Love this comparison...When Cassell was a freshman at Florida State, they were playign at Duke and the Duke fans were chanting: "ET phone home!" and the knickname stuck after all these years...Soo funny...

Bab Robcock watch: Why did the Raptors lose to the Clippers last night? Because Jalen Rose is done folks. 1-12 from the field, 3-5 from the line for 6 points and was torched by Sam I Am Cassell late in the 4th quarter on 2 critical switches on pick and roll…Charlie V had 18 and Chris Bosh was outstanding with 24 and 9 boards…meanwhile, Joey raham was lost with 0 points and 6 fouls, while Rafael Araujo was decent with 8 points and 6 boards in limited time…

Break up the Hawks…Led by Al Harrington's 34 points, the Hawks became the last NBA team to win a game, beating the Boston Celtics 120-117 last night…

Trade Rumour: T-Wolves send Kevin Garnett to Golden State for SG Jason Richardson, PF Troy Murphy, PF Ike Diogu and a No. 1 pick.

Yikes…former 1st round draft pick out of Iowa State PF Marcus Fizer has signed on with the NBDL's Austin Toros.

Denham Brown hit a right handed jump hook from about 10 feet out over Gonzaga’s 6’8” SF Adam Morrison and 6’11” C J.P. Batista with 1. seconds left to give the No. 3 Huskies 65-63 win over the Zags. "This is our team and it's a pretty good one," Huskies coach Jim Calhoun said. "When Rudy didn't play well, Denham stepped up. There were other guys, too. We appear to be a pretty good team with a lot of answers." "It was another great game and we almost found a way to keep it going," Gonzaga coach Mark Few said. "UConn is a tough, tough, tough team, battled-tested and tough to score on. They contest every one of your shots." "I was trying to get to the rim and I saw the double-team," he said. "I knew I had 4.2 seconds so I was able to go toward the basket. I shook Morrison a little bit and got the shot off." Morrison gave Brown credit for a great play. "He shot a right-handed hook over a 6-8 guy. It was a great shot," he said. "I didn't want to foul him so I put my hands up. All tournament it was big plays and he made a big play." Connecticut had everyone available take a turn guarding Morrison, but Brown had the main responsibility and he got big help on the baseline from Armstrong, who had seven rebounds. You have to catch the highlight, it's truly a remarkable shot....

Wow…Allen Iverson's scored an NBA season-high 45 points, but Michael Redd had 32 for Milwaukee and the Bucks beat the 76ers 108-97 Wednesday night. Iverson, who was 13-of-30 from the floor and 17-of-19 from the line, surpassed the 43 points Kobe Bryant had for the Los Angeles Lakers against Chicago three days ago. Gilbert Arenas also had 43 for Washington against San Antonio on Nov. 12.

1) Jack McCallum of SI.com ranks the top 10 PGs ever:

No. 10 Marques Haynes Harlem Globetrotters - One could argue that Haynes, the first Harlem Globetrotter enshrined in the Naismith Hall of Fame, doesn’t belong because he played to a script (most of the time). But for five decades he entertained millions of fans around the world as the game’s first dribbling and passing wizard, and, further, on two occasions captained a 'Trotter team that beat the George Mikan-led Minneapolis Lakers.

No. 9 Maurice Cheeks Philadelphia 76ers - The glue of the Philadelphia 76ers' 1983 championship team would've ranked higher had he been more of an offensive threat, though that wasn’t a requirement on a team with Julius Erving, Moses Malone and backcourt mate Andrew Toney. Cheeks was a reliable shooter (52 percent) and a terrific defensive player, who didn't gamble much yet still ranks fourth all-time in steals.

No. 8 Guy Rodgers Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors - Perhaps the most obscure player on the list, Rodgers, who died in 2001, should not be forgotten. The Temple product was the NBA’s first great lefty point guard (two others follow), a slick passer who was the perfect setup guy for his Philadelphia homeboy, Wilt Chamberlain. Rodgers also managed to be a double-figure scorer, no mean feat on an early Wilt team.

No. 7 Nate Archibald Kansas City-Omaha Kings/Boston Celtics - Though it's largely forgotten, in the '72-73 season "Tiny" averaged 34 points and 11.4 assists, making the Kansas City-Omaha Kings quarterback the only player ever to lead the league in both categories. Though plagued by injuries, Archibald was still a key player for the first Celtics championship team of the Larry Bird era ('81).

No. 6 Lenny Wilkens St. Louis Hawks - "He can only go to his left" -- that’s what they said about Wilkens, another southpaw who came into the league right after Rodgers. It was true, but Wilkens, a heady player who went on to become one of the NBA's all-time greatest coaches, was not only a great passer but a legit offensive force who could get 20 almost any time he wanted.

No. 5 John Stockton Utah Jazz - They won’t let me interchange spots 3, 4 and 5, so somebody had to go here. Over 19 seasons, Stockton wrote the textbook on how to play the position -- precision pick-and-rolls, flawless decisions on the breaks, judicious use of his own shot as a weapon. Plus, here's a stat you might not be aware of: Stockton has 700 more career steals than anyone who ever played the game. If he had only been able to win a title.

No. 4 Isiah Thomas Detroit Pistons - There were few competitors fiercer than Thomas and no point guard with more skill. He probably went on too many one-on-one forays early in his career, but, when he had to, Thomas sublimated his own game and led the Detroit Piston Bad Boys to back-to-back championships. His performance on a badly sprained ankle against the Lakers in the 1988 Finals had to be seen to be believed.

No. 3 Bob Cousy Boston Celtics - The Cooz didn't exactly invent the position of point guard -- Andy Philip of the Chicago Stags and Dick McGuire of the New York Knicks predated him in the old NBA -- but he was the first one to bring attention to the position, engineering a non-stop fast break and frequently a one-man dribbling clinic. And after George Mikan retired, he was the highlight film who drew interest and fans to the NBA.

No. 2 Oscar Robertson Cincinnati Royals/Milwaukee Bucks - Even without his triple-double season of 61-62—30. 8 points, 11.4 assists, 12.4 rebounds—the Big O had this spot nailed down. He was the first guard to impose his will on the entire game; it was Oscar's show and it was always Oscar's show. He and Michael Jordan are the two best all-around players in NBA history, and the only reason Oscar is second is because he won only one championship.

No. 1 Magic Johnson Los Angeles Lakers - We all know that Johnson's 6-foot-9 height gave him an advantage over all other point guards. But the man didn’t lead the Lakers to five championships in the '80s because of his size -- he got it done on speed, smarts and that ineffable something known as presence. The fact that he would've been an all-star at every other position on the floor (including center) is no reason to ignore him his deserved place at his real position.

2) Marty Burns of SI.com ranks the PG’s now:

No. 10 Tony Parker San Antonio Spurs - Cat quick, with a fearlessness around the basket, the 6-2 French flash has gone from an unknown late first-round pick in 2001 to a key weapon for the NBA champs. He still tends to turn it over too much, and his three-point shot needs work, but he’s only 23 and getting better by the game. He’s already good enough to have an NBA championship ring on each hand -- and Eva Longoria on his arm.

No. 9 Sam Cassell L.A. Clippers - Few NBA point guards can match this wily veteran’s combination of clever play-making skills and big-game experience. Cassell, 36, knows all the jukes and tricks to keep foes off balance, and he knocks down the mid-range jumper better than just about anyone. Age and injuries have slowed him some, especially on the defensive end. But he’s still one of the best quarterbacks in the game, as he’s showing this season with the surprising Clippers.

No. 8 Steve Francis Orlando Magic - He might be better suited at shooting guard, but he’s still manning the point for now in Orlando. The three-time All-Star can break down defenders, run the floor, finish around the rim and knock down clutch jumpers. He’s also a solid defender and one of the best rebounding guards in basketball. If he didn’t stall the offense so much by overdribbling, and if he cleaned up those wild passes in transition, he would rank even higher.

No. 7 Gilbert Arenas Washington Wizards - One of the NBA’s rising young stars, this former second-round pick from Arizona is an explosive scorer with rocket-like bursts to the basket and a dangerous touch from 3-point range. The 6-3 Arenas is still learning when to shoot and pass, and how best to find teammates off his penetration, but the tools are all there. At age 23 he could be a top PG in the league for years to come.

No. 6 Chauncey Billups Detroit Pistons - He’s not as fancy as some of the other top point guards, but he gets the job done. The 6-3 Billups scores inside and out, distributes the ball to Detroit’s many options, and bodies up his man at the other end. He’s also a team leader and a clutch shot-maker with a championship ring and a Finals MVP award on his resume. Amazingly, he has yet to make an All-Star team in his nine NBA seasons.

No. 5 Baron Davis Golden State Warriors - The catalyst for the Warriors’ turnaround, this two-time All-Star has regained his stature as one of the top PGs in the game after three injury-plagued seasons in New Orleans. He loves to use his 6-3, 225-pound frame to bull his way into the paint, and he can run the floor with the best of them. He still has a tendency to settle for too many three-pointers, but the results in Golden State speak for themselves.

No. 4 Stephon Marbury New York Knicks - He’s off to a rough start under new coach Larry Brown, but there’s no denying his talent. The 6-2 Marbury is a perennial 20-point, eight-assist guy who can do it all on the court. Though head-strong at times, he is a durable competitor who wants to win. If Brown can get him to rein in his shoot-first impulses, and play more consistent defense, Marbury could join Chauncey Billups and Allen Iverson as successful Brown proteges.

No. 3 Jason Kidd New Jersey Nets - He's an unbelievable passer, seemingly with eyes in the back of his head. He’s also a great defender and rebounder, a hard-nosed competitor and fiery team leader. What more can be said about this seven-time All-Star? Oh yeah, how about the fact that he’s not a great outside shooter, but always seems to hit the clutch bucket when his Nets need it? Age (32) and knee surgery have slowed him a bit, but he’s still a force at both ends.

No. 2 Allen Iverson Philadelphia 76ers - Even at age 30, Iverson has shown few signs of slowing down. The 6-foot dynamo can still drive, dish, hit the outside shot and get to the foul line. Defensively, he’s always among the league leaders in steals. The ultimate scoring point guard, he has been a more willing passer since switching back to the position full-time two seasons ago. Last year he racked up a career-high 7.9 assists to go with his 30.7 points.

No. 1 Steve Nash Phoenix Suns - The reigning MVP engineered one of the league’s biggest turnarounds a year ago while racking up the most assists (11.5 per game) since John Stockton in 1994-95. The shaggy-haired Canadian attacks relentlessly, never kills his dribble and finds open teammates all over the floor. Play off him and he’ll step back and nail a three. Though not a great defender, he makes up for some of it with hustle and smarts. He’s also the consummate team leader.

3) Chad ford of ESPN.com with more draft speculation on the NCAA players he observed at the Maui Classic:

10 Things I Learned in Maui

LAHAINA, Hawaii -- Sixteen games of great college basketball in one of the most beautiful spots in the world was nice.
But what did NBA executives and scouts learn from their three-day trip to Maui? Here are 10 things to chew on over the Thanksgiving weekend ...

Maurice Ager looks like a legit prospect for the NBA Draft's first round. No one's stock took a bigger jump than Ager's. He was considered a marginal NBA prospect after just a so-so junior year at Michigan State, but he really shined here. Ager proved that he could shoot the lights out in the first two games, going 11-for-22 from an extended college 3-point line (they moved the line back a foot as an experiment for the tournament), and in the Spartans' game vs. Arizona, he showed scouts he also has the quickness and hops to be an explosive driver and finisher. To top it off, he's a great kid and a hard worker. Scouts wish he were an inch or two taller, but if he keeps playing like he did in Maui, he'll be a mid-to-late first round pick this year.

Rudy Gay has the potential to be an awesome NBA player. But the key word is still potential. He's athletic, long and skilled, but his aggressiveness is a question mark, as is his ball-handling. And if coach Jim Calhoun doesn't run plays for him and leaves him hanging out on the wing, I'm not sure we're going to see many other 28-point games like the one he produced against Arkansas. Maybe when point guard Marcus Williams comes back, the game will open up a bit for Gay. But after such a brilliant start in Maui, his last two games left most of the NBA folks I talked to Wednesday night underwhelmed.

Adam Morrison may be the most exciting draft prospect on the board. Just about everyone loves the way he plays. He loves to play the game and it shows. Morrison is very skilled, is always looking for his shot, and finds creative ways of getting it. But his lack of defense is an issue. And even though scouts are trying to stay positive, his lack of athleticism will matter at the next level on the offensive end as well. He'll have to find a way to get separation to get his shot off against the bigger, longer and more athletic threes in the NBA. People keep comparing him to Larry Bird because of his swagger. But he doesn't rebound or shoot the ball as well as Larry did. To quote one NBA exec who knew Larry well, "He ain't no Larry Bird." Morrison will go high because he's so intriguing. But I wonder if Reggie Miller and maybe Wally Szczerbiak are better comparisons than Bird.

Ronnie Brewer is an aggressive, athletic guard with great quickness. He proved in Maui the way he played the passing lanes that he's going to be a steals machine. And, as ugly as that jump shot is, it does go in at a decent clip. But is he a point guard? He handed out just five assists in three games. To be a high lottery pick, Brewer needs to sell scouts on the fact that he can be a point in the pros. While he impressed in many ways in Maui, he didn't show that here.

Kansas has six NBA prospects, and big man C.J. Giles tops the list. That's according to KU head coach Bill Self, who told me after Giles' 21-point, nine-rebound performance against Chaminade that the NBA people he had talked to look at Giles as the best prospect on the Jayhawks' squad.
"He's going to be a special player," Self said. "He's still learning the game, but he's progressing nicely." The NBA scouts and executives that I talked to mostly agreed. Giles is still a major project, but scouts love the tools. I don't think we'll be seeing a lot of dominating performances from Giles this year. The 6-10, athletic center has the talent to produce double doubles. But he's still very raw, and without a solid point guard to set him up, he isn't going to have a lot of opportunities to score. Still, the potential is there. And with such a weak center class, Giles' stock will continue to rise and you can bet that NBA scouts will be trying to lure him into the draft.

The rest of KU's draft prospects could use at least two years in school. This group includes Brandon Rush, Julian Wright, Mario Chalmers, Micah Downs and Sasha Kaun, each of whom needs seasoning before he considers declaring for the draft. Of the five, Rush's game looks the most mature right now. He is athletic, with an NBA body, and he shoots the ball really well. When all is said and done, he could turn out to be the best of the Rush brothers (though Kareem has come on of late for the Charlotte Bobcats). Down the road, however, I think Wright could end up being the best player of this group. He has yet to find his niche at KU, but he's got all the tools. By the way, a two-year wait to declare would do Giles some good, too.

Paul Davis, disappointing last season, has looked solid this season. If he can continue averaging a double double and playing with the aggressiveness he showed in Maui, he should slip into the first round. There just aren't many good bigs in this draft and Davis has enough skills to make an NBA roster. If Jake Voshkul can make it in the NBA, Davis should be able to as well.

Hassan Adams looks great when he puts on his high-flying act. But can someone at Arizona please tell him to stop shooting the long ball? It's just not his game. Every scout and NBA executive I talked to still has him pegged as a second-rounder. Meanwhile, the best prospect on the Wildcats team may be freshman Marcus Williams. He's getting decent minutes, and he was pretty impressive down the stretch against Michigan State on Wednesday, the key missed free throws notwithstanding.

I didn't see anyone on Maryland that looked like a great NBA prospect. Some scouts are intrigued with guard D.J. Strawberry, but after a pretty good opening game against Gonzaga, he struggled. Fans love Nik Caner-Medley, but it's tough to see how his game translates to the NBA.
Big man Ekene Ibekwe had a good game against Arkansas, but I can't imagine him sneaking into the first round based on what scouts saw here in Maui.

No one's stock took a harder hit this week than UConn's Josh Boone. He started off last season great, then faltered midseason. Many scouts held out hope that he'd rebound this season and repair his stock, playing his way back up to lottery status. But after watching him play three games here, I'm not sure he's even the best big man on his own team. Senior Hilton Armstrong is bigger, and was, for the most part, more effective.

4) Dave D’Alessandro of the Newark Star-Ledger reports that Shareef does not care about the Nets:

For Abdur-Rahim, time to move on

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- There has been ample opportunity for Shareef Abdur-Rahim to issue a series of tsk-tsks, second-guesses, and told-ya-sos, but that isn't exactly his style. As desperate as the Nets' four-spot rotation looks on most nights, the power forward who got away isn't the type to say that they made a mistake in not closing the deal with him -- as obvious as that may seem to others. "It is what it is," the Kings' forward said, as he prepared for his first encounter with Nets last night since he walked away from their final offer last Aug. 13. "They did what they had to do, and I did what I had to do. I was thankful that this situation was here. The team here didn't have a problem with anything. Sometimes, when one door closes, another one opens. So I'm doing good." Abdur-Rahim's knee issue has been moot since signing with the Kings, whose doctors took a look at his medical history and disagreed with their New Jersey counterparts that a breakdown could be imminent. That's the part Abdur-Rahim is still trying to figure out. "I never missed an NBA game because of my knees," he reiterated. "I never sat out a practice because of my knees. I couldn't even tell you if I've ever even had treatment on my knees. But it is what it is. I really believe things happen for a reason. And I'm at peace with that." Though the Kings grabbed Abdur-Rahim on the rebound for a bargain price of $29 million over five seasons, he still had a chance to get more money in New Jersey, but that was no longer an option for him. Both Nets president Rod Thorn and agent Aaron Goodwin revealed that despite the medical misgivings, the final offer called for the same six years and $38 million, but with only four guaranteed seasons. The last two years would also be guaranteed only if Abdur-Rahim showed "no significant problems" through the first three years of the contract.
"And if he played two years without a problem, the fifth year would be guaranteed," Thorn said. "Basically, he only had to show up." By then, Abdur-Rahim concluded that if the Nets wouldn't give a show of faith by guaranteeing the entire deal, he should find a team that would. "They weren't comfortable with the situation and they had to do something different," he said. "I'm fine, they're a good team and they're going to be fine."
Jason Collins' mystery ailment was finally identified late Tuesday as peroneal nerve inflammation, and three injections -- all on the outside of the right knee -- have apparently done their job and changed his outlook considerably. But while the Nets power forward didn't play last night, he was more optimistic yesterday than he has been all week. "I feel a lot better," said Collins, who was treated by doctors at Stanford Tuesday afternoon. "(The shots) brought me instant help. It was a needle here, a needle here, a needle here, trying to cover the whole area. Now it's just a little bit of tightness from all the needles. But it is feeling good." Collins had played only 35 minutes (with four DNPs) in the six games because of pain in his lower right leg, the source of which doctors could not find.

5) Ross Siler of the LA Daily News reports that Phil Jackson had a lot to say on Jay Leno recently:

Lakers notes: Jackson fires his own shots


EL SEGUNDO - The Lakers' season is only 10 games old, but Kobe Bryant already has taken shots in the closing seconds of three of those games that have met with coach Phil Jackson's disapproval. And Jackson went so far as to take his complaints about Bryant's shot with 17 seconds left in Sunday's loss to the Chicago Bulls to Jay Leno's set during a Tuesday appearance on "The Tonight Show." "I think we see the game in very similar ways," Jackson said in response to a Leno question about earning back Bryant's trust. "First of all, we worked together for five years previously. And so he kind of understands the way we want to go. "But then there was a game on Sunday night. He took the ball and went to the hoop immediately. That's not how I saw it. So we had to talk that out." With the Lakers trailing 94-93, Bryant tried to force in a shot over Chicago's Mike Sweetney and Luol Deng. Jackson said Wednesday that he wanted to know from Bryant if he drove to the basket so quickly because he could sense a double-team coming. Had he waited longer, Bryant could have let the Lakers better set up their offense. He also could have wound up isolated against Deng one-on-one. "I just wanted to make sure that he understood what our concepts are in that situation," Jackson said. In the Lakers' opening-night victory against Denver, Bryant launched a fadeaway jumper at the end of regulation when Jackson wanted him to drive to the basket instead. Bryant also missed a 3-pointer with 5.9 seconds left in the Lakers' loss to Philadelphia on Nov. 11. Jackson had been hoping Bryant would drive, forcing the Sixers defense to collapse on him, and find guard Smush Parker for an open jumper.
"The big key is about taking the highest percentage opportunities that come your way," Jackson said, "and that's what we're trying to get." Fashion police: Jackson also revealed on "The Tonight Show" that Bryant had been cited for violating the NBA's dress code by wearing sneakers (instead of dress shoes) to a recent game. Bryant said he didn't know about it when asked Wednesday. Role playing: One day after Lamar Odom voiced his desire to average 20 points in the Lakers' next four games, Jackson talked with the 6-foot-10 forward about what he needs from him. "He said he just wanted me to play my game, but I'll still be aggressive," Odom said, later adding, "I think averaging 20, that'll be the outcome." Jackson said Odom needs to prioritize team play and moving the ball over simply scoring. Bryant, meanwhile, said he had encouraged Odom to shoot more after Sunday's game. Odom took four shots against the Bulls, compared to Bryant's 34. "He just has to be more assertive," Bryant said. "It's tough for him because he's still trying to figure out where to be in this offense. At the same time, it's a fine line between being assertive and trying to stay within the system and he has to kind of figure out a balance." Also: Forward Kwame Brown is making progress in his return from a hamstring strain but won't play until Tuesday at the earliest. ... Jackson said he would push back his planned Thanksgiving evaluation of the Lakers until mid-December due to a rash of injuries.