Collison's farewell may be a two-point, five-turnover performance in which he went 1 for 9 from the field. He said he will talk with his family at a later date. Love scored 12 points and had nine rebounds despite constant double-teams. He said his decision won't be made public until after he speaks with his family. LA Daily News
Tyler Hansbrough, who won several national player of the year awards this week, was in no mood to talk about entering the NBA draft instead of returning for his senior season Saturday night after the Tar Heels lost 84-66 to Kansas in the national semifinals. ESPN.com
Wayne Ellington, a 6-foot-4 sophomore, and Ty Lawson, a 5-11 sophomore, also said they hadn't thought about making the leap to the NBA. ESPN.com
On Stephen Curry: "At worst," says a Western Conference personnel executive, "he can come off the bench and do what you see him do now: score. He'll fill out [Curry is listed at 6-foot-3, 185 pounds]. He's extremely clever. He knows how to do that kind of stuff. He's not intimidated by size or any of that stuff." Philadelphia Inquirer
Tim Hardaway on Derrick Rose: "He controls the game," Hardaway said. "Really heady, really strong, really smart." Hardaway did see Heat General Manager Randy Pfund at Saturday's games and said he was pretty sure Rose did nothing to hurt his status. Slashing guard Chris Douglas-Roberts (28 points) should be a nice pro as well. "I know what they're looking at, for sure," Hardaway said with a smile. "I know they wish they could get two or three of these guys." South Florida Sun-Sentinel
The outlook for next season's University of Louisville men's basketball team changed drastically last night when the school confirmed that sophomore forward Earl Clark will enter the NBA draft. U of L coach Rick Pitino, in a statement released through the school, confirmed that the 6-foot-9 Clark "has decided to place his name in the draft and pursue a professional basketball career. We wish him nothing but the best." Courier Journal
It was unclear last night whether Clark would hire an agent, which would preclude any chance of returning to school. Courier Journal
One common wisdom about the NBA draft is that if you're a near-certain Top 10 pick, you go. No matter what year you are, no matter what other circumstances. So on Saturday, Jerryd Bayless went. The dynamic Arizona Wildcats freshman guard announced he would be an early-entry candidate for the draft, giving up his final three years of college eligibility. Arizona Daily Star
Bayless does not plan to quickly hire an agent but will definitely be leaving the UA, said his father, Brad. Major draft analysts project Bayless solidly in the Top 10, and Bayless' family received comparable information from NBA sources. "It was based on his performance this year and the feedback from various people," Brad Bayless said. "It was a family decision as to what was in his best interests at this particular point in time." Arizona Daily Star
As of now, Bayless is projected to go between the Nos. 3 and 7 picks, meaning at worst he would receive a first-year salary of $2.62 million plus any endorsement money. That kind of security might be there next year and it might not, the way the family looked at it. Arizona Daily Star
On William Wesley: I've had a few conversations with Wesley in the last 2-3 years, including one in which he attempted to explain that Malik Hairston chose Oregon over Michigan once upon a time because inner-city kids worry about terrorist attacks in large cities. After I stopped laughing, he said, "It could be." Then, we both laughed. I saw Wesley at halftime of the Memphis-UCLA game. He was sitting in a neutral location, beside a relative of Memphis point guard Derrick Rose, and as always, Wes gave a wave. Oregonian
Wesley has big-time connections to the Memphis program. He's also very close with Oregon assistant Kenny Payne, who helped recruit Detroit natives Malik Hairston and Tajuan Porter. Connect the dots there. Oregonian
Point guard Ronald Steele intends to declare for the 2008 NBA draft, his father said Saturday. Like teammate Richard Hendrix, Steele does not plan to sign with an agent, thus leaving the door open for his return to Alabama next season. "He said he was going to put his name in the hat and see what happens," Ron Steele Sr. said. "He just wants to test the waters and see where he stands." Press-Register
The elder Steele said his son "more than likely" will remain at Alabama for his final season of eligibility, but that depends on his projected draft status. "If they say he could be a first-round pick, he won't be back," Steele Sr. said. "If not, he will." An official announcement from the younger Steele is expected in the coming days. It is unlikely he would be forecast as a first-round selection, considering it has been more than a year since he has played competitive basketball. Press-Register
The Bucks are in full search mode to replace general manager Larry Harris, but they're going to have trouble filling the position if they don't get some internal issues settled. Milwaukee's owner, Herb Kohl, insists on having layers of people between himself and the basketball side of his team, and those people, sources close to Harris say, ran down proposed deals that Harris wanted to do. Philadelphia Inquirer
If the Bucks wind up with a solid personnel guy like Rick Sund running their basketball operations, it'll be a good salvage. But the absence of big-name guys like Donnie Walsh, TNT analyst Doug Collins and others who've turned down the job is also an indication that Kohl is not yet ready to bring in someone and give him complete control. Philadelphia Inquirer
If Pat Riley had been stubborn on draft night 2003, Chris Kaman would be wearing a Miami Heat jersey and Riley likely wouldn't be wearing his seventh championship ring. Riley wanted to take Kaman, the big kid from Central Michigan, with the fifth overall pick. But Riley, the Heat's president, was smart enough to allow his scouting staff to cast votes for their top choice. On each piece of paper Riley unfolded there was the same name: Dwyane Wade. Chicago Sun-TimesAsked to assess the frustration level in the Raptors locker room in the wake of last night's 99-90 loss to the lottery-bound Nets, Chris Bosh didn't appreciate the question. "Everybody's using frustrated too much, to be honest with you. I come off an injury, people are asking me am I frustrated. You know, frustrated, frustrated, frustrated," said Bosh. "I mean, losing is a part of the game ... " Toronto Star
"The players are frustrated. The coaches are frustrated. We're all frustrated," said Sam Mitchell, the Raptors coach. "This is our job. We expect more out of ourselves. But we also understand that come April 14th, there's going to be (14) teams (that don't make the playoffs). You go into their locker room and guess what? They won't be there. We'll be there." Toronto Star
"We get the basketball in his hands but they send two people in his lap," said Mitchell. "And Chris did what he was supposed to do, he passed the basketball and we missed shots. "The feeling is we've just got to play better. Everybody in there is frustrated. They understand we're not playing as well as we're capable of playing. That's no secret. We all feel that. What do y'all think? We don't care? Y'all think you're all more frustrated than us? It's not y'all jobs. It's our jobs. F---, we care. Everybody in that locker room, they're playing hard." Toronto Star
"I'm happy with the way I've improved over the year," Travis Diener said. "It's been a solid year for me. As a team, we've had our fair share of injuries. Without Jermaine (O'Neal), it's tough, losing your best player. "We've battled; we're still in the playoff race. Obviously, we'd like to win a whole lot more. If things don't work out this year, we just build on it for next year and make the playoffs next year." Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Diener has two years left on his contract with the Pacers, and he is in a stable situation with O'Brien enjoying the full confidence of Pacers president of basketball operations Larry Bird. The 6-foot-1 guard went through a horrific shooting slump a few weeks ago, prompting O'Brien to put veteran Ronald (Flip) Murray in the lineup as the starter. But Diener continued to play about 25 minutes per game, and in a recent five-game stretch he compiled 27 assists to just one turnover. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
As much as David Stern can't stop publicly gushing over Donnie Walsh's hiring in New York, not everyone at the NBA's offices thinks the Knicks hit a homer by bringing in the former Pacers CEO to succeed Isiah Thomas. Some league execs believe that Jerry Colangelo would have been a better fit, especially if the Knicks find themselves on the front lines of the free-agent recruiting wars in 2010, when LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Paul become available. NY Daily News
As the managing director of the U.S. Olympic team for the last several years, Colangelo has enjoyed unparalleled access to James, Wade and Paul, not to mention Toronto's Chris Bosh, who can also become a free agent in 2010. If he were running the Knicks, Colangelo could have used those strong Olympic ties, along with the Garden's money, to lure the marquee player New York has been without since Patrick Ewing's departure in 2000. NY Daily News
Dolan didn't reach out to Colangelo, one theory goes, because the two would have clashed, what with Dolan's legendary explosive temper and Colangelo's forceful personality making for a bad marriage. "You would have both guys at each other's throats," said a Stern subordinate. "And you could see Dolan firing Colangelo at any point, because Jerry would never back down." NY Daily News
"He wanted his legacy to be bringing New York an NBA championship before he rides off into the sunset," said one of Colangelo's closest friends. "He felt with the resources the Garden has at its disposal, it's very possible." Dolan, of course, hopes his chances are just as good with Walsh, saying: "His mandate is clear: Do whatever is necessary to turn this team around." NY Daily News
Accordingly, should Walsh reach out to Mark Jackson for help a third time, it's additional motivation to delete The False Prophet from the Knicks organization. Back then Thomas viewed Jackson's knowledge, counseling and sway with the players as a threat. You tell me; should Walsh allow him to stay on the premises would Thomas now root harder for or against Jackson? NY Post
Q: Why did you draft Reggie Miller over Indiana fan favorite Steve Alford? Donnie Walsh: I thought Steve was a great college player. I didn't know if his game would translate into a great pro player. What people missed on Reggie because he was such a great shooter and he was skinny, and one thing I even underestimated, was his heart and his will. NY Post
Q: The trade that elevated the Pacers into Eastern Conference contenders? Donnie Walsh: I traded Detlef Schrempf for Derrick McKey. (McKey) was a great team player. He always made the key defensive play. He would make the clutch shot at the end of the game that got it in range for Reggie. NY Post
Q: You ran into the legendary Bryan the Bartender the other night at Elio's? Walsh: He said: "Are you gonna fix our bleepin' Knicks?" I didn't even get through the door. I was looking for people. I said, "I'm gonna try." (chuckles). Q: What do you think of when you think about the 69 Knicks? Walsh: Willis Reed. NY Post
Even if the Knicks don't select 1 or 2 and miss out on Kansas State power forward Michael Beasley and Memphis point guard Derrick Rose, there still are building blocks from 3-to-7 and a handful of point guards who could help. USC's O.J. Mayo, Arizona's Jerryd Bayless, a great 3-point shooter, and Indiana's Eric Gordon are all projected as potential point guards. Mayo may be the most polished at age 20, but doesn't have the giant upside of the others. Some scouts believe Gordon may turn into an undersized shooting guard because he doesn't have a strong handle. NY Post
Potential top 6 picks also include two small forwards - one of the Knicks' weakest spots - LSU's Anthony Randolph, an aggressive scorer, and shotmaker Dante Green of Syracuse. NY Post
One college scouting director said he wouldn't be surprised if Walsh, if stuck at 5, takes a small gamble on Texas A&M's shot-blocking center DeAndre Jordan, whom he compares with a young Theo Ratlif. The Knicks have been dead last in shot-blocking two straight seasons. Stanford 7-footer Brook Lopez is another big-man candidate. NY Post
Walt Frazier and Earl Monroe will be reunited for five of the last six games as MSG Network employs a three-man booth today as the Knicks face the Magic at the Garden in Thomas' first home game since losing presidency. NY Post
Walsh probably will not wield the $5 million mid-level exception that Thomas spent so unwisely on for Jerome James and Jared Jeffries. Trading Stephon Marbury's and Malik Rose's expiring contracts for a solid player with a long-term deal will not happen either. "I think we can do it," Walsh said. "But not through free agency where it would impact two, three years from now and not trades that are going to impact two, three years from now. Of course there's a draft choice involved." NY Post
With Oklahoma City now reserved for the SuperSonics, the Hornets have three options if they leave New Orleans: Las Vegas, Anaheim and Vancouver. According to league sources, Anaheim would be their best option. NY Daily News
That's why Indiana is looking for a GM who will come in and work the phones, deal with scouts, meet with coach Jim O'Brien and his assistants and make suggestions to Bird. "Larry just wants to make the decisions," said one rival GM. Philly's Billy King, high on Walsh's list for a position with the Knicks, is a candidate in Indiana, along with ex-Seattle executive Rick Sund. NY Daily News
More than six weeks after Denver passed on a chance to trade for Ron Artest before the Feb. 21 trade deadline, the opinion of the Nuggets coach who had everything to do with the deal not going down has not changed. "With free agency and the big contracts (in the NBA), change is now (considered) good," Karl said. "(But) coaches don't always think change is good. Change is a problem to a coach sometimes. It's a difficult hand to be dealt. Major change, and major personality change like adding an Artest to a team, is more difficult, more complicated, more confusing … . Sometimes patience is the way you make your team better." Sacramento Bee
Adding Artest to the locker room would have, as Karl saw it, been far from a coach's dream. What's more, Smith had already begun to turn his act around on and off the floor before the trade deadline came. Faced with a gamble either way, owner Stan Kroenke and basketball vice president Mark Warkentien chose to protect their team's chemistry while passing on quite a talent. Sacramento Bee
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Garnett, who stayed in the locker room as he usually does when he misses a game, said, "Whatever Doc wants, man. I'm not going to go back and forth. I don't like to miss games, but Doc is doing what he thinks is best for this team and that's what I'm going to support." Boston Globe
The minor league stint of rookie point guard Gabe Pruitt has officially ended, and he will be back in green soon. Pruitt is expected to practice with the team here tomorrow after completing his third and final stint in the NBA Development League with the Utah Flash last night. The Celtics originally wanted the 2007 second-round pick back before last night's game against Charlotte, but Pruitt wanted to play with the Flash Friday in Anaheim and last night in Bakersfield. Boston Globe
With point guards Rajon Rondo, Eddie House, and Sam Cassell on the roster, the inexperienced Pruitt isn't likely to be activated during the postseason. Coach Doc Rivers, however, said Rondo is expected to get some time off during the final six regular-season games, which could open up some playing time. Boston Globe
Paul Pierce had the pleasure of holding his newborn daughter in his hands yesterday instead of a basketball. Pierce didn't travel with the Celtics to play against the Bobcats, staying in Boston after his daughter, Prianna Lee, was born Friday evening. Julie Landrum, the mother and Pierce's fiancée, may be discharged from the hospital as early as today. Boston Globe
Martell Webster is, and probably always will be, considered a shooter and a scorer. But behind the scenes this season, the Trail Blazers have been trying to reinvent the small forward by turning Webster's focus more toward defense than offense. "We are kind of changing Martell's attitude," coach Nate McMillan said. That attitude, McMillan hopes, will become a mindset of stopping the opponent's top perimeter scorer, and shooting three-pointers when they are presented. Oregonian
The Blazers are confident that in the coming years Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge can carry the offense, and that Greg Oden and Joel Przybilla will provide interior defense. But they are unsure whether they have a perimeter defender who can contain the likes of Kobe Bryant, Tracy McGrady and Carmelo Anthony. "We gotta get that guy," McMillan said. "And if we don't develop it from within, then we have to go out and get it. But I think we might have it here in Martell. He is a scorer, but what we want him to do, and for him to help this team, is for him to become a stopper." Oregonian
Bobcats rookie forward Jared Dudley, the former Boston College star, is averaging 5.6 points and 3.9 rebounds. He had a career-high 17 points against Toronto March 2. Dudley plans on spending most of the offseason in Las Vegas working with renowned athletic trainer Joe Abunassar and playing summer ball with the Bobcats, in Las Vegas or Orlando. "I'm right on cue with what I wanted to do," Dudley said. "I want the fans and the organization to know that I'm ready for the next level. I played well throughout the whole [season]. I can only remember one stretch of two or three games where I played bad. Besides that, I've had a real good feel out here." Boston Globe
In the East, there are three teams - Washington, Toronto, and surprising Philadelphia - competing for spots 5, 6, and 7. Atlanta appears to have nailed down the No. 8 spot - the Hawks had a four-game lead in the loss column over Indiana and New Jersey heading into the weekend. That means one and done against Boston, but it also means a team is going to end the league's longest playoff drought for the second straight season. (Golden State did it last year.) But the desirable spot in the East is No. 6, which means a first-round date with Orlando, somehow deemed less formidable than No. 4 Cleveland, despite having six fewer losses. Hey, LeBron is LeBron. Boston Globe
The problem for Milwaukee: Who's out there that makes a lot of sense? Milwaukee has interviewed longtime league exec Rick Sund and also is interested in talking to the Suns' David Griffin, who was on Memphis's short list last year before the Grizz went for Chris Wallace. Mark Warkentien, the titular head of basketball ops in Denver, is a name that's out there, and don't be shocked if former Sixers boss Billy King resurfaces. (Just keep him away from the checkbook.) Walsh, meanwhile, said all the right things about Isiah Thomas, but if he doesn't send Thomas packing, and soon, he's going to have a real credibility problem. Boston Globe
Someone in the Lakers' marketing department has too much time on his or her hands. It's not uncommon at this time of year to start promoting a certain player for this or that award. (We'll never get over the iPod Nano that Portland sent out to promote Brandon Roy for the All-Star Game; more than 70 went out to coaches and writers.) But the Lakers' campaign for Kobe Bryant for MVP is, well, a campaign. Included in the mailing were three bumper stickers ("Who else? Bryant 08") as well as a large pair of red suspenders with 12 campaign buttons, six on each side. Boston Globe
Last season, Marcus Camby won the NBA's award for best defender, and, as Nuggets coach George Karl said, "He's now better than he was last year." Camby is a front-runner for the award, thanks to his league-best 3.7 blocked shots per game. He led the league the past two seasons, with 3.3 both times. "He covers up the middle of the court better than anyone in basketball," Karl said. Denver Post
But Pat Riley has no regrets about bringing Shaquille O'Neal in from the Lakers in 2004 for Caron Butler and Lamar Odom, even though it fell apart so soon after the championship. "I spent eight years building a team," Riley said. "We had a great young team, with Lamar and Caron and Dwyane. But I also saw these other young teams that five, six, seven years and didn't get anywhere. And so when Shaq came on the market, it was a no-brainer. And then after we lost to Detroit [in the 2005 Eastern Conference finals], he needed more veterans around him. And we did that trade [bringing Antoine Walker from Boston and Posey from Memphis]. "But in retrospect now, after we won the championship, that particular team wasn't a championship team. They won a championship, but they proved they weren't a championship team because they couldn't hold it together, for whatever reason. And I had as much to do with that as anybody." Philadelphia Inquirer
Now, Riley is ready to build it back up. The Heat are guaranteed no worse than the fourth pick in June's draft, and Riley has already seen plenty of Michael Beasley, the Kansas State power forward who would likely be the top pick if he comes out of school. (Wade seemed to indicate his preference for Memphis freshman point guard Derrick Rose to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel this week.) Miami could have cap room this summer, if Marion opts out of the last year of his contract ($17.8 million). At the latest, the Heat will be a player in the summer of 2009. Philadelphia Inquirer
Riley says there's "two or three '09 guys that I like" in free agency. But either way, the key is that he can dramatically improve the team before Wade is eligible to opt out of his own deal in the summer of 2010. But Riley needs, and will demand, that Wade to return to the form that made him one of the league's most dynamic stars. Philadelphia Inquirer
Former University of Massachusetts guard Anthony Anderson was named Most Valuable Player of the recently concluded American Basketball Association season. He is the brother of University of Memphis swingman Antonio Anderson, who hails from Lynn but attended prep school in North Carolina before landing with Coach Cal. Anthony played for the ABA's Manchester Millrats and averaged 23.2 points. For the second straight year, the ABA crown was won by the Vermont Frost Heaves, who, if nothing else, might have the best team nickname in pro sports. Boston Globe
Kelenna Azubuike has a new scar around his temple, a small cut courtesy of Grizzlies forward Hakim Warrick that corroborates his gritty play of late. With Golden State's go-to trio tiring down the stretch and its bench thinning because of injuries and ineffectiveness, Azubuike has re-emerged as the Warriors' steadiest role player. "Biceps Buike," as nicknamed by his teammates, has averaged 12 points and 5.9 rebounds in the eight games since Mickael Pietrus injured his right groin and hamstring Mar. 21. San Francisco Chronicle
Azubuike almost certainly will opt out of his minimum-wage contract this summer and seek a more lucrative deal - be it from the Warriors or another suitor. The undrafted guard, who detoured through the NBA Development League before earning his spot with Golden State, says the official decision can wait. "I'm not even thinking about that right now," Azubuike said. "I'm trying to get to the playoffs. As soon as that bridge gets here, I'll cross it." San Francisco Chronicle
Matt Barnes caught a break Saturday when the league downgraded his flagrant foul on Grizzlies guard Kyle Lowry to a personal foul. Barnes remains at five points on the NBA's penalty scale - the maximum before a one-game suspension is imposed - and will be available for today's game. San Francisco Chronicle
With six games remaining, Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant has a league-leading 15 technical fouls, which means that his next regular season technical will result in an automatic one-game suspension that could damage the team's standing in the Western Conference, Bryant's pocketbook -- and his chances of winning the league's most valuable player award. Washington Post
Coach Phil Jackson said Bryant has recently been "playing under wraps" because another tantrum is "going to cost the team. It's going to cost him." Bryant has held his tongue, walked the other way or used another, more confusing means to voice his frustrations to officials. "I just cuss them out really bad in Serbian," Bryant joked. Washington Post
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Back in LA, Kedrick Brown shook his head. “It wasn’t a problem at all,” he said. “It was more just rumors. So I just put that behind me. It never was a problem. “I heard multiple rumors about the weight gain and that I had an alcohol problem. It was none of that. During the summer I did gain weight, but who doesn’t if they’re not playing? I just put that behind me. All that is (expletive). I don’t know who started it. I don’t know where it came from. But it never was a problem.” Boston Herald
Glimpses of talent - some of them spectacular - are all Celtics fans got to see before Brown moved down the line to Cleveland and Philadelphia. Soon after that game against the Lakers, he was out of the rotation. The Celts kept him and dealt Joe Johnson away, but the acquisitions of Rodney Rogers and Tony Delk parked Brown on the bench. A severe ankle sprain the next year kept him in reserve. “It’s easy to see now that we made a mistake putting Joe Johnson into that trade,” said then-Celtics general manager Chris Wallace, now the Memphis GM. Boston Herald
Drew Gooden watched in amazement as one of his new teammates drove a different luxury car to practice every day. That's when the former Jayhawks standout realized he wasn't in Kansas anymore. He was in the NBA, where money equals status and even the richest players often end up broke. ''You see all the champagne, all the trips to wherever you want to go,'' said Gooden, now a forward for the Bulls. ''You see that first-class lifestyle, and it makes you grow up fast. It was a whirlwind for me. I thought I knew it all, but I didn't know anything. I didn't have a clue.'' Chicago Sun-Times
''Some guys get it twisted,'' Gooden said. ''What they bring in is what they think they can pay for. If you ever get in the situation where you're living check to check, that is not good. If you continue that lifestyle, at the end of the day, you'll be in red digits. Not just waist deep, but drowning and trying to survive. ... There are guys in this league who do live check to check, and it's sad. Whether they are making $1 million a year or $20 million a year, there are a lot of sad stories. You have to be smart.'' Chicago Sun-Times
Jason Caffey made $29 million during his eight-year NBA career, but he was in bankruptcy court last year to seek protection from creditors that included seven women with whom he has eight children. Scottie Pippen won a $1.5 million settlement last year from a former financial adviser he claims cost him millions more. William Perry struggled financially after his fabled career with the Bears ended despite earning worldwide fame as an endorser. Then there's Latrell Sprewell, who rejected a $21 million contract extension by saying, ''I've got my family to feed.'' Three years later, Sprewell's house is up for foreclosure and his yacht was sold at auction. Chicago Sun-Times
On athletes: ''Generally, the first thing they want is an automobile right off the bat,'' veteran NFL agent Rick Smith said. ''The second thing is clothes, which I don't have a problem with. They should have an automobile they can rely on, as opposed to the broken-down ones that are in the shop every few days. They are coming out of college with T-shirts and jeans. They need a wardrobe like anybody coming out of college. Then you get into buying a home.'' Chicago Sun-Times
''There's a tremendous amount of peer pressure in their world,'' said Chicago-based agent Henry Thomas, who represents NBA star Dwyane Wade. ''These kids are wealthy. They are in an environment of wealth and are around other wealthy people, and they attract wealthy people from the entertainment world and business world who want to be next to these athletes. For them, it can be emotional and difficult sometimes to say no.'' Chicago Sun-Times
Carlos Boozer brought up the Jazz's road struggles when asked if Friday's victory proved the Jazz could match up against anybody come playoff time. "I think we've already proven that," Boozer said. "We've just got to figure it out on the road." The Jazz delivered their strongest defensive performance of the season in holding the Spurs to 64 points, matching San Antonio's franchise-record low. Next the Jazz will try to avenge a Feb. 29 loss in New Orleans and claim the season series against the Hornets. Salt Lake Tribune
On the day after he dropped a season-high 31 points on the Dallas Mavericks, Lamar Odom smiled broadly and then broke into a hearty laugh. "Maybe I need to get hit in the head more," he said Saturday afternoon. It was one explanation, albeit an absurd one, for Odom's scoring outburst during the Lakers' 112-108 victory Friday over the Mavericks. He made 12 of 14 shots and 7 of 10 free throws and, for good measure, added 10 rebounds and five assists in 44 minutes. LA Daily News
Most of it happened after Dallas' Dirk Nowitzki clobbered Odom in the head with an accidental elbow in the first quarter. The wound required four stitches to close. "It's all right," Odom said of his noggin. "It was throbbing (Friday) night. I'll be all right. ... I knew it was split open right away. Four stitches, but I'll be all right. "I don't think I could be a boxer. I have soft skin. I don't have a leather face." LA Daily News
"These guys have been telling me drive, drive, drive," he said, referring to the Lakers' coaching staff. "I guess they beat it into me. Just take the ball to the basket as much as possible. That was my focus. I've got to take the shots when they're open. "I caught the ball one time against Nowitzki and he backed up. He just dared me to shoot it. If I'm wide open I'm going to let it fly." LA Daily News
Dirk Nowitzki was shooting jumpers at Staples Center on Friday morning, wearing a huge brace on his sprained left ankle, when Tyronn Lue stepped up to contest one of his shots. Nowitizki released his jump shot and Lue lunged forward, eventually falling to the ground after bumping into Nowitzki. It just so happened that Nowitzki shot the ball near the same spot where Allen Iverson nailed a jumper over Lue in overtime of Game 1 of the 2001 NBA Finals and infamously stared down Lue and stepped over him. When he saw Lue laying on the court, Nowitzki looked down at Lue, lifted his leg over him and said, "Wait. Let me step ... over ... you." Washington Post
Nowitzki hasn't dealt with any swelling in his ankle, but the soreness has ranged from terrible to unbearable. "We don't know if he's going to be significantly improved as the season goes on," Mavericks Coach Avery Johnson said. "The only thing that really can heal this particular injury is really, total rest. He's just not going to get that right now. It may be soemthing that won't get well until after the season." Washington Post
Howard has played particularly great basketball, averaging 29 points over the past six games. He scored 23 points against the Lakers, but was held to just two points in the final period when he had a costly error in judgement. He picked up a technical foul for throwing his headband after he failed to get a foul call. Johnson chastised Josh Howard for losing his composure, but it was quite baffling after the game that Howard wore a custom-made shirt with his initials on the front and "STUPID" on the back. Stupid? Was he being prophetic? I asked him what he meant by that shirt, Howard said, "You tell me." Washington Post
Not that scouting staffs don't do an exhaustive job of trying to unearth the next franchise player. Just ask Gar Forman, the Bulls' director of player personnel, or Matt Lloyd. They both basically live out of a suitcase from November through April, watching up to 150 college games. The staff -- which includes west coast scout Dave Bollwinkle and Ivica Dukan, the team's international scout --will write 800 or more prospect reports that general manager John Paxson will review. Chicago Sun-Times
'The majority of guys John [Paxson] will see are ones we project to be in our range,'' Lloyd said. ''Because it has been so fluid this year, it has been a little bit more difficult to pin down a group for John. At the beginning of the season, we were looking at guys we projected between 20 to 30. At midseason it shifted significantly. But we always concentrate on the Beasleys and the Roses because you never know with the possibility of a trade. I have no doubt that once it gets down to [decision] time, John will have all the information he needs. But we've been stretched this year just making sure we covered and have a solid opinion on everyone.'' Chicago Sun-Times
If things had gone as planned, J.R. Smith likely would have been strolling San Antonio's River Walk this past week with his North Carolina teammates, prepping for the Final Four. Smith would be a senior for the Tar Heels, whom he committed to in 2004 out of St. Benedict's Prep in Newark, N.J. But a string of flashy performances on the high school all-star circuit after his senior year led him to put his name in the NBA draft. The New Orleans Hornets selected him No. 18 overall. However, coach Byron Scott quickly grew tired of the immensely talented but often irresponsible teen. Denver Post
Consistency has replaced carelessness, and Smith has been the second-best story on one of the NBA's hottest teams, behind Nene's return from testicular cancer. Asked what happened, Nuggets coach George Karl spoke with a smile. "J.R.," he said, "his family, the team, the players and the coaches all have orchestrated this into a good story." Denver Post
On J.R. Smith: "The biggest difference on the court is he's cutting down on his bad decisions," Karl said. "His effectiveness on penetrating the ball has gotten to be a passing-shoot thing, rather than just a shoot thing. Not only does he get to the rim well, but he makes good decisions. But what he would always do in the past was he would subtract it with a bad shot or a bad turnover, not understanding scoreboard and time." Denver Post
The Nuggets had opportunities to deal Smith at this year's trade deadline but they were nixed by Karl, whose trust in Smith belies his frequent criticism. "We basically chose to play the hand we had," Nuggets vice president of basketball operations Mark Warkentien said. "A lot of that, and he gets no credit for it, is an investment by George. . . . There was obviously opportunities to move away from J.R., and the guy on top, George Karl, bet on J.R." Denver Post
As a result, Smith will almost certainly remain a Nugget. He is a restricted free agent at season's end, but the Nuggets likely will either sign him to an extension or match any offer. "He was a good-bad player that sometimes came out zero," Karl said. "He's now an asset." Denver Post
Stephen A. Smith is not the first person, and won't be the last, to achieve star status at ESPN only to wind up as a role player. Sir Blunt announced Friday that he soon will be a former radio host (Thursday is his final show on ESPN-1050). Once upon a career, Smith hosted "Quite Frankly," his own ESPN TV interview show, was a regular NBA analyst/reporter, had the radio show and a newspaper column (ESPN does not own the Philadelphia Inquirer). NY Daily News
This is part of a pattern in which ESPN brass takes a particular talent and assigns him multiple marquee gigs. Once the cat signs on the dotted line he is totally under control of the Worldwide Leader. The "star" usually fades - or burns out - and, for whatever reasons, loses most of his glitzy portfolio. Smith should talk to his ESPN colleague, the great Bill Walton, and compare notes. They have much in common. NY Daily News
A northwestern Pennsylvania woman who says former NBA star Michael Jordan fathered her child wants the former NBA star to submit to a third paternity test. Meanwhile, Lisa Miceli, 35, of Meadville, asked a Crawford County judge on Friday to lift a temporary restraining order imposed after Jordan filed a harassment suit against her in February. Miceli claims that Jordan fathered her 4-year-old son. In his lawsuit, Jordan says that a pair of 2005 paternity tests rule him out as the boy's father. AP/Philly.com
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