pistons took bad shots. And they went in! Went in = win!

Rasheed Wallace (21 points on 12 shots, 15 rebounds) was obviously hot early on and kept it up, Allen Iverson could have probably scored 40 against Cleveland's miserable backcourt defenders, and the Pistons refused to give up after an iffy start.

I just don't feel as if this win was anything to build on. It does lead you to believe that, with Mo Williams, Delonte West and Daniel Gibson working the perimeter, the Pistons should be a pretty solid favorite against the Cavaliers should they meet in the playoffs.

Of course, this depends on the Pistons giving up again, defensively, as they often do in the postseason. Nothing of the sort happened tonight, LeBron James had an impossible time trying to turn that corner, and though he still managed 25 points on 21 shots (Williams had 25 as well), Detroit was in charge.

A great game, and I made fans of neither team happy with that recap. So it goes.

Dallas 96, Houston 86

I didn't see a lot of this, Jeff Van Gundy left to his own devices can be a very frustrating thing, so I'll have to let Matt Moore have the opening salvo:

"It's not that the Mavs aren't good. It's that they're not lethal in any respect. They're painfully above average. Meanwhile, I don't know how many more of these ‘This Rockets team is the one!' letdowns I can take."

One must add that everyone should be enjoying Jason Terry's little renaissance. 31 points tonight, he's nearly two points above his scoring average from last season, and he's been killing it for the last two weeks. Still can't guard anyone, but for someone who thinks that Terry's 2004-05 turn was about as unappreciated as turns go (with this one acting as the most appreciated), this has been fun to watch.

Los Angeles Clippers 108, Oklahoma City 88

I'm not sure I've ever seen a 20-point winner play this poorly, but that's the fun of watching the Clippers.

First off, Cuttino Mobley (23 points) was great, especially finishing around the rim. Chris Kaman was active and interested and saw the floor well on both ends (25 points, 14 rebounds, six assists, one turnover, four blocks ... maybe a career night?), and Al Thornton (20 points on 14 shots) was terrific.

But Baron Davis is still wearing cement shoes to go with the concrete that's all around, and in his head. 5-15 shooting, he can barely get off the ground, and this somehow doesn't seem to stop him from chucking. Ricky Davis missed all five of his shots off the bench, and Tim Thomas missed six of seven attempts. The Clippers shot just 13 free throws all night, and it isn't hard to see why. The guys who are supposed to put the other team in the penalty can't seem to step inside 20 feet.

Good thing the Thunder are/could be historically bad.  

Sacramento 105, New Orleans 96

Here's the tradeoff that Hornet GM Jeff Bower seemed to sign off on:

He'd willingly ignore New Orleans' startling lack of depth at positions like center and point guard, look past the team's offensive shortcomings, because the addition of someone like James Posey means that the defense (5th in the NBA last year) would be that much better. Even though Posey's a bench guy on this team, and he has issues guarding shooting guards at this point in his impressive career.

And while I don't agree with the move -- Posey's great and the Celtics are going to miss him but the Hornets DON'T NEED HIM -- it can't possibly be a swing and a miss. Not with what sound defensive talent the Hornets already have.

And then the team gives up 123 points per 100 possessions to the Sacramento Kings, playing without Kevin Martin. At home.

The Hornets couldn't defend the paint, they weren't talking in transition, they were susceptible on the perimeter, they allowed easy penetration, and it was just a bum night from every imaginable angle. I can understand falling short because the team's scoring ability falls off the table like a Bruce Sutter toss after the top three, but getting yanked around defensively like this? Unacceptable. To the players, coaching staff, everyone.

Great game from the Kings, I don't mean to focus too much on the Hornets, but that's the way things go. Donte Greene (15 points on nine shots) was solid as a starter, John Salmons (29 points, six assists, and one turnover) was potent from all over, Bobby Jackson kept the effort flowing from off the bench, and the Kings registered 24 assists on 41 field goals. 

Denver 91, San Antonio 81

It does make sense. The Spurs have an incredibly-tough time creating shots, and the shots they do create are low, low percentage looks. Some of them are illegal, too, because it looks as if Michael Finley has to push off any time he wants to be allowed to shoot a basketball after dribbling it.

Denver didn't play a very good game, either. They scored about 101 points per 100 possessions, which is pretty lousy, and turned it over on 22 percent of the team's possessions. But they did play the Spurs, in Denver, in November, and the Spurs didn't have Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili.

San Antonio rookie George Hill had another nice one with 20 points on 11 shots, and Tim Duncan (who contributed 13 points) had six assists, but San Antonio has 11th men shooting 6th man levels of shots from the floor, and that's just not going to work.

Chicago at Portland

To be honest, most of tonight's games fail to jump off the page and strangle your neck. Really stare you down and make fun of your necktie. None of them really do that.

Washington is horrible, and Atlanta has fallen off with a precipitous drop in both defense and effort. They'll hook up in D.C. tonight, and 12 will be watching. Meanwhile, Toronto and Miami would seem to be worth our time, but the Raptors just aren't the Raptors without Jose Calderon. Yes, they're the Raptors, but they're not the Raptors. And, yes, Skeets has forbidden me from italicizing anything today, so those two last sentences will look kind of strange.

Cleveland and Detroit, bleh. Maybe in March. Philadelphia and Minnesota should be fun, but I shouldn't ask you to sit through another 27-25-26-12 quarter-by-quarter scoring run from the Timberwolves. Clippers and Oklahoma City should be put to sleep, Kings/Hornets won't be fair at all, Dallas and Houston might be missing Tracy and Yao Ming. Denver and San Antonio should be OK, and Milwaukee and Utah should not be OK.

So, Bulls/Blazers.

I'm interested in it. Greg Oden went off last night, but the Blazers lost after a tough call down the stretch that Portland fans are still smarting over. Meanwhile, the Bulls have shown signs of being both awful and very, very good. They've done more than show signs. It's either/or with these guys, and who knows what will show up tonight?

You should watch it, though. It's on ESPN and we might get Hubie Brown and Kevin Calabro. I'd watch and re-watch Clippers/Thunder if those guys got behind the mic.

Portland Trail Blazers: 6-5, 87.5 possessions per game (30th in the NBA), 107.7 points scored per 100 possessions (2nd in the NBA), 108.1 points allowed per 100 possessions (28th). Stuff's Stuff.

Chicago Bulls: 5-6, 97.2 possessions per game (7th), 100.4 points scored per 100 possessions (21st), 98 points allowed per 100 possessions (8th). Foots.

Each weekday morning, BDL serves up a handful of NBA-related stories to digest with your Crispix. At least for now. We'll see how long this lasts.

Kyle Hightower, Orlando Sentinel: "Who said Polish guys can't jump? In a discussion with fellow Magic European-import Mickael Pietrus (originally from French Guadeloupe), Polish-born Marcin Gortat boasted after a recent practice his ability to dunk from the free-throw line — like Julius Erving. Doubtful of his skills, Pietrus bet Gortat an unspecified sum that he could, drawing a full post-practice audience that included several barefoot players and even Coach Stan Van Gundy. With a full-court run-up, the 6-11 Gortat successfully pulled off the dunk twice after the first one was disputed by Pietrus, who questioned his takeoff point. Said Gortat, as he walked into the locker room mobbed by teammates: 'I'll take my payment in Euros.'"

Jonathan Feigen, Houston Chronicle: "A day after Rockets guard Tracy McGrady said, 'Until further notice, I’m going to have to shut it down,' he was running through practice as if he never felt a shot of pain in Monday’s second half. McGrady said he was not certain he would play tonight against the Dallas Mavericks, but the chances have improved as much as his knee. He said he was 'hopeful' he could play, called the MRI that was planned and canceled 'not necessary' and did not describe himself as likely to stop playing entirely."

Jimmy Smith, The Times-Picayune: "Hornets All-Star guard Chris Paul has been surpassing records and milestones as fast as autumnal leaves fall, and each time he collects a steal in the next 12 games, he draws closer to the NBA mark for thefts in consecutive games. The record is held by former San Antonio Spurs guard Alvin Robertson, who had 105 consecutive games with a steal from Nov. 6, 1985, to Dec. 29, 1986. Paul ranks second with at least one steal in 93 games in a row. He passed Michael Jordan (77) in the final weeks of last season, and looks to build on the streak in tonight's game against the Sacramento Kings at the New Orleans Arena. Through nine games this season, Paul has 27 steals — an average of three per game — both best in the NBA."

Don Seeholzer, St. Paul Pioneer Press: "When it comes to shooting the ball, Mike Miller has a green light. More often than not this season, though, he has decided to proceed with caution. Timberwolves coach Randy Wittman would like to see that change, even if it means being a little less unselfish. After watching Miller take a season-low four shots, and make three, Sunday night in the Wolves' 90-84 loss at Denver, Wittman said he would like his shooting guard to start pulling the trigger more often. 'Sometimes you get into turning down shots to make the extra pass,' Wittman said Tuesday. 'Mike does all the right things, but at times he's got to be a little selfish, too, when he's got an open shot. I wouldn't want anybody else taking an open shot. Every time he shoots it, I think it's going in.'"

Mike Bresnahan, LA Times: "The NBA's all-time leading scorer has one word for Andrew Bynum — patience. Bynum has struggled with his shot and recently said he wanted to be more assertive once he got the basketball in the post. To paraphrase Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, it will happen in time. 'The offense is designed to spread it around, but if you're getting high-percentage shots in the post, they're of great value to a team,' said Abdul-Jabbar, in his fourth season as a Lakers' special assistant coach in charge of Bynum's development. 'It's a situation where he has to prove that he can deliver and then maybe the offense can look for him more than it is right now. He just has to be patient.'"

Ivan Carter, Washington Post: "Wizards forward Andray Blatche is in his fourth NBA season, yet the team continues to stress that he needs to get into better physical condition. Prior to last night's game, Coach Eddie Jordan was asked about Blatche's up-and-down play through the season's first seven games. 'We call it a dash and a flash but he's certainly not consistent right now,' Jordan said. 'From the time he got into the league, we've talked about his conditioning improving and he hasn't gotten to the point where it's where it should be, where he can sustain a high level of intensity and a high level of concentration.' Jordan said the team has created a modified workout program that has Blatche arriving for practice long before his teammates, in addition to added work in the weight room."

Ramona Shelburne, LA Daily News: "The buzzards aren't quite yet circling, but they might be making flight plans. That's what happens when a team opens the season 1-9, as the Clippers have. Every loss brings a handful of new phone calls from front offices around the NBA, wondering if they might be of any assistance in shaking things up. The Clippers generally tend to answer those phone calls and listen, but don't expect any major moves right away for two very important reasons. 'I think guys are honestly really committed to turning this thing around,' Clippers forward Marcus Camby said after practice Tuesday. 'We still feel like we have a chance to make the playoffs. It may seem bleak because of where we're at right now, but we still have 70-plus games to go.'"

Howard Beck, NY Times: "Jared Jeffries could be practicing in a week and back in the rotation soon. Jeffries received a positive report after his latest X-ray on Friday and said he expected to start running within days. Jeffries broke his left leg on the third day of training camp. 'I need to get another X-ray, and if it’s still healing the same way it is, with no pain the way it has been, then I should be good to go,' Jeffries said."

Paul Coro, Arizona Republic: "Suns coach Terry Porter planned to play eight or nine men per game this season but warned it would not be the same eight or nine. That has proven true, with him lately calling upon Louis Amundson and rookie Sean Singletary for important minutes. First-round draft pick Robin Lopez was the hailed big-man acquisition, but he has fewer appearances than the energetic Amundson. Singletary seemed bound for the NBA Development League when he was acquired in August, but Suns affiliate Iowa began camp without him Friday, when Singletary was running the Suns' point for the final six minutes of an overtime win at Sacramento. Suspensions and erratic rookie play from Lopez and Goran Dragic have given Amundson and Singletary the chances for which Porter told them to be ready."

Chris Tomasson, Rocky Mountain News: "If Nuggets center Nene doesn't make the All-Star Game, he won't complain. Nene is set to marry Lauren Prothe, of Fort Collins, on Valentine's Day, the day before the All-Star Game in Phoenix. Nene isn't listed on the All-Star ballot but could be named a reserve. 'I don't need to be thinking about that,' Nene said. 'This All-Star time, I'm going to be thinking about my wedding.'"

Kate Fagan, Philadelphia Inquirer: "It hasn't been a dream-like start for either the 76ers or up-and-coming backup guard Lou Williams. The Sixers are 5-5. Williams is shooting 35.7 percent from the field, 26.1 percent from the three-point line, and has 20 turnovers and 17 assists while averaging 9.3 points per game. 'I'm in a shooting slump,' said Williams, who signed a five-year, $25 million contract during the off-season. 'I guess that's what they call it. I've never been in one before. I think I got too caught up in my shot rather than creating things for my teammates. In seasons past, I opened things up for other people ... I have to get back to that.' Starting tonight at the Minnesota Timberwolves (1-8), the Sixers hit a valley in their schedule that includes four consecutive opponents with sub-.500 records. It is an ideal time for the Sixers to get above .500."

Frank Isola, NY Daily News: "Stephon Marbury's days as a Knick are drawing to a close, but the veteran point guard could survive until the new year. Knicks president Donnie Walsh has not given up on trading Marbury, who is scheduled to earn $21.9 million this season. Marbury is open to a buyout and has enlisted the help of the Players Association to negotiate with the Knicks. The two sides met last week, but no additional meetings are scheduled for this week, according to a person familiar with the talks. Walsh will not be rushed into making a decision, especially one that could cost the Knicks nearly $20 million. Another source believes that Marbury won't be released until Jan. 1 because Cablevision Systems Corp., which owns the Knicks, won't have to report the financial loss until 2009. A team source, however, insists that the decision to either trade or negotiate a buyout is Walsh's to make."

Each weekday morning, BDL serves up a handful of NBA-related stories to digest with your bananas. At least for now. We'll see how long this lasts.

Paul Coro, Arizona Republic: "Suns center Shaquille O'Neal just went through five-day span in which he was assessed $60,000 in NBA fines. Or in his terms, a 0.3 of a percent tax on his $21 million salary this season. After Thursday's $35,000 fine for his shoves during last week's scuffle between the Suns and Houston Rockets, O'Neal was fined $25,000 Monday for 'verbal abuse of an official and failure to leave the court in a timely manner' after his flagrant-foul ejection in Sunday's win over the Detroit Pistons. 'It's like a tax,' O'Neal said, later adding, 'For 25 (thousand dollars), I should have said a little more.' There is an expectation that O'Neal's flagrant foul, a Penalty 2, will be reduced to a Penalty 1. Such a change would mean that his foul on Pistons guard Rodney Stuckey was 'unnecessary' but not 'excessive,' and his fine would be reduced."

Eddie Sefko, Dallas Morning News: "Jerry Stackhouse and his agent are exploring options for a possible departure from the Dallas Mavericks, the result of a turbulent first month of the season in which his playing time and level of performance have dropped dramatically. Stackhouse did not demand a trade Monday after practice, but he calmly detailed his situation and said that he feels there is plenty of good basketball left in him, too much to be a bit player. He speculated that the end of his Mavericks tenure might be coming soon and that the organization's decision to bring along young players has left him with an uncertain future, given that he will probably be a free agent next summer. 'Sometimes, that cycle comes,' Stackhouse said. 'When I came to Philadelphia [as a rookie], Jeff Malone was still a very capable player. But they said: 'Jeff, Jerry Stackhouse is the starting shooting guard here, and we're starting over.' He still went and played somewhere for a couple more seasons.'"

John Reid, The Times-Picayune: "With four losses in six games, Hornets Coach Byron Scott did not expect to see his players in a good mood during Monday's practice at the Alario Center. So maybe it came as no surprise to Scott that with a team on edge, there was a scuffle, a dodging of reporters and a frustrated forward looking for answers. Not necessarily in that order. Near the end of an extended full scrimmage, forward/guard Rasual Butler and guard Morris Peterson exchanged words and eventually had to be separated. When practice ended, forward David West and point guard Chris Paul left without speaking to anyone. And forward Peja Stojakovic still appeared to be flustered from his 1-for-5 shooting performance for three points in Saturday's 91-82 loss to the Houston Rockets at the Toyota Center."

Jonathan Feigen, Houston Chronicle: "Rockets forward Shane Battier, who has spent the preseason and first three weeks of the regular season working to rehabilitate his sore left foot, is expected to practice with the team today, Rockets general manager Daryl Morey said on Monday. Battier has not practiced with the team yet, but after a demanding workout on Monday was cleared to join the team’s practices unless there is any set back after Monday’s workout."

Mike Baldwin, The Oklahoman: "Forward Desmond Mason will be sidelined at least 10 days. An MRI revealed Mason suffered a sprained right elbow. Saturday, his arm hit the backboard while attempting to block a shot at Philadelphia. But the injury actually occurred a week earlier against Minnesota, when Mason’s arm hit the rim attempting another block. 'The doctor told me when it gets to a point it doesn’t hurt anymore I can get back and play,' Mason said. 'It’s tough. I don’t like to sit out, even practices. It’s frustrating but I’d rather do this than hurt it worse and be out six weeks.'"

Marc Berman, New York Post: "NBA Player's Association attorney Hal Biagas is expected to resume Stephon Marbury buyout talks with Knicks president Donnie Walsh tomorrow or Thursday, with a possibility of a formal proposal coming by week's end, according to a person familiar with the situation. The exiled Marbury, who has yet to play this season, flew with the team to Boston yesterday, but that could be his last road trip as a Knick. Biagas, Marbury and Walsh met last Thursday in Westchester to begin divorce proceedings. According to the individual, Walsh told Biagas and Marbury that he'll need one week to think about matters, explore any potential trades and consult with Knicks owner James Dolan. 'He wants to see what's out there on the trade market,' the individual told The Post. 'There's optimism [about a buyout]. He is trying to work something out.' Marbury has told confidants he does not care if he yields more than his $21.9 million wage this season."

Brian Hanley, Chicago Sun-Times: "When it comes to the Bulls' so-called ''circus trip,' Derrick Rose's teammates apparently adhere to the thinking that if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all. 'If it was good, people would have been telling me,' Rose said after practice Monday. 'But nobody's been talking, so I don't even want to know.' The Bulls' 6-52 cumulative record on the annual November trek in the 10 years since Michael Jordan last played for them speaks volumes. The Bulls went a combined 1-11 the last two times they vacated the United Center so Ringling Bros. could take over their home. A 3-3 trip three seasons back was the best the team has done in a decade. The Bulls begin this trip tonight against the Los Angeles Lakers."

Joe Freeman, The Oregonian: "Martell Webster, who has missed all of the regular season rehabilitating his injured left foot, said Monday after the Trail Blazers practice that he has set a target return date: Dec. 5, roughly eight weeks after he had surgery to repair a stress fracture. Webster had a protective boot removed during the Blazers last home game, Nov. 8 against Minnesota, and will learn more about his progress tomorrow, when team doctors examine his foot. 'It's getting better,' Webster said of his foot. 'I'm inching toward that due date so we'll see how it goes. I have a visit with the doctor tomorrow and we'll see what he says. Hopefully I can start doing some jogging, with shooting involved. If not, it's back to the treadmill.' Webster, who has done light weight lifting and a ton of pool work during his rehab, said team doctors have told him he needs to be able to walk on a treadmill for two miles — without pain — before he can resume basketball activities. Webster said he's been able to walk the two miles, but with some discomfort."

Lisa Dillman, LA Times: "Reunion Week started early, and you knew it was going to be that way when Clippers Coach Mike Dunleavy was asked to revisit the Elton Brand saga ... on Saturday. That's when another reunion was in progress at Staples Center. Baron Davis versus his former team, the Golden State Warriors. And Corey Maggette versus his old Clippers' buddies, well, the few of them still on hand. Brand versus his former team, the Clippers, was still well off in the distance, Friday at Philadelphia. 'We'll hug and ask about each other's families and say good luck and then we'll go to war trying to beat each other up,' Clippers forward Tim Thomas said Monday."

48Minutes.net: "By extending [Stephen] Jackson now, the Warriors are tossing aside their previously iron-clad rules of dealing with a player only when the team has used up all of its possible leverage. I’ll be fascinated to hear the explanation for this exception, if any is forthcoming on the matter. Outside of the reasoning for why the Warriors would break with their own philosophy, here’s the biggest question: How will the signing impact the Warriors in the summer of 2010, when a whole raft of top-notch free agents is scheduled to flood the market? There is no real hope that a player with the stature of LeBron James will be willing to come to Oakland when the lights of New York are beckoning to him. But having maneuverability in that timeframe — when teams will potentially be looking to offload players in order to make a run at UFAs such as Paul Pierce, Jason Richardson, Josh Howard, Dirk Nowitzki, Tayshaun Prince, Yao Ming, Kobe Bryant, Michael Redd, Amare Stoudemire, Tony Parker, Chris Bosh or Caron Butler — would afford a franchise the opportunity to recast its core, if that was deemed necessary."

Utah 109, Phoenix 97

The Phoenix defense (pictured, above) was pretty worrying in this loss.

The Suns gave up 118.5 points per 100 possessions, and while I usually prefer to write "[the winning team scored] 118.5 per 100 possessions," Phoenix really let this happen. The Jazz are great, we know that they might be the best offensive team in the league when they're at full strength (and that'll happen sometime next month, righto?), but the Suns kind of took this one off.

Yes, they were playing on the second night of a back-to-back, taking on a pair of conference contenders in a row, but there's still no excuse for not getting out on shooters. Shooters parked only 17 feet from the hoop, no less.

The Jazz were without Deron Williams again, same with Mehmet Okur, but it hardly mattered as C.J. Miles (21 points on 13 shots; nice contract) and Carlos Boozer (21 points on 15 shots, a nice 15 rebounds) poured it in from all over.

Shaq? Not his best defensive effort, and it showed (-29) in the stat sheet.

Houston 100, Oklahoma City 89

A few things to take from this ...

Robert Swift started. He started and he played 25 minutes with six points and eight rebounds and two assists with two blocks and he started. Jokes aside, good news. Albeit three years too late.

Russell Westbrook needed 14 shots to score 14 points, he had more turnovers (three) than assists (two), and he may not ‘ave a clue, but he is the future. And he had five steals in 28 minutes.

Houston shot over 50 percent, Yao Ming hit for 19 points on just eight shots (with 12 boards and three blocks), and I can't help but really like this team.

San Antonio 86, Los Angeles Clippers 83

No, this isn't the same box score from Sunday night, and the Spurs pulled out another one. On the road. Without Manu Ginobili. Without Tony Parker. Bang on, guys.

The Clippers are just a bunch of vets, but not in a good way. 10 free throw attempts (making eight, as if that matters) in 48 minutes of play? Who does that?

Baron Davis, both in looking at the guy and watching his stats, is reminding of the Baron Davis that shot the Warriors out of the playoffs by Thanksgiving back in 2005-06. He took 17 shots on Monday, making five. He only got to the line twice, and made one of his freebies. Baron missed all eight of his three-point attempts. The Clippers can't score efficiently to save their lives (29th in offense, only ahead of the Thunder), and Baron's a huge reason why.

Los Angeles is in a conference that only lets you lose 37 games before you're out of the postseason bracket, and the Clips have already thrown up nine losses in 10 attempts. Things aren't looking good.

The BDL NBA Power Rankings combine two parts Chivas Regal with one part flippant observation to create the most unbalanced ranking possible, and to offer the least accurate look at the state of the NBA on a weekly basis. If you disagree with your team's spot, feel free to go crazy in the comments or spit venom via email.

1. Los Angeles Lakers — One always had the hint that Arron Afflalo was Los Angeles' kryptonite. The Lakers are now on pace to only win 72 games. The dream is over, people. What can I say? [KD]

2. Boston Celtics — Kevin Garnett: "You can look at our record, but we still have a long way to go." Um, not true, Kevin. Saturday's OT battle in Milwaukee was the Celtics' 68th game in the last 12 days. They're almost done. [JE]

3. Phoenix Suns — Things are too good. Something's going to happen. Steve Nash is going to rob something, or someone. Grant Hill is going to default on a loan. Shaq's going to turn out to be a bloody Bolshevik. They're going to break our hearts. You know it. I like their defense (14th), though. [KD]

4. Cleveland Cavaliers — "LeBron James scored 38 points, leading a second-half rally that gave the Cleveland Cavaliers their seventh straight victory ..." That has to be the Associated Press's go-to line. I bet they use it to pick up chicks at the bar. Also, "LeBronco James":

5. Detroit Pistons — It is a repudiation of all that is sane and civil that Kwame Brown is starting over Amir Johnson. At least Amir's per-minute stats are better. We'll always have the per-minute stats, Amir. Always. [KD]

6. New Orleans Hornets —I've watched the Bees play three or four times this season, and I still have no idea what to make of them. I am flummoxed. One quarter they're dominant, the next quarter they get pushed around a little bit and start playing the refs. Ranking them sixth seems too high and low at the same time. [JE]

7. Atlanta Hawks — Hey, remember when the Hawks were on pace to win 82 games? Man, those were the days. Back when shows had great theme songs and my dad had a neckbeard. [JE]

8. Houston Rockets — When I wrote "rusty bunch of geezers," I meant "tempestuous batch of all-world talents and Aston-driving basketball mercenaries, several of which boast a Victor Mature-like sense of cool and whimsy, even at their most droll." Obviously, both Noel Coward and Carl Landry are standing directly in back of me. [KD]

9. Portland Trail Blazers — The worst defensive team (29th) that nobody knows about ... wait, I'm sorry, did someone order a 7-footer with skills? [KD]

10. Orlando Magic — The Magic Men were the only squad in the league last season with a better record on the road (27-14) than at home (25-16), and we could be looking at a repeat performance. Their moms must suck at cooking. Sloppy Joes and crap like that. [JE]

11. Utah Jazz — One of these days, mister, they're gunna get the whole gang back together and, you wait. Yeah, you wait. Also, minus the Afghan Whigs t-shirt, Kosta Koufos looks like me from October 1994-November 1994. Then I got the haircut right. The skin took a while. [KD]

12. Philadelphia 76ers — It is beyond comprehension. You even take pictures of your hotshot free agent pickups in the uniform. Just go back to the old unis, already. Stop making this harder than it has to be. What would Steve Mix say? [KD]

13. Toronto Raptors — Calderon's out, and you know Darrick Martin is circling the parking lot, like a vulture, trying to guess which car is Will Solomon's.

(Everybody knows Will Solomon can't afford a car!) [KD]

14. Denver Nuggets — 25th in offense, 6th in defense. Yes, I'm back on that thing again. [KD]

15. New York Knicks — Actual "MSG Mic Check" with Coach D'Antoni Sunday night: "C'mon defense, let's go. Let's go guys! Go! Here we go, here we go, guys. Here we go! Here we go, here we go. Way to go, Zach! Here we go white, here we go white. Here we go white." Awesome. [JE]

16. Chicago Bulls — My girlfriend had to tell me to shave the thin little mustache, and she told me she knew exactly why I was growing it. [KD]

17. Miami Heat — Win, loss, win, loss, win, loss, coach was in CHiPs.

18. Milwaukee Bucks — "While the Bucks' 5-6 record isn't going to turn many heads in L.A. or New York, it's tough to complain given what they're up against: an obscene eight back-to-backs in the first month, 12 of the first 19 on the road, and seven games and counting without Michael Redd." Frank Madden. Boom! [JE]

19. New Jersey Nets — A young man blocks out harmful memories of weak ankles and significant events of his life. As he grows up, he finds a way to remember these lost memories and a supernatural way to alter his life and win two games over the Hawks. "The Harris Effect," starring Devin Harris. [JE]

20. Indiana Pacers — The Pacers are actually outscoring their opponents by two a game, which puts them at 13th in the NBA, which means they're better than their record. And yet, six years after it hit the internet, nothing's better than this record. [KD]

21. San Antonio Spurs — Monty Williams has been annoying his family for weeks, stepping outside of restaurants to check his voicemail, and driving circuitous routes in order to stay in cell phone range. He thinks the call is coming. He thinks Pop is going to need him. He's really not as deluded as you think. [KD]

22. Golden State Warriors — If you have five dollars and undrafted free agent Anthony Morrow has five dollars, undrafted free agent Anthony Morrow has more money than you. [JE]

23. Sacramento Kings — The Kings are horrible. The team is a mismatched batch of parts that shouldn't fit, couldn't fit, and (eventually) won't fit. The team competed like mad all last season. The squad's offense, while iffy, is at least innovative and trying new things. The team is fun to watch. The team entertains the fans. The team works hard. The team is injured. The team has no singular focus off the court. The team has a singular focus on the court. The team should be worse than it is. And you want to fire the coach of this team? [KD]

24. Dallas Mavericks — Sigh. [JE]

25. Charlotte Bobcats — At least three times this season, 68-year-old coach Larry Brown has told his team to stop playing like Laverne and Shirley. Funny line, except "Laverne and Shirley" was a situation comedy that ABC cancelled in 1983. Nine of Brown's players weren't born yet. [JE]

26. Memphis Grizzlies — Once again, it's time for Matt Moore's Griz Semi-Chub. Take it away, good sir ... "The best part about following the Grizzlies is that no matter the score, the fourth quarter will be exciting. They always seem to close the gap. The worst part about following the Grizzlies is that no matter the score, they're probably going to lose, often in profoundly frustrating ways." [JE]

27. Washington Wizards — You just get the feeling that if Chris Whitney were around, none of this crap would be going down. [KD]

28. Minnesota Timberwolves — See: Grizzlies, Memphis.

29. Los Angeles Clippers — This team doesn’t play to expectations, however small. This team cannot rebound, in spite of two guys who had double-figure boards last year. This team is full of mercurial, flighty guys who need coddling (players that were acquired with both coach and front office knowing that they were mercurial, flighty guys who need coddling), who instead receive stern lectures in the press as a result. This team has played at home, a lot. This team loses, a lot. And this team wants to keep its coach? [KD]

30. Oklahoma City Thunder — "PJ Carlesimo is definitely a great hire if you're looking for someone to lose games, alienate fans and insult your city. If not, though, you might want to go with a guy who players respect." Sound advice. Embrace the comments, people. [JE]