News 12/29

[FLCeltsFan]

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1141815&format=text

Celtics embarrass Kings to end skid
The royal treatment

By Steve Bulpett | Monday, December 29, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics

Photo by AP
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - You say you’re feeling tired and run down? You say the road has been rising up to meet you with a series of left hooks? Don’t worry, bunky.

Take four quarters against the Sacramento Kings and call room service in the morning.

The Celtics [team stats] were good last night. The Kings were the Kings. That added up to a 108-63 slice of destruction and a welcome bit of relief after losses to the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors.

Kevin Garnett (21 points) made 10-of-11 shots, and Ray Allen (19) hit his first seven in a 7-for-8 night. The now 7-24 Kings? They were flirting with NBA-record depths before hitting a few during garbage time. As it was, their 27.9 percent shooting was a Celtic opponent low for the season. Heck, it was the low by any team in the NBA this season.

The Celts kept the hammer down and easily eclipsed their previous high margin of victory this season - a 34-pointer in Washington on Dec. 11.

The final spread is tied for the sixth-greatest in C’s history, and the 51-pointer over Philadelphia in 1962 looked to be in reach.

Considering the circumstances, you knew the Celtics were going to come out intent on getting this one. But 45 points?

“It wasn’t personal,” said Paul Pierce [stats] with a slight grin.

After the laughter had died down, he added, “It’s all business. We just came with that workman attitude, man. You know, guys got a lot of pride in here. We don’t want to lose two in a row ever. That’s just the way it ended up tonight.”

The Celts were ahead by a modest six after one quarter, and this time the bench turned it up a notch.

Eddie House finished with 15 points, and the crew also came through with the defense, turning the Kings over seven times in the second quarter while the lead swelled to 25 at the half.

“We needed it,” coach Doc Rivers said. “It was good to get one on the road out west. I thought our guys came in with amazing focus. You could see it all game. Offensively, extra passes. Defensively, everyone was focused. It was a good team win for us. I just told our guys to keep their focus and reject showtime, please. And they did.”

Regardless of the alleged competition, this was a large win for the Celtics.

“Especially after losing two in a row,” Pierce said. “We’re a little disappointed with the way we played the last couple of days, so it was good to get back on the right track and play the way we did tonight.”

The Kings’ shooting was contagious to everyone but the Celtics, who hit 51.9 percent for the game.

Twice Olympian Michael Phelps came out of the front row to take halfcourt shots during timeouts. He missed all of his attempts, whereupon the Kings tried to sign him to a 10-day contract.

At yet another break in the action, Phelps received a key to the city from new mayor and former NBA star Kevin Johnson.

For their efforts, the Kings each received a map with directions out of town.

The Celtics had their own celebrities in tow, with multi-media star Donnie Wahlberg and Garden season-ticket holders Marty Joyce and wife Lisa on the baseline near their bench.

They got to watch the Celts improve to 28-4 and maintain their one-game lead on Cleveland in the East.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1141800&format=text

Ray Allen C’s the light in second season as a Celtic

By Steve Bulpett | Monday, December 29, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics

Photo by Faith Ninivaggi
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - While most of the individual improvement talk around the Celtics [team stats] has related to Rajon Rondo [stats] and Kendrick Perkins [stats], it’s hard to ignore the strides made by Ray Allen in his second season with the club.

Allen entered last night’s game against the Sacramento Kings shooting 49.4 percent from the field - 4.9 percentage points higher than last season. He scored 19 points on 7-of-8 shooting in the 108-63 rout.

Beyond that, he appears to be more comfortable in the offense, and a lot of that has been attributed to greater familiarity and getting over ankle surgery performed prior to 2007-08.

But it is also tied to the C’s emphasis on transition offense, which is getting Allen better looks at the hoop.

“I think that’s helped me a lot, too,” Allen said. “I think last year we didn’t run as much. We played a lot of halfcourt (offense). When we came into this season, Doc (Rivers) and the coaches said we were going to run more. If I get up the floor and get to the right spots, I’m going to get good opportunities.”

Not getting the ball as much as he did in the past, Allen had occasional chilly streaks last season.

“A lot of the plays that are called for me in the halfcourt set I end up throwing the ball down to somebody else,” Allen said. “If I come off a pick, there’s usually someone with me, so I throw it down to Perk for a layup or something like that. So when my play’s called, it’s never really my shot.”

Rivers likes that Allen is now able to have an expanded role.

“Ray was talking about how he was so used to in Seattle having the ball in his hands,” Rivers said. “We’re more of a ball movement team, and that was difficult for him, going from a guy who has the ball for 18 seconds to a guy who if you don’t have the shot you move the ball.

“He’s figured it out.”

[FLCeltsFan]

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1141813&format=text

Center, enforcer Kendrick Perkins back in lineup
A much-needed Perk

By Steve Bulpett / Celtics Notebook | Monday, December 29, 2008 | www.bostonherald.com | Boston Celtics

Photo by AP
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - The news from Kendrick Perkins [stats] was good when he walked into the dressing room.

“I’m working,” he said. “I’m definitely working.”

After missing Friday’s loss at Golden State with a strained left shoulder, the Celtics [team stats] gladly welcomed back their key post presence on defense for last night’s 108-63 rout of the Sacramento Kings.

Perkins started and played 27:25. He contributed seven points and 12 rebounds to the blowout.

More important in the long term, this latest issue is not related to the two surgeries Perkins has had on the shoulder after dislocations, according to trainer Ed Lacerte. It is, however, the continuation of a problem that first arose in the preseason.

“I’m pretty confident that it’s different than what I had before,” Perkins said. “But it’s like the third time I’ve strained the same muscle in the base of the shoulder (underneath and toward the back). I guess it’s me putting so much pressure on it. Ed said it might not be the only time it happens this year.

“Every time I strain that muscle, it spasms. Man, it’s crazy. But I can’t be afraid. I don’t even worry about it like that. I can’t do nothing about it but try to strengthen it up.”

Added coach Doc Rivers: “I didn’t think it was that serious from the beginning, but I didn’t know if he’d miss one or two games. He’s the only guy with that length besides Kevin (Garnett), so when he’s not in it hurts us.”

That explains why the Celtics have been trying to acquire another big man.

“We’re always looking,” Rivers said. “We’re just looking for players. We never stop. We’re not satisfied. I don’t think any team is. And we’re fine if nothing happens, but we’re always looking. There’s no doubt about that. Size is a concern - length, not size. But we have what we have. I don’t worry a lot about it. It is a concern, but we’re doing pretty good. That’s my point.”

While Leon Powe and Glen Davis have done well inside, Patrick O’Bryant is the only player on the bench who might fit the length that Rivers seeks. But don’t be looking for him just yet.

“We’re not going to just throw someone out there,” the coach said. “You’re going to have to be what we need you to be every night before you get on the floor.”

Asked if O’Bryant could be a contributor at some point this season, Rivers said, “I don’t know yet, honestly. He’s just got to keep working. Obviously, so far I haven’t thought so yet, but he’s working and he’s going to keep improving. And when he gets to that point, we’ll throw him out there.”

Resting up

The Celtics took Saturday off and had a meeting instead of a shootaround yesterday morning. Rivers is clearly trying to preserve his players, and he agreed that fatigue has been an issue with the Celts lately.

“Well, we’ve played more games than anybody else in the NBA right now, but I guarantee you at the end everyone will play 82,” he said. “I know that’s a cute way of answering the question, but it is what it is. There’s nothing you can do about it.

“You know, the weight of the (winning) streak plus the game on Christmas (against the Lakers) and then playing the next night was a difficult thing, but I would have rather gone through the streak. It means you had one.”

“You go through some type of fatigue during the season at different points, and we’re going through one right now. We just have to get through it.”

[FLCeltsFan]

www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/other_nba/view/2008_12_29_Kobe_Bryant_leads_Lakers_past_Warriors__130-113/

Kobe Bryant leads Lakers past Warriors, 130-113
By Associated Press
Monday, December 29, 2008 - Added 7h ago


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LOS ANGELES — Kobe Bryant explained why the Celtics [team stats] had a letdown and the Lakers didn’t following the rivals’ intense game several days earlier.

"They had won 19 straight games, so they were due for a couple of bad ones," Bryant said Sunday night after scoring 31 points in Los Angeles’ 130-113 romp over the Golden State Warriors. "For us, we just wanted to move on. We were ready to go. We knew what we had to do, so it was pretty easy for us to switch gears and come out and perform."

While the Lakers breezed to a win in their first game since a 92-83 victory over defending NBA champion Boston on Christmas Day, the Celtics stumbled again the following night and lost 99-89 at Golden State. They got back on track Sunday, pounding the Kings 108-63 at Sacramento.

Bryant understands the momentum changes.

"It’s a long season, so people go through emotions and things," he said. "It’s just an energy thing, because it’s such a long season. I don’t think people truly understand how long it is, because of the travel and things like that. So you have ups and downs."

Warriors coach Don Nelson said even before playing the Lakers that they were the league’s best team. After the loss, he obviously had no reason to change his mind.

"They have the whole package and they have a chance to win the whole thing this year," he said.

He considers Bryant’s expanded role a big part of that.

"Kobe now has a grasp on the game like no other player and he controls it when he wants to," Nelson said. "He makes the players alongside him succeed and he is a real leader out there.

"He has the whole package going for him; he is not just the best player in the league but, probably the best leader," he said.

Derek Fisher added 19 points in the win and Sasha Vujacic had 17. Pau Gasol had 13 points, nine rebounds and seven assists, and Andrew Bynum chipped in with 13 points and 10 rebounds.

Jamal Crawford returned to the Warriors’ lineup after missing two games with a groin strain and scored 22 points. Marco Belinelli and Brandan Wright had 14 points apiece, and Andris Biedrins had eight points and 17 rebounds.

"Our defense wasn’t even close to what we had against Boston and it definitely showed," said the Warriors Stephen Jackson, who scored nine points. "We didn’t approach the game the same way we did the Boston game. We had more intensity, were up for that game and we weren’t today."

Los Angeles took control with a 37-point third quarter that increased the lead from 65-58 at halftime to 102-85 heading into the final period.

Notes:@ The Warriors finished with 17 turnovers that Los Angeles converted into 31 points. The Lakers had 16 turnovers that were turned into 17 points. ... The Warriors are still without leading scorer Corey Maggette (19.1 ppg), who has missed 12 games with a strained hamstring. ... The Warriors and Lakers split four games last season.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2008/12/29/kings_subjected_to_rout?mode=PF
Kings subjected to rout
Garnett and Celtics rebound in big way
By Marc J. Spears, Globe Staff | December 29, 2008

SACRAMENTO - The Celtics returned to their successful form last night by royally flushing the Kings.

Boston snapped its first two-game losing streak of the season with a stunning 108-63 rout of Sacramento at Arco Arena. The defending champions came in having lost to the defending Western Conference champion Lakers and a struggling Golden State team. But by crowning the Kings, the Celtics now have won 20 of their last 22.

"It wasn't personal," said Boston forward Paul Pierce, who had 13 points and six rebounds in 28 minutes. "It's all business. We just came with that workman[like] attitude. Guys have a lot of pride in here. We don't want to lose two in a row ever."

The 45-point margin of victory tied for the sixth-biggest ever by the Celtics and was their largest win since beating Baltimore, 153-107, Nov. 27, 1970. Boston allowed the second-fewest field goals (19) in franchise history in the shot clock era. The Kings, losers of six straight, had the fewest field goals and lowest field goal percentage (27.9) in the NBA this season.

The Kings' loss was by their largest margin at home in franchise history. Sacramento also had its fewest field goals in franchise history in the shot clock era and its fewest points at home in the Sacramento era.

"Needless to say that was a lesson well learned from the NBA champions," Kings interim coach Kenny Natt said. "They came out very hungry after dropping two games, obviously. And they did what they were supposed to do."

Said Celtics coach Doc Rivers, "Our guys came out with amazing focus."

The Celtics said defense was the reason they turned things around.

"That's our staple," said Pierce. "We feel like the last couple of games we haven't been living up to what we've been doing most of the year. We wanted to get back to that, establish our defense."

"We just stayed solid," said Rivers. "We did not make too many gambles."

The Celtics (28-4) stayed one game ahead of Cleveland (26-4) in the Eastern Conference standings and improved to 11-3 on the road. It was Boston's first win on a four-game trip that concludes tomorrow night at Portland.

Kevin Garnett had 21 points and 11 rebounds in just 23 minutes (10 of 11 from the floor) for Boston. Guard Ray Allen added 19 points in a team-high 31 minutes and center Kendrick Perkins added 12 rebounds and four blocks after missing the previous game with a left shoulder injury. The Celtics shot 51.9 percent from the field and scored 40 points in the paint.

When asked about his team's defense, Kings guard Bobby Jackson said, "What defense? It was horrible."

"We had to go back to the drawing board to the most simple of ideas for basketball," Allen said. "From passing the ball to overpassing the ball to [defending] and not worrying about what we were doing on offense."

Said Garnett: "In both games that we did lose we had a chance to win. It just came to the final parts and we lost. It's nice to get back to what we know. Doc came back to the roots of what we are. He sort of hit the refresh button, if you will."

Boston finished the first quarter with a 23-17 lead after limiting Sacramento to 25-percent shooting (6 for 24). It opened the second quarter with an 8-0 run capped by a jumper by Eddie House (15 points, three 3-pointers) to take a 31-17 lead. Boston went ahead, 48-27, after a Pierce 3-pointer with 3:46 left before halftime.

"You could see the focus from when the starters went in to when [the bench] came into the game," Allen said.

Allen added a 3-pointer with 3.2 seconds left in the second to push Boston to a mammoth 25-point halftime lead, 59-34. Boston outscored Sacramento, 36-17, and scored a season high for a second quarter.

The Celtics shot 55 percent from the field in the first half, made 12 free throws, scored 22 points in the paint, and outrebounded Sacramento, 28-16. The Kings shot just 25.7 percent from the field (9 for 35) and missed 8 of 10 3-point attempts.

The Celtics opened the third quarter with a 10-0 run finalized by an Allen 3-pointer to take a 35-point lead, 69-34. The Kings didn't score until Spencer Hawes nailed a jumper with 8:19 remaining in the third. With the game out of reach, the fans started cheering for the Celtics during Garnett's 3-point play that pushed Sacramento into an 80-42 hole with 4:23 left in the third. When Garnett went to the bench for good 15 seconds later, he received a loud ovation.

With 49.3 seconds left in the third and Boston up a commanding 82-46, the only starter still on the floor was Rajon Rondo. The Celtics finished the quarter with a 36-point lead, 84-48, and no starter played the rest of the game.

"The way it ended up tonight, we were able to open our bench and let some guys play," Pierce said. "We just executed the game plan."

[FLCeltsFan]

www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2008/12/29/perkins_back_in_business?mode=PF
Perkins back in business
By Marc J. Spears, Globe Staff | December 29, 2008

SACRAMENTO - Forward Kendrick Perkins lived up to his promise of needing just one game off when he returned to action last night, scoring 7 points and grabbing 12 rebounds in 27 minutes of the Celtics' 108-63 blowout of the Kings.

Perkins missed Friday's game at Golden State with a strained left shoulder. While the Celtics listed the 6-foot-10-inch, 280-pounder as day to day, he said before the Golden State game he planned on returning last night against Sacramento and didn't think the injury was a major concern. Perkins not only returned, but before the contest he said the short rest helped his shoulder feel "great now."

"It was more soreness than anything," Perkins said. "A few days of rest helps it a lot. It feels normal right now."

The news was just as good after the game. "It felt all right," Perkins said. "Initially in the game my timing was off a little bit. But other than that I felt good."

Perkins's shoulder will be a constant concern because of offseason surgery. He said it was the second time he had soreness in the muscle in the back of the shoulder since his surgery. But with rehabilitation and weightlifting, he doesn't expect any major problems and he wasn't wearing protective gear.

"It's nothing I should really be concerned about," Perkins said. "All I can do is keep doing my lifting and go from there."

Coach Doc Rivers said, "I didn't think it was that serious. I didn't know if he was going to be out one or two games. We were prepared either way."


Utah trip
Team president Danny Ainge will be in Utah soon to scout college games and to watch rookies J.R. Giddens and Bill Walker with the Development League's Utah Flash at the upcoming league showcase.

With no timetable for their return, Giddens and Walker are making the best of their time with the Flash and hope to impress Ainge during his first visit this season.

"I have the utmost respect for Mr. Ainge," said Giddens via phone. "He believed in me. For him to come out is a big deal. He drafted Bill and me and we want to show him we are who he drafted."

Walker added, "It will definitely be exciting to see him at the game."

Giddens was averaging 18.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.8 blocks, and a .563 field goal percentage through Dec. 26. The 30th pick in the first round of this year's draft has been hampered lately by a sprained right wrist.

"Everything is going good," Giddens said. "I'm getting minutes and time. I re-sprained my wrist and it's getting inflamed. But [the NBDL] lets us get into game shape, and right now we are going through our midseason fighting through injuries, losing streaks."

Walker was averaging 17.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1 steal and a .529 field goal percentage through Dec. 26. The 47th pick in the second round said he has been concentrating on defense.

"I've been developing at a good pace," Walker said. "I'm learning about the defensive three-second rule. I'm learning more how to guard over screens and in pick and rolls."


Efficient outing
Kevin Garnett played only 23 minutes, finishing with 21 points on 10-of-11 shooting and 11 rebounds. Rivers said he hopes to lower Garnett's minutes the rest of the season to help keep him strong, and Garnett said he was fine with whatever Rivers wanted to do . . . When asked if the Celtics have been fatigued of late, Rivers said, "We played more games than anyone else in the NBA right now. I guarantee at the end everyone will play 82. I know that's a cute way of answering the question. There is nothing you can do about it. You go through some type of fatigue during the season at different points. And we're going through it right now. We just have to get through it."

[FLCeltsFan]

www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/extras/celtics_blog/

Cs 2nd quarter @ Sacramento
Link|Comments (0) Posted by Marc J. Spears, Globe Staff December 28, 2008 09:43 PM
In case you missed it, the Cavaliers defeated Miami today which dropped them to just a half game ahead of Boston in the Eastern Conference race. If the Celtics were to lose tonight, they would only be about .004 percentage points ahead of the Cavs in the East standings. During a timeout with 5:41 left in the second quarter, Phelps was given the chance to win a Ford for a fan by just hitting the rim with a half court shot. He missed wide left and hit all glass. He's a swimmer guys and gals, not a hooper. Take a sigh of relief Celtics fans, your team looks back to form now and their legs look back, too.

Cs @ Kings 1st quarter
Link|Comments (0) Posted by Marc J. Spears, Globe Staff December 28, 2008 09:16 PM
As he promised, Celtics center Kendrick Perkins returned to action despite a left shoulder strain that kept him out last Friday at Golden State. With 11:19 left in the first quarter, a fan yelled to Perkins from behind Boston's bench after his first free throw miss that he would be him $1,000 on the second. Perkins nailed the second, but the fan got quiet shortly after. Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps and new Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson, a former NBA player, are attending the game and sitting courtside. Johnson gave Phelps a key to Sacramento. Kings co-owner Gavin Maloof gave Phelps a Kings jersey sporting the No. 8, which represents the eight gold medals during the Beijing Olympics.

[FLCeltsFan]

www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081229/SPORTS/812290351/-1/SPORTS

FREE THROWS: Not about to lose it over two losses
December 29, 2008 6:00 AM


Two games are not enough to derail an NBA season.


Maybe if the Boston Celtics were the New England Patriots, two games might make a big difference. The Pats wouldn't have had to sweat out two different games Sunday if they'd had wins against, say, the Jets and the Steelers. But for the Celtics, losses to the Lakers and the Warriors don't mean much overall.


First, the Lakers are an excellent team that had everything to prove in that game, and it could be argued that with a franchise-record 19 straight wins, the Celtics were playing on borrowed time anyway. And the Warriors always give the Celtics fits in Oakland. Neither loss will keep them from the NBA Finals.


About the only thing lost in the grand scheme of things is Boston's chances of topping the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls' season record of 72-10, and even that isn't a foregone conclusion just yet.


"We just lost the game," head coach Doc Rivers said. "We just lost. We're not going to make a big deal of this stuff. We lost a basketball game. A game on paper obviously we should win. That's it."


The Celtics didn't suffer back-to-back losses last season until mid-January, when they lost two in a row to the Washington Wizards — the only team to take a season series from the Celtics in 2007-08.


Later in the season, they survived Kevin Garnett missing significant time with a strained abdominal muscle, yet suffered a three-game collapse upon his return with losses at Denver, Golden State and Phoenix. Then, in March, they dropped two in a row with losses to New Orleans and Philadelphia.


They still finished the season at 66-16, and more importantly, won the NBA championship.


Last year, though, the Celtics held a comfortable lead over the rest of the NBA for much of the season. This year, Cleveland and Orlando are nipping at their heels for the best record, with both teams keeping right up with Boston's torrid pace out of the gate.


Naturally, there is some concern about the way the Celtics played against the Warriors. After all, they held a 10-point lead for much of the game before crumbling. But then again, it's been those "beating themselves" types of mistakes that have led to some of their four losses thus far.


"Three of the games we loss, Denver, (Golden State) and the Lakers, there is a point in the fourth quarter where we could win the game or go up a couple points, and there is a certain junction where we just end up losing the game or we didn't stop or we didn't score," Allen said in The Boston Globe.


These are the little down-swings that can plague a veteran contending team, when a two-game skid is just as worrisome as a 19-game win streak was celebratory. But it's no cause for alarm, because there's still plenty of regular-season ball to be played.


Of course, this was written before Sunday night's late start in Sacramento. If the Celtics lost to the woebegone Kings, well then by all means, start panicking.


HE COMES DIRK-CHEAP


In another sure sign of just how bad things are going these days, we now have a star NBA player talking about taking a pay cut. When has that ever happened?


Of course, Dirk Nowitzki isn't looking for less money to help billionaire owner Mark Cuban keep his fortune; instead, he's doing it to help the Mavericks be players in the big free agent market of the summer of 2010.


"Every team is trying to be a player in 2010," Nowitzki told reporters. "Every team is trying to clear money under the cap so they can make a move. I'm very fortunate that I've made a lot of money in this league, even though I've never really played for money. I love the sport. I love this organization. Obviously, I want to win ... if that means I have to play for less money, it's all possible. It's all open."


Nowitzki has an option for 2010 that, if he chooses to exercise, would play him $21.5 million. But it sounds as if he's willing to forgo that option, sign a new deal for shorter money, and hope the Mavs can land a player like LeBron James, Dwyane Wade or Nowitzki nemesis Amare Stoudemire.


HEAT SPREADING CHRISTMAS CHEER


It's not just the Florida sun that makes the Miami Heat all warm and fuzzy inside. Two big philanthropic moves showed just what big hearts two of the franchise's most recognizable faces truly have.


On Wednesday, star Dwyane Wade presented Dawn Smith with a new home, furnishings, clothes, Christmas gifts and a few months' worth of house payments, after she lost her home and all her family's possessions recently when her nephew accidentally burned down her home.


Then on Friday, Heat president Pat Riley surprised six families of soldiers who recently returned from Iraq and Afghanistan with a holiday party. It included lunch and a meet-and-greet with the Heat players, before the families were given gift cards for various stores, restaurants and gas. Riley paid $10,000 out of his own pocket as part of the event.


HAPPY NEW YEAR


Just a personal note, I think this column completes my New Year's resolution from last January, when I vowed to get through a Free Throws column at least once during the calendar year without ever mentioning Isiah Thomas or Stephon Marbury. Snuck that one in right at the deadline.


HOT


XMAS RATINGS


The Celtics-Lakers game on Christmas was the highest-rated regular-season NBA game in four years, earning a 5.3 rating. That's a 51 percent increase from last year's Lakers-Suns tilt that aired in the same timeslot.


REALLY WANTING


Oklahoma City was in such a hurry to sign center Nenad Krstic "” whose rights were owned by the Nets "” that once they signed him to an offer sheet on Monday, they sent a representative on the team charter to hand-deliver a copy to the Nets, even though it was widely accepted New Jersey wouldn't match the offer.


PINING FOR LESS


Washington's DeShawn Stevenson had been shooting a career-low 31.7 percent, so he asked interim head coach Ed Tapscott to bench him so he could try to get his game going against other teams' reserves. In doing so, he ended his streak of 275 consecutive starts, second only to Detroit's Tayshaun Prince with 380. When do you see that in the NBA?


NOT


MILLSAP ON THE SHELF


Jazz forward Paul Millsap was in the midst of 15 straight double-doubles in place of the injured Carlos Boozer, but injured his left knee on Tuesday. He's expected to sit 7-10 days.


AGENT ZERO (GP)


There are reports that Gilbert Arenas, who hasn't played at all this season due to knee issues after signing a $111 million contract this past summer, might not play for the remainder of the year. Originally, he planned to be back by Dec. 1.


YI OLD?


The Nets' Yi Jianlian was the subject of a report in the Chinese version of Sports Illustrated as one of many Chinese athletes lying about their age on official documents. Yi, who is listed as being born in 1987, was apparently born in 1984. Any chance now that it's out in the open he'll play four years better?