Bad News Barnes puttin it down...more on him later

Baron Davis made a double, between the legs crossover move on TJ Ford (aka the quickest guy in the league) last night in the Warriors 90-87 loss to the Bucks that was positively ridiculous…Ford almost fell down on the move…you have to see the highlight…

Speaking of TJ Ford, he really has comeback player of the year on lockdown…through Monday Ford was averaging 15.4 points, 10.2 assists and 2.2 steals…and did you see his follow-up dunk against the Clippers on Tuesday night? Wow…a two-hand flush out of nowhere of a Jamaal Magloire miss over Chris Kaman.

Is there a weaker 7 footer in the league than Mark Blount? At 7 feet even and 260 lbs. He’s averaging 13.1 points, which is OK, but also just 3.4 boards a game, which at his size is atrocious…

Paul Pierce passed Bill Sharman for 10th on the all-time Celtics scoring list and now has 12,289 points…

So the Raptors fell to 0-8 by losing to the Sixers last night…however, some teams have still made the playoffs after getting off to worse stars:

Year Team W-L
1996-97 Phoenix Suns 0-13
2004-05 Chicago Bulls 0-9
1984-85 Cleve. Cavs 0-9
1967-68 Chicago Bulls 0-6

That being said, the Raps are not going to the playoffs, this is just for posterity…

Vlade is irritated after all… Divac said Wednesday he was surprised to learn that his home country was accusing him of avoiding its military draft. Serbia-Montenegro's army says it has filed charges against him. Divac, 37, was obliged by law to join the compulsory six-month military service by the age of 35, the country's state prosecutors' office said earlier Wednesday.

If you’re a stat head, click on the link below for an article comparing past and present stars which is fascinating:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/writers/82games/11/15/similarity/index.html

If you saw any of this, it was like Duke was playing against a bunch grade 6 kids….J. Redick scored 18 points as top-ranked Duke completely destroyed Seton Hall 93-40 in the quarterfinals of the NIT Season Tip-Off. The Pirates actually missed 22 straight shots to fall behind by 30 at the half and ended up with the second-worst loss in program history. It is the biggest margin of defeat for Seton Hall since a 104-62 loss to Villanova in February 1972, and ranks second only to a 64-point loss to Cincinnati in January 1958.

This link will generate endless debate: http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=hoops/tournament/index

God save us…Tony Parker is looking to sign a contract to release his rap single "Top of the Game," but he hopes to have an album out this summer. Parker said he has written 10 songs with plans to do 10 more. 'I try to keep it on the down low because I don't want it to be a distraction for the team,' Parker said."

1) From Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star, Jermaine O’Neal is big and strong and…well…a wimp:

O'Neal finding post play a grind - He'll be happy when injured centers return and he can get back to his forward position

Jermaine O'Neal recently rolled both ankles. He's wearing a brace on his strained left knee. And he popped a blood vessel in his left hand. The Indiana Pacers forward will still be in the starting lineup for tonight's game at Charlotte. He also wants to play in all 82 games this season. But the constant pounding in the post from having to fill in for the team's injured centers has started to take a toll. "The only minus of me playing center is that it wears on my body a little bit," he said. "I'm already getting double teamed and people are sitting on me on the defensive end. "I don't necessarily like playing center because I'm able to roam more at the four (power forward) position. What's happening now is that I'm still roaming, but we really don't have that center to help. I have to be able to adjust to the situations and find a way to get through this." O'Neal has played center at times in the past, but it has been his primary position this season because of injuries to David Harrison, Scot Pollard and Jeff Foster, the projected starter. Pollard is back after recovering from a calf injury. Harrison could play tonight after missing the past two games with a back injury. Foster is out for at least another week. O'Neal started his first game of the season at power forward against Milwaukee on Saturday, but he knows he will still spend ample time at center. He's shooting 39.6 percent from the field the past three games after shooting at least 50 percent in the first three games. "There's no question that playing the five is more physically taxing than the four," Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. "At the five, you're going to be grinding. We hope at some point we can get back to the other way where he's playing mostly at the four spot." O'Neal doesn't like playing the position because he doesn't see himself as a true center despite being 6-11 and weighing a solid 260 pounds. "I look at him as a forward myself," Carlisle said. "When you look at centers, you look at bigger, thicker, more lumbering-type players. He's anything but that. The fact he has the ability to use his quickness against bigger guys is a real plus." When he's not settling for jumpers, O'Neal presents matchup problems because he has the ability to face up and take his man off the dribble for a layup or draw a foul. O'Neal is second on the team in free throw attempts with 41. "That's a matchup we definitely have to exploit when we have that advantage," Pacers guard Stephen Jackson said. "Those big guys have a hard time guarding him because he's quicker than they are." The offense changes somewhat with O'Neal at center. The Pacers usually have a shooter -- Austin Croshere, Danny Granger or Ron Artest -- playing power forward. Teams can't double down on O'Neal, who is averaged 2.5 assists a game, as much because that usually leaves an open man on the perimeter. "He's doing a much better job of working opponents into the paint and getting clean looks or making passes out for wide-open shots," Carlisle said. "That's a real key because teams are going to sag in a lot on him. When they do, he has been able to get to that position and make the right decisions." What does O'Neal plan to do to make sure his body doesn't continue to get beat up? "I just have to do my work, continue to stay in the weight room and get stronger," he said. "I have to play whatever position (Carlisle) wants me to play."

2) Marty Burns of SI.com reports that Kwame Brown still sucks:

Lost - Brown still struggling to find groove with Lakers

Before his team's dreadful loss at Memphis on Monday night, Lakers coach Phil Jackson took a moment to mull life without Shaquille O'Neal. "With Shaq, you had someone you can throw the ball inside to," he said. "That made it a lot easier for players and coaches to have someplace to go when tough times were happening out there defensively against your ballclub." Gee, ya think? Forgive the Zen Master for stating the obvious. It's just that when Kwame Brown is your main frontcourt option, you're bound to be singing the Memphis blues sooner or later. Yes, it's still early but there's no way to sugarcoat it. Brown's approval ratings are falling faster than President Bush's. Through seven games the 6-foot-11 power forward -- and former No. 1 overall pick -- is averaging just over six points and six rebounds in 28 minutes. He's shooting 39.6 percent from the floor. He's getting in early foul trouble. He's committing 2.71 turnovers per game. In fact, the only area in which Brown has been Shaq-like is from the foul line, where he's hitting 46.7 percent. Against the Grizzlies, Brown had seven points (on 3-of-14 shooting) and eight rebounds before fouling out in the final minutes. The game before, a loss at Philadelphia, he finished with as many turnovers and fouls (four each) as he did points. He did have 10 points and 13 rebounds against the T'wolves last week, but it marked his only double-double of the season. To be fair, Brown has been bothered of late by a sprained left thumb. He's also hardly been the only Laker to struggle. Chris Mihm hasn't exactly been killing foes under the basket either. Like many of his teammates, Brown clearly is still trying to learn the triangle offense. As Jackson keeps saying, the former Georgia high school phenom "is a work in progress." But the Lakers have got to be getting nervous. The fact is Brown has shown no sign of being the consistent low-post presence the team hoped when it acquired him (along with Laron Profit) from the Wizards last summer for Caron Butler and Chucky Atkins. Like Mihm, he just disappears too many nights. The question for the Lakers is how long will they wait on the kid with the Ferrari body and the Go-Kart motor? With Jackson and Kobe Bryant both having so much to prove this season, neither is likely to have much patience. How long before they decide to cut their losses and shake up the lineup, maybe go small with Luke Walton (who will soon return from his hamstring injury) or seek a trade for a veteran like P.J. Brown or Joe Smith? "The first thing we use to evaluate everybody is how we play as a team, and are we winning as a team," Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak said by phone on Tuesday. "Right now I don't think anybody is playing very well. We've lost three straight games. You can't look to one player as to why we are or are not playing well." For now the Lakers remain optimistic. They point out that Brown is still just 23 years old and that he only recently shed the splint on his thumb. They say he's generally worked hard and shown no signs of the poor attitude that poisoned his tenure with the Wizards. They also say his teammates have to do a better job of getting him the ball. "He's still trying to figure out the triangle and where his shots are coming from," veteran assistant Frank Hamblen says. "Everybody's sort of trying to find their way right now." But having to learn a new offense doesn't excuse Brown from committing silly fouls, failing to box out, bricking free throws and fumbling the ball away. Against Memphis, he botched several field-goal attempts right under the rim. Grizzlies TV color analyst Michael Cage, the former NBA rebounding machine, pointed out that Brown seemed to be rushing his shots. Cage said it was a matter of "concentration" and knowing who's around you under the basket. Or was Brown rushing it because his foul shooting is so poor that he doesn't want to go to the stripe? Whatever the case, Brown appears to be a player whose focus and confidence ebbs and flows. While it might be true the Lakers don't look to him in the post enough, he has to fight for better position. Jackson says he also has to avoid the tendency to let his lack of touches affect his overall play. Jackson cites as an example a game against the Suns in which Brown fought for position one time in the post only to be ignored. He then failed to hustle back on defense, allowing his man to score while compounding the error by picking up a foul at the other end. Jackson later showed Brown the play on film. "We thought this kid would be a natural out there for a double-double on any given night in the NBA," Jackson said at the time. "We have to really get after him to meet those expectations." Will Brown, who famously chafed under Michael Jordan's stern hand in Washington, respond to Jackson or Bryant's no-nonsense prodding? "They talk about a fresh new start for him [in L.A.]," one Wizards insider says. "But Kobe Bryant is very much in the Michael Jordan mode, in terms of [getting on his teammates]. If they keep losing, Kwame might feel like he's back where he started. Like he's in a time warp." Kupchak says he believes Brown will be fine. He notes that he has been a hard worker and willing pupil to Lakers coaches since training camp. He also calls Brown the team's "best post defender for sure" and says offensive stats shouldn't be the sole criteria for his performance. "Kwame's got great size and athleticism. He wants to learn. And he's only 23 years old," Kupchak says. "There's no reason [to think] he's not going to continue to get better as he finds a better comfort level." Kupchak also disputes the notion that Lakers playoff hopes this season rest on Kwame's shoulders. "We have to get production from all our players in order to be a playoff team," he says. "It's a little early to be putting pressure anywhere. We've got a new group of players, a new system, and they're still learning to play together." Lakers fans can only hope Kupchak is right. In the meantime, they can join the Zen Master in remembering what it was like to have Shaq.

3) Oscar Dixon of USATODAY.com reports on the state of the league 1 year after the malice at the palace:

One year later: NBA on the rebound

Over the past 12 months, NBA Commissioner David Stern has been hammering home his point that the league needed to improve its image. A fan code of conduct, a player dress code and a community outreach program have all been created in the aftermath of "the brawl" between the Indiana Pacers and Detroit Pistons, one year ago Saturday. "The perception problem was there, and therefore it was real," says Stern. "We were focusing on that issue even before the brawl, but it certainly was an exclamation point in terms of perceptions of NBA players. We've got to do a better job of both acknowledging it and working to correct it." The altercation at the Palace of Auburn Hills in Michigan developed into fisticuffs between players and fans, described as the ugliest melee in sports. Lawsuits and criminal charges for players and fans followed. Five Pacers and four Pistons were suspended by Stern, most notably Indiana's Ron Artest for the rest of the season. The commissioner stopped short of saying the incident set the league back to the 1970s, when its image was of drugs and militants. "I didn't see that at all," Stern says. "In fact, in a funny kind of way, business was OK. ... Dress codes are a separate issue, a lot less important, but apparently more important to a lot of people than we would have thought." Stern refutes claims by players that the dress code is racist but adds that race is always an issue with the NBA. "Every employer has certain norms without it becoming an issue of race," he says. "It's about professionalism, respect for the game, respect for its history, tradition and the like. But anyone who would deny there is always a lingering issue of race about the NBA would be in denial." The new code of conduct outlines acceptable fan behavior and limits the sale of beer. Although Stern would not go into specifics about security concerns after the incident, he said visibility of arena staffs was increased around the league. The community outreach program — NBA Cares — set a goal in the next five years to raise $100 million for charity, donate 1 million hands-on community service hours and build 100 places where kids can learn and play. "I think the (brawl) made the league and the players more conscious of our responsibility to the public," says Joe Dumars, the Pistons' president of basketball operations. The NBA got "image religion" after the incident, says Paul Swangard, managing director of the Warsaw Sports Marketing Center at the University of Oregon. He says the fallout forced the league to come to grips with a brand image already tarnished by the Kobe Bryant rape trial. "I think they've survived," he says. "They've done a much better job showcasing how much their players and the league do for communities and charities." Artest was at the center of the melee. He charged into the stands after being hit with a plastic cup. The suspension cost him $5.4 million and the Pacers a shot at the NBA title. Artest has vowed it won't happen again but says the brawl is not part of the Pacers' locker room conversations. "It's not that we purposely don't bring it up," he says. "We know that's not what we're about. We know a lot of people on the team are doing great things. Jermaine (O'Neal) donates millions and millions of dollars to charity. (Stephen Jackson) donates thousands and thousands to poor people. The things we do are bigger than that one day. That's why we've moved on." Artest, O'Neal (25 games) and Jackson (30 games) received the stiffest penalties. O'Neal's suspension was reduced 10 games by an arbitrator, who cited the player's citizenship and community involvement. "Unfortunately, we had to be a learning tool for all professional sports, and nobody wants that to happen," O'Neal says. "Me and Ron talked numerous times about what we could've done to prevent that situation from happening. So, knowing is half the battle." Allen Adamson, managing director of Landor image consultancy in New York, says the NBA has "rebounded nicely" but can't afford another incident. "There's so much other news in sports, and people's memories fade fast," Adamson says. "They've gotten a good, clean start this year. If anything else happens, however, it won't be so easy to correct." Pistons players now stop to sign autographs after a game, and the team holds a photo night at Saturday home games. "Everyone is more focused on presenting the best that the league has to offer, rather than the worst," says Dumars. That philosophy is behind Stern's institution of a dress code, which has created much buzz. "It's about perceived limits, professionalism and even in some quarters a discussion of what dress generally is meant to signify," Stern says. Washington Wizards All-Star Antawn Jamison saw the dress code coming. "It's now to the point where we're trying to ease fans' minds a little bit," he says. "You're going to have one group that is young and enjoy the hip-hop culture, but the corporate people and the people who are buying the expensive seats are (from) the Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan era. They want to see it back to that era. Maybe we need some more time to know how to change the perception." Stern says the dress code doesn't mean the league will discontinue its relationship with hip-hop entertainers. "No, no, not at all." Stern likes to emphasize the awareness that came in the aftermath of the brawl: "There is a line that can't be breached between fans and players. That has to be left to security and others. We can't have vigilante action. We've got to say no to certain fan behavior. A ticket to a game is not a license for reprehensible behavior. We have to recognize that we have a relationship with our fans. We've got to work harder to nurture it, to do a better job of getting (them) to know our players in a way that they should." Seattle SuperSonics star Ray Allen says the best thing that has happened is the reduction in heckling from the fans. Allen says all players have dealt with situations where they have wanted to run into the stands. He knows there are some players who fans just don't respect. But both must exercise good judgment and restraint. "We all know what our jobs are," Allen says. "That line was crossed. Now fans and players know there are repercussions."

4) Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald confirms one of the most outrageous stories in NBA history:

Barnes comes off bench with claims

The claim has been out there on the edge of public knowledge for years. But when Marvin Barnes went on Bob Costas’ HBO program and claimed again that he’d snorted cocaine while on the Celtics bench at the old Boston Garden back in the 1978-79 season, he seemed to catch some people close to the situation off guard. Ernie DiGregorio doesn’t believe his old Providence College running mate, but Dave Cowens was floored by the acknowledgement. “Did he really?” said Cowens from Chicago, where he’s preparing to coach a WNBA expansion team. “Wow. That’s the first time I’ve heard that one. Wow.” Cowens was player-coach of the Celtics for most of the ’78-79 season. “I didn’t know anything about it,” Cowens said. “I guess I was busy.” Barnes actually played well for a short time after coming over in a franchise trade with Buffalo. But he began missing games and practices, and soon the Celtics were seeking to terminate his contract. According to Jan Volk, then general counsel to the Celts, the sides reached a settlement in which Barnes was paid for the rest of that season but had the final two years of his contract voided. “All I know is there came a time where we had to tell him he couldn’t play for us any more,” said Cowens. “We had to get rid of him. It was a crazy situation with our team that year. We had a lot of people coming in and out. But Marvin was an interesting case. It doesn’t surprise me that he was doing drugs. “It surprises me that he was doing it at a game. I mean, you’ve got to have some real problems if you’re doing it on the bench during a game. That’s pretty desperate. That shows how little control he had over his life at that point.” DiGregorio, now the celebrity host at Foxwoods, said he was with Barnes on Tuesday and spoke to him again yesterday. “I don’t believe he did cocaine on the bench,” DiGregorio said. “I love Marvin, but I think he’s just saying that. I believe a lot of the things that have happened to him that are documented – the time in prison, the time living on the street, all the drug rehabs. But that one I find hard to believe.” Cedric Maxwell was also with Barnes and the Celtics in ’78-79, and though he, too, wonders about the veracity of blow on the bench, Maxwell is well aware of that time in the NBA and society. Maxwell also believes he knows when Barnes fell back into his habit. “Marvin was a good guy, and he played well the first 15 or 20 games of the season,” Maxwell said. “He was on time for everything and he was great. Then the worst thing in the world happened. We had a game in St. Louis, his old (ABA) stomping grounds. I had the room right beside Marvin, and when I came back from the game the music was blaring and it stayed that way until the wake-up call the next morning. That was it. Marvin was never the same. “But he definitely wasn’t alone in doing drugs. There were guys on our team and on different teams that did coke. I had a player from another team come to my house one night, and this is how naive I was. I was living out in Framingham and he comes to my door with some guy from the building. He asks me if I have any baking powder, and I’m thinking, they’re cooking cakes at this hour? Then he asked for some ammonia. I’m like, damn, they’re cleaning, too?” The best part of the Barnes tale is that he’s again on his feet, working with a non-profit organization and helping children in the Providence area. “He’s doing great,” DiGregorio said. “Most people who did what he did would be dead, but Marvin’s got himself together. “People should know his story. He was such a great player. Here’s a guy who after practice went right to the weight room and was always working on his body and watching what he ate. Then he just deteriorated over the years and became a shell of himself. He became a drug addict. That should be a lesson to everyone.”

5) Chris Mannix of SI.xom ranks the rookies so far:

Bumper crop - Paul, Bogut top NBA Rookie Power Rankings

A few weeks into the season and the league's deepest team is ... the Clippers? Amazing but true. A solid core of young players gives Mike Dunleavy a team so deep, some promising talent is even being forced to the sidelines. Undrafted rookie forward James Singleton was one of the Clippers' biggest surprises early, but the return of Corey Maggette has sent Singleton back to the bench (three straight DNP-CDs). Expect the same cold reception to await Daniel Ewing (5.4 ppg, 2.3 apg) when second-year point guard Shaun Livingston returns to the lineup next month. For once, though, the Clippers do not lead the NBA's kiddie corps, which may portend good things for the future of the league's rookie crop. Two weeks into the season, let's take a look at where they stand. (All statistics through Sunday.)

1 Chris Paul, PG, Hornets (15.4 ppg, 4.8 apg) - Can you imagine what the 2-3 Hornets would be like without Paul? Already an excellent ballhandler, Paul is a 3-point shot away from All-Star consideration. He poured in a career high 26 against Mavericks Saturday

2 Andrew Bogut, C, Bucks (9.2 ppg, 8.8 rpg) - His numbers have plateaued, but Bogut is still a double-double threat every night. He's an aggressive rebounder who has shown a feathery touch from the perimeter. Needs to stay out of foul trouble (3.8 fpg).

3 Jose Calderon, G, Raptors (7.8 ppg, 7.2 apg) - The winless Raptors have bottomed out, but Calderon might be the best of a trio of talented rookies. He's third among rookies in minutes (28.2) despite coming off the bench. Toronto coach Sam Mitchell has experimented with a Calderon-Mike James backcourt that was successful in the Raptors overtime loss to Seattle.

4 Deron Williams, PG, Jazz (11.4 ppg, 3.6 apg) - Time for Utah coach Jerry Sloan to take the leash off Williams, who has been limited by a platoon system with Keith McLeod and Milt Palacio. Williams showed flashes of brilliance last week in New Jersey, but must improve his shooting (39.7 percent) to be effective. A sprained ankle could slow him down this week.

5 Channing Frye, C, Knicks (10.4 ppg, 6.2 rpg) - Might the Knicks actually have quality depth in their frontcourt? Jury's out, but Frye is making a compelling case. Scored 19 points in 17 minutes to help the Knicks to their first win of the season and is first in points/48 minutes (28.6) among rookie regulars.

6 Salim Stoudamire, PG, Hawks (9.7 ppg, 42.9 3FG%) - Why are Arizona guys so underrated? Stoudamire's silky stroke is reminiscent of another Wildcat (and former second-round pick), the Wizards' Gilbert Arenas. Buyer Alert: The Hawks' winless record and crowded backcourt make Stoudamire prime trade bait.

7 Charlie Villanueva, PF, Raptors (11.0 ppg, 4.8 rpg) - Hello, Charlie. This versatile scorer took SI's advice and became more assertive -- eight free throw attempts against Seattle -- in the paint. Our next pearl of wisdom? Get in the lane and stay there. Poor shooting (25.0 percent) from beyond the arc is not helping his numbers.

8 Sean May, PF, Bobcats (9.1 ppg, 16.9 rpg) - May's steadily improving play has made Melvin Ely expendable in Charlotte. May is a strong scorer who must improve his weak rebounding (4.1 rpg) if he wants to stay in Bobcats' frontcourt rotation with Emeka Okafor and Primoz Brezec.

9 Marvin Williams, SF, Hawks (8.0 ppg, 48.7 FG%) - It's about time the second overall draft pick cracked the top 10. Defensive struggles have limited his offensive opportunities, but last week Williams turned in back-to-back 12-point performances on a torrid 76.9 percent shooting. Still, he's not much of a perimeter threat -- he's made only three attempts from behind the 3-point line this season.

10 Sarunas Jasikevicius, G, Pacers (6.2 ppg, 46.2 3FG%) - Savvy guard played entire fourth quarter in key win against Miami last week and is among the most accurate 3-point shooters in the league. His defense is still suspect, as Jasikevicius has struggled defending quicker point guards