Gilbert Arenas is such a whiner…last night he blamed the Wiz 116-111 loss to the Raptors to the 1 o’clock starting time…''I don't think we've ever played well on 1 o'clock games,'' Arenas said after Bosh had 24 points and 15 rebounds to lead the Raptors to a 116-111 victory over the Wizards on Sunday. ''In the NBA that's a weird time, especially for your body because that's usually your practice time. A 1 o'clock practice, you know how that goes.'' It’s worth noting that Arenas had 33 points and the Raptors won despite shooting just 22 free throws compared to 41 for the Wizards.

Interesting article here on whether playing on offseason national teams affects play during the NBA: http://www.82games.com/pelton25.htm

The Chicago Bulls beat the Detroit Pistons 106-89 on Saturday night with Luol Deng scoring 30, while Ben Wallace finished with 12 points, 14 rebounds and a season-high six blocks in his first game against his former team…Rasheed Wallace had some fun at his former teammate's expense during pregame warmups, when he tried to hand Big Ben a headband. Ben Wallace, who was benched for wearing one during a game at New York in late November, jokingly tossed it aside. "Just messing with him," Rasheed Wallace said. "That's my man. We've got to mess with him”…”I think the whole team came out with headbands," Ben Wallace said, smiling. "That was premeditated on their part."

This is just plain funny…The New York Kincks are over the salary cap just in terms of bought out or retired players…Allan Houston, Shandon Anderson, Jalen Rose, Maurice Taylor and Jerome Williams account for over $60 million this season…now some of that money is covered by insurance (Houston’s cash for example) but it’s still incredible…

Trade Rumour: Bulls send PF Tyrus Thomas, SF Luol Deng, PF P. J. Brown and a 1st round pick to Minnesota for PF Kevin Garnett…Nets send PG Jason Kidd to Dallas for PG Devin Harris, SG Jerry Stackhouse, and PF Austin Croshere

Sleeper NBA first round pick…Eastern Washington sophomore guard Rodney Stuckey had 25 points, 10 assists and 3 steals in Eastern Washington's 88-87 win over Northern Colorado…Stuckey, a 6-foot-5, 205-pound native of Kent, Wash., averaged a Big Sky Conference freshman-record 24.2 points per game last season and was the Big Sky player of the year. Stuckey is averaging 23.3 points and 5.2 assists per game this season….

1) Can you believe that Juwan Howard is the only one leftBy Chad Ford
ESPN.com
Archive of the Fab Five still making a significant contribution? From Sam Smith of the Chicago Tribune:

This Rocket never rocks boat - Veteran Howard respects game, all about the team

Juwan Howard knows disrespect, the chestnut for general player unhappiness. Like, "He's making $12 million and I'm only making $10 million and I'm better. You're disrespecting me." Or, "He gets a three-room suite on the road, and I just get a two-room suite. And his lobster is from colder water. You're disrespecting me." Let's see if we can count the times. There was Howard's rookie season, when the power forward averaged 17 points and 8.4 rebounds for the Washington Bullets. So the Bullets used their first-round draft pick for a power forward, Rasheed Wallace. Then there was after Howard's third season, when the Bullets declined to match a free-agent offer from the Miami Heat, only to have the NBA disallow the offer and force him back to Washington. Then there was the trade to Dallas for a bunch of backups, which landed Howard with his best team ever—and the only time he moved past the first round of the playoffs—only to be traded before the end of the next season to the rebuilding Denver Nuggets. Then it was on to Orlando as a free agent for a season. Then he was shipped with Tracy McGrady to Houston, where a virus resulted in a heart ailment that could have been fatal and a recovery that found the Rockets already having traded for Stromile Swift to replace him. And then this season playing behind Shane Battier, then Chuck Hayes, and then not at all. But as the Rockets play the Bulls here Monday night with Yao Ming out with a broken leg, Juwan Howard is back in the starting lineup. He still is not very athletic, not much of a jumper, long shooter or dunker. But Howard is the only member of Michigan's famed Fab Five still playing a significant NBA role. "I don't get into all that [disrespect talk]," says the Chicago native and Vocational High School grad. "You have to go out and earn your respect, in practice, in game situations, when your name is called to be ready to go in the game and provide what the team needs. "Why go out and speak publicly about situations? Why should I ever go out and speak about some displeasure when I can go out and compete and enjoy what I'm doing? The best part of all this still is 1994 when I was drafted. It's been a dream of mine from when I was a little kid. I wanted to play in the NBA and I have. That day is still the high point in my career." No, you don't hear much about Howard, who still doesn't jump much, run too fast or shoot too well. But in his 13th NBA season, Howard carries career averages of 16.3 points and 7.2 rebounds. And though he's averaging 7.4 points and 6.0 rebounds this season, he was averaging 15.2 points and 8.2 rebounds in five straight wins without Yao going into Sunday, when the streak ended with a 103-99 loss at Minnesota. Howard kept up his solid play with 19 points and five rebounds. Howard has played in an All-Star Game and earned a third-team all-league honor one season. He doesn't show up on highlight shows, or in the police blotter. Perhaps he never says much interesting or clever, but he works on his game like he's not a multimillionaire and appreciates every day like it was the first. Howard is the kind of player who makes you feel proud to be a fan of the NBA. "I look back and I can't believe it's 13 years," Howard said one day last week after practice. "And now the fact I'm playing a lot and playing well, I thank God because I've worked hard at it." It wasn't really coach Jeff Van Gundy's plan. In fact, Howard was startled when Van Gundy told him before the start of the season he wasn't even in the rotation anymore. The Rockets wanted the deep shooting of Battier at power forward. Then they decided they needed the rugged rebounding of Hayes next to Yao. "I didn't like the idea," Howard admits of going from starter to DNP. "But I figured coach Van Gundy researched it and felt it gave us the best chance to win. It so happened it lasted three games. Then he wanted to start the young guy, Hayes. I disagreed with that. Yao and I had won a lot of games. But I respected the coach's decision. He studied this more than I did." And then Yao went down and they needed Howard starting again. "Juwan has been one of the best professionals I've ever had the chance to coach," Van Gundy wrote in an e-mail. "He didn't play the first game this year, but instead of questioning, he just kept preparing. He is the same guy every day: comes in, works hard, totally committed to the team, enthusiastic.
"Most veterans lose the love of the game before they actually lose their game. Juwan still loves the gym, the preparation that goes into being a quality player." It has certainly been lucrative for Howard, who signed a contract worth more than $100 million when he was returned to Washington. But it never has been easy. He was overshadowed by Chris Webber and Jalen Rose in college and by Webber, Rod Strickland and Mitch Richmond in Washington, dumped by Michael Jordan in Washington when his contract supposedly was an albatross for the franchise, and disposed of further by Dallas along with Tim Hardaway, who would later smash a TV set on the playing floor one game. "Yeah," Howard recalls with a laugh. "Tim didn't take it as well." Howard called that a low point, but never protested. He played another season with a 17-win Denver team, leading the Nuggets in scoring and signing with the Magic, only to be shipped out with McGrady after playing a team-high 81 games for Orlando, an ironman known for his heart, but even that became uncertain. "It was life-threatening," Howard said of the viral myocarditis he contracted late in the 2004-05 season when he was sidelined by a knee injury. "At times I thought my career might be over. I couldn't do any conditioning for six to eight months. I couldn't take my heart rate over 120. "But I came back the next season and played 80 games and there's been no aftereffects. I didn't allow it to beat me." And, remarkably, hardly anyone has been beating the Rockets lately even without Yao, who was having an MVP season. It mostly seems to be because of McGrady, who has been producing big offensive numbers again after a return from back problems. And with very respectable play from Juwan Howard.

2) Chad Ford of ESPN.com with his draft watch:

Draft Watch: 13 freshmen with first-round potential

We said in July that much of the strength of the 2007 NBA Draft was in a stellar incoming freshman class that boasted as many as four potential lottery picks and several other excellent NBA prospects down the road. Turns out stellar was an understatement. This year's freshman class is having a bigger impact than anyone predicted and has the potential to produce a whopping eight lottery picks and 13 first-rounders altogether in this draft. To put this into historical perspective, the most freshmen ever drafted in the first round was four in 2001. However, that was back when high school players could come directly to the NBA without meeting a minimum age requirement. To get a handle on the most NBA-ready high school class ever, you have to combine the number of preps-to-pros and college freshmen who were drafted from that class. That distinction belongs to the high school class of 2004 which placed eight high school seniors in the first round of the '04 draft and one college freshman in the '05 draft. This year's freshman class should exceed that amount if all of the top freshmen declare. After talking with numerous NBA scouts and executives, here's a look at the top 13 freshmen in the country:

1. Kevin Durant, F, Texas - Greg Oden may be the consensus No. 1 pick in the draft because he's a center, but he's not the best freshman in the country. That honor goes to Durant. You'll have to go back to Carmelo Anthony to find a more dominant freshman in a major NCAA program.
Durant has been nothing short of spectacular in almost every area of the game. He can score both inside and out, and has been nearly a double-digit rebounder despite his wiry frame and outside-in game. He's been a fearless leader on the court and has drawn comparisons, from some scouts, to Kevin Garnett with a jump shot. Barring injury, he's a lock for the No. 2 pick in the draft and will likely go No. 1 if Greg Oden decides to stay at Ohio State as a sophomore.

2. Greg Oden, C, Ohio State - He's only played five games and is doing it basically one-handed, but it's easy to see that Oden is already the best big man in college basketball. Oden is still healing from a broken wrist injury he suffered this summer, but he has still looked great. Defensively he's already a nightmare for opponents, and once he gets the flexibility back in his right wrist he should be more effective on the offensive end of the floor. His poor game against Florida probably says more about the excellent draft prospects of juniors Al Horford and Joakim Noah than it does about Oden. Barring a torn ACL or some other serious injury, he'll go No. 1. The big question on everyone's mind right now is whether he'll actually declare this spring.

3. Brandan Wright, F, North Carolina - As a high school sophomore and junior, Wright was mentioned in the same breath as Oden. However, a so-so senior year hurt his draft stock a little as scouts questioned his drive and work ethic. Wright has erased most of those doubts this year with his great play at UNC. North Carolina's Tyler Hansbrough came in as an early pick for NCAA Player of the Year, but after watching Wright's first 11 games, it looks like Hansbrough isn't even the best player on his own team. Wright's combination of length, athleticism and versatility reminds some scouts of LaMarcus Aldridge. He's ranked No. 3 on our Big Board and looks like a lock for the Top 5.

4. Bill Walker, G/F, Kansas State - Walker couldn't play high school ball this fall because he used up his eligibility. So he graduated early and enrolled at Kansas State. He became eligible to play on Dec. 16 and has had an immediate impact on the Wildcats, averaging 14.5 ppg and 5 rpg in his first five games. Walker's uberathletic game draws immediate comparisons to Vince Carter. But will he even be eligible for the 2007 draft? NBA rules say no because his high school class doesn't graduate until June. Still, Walker has a good case if he wants to appeal his eligibility.

5. Darrell Arthur, F, Kansas - Arthur waited until the last minute to pick Kansas and the early indications were that he'd take a back seat to a number of talented sophomores already on the KU roster. But Arthur had different ideas and has been putting up big numbers in limited minutes for KU. Given his size, athleticism and position, he should be a Top-10 pick.

6. Chase Budinger, SG, Arizona - Lute Olson calls him one of the best prospects he's ever coached and for good reason. Budinger has a lethal combination of athleticism and a jump shot. He's also an excellent rebounding guard. After a red-hot start, he's cooled off a little, but at 17.4 ppg on 55-percent shooting, there isn't much to complain about. He should be a lottery pick for sure, with a great chance of landing in the Top 10.

7. Hasheem Thabeet, C, UConn - If Mouhamed Saer Sene, a raw, unproven prospect from Senegal, can go in the Top 10 (to Seattle in 2006) … what are Thabeet's chances? Compared to the rest of the prospects on this list, Thabeet is raw and unproven. However, he is 7 feet 3 inches tall, has long arms, is athletic and has already established himself as one of the best shot-blockers in the NCAA. The fact that he reminds so many scouts of Dikembe Mutombo doesn't hurt his chances either. He's a guy who could really use another year or two at UConn, but if he declares, he'll go high.

8. Spencer Hawes, C, Washington - Hawes is the bizarro Thabeet. He's not particularly long or athletic, but he's very skilled in the low post. He knows how to score in a variety of ways and he's an excellent passer. He has scored 20 points or more in four of his last five games. He's not a great rebounder or shot-blocker yet, but given the NBA's dire need for big guys who can score in the post, Hawes becomes the eighth NCAA freshman with a legit shot at the lottery in '07.

9. Thaddeus Young, F, Georgia Tech - Young was one of the more heralded high school prospects last summer but his NBA future is a little blurry now. He's been pretty inconsistent this season, looking absolutely dominant at times and terrible at others. His biggest issue is position -- is he a 3 or a 4? He's got the length and athleticism to play the 4, but spends much of his time hanging around the perimeter when he should be taking the ball to the basket. He went three straight games without shooting a free throw before last week's game against Georgia where he got to the line 12 times. He reminds scouts a lot of Al Harrington and is going to have to figure out his game (or have scouts figure it out for him) before he'll be considered a lottery prospect again. Still if he's on the board in the mid-first round, someone will grab him.

10. Daequan Cook, SG, Ohio State - Cook looks to be next in the line of smaller 2-guards with explosive athleticism and sweet jumpers who could make the jump to the NBA. He got off to a red-hot start, but his production has dwindled a bit since Greg Oden started playing. Still, his stellar shooting numbers (55 percent from the field, 49 percent from 3) combined with his rebounding should make him a first-round lock. If he attacked the basket more, his stock would rise even higher.

11. Javaris Crittenton, PG, Georgia Tech - NBA scouts love big point guards and Crittenton is a rare one who fits the mold. He's a legit 6-foot-5, pass-first point guard with excellent leadership skills. The knock on him coming out of high school was his jump shot, but so far this season he's shooting 47 percent from the field and from 3. However, turnovers are a big issue, especially when playing against smaller, quicker guards. Regardless, he's a mid to late first-round pick whenever he decides to declare.

12. Matt Bouldin, G, Gonzaga - He's got the Adam Morrison/Dan Dickau hair … and some scouts feel he might have a little John Stockton in him, too. But the best comparison may be a non-Gonzaga alum -- Deron Williams. Bouldin is another big guard who shows exceptional court vision and leadership on the floor for a freshman. Right now, Gonzaga has him playing mostly 2-guard and small forward which has hurt his stock a little. And his play has been pretty up and down. He was great against North Carolina and Washington and then threw up a terrible game against Duke.
Of the Top 13, he's the guy most likely to stay in school for another year or two. But if he comes out, someone will grab him in the late first round.

13. D. J. Augustin, PG, Texas - He's little, but he's been on fire of late for Texas. Augustin is a super-quick point guard who sees the floor well and can shoot lights out from NBA 3-point range. He wasn't as heralded as some of the other freshmen who came onto the scene this year, but he's been rising quickly on draft boards and has a good shot of going in the first round if he declares in '07.

After these 13, there are a number of other talented freshmen who should make it into the first round -- some as early as next season. Here are 10 names you should start familiarizing yourself with: Wayne Ellington, SG, North Carolina; Paul Harris, G/F, Syracuse; Tywon Lawson, PG, North Carolina; Mike Conley, PG, Ohio State; Quincy Pondexter, F, Washington; Ryan Anderson, PF, Cal; Gerald Henderson, SG, Duke; Lance Thomas, PF, Duke; Robin Lopez, C, Stanford; Stephen Curry, G, Davidson

Stock Watch: Horford's rising; Noah's slipping

While NBA fans have been focused on the 30 pro teams, NBA scouts have been watching the best group of prospects seen in years. Now that the college season is half over, and most teams are beginning conference play, it's time to recap the first half and preview the second half of the regular season. Last week we looked at 13 freshmen who have a shot to be lottery picks in June. Now we're examining the college sophomores, juniors and seniors. Which ones have helped themselves? Whose stock is falling? Read on.

STOCK RISING

Al Horford, PF, Jr., Florida - Horford was a potential late lottery pick last season after Florida's amazing tournament run, but some scouts questioned whether he was anything more than a serviceable rotation player in the NBA. Furthermore, an ankle injury this season has slowed his progress a little. But when he's been healthy he's shown a great combination of toughness, basketball IQ and athleticism. And what really has given his stock a boost was his performance against consensus No. 1 pick Greg Oden. Horford dominated Oden on both ends of the floor, and has his stock now planted firmly in the Top 10.

Marcus Williams, SF, So., Arizona - Some questioned Williams' decision not to declare for the 2006 draft after a stellar freshman year. But by all accounts, Williams' game has matured and his stock continues to rise. Williams reminds scouts of former NBA star Steve Smith. He is long and fairly athletic, can defend multiple positions and doesn't need the ball to be effective on offense. He's improved his rebounding and shooting percentage dramatically this season, despite being the focal point of the defense. He should be a late lottery pick on draft night.

Sean Williams, PF/C, Jr., Boston College - No one has improved his stock more than Williams this season. I've been talking about him since his freshman year, but he showed only glimpses of NBA potential his first two years of college. Lately he's been on a tear, establishing himself as the best shot blocker in college basketball. Against Duquesne he put up an amazing triple double: 19 points, 10 rebounds and 13 blocked shots.
He's also beginning to show talent as an offensive player and rebounder. Given his size, athleticism and improvement, he's turned himself into a lottery prospect. The only thing holding him back? Several offcourt incidents the past few years have scouts seriously questioning his character.

Dominic James, PG, So., Marquette - The 2007 NBA draft looks amazing in all but one area: point guard. It appears that there won't be one lottery-caliber point guard prospect for a second straight year. The best of the group appears to be James. He isn't a pure point guard, a great perimeter shooter or even quite 6-foot, but his combination of athleticism, strength, defensive prowess, scoring ability and explosiveness have scouts intrigued. Given the new uptempo style of play in the NBA, James should be a good fit as a mid-to-late first-round pick.

Morris Almond, SG, Sr., Rice - Almond declared for the NBA draft last year and impressed scouts with his play at the Orlando predraft camp. It wasn't enough to get him a first-round promise, however, so he returned to Rice -- on a mission. So far, he's been amazing, averaging 30 points per game -- shooting 52 percent from the field and an impressive 46 percent from 3-point land. Considering his size (he measured 6-6 in shoes at Orlando), athleticism (he has a 35-inch vertical and ran one of the fastest three-quarter-length sprints at the predraft camp) and his consistency (Rice averaged 20 ppg and shot 44 percent on 3s last season too), he should be the first college senior off the board on draft night. How high he goes depends on workouts. Were he at a big-name school like Duke, he'd be in the lottery. Right now, scouts have him in the mid-to-late first round. But he could rise.

STOCK SLIPPING

Joakim Noah, PF/C, Jr., Florida - This was inevitable. Noah had a Cinderella run for Florida last season and most likely would have been the No. 1 pick in the 2006 NBA draft had he declared. With a number of super freshmen coming into the game and NBA scouts now going through Noah's game with a fine-toothed comb, we expected him to fall a notch or two. Noah is still ranked by most scouts as a top-five player in the draft, but lately I've been hearing a chorus of questions about his position, offense and failure to improve much this season. I'm not necessarily buying it. When you focus on Noah's strengths (size, athleticism, energy, ballhandling, passing and ability to create off the dribble), he's still an excellent prospect. If Florida plays deep into March again, and Noah's the leader again, it's hard to see him falling out of the top four or five.

Josh McRoberts, F, So., Duke - Most scouts believed that McRoberts, sans J.J. Redick and Shelden Williams, would have a monster year at Duke. So far, it hasn't materialized. McRoberts has struggled, especially against top competition. His shooting percentage is way down this season, as are his per-minute numbers. He still has the talent of a lottery pick, but he's going to have to put together better numbers in the second half (which he's done the last few games) to move back into the high lottery.

Jeff Green, SF, Jr., Georgetown - Scouts still love Green's overall game, but his numbers, across the board, have been disappointing. Scouts appreciate his versatility, point forward skills, and defensive play. But most scouts expect potential lottery picks to average more than 11.7 points, especially when the team is struggling. Green took just two shots against Old Dominion, four against Oregon and six versus Duke -- all losses for the Hoyas. You can blame a lot of this on Georgetown's offense, which is a bad fit for a player like Green (in this aspect he reminds me a little of Rajon Rondo at Kentucky last year -- good player, bad fit). Still, he has to assert himself more to get his stock back up into the late-lottery range.

Tyler Hansbrough, PF, So., North Carolina - Hansbrough's numbers continue to impress, and he remains one of the toughest, most aggressive low post players in the NCAA. However, he's struggled in games against bigger, more athletic power forwards and centers, and that alarms scouts. Hansbrough is already an undersized four who doesn't have particularly long arms and isn't that athletically gifted. He'll face long, athletic players almost every game in the NBA. So, when you compare him to teammate Brandan Wright, I don't think there's any question who the better NBA prospect is.

Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, F, So., UCLA - Mbah a Moute was another March Madness wonder who helped spark UCLA all the way to the final game. His combination of size, athleticism, strength and defensive tenacity earned him comparisons to a young Ron Artest -- without the personality issues. Much was made this summer about his improving jump shot and offensive game & but scouts haven't really seen that in games yet. Mbah a Moute remains an athletically gifted defender who excels in the open floor. But once the offense grinds down into the half court, his effectiveness is severely limited. He's still a first-round prospect, but talk of him in the lottery has faded to a whisper.

SECOND-HALF SLEEPERS

Darren Collison, PG, So., UCLA - Collison took scouts by surprise with his MVP performance at the Maui Invitational. Given his incredible acceleration, he may be the quickest point guard in the NCAA right now. He's also proven to be a capable leader for UCLA. He has been shooting lights out from 3-point range, is a tenacious defender and can be spectacular in the open court. Like a lot of other point guards in this draft, he's undersized, but given the success of smaller point guards right now, Collison could be a steal in the late first round.

Mario Chalmers, PG, So., Kansas - Chalmers has been the most consistent offensive weapon on the Jayhawks of late. He's not a pure point guard, but he has enough skills to play that position in the pros. He has a steady hand, shows good range on his jump shot and plays like a leader on the floor. If he puts it all together in the second half of the season, he's got a shot at the first round.

Mustafa Shakur, PG, Sr., Arizona - Shakur has been touted as a top draft prospect since his freshman year, but has been mostly a disappointment for NBA scouts. He declared for the draft last spring and didn't get much interest from scouts, forcing him to return to Arizona for his senior year -- something that neither Shakur nor Lute Olsen really seemed to want. But Shakur has been a different player this year. He's playing under control and racking up the assists, and even his ugly jump shot is going in with more regularity. Given the lack of talent at the point guard position, scouts are talking about Shakur as a second-round prospect. If he continues playing this well and leads Arizona deep into the tournament, he has a chance to go even higher.