This will be my last posting until Jan 6th, as I will be in Costa Rica on this actual beach in Montezuma for the next while...

Three great Artest Trade rumours:

1. Pacers send SF Ron Artest to Golden State for SG Mickael Pietrus and PF Diogu

2. Pacers send SF Ron Artest to Golden State, Golden State send SF Mike Dunleavy to the Clippers and Clippers send SG Corey Maggette to the Pacers.

3. Pacer send SF Ron Artest to Minnesota, T-Wolves send SG Wally Szczerbiak to Cleveland and Cavs send SF Luke Jackson and PF Drew Gooden to Indiana.

Why do we love Steve Nash? He reportedly spent the summer in New York City, where he regularly participated in pickup basketball games downtown and played soccer for a team sponsored by a bar in the East Village…

Wow…you’ve got to see the U of Miami NCAA hoops team this year if only to catch PG Guillermo Diaz play…this kid is easily the most explosive guard in college basketball. His vertical leap is well over 40” and his lateral quicks and handle are ridiculous…looks and plays like an NBA player. Shooting range is much improved…maybe more of a shooting guard than a point guard…but dude can jump…

The next centre to cash in? Portland center Joel Przybilla, who is having his best NBA season…here’s a look at Przybilla's value, compared with some other centers who already have had their paydays:

Player Contract p/year PPG RPG BPG
Joel Przybilla 2 yrs, $3M, $1.56M 6.9 8.0 2.67
Jerome James 5 yrs., $29M $5M 3.1 2.6 0.60
R. Nesterovic 6 yrs., $42M $6.72M 5.7 4.4 1.15
Adonal Foyle 6 yrs., $51.2M $7.3M 4.5 6.7 1.58
S. Dalembert 6 yrs., $60.6M $8M 8.5 9.9 3.08

Most remarkable player so far this year in the Nba has been Chris Webber…History suggests that he might eventually break down, but so far, 76ers power forward Chris Webber hasn't a game. Webber has played in all 26 games for the 14-12 Sixers. And he has averaged 39.8 minutes per game. Only twice during his previous 12 seasons has Webber averaged more minutes per game. In 1998-99, he averaged 40.9 minutes with Sacramento, and in 2000-01, he averaged 40.5 minutes with the Kings. That was before he had left-knee surgery that caused him to miss 50 games in the 2003-04 season. Last season, Webber looked like a shell of himself in 21 regular-season games with the Sixers and five playoff contests after being traded by Sacramento. He appeared to have limited mobility. Last year, he missed a total of 15 games while splitting time with the Kings and Sixers. Webber has never played in more than 76 games, and that came during his rookie season with Golden State in 1993-94. "I want to get up to 45-46 minutes a game," Webber joked after…I don’t know if it’s a coincidence but the Sixers practice on a court at the Philadelphia College of Orthopedic Medicine…

In a Mack Daddy not, A Philly newspaper yesterday reported that Chris Webber bought a multi-million dollar home in suburban Philadelphia down the street from where A.I. lives. The paper reported that C-Webb paid in cash…around $7 million in cash…

Uh oh, here they come again…West Virginia PF Kevin Pittsnogle scored 25 points as the Mountaineers in a 92-68 victory over number 7 ranked Oklahoma on Thursday night. Pittsnogle was 8-for-11 from the field and the Mountaineers (7-3) shot 66.7 percent to overcome a career-best 31-point performance from Taj Gray, who tried to single-handedly lead the Sooners (6-2) back from a 13-point deficit in the second half. "I've been at Oklahoma for 12 years, but I don't remember many times that I've left the court where I was embarrassed as I was tonight," Sampson said. It was Oklahoma's most lopsided loss since a 66-37 defeat at Texas on Feb. 8, 2004…

Someone asked if the Pistons, who are off to a very hot start at 20-3 can get to 73 wins, the NBA record…well the Bulls, who own that record, started the season 41-3. Wow. The Pistons are going to have to win 20 more in a row to accomplish that…

1) Peter Vescey with some dirt on the Rose to the Knicks rumours:

ROSE IN THE GARDEN?

IF the Raptors want to eradicate Jalen Rose's $16.9 million salary next season from their cap, they have but one viable option: Furnish the Knicks with the Nuggets' No. 1 pick stashed from the Nets' shoplifting of Vince Carter, along with Rose's Canadian passport for rising free agent Penny Hardaway. There ain't no more to it! Yes, the Lakers have interest in Rose, who turns 33 on Jan. 30. That's a confirmed fact. There might even be another team or two intrigued by the 6-8 swingman's cultured skill to score, pass and make plays. That's an unadulterated guess. Yet, according to a know-it-all scrutinizing Rose's relocation odds, there isn't a reckless NBA owner other than James Dolan willing to burden his bulging books with a contract that would cost currently luxury-tax capsized Camp Cablevision $33.8M. Still, as hopeless as the stammering Knicks look, and as depressed as their fans are, and as desolate as the Garden may become if their 6-18 record gets any shoddier, not even a filthy rich dunce like Dolan is going to hemorrhage that much currency for a player Isiah Thomas ran out of Indiana with Travis Best (reaping Ron Artest, Brad Miller, Ron Mercer and Kevin Ollie in exchange) unless the first-round pick is packaged. Don't get me wrong; it's not as if the Raptors are uncompromising. A Toronto source reveals the pick is on the table, but not without limits: "The unanswered question is how deep into the draft will it be protected from year to year." The same source doesn't feel an agreement or ultimate disagreement is imminent. I'm not so sure that's accurate. The Knicks must be hot to trot, otherwise the Raptors wouldn't have showcased Rose on Monday in Orlando. For the first time in weeks, he witnessed fourth quarter daylight (assisting on the clinching basket) in the heart of the hoopla. Aside from delivering an under-duress inbound pass to Mo Peterson, Rose also donated 15 points (averaging 9.4 and a combined six points in the last four), four rebounds and four dimes in 34 minutes. Any misgivings I might have had about Rose being placed in a displace case that evening were immediately dispelled when coach Sam Mitchell repeatedly complimented him afterward. I gave Rose about an hour to enjoy the moment before e-mailing him congratulations. After getting that out of the way, I asked him if he'd heard anything about his next destination. "Thanx a lot," he replied swiftly. "I promised myself early this yr dat I was gonna be a total PRO and let the chips fall where they may . . . by not taking this TOR situation PERSONAL . . . I feel something will happen soon . . . then bk 2 the States . . . talk 2 ya soon." The Rose Who Grew From Concrete finished with some strong Jadakiss lyrics: "DREAM LIKE U LIVIN' 4 EVER BUT LIVE LIKE U DYING 2 DAY." *** It's early yet in the season and already I've lost count how many times publicly Larry Brown has flogged himself for doing a poor coaching job. He usually only does this before or after cataloging his team's individual and collective deficiencies. Or after listing a litany of excuses following an up-to-the-minute defeat instantly after claiming there are no excuses.
I wonder, does Brown ever listen to himself talk? Just when you thought Brown had taken insincerity to new depths and run dry of escape hatches, he contrived a new one after the Knicks' disgraceful showing against the Spurs. "All we have is effort. When we don't have that we don't have anything," he said, in essence condemning Thomas' workmen and his construction job. Naturally, Brown also volunteered to accept a full share of the responsibility, noting how Gregg Popovich (the genius who allowed Toni Kukoc to inbound the ball minus any pressure to Andrew Bogut for the winning basket the other night in Milwaukee) badly out-coached him. Nothing new to report on that front; it's as if he's constantly telling the Knicks they hired the wrong coach and it's that time again for Home Town to starting looking for his Next Town. As one sideline star of stage and sage declared: "How about that! We are discovering Larry Bronze not only can't manage All- Stars [Athens], but can't coach normal players to the next level." By his own admission, Brown has been out- coached early and often. At the very least you'd think by this time he'd have returned some of his found money. ***Now I know the reason Pat Riley came back to the bench. It makes it so much easier for the Fourth Estate (and the Heat's two TV homers) to fawn over him. Phrases like "They play for him" and "They have to do it Pat's way" and "Pat wants to win" make me want to toss my Christmas cookies. Realizing the error of my ways, I plan to relocate the Hall of Fame from undeserving Springfield and set up shrines in Schenectady and South Beach. Even David Stern genuflected at Riley's genius when asked if Padre Riles' return to coaching was good for the league. In fact, to show how much he's prepared to stretch his homage the commissioner is pressuring Jerry Colangelo and Robert Sarver to name Padre Riles coach of the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury. "It's been way too long since we've screwed over Paul Westhead," Stern said.

2) Right on cue, Steve Aschburner of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports on the future of former U of Minny C Joel Pryzbilla:

Joel Przybilla, fake thug? Try Joel Przybilla, real thug instead.

Actually, the amusing "fake thug" label was hung on Przybilla -- the former University of Minnesota center and hoops hero of Monticello -- by Timberwolves forward Kevin Garnett a few years ago after the two got into a shove-and-staredown under the basket one night. The real thug claim? OK, that might be stretching it. But Przybilla spent long hours last summer as a denizen of Duke Roufus boxing gym on Milwaukee's south side, sparring, throwing punches and feeling the adrenaline course through his veins. "A buddy [personal trainer Todd Troxel] told me: 'You'd be surprised how much it relates to basketball. The stances you use, the slides. Reaction time,'" Przybilla said earlier this week in a telephone interview. "And it was a total body workout. After doing an hour of that, I was beat. I felt like I had played 48 minutes." At 7-1, with no discernible look of menace, Przybilla in a boxing ring makes Kendall Gill look like Sonny Liston. Quickly, he established one ground rule. "I went one round with a sparring partner and said, 'I'm not taking no more hits, man,'" he said. "I'd take some jabs, hooks, things like that at him. I wanted to get a little workout away from basketball. I did one session to see if I'd like it, and I fell in love with it." Those hours in the ring, then, were part of Przybilla's development into a reliable, even formidable center for the Portland Trail Blazers. Six seasons and three teams into his NBA career, he is literally and figuratively a big part of the Blazers' youth movement and future, a team captain and a defensive-minded man in the middle averaging 6.9 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.67 blocked shots and 27.2 minutes, while shooting 58 percent. If, that is, Przybilla sticks around. He will be a free agent next summer, so his regimen of sticking and moving, boxing style, could be replaced by the issue of sticking vs. moving. Because he will be coming off a two-year, $3 million contract, the Blazers will hold only "early Bird" rights on Przybilla, limiting them to a multiyear offer of about $29 million over five seasons. Thanks to the midlevel exception, all teams will have at least that much available to lure him. And given the market for proven -- heck, even unproven -- big men, he probably could do better in a sign-and-trade deal or by joining with a team that has salary-cap space. Which raises the obligatory question: What about the Wolves? Their starting center, Michael Olowokandi, has a contract that expires this summer, too. Przybilla, in some observers' eyes, is a better long-term bet. They share an agent, Bill Duffy, who pulled a center-switcheroo in 2003, moving Rasho Nesterovic to San Antonio and backfilling with Olowokandi to Minnesota. The KG factor? Actually, Przybilla would be thrilled to play alongside Garnett, at least in theory; he wasn't tipping his negotiating hand quite yet. "I don't think I'm going to turn down anyone," he said. "I'm going to look at every team, look at every option. It still is home for me, at the heart. If I do make a change, I want to win. ... I wouldn't mind playing with Kevin Garnett, one of the best players in the league. Who wouldn't want to?" There is a big "but" that has nothing to do with Garnett or the Wolves. Portland might have first dibs on Przybilla, simply out of loyalty. He and his wife, Noelle, keep their permanent home in Brookfield, Wis.; Przybilla spent his first 3½ seasons in Milwaukee, and she grew up in nearby Big Bend. They are expecting their first child, a son, in February and would love to be closer to family. But his time with the Bucks wasn't fun (he often was hurt), and he rode out the final 12 games in 2003-04 in Atlanta. Portland wanted him when no one else did. Now it has paid off for both. "It takes everybody his own time, but he's pretty solid now," said Wolves assistant coach Bob Thornton, who works with big men. "Most of the time, you've got to find yourself. 'How am I going to make myself effective? Am I going to defend more, am I going to score?' He's more aggressive than I've ever seen." Przybilla has four double-doubles this season, including 10 points and 12 rebounds against the Wolves two weeks ago. This is his second visit to Minnesota -- the teams met in the season opener -- but at this point, the Pacific Northwest feels more like home than home. Noelle, visiting today, will spend Christmas in Wisconsin while Przybilla practices and kills time in Portland. "I owe a lot to this organization," he said. "When I was down, coming off that season in Atlanta, there weren't too many offers out there. [Blazers GM] John Nash gave me a shot when a lot of people didn't." That doesn't sound like any sort of thug at all.

2) Charley Rosen, who I absolutely can’t stand, actually has some nice things to say about the Raptors, so here he is for Foxsports.com:

Young Raptors offering signs of hope

Heading into Wednesday's game in Houston, Toronto was 1.5 games behind Atlanta and 2 behind New York in the dubious race for the worst record in the NBA. That's why the few remaining Raptors fans have taken to reading the daily standings upside down. Rob Babcock's list of blunders is both lengthy and well-known — from drafting Rafael Araujo to submitting to Alonzo Mourning's blackmail to giving away Vince Carter for virtually nothing. But, even though the Rockets were decimated by injuries, the Raptors' 94-81 victory in Houston on Wednesday night offered a few crumbs of hope and good news. Since it's all too easy to flay the downtrodden Raptors, this close-up ignores turnovers, bad decisions, ill-advised shots, limited skills, and botched rotations demonstrated by the Toronto players. Instead, the focus is on the positive virtues of those players who could some day lead the Raptors to the threshold of respectability. Chris Bosh is, of course, the cornerstone of the Raptors' future (7-12, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, 17 points). Against the Rockets he showed the drive-right-spin-left move that he perfected last year. And since all players at every level of the game will always bite on a hard fake-right, Bosh was also able to drive his left hand hard into the middle for several scores. Bosh also unveiled a nifty step-back move that allowed him to nail an 18-foot jumper. But Bosh showed much more than just a knack for scoring. He set several solid screens, affected a number of timely defensive rotations, actively showed on the strong side of several screen/rolls (S/R), tipped a jumper by T-Mac, and stole an entry pass into him as well. All in all, Bosh was just as lively on defense as he was on offense. Should Bosh gain another ten pounds of muscle, and should he be paired with an authentic big man, he could easily become a bona fide franchise player. Mike James certainly had his chops up for his return to Houston (8-16, 5 assists, 2 steals, 19 points). None of the Rockets could keep James from hot-footing his way to the hoop. His shots were likewise characterized by range, a quick release going left (his preferred direction) and right, and enough shake-and-bake moves to create an opening under the most extreme defensive pressure. James' only successful 3-ball (1-2) came after the Raptors made five crisp passes. Indeed, James' inclination to make the extra pass set the tone for his teammates. (Toronto had 23 assists on 33 field goals.) On defense, James was totally under control as he rotated to, and effectively closed out, various of Houston's perimeter shooters. Should James learn to move the ball bit quicker and curtail his aimless dribblings, he could easily become a top-flight starting point-guard on a contending ball club. Morris Peterson didn't shoot particularly well (5-15, 18 points), but played a hustling and alert floor game (5 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals, 0 turnovers). He has terrific hands, great ups, and the quickest shot-release north of the border. Should Mo-Pete develop more consistency in his shooting (which, for him, means better shot selection), there's a high probability that he could develop into an All-Star caliber wingman. Jose Calderon's favorite maneuver is the drive-and-dish, which he executed a total of eleven times and thereby registered 5 of his total of 7 assists. Calderon was happy to initiate an offensive set by passing to a wing and then cutting through the middle in classic fashion. He can drive left and right with equal facility and, when dribbling right he has mastered the arcane art of whipping backhanded passes to any teammate who might be open on the perimeter. Among his passes that weren't tallied in the box score was a perfect entry into the posted Bosh, a handful of snappy reversals, as well as several skip passes. Calderon sees the floor well and is generally unselfish. His other numbers included 2-5, 2 steals, and 6 points. On defense, Calderon showed fast hands. He also threw his left hand at right-handed jump shots — a maneuver that results in better extension by avoiding having to reach across his own body to approach the ball, and that also keeps his shot-bothering hand in line with the shot release. Should Calderon learn to keep his dribble closer to the floor he wouldn't have so much trouble wending his way through a crowded lane. Joey Graham is a 6-7, 225-pound specimen with incredible athletic ability (3-3, 10 points). He showed flawless form in bagging a pair of 3-pointers. He was strong enough to bully a posted T-Mac out of his comfort zone, and quick enough to rotate out to David Wesley in time to transform a gimme open shot into a bad miss. Graham also set the screen-of-the-game, a cross screen that rocked Juwan Howard back on his heels. And Graham earned the Family Feud award when he jumped to grab a lob pass from Calderon only to be clobbered by his twin brother Stephen. Should J. Graham continue to play 20 or so minutes per game and allowed to develop in the shadow of Bosh, Jalen Rose, and Charlie Villanueva, the rookie has a good chance to play himself into a lengthy and productive NBA career. Rafael Araujo set a half-dozen sturdy screens, attacked the boards, executed a pair of nifty ball-reversals from the high-post, and was active on defense. In his stifling defense of Strromile Swift, Araujo held his ground and refused to be faked out of position. If Araujo failed to take a shot, he did nab 6 rebounds and block one shot. Should Araujo decide to go into show business his interesting array of body-tattoos would make him the star of any county fair. Charlie Villanueva has a lively body (2-5, 8 points). He refused to be intimidated by the sheer mass and muscle of Lonnie Baxter and rose up to block one of Baxter's jump hooks. Villanueva also made a number of assertive screens, and text-book defensive rotations. But his most impressive play occurred when he was creamed going to the hole on a fast break, but managed nevertheless to muscle his way through the foul to score the bucket. Should Villanueva develop more overall consistency, he could develop into a valuable player for a contending team. Jalen Rose likes to initiate his offense from a dead-stop, but the wily veteran knows how to score (2-5, 4 points). The surprise here was his savvy defense — overplaying any proffered screens and thereby forcing his man to dribble towards the sideline. Rose also drew a charge, and pulled down several big-time rebounds. Should Rose ever accept a role as the go-to scorer on a second unit he could easily win the Sixth Man of the Year award — for the Raptors or for whichever team he'll inevitably be traded to. Matt Bonner (4-5, 12 points) set strong-arm screens, knocked down all three of his home-run shots, made a powerful move in the low post, and was always on the spot in rotating to fill the middle. Should Bonner ever learn how to fly, he'd be cured of his chronic foul trouble and become a better passing, better shooting, more powerful version of Brad Miller.The Rockets were drastically short-handed because of injuries to Yao Ming, Dikembe Mutombo, Jon Barry, Rafe Alston, and Derek Anderson. But credit coach Sam Mitchell for taking full advantage of the Rockets' limited man-power by double- and sometimes triple-teaming Tracy McGrady (2-11, 11 assists, only 7 points). Conversely, Jeff Van Gundy insisted on having T-Mac operate in conjunction with a high S/R, a tactic that made easy work of doubling McGrady. Utilizing McGrady in a 1-4 set and in the high-post would have cleared the available passing lanes and made the Raptors' two-timings extremely vulnerable. Should Mitchell keep his necktie knotted until he reaches the post-game locker room, his natty attire might even rival the sartorial elegance of Pat Riley. So, the message is this: The Raptors played hard and played smart in a game they couldn't lose. With the continued growth of their youngsters, along with the addition of two or three players whose specific talents would fit the current mix — i.e. two bigs who can score, rebound and block shots, plus a wing who can defend and create — the Raptors will at least catch New York and eventually have a future worth waiting for.

3) Four former NBA players, Will Perdue, Tim Legler, Greg Anthony and Bill Walton, along with former NBA coaches Jim O'Brien and John Carroll, weighed the merits of the decision to sit Kobe with 62 points after 3 quarters for ESPN.com:

PERDUE: WRATH OF AVERY NOT WORTH IT - There's no doubt that Kobe Bryant could have probably gotten 75 or 77 points on Tuesday night. But the Lakers had the game well in hand and I'm not a big fan of a guy trying for records in a game that's already been decided. If the Lakers needed Kobe's scoring to win the game, by all means keep him in there, but not in this case. I would prefer to see him go for big numbers in a close game. I can see people wanting Kobe to go for it, but if I'm the opposing coach I want to make sure he's not going to do that. If I'm Avery Johnson, I'm putting all five guys on Kobe, just to make sure he's not going off against my team, because it shows up in the record books. The reality of the situation is that Kobe was in a no-win situation. He was badmouthed because he took himself out. If he had stayed in, he would have been criticized, too. It's a tough situation for him. He's very conscious of what people are saying about him and I think sometimes that affects his judgment.

LEGLER: SHOULD HAVE LET HIM START FOURTH - Phil Jackson made the right decision by not re-inserting Kobe Bryant into the game. However, I would have handled it a little differently. I would have allowed him to start the fourth and play for 5-6 minutes before making a decision. If he cooled off then it would be an easy decision to take him out and allow him to a bask in the adulation of the Lakers' fans. If he scored another quick 10-12 points, then no one would argue with allowing him to go for 80 points. There is always a fine line when it comes to record-breaking and individual accomplishments. I almost always fall on the side of allowing records to be broken in the natural flow of the game. The Los Angeles Lakers are attempting to restore their franchise to a championship caliber. Jackson was prudent in keeping his eyes on the bigger prize. After all, with a 30-point lead, and playing against a team that the Lakers may very well have to contend with in the postseason, there was no need to turn the game into a sideshow for Bryant's individual scoring spree.

ANTHONY: IF MAVS WERE MORE COMPETITIVE - If you want to blame someone for Kobe coming out of the game, blame Dallas. Because if the Mavericks had kept it closer, it would have been reasonable for Kobe to stay in and continue his huge night. Dallas is a team with title hopes, but you couldn't tell that from the way they played against the Lakers. So Kobe had to come out. The game was over. You don't want to risk injury, and you don't want to throw it in face of your opponent. There was already enough tension out there with Dirk Nowitzki getting hit hard and coach Avery Johnson ejected. You were starting to see some hard fouls out there, and you don't want to add to that by turning the game into strictly a point-scoring quest. The cons easily outweigh the pros of keeping him in. The Lakers have to think ahead, not antagonize the Mavs should they face them in the playoffs. For me, this game demonstrates his greatness. He has been criticized for exactly what makes him great. He gave us reasons to appreciate him even more Tuesday night.

O'BRIEN: CLASS ACTION - There really is nothing to say other than the fact that Jackson offered Bryant the opportunity to go back in the game and he declined the offer. I believe that was a very classy thing for Bryant to decide. The game is in the bag and there is never a reason to rub another team's nose in the dirt. If he reentered the game and got hurt, how could you ever justify why he went into the game up by over 30 points. It would have fallen on Kobe's shoulders more than Jackson's, and an absolutely spectacular performance would have turned into a negative. Now class was appropriately added to greatness. Which is a very nice combination.

WALTON: JACKSON THE AESTHETICS DIRECTOR - I think it was a good move for Phil not to play Kobe. I love the fact that it's happening now for the Lakers, that is, the team concept. In the beginning of the year, Kobe was on track to attempt the most shots ever. Kobe is learning that it is ultimately about the team. The team is playing a much more aesthetically pleasing game now. The encouragement, the teammwork -- because of all of this, Kobe is becoming a more likeable player. While people can respect the individual abilities of someone playing for themselves, this is a team game and the most popular players in history are the ones who play for others. The list is a long one. For the Lakers to acheive any level of success, they are going to have to listen to the words of their coach. I think the best coaching right now is being done by Phil Jackson.

CARROLL: RESPECTING THE GAME - Taking Kobe Bryant out in the fourth quarter was a no-brainer in my book. Kobe Bryant goes down and the Lakers might as well return their season ticket holders' money. If the game had been closer, let's say the Lakers were only up by 15 points or less, then Phil Jackson would have either kept Kobe in or reinserted him at some point in the fourth quarter. Coaches have a greater responsibility to the game of basketball and to their teams than to bettors, fantasy league gurus and statisticians. If a player is two points, or a rebound, away from a record then I can understand the concept of giving him a chance to break it. But to leave someone in the fourth quarter up 34 points just to see "how many he can get" borders on insanity. But in the sporting world we live in today it doesn't surprise me that some people are more interested in the moment than the big picture.

4) Marty Burns of SI.com thinks Tony Parker is it:

Tres magnifique - Spurs' Parker making move toward NBA's elite

Tony Parker has a confession to make. It seems the Spurs point guard isn't satisfied with his two NBA championship rings, his onetime status as one of People magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People and his high-profile romance with TV starlet Eva Longoria. Parker, it seems, wants to be known as one of the game's best point guards. He wants to be known as more than just a third wheel alongside Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili on the Spurs' championship machine. He wants to be included with Steve Nash, Allen Iverson and Jason Kidd on the list of top all-around floor generals. "Oh, definitely. Definitely," Parker says. "It's a big motivation." Parker, in his fifth season, appears to be on his way. Through Tuesday the 6-2 French flash was averaging career highs in five categories: points (20.2), assists (6.3), rebounds (4.1), steals (1.32) and field-goal percentage (53.8 percent). He led all NBA players in points in the paint (see box) and his shooting percentage ranked fifth in the league. The last point guard to finish in the top 10 in shooting percentage was John Stockton, 51.7 percent in 2001-02. Parker's hot shooting and all-around play have been a reason the Spurs have hung with the Pistons at the top this season despite nagging injuries to Duncan (foot) and Ginobili (foot). Parker's ability to pick up more of the scoring load, while also dishing the ball and playing his usual solid defense, has been critical. Coach Gregg Popovich even goes so far as to call Parker his team's "most consistent player" this season and ranks him alongside Detroit's Chauncey Billups as the two point guards who are making the jump to All-Star status this season. "I see Tony as somebody who's trying to prove a point," Popovich says. "He's been hellfire since the season started. All through training camp he was really focused on improving as player." Long known as one of the quickest players -- and best finishers - in the NBA, Parker this season has gone about trying to refine the rougher edges of his game. For example, he has worked extensively to improve his shaky jumper with Spurs shooting coach Chip Engelland, a former tutor for Grant Hill and Steve Kerr. This season he has spent the season coaching Parker on everything from his stance to where he places his thumb. The results have been modest but encouraging. While Parker's shooting from downtown remains a wreck ("We've sort of taken away his 3-point shot," Popovich jokes) he has shown a more reliable mid-range game. He knocked down several jumpers to help slay the Nuggets on opening night, and hit two big shots down the stretch at Milwaukee on Tuesday night to keep his team in a game that they lose in OT. "It's just how I hold the ball, and things like that," Parker says. "I'd been shooting the same way my first four years and it wasn't working like I wanted. I knew I had to take two steps backward and try to change some things. "It's just great to have somebody to correct me when I'm not doing well and to push me every day in practice. I'm trying to get better. That's one part of my game I'm trying to improve." Parker's ability to hit his outside shot is important because it might be the only thing holding him back from elite status. With his feline-like moves, he's already almost unstoppable going to the basket. He's also long been regarded for his "teardrops," the name given to those tricky short runners over taller players. For opponents, Parker is quicksilver in Spurs' silver and black. Tuesday night he slithered around Bucks point guard T.J. Ford and bounced off rookie center Andrew Bogut for a layup that left everyone one on Milwaukee's team shaking their head. As shocking as it might seem that a point guard could lead the league in points in the paint, the Bucks probably wouldn't be surprised. "We talked about it today [before the game], that he was shooting a lot of shots from outside last year and two years ago, [but] right now, with his quickness, he's making an effort to get to the paint and get lay-ups," Bucks veteran forward Toni Kukoc said.
"I'll say those were the two quickest guys in the league tonight, T.J. Ford and him. [Iverson's] right there, too, but I don't think even he's quicker than those two guys." That's not to say Parker is ready to join AI at the top just yet. The Spurs guard still tends to commit turnovers in flurries (3.2 per game), and he shoots free throws more like a 7-footer (66 percent) than a point guard. His shot selection, though getting much better, also could use some work. Against the Bucks he pulled up for a 3-pointer (a shot he's attempted only 12 times all season) with the score tied at 107-all and just five seconds left on the clock in overtime. He missed badly, and the Bucks were able to regain possession for what turned out to be a game-winning buzzer-beater by Bogut. On the sidelines Popovich's hair turned an even whiter shade. But Parker at least seems to be learning from his mistakes. Seated at his locker after the game, he took full responsibility. "I was trying to make sure we got the last shot," he said. "But I think I started my move too late and I was too far out." It was yet another confession for the little Frenchman with the worldly ambitions. And one that any truly great point guard -- like Nash, Iverson or Kidd - surely would be willing to make as well.

Parker in the paint - Quick, which San Antonio Spurs star leads the entire NBA in points scored in the paint? If you guessed Tim Duncan, you'd be wrong. It's Tony Parker. Yes, Parker, the Spurs' 6-2 point guard with the French flair and the killer teardrop, leads all NBA players in cashing in around the basket. Through Tuesday Parker had scored 328 points in the paint. That was six more than Duncan, who goes 6-11 (or 7-foot if you count his new mini 'fro). "A lot of people have told me that, but I didn't realize it," Parker chuckled Tuesday night. "They must be counting all my floaters. ... What can I say? I just try to create and get to the basket." While Parker's incredible quickness enables him to get to the basket almost at will, he's helped by the fact that the Spurs can surround him with good shooters to keep defenses honest. With three-point marksmen like Bruce Bowen (50 percent), Brent Barry (42.5), Robert Horry (40.4), Michael Finley (35.7) and Manu Ginobili (33.9), the Spurs create tiny cracks for Parker to exploit. "Obviously he's extremely fast and he has that teardrop that is so hard to make and so hard to block," Ginobili says. "At the same time, its hard [for our opponents] to help and collapse the paint because we've got Tim Duncan and so many great open shooters. "But he's so fast and plays so confidently that he's hard to guard no matter what. He can let it fly so quickly without jumping. He gets the shot blockers off guard."Adds Spurs coach Gregg Popovich: "Everybody's packing it in on him, because they know he's doing it, but he keeps doing it." Here's a look at the NBA's top five in scoring points in the paint (through Tuesday): 1. Tony Parker, Spurs 328, 2. Tim Duncan, Spurs 322, 3. Dwyane Wade, Heat 316, 4. LeBron James, Cavs 304, 5. Allen Iverson, Sixers 298

5) Will Purdue has lost his mind, for ESPN.com:

How LeBron is better than MJ

LeBron James came into "the House that Jordan Built" on Thursday night and showed Bulls fans why he just might be as good as or better than Michael ... some day. In the Cavs' 108-100 victory over the Bulls, LeBron displayed his MJ 2.0 game, totaling 37 points along with five rebounds, six assists and four steals. In his third NBA season, James appears to be a newer, bigger, heavier, stronger version of Jordan. James is overpowering NBA opponents with his size and speed. Guards can't check him because he's too big. When LeBron posted Chris Duhon in the fourth quarter, Duhon simply fell to the floor. Forwards can't check him because he's too quick. LeBron took Andres Nocioni to the wing, waved off a pick from Zydrunas Ilgauskas, and easily drove around Nocioni. The Bulls even tried to defend James with center Tyson Chandler. He rocked Chandler off balance, then rose up and nailed a jumper. He's one of the toughest covers in the league. LeBron is shooting more, making more and winning more this season. He's the only player in the NBA to average more than 25 ppg and shoot over 50 percent. For further evidence of his more mature game, have a look at John Hollinger's Player Efficiency Rating (PER). LeBron has a league leading 29.27 PER. His True Shooting Percentage, which takes into account 2s, 3s and free throws, is above 60 percent. And the Cavaliers at 15-9 have the fifth best record in the NBA. Bulls assistant Johnny Bach told me that the one big difference between Jordan and James is that MJ displayed more tenacity on the defensive end. When MJ didn't want to be screened you couldn't screen him. Jordan would push his man away from the screener or beat his man over a screen. LeBron will occasionally still get picked off by defenders. And LeBron might not have as good a mid-range game as Michael did at this stage of his career, though he probably has better range. LeBron's 3-point shooting has improved significantly this season. One area where MJ and LBJ are similar is their leadership. Like Michael, LeBron holds himself accountable and responsible for the Cavs' performance. If things continue the way they have been for Cleveland this season, LeBron will be able to take credit for their success as well.

6) SI.com’s Jack McCallum with his Xmas stories:

Christmas Day memories - Here are five NBA games that spiced up the holiday

Watching the NBA on Christmas Day has always been somewhat the guilty pleasure for me. My mother had a standing rule against watching sports on Christmas Day, formulated not on religious principles but on her absurd idea that the other 364 days of sports-watching could easily suffice. So my father and I would sneak into my grandmother's bedroom, where there rested a small TV that put forth video as if transmitted from the moon. (This was the 1950s, after all.) Dad would play around with the rabbit-eared antennae and, eventually, we could get a picture, usually one showing, as I recall, the old Boston Celtics putting a hurting on someone. In the spirit of the season, which Shaq and Kobe will no doubt demonstrate in the Miami Heat-Los Angeles Lakers doubleheader nightcap scheduled for this Sunday, here is a five-pack of NBA memories from Christmases past.

a) The 1970 Christmas Day game featured two of the most star-crossed players in NBA history. The Atlanta Hawks had a rookie named Pete Maravich, and the Phoenix Suns, in only their third year of existence, were powered by a veteran named Connie Hawkins, who had been deprived of the best years by trumped-up illegal recruiting charges. Pistol and the Hawk both had great games as the Suns won 127-115. My favorite video memory, though, is of the Suns' rookie head coach, Lowell Fitzsimmons, known to everyone as Cotton, patrolling the sideline. Cotton's death in 2004 deprived the NBA of one of its all-time great characters.

b) My favorite team from the late '70s was the colorful Philadelphia 76ers. They were led by Julius Erving, still an NBA novelty, and the great, underachieving George McGinnis, who could usually be found smoking a cigarette in the locker room after a game. On Dec. 25, 1978, they went up against the New York Knicks, still boasting Earl "The Pearl" Monroe, the last remnant from the championship teams of '70 and '74, and beat them 109-94. What I wonder, though, is whether the sons of two Sixers were playing with toy basketballs when their fathers left for the game. Probably not -- they were too young. Mike Bibby, son of Sixers guard Henry Bibby, was just seven months old, and Kobe Bryant, son of forward Joe "Jellybean" Bryant, was only four months old.

c) Of all the NBA's great scorers, Bernard King is possibly the most forgotten. On Christmas Day 1984, the knee injury that would keep him out of the latter part of that year, plus most of the next two seasons, had not yet occurred. With his variety of around-the-post moves-turnaround jumpers, baseline drives, lean-ins, etc. -- he scorched the New Jersey Nets with 60 points, still the all-time Christmas Day high. Alas, the Nets, led by their own star-crossed star, Michael Ray Richardson, whose basketball talent was eclipsed by his struggles with drug addiction, won the game 120-114.

d) An opening sequence to the 1986 Christmas Day game at Madison Square Garden showed Michael Jordan talking about opening presents on Christmas morning. Then in his third season, Jordan looked so young that one almost believed him when he said he wanted a new bicycle. Jordan had his first big Nike contract by then and could've made a nice down payment on an entire bike company. Four months hence, Jordan would be frustrated in the postseason as his Chicago Bulls would be swept by the Boston Celtics in the first round. The season would be even worse for his Christmas Day counterpart, Patrick Ewing, whose Knicks would win only 24 games. But despite 30 points from Jordan, this holiday belonged to Ewing. The second-year center's follow shot rolled around the rim and in as the buzzer sounded, giving the Knicks an 86-85 win.

e) The Christmas Day question last season was this: How would Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant, who had spent the summer torching each other in the press after a messy separation, greet each other at center court at the Staples Center? The answer: Hardly at all. Bryant appeared ready to give some love, but at the moment their paths crossed, Shaq appeared to find something of interest in the distant seats. Shaq did say hello minutes later when, on an early Kobe drive to the basket, he put the Lakers guard down with a hard foul. Bryant scored 42 points, but despite the fact that Shaq fouled out, he had the better Christmas as the Heat won 104-102 in overtime. Will they show some Christmas love on Sunday? My guess is that Shaq will again play Scrooge.

7) Mike Kahn of Foxsports.com thinks the real matchup on Xmas day will be the coaches:

Last year, Shaq-Kobe ... now, Riley-Jackson

The lines have been clearly defined for a generation. The NBA is focused on the players. College basketball is dominated by coaches. But the NBA has had too many issues to remain status quo about the players running the joint these days. From complaints about tattoos to attitudes and dress — prompting a dress code by commissioner David Stern this season — the marketing has changed. Entering this season, the two best stories entering the season were Larry Brown coming home to coach the New York Knicks and Phil Jackson returning to coach Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers after a year-long sabbatical. And the third-best story was the hypothetical watch of Pat Riley stepping out of the president's office and back to the coach's chair in Miami if things didn't go smoothly at the start of trusty lieutenant Stan Van Gundy's third season.Well, the season has indeed become an interesting saga of those three storied coaches. Brown still can't get the Knicks going, with trade rumors, benchings, and a revolving door inactive list rendering New York a tabloid dream. Jackson surprisingly has the Lakers chugging along on the cusp of the playoffs — with Bryant leading the league in scoring. And last week, with the highly regarded Heat stumbling around .500, Van Gundy resigned from the team Riley rebuilt around Shaquille O'Neal and Dwyane Wade, with Riles subsequently sparking them to a 4-1 run. Consequently, that leaves us with the big Christmas Day matchup being marketed by the NBA: Riley playing host to Jackson's Lakers — as opposed to the other game pitting last season's Finals matchup — the San Antonio Spurs and Detroit Pistons. This phenomenon reflects just how much the NBA has changed the past few years — particularly compared to last season. No way this game wouldn't have been focused on the Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal feud — the concept being that Bryant ran the Diesel out of L.A. Oh, that will be the undertone once the game starts ... it always is. And it's picking up steam: the Heat are 5-1 since O'Neal returned from a sprained ankle, and Bryant poured in an NBA-high 62 points in the Lakers' shocking 22-point win Tuesday night over the tough Dallas Mavericks. But the reason for the Riley-Jackson billing is obvious, beyond the two undoubtedly headed to the Naismith Hall of Fame in the future. They are both 60, werev unspectacular role players in the league who played on championship teams against each other, and two of the great coaches of this generation. Riley not only played for the Lakers, but won four titles as coach, most importantly eradicating the historic hold the Boston Celtics held over the Lakers. Seven times, the Celtics and Lakers had met in the Finals, with the Celtics winning all seven times until 1985, the year after Riley's first chance to exorcise the Celtics' demon fell in an odd turn of events. Then for good measure, the Lakers beat the Celtics again in 1987. Riley became a pop icon in Los Angeles, even being offered the role as Gordon Gekko in the film Wall Street, before it was given to Michael Douglas. But Riley lasted just three more seasons after beating the Celtics for the second time — finishing with four championship rings as coach — before taking a breather, and heading to New York to coach the Knicks. Meanwhile, Jackson, who was a member of two championship teams on the New York Knicks, had just begun building a dynasty in Chicago with Michael Jordan and the Bulls as Riley was finishing up with the Lakers and taking a year off. Like Riley, Jackson's strong personality permeated the premises around the Bulls — including early clashes with Jordan and non-stop issues with team president Jerry Krause that ultimately predicated the demise of the team. But that didn't happen until 1998, after the Bulls' run had wrought six rings, and he had become noted for giving books to players and earned the moniker "Zen Master" for his unconventional methods and interests. Riley headed to New York in 1991 and led the Knicks to three Atlantic Division titles, and a seven-game loss to the Houston Rockets in the 1994 finals — constantly butting heads with Jackson's Bulls during that time with frustrating results. In fact, the Knicks only beat the Bulls in a playoff series once — the '94 conference semifinals — when Jordan was off playing minor-league baseball. And even without MJ in uniform, the Knicks needed a late-game officiating blunder in Game 7 that still haunts Hue Hollins and retired Bulls star Scottie Pippen to pull off the win. But when Riles made a hasty exit in 1995 to rebuild and coach the Heat as a result of an acrimonious power struggle with Knicks, a new era was born. Even that didn't slow down the rivalry between the two men. In that landmark 1995-96 season, Riley coached the Heat to the playoffs for the first time in club history. The shadow of Jackson continued to chase Riley, however, as the Heat were swept by Jackson's Bulls. They met again the following year in the Eastern Conference finals, with the Bulls winning in five, and Riley never did get the Heat back to the conference final. A kidney disease prematurely caused star center Alonzo Mourning to leave the team and a knee injury cut short point guard Tim Hardaway's effectiveness, so Riley went into rebuilding mode in 2001, then resigned to focus on personnel as president moments before the 2003-04 season began. By that time, Jackson had already taken a year off and headed out to Riley's old stomping grounds with the Lakers, who had grossly underachieved with O'Neal and Bryant for three seasons. Undaunted, he coached them to three consecutive titles until egos and injuries began to break it down. They made it to the finals again in 2004, only to have them fall apart against the Pistons and that guy Larry Brown in an embarrassing five-game blowout loss for the Lakers. It ended with O'Neal demanding a trade, Jackson resigning and Bryant taking the brunt of the blame for the breakup. Well, O'Neal ended up in Miami. But the Lakers were still looking for a coach. And with Riley having bought property in Malibu recently, Lakers owner Jerry Buss tried to get him back. It was tempting, but in the meantime, Jackson's girlfriend Jeanie Buss — Jerry's daughter and the team's executive vice president of business operations — was busy trying to mend all the fences for Jackson's return. Despite a tell-all book that skewered Bryant, Jackson and Bryant made up and he's back coaching the Lakers instead of Riley. And just in time for the annual network premiere of the NBA, Riley is back on the bench. You want a soap opera worthy of drama? More than 32 years after the Knicks and Jackson torched the Lakers and Riley in the 1973 Finals, you've got the two NBA-lifers tap dancing around each other again. The first meeting of yet another era will fittingly be unwrapped on Christmas Day.