Here’s a picture of Bevo Francis who once scored 113 points in an NCAA game…Don’t miss 6) at the bottom of today’s blog entry…the scoring records are ridiculous…

Oh my God…so funny…John Thompson said yesterday on his radio show that if Wilt Chamberlain played against that Raptors team he'd have scored 200 points…

Trade Rumour deluxe: now that the Artest for Peja deal has fizzled or is at least severely on the rocks, look for the Heat to swoop in and offer PF Antoine Walker to the Pacers for SF Artest…

The Pistons pounded the Timberwolves 107-83 last night, giving former Minny coach Flip Saunders a treat in his return: "It was nice," said Saunders, cheered loudly before tipoff. "Coaches do like those kind of games." Chauncey Billups went off finishing with 27 points, 8 assists and 7 rebounds…he was so good he actually outscored the T-wolves 18-13 by himself in the 3rd quarter…

Boy, the Kings could've used either Ron Artest or Peja Stojakovic against the 76ers. With AI scoring 41 points in Philadelphia’s 109-103 win…Mike Bibby showed up though with 44 points, a career high, in the losing effort…

Meanwhile, the Pacers got wacked by the Cavs 96-66…even worse, Jermaine O'Neal may have torn a groin muscle…"We sure have had enough bad luck for a year," said O'Neal. "I'm really, really concerned. I heard it pop. Hopefully, I won't need surgery."

Speaking of the Pacers, what do you think Sarunas Jasikevicius is thinking…He left being a mega-star in Europe for the NBA…his team is overrun with all of the Artest insanity and the O’Neal injuries…then the Pacers get destroyed by the Cavs, the team he turned down signing with, the team with his best friend Zydrunas Ilgauskas…the team he didn’t choose because he thought the Pacers were closer to winning a championship…

1) Marty Burns of Si.com reports on the continued craziness of Ron Artest:

Second thoughts - Trade of Artest for Stojakovic rejected at last minute

Add another chapter to the bizarre Ron Artest Saga. The Pacers thought they had a deal Tuesday to trade Artest, the controversial small forward, to the Kings for three-time All-Star Peja Stojakovic. The deal, according to a league source, had been agreed upon and was being tweaked before being sent to the league office for approval. Stojakovic, in Philadelphia for his team's game Tuesday night against the Sixers, had been notified and told to stay at the hotel. But strange things seem to happen when Artest is involved, and Tuesday afternoon was no exception. The Kings, fearing that Artest was not happy about playing in Sacramento, decided to back out, according to the source. While Artest technically has no right to block the trade, Sacramento doesn't want to take a chance on a player who is unhappy. "There is no trade right now and there may not be a trade," Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said before Indiana was beaten 96-66 by the Cavaliers. "There's nothing to talk about because there is no trade." Later Tuesday, CEO Donnie Walsh Walsh released a statement. "As I have said before, until there is a deal completed, we do not have a deal," he said. "We do not have a deal and will not comment on any premature reports regarding a trade involving Ron Artest." Artest confirmed to The Indianapolis Star that the deal had collapsed, but left open the possibility that something could still happen. "There's no deal," Artest told the newspaper by telephone. "It's not that I don't want to play there ... I'm letting my agent handle things. He's taken over things." Whatever the case, it marks the second time that an Artest trade has fallen through at a late stage. Two weeks ago the Pacers and Clippers thought they had a deal to send swingman Corey Maggette to Indiana in exchange for Artest. At the last minute the Pacers rejected it amid concerns about Maggette's injured foot. At least Maggette, who was inactive at the time, didn't have to go through what Stojakovic did. The Kings' veteran was getting ready to play the Sixers when he found out Tuesday that he was about to be traded, according to his agent David Bauman. Stojakovic, who has spent all seven-plus of his NBA seasons in Sacramento, was stunned. He notified his family, and made travel arrangements to go back to Sacramento. Next thing he knew, he was being told the deal was off. Needless to say, Stojakovic was not amused. "I'm shocked and upset that Peja got treated this way," Bauman said. Stojakovic didn't play Tuesday night in the Kings' 109-103 loss to the Sixers. He's expected to travel with the Kings for Wednesday night's game against the Knicks in New York, but Sacramento coach Rick Adelman said his playing status is still up in the air. "You can't expect him not to have feelings about this, but I expect him to be able to handle things," said Adelman. "It's not been an easy situation. It's not the best thing to happen when you're on a six-game road trip." Artest has spent the last month on the inactive list after he told The Indianapolis Star in mid-December that he wanted to be traded and that he didn't enjoy playing for Pacers coach Rick Carlisle. Indiana's front office quickly said they would try to accommodate Artest's request. Long-considered one of the NBA's best sharp-shooters, Stojakovic has suffered through his worst season since 2000, averaging 16.5 points while shooting 40 percent from the floor. Stojakovic's struggles mirror those of the Kings, who are in the basement of the Pacific Division with a 17-23 record. Before the deal fell through, Bauman said he thought a trade to Indiana would have been a good move for his client. "I think it's going to be a great move for Peja. He gets a new start, a chance to play for a great team for a coach who's been successful in the playoffs. "Things have been languishing in Sacramento. He's excited about getting a new start." Now, barring a change of heart by Artest and/or the Kings, it appears Stojakovic is right back where he started -- along with Artest.

2) ESPN.com news services reports that it gets better:

Pacers want to talk to Artest; Stojakovic 'disrespected'

Ron Artest has been summoned to a Wednesday morning meeting by the Indiana Pacers, who want to hear from the player himself on whether he is standing in the way of a trade to the Sacramento Kings for Peja Stojakovic, ESPN.com Insider Chris Sheridan reported Tuesday night. Artest and his agent, Mark Stevens, were expected to meet Wednesday morning in Indianapolis with team executives Larry Bird and Donnie Walsh with the hopes the trade can be revived. "In the last month, Ron Artest has been vehemently portrayed in an unflattering manner in the media, specifically in the aftermath of requesting a trade, even after it was made clear that he only spoke out because he believed the Pacers were going to trade him to Sacramento, a place he did not want to go to," Stevens said in a statement to ESPN's Stephen A. Smith on Tuesday night. "Now it has become evident that this trade was not merely speculation but something that has been at least discussed for quite some time. "Ron Artest did not want to be traded to Sacramento weeks ago, and he does not want to be traded to Sacramento now. Basketball is Ron Artest's passion. In order for Ron to fully demonstrate his natural skills and abilities, to the best of his abilities, he not only must be in an environment that is conducive to his growth an development as a player, he must also ensure that his family is happy and content as well. Ron does not believe that will be the case if he were in Sacramento. Period. However, as mentioned earlier, Ron is deeply committed to the sport of basketball and desperately misses playing the game he loves. If the trade is made he will play for his new team, regardless of how he may feel about it." Stevens told ESPN's Greg Anthony that he thought Artest needed a stable situation with strong leadership, and that the uncertainty about both Kings coach Rick Adelman's future and the Kings' future in Sacramento indicated a lack of stability that would be uncomfortable for Artest. Likewise, National Basketball Players Association executive director Billy Hunter told Anthony that Artest had not refused to report to Sacramento, although he had told Hunter of his reservations about the potential trade. Hunter expressed concern about reports that the Pacers might attempt to suspend Artest for playing a role in the Kings' rejection of the trade. Hunter told Anthony that Artest was not culpable for the possible dissolution of the deal because he had expressed that he would accept the trade. The Pacers and Kings were close to a deal Tuesday, and Stojakovic stayed at the team hotel in Philadelphia when it appeared the trade would be finalized. But a source with inner knowledge of the day's events told Sheridan a call from Stevens to the Kings gave them second thoughts about pulling the trigger, and the deal was temporarily shelved. "The way I was treated today, I was disappointed," Stojakovic told ESPN.com in Philadelphia. "I feel kind of disrespected with the way I found out. Thank God they have TVs here. I understand being traded, but this situation is weird. I had already planned my flight back to Sacramento, and now everything is reversed. "I guess this is just a business, but the way I was told and the way I found out, I feel I deserved better from [Kings owners Joe and Gavin Maloof]. Anybody can get traded in the NBA, but the way I found out, it was disrespectful. I deserve better after seven and a half years." Stojakovic rode the team bus on the two-hour trip to New York after arriving by limo at the Wachovia Center during the second half of Sacramento's 109-103 loss to Philadelphia. The Kings play the Knicks on Wednesday night. Artest was a key component to a team that was expected to challenge for the Eastern Conference crown. He led the league in steals and was the Pacers' second-leading scorer at 19.4 points a game before being deactivated after publicly requesting a trade in early December. Stojakovic has been having an unproductive, injury-hampered season for the last-place Kings, whose loss Tuesday was their third in a row. Stojakovic's scoring average is down almost eight points from his All-Star level of two years ago, and the Kings are at risk of losing him with nothing in return when he becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer. Indiana has been holding out for more than six weeks for an offer that it deems acceptable. A proposed swap for Corey Maggette fell through because of the Pacers' concerns over Maggette's foot injury, and talks with several other Western Conference teams failed to produce a deal that pleased all parties. If the Artest trade ultimately falls apart, the Kings will be facing an uncomfortable dynamic with Stojakovic, who has never been traded in his NBA career. During his 10-minute interview with ESPN.com, he seemed bewildered and embittered by the day's events. The two-hour bus ride to Manhattan promised to be an uncomfortable one for Stojakovic and his Kings teammates, who, two hours earlier, thought they wouldn't see him again until the next time they faced the Pacers.

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

Ten things we learned in the NBA this week

In case you missed it, there was a new team atop the Southwest Division of the NBA ... if you use alphabetical order in the event of a tie. That would be the Dallas Mavericks, who at 31-10 are deadlocked with the defending champion San Antonio Spurs. The Mavs have won five in a row, eight of 10 and their home 16-6 record is second in the NBA only to the runaway Detroit Pistons (16-3).

1. Item: The Mavs have become a different type of team ever since Avery Johnson replaced Don Nelson as coach 64 games into last season. What this really means: A player steeped in fundamentals on both ends of the floor because it required that kind of focus to stay in the league, Johnson is far more interested in defensive intensity and moving the basketball than "mad scientist" approach Nellie always took at trying new innovations. But in the process, Nellie recognized Johnson as a future head coach and general manager Donnie Nelson also put a great team together for Johnson to coach. Now, not only do they have the explosive scoring of superstar Dirk Nowitzki, but they stole a pair of rookie wing players in 2003 — Josh Howard with the last pick of the first round and Marquis Daniels as a free agent. The two defend, rebound, run the floor and score in clusters. Howard, in particular, is becoming a special player. Plus, they've added an explosive sixth man in Jerry Stackhouse, young point guard Devin Harris, developing behind high-scoring Jason Terry, and, centers Erick Dampier and DeSagana Diop provide a defensive presence and on the boards. That's not to say they will win the West, but they've got a shot at it if the Spurs falter or continue to appear to be bored as they do at the moment.

2. Item: Kobe Bryant scored 81 points — 55 in the second half — in the Los Angeles Lakers 122-105 win over the Toronto Raptors Sunday. What this really means: It was the second largest point total in NBA history behind the 100 points scored by Wilt Chamberlain in 1961. It also surpassed the club record of 71 points recorded by Elgin Baylor. But what really tells the story is the simple fact he was 28-of-46 from the field, 7-of-13 from 3-point range and 18-of-20 from the free- throw line. That's not to mention that both Smush Parker (13) and Chris Mihm (12) also scored in double figures, while Lamar Odom had eight points, 10 rebounds, seven assists and two blocks. More importantly, the Lakers enter the week 22-19 at the midway point of their season and well positioned to make the playoffs — moving into within a game of the second-place Clippers in the Pacific Division. There is no denying that Bryant takes an extraordinary amount of shots that often take his teammates out of the game. But he's also the leading scorer in the NBA and the Lakers are one of only nine teams in the NBA to win at least half of their road games. This isn't a team that's going to win the title, but they'll be giving the teams that are serious contenders enough problems to make a difference. And it's all Bryant driven.

3. Item: Point guard Tony Parker scored a career-high 38 points to lead the Spurs to a seven-point win at Miami over the Heat Friday night. What this really means: After some up-and down-performances his first four seasons, people seemed to lose sight of the simple fact that Parker was starting at point guard as a 19-year-old. Still only 23, his quickness with the ball has made it virtually impossible to prevent him from getting into the lane, and his pull-up jumper has become remarkable (see: shooting .550 from the field). Most of all, he is providing the dependability that coach Gregg Popovich has been seeking. Unfortunately for Pop, he needs more than that. What with Manu Ginobili being carried off the floor with a badly sprained ankle and Tim Duncan slipping in and out of an occasional energy malaise, Pop is thrilled they're only halfway through the season. In the big picture, they're still the team to beat in the West. Maybe even in the snapshot. The difference for the first time may very well be Parker, a 21st century version of Kevin Johnson.

4. Item: The Washington Wizards bought out the contract of point guard Chucky Atkins last week, so let the bidding begin. What this really means: For some reason Wizards coach Eddie Jordan never could fit Atkins into his offensive scheme, and for a team in dire need of quality guard play — in the wake of losing Larry Hughes, Juan Dixon and Steve Blake — Jordan needed Atkins on his side. It didn't work. Now we'll see what's going on in Atkins' head. He has made it clear through his agent he'd like to return to the Detroit Pistons, where he played from 2000-04. But like so many players that pass the age of 30, the next stop needs to be a team with a chance to win it all. If that doesn't happen, the Memphis Grizzlies still need to replace the injured Damon Stoudamire, they're in prime playoff position, and he would be a great fit there.

5. Item: The blood-letting of the Indiana Pacers continued Monday at Atlanta when the Pacers fell apart in the final few minutes in a 104-94 loss to the Hawks. No wonder they finally pulled the trigger (or at least, attempted to pull the trigger) on a Ron Artest deal. What this really means: This was the third loss in a row for the Pacers, who fell to 21-19 and they've now lost 11 of their past 17 games since a 12-point win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Dec. 21. Clearly, this was a team in disarray. And the impact of coach Rick Carlisle and the team hanging in limbo has essentially allowed Artest to ruin two seasons in a row for the club on the heels of the suspension-laden brawl of a year ago. It's easy to understand what CEO Donnie Walsh and president Larry Bird were doing — holding out with the hope that some team would be desperate enough to overcompensate for Artest. And after the Los Angeles Clippers, Golden State Warriors and Denver Nuggets came close, the Pacers finally came back to the deal that should have happened in the first place — a clean swap to the Sacramento Kings for free agent-to-be Peja Stojakovic. Both teams needed a change, and when all else fails, it's always best to go back to the most appealing deal in the first place.

6. Item: Golden State Warriors point guard Baron Davis was suspended last week for striking Seattle point guard Luke Ridnour in the face. What this really means: For all the positive energy B.D. brought to the Warriors that led to the 15-5 finish of a year ago and 12-6 start this season that provided an unlikely 27-11 bridge for the Warriors, the fade is coming quickly. Including Monday's home loss to the Clippers during which they blew an 18-point lead, the 19-21 Warriors now are 7-15 since the start and the favorable home schedule made it misleading. A lot of the concern is over Davis' attitude, something that has been a source of question after a good two years with Paul Silas at Charlotte to start his NBA career. But since then, he has too often proven to be insolent to coaching. Byron Scott felt it at New Orleans and his approach is undermining the already difficult time Mike Montgomery is having adjusting from the personalities he controlled at Stanford to NBA individualism. All these factors must be taken into account by general manager Chris Mullin as he contemplates his next move — whether that includes gambling on Artest or avoiding the inevitable decision between Davis and Montgomery by making a different kind of move.

7. Item: The Denver Nuggets extended their winning streak to six games by defeating the Spurs at San Antonio on Sunday and the Toronto Raptors on Monday. What this really means: The Nuggets now are on a season-best 9-of-11 run that has opened up a 2 1/2-game lead in the Northwest Division. Carmelo Anthony had 37 points in the win Monday, making it the fifth time in the 11 games he has had at least 31 points and eighth time in the last 18 games. More importantly Kenyon Martin had 25 points, 12 rebounds and two blocks Monday, proving he is finally recovering from off-season microfracture surgery. During the winning streak, Martin has averaged 16.5 points, 10.8 rebounds and 1.8 blocks — precisely what they need up front. Plus center Marcus Camby is due back by the end of the week from a fractured right pinky finger. There were myriad reasons for their sluggish start, but coach George Karl now seems to have them on task, health notwithstanding, and Anthony is erupting as an All-Star.

7. Item: Minnesota Timberwolves swingman Fred Hoiberg, who retired after last season due to surgery to fix an aneurysm in his heart, is contemplating a return as the first player in NBA history to play with a pacemaker — located near his left shoulder. What this really means: Because the Timberwolves renounced Hoiberg's contract, he can't sign with them this season, but he could sign with somebody else. Of course, that's not the point. The fact of the matter is his wife and four young children need him far more than any NBA team needs the 33-year-old role player. Of course it would be precedent-setting and all that good stuff. Then again, is he crazy? There is no point to pursue this. If the "Mayor" misses basketball so much, he should go into coaching. Proving he can play with a pacemaker would do nothing for his family or himself considering the gamble he would be taking in the first place. His pension and knowledge of the game will give his family all the good that he can bring — which is plenty. Playing the game is for younger, healthier young players.

8. Item: The saga of New York Knicks forward Antonio Davis, his wife Kendra and Chicago Bulls fan Michael Axelrod apparently is over. What this really means: Evidently Davis' agent Bill Duffy and Axelrod's father David agreed that the anger and miscommunication has been resolved. Davis went into the stands during the game between the two teams last week and was suspended five games. It was a mess, although Davis did diffuse whatever altercation there was between his wife and Axelrod. That's the good news — that it's over. The bigger deal is the simple fact that there is no specific rule that states a minimum amount of games a player will be suspended should he step foot into the stands. As soon as David jumped on the scorer's table, then headed up the stairs, the fans could have escalated the situation in a matter of moments. Instead, cooler heads prevailed. But to leave it to chance is just flat-out wrong, and as the president of the Players Association, Davis should have known better than anybody not to make the move. Protecting his wife is one thing. Bounding into the stands to stop a verbal dispute she allegedly initiated is something else entirely.

9. Item: Ray Allen sank a 30-footer at the buzzer of the second overtime to lead the Seattle SuperSonics to a 152-149 win at Phoenix over the Suns — the highest scoring game in the league since Dallas beat Houston 156-147 in 1995. What this really means: The win snapped a four-game losing streak for the Sonics and improved their record to 3-7 since Bob Hill replaced Bob Weiss as coach. Nonetheless, the Sonics are still 16-24, and the worst defensive team in the NBA. Hill has gradually worked teenaged center Robert Swift into the starting lineup and he continues to spin the rotation as Weiss did unsuccessfully. Meanwhile, trade rumors continue to swirl around Reggie Evans and Flip Murray, with Vladimir Radmanovic — the guy who turned down a six-year, $42 million deal last summer — insisting he won't approve a trade which is his right after signing the qualifying offer. To be sure, Hill has his work cut out for him with a team has no inclination to play defense and a lot of self-consumed players on the roster overall. What we do know is they can score points. What we don't know is if they can consistently score more than the other team.

10. Item: Tracy McGrady scored 18 of his 41 points in the fourth quarter, as the Houston Rockets walked into Milwaukee and blew out the Bucks with a 17-point victory Monday night. What this really means: McGrady missed five consecutive games — and now 13 for the season — with back spasms. The Rockets are 0-13 without him, but have won two of three since he's been back — averaging 39.7 per game. McGrady is still only 26, but with his persistent back issues and burgeoning knee tendinitis make him a health risk every game. McGrady is representative of the greatest conundrum in sports — the injury-prone superstar. Considering he was traded by Orlando two years ago, it isn't impossible that he wouldn't be traded again. Then again, there is always the possibility that he gets healthy and returns to consistently playing at an All-NBA first team level. And that's why the Rockets were ecstatic when they got him two summers ago. Now, if he can only stay on the floor, he would remain among the game's elite. Otherwise he's just another overpaid star, of whom many a coach has scratched his head and wondered if he's worth the trouble. The answer is yes.

4) Chris Broussard of ESPN.com wonders what’s going on in Philly:

Clash of the stars in Philly

Now it all makes sense. Now I understand why Allen Iverson told Philly reporters after Monday's embarrassing 28-point loss to Washington that he was unsure of his role with the 76ers. A league source told me Chris Webber went off in the Sixers' locker room after the demolition by the Wizards. Frustrated by the team's mediocrity, Webber yelled at coaches and players alike while saying, in essence, he never gets the ball. I'm not sure if he named Iverson directly, but I'm told it was clear he was calling out A.I., who dominates the rock and is averaging a whopping 25.8 shots a game, second only to King Kobe. Apparently, the episode made Iverson wonder whether he's leading the Sixers correctly. Why else would he question his role, which has been to hoist and hoist and hoist since he set foot in Philly 10 years ago? Coach Maurice Cheeks was stunned by A.I.'s assertion, but certainly understood where it was coming from. That's why he spoke for 27 minutes after Wednesday's loss to New Jersey about the importance of "sticking together'' through tough times. On Thursday, Cheeks cancelled practice and instead, in an obvious attempt at bonding, took the team paint-balling. The irony in this situation is that while A.I. and C-Webb are undeniably productive, they both have major roles in Philly's struggles. The Sixers are 20-20 for one reason and one reason only: They couldn't guard a statue. They give up 102.9 points a game and allow opponents to shoot 46 percent. In other words, you're always hot, always in the zone when playing the Sixers. A scout told me this week that Philly's defensive problems begin with A.I. and end with C-Webb. He said the fact that A.I. applies no pressure whatsoever when opposing point guards bring the ball up court allows teams to get into their offense too easily. Then, C-Webb doesn't front the post, so entry passes down low are pudding. Teams can also pick-and-roll C-Webb to death because of his mobility problems. In the middle of the A.I./C-Webb spectrum is Kyle Korver, who gets toasted nightly by whichever two- or three-man Andre Iguodala's not guarding. For all of C-Webb's complaints about not getting the ball, the Sixers' offense is not really the problem. Philly is averaging 101.8, second in the league, on 46 percent shooting. Still, I (and to be honest, most execs around the league) wonder whether you can win big with A.I. dominating the rock so much. There's no doubt he is spectacular, arguably the best little man ever next to Isiah (he's ahead of Tiny in my book and only John Stockton compares). I said before the season that A.I. probably should let Webber handle it more (because of his passing ability) and drop to about 24 ppg so Iguodala and John Salmons can get more involved. I don't know if that would make the Sixers win more, but a coach told me this week that A.I.'s dominance has stunted the growth of Iguodala, who just about everyone thinks can be a star. If the Sixers are going to have A.I. continue to play as he does, they will have to go back to the Larry Brown concept to regain contender status. The one year the Sixers were legit was when Brown put a bunch of gritty, hard-nosed defenders, rebounders and spot-up shooters around A.I. These are the best types of teammates for Iverson. Any player who can really do things on his own offensively will get frustrated next to A.I. because he always has the rock. If you can take it to the rack and create on your own, you won't mesh well with A.I. -- not because of his personality, but because of his game. That's why none of the so-called "second stars" have panned out in Philly: Keith Van Horn, Toni Kukoc, Glenn Robinson, Larry Hughes and now C-Webb. Granted, those guys were either too young, beyond their prime or better suited to be third or fourth options. But fact is, none of them played to their offensive potential in Philly. If A.I. pulled back a bit offensively, it would allow him to exert more energy on defense, which would go a long way in solving the Sixers' No. 1 problem. My guess is that nothing will change in Philly: They'll deny that any rift, or tension, exists between their stars; A.I. will challenge Kobe for the scoring and launches-per-game titles; and the Sixers will finish around .500, seventh in the East. Then they'll get shellacked by Miami in the first round of the playoffs.

5) Frank Isola of the New York Daily News reports that AD is AWOL:

Davis might be gone for good

Months before Antonio Davis memorably climbed into the national scene last week in Chicago, there were questions about his future with the Knicks. Those same questions have resurfaced even though Davis has not. Larry Brown said yesterday that he is expecting Davis to rejoin the team but the coach was noncommittal when asked where and when that may take place, raising speculation that Davis may never again play for the Knicks. Davis, who was reluctant to join the Knicks after being included in the Eddy Curry deal during the first week of training camp, was given permission to return home to Chicago after the NBA suspended the veteran forward for five games for jumping into the stands during a Knicks-Bulls game last week. Under league rules, any suspended player is barred from an arena before, during and after a game. Davis is eligible to play Monday against the Hawks in Atlanta. Under the ban, he is allowed to practice with the Knicks but he has already missed three training sessions. Yesterday, Brown was vague concerning Davis' status. When asked if he expected the power forward to rejoin the team, Brown replied: "Yeah ... unless something crazy happens that I don't know about." Asked if Davis still wants to play in New York, Brown answered: "I don't even think that's an issue." Brown indicated that Davis may rejoin the Knicks Saturday in Philadelphia. If true, Davis will watch the game from his hotel room before meeting the team at the airport for its late-night flight to Atlanta. The longer he stays away, however, the more his absence increases the possibility of Isiah Thomas trading or releasing Davis, who is in the last year of his contract. A Knicks official said yesterday that there continue to be whispers inside the organization that Davis will be released so he can sign with a contending team. That scenario, however, is unlikely to happen until after the Feb. 23 trading deadline, if at all. Davis, who was also coached by Brown in Indiana, is one of the Knicks' few stable veterans. "The last thing the Knicks want to do is to keep losing because the Bulls have their first-round pick," said one league source. "Davis will keep them close." Davis, however, is also standing in the way of progress. Because he is a leader and the Knicks' best low-post defender, Davis starts ahead of rookie Channing Frye. If Davis is traded or released, Frye would be the full-time starter. Davis' expiring contract would draw interest from several teams, and the Knicks might be able to trade Davis to Toronto for Jalen Rose, a player who has been on Thomas' radar for two years. The feeling around the league is that Thomas is trying to trade Davis, even though the Knicks assured him in training camp that he was safe. The Knicks were originally planning to release Davis in October, which would have allowed him to re-sign with Chicago. In fact, Davis said early on that he was considering retirement if he couldn't return to the Bulls. Brown was sympathetic to Davis' plight, but Thomas, the Knicks president, disagreed, and saying that basketball is a business and not charity, decided not to release him. Not surprisingly, Brown and Thomas both had different views after the league suspended Davis. Brown called the penalty "real excessive" while Thomas called it "just." Thomas was the only one associated with the Knicks who supported the league over Davis, which is something several teammates noticed. Had it been Stephon Marbury under the league's microscope, Thomas' reaction certainly would have been different. "It's been made clear to all of us that a player should never leave the playing field and go into the stands," Thomas said Thursday. It was a departure for Thomas, who over the years has hinted that street justice has a place in the NBA. Davis will lose approximately $630,000 in wages during his suspension. The Knicks have lost at home to Detroit and New Orleans during the first two games of his ban. They face Sacramento at the Garden tonight. "It's been hard for him with his family in Chicago and him being here," Brown said. "This isn't the way we planned it. But, I thought it was okay for him to stay there and get with his family."

6) ESPN.com’s Page 2 writer Jeff Merron reminds us that there are bigger records than Kobe’s 81:

Wilt's No. 1. Kobe's No. 2. But remember: The NBA might be the best league, but it isn't the only league. So consider these other high-scoring hoopsters -- most of whom rang up big numbers in just 32 or 40 minutes.

Bevo Francis - Maybe the only college player in history who racked up single-game scoring totals higher than the enrollment at his college. Playing for Rio Grande College in Ohio, he torched Hillsdale College for 113 points on Feb. 2, 1954. That counted as a college record, but it was only his second-highest college total. About a year earlier, on Jan. 9, 1953, he scored 116 against Ashland (Kent.), but Ashland's JC status kept 116 off the NCAA books. Who knows what he would have done if he had stuck around for his junior and senior seasons, instead of signing with the Boston Whirlwinds, bait for the Harlem Globetrotters.

John Barber - Does anyone have this on film? Barber's Los Angeles State team beat the Chapman College JV squad 206-82 in a 1953 contest. Barber tallied 188 points. The next day, he scored 103 against Los Angeles Community College's JV. The day after that, he connected on 73 of 97 field goals and totaled 150 points against a team of L.A. scribes. Barber's coach, Sax Elliot, was trying to make a point -- no pun intended. He argued that Bevo Francis' records shouldn't count, because it was easy for the Rio Grande star to put up astounding numbers against junior colleges. And he said he would prove it, by camping his big man under the hoop and letting him shoot away. Until 1957, the lane was only six feet wide, which helped.

Walter Garrett - Back in 1963, the Birmingham West End prep star scored 97 points against Birmingham Glenn Vocational. Final game score: West End 97, Glenn Vocational 54. And dig this -- Garrett was quintuple-teamed the entire game.

Cheryl Miller - On Jan. 26, 1982, Miller made 46 of 50 field goals on the way to 105 points. Her Riverside Poly (Calif.) squad defeated Riverside Norte Vista, 179-15.

Danny Heater - When Heater got hot, other teams had to watch out. On Jan. 26, 1960, playing on his undersized (73-foot) home court, the Burnsville, W.Va., star scored 55 first-half points, then really got going after the intermission, pouring in another 80. Total: a high school-record 135 points. Heater later worked for the FBI -- and averaged 20 points per game for his league squad.

Wilt Chamberlain - The century mark is legendary. But it might not have surprised some of his Philly high school teammates and opponents. Playing for Overbrook High in 1955, he scored 90 against Roxborough -- despite sitting out some of the third quarter and all of the fourth.

Frank Selvy - Wilt wasn't the first one to perfectly hit the century mark. Selvy, playing for Furman, shattered the old NCAA single-game mark by 27 points when he scored 100 against Newberry College on Feb. 13, 1954. During the game, played, appropriately enough, on "Frank Selvy Night," he went 41 of 66 from the field and 18 of 22 from the stripe.

Lisa Leslie - In Leslie's last home game as an Inglewood (Calif.) HS senior in February 1990, she went 37-for-56 from the floor and sank 27 free throws. Then the first half ended, with her team leading South Torrance, 102-24. She had scored 101 points. The game was over -- literally. South Torrance didn't come out for the second half.

Mary Boyd - We're not sure, but it's possible the game was played in a cage, which would keep the ball from going out of bounds and may have helped Boyd rack up 156 points (only 2 on free throws) in a 1924 game for Lonaconing (Md.) Central High in its 163-3 pasting of Ursuline Academy. Nor do we know whether she was playing under girls' rules and spending all her time at the offensive end.

Dajuan Wagner - The ex-Cav pumped home 100 for Camden (N.J.) High School on Jan. 16, 2001, as his team beat Gloucester Township Tech, 157-67. Camden coach Glen Jackson was widely criticized for employing a full-court press throughout the rout and allowing his senior superstar to attempt to hit the century mark by playing in the fourth quarter.

Cedrick Hensley - The same night Wagner scored 100, Hensley, a junior, pumped home 101 for Heritage Christian Academy in Texas City, Texas. In the process, he became the 12th school boy to top the century mark. (Wagner was No. 13, and two more players have accomplished the feat since.) Wagner's squad beat Banff Christian 178-28. Hensley was gunning for 100, but it looked like he would come up short. He had "only" 83 points with three minutes left and was battling exhaustion. But he managed to score 18 more points, not missing a shot the rest of the way.