Caron Butler Knows a Winning Season Helps Summer Options

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Dallas small forward Caron Butler sounded like he would be going to the pet store to pick out a puppy when he started talking Wednesday night about his upcoming free agency.

"I could have the opportunity to take the pick of the litter,'' Butler told FanHouse before his Mavericks lost to the Magic. "If everything goes well this season, it will be my choice, take your pick, wherever I want to go.''

Butler, 30, may be coming off his worst season in years, split between Washington and Dallas, but he is expecting a quick turnaround in his contract year.

Even with limited minutes of the exhibition schedule, he has reached double figure scoring and had at least five rebounds in four of his last five games.

He showed up for training camp about 10 pounds lighter than a year ago after coach Rick Carlisle told him what he wanted this season during his exit interview last spring. He wanted Butler more explosive, quicker, able to reach the free throw line more often. Butler responded by working harder than he ever had before in the offseason.

"You can tell now, he spent a lot of time working on things this summer,'' Carlisle said. "He's in phenomenal shape. We're going to look different this season.''

Carlisle plans to use Butler more at small forward and less at shooting guard than he did after his arrival in February in the multi-player deal that also included Brendan Haywood and DeShawn Stevenson in Dallas.

Butler was thrilled to be traded from the dysfunctional Wizards to the contending Mavericks last season, but his scoring average dipped from 16.9 points to 15.2 points. He shot just 42.8 percent from the field, the lowest since his second year in the league. And the Mavericks, despite winning 55 games, were upset in the first round by San Antonio.

"It's difficult coming in the middle of the season. You're trying to fit in on the fly. Last year, we never got off page one of the playbook offensively,'' he said. "Now, with a whole training camp, and a chance to put your identity on the team, you can go deep into the playbook. It's going to make it better for everyone here.''

Butler, now in his ninth season, has been past the first round of the playoffs just once -- his second year in Miami -- something he expects to change in Dallas.

"I'm going to be a better player here. I know exactly where I fit now. I know my role. I know what's expected,'' he said. "I can put my stamp on the team.''

Butler had his best years in Washington when he teamed with Antawn Jamison and Gilbert Arenas, a formidable scoring trio. He averaged career highs of 20.3 and 20.8 points in the two seasons Arenas missed with injuries. It's not something he expects to duplicate, not with the depth the Mavericks have now.

At this point in his career, he knows being part of a big winner will increase his value more than just raising his scoring average again. He will be making $10.5 million this season, hoping to land the final long-term deal of his career, knowing it will be contingent on the next collective bargaining agreement.

"I'll be at the perfect age (30 for free agency) this summer,'' he said. "We have the opportunity to do something really special in Dallas. And obviously, you always want to have a great year before free agency. Right now this is the ideal situation for me. I'm looking forward to a good season -- and a great summer.''

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David Stern Digs in as Labor Issues Loom

The collective bargaining cloud is still there, and darker than ever.

Even if NBA commissioner David Stern is choosing to ignore it.

His league is days away from what he's hyping as its most exciting season yet, with the love-'em-or-hate-'em Miami Heat spiking ticket sales and new intrigue while old-guard attractions like Lakers-Celtics redux are still spinning the turnstiles. The salary cap that so many estimated would take a serious hit and reflect the owners' tough times instead grew, followed by a free agency period in which the funny money doled out did little to support the league's argument that times were historically hard.

But as Stern seemed to make clear in a teleconference with reporters Friday, none of that will stop him from continuing down a path that can only lead to a lockout.

"I'm allowed to be optimistic and not consider it a cloud because I've probably been in a dozen collective bargaining negotiations ... So we know we're going to get an agreement done..."
-- David Stern, On the NBA's potential labor lockout next season
That proposed hard cap that anchors the NHL blueprint from which they're working? Alive and well. The salary cutbacks in the neighborhood of one-third that we told you about in July? Stern went public with those plans on Thursday. The prevalent notion among league insiders that Stern & Co. were cooling on these concepts that, as one source involved in the process told FanHouse, would guarantee one full season "at minimum" lost? Not holding up at the moment.

Still, in a 40-minute session in which most of the talk was labor-related, Stern said he's not about to let the looming weather ruin his outlook on the 2010-11 campaign.

"I'm allowed to be optimistic and not consider it a cloud because I've probably been in a dozen collective bargaining negotiations -- the last 10 of which involved some of the same actors currently at this table," he explained. "So we know we're going to get an agreement done, and we think that the enthusiasm of the season and the prospective growth that it will ultimately represent will enable us to sit down with the players and negotiate in good faith."

The question is never if, however, but when. And as Stern himself acknowledged, the search for real solutions has never been achieved through public discourse.

There was plenty of that just minutes before Stern's tip-off talk began, when the NBA Player's Association released a statement from executive director Billy Hunter lamenting the NBA's position and making it abundantly clear how far apart the two sides remain.

"The position expressed by the NBA today is regretful, since in February 2010, the players unequivocally rejected the owners' proposal which called for a hard cap, a 40 percent rollback in player salaries, unlimited expense deductions and the elimination of guaranteed contracts," the statement read. "The players and the union would prefer to work towards attaining a fair deal that addresses concerns raised by both sides and improves the game. But, if the owners maintain their position it will inevitably result in a lockout and the cancellation of part or all of the 2011-2012 season. The players and union will prepare accordingly."

Stern not only shrugged at the strong words -- at one point saying of the union and league's posturing that it was "classic negotiating rhetoric -- probably on both sides" -- but questioned the statement's veracity.

"I don't believe that Billy wrote that, because he wouldn't threaten me with a lockout," Stern said. "All I can say is that that's what negotiations are for, and I'm looking forward to our next negotiating session."

The next round of meetings between the two sides is expected to take place some time before mid-November. Stern, perhaps returning to his rhetoric form or maybe in earnest, indicated that the topic of contraction will be discussed at that time. The mere decision to discuss the topic is, as pointed out by Alan Hahn of Newsday, straight out of the playbook of NHL commissioner Gary Bettman.

It serves two purposes: potentially scaring players who don't want the league to employ less players (and thus pushing them toward accepting a hard cap), and helping strengthen the support for said cap from owners of small market teams who don't want to be eliminated.

"I have spent 27 years in this job working very hard not only to maintain all of our teams but to, along the way, add a few," Stern said. "But I think (contraction) is a subject that will be on the table with the players."

He did, however, add that "we're not spending a lot of time on it."

Stern reiterated that the owners' position is rooted in the belief that the system simply isn't viable.

"One of the things we've found out ourselves as we work with our teams -- to keep the high level of sales and customer service at first-class arenas and all of the amenities of continuing installation and even in the prices of keeping player's secure and traveling them around the world by charter -- is that it has become much more expensive to do all the same things that we have always done," Stern said. "And No. 2 -- the world has changed.

"We're in the worst ... recession (within) the lifetime of anyone who is on this phone call, and it sobers people as to what additional investments or funding shortfalls they want to make to support their assets. I'd say the combination of those two (factors) has caused us to say, 'OK, we need a reset that makes this viable.' ... It's not, in the long-term, a sustainable business model that we're happy to be supporting."

That cloud overhead? It's going to be there for a while.

E-mail Sam at amick.sam@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter at @samickAOL.

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David Stern Optimistic About Future for Carmelo Anthony, LeBron James

The ongoing labor negotiations and the looming possibility of a lockout next summer were the biggest stories to come out of David Stern's annual tip-off conference call with members of the media. But the commissioner also had some interesting things to say about a few of the other issues that the league is currently facing.

One of those issues is Carmelo Anthony, and how he's the latest star player to say he wants to be traded out of his current situation. It would seem at first glance that this isn't something that the league would want to see happening regularly, but somewhat surprisingly, Stern didn't seem to have too much of a problem with it.

"You know, the players have no obligation to sign a contract, and I remember these guys, what were their names, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who actually asked to be traded; Patrick Ewing, who asked to be traded," Stern said, when asked if situations like Anthony's could be destabilizing. "Here we have a player who's keeping his options open. That's his right under the collective bargaining agreement, and I don't think it's fair to hold him to a higher standard."

Along the lines of star players choosing where they want to play when their contracts are up, Stern was asked about the situation involving LeBron James, and his former team, the Cleveland Cavaliers. Stern's theme remained the same: essentially, that James fulfilled his obligation before taking his talents to South Beach.

"I think for the fans of Cleveland, they had that player and they had him for seven years as a result of the NBA draft and his renewed contract," Stern said. "And now, let's go, everybody on board, and let's see how the team can do without that player. And I'm kind of thinking they'll do better than most people are expecting."

The reason that Stern might not be so worried about players joining forces in a particular market is simple: the amount of interest generated by the Miami Heat after James and Chris Bosh joined forces with Dwyane Wade this summer has been huge in terms of the attention it's brought to the league, especially in the offseason. And it will only continue to build as the season gets gets started.

"I've been told by a number of teams that it would be premature for us to mail the trophy to Miami."
-- David Stern, on not crowning the Heat champions just yet "I think that in USA Today there was a big front-page article about everybody looking forward to either seeing the Miami Heat or seeing them lose, depending upon what city you're in, or seeing them win if you're a fan," Stern said. "And I think that team has generated spectacular interest, and all in all it's been very good for the NBA."

Despite the increased interest level that the new-look Heat team has brought to the league, Stern used a portion of his opening remarks to caution against crowning them as champions just yet.

"I've been told by a number of teams that it would be premature for us to mail the trophy to Miami," Stern said.

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David Stern, NBA Owners Pushing to Cut Players' Salaries by a Third

Don't get too warm and fuzzy about the start of what will be an epic 2010-11 NBA season. League commissioner David Stern reminds us there's a bit of labor strife on the horizon, telling the Associated Press he and the NBA's owners are hoping, in the course of collective bargaining, to cut players' salaries by a third.

That's a lot of change, roughly $700 million based off the 2009-10 season's numbers. Players currently take a 57-percent cut of the league's basketball-related income. Cutting salaries by a third would lower the players' share to about 48 percent. Previous owner chatter had targeted a players' split as low as 45 percent.

Obviously, the players' union will fight this tooth and nail, and maybe hammer and chainsaw. Is it a case of Stern simply reflecting the wishes of his bosses, the owners? Or is he setting the stage for a grand compromise where both sides -- owners and players -- win, the owners by cutting costs significantly and the player might not giving up as much money as the owners would like?

It's worth noting that if Stern is being honest in reporting that the league's 30 teams will lose a combined $350 million, then the proposed salary cut would turn that $350 million deficit for the owners into a $350 million profit. There is no way on Earth, Mars or Jupiter players will accede to such a request.

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Doug Collins Back on Philly's Bench After Missing Time With Concussion

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- 76ers coach Doug Collins was back at practice Friday after missing two preseason games because of symptoms related to a concussion he sustained on Memorial Day.

Collins sad after practice that he fainted in a coffee shop on Memorial Day in Phoenix and broke three ribs. He also sustained a concussion when his head hit the concrete floor.

Collins was not present for Tuesday's game against the Cleveland Cavaliers in Cincinnati and Wednesday's game against the New York Knicks in Philadelphia. He then had neurological testing and treatment for what was diagnosed as vertigo.

"The doctor feels very good about it because he knows what it is," Collins said after a 2 1/2 -hour practice. "One of the crystals in my ear was knocked loose. It wasn't related to fatigue or stress or anything like that."

Collins said the fall was due to feeling lightheaded caused by low blood pressure. After he went down, a docter at the coffee shop attended to him. He was helped onto a gurney and taken to an area hospital, where he was kept for observation.

Collins said it wasn't the first time he has fainted and it's usually been brought on by low blood pressure. This time, the neurologist also diagnosed him with vertigo.

Collins isn't expected to miss any more time.

"I feel great," he said. "I was able to have a couple of days where I saw the doctors and had some tests. All the tests were great. Basically, what I'm dealing with is vertigo. I took a nasty fall."

The energetic 59-year-old Collins said he watched nearly eight hours of preseason game film on Thursday and fully anticipates moving forward without any issues.

"It feels like you're on the tea cups at Epcot Center with your daughter and she's spinning the (heck) out of you," Collins said of the vertigo.

Practice on Friday was viewed by general manager Ed Stefanski, president Rod Thorn and chairman Ed Snider. They all saw the same passionate coach they hired in May, which is good news for a team that opens the regular season Wednesday night against the Miami Heat.

"I'm ready to go and I feel great," Collins said.

Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

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Dwyane Wade Rejoins Heat as Mike Miller Leaves for Two Months

TAMPA, Fla. – It was bad news for the more than 18,000 fans who bought tickets to a Heat/Magic exhibition game Friday night, but there was good news for the one star who wasn't even going to play anyway.

The game was canceled – less than an hour before tipoff -- because of unsafe court conditions, but not before Dwyane Wade had rejoined his teammates, completed his own workout on the same court, then pronounced himself mentally and physically ready to be at his best once again.

The Three Kings of Miami can finally get this thing started.

Wade hadn't played with all his new teammates since pulling a hamstring muscle in the fourth minute of the first exhibition game Oct. 5. He hadn't even been with his teammates the last two weeks, away in a Chicago courthouse giving testimony in a bitter and especially messy child custody case involving his two boys.

"I'm feeling good,'' he said when he met with reporters following the game's cancellation. "I'll go on to the next day, get another practice under my belt, and be ready for the opener.''

The Heat open their much-anticipated season in Boston Tuesday against the Celtics, and Wade doesn't expect his extended absence to have any real effect on Miami's chase of a championship.

"It's not ideal (him being away). We would have loved to play together, practiced together more, but we weren't going to have a chance to win a championship in Game 1 of the season, or Games 2 or 3,'' Wade said. "We have 8-9 months to be around, to get it together. That's the main thing.''

"It's not ideal (him being away). We would have loved to play together, practiced together more, but we weren't going to have a chance to win a championship in Game 1 of the season, or Games 2 or 3. We have 8-9 months to be around, to get it together. That's the main thing.''
-- Dwyane Wade, on the effect of his absence as heat chase championship Wade sounded more concerned with the more-serious absence of sharpshooting Mike Miller, who had surgery on his right thumb Friday and will be lost until January, according to Heat Coach Erik Spoelstra. The Heat, according to Spoelstra, will make a decision Saturday whether to sign a replacement.

Wade will practice, likely on his own, Saturday in Miami, then join his teammates Sunday for his first five-on-five workout since the injury.

"You never know from one injury to the next (how long it will take to be 100 percent),'' he said. "I've done it before and come right back with limited practice and played well. Sometimes you come back and the timing is off, or you're not full strength, but I feel good. It's about getting your confidence and conditioning back. That's the main thing.''

Even more than his physical condition, Wade sounded emotionally relieved to have finished his courtroom testimony in Chicago. He flew directly to Tampa, Fla., knowing he wouldn't be playing, but just happy to be back on the team.

"It's a big burden off of me. I did appreciate the opportunity to go in the courtroom, and for the first time have my voice heard, to tell my side. And that was great,'' he said. "It was unfortunate that it came this time of year, but fortunate it came this time of year. The court room is behind me. I was doing it for my two boys. It was important in so many ways. It wasn't ideal basketball-wise, but personally, it was the best thing that could have happened.''

Wade's return allows the Heat finally to move forward in putting together their trio of stars – LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Wade – in front of a new supporting cast.

"Right after the game last night (Thursday in Atlanta), I was starting to get texts from Dwyane saying he's jumping on a plane and wants to play tonight,'' Spoelstra said. "He's in great shape. His weight and body fat is less than what it was coming into training camp.''

When asked what the Heat have been missing in his absence, Spoelstra was quick with his answer.

"MVP talent and a guy who can really anchor what we are trying to do offensively and defensively,'' Spoelstra said.

While the officiating crew huddled with coaches and general managers from both teams, along with arena officials, contemplating whether the game could be played, Wade was on the court, running, shooting, doing drills mostly on his own.

Players from both teams agreed that the floor was unsafe. According to Tod Leiweike, CEO of the St. Pete Times Forum, the problem stemmed from the basketball floor that had come out of storage and hadn't been used for almost a year. It had been scrubbed with a cleaning solution that had too much oil, making the surface far from perfect.

"It (the floor) wasn't good,'' Wade said. "It wasn't going to be a safe surface to play a game on. Some areas were slippery and some had too much grip. I just feel bad for the fans.''

The players were off the floor when the announcement was made that the game would not be played. The arena already was half-filled. A cup of beer came flying out of the upper deck, hitting the court.

"It's an odd feeling, getting ready for a game, expecting to play, and then being told you can't,'' Spoelstra said. "It's really unfortunate for the fans.''

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Former College Roommates Udonis Haslem, Mike Miller Reunited in Miami

MIAMI -- There was more than one NBA player who wanted to join the Miami Heat on July 8. Moments after LeBron James announced his decision that would rock the league and turn the Heat into instant championship contenders, two former college roommates at the University of Florida got on the phone to discuss their futures.

"Me and Mike (Miller) spoke right after that," Heat mainstay Udonis Haslem said. "We were both talking about wanting to be a part of the team but there had to be sacrifices made, and those sacrifices were made."

Those came in how the contracts for Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh were structured. Instead of signing for the maximum amount allowed under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, the three superstars chose to sacrifice several million dollars in order to help sign the Gator duo to provide a huge boost to the Heat's bench. Michael Beasley, once considered the future of the franchise, also had to be practically given away to the Minnesota Timberwolves to make room under the salary cap.

Days later, Haslem and Miller committed to join the Heat after sign-and-trade deals with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Toronto Raptors to officially land James and Bosh were completed.
Miller's friendship with LeBron was also a huge factor. They became close friends through their mutual association with Nike. Miller even named his son Maverick after LeBron's manager, and they were teammates for Team USA in 2007. The prospect of being teammates with two of his closest friends gave the Heat the edge over other teams vying for Miller's services.

"That really sealed it, to be quite honest with you," Miller said earlier this month at Miami's media day. "It made the decision a lot easier for me."

With so many injuries during the preseason preventing the Heat to fully jell as a unit, the team can at least count on the instant chemistry between Miller and Haslem.

"It was fun," Miller said after playing his first game as a member of the Heat. "We're pretty comfortable playing with each other. I pretty much know what he's going to do a lot of the time and he knows what I'm going to do. When you're in that kind of relationship and you understand it, that makes it a lot much easier."

While Haslem has a championship ring, Miller has yet to be a part of a team that has won a playoff series in the 10 years he's been in the league. Since the 2006 championship run, the Heat themselves have yet to win a playoff series.

Though all eyes are on the Big Three, the reserve roles that two good friends will provide for the Heat will be integral for them to make a deep run in the playoffs with an eye towards winning it all.

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George Karl: Nuggets Turn Carmelo Anthony Trade Rumors Into Positive

PHOENIX -- Carmelo Anthony sat out Friday night's preseason contest against the Suns, along with teammates Nene and Chauncey Billups. But whether he plays or not, Anthony -- and the almost weekly trade rumors that swirl around him and the Nuggets -- has been the obvious focal point of the team this preseason.

Despite the seemingly unavoidable distraction, Nuggets coach George Karl doesn't believe it's had a negative impact on his club yet. In fact, he feels it's been the opposite.

"I think we've actually done a pretty good job of turning the distraction into a positive," Karl said. "There is a way that a problem can create mental focus, can create a discipline that you have to overcome on a daily basis.

"I think there's been very few practices where you felt there was a little bit of a distraction. I mean, most of our practices have been better than our games ... I'm not sure that's good either, but transferring what you do in practice to a game is why you have (the) preseason."

With the latest rumor involving Spike Lee acting as some kind of middleman between Anthony and the Knicks, the noise only gets louder the closer New York comes to being involved. But again, Karl feels that his team can draw more strength from the negative experiences than it can from the positive ones.

"Do you get stronger in positive energy or negative energy," Karl questioned. "We all know that most of the time you get stronger through negative problems. And it might not just be 'Melo, it might be what happened last year, how we lost, 'Melo ... we've got to be mentally tougher."

Coach Karl himself seems to be mentally tougher, back coaching after undergoing treatment for throat cancer last season. He's lost a considerable amount of weight due to the treatment, but when complimented on his appearance, his response was a spirited one.

"I've lost a lot of weight," Karl said. "But I wouldn't recommend the diet."

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Heat Lose Mike Miller Indefinitely to Thumb Injury

The Miami Heat could be without Mike Miller for several weeks after the swingman suffered a fluke injury to his shooting hand. Miller's right hand became tangled in a teammate's jersey during practice Wednesday, causing injury to his thumb.

"It was just a drill," coach Erik Spoelstra told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. "He got it caught in a jersey with some contact, on a post-up."

An exact diagnosis has not been revealed, but he was scheduled to visit a specialist and undergo an MRI on Thursday.

The Miami Heat have been no stranger to injury this preseason -- most notably, Dwyane Wade and LeBron James tweaking their hamstrings. But James has already returned to the lineup, and Wade was just cleared to resume full contact drills.

In fact, Miller suffered a minor injury earlier this week, rolling an ankle twice during Monday's game with the Charlotte Bobcats But that ailment was minor, and Miller was originally expected to play in Thursday's game in Atlanta. Instead, Miller stayed behind as his teammates made the trip, with everybody holding their breath the injury is not serious.

"Obviously, he's disappointed," teammate Udonis Haslem told the Sun-Sentinel. "He was so excited to be here and be a part of this. The good thing is it's not season-ending, from what I'm hearing. So that's a good sign.

"We look to get him back as soon as possible. He's a big part of this team."

With Miller sidelined, the Heat will lean on James Jones as a sharp-shooting reserve who can stretch the defense. Understandably, though, Jones wasn't happy about the manner in which he climbed the depth chart.

"It really, really stinks that Mike's injured," Jones told the paper. "Once again, it's one of our shooters, his shooting hand.

"I feel bad for him because I know how much time he's put in, how sharp he's been. I'm kind of speechless."

While Miller's uncertain status weighs heavily on the players, the team did have some good news: in addition to Wade being cleared for practice, Eddie House, recovering from offseason surgery, and Mario Chalmers, recovering from a high-ankle sprain, were both cleared to play against Atlanta.

-- Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.

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Heat-Magic Game Canceled Due to Slippery Court

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -- A slippery court installed over an NHL ice surface forced the cancellation of Friday night's preseason finale between the Orlando Magic and Miami Heat.

The Magic couldn't hold a shootaround practice because of the wet conditions Friday morning, prompting Magic coach Stan Van Gundy and guard Vince Carter to question the safety of the court. Workers at the St. Pete Times Forum tried to solve the problem for several more hours.

The NBA released a statement saying the game was canceled because of "unsafe playing conditions on the arena floor."

The game will not be rescheduled.

The Tampa Bay Lightning played in the arena Thursday night, and work was performed overnight to cover the ice surface and install the basketball court. When the Magic arrived to practice Friday morning, the court was still wet and slippery -- though it was unclear if the moisture was from the ice below or the process of cleaning the court -- and the NBA 3-point lines hadn't been installed.
Workers were on the floor with mops and brooms, and electric fans were brought in to help circulate air and speed up the drying process.

"It's like playing on ice right now, literally," Carter said in the morning, watching from the side as a few Magic players did some shooting. After the Magic left, workers returned to the court with mops, both for cleaning and working on slippery areas.

Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

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Mike Miller Sidelined Until January After Surgery on Thumb

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -- Miami Heat swingman Mike Miller will be sidelined until January after undergoing surgery to repair a broken right thumb as well as ligament damage.

Miller was injured in a freak accident at practice on Wednesday. Friday's surgery came on the same day guard Dwyane Wade - who has missed virtually the entire preseason - began working out again with the Heat after an absence to let his strained right hamstring recover and deal with a custody trial in Chicago.

Miller will be in a cast for four weeks, then in a brace for additional recovery time.

Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

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Monta Ellis, Stephen Curry Ready for Heavy Minutes Once Again

PHOENIX -- Heavy minutes aren't normally part of the deal for the number one guy on any given team during the preseason. But the Warriors have done things differently for some time now, and even under new head coach Keith Smart, while some things have changed, others will undoubtedly remain the same.

Monta Ellis logged almost 44 minutes of playing time during his team's 92-87 loss to the Suns on Tuesday, and this came on the second night of a back-to-back, after Ellis logged 36 minutes in Golden State's 100-78 victory on Monday over the Blazers.

Is this something that we can expect to continue during the regular season?

"We don't want that, because he just won't survive," Smart said of Ellis' heavy minutes against the Suns. "Some nights you may have to play 45 minutes on a back-to-back. He's going to be ready to play all the time, so I wanted to give him a push, I wanted to play him a lot of minutes tonight.

"We've got a day off before we start playing again, and some nights you're going to have to try and play because you're close in a game to win it. You've got to make sure these guys can play 45 minutes being fatigued, and this is all part of the training camp."

It was also part of how the Warriors chose to manage their talent last season.

Ellis led the league in minutes per game a year ago, averaging 41.4 in 64 appearances. That included a ridiculous 12 games where he played all 48, and one more where he managed to play 53 -- all of regulation and all of overtime -- while scoring 39 points during a loss to the Nuggets in his team's 40th game of the season.

But he's not exactly bothered by being asked to do more than his fair share.

"That's what I train for," Ellis said, when asked about his excessive preseason minutes. "I've been training like that all my life."

Training or not, that's a lot to ask of one of your team's primary options over the course of the season. But Ellis isn't the only one who might be asked to play some serious minutes this year.

Stephen Curry is entering his second year in the league, and he played quite a bit himself during his rookie season. He was second among rookies in minutes played per game on the season, averaging 36.2, which was good for 31st in the league overall. Tyreke Evans was the only rookie who played more, and he finished at 37.2, just one-per-game ahead of Curry.

For a young star-in-the-making like Curry, however, the minutes are more than welcome. And inspiration seems to be easily found in the example that Ellis was able to set -- both in this preseason contest in Phoenix, and with the way he handled the extensive playing time a season ago.

"You've got to be ready for anything," Curry said, when asked about the team's request of Ellis to play extended minutes. "That's what makes him who he is. If he's willing to play 44 minutes in a preseason game and keep fighting, then I'll be ready for the regular season."

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NBA Expands Instant Replay for Late-Game Situations and Fouls

The NBA has again expanded instant replay, offering new instances where game officials can turn to technology for help.

Under new rules announced by the NBA today, in the last two minutes of regulation and in all of overtime, referees can use instant replay to determine whether the ball hit the rim (and whether the shot clock should be adjusted) and to determine who last touched a ball that goes out-of-bounds. The latter was already permitted in the last two minutes of regulation or overtime, but it now applies to all of overtime. Referees can also adjust the game clock on reviewed out-of-bounds plays in crunch time.

Two other new rules allow the use of replay on foul calls at any point in a game. One allows referees to consult replay to determine which player should be attempting free throws after a foul call. You might notice that this is really weird; the NBA has essentially admitted that referees sometimes blow the whistle without knowing who was fouled, just that a foul occurred.

The wording of the rule as presented in the NBA's announcement does not make it clear if this would only allow referees to choose between two teammates when a confusing foul call occurs, or whether referees can use replay to decide close charge-or-blocking-foul calls. The NBA says replay can be used "to determine which player should attempt free throws after a foul occurred," which would nod to the the first explanation, but it remains unclear.

The other replay allowance on foul calls would allow referees to consult the monitor to determine if a clear-path foul can be awarded.

Back in February, NBA commissioner David Stern told FanHouse's Chris Tomasson that he forsaw the league expanding replay sensibly this offseason.

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Adrian Dantley Reflects on Head Coaching Experience in Denver

DENVER -- When Denver's collapse last season had become official, Adrian Dantley was to some the fall guy.

The Nuggets had dropped seven of their final 13 regular-season games to lose their grip on the No. 2 seed in the West and fall to No. 4. Then they were stunned 4-2 in the first round of the playoffs by No. 5 Utah, which was without two injured starters.

Dantley had gone from being an assistant to replacing George Karl as Denver's head coach when Karl missed the final 1 ½ months of the season due to a form of throat cancer. The move on the bench was just a few feet, but it might as well have been measured in miles.

"I think A.D. psychologically had to bounce back, and I think he has,'' Karl, who is back on the Nuggets' bench, said of Dantley having returned to his assistant's role. "When you lose, people take shots. People say nasty things and assassinate in a very vicious way at times. I think he's over that. Now, move on to have a good year.''

Dantley doesn't agree he had to mentally recover from last spring. Then again, the Hall of Fame forward never claimed during his playing career to have been bothered by anything he might have heard or read.

"I don't think nothing of it,'' Dantley said of the criticism he got regarding how Denver's season ended. "I don't know how much negative stuff was said. I heard a couple of things. I heard some positive things. I heard some negative things. I didn't read newspapers. ... I was disappointed that we lost. I can say that. As far as (having to) psychologically bounce back, (Dantley doesn't agree with Karl).

"I thought we should have won over Utah. ... They outplayed us. They outworked us. They played better than us. Whether it was the coach or whether it was the players, it's on me."
-- Adrian Dantley, on last year's playoff loss to the Jazz "I used to catch criticism when people didn't think I played as well as I should have played. I had high standards. It's the same thing (with coaching). ... I've had criticism as a player. It didn't bother me.''

Dantley, an NBA star forward from 1976-91, including having won two scoring titles with Utah during a 1979-86 stint there, is his own toughest critic. He certainly was bothered by the loss to the Jazz, a series the Nuggets were heavily favored to win after starting small forward Andrei Kirilenko was lost just before the beginning with a calf injury and starting center Mehmet Okur was lost for the season when he suffered a torn Achilles tendon in the first half of Game 1.

"I thought we should have won over Utah,'' Dantley said. "We didn't win. They had two players gone down. We should have won. They outplayed us. They outworked us. They played better than us. Whether it was the coach or whether it was the players, it's on me.''

Critics said Dantley was outcoached by Utah's Jerry Sloan. But that was hardly unexpected.

Sloan, with 1,190 regular-season NBA wins, is a coaching legend. Dantley, prior to Karl's illness, never had been an NBA boss with the exception of having twice in previous seasons filled in for Karl.

"A.D. stepped up and took the reins ... of being a head coach in desperate times, and I think he did really well,'' said Nuggets center Chris Andersen. "It was his first time so you can't expect someone to be the greatest their first time.''

Denver players say it's unfair to throw blame at Dantley for how last season ended. The Nuggets had injuries of their own, with Andersen and forward Kenyon Martin playing on ailing knees that would require offseason surgery and center Nene missing Game 6 after going down with a knee injury in Game 5.

"He (was) put in a tough situation,'' Martin said of Dantley. "Doing it as a player was something different. He was learning how to respond to adversity (as a coach). ... Of course, it wasn't his fault. I'm hurting. Nene hurt. (Andersen) hurt. That was a tough spot.''

But Dantley doesn't want to make excuses. Asked if he wished he would have done anything different against the Jazz, he said, "I don't know. Play Joey Graham.''

After using Graham for just five minutes in the first five games combined, Dantley rolled the forward out for Game 6 at Utah. Graham scored 21 points in 25 minutes, although the Nuggets lost 112-104 to end their season.

Filling in for Karl, Dantley went 11-8 during the regular season as the Nuggets finished 53-29. Dantley's biggest problem was beating winning teams. He went 3-7 against such outfits in the regular season before faltering against Utah.

Through it all, Dantley, 54, still hopes to be a head coach one day in the NBA. He believes his stint last season overall helped his cause.

"I thought I did well,'' Dantley said. "Everybody kept telling me it was a tough situation, but I thought we did all right. But I'm just disappointed we didn't beat Utah.

"You learn you got to be on your toes at all times to be a head coach. You got to make quick decisions. You got to try to keep everybody happy and get to know everybody's personalities. It's a lot different being a head coach as opposed to being an assistant. ... It helped me in the sense that it was on the fly. But I got better each week. I got more confident.''

Like Andersen and Martin, Nuggets guard Anthony Carter believes Dantley did the best he could considering the circumstances. But Carter also believes the low-key Dantley needs to be more vocal if he ever is to be hired as an NBA head man.

"I think so,'' Carter said. "I think he's kind of laid back and quiet. And I think you just got to put it out there, whatever's on your mind as a head coach. ... It was a good learning experience last year for the playoffs, and hopefully he can learn from that and get it right.''

Dantley sees validity in what Carter said. But he said being a fill-in for Karl made it difficult to be too vocal.

"I wasn't the head coach,'' Dantley said. "If I was the head coach, I'd be different. I agree with that. Yeah, I would say that, if I ever was to be a (head) coach, I would be more vocal. But it ain't my job to come in here and scream at players. ... I was a substitute teacher.''

Class is now back in session with the regular teacher. Karl returned for the first day of training camp and will be on the bench for Wednesday's opener at the Pepsi Center, his first regular-season game since March 16.

It would figure Karl's return is against Utah, the foe that led to Dantley receiving so much criticism. Considering the situation, Karl said Dantley coached a "pretty good, a decent playoff series,'' but said that taking shots comes with being an NBA head coach.

"They're par for the course,'' Karl said. "Your compliments are probably magnified and your scrutiny is probably unfair.''

Whether Dantley needed time to bounce back during the offseason from all that scrutiny is a matter of debate. But it's pretty certain Dantley won't getting much now that he has moved a few miles, er, feet, back to his role as an assistant.

Chris Tomasson can be reached at tomasson@fanhouse.com or on Twitter @christomasson

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Proposed Salary Cut a Reminder of Carmelo Anthony's Dicey Situation

The Denver Nuggets might not hold a lot of cards when it comes to retaining forward Carmelo Anthony. But at least they have a pair of 2s.

That was further illustrated when NBA commissioner David Stern said Thursday owners want to cut salaries by a third in the next collective bargaining agreement after the current one expires June 30, 2011.

Anthony, in case you've been trekking in the Himalayas, has not signed a three-year, $64.47 million contract option that is on the table and can opt out of his contract next summer and become a free agent. Anthony admitted recently a new CBA looming is "scary'' and it would be a "big risk'' to opt out due to all the uncertainty. Stern's revelation, even if much of it is posturing and even if such numbers only could be reached after a prolonged lockout, should serve as reason for Anthony to find matters even scarier.

That's where we get to the Nuggets and their pair of 2s. Knowing Anthony could lose more than $20 million if he signs a deal elsewhere after this season and contracts have become similar to what owners want, they can hang on to hopes Anthony might eventually be convinced to re-sign with the Nuggets. Anthony did offer some hope when he told FanHouse earlier this week re-signing with Denver remains an option.
The odds remain Anthony will be dealt by the Feb. 24 trade deadline. But Anthony's uncertain future earnings at least gives the Nuggets a little leverage to not quickly make a deal they might regret. In other words, the Nuggets, with executive vice president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri having recently arrived from Toronto, are in a better situation than the Raptors were last season with Chris Bosh.

Speaking of Bosh, who knew well in advance he was not long for the Raptors and knew what kind of money he could get by leaving, he played follow the leader in the summer of 2006. And look where he is now, having comfortably landed as a free agent in Miami along with LeBron James and a re-signed Dwyane Wade.

Anthony didn't follow the pack that summer. That might wind up being an airball of a move on his part.

During that summer, the savvy James, knowing the current CBA would expire in 2011, decided not to sign the maximum five-year contract extension that would have taken him through 2011-12 with Cleveland (his deal started in 2007-08). Instead, he signed a three-year deal with a fourth-year player option for 2010-11, which he didn't invoke, and then bolted to Miami.

James in 2006 indicated to Bosh, Wade and Anthony it would be prudent to sign similar deals. Bosh and Wade heeded the advice, and look where they are now. They're all in Miami with new contracts after becoming free agents last summer.

Anthony didn't heed it. He signed a five-year deal with the ability to opt out after four years, saying in 2006 his family told him he would be "crazy'' to take a shorter deal.

"I had to operate on it a little bit,'' Anthony said in 2006 about speaking with James and deciding not to sign a similar deal. "But I just decided to take the other route. ... You got to think about the worse thing (such as an injury happening).''

Had Anthony given himself the opportunity to become a free agent last summer, he already could have signed with the New York Knicks, who covet him. He already could have joined newly signed Amar'e Stoudemire, the Knicks forward who is the NBA's leading preseason scorer, while Anthony is second.

Instead, Anthony is staring at the possibility of losing a lot of money if he doesn't re-sign with Denver or the Nuggets decide to play hardball and he's not traded to a team with which he wants to sign a contract extension.

If Anthony were to sign the three-year contract extension before the June 30, 2011 deadline, he would be assured of $82.99 million over the next four seasons. That's the $18.52 million he would make next season if he doesn't opt out and extension numbers of $19.45 million in 2012-13, $21.49 million in 2013-14 and $23.53 million in 2014-15.

How much could he lose if he becomes a free agent next summer and owners are successful in significantly curtailing contracts? Well, if Stern gets what he wants and a third is lopped off $82.99 million, Melo is down to $55.33 million over the next four seasons, a loss of $27.66 million.

Owners are looking to cut maximum contract amounts. If a maximum deal becomes $14 million per season, Anthony, not taking into account possible yearly raises above that, would lose about $27 million over the next four years. If a maximum contract becomes $12 million a season, that's a loss of about $36 million.

While it's not expected Stern will get the type of cuts he wants, it's still very possible Anthony could lose around $20 million if he doesn't sign an extension before July arrives.

Yes, that's "scary.'' Life without Melo also looms scary for the Nuggets, but at least they have a little leverage due to the current CBA situation, and Stern's words Thursday didn't hurt at all in that regard.

Chris Tomasson can be reached at tomasson@fanhouse.com or on Twitter @christomasson

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Rashad McCants Weighs Options After Being Cut by Mavericks

When former lottery pick Rashad McCants again burst back onto the NBA's radar earlier this week, this time with a make-good preseason contract from the Dallas Mavericks, everyone hoped that this was the opportunity that was needed to put his sordid NBA past behind him.

Unfortunately for the former North Carolina Tar Heel, who was drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves with the 14th overall pick of the 2005 NBA Draft, the Mavericks waived McCants almost as soon as they signed him along with fellow former first round pick Sean Williams, Dee Brown and Adam Haluska to get below the 15-play roster limit.

They did this in order to secure McCants' rights with the Mavericks D-League affiliate Texas Legends, taking advantage of a new NBA Development League rule that allows NBA teams to allocate up to three of their training camp cuts to their D-League affiliate if the players are interested in staying stateside instead of pursuing larger European paychecks.

According to McCants' agent Lindsey Maxwell, though, McCants has not yet decided if he wants to be a (Texas) Legend after not receiving a solid opportunity to compete for a roster spot with the Mavericks.

"We are disappointed that it didn't work out with them and we look forward to Rashad getting a REAL shot at making it back into the NBA," Maxwell wrote in a e-mail to FanHouse. "He is the best free agent in basketball that is available right now. He is in the best shape of his life and his shot making ability is better than ever."

Since McCants is seemingly so close to rejoining the NBA, especially if he truly is in the best shape of his life and his shot making is better than ever, it would seem that a quick stint dominating the D-League would be a lay-up on his way to at least a 10-day contract. However, McCants does not seem sold that Frisco, Texas -- a northern suburb of Dallas -- is the right spot for him.

"If he decides to go to the D-League, he will have to play for that team," Maxwell continued. "I can't speak as to Dallas' motives, but (McCants) did not get much of a chance to 'compete for a roster spot' as Dallas had announced a couple of days ago. Right now, all of his options are open and he and his family have not yet arrived at any decisions."

One might wonder if McCants would consider sitting out another basketball season altogether, as he did last season after appearing in 58 games split between the Timberwolves and the Sacramento Kings during the 2008-09 season, in lieu of playing in the D-League -- though it's probably a bit too early to speculate about that at this point.

"It seems a travesty that he isn't on a team yet," Maxwell said. "We are headed back to the gym to keep working and grinding to get better in hopes that he will soon be in the NBA."

At 26 years of age, typically an age where a player has to have already reached his potential, McCants needs to be able to take advantage of his next opportunity -- wherever it is -- before the opportunities quit becoming available to him.

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Sasha Vujacic, Maria Sharapova Reportedly Engaged

TMZ is reporting that Los Angeles Lakers guard Sasha Vujacic and women's tennis star Maria Sharapova are engaged.

TMZ.com reported that Vujacic proposed to Sharapova on Tuesday at his Manhattan Beach, Calif., home.

Sharapova reportedly said "yes" and is also supposed to be sporting a very large engagement ring.

The couple first began dating about a year ago.

Vujacic has been sidelined of late, recovering from a concussion he suffered during a preseason game.

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The Works: Sizing Up the Celtics and Magic; Marv Is the Greatest

In The Works today: we urge you to remember that the Orlando Magic exist and Rob Peterson celebrates Marv Albert. But first, can the Celtics stay at the top?

The Celtics Lurk

The Boston Celtics, defending Eastern Conference champions, are too good to be considered a mere "contender" like the teams we've previewed this week. But certainly the C's don't hold hype company with the two-time defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers or the megalomaniacal Miami Heat. So, like the Orlando Magic (see below), the Celtics defy genre and fit into their own category: The Lurkers.

Star Power: Rajon Rondo

The image of Rajon Rondo is one of a cross-eyed Kidd/kid who needed guidance from legends to make it work. As a rookie, with Al Jefferson, Ryan Gomes, Delonte West and a dejected Paul Pierce as his teammates, Rondo was supposedly an anxious youth trying to do everything all at once. When Kevin Garnett and especially Ray Allen came along, Rondo blossomed into to the starseed now taking over the franchise. Experienced sensei leads rudderless child to promised land. Right?

Rondo's game has actually been more telling of incremental improvement, like most other players. Rondo didn't find Jesus (Shuttlesworth) when the Big Three + 1 were assembled, he just kept growing as a player. Take a look at this annual chart measuring the percentage of Rondofied possessions ending in various positive and negative results. Notice the lack of a monumental leap in 2008.


Certainly, Rondo improved from 2007 to 2008, when Allen and Garnett arrived and the team became good. But he improved even more from 2008 to 2009, and a decent amount from 2009 to 2010. No huge changes to the roster happened those offseasons. Rondo, a kid, just got better.

What's that mean for this year? Well, he's 24 years old. He should keep improving incrementally. That's what the Celtics need as Garnett (34), Allen (35) and Pierce (33) break down. Luckily, it hardly seems like Rondo needs them to get better. He is self-contained, and regression by the Big Three -- while it will damage the Celtics -- shouldn't throw Rondo off-track.

The point guard certainly could use improvement in the turnover department, where he still loses too many possessions for the Celtics. Incredible defense (of which Rondo is the spark and kindling) has let Boston survive the less-than-perfect offense, but as the defense wanes (see: Garnett's aging, Kendrick Perkins out for a while) the ball-handling simply must tighten up. That starts with Rondo. (TZ)

People's Choice: Pretty Much the Whole Damn Team on a Good Day

By "a good day", I don't necessarily mean when they win. The Celtics can win either by being loathsome, or through something that reminds you what rare birds call Beantown home these days. I could stand here (sit?) and idly celebrate Delonte West's return to the Celtics -- except I take him seriously as a player, think the year he played a major role on the Cavs was their smoothest offensively, and would like to see him return to form. No, the real secret stars of the Celtics are ... the Celtics. Rajon Rondo may be the team's future, but he's also as unorthodox a player, and quizzical a personality, as the game has seen in years. That he's found such great success should be a beacon of hope to everyone who likes his basketball a little off-center.

The same goes for Kevin Garnett who, although he has been transformed into Bill Russell with a jumper through a combination of age and kelly-green hype, supposedly is showing the old KG in camp. That means more dynamism not just in the paint, but all over the floor defensively, and taking a less static role in the offense. He's the player who, if he reverts to his former self, could transform the entire feel of the Celtics squad. We saw something similar from Ray Allen; initially pigeon-holed as a crotchety stop-and-pop accessory, he was last year given the freedom to bounce the ball some and create. He was rewarded with a new contract. Suddenly, he looked like the underrated Ray Ray of yore. Anyone who remembers his transfigurative nights for the Sonics might be pleasantly surprised this season.

To come full circle, undrafted free agent Marquis Daniels crept out of nowhere in late 2004 to push the Mavericks into the playoffs. Along with Josh Howard, Daniels offered a strange new hope for this perpetually aging team. His do-everything game, at once versatile and stubborn, meshed perfectly with Howard's rangy athleticism. Now, Daniels is a forgotten vet, and Howard, working his way back to respectability. Like other Celtics, Daniels has a chance at regaining his own mojo. If he does, though, it will have far greater significance for the great unwashed herds of NBA junkies. They are unwashed because they live like the NBA is a bunch of drugs. Hence the analogy.

Oh, and I like Avery Bradley. He and Rondo means lots of arms. (BS)

Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down

Ziller: Can the Celtics knock off the Heat? Given that we haven't seen the Heat in real action yet, it's hard to determine. Boston handled the Heat and Cavs separately last year without too much trouble. Of course, Dwyane Wade had no help and the C's were able to safety-pin Tony Allen (now a Grizzly) to Wade's hip. LeBron's series against Boston deserves a documentary, not a two-sentence summary by me. Let's just leave it at the fact that we know the Celtics can handle these stars individually; the key is in denying their Voltron chemistry. Until we see how much better the Voltron chemistry will make each, I'll err on the side of yes, Boston can beat them. As for the Lakers? Well, you saw the Finals. The Celtics can hang, without question. Verdict: Thumbs up for Boston.

Shoals: I love what our colleague Sam Amick said in an radio appearance this summer: to paraphrase, we all got it totally wrong when the Celtics made the Finals last season, so why would we dare bet against them now? Realistically, a healthy Heat should be able to find a way around the Celtics, no matter how much Ponce de Leon they have up in their system. I will daringly go on record as saying that, if you drain out injury and utter awkwardness, LeBron James's Cavaliers did certainly have a chance against them back in that deadly spring. I know I'm saying this despite my hopes for a totally rejuvenated C's team -- really, though, it comes down to the sheer gravity of Miami versus Boston's veteran savvy. If it becomes a war of style or playmaking, the Heat win every time, no matter how awesome Rajon Rondo is. Verdict: Thumbs up for Miami.

Don't Forget the Magic

Like the Celtics, the Orlando Magic can't fairly be dropped in with the Mavericks and Hawks of the world. This is a championship-caliber team with championship aspirations. Nothing but a ring means success, something only three other teams (the C's, Lakers and Heat) can say with a straight face. With a certain flair for indigence and the best big man in the world, the Magic are The Forget-Me-Nots.

Star Power: Dwight Howard

I'm fully convinced that having Patrick Ewing, the king of great but somehow disappointing centers, as an assistant coach has dragged Dwight Howard's name unnecessarily through the mud. Like death and taxes, you can always count on a louse or two pointing out Howard's flaws without acknowledging his amazing feats. Feats like winning three straight rebounding titles before turning 25. Like leading the league in blocks and rebounds two straight years. Like missing a whopping three games in six seasons.

Howard doesn't have Hakeem's smooth or Duncan's craft; he's just a heap of muscles and a giant set of hands. So, like Ewing and even David Robinson, he's discounted as a player not committed to getting better, to not being the man. Bull pucky. This is the best big man in the game today, an heir to Hakeem and Duncan in terms of impact on a game, any game. How quickly we forget that Howard's team has beaten LeBron and the Celtics already.

Boston has allegedly solved Dwight, right? Howard has 13 games against the Celtics in the playoffs, all in the past two postseasons. In those games, he is averaging 19 points on 65 percent shooting, with 14 rebounds and nearly three blocks a game. Orlando is 6-7 in those games.

The Celtics smoked the Magic last spring, and Howard didn't get the ball enough, partly due a lack of insistence on his part that he get the ball more, partly due to Kendrick Perkins' great defense. But just 12 months prior, Howard whipped Perkins and the C's all over the court. I know this is a world devoted to recent results, but it's a bit absurd to act as if Howard isn't amazing because he doesn't shake the way Hakeem did or call the bank like Duncan. He's an absolute beast, always getting better and typically bludgeoning his opponents. Deal with it.

People's Choice: The People are always looking out for cases of grave injustice, and if you think Marcin Gortat got jobbed, what about Brandon Bass? I know he plays sometimes, but while Gortat has "back-up center" written all over him, or maybe, just maybe, "next Nenad Krstic," Bass has over the years shown us that he might be an athletic power forward worth a starting spot. Instead, he's stuck behind Howard alongside Gortat at the five (not his natural spot), and at the four he's hampered by his lack of a 3-point shot -- the trait that keeps Rashard Lewis valuable, and the reason why Orlando values Ryan Anderson. I think Brandon Bass is seeing the best years of his life slip away like so much mud in the drain.

Wishful thinking? Maybe. But first in New Orleans, then in Dallas, Bass produced when given a chance, and provided the kind of woosh down low that teams are looking for more and more these days. FREE BRANDON BASS. There, I said it.

Also, Stanley Robinson is the new James White. His getting waived only makes the comparison more valid. (BS)

Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down

Shoals: I know the Magic win games, and their rotation might be the strongest, and deepest in the league. But Carter and Lewis are slipping. Jameer Nelson seems to have hit a ceiling, one not particularly conducive to Dwight Howard. Speaking of Howard, I just don't feel it in my bones anymore that he'll ever get his offense under control. The Magic always beat everyone in the regular season, but -- whether out of laziness or genuine gut -- it's just hard to believe they're as good as they are until they're as good as they are. I also seriously wonder if 2009 wasn't their peak. At this point, I withhold judgment until the Finals. Can they still trade for Chris Paul? Verdict: Ask me later and then make fun of me.

Ziller: Relying on Vince Carter and Rashard Lewis -- which the Magic absolutely do in the postseason -- is always tricky, and that's what worries me. That said, no one in the league can handle Howard. When you have that great a big man, you always have a chance. A Heat-Magic series would be glorious (though I have a feeling penetration by Wade and James could tire Dwight out), and something tells me Carter would be all jacked up for a chance to take out old rival Kobe in the Finals. I have no doubt the Magic could represent the East. I won't pick them over the Heat, as of now. But it's certainly within the realm of logic the Magic are a better team. Verdict: Thumbs cautiously up.

What We Like (Or, The Things We'll Miss During the Great '11-12 Season Shutdown): Marv Albert

What We Like champions the unlikely things we'll miss if the league shuts down next summer. Rob Peterson is a FanHouse producer and frequent contributor to The Works.

With the commissioner David Stern talking deep salary cuts and others whispering about contraction, it may be time to start cranking these out at a higher rate. It sure looks like a lockout is on its way, which means less basketball and less Marv Albert on TNT.

This is not a good thing. Marv is the best play-by-play man in any sport at any level. Al Michaels, the lead voice of the NFL, is running on fumes. And while I could take or leave Joe Buck in baseball, I can understand why people find him smarmy.

But Marv, who got his start in 1967 with the Knicks and spent 37 seasons with them, is still at the top of his game. Maybe it's nostalgia, but when Pat Summerall and John Madden did football games years ago, their voices sounded like autumn to me. It's the same with Albert, as Marv's ability to manipulate every syllable in a word and his sepia-vocal tones, as smooth and as warm as 12-year-old Scotch, remind me of winter.

Albert also reminds us of a time when play-by-play guys described the action and let the players provide the excitement. His call of Willis Reed coming out of the tunnel and onto the Madison Square Garden floor is simple with a hint of hyperbole at the end.

"Here comes Willis and the crowd is going wiiiild."

Like a great photojournalist (his endearing catchphrase -- YES! a simple confirmation that indeed the shot was good -- is akin to the shutter clicking), he has a great sense of the moment and says just enough to make it sound as if he's said a thousand words. Willis coming onto the floor was thrilling enough. Albert, although he was calling the game on radio, expressed the excitement without trampling the flowers in the Garden. That may be his greatest attribute. He knows greatness when he sees it and is thrilled by it but he expresses it in such a way that suggests he's tugging at your sleeve and saying, "Did you see that?" instead of what a lot of announcers do today, which is, "Do you hear what I'm saying?"

Albert knows when to talk, when to tweak -- his dry wit has zinged many a partner -- and when to be quiet. Check out his work on LeBron's game-winner against Orlando in Game 2 of the 2009 Eastern Conference Finals.

He explains the play perfectly, explains why it was important for him to talk and then lets the ambient arena noise wash the moment clean. It's hard to do it better, which is why Albert is the best. Thankfully for this season, Albert's 11th with Turner Sports, he's getting Steve Kerr back as color analyst. For the past couple seasons, Marv's been saddled with Reggie Miller, who often took crayons in both fists and smashed them across Albert's verbal Picassos.

We've been Marv-less before, which was his own fault, in the late '90s and it deprived hoops fans of a signature call about its signature player in that player's greatest moment.

Still, Albert was able to call five of Michael Jordan's six titles and none was more memorable than their first pairing. As a matter of fact, there's a word for it: spectacular. YES!

The Works is a daily column written by Bethlehem Shoals (@freedarko) and Tom Ziller (@teamziller). Their Undisputed Guide to Pro Basketball History will be available October 26.

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