Last night’s Heat-Nets game was a thrilla…Vince Carter posterized Alonzo “In” Mourning twice last night with the 2nd one being a vicious, one handed 2 foot tomahawk off a loose ball that he cocked back to shoulder height, met Mourning in mid-air, absorbed the contact and then flushed it right on the big fella’s head….just vicious and maybe a top 5 VC dunk…of course, Dwyane Wade had a 360 layup that was nice and then blocked Carter’s weak fadeaway in the dying seconds to seal the game…Back to Mourning…He was dunked on four times — three times by Vince Carter and once by Richard Jefferson…."That is the first time in my career I've been dunked on in a game four times," said Mourning. "Four times is a lot. The last one is going to be on Vince's highlight reel for a long time." Go to nba.com and the broadband video section for the Carter dunk of the night…

Trade rumour: Any Knick forward for any Blazer forward…that’s how ridiculous it’s getting…

Kobe Bryant has 109 points in his 1st three games on around 50% shooting…be afraid…very afraid…

1) Richard Justice of the Houston Chronicle reports that Jeff Van Grumpy met with the commish in the off-season:

Van Gundy brings Stern a message

Bill Parcells suggested Jeff Van Gundy go see David Stern. Not to apologize or plead his case, but simply to sit down and chat. "To clear the air," Van Gundy said Monday. A few days before the start of training camp, Van Gundy asked for an appointment with the guy who fined him $100,000 and threatened to throw him out of the NBA last spring. Stern invited him to New York. They had breakfast at a diner in Connecticut. "I don't want to be seen as someone unappreciative of all the NBA has done for me," Van Gundy said. "I'm an employee of the NBA. He's the commissioner. I've benefited from the NBA probably more than anyone." He declines to reveal details of the conversation. He apparently wanted nothing more than a dialogue and some bit of understanding. They'd barely known one another before that morning. They'd sparred back and forth in the media over the years. Stern once suspended Patrick Ewing during the playoffs. Van Gundy fired back. Then last spring, Van Gundy accused NBA officials of targeting Yao Ming during a playoff series with Dallas. Although he never said it, his comments hinted at some darker conspiracy against his Rockets. Big mistake…Stern, already tired of coaches whining about officiating, called the comments "a new low." He slapped Van Gundy with a record fine and said that might not be the end of it. "If he's going to say things like that, he's not going to continue in this league," Stern said. Parcells telephoned Van Gundy a couple of days later. He told him he'd once had a similar issue with NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue. Instead of hoping the thing went away, Parcells had gone to see Tagliabue. He didn't offer an apology, and Tagliabue didn't seek one. They simply talked. Parcells suggested Van Gundy do the same thing with Stern. That morning, Stern and Van Gundy talked about everything from the NBA's dress code to the upcoming season to, finally, their dispute last spring. "I wanted him to know I wasn't some guy always fighting," Van Gundy said. In the early days of a new season, last spring's battles seem like they're 1,000 years away. Van Gundy says now he handled the matter badly. Yet it made himself something of a folk hero in Houston. Fans who saw him as the outsider who replaced Rudy Tomjanovich suddenly grew to like him. They suddenly viewed him as someone willing to stand up to authority. They appreciated that. "I was overwhelmed by the reaction," he said. Fans wanted to take up money to pay the fine. The Rockets received hundreds of notes and telephone calls. They got a few dozen 100 Grand candy bars. If he had it to do all over again ... "If I'd just said, 'Yao's getting screwed, and I'm tired of it,' " he said, "I would have gotten a $10,000 fine. That would have been the end of it. "I could have said it differently. I should have said it differently. I did the wrong thing. You can talk off the cuff on occasion. You should never talk off the cuff when you're emotional. "You've just lost two games at home you should have finished. So you're mad about that. Then you're ticked off about Yao sitting out for what you think are dubious calls. Now you're being told they've overlooked some other dubious calls. "Were you being screwed? No. Could they have made a mistake? Yeah. I think I'm right in what I said. I'm totally wrong in how I said it." Now he's shaping and cajoling a new team. His mood is somewhere between angry and disappointed after two sloppy games. He questioned his players' effort on Monday. He said he couldn't even begin to address technical things until his players showed more energy. He wondered if the older guys still had the same drive they once had. "Everyone reaches a point where it's not quite as important to them," he said. "Most athletes lose it mentally before they lose it physically." If his players think he's obsessive and tough to live with, they should have known him five years ago. Two of Van Gundy's assistant coaches, Ewing and Charlie Ward, joke that he has gone soft. The truth is that he loves this team. He loves its attitude and approach. He loves the players. He also loves the NBA. And that, more than anything else, is what he wanted David Stern to know.

2) Mike Kahn of Foxsports.com with his 10 things column:

10 things we learned this week

Less than one week into the 2005-06 NBA season, and we're already fantasizing about how many cookies and ice cream sandwiches Miami Heat center Shaquille O'Neal will devour whiling the hours away with his sprained right ankle in a boot. And even at 26, Tracy McGrady's back issues continue to mount and leave everybody wondering if he will ever accomplish what his vast skills promise. Indeed, there are a lot of the same questions of seasons past still lingering, but when three of the four teams that started 3-0 are the Los Angeles Clippers, Milwaukee Bucks and Washington Wizards (the Detroit Pistons are the fourth), then you know progress is being made as well.

1. Item: O'Neal was injured in the fourth quarter of a loss to the Indiana Pacers when he landed on Ron Artest's foot grabbing a rebound and rolled his right ankle in the process. The prognosis was Shaq won't be back for 2-4 weeks. What this really means: It's most likely to require four weeks before the Big Fella is back, and if history tells us anything, he'll return as a Bigger Fella. He's noticeably heavier than he was last season, claiming it was intentional because he felt weak late last season. Well, we just saw precisely why he's better off weighing 325 rather than the 340 or so he weighed at the time of injury. At 33, O'Neal continues to break down, and the additional weight isn't going to make things any easier. With their 1-2 start, Gary Payton already is questioning the play-calling from coach Stan Van Gundy, Antoine Walker threw up too many of those trademark ugly perimeter shots late in the loss to the Pacers, and despite the denials with president Pat Riley watching, pressure is building early — even without O'Neal. It just brings to mind the thought before Riley felt it necessary to trade for Walker, Jason Williams and James Posey, plus signing Payton — why all the changes? With a slimmed down O'Neal and a healthy Dwyane Wade, they were eminently capable of winning the East. With O'Neal overweight, injured, and the baggage the others have toted along, it seems such a shame that Wade must deal with all of this when he was just on the brink of doing what was necessary to win without all the distractions.

2. Item: McGrady strained his back while dunking during Houston Rockets practice on Monday. It's not a spinal cord problem, but it's a chronic spinal column problem. What this really means: McGrady is expected to be out three weeks to make it right. But it was just a week ago, coach Jeff Van Gundy wondered aloud how McGrady could compete with such badly arthritic knees. Now that old bad problem has resurfaced. Many people believe McGrady had finally taken the next step last season when he played spectacularly a good portion of the Rockets first-round playoff series with the Dallas Mavericks. But the fact of the matter is, the Rockets took a 2-0 lead on the road and still blew the series. Granted, McGrady and Yao Ming had virtually no help, and they've added a much stronger supporting cast this year. But McGrady could very well be representative of this new generation of stars who entered the NBA so young — which translates into physically breaking down younger than their predecessors as well. Hopefully, we're wrong, but the sight of anguish on McGrady's face from one malady or another has become all too familiar, and that's bad news for the NBA in general and the Rockets in particular.

3. Item: The Sacramento Kings figured to be the favorites to win the Pacific Division and take a good run at the San Antonio Spurs if everyone was healthy down the stretch. But the Kings lost their first two games — including a humiliating loss to the woeful Hornets in Oklahoma City — before pulling out a last second win in Phoenix on Sunday night. What this really means: The additions of Shareef Abdur-Rahim and Bonzi Wells to Mike Bibby, Peja Stojakovic and Brad Miller seemed a perfect fit. But when Bibby and Stojakovic began the season 13-of-49 from the field in the first two losses, it created other thoughts. Stojakovic is coming off a down year and the expectations of Bibby becoming a leader just don't seem to fit his personality. Coach Rick Adelman has had an uncanny knack of being able to put any group of personalities together, and get them to perform. That Stojakovic scored 20 of his 33 points in the third quarter of the win in Phoenix says it's way too early to come to any conclusions, but what we do know is it will be up to Bibby and Stojakovic to consistently perform at an All-Star level if the Kings are going to win the 50-55 games that seemed inevitable.

4. Item: Last year, the Denver Nuggets finished the season 32-8 with George Karl as coach after a 17-25 start with Jeff Bzdelik and Michael Cooper. They became the vogue pick to win the Northwest Division and perhaps a No. 2 seed in the West. But just like last season when Voshon Lenard tore his Achilles' tendon on opening night, young big man Nene went down with a torn ACL, torn meniscus cartilage and sprained MCL in his right knee. What this really means: This is going to be a huge test for Karl, who was suspended for the first two games for unwittingly violating NBA rules by watching players eligible for the draft last spring under a controlled workout. It's too early to panic with a 1-3 start, but the 20-point loss at Los Angeles to the Lakers Sunday night was a sign that all is not right in Nuggetville. The signing of point guard Earl Watson to a five-year deal made no sense at the time and still doesn't unless they're going to trade starter Andre Miller. It would be very difficult to move Watson's contract come Dec. 15 when that becomes possible, so again, what are they going to do? Tiny Earl Boykins is one of the best sixth men in the game, and Watson is too small himself to be paired with Boykins, and Miller is barely big enough to check two-guards (and that's a stretch). Furthermore, president Kiki Vandeweghe remains a lame duck, and the expectations after last year's finish were out of control. It's up to Georgie K., and you know the mad scientist/competitor in him loves every minute of it.

5. Item: For the first time in 20 years, the Los Angeles Clippers have begun a season 3-0. Winning at Seattle, trouncing Atlanta, then hanging on at home to defeat Minnesota bodes well for coach Mike Dunleavy and his crew. But for how long? What this really means: Had the Clippers actually drafted any of the next five players taken after they stunningly chose Yaroslav Korolev, that would have helped. But seriously, it's the backcourt of Sam Cassell and Cuttino Mobley that has jump-started this team. That's good and bad. It's good because they're both explosive players capable of taking over games. It's bad because they're both incredibly streaky, with Cassell — soon to be 36 — increasingly injury prone the past couple of seasons. Perhaps more importantly, they've done this without last year's leading scorer Corey Maggette, who's been nursing a hamstring injury. Elton Brand remains All-Star caliber, and to deny them as playoff contenders would be ludicrous, even though they haven't reached .500 in 13 seasons. The problem has always seemed to be a combination of bad karma from owner Donald Sterling and bad decisions by general manager Elgin Baylor. The Korolev pick aside, Dunleavy has this team on track and that means it all comes down to the Donald West ... how will he detract from this year's run?

6. Item: The New York Knicks are 0-3 as new coach Larry Brown keeps spinning the wheel of players that president Isiah Thomas spent a fortune to compile. What this really means: L.B. is just getting a handle on who will play the game the right way (his way) and who won't. In Sunday's loss to Golden State at Madison Square Garden, the best run they had was with their three rookies — Channing Frye, Nate Robinson and David Lee — playing with youngsters Trevor Ariza and Jamal Crawford (a high school teammate of Robinson's in Seattle). The average age of that quintet is 22 and completely against L.B.'s theory of winning basketball. Although Crawford has been dazed and confused after being suddenly yanked from the starting lineup, the real suspects are Jerome James, Stephon Marbury and Quentin Richardson (not to mention the bizarre conditioning and health of Eddy Curry). Nobody expected Brown to embrace Thomas' veterans, but he is unequivocally in love with the rookies — at least for now. Just how long it takes before a major overhaul of this roster, again, transpires, is anyone's guess. But if they can unload James, Richardson and Mo Taylor, they're gone in an instant. Marbury, as his three previous trades have revealed, is a more difficult piece to move — especially with a huge contract. But if Thomas and Brown are really committed to each other, they'll add some character guys to fit in with the youngsters and dump the overpaid, under-performing veterans they have now. P.S., didn't that Anfernee Hardaway used to be Little Penny?

7. Item: For all the criticism Milwaukee Bucks general manager Larry Harris took for the way he handled the firing of Terry Porter and Desmond Mason's outburst after he was traded with a No. 1 pick for Jamaal Magloire, they have all the makings of the "It" team of 2005-06. What this really means: A 3-0 start is great, but there are 79 games left. Nonetheless, Harris seems to have pushed all the right buttons. Of course, they've gotten a huge lift from the return of point guard T.J. Ford, who missed 19 months following corrective spinal surgery. But he was the eighth overall pick in 2003. Add in this season's No. 1 overall selection Andrew Bogut next to Magloire, plus the free agent signing of still improving small forward Bobby Simmons, and they have a brand new crew around All-Star gunner Michael Redd. New coach Terry Stotts has a wonderful temperament and understanding of the game that earned him another shot as a head coach after spending time in Atlanta's revolving door, and last year as an assistant at Golden State. And what everyone seems to also underrate is Harris also built a nice bench of Toni Kukoc, Joe Smith, Mo Williams, Dan Gadzuric and Jiri Welsch. That being said, they are not a lock for the playoffs, but they could be this season's surprise in the postseason by the time ice melts and the flowers bloom along Lake Michigan.

8. Item: Doomsayers were lurking around the two-time defending Eastern Conference champion Detroit Pistons. The word was with Larry Brown bolting for New York, no way coach Flip Saunders would get the same commitment out of them. Well, three wins later, those same critics are doing a, uh, flip-flop. What this really means: Saunders was an ideal replacement for Brown in a multitude of ways. While he is demanding of defense, he is far more flexible and creative in defensive approach because Brown's principles are so grounded in man-to-man. The fact of the matter is, the Pistons are already defensive-oriented, and Saunders' offensive skills are making them a better team because they are happier and unshackled. Rip Hamilton is off to the best start of his career, averaging 27.0 points, shooting 60 percent from the field and nearly 92 percent from the free throw line. This isn't the substitute teacher syndrome — the teacher's away so the kids will play — this is a new teacher with a different approach. He has a gifted class and they will retain what they gleaned from Brown's genius and apply it with what Saunders brings to the table. So many people are picking Miami or Indiana to win the East, but to overlook the Pistons, who were within a quarter of winning back-to-back Finals, is nothing more than naive.

9. Item: And speaking of those defending champion San Antonio Spurs, one night after they showed the Cleveland Cavaliers they've got light years to go before they should be taken seriously, the Dallas Mavericks caught them flat-footed with a 19-point win in Dallas. What this really means: It means the Spurs won't go 82-0, but they could very well win 65 games this season. Point guard Tony Parker is playing with a new level of coincidence, plus the additions of Michael Finley, Nick Van Exel and stout Fabricio Oberto makes them all the more daunting to face. With three titles in seven years, plus the continuing maturation of Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili, it's hard to fathom — short of crushing injuries — that the Spurs won't win a weakened West and take a full shot at their fourth title. Each year, Gregg Popovich and his trusty partner R.C. Buford have become more adept at filling in the blanks, with this group seemingly the best one yet — averaging 7.8 assists more assists than last season. About the only change we could see would come from commissioner David Stern's preparation for the ring ceremony so Spurs guard/prankster Brent Barry won't fluster him like somebody's great aunt with a kiss on the cheek as he did last week.

10. Item: The Washington Wizards lost Larry Hughes to free agency, traded Kwame Brown and they're off to their best start in 27 years. What this really means: Gilbert Arenas and Antawn Jamison continue to blossom as a high-scoring duo, and the acquisition of veteran swing-guard Antonio Daniels has added some stability in the absence of Hughes. They badly need Caron Butler, who has played in only one of the three games because of a thigh bruise. Now, with all of that said, let's get serious. The Wizards are undefeated, but those wins were over New York, Toronto and Orlando, three teams attempt to emerge from the Lost Horizon. Yes, they did go to the second round of the playoffs last season for the first time in 22 years, but this is a different team and the Eastern Conference is much more competitive this year. Sure, coach Eddie Jordan has a chance to return to the playoffs with explosive scorers like Arenas and Jamison, but they are very weak inside and a bunch of runners aren't going to carry them as far as last season. This will be a test of not only Jordan, but Ernie Grunfeld to be flexible as far as accepting the present roster as the answer for this season.

3) Greg Anthony of ESPN.com thinks Sam-I-Am is good for the Clips:

How Cassell Fits Clips

Earlier this week, Los Angeles Clippers point guard Sam Cassell said of his former team, the Timberwolves, "There's no vendetta against Minnesota. I just don't like how it ended. There were differences there in the end. But they went on, and I'm going on. There are no hard feelings." But if Cassell's not bitter, he is critical of the Wolves: "If I'm the GM, I'm not trading Marko Jaric for Sam Cassell. No way." The part of his comments that resonates with me is the last part. I don't think the Clippers' overtime win over the Wolves on Saturday and the 93-78 loss Monday night at Minnesota had a lot of special meaning to Sam. He might be disappointed about how he left the team, but Sam's been traded before, so he's used to that. I think earlier in his career returning to Minnesota and trying to make a point might have meant a little bit more to Sam. When you're a younger player, you're trying to prove things to people. Now I think what matters to Sam are the wins and losses. As Sam said in the same interview, "We have a chance here [in Los Angeles] to do something special. Believe me, it's so much fun when you win." One reason they can "do something special" is Sam. I played with Sam, and played against him, and I know what a cagey veteran he is -- he just knows how to play. For a team like the Clippers, he's exactly what the situation calls for. As Sam himself said, he's a better player than the man he replaced, Marko Jaric. He's much savvier, and he knows how to get, take and make big shots, which is hardly a specialty for Jaric. Sam's so confident he thinks the Clippers are going to the playoffs, even though they haven't been there in nine seasons. And if Sam can stay healthy, they'll definitely have a chance. The problem is, the Clippers' margin for error is a lot smaller than that of the other teams in the West. The Clippers are exciting, and they can score. But can they stop anybody? Cuttino Mobley isn't a strong defender, and Sam is slower afoot these days. Furthermore, I'm just not sure they have the depth to hold off teams like Seattle and the Lakers for those final playoff spots in the West. The Clippers have plenty going for them. Mike Dunleavy's done a great job of changing the tone with the team. Elton Brand remains a stalwart. Chris Kaman is pretty solid in the middle. Shaun Livingston will be a great player someday, and Sam will teach Livingston to be a better scorer. Sam's as smart as any guard in the league. His decision-making and ability to compete and execute what the coach needs give the Clippers a chance in almost any game they play. His on-court leadership will make them competitive for a playoff spot. But unless everything plays out just right, I see them falling just short.

4) Marty Burns of Si.com looks at the major injuries to date:

Opening Tip

One week into the 2005-06 season and the NBA's injury list is already filled with some big names: Amaré Stoudemire. Nenê. Shaquille O'Neal. Tracy McGrady. It's a veritable Mt. Rushmore of Injury, and their respective teams can only pray their title hopes don't turn to stone as a result. And that's to say nothing of Grant Hill (sports hernia), who would be on this list as well if his Magic had any realistic shot at a title. McGrady is the latest casualty, going down with a strained back when he landed awkwardly after a baseline drive at Friday's practice. The injury is expected to keep him out three weeks. Without T-Mac in the lineup, the Rockets lost at home to the Hornets on Saturday night. "We were expecting him to play big minutes, score, be a primary playmaker, defensive stopper, defensive rebounder, backup point guard," Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy said. "But that being said, I have total belief we have more than enough to win with." The real issue for Houston is whether this latest injury will continue to bother McGrady, who battled back problems during his days in Orlando. The Rockets are calling it a "bruise" and say it is not related to his previous disk problems, but they have got to be concerned. If T-Mac isn't 100 percent, the Rockets are going to be in trouble. Van Gundy won't get much sympathy from the Suns, Nuggets and Heat. Those teams, like the Rockets, entered training camp a month ago with high hopes of contending for the NBA title. Now they are scrambling to overcome the loss of key players as well. Here's a look at this season's four big injuries so far, and how their teams might be affected:

Shaq - Injury: Sprained right ankle. How it occurred: Landing on Ron Artest's foot. Expected out: Two to four weeks. Main replacement: Alonzo Mourning. Record without him so far: 0-1 (lost at Milwaukee). The skinny: Given Shaq's weight and concerns over re-injury, don't be surprised if he stays out closer to the full four weeks. Still, the Heat will survive. Mourning has looked fit and active so far, and the schedule is favorable with eight of 11 games at home starting Monday against the Nets. However, Shaq's absence will delay Heat coach Stan Van Gundy from developing chemistry with all those new faces.

Stoudemire - Injury: Left knee surgery. How it occurred: Normal wear and tear. Expected out: Four months at least. Main replacement: Kurt Thomas. Record without him so far: 2-2 (defeated Lakers, Jazz; lost to Mavs, Kings). The skinny: Thomas gives them a veteran presence who can move to center, allowing Shawn Marion to play at the 4. With Steve Nash and Marion, the Suns should be able to stay afloat until the All-Star break when Stoudemire is due to return. But if the 6-foot-11 MVP candidate doesn't return at that time (and many believe the prognosis is overly optimistic) and with his same athleticism, Phoenix won't make it back to the conference finals.

Nenê - Injury: Torn ACL, right knee. How it occurred: Collision with Tim Duncan. Expected out: The entire season. Main replacement(s): Eduardo Najera, Francisco Elson. Record without him so far: 1-3 (defeated Blazers; lost once to Spurs, twice to Lakers) . The skinny: The 6-11 Brazilian was to be the Nuggets' first big man off the bench. His ability to run the floor and take charges was a big part of their success a year ago. Najera can fill some of that role, but he's only 6-8. Elson has size (7-0) and versatility, but he has little experience and doesn't rebound very well. The Nuggets can probably survive Nenê's loss, but Marcus Camby and Kenyon Martin will have to stay healthy.

T-Mac - Injury: Strained back. How it occurred: Awkward landing in practice. Expected out: Three weeks. Main replacement: David Wesley, Ryan Bowen. Record without him so far: 0-1 (lost to Hornets). The skinny: Without T-Mac in the lineup, the Rockets were outscored 17-2 down the stretch in Saturday's loss to the Hornets. Quite simply, Houston needs T-Mac's ability to create for himself and teammates. Wesley can pick up the some of the slack at shooting guard (with Derek Anderson sliding over to small forward), but the Rockets will be sweating it out for awhile. The main concern for Houston is that McGrady gets back healthy and isn't plagued by back problems all season.

Who's Up - Michael Redd, Bucks - It didn't take long for him to start paying off on that six-year, $90 million contract. The sixth-year shooting guard has led the surprising Bucks to a 3-0 start. He scored 30 points, including a game-tying 3-pointer in the final seconds of regulation, in Milwaukee's opening night OT win at Philadelphia. He then pumped in a career high 41 points in a win at New Jersey, and another 23 in Saturday's win over the Heat.

Who's Down - Larry Brown, Knicks - Apparently he's going to need some time to turn things around in Gotham. The Hall of Fame coach is 0-3 after Sunday's 83-81 home loss to the Warriors, which followed previous Knicks defeats to the Celtics (in OT) and Wizards. Brown has tried several different player combinations but so far nothing has worked. It might not get much better for awhile either. New York heads out this week on a six-game Western Conference road trip.

Rumor Mill - Mail Call in Denver? Nuggets GM Kiki Vandeweghe denies a report that the team is interested in Karl Malone to fill Nenê's spot on the roster. Malone, 42, has not played since injuring his knee in the '04 Finals as a member of the Lakers. Malone's agent, Dwight Manley, told SI.com on Monday that his client is "happily retired in Arkansas." Jerome Moiso, Tony Massenburg and Corie Blount are among the other free agents whose names have been mentioned as possible replacements. Vandeweghe also could pursue a trade. The Nuggets have an available asset in point guard Earl Watson, who hasn't been able to get off the bench despite signing a five-year, $29 million free agent contract, but they can't trade him until Dec. 15 under league rules. Either way, look for Vandeweghe to petition the NBA for the disabled player salary cap exception for Nene. The exception would be worth around $1.5 million, but would have to be used within 45 days.

Grudge Match of the Week - Wednesday, Nov. 9 - Miami at Indiana (8 p.m. ET/ESPN) The Heat have lost 13 of 14 regular-season games against the Pacers, including last Thursday's 105-102 heartbreaker at Miami. That game featured playoff-like intensity, and several back-and-forth exchanges between the combatants. It also featured a bitter ending for the Heat, with Shaq having to leave the game in the final quarter after twisting his ankle on Artest's foot and Dwyane Wade narrowly missing a game-tying 3-point attempt at the final horn. Look for Alonzo Mourning & Co. to come out and try to send a message even without Shaq.

Three Seconds - The biggest surprise of the early season so far? No, it's not the Clippers (3-0 for the first time since 1985-86), the Hornets (2-1) or the Bobcats (2-1). It's the fact that nobody challenged David Stern's new dress code. Apparently NBA players prefer keeping their money over making a social statement. It's only been three games, but Lakers guard Smush Parker looks like an early early candidate for Most Improved Player. The 6-4 guard from Fordham is averaging 16.7 points, 4.0 rebounds and 4.3 assists for L.A. (2-1) while ranking second in the NBA in steals (3.0) and seventh in assists per turnover (6.5). Parker, a free-agent signee, went undrafted in '02 and played sparingly in stints with the Cavs, Pistons and Suns over the past three seasons. Bucks owner Sen. Herb Kohl made the right call in agreeing to extend the contract of GM Larry Harris until '07-08. Harris did a solid job remodeling the Bucks over the summer, as evidenced by their 3-0 start. Of course, it didn't hurt that Harris got lucky in the draft (Andrew Bogut) and that Kohl agreed to open the checkbook to pay for Redd, Bobby Simmons and Dan Gadzuric.

5) Peter Vescey of the New York Post with his usual drivel:

ISIAH TAKES THE HARD LINE

November 8, 2005 -- IT has come down to this: Polls show Fernando Ferrer sittin’ on a win before the Knicks. Might we see Isiah Thomas begin yet another reconstruction project before the Knicks conclude their six-game sleepaway? Might we see Darius Miles or Theo Ratliff or Ruben Patterson (who knows, maybe all three) playing for Larry Brown in the foreseeable future? According to those in the know, the Knicks’ twoheaded serpent wants one and all. Then again, how bad can the craving be if young players and the expiring contracts (as a package) of Penny Hardaway and Antonio Davis are out of bounds? Such a position tends to deflate options. For instance, Thomas has made it clear he will not do Channing Frye and Penny for Patterson and Miles. Moreover, he will not do Penny and Davis for Miles, Ratliff and Patterson. Not that Portland is prepared to make that deal. Nate McMillan likes Miles; the coach appointed him co-captain along with Joel Przybilla. Still, the Blazers are going nowhere worthwhile this season and the Penny-Davis proposition was thrown out there in, “Would you consider swapping . . . ” type of talk. A demand that one of the Knicks’ three front-court youngbloods (Frye, David Lee, Trevor Ariza) be included might have been broached had Thomas encouraged more discussion along those lines, but it never got that far. Since the exchange of talent greatly would favor the Knicks, Thomas’ hard-line position might have something to do with the extra $64 million ingestion over the next two to- four seasons, actually $128M, a consequence of towering over the luxury tax number. Don’t tell me James Dolan suddenly is going thrifty on us. Meanwhile, the Blazers say they’re not listening to any offer requiring them to take back more years than the contract they’re dumping. Would they accept Maurice Taylor ($9.1M/ $9.7M) for Patterson ($6.3M/$6.8M) if the Knicks would take Steve Blake ($1M) and Victor Khryapa ($1.095) in order to meet salary specifications? No, evidently Taylor’s less-than-regal reputation precedes him on the fast break. Who knows, maybe I’m too quick to push the panic button. After all, the problem isn’t that the Knicks are far from great, it’s that they’re being forced to play the full 48. To heck with competitive balance. All David Stern has to do is invoke the NBA’s version of sudden death — once Camp Cablevision takes a lead in the final quadrant, its Game Over, Good Night, “and arrive home safely” as Garden PA announcer John Condon used to say after every game. This slight rule revision might even mask the fact the Knicks hit the road as the league’s second-worst shooting team (39.4 percent, just ahead of Sacramento), tied for the honor of sloppiest substation (21 turnovers per, same as Seattle), and third-worst scoring outfit (85.3 PPG, ahead of juggernauts Orlando and Portland). After all, what’s more important to Dolan than having a top notch operation in New York. Just ask the Radio City Music Hall musicians.

Though it’s a dead issue, thought you might like to be aware that the Pacers offered Austin Croshere ($7.3M) and Jeff Foster ($5.5M) to the Hornets for Jamaal Magloire ($8.3M) and George Lynch ($3.2M). Eddie Gill (835G) may have been thrown in as well. In fact, Indy felt the Hornets were inclined to say yes (no words were spoken) when the Bucks unexpectedly came across with their 2006 unprotected pick along with Desmond Mason for Magloire. The Grizzlies and numerous other teams are ardently pursuing New Orleans’ P.J. Brown, to no avail. Hornets coach Bye-Ron Scott is against making any more trades, at least for the time being. So in the near future, should Scott issue a denial that one of his players is about to be moved, he may honestly be telling the truth. Can’t believe Shaq is going to miss two-to-four weeks due to a sprained ankle. Come on, does he really need two feet? Contrary to reports, the Nets never have spoken to the Bucks about acquiring Dan Gadzuric nor has anyone representing the Knicks ever contacted the Pacers regarding Anthony Johnson, or the 76ers re Kevin Ollie. As usual, one hoople pretends he has access to privileged information, or is quick to rely on a proven source, and the inane “insiders” throughout the league regurgitate the inaccuracy without so much as a call to either team. It was comical to see Andy Miller included on a Daily News list of notables who attended the Knicks’ Garden opener. First of all, he’s just another talent procurer, one too many in a seedy, overpopulated orb. Second of all, why would someone intimately involved in the Joe Smith/Timberwolves scandal deserve any kind of boldface “honorable” mention anytime in any rag? And, finally, Miller does not, as stated, represent Kevin Garnett; he was fired. My undefeated Paper Clips (3-0) are getting plenty of calls re the availability of Chris Wilcox. But LA’s in-house sentiment is the insanely talented forward- center isn’t going anywhere. Column conscience Geoffrey Gilbert wonders how Los Angeles can be the implant-capital-of-the-world, yet the Lakers have nothing up front.