Nets no match in LeBron derby, either
Nets fans who watched LeBron James torch their team Tuesday shouldn’t count on landing him in 2010, Jay Greenberg says.NBA/~4/458944353″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Rondo outplays Iverson as Celtics whip Pistons
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Arenas: Last could be ‘for the better’ for Wizards
Gilbert Arenas is already thinking about the possibility of a last-place finish for his Washington Wizards - and finding the silver lining. With Arenas still working his way back from a third knee operation in 1 1/2 years, the Wizards are off to a 1-8 start heading into their game Friday against the Houston Rockets.NBA/~4/460079494″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Court Awareness: Wednesday review
Blazers fans finally got an up-close look at Greg Oden. And he didn’t disappoint. Andrew Ungvari reviews Wednesday’s games.NBA/~4/459933423″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Pistons are less physical, but more slick
The Bad Boys are long gone. These Pistons have their own personality with Allen Iverson — and it ain’t bad, Charley Rosen says.NBA/~4/459184172″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Celtics, others may be interested in Marbury
NBA Player’s Association attorney Hal Biagas is expected to resume Stephon Marbury buyout talks with Knicks president Donnie Walsh Wednesday or Thursday, with a possibility of a formal proposal coming by week’s end, according to a person familiar with the situation.NBA/~4/457716707″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Has East turned the tables on West?
Last year the West feasted on the East. So far this season it’s been the opposite. Randy Hill examines this conference power shift.NBA/~4/458593894″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Granger leads Pacers past slumping Hawks (AP)

Danny Granger isn’t ready to consider himself an NBA star just yet. But the Indiana Pacers‘ fourth-year swingman is certainly playing like one. Granger scored 34 points, including 10 in the fourth quarter, and the Pacers beat the slumping Atlanta Hawks 113-96 on Tuesday night. “He’s got that killer instinct for a scorer,” said Indiana center Rasho Nesterovic, who added 21 points.

Pacers Team Report (Yahoo! Sports)

Forward Danny Granger has never been known as a vocal player

during his three-plus years in the NBA.

That could be about to change for the fourth-year forward.

Granger took a significant step toward taking over the leadership

role vacated by Jermaine O’Neal’s departure to Toronto during the

summer when he kept his team from unraveling during Tuesday’s game

against the Atlanta Hawks.

Granger, who scored 34 points against the Hawks, told his

teammates that they had to keep it together after Atlanta cut what was

a 17-point lead down to seven. The Pacers responded by going on a 9-2

run to pull away from the Hawks.

“I think in the last two years that I have been here, his best

leadership came (Tuesday…

LIVE: Banged-up Rockets vs. Mavs
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Foreign basketball players to breathe life into China league

China’s professional basketball league kicked off its 2008-09 season this week with a group of ex-NBA players hoping to capitalise on new rules allowing them more playing time.

What happened to Luke Walton?
Once a valuable reserve, Luke Walton can now be found at the end of the Lakers‘ bench. Charley Rosen looks at how he got there.NBA/~4/458926651″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

NBA Power Poll: Ranking teams, sizing up rookies (SportingNews.com)
After Anthony Morrow put up 37 points in his first start for the Warriors, it only seemed right to take a closer look at the rookies in this week’s Power Poll.

Court Awareness: Tuesday review
Wizards fans want Gilbert Arenas back, but John Lorge isn’t sure he can save them. Get the full review of last night.NBA/~4/458635681″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Magic’s balanced attack overcomes 40 by Bosh
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BDL NBA Power Rankings: Shattered dreams, broken promises (Yahoo! Sports)
The BDL NBA Power Rankings combine two parts Chivas Regal with one part flippant observation to create the most…

Outspoken Cuban charged with insider trading
Federal regulators on Monday charged Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban with insider trading for allegedly using confidential information on a stock sale to avoid more than $750,000 in losses.NBA/~4/456207471″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Warriors extend Jackson through 2012-13
Stephen Jackson is one person the Golden State Warriors consider part of their long-term plans. Golden State has signed its leading scorer to a three-year contract extension announced Monday, a deal that takes the explosive guard-forward through the 2012-13 season. Since Jackson arrived in the Bay Area in a trade with the Indiana Pacers in January 2007, he has been a key piece for coach Don Nelson and a major spark for the Warriors.NBA/~4/456576797″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Forced buyouts help players but hurt league
Antonio McDyess was traded, yet ended up with a lucrative buyout and free agency. Charley Rosen says it’s a bad NBA trend.NBA/~4/456642926″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

KG suspended 1 game; Shaq fined $25K
Boston Celtics star Kevin Garnett has been suspended for one game and Phoenix center Shaquille O’Neal has been fined $25,000 for separate incidents over the weekend. Garnett was penalized for hitting Milwaukee’s Andrew Bogut in the face near the end of Saturday’s game. Garnett will sit out Tuesday night when the Celtics host the New York Knicks. O’Neal was fined for verbally abusing an official and failing to leave the court quickly after being ejected Sunday night against Detroit.NBA/~4/456550686″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Grizzlies ragged now but they have a future
O.J. Mayo and the Grizzlies are frustrating to watch at times, but more experience will solve many problems, Charley Rosen says.NBA/~4/454023694″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Lopez looking like a keeper so far
Brook Lopez’s first start caught Peter Vecsey’s eye. And the GMs who passed up on the Stanford star probably noticed too.NBA/~4/455032780″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Suns hammer Pistons without Shaq
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Pacers Team Report (Yahoo! Sports)

So much for taking advantage of the easy part of the schedule for the Pacers.

Now it’s back to playing playoff teams.

The Pacers looked as if they were going to move several games over .500 when they won three straight games, but then they blew a 26-point lead in their loss to Philadelphia and followed that up with a lackluster performance in their loss at Chicago.

The Pacers need to learn how to have a killer instinct because their window for success is very slim. They have to beat the teams they’re supposed to—such as Chicago—and be able to upset some of the better teams at home if they expect to have a shot at the playoffs in April.

The Pacers, who are 4-5, will have their hands full when they play the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday and Orlando…

Magic prove they aren’t one-man band vs. ‘Cats
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Pacers Team Report (Yahoo! Sports)

The best part of Jeff Foster’s game is supposed to be his rebounding and defense. It turns out Foster is adding something extra—scoring—free of charge.

The Pacers‘ veteran forward/center has suddenly become a scoring threat for the 4-4 Pacers, who play at Chicago on Saturday. Foster has scored in double-figures in four consecutive games. His recent three-game stretch of 43 points was the highest total in that number of games in his career.

What’s the secret behind Foster’s recent success?

“I don’t know if there’s a secret to anything,” Foster said. “It’s just a right-place, right-time kind of thing, getting stuff out of the flow of the offense. T.J. (Ford) is obviously doing a great job of finding people, as are (Jarrett) Jack and Marquis (Daniels) and…

Rockets keep Paul in check in win over Hornets
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Rose paces Bulls in victory over Indiana (AP)

Derrick Rose showed another dimension to his already impressive game and led the Chicago Bulls to a victory just before they start a tough seven-game road trip. Besides his quick first step and fearless forays to the basket, Rose displayed his 3-point shot Saturday night while scoring 23 points and helping the Bulls beat the Indiana Pacers 104-91.

Grizzlies ragged now but they have a future
O.J. Mayo and the Grizzlies are frustrating to watch at times, but more experience will solve many problems, Charley Rosen says.NBA/~4/454023694″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Rookie equals Jordan mark as Bulls top Pacers
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Game Preview #10 - Chicago Bulls vs. Indiana Pacers

Jordan, Pippen, Grant…Person, Miller, Smits, Schrempf…. Huh? What?….You mean it’s Deng, Gordon and Nocioni vs Granger, Dunleavy and Ford…. And there lies the problem with these two rosters….a serious …

Martin fined $20,000 for actions after ejection
Denver Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin was fined $20,000 by the NBA on Saturday for his actions after being ejected from a game. Martin was penalized for verbal abuse of an official and failure to leave the court in a timely manner following an ejection in a loss at Cleveland on Thursday. Martin was thrown out following a flagrant foul for slamming his shoulder into Cleveland forward Anderson Varejao.NBA/~4/454465918″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Nuggets pull away from Celtics in fourth quarter
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Kobe, Lakers suffer first loss
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76ers rally from 26-point deficit to win (AP)

Philadelphia 76ers coach Maurice Cheeks gave his team a simple yet effective message after the first quarter against Indiana. His players responded Friday night, overcoming a 26-point deficit to beat the Pacers 94-92. “I told them to keep fighting,” Cheeks said following a dismal first quarter, which ended with the Pacers ahead 38-13.

Power Poll: Point guard play makes big difference (SportingNews.com)
Mo Williams has upgraded the Cavaliers‘ offense and moved the team into the top 5 of this week’s poll.

Pacers Team Report (Yahoo! Sports)

The addition of Elton Brand in the offseason was supposed to push the Philadelphia 76ers upwards into the same category as Detroit and Cleveland, and right below Boston, in the Eastern Conference. The results haven’t been promising so far and the Pacers don’t plan to make them any better on Friday.

The Pacers, who have turned into a scrappy team that plays hard for 48 minutes, will probably double team Brand in the post and dare the 76ers to shoot from the perimeter.

The 76ers, who rely on the penetration of Andre Miller and Andre Iguodala, have only attempted 106 three-pointers, making 39 percent of them, in eight games.

The Pacers should have Danny Granger and Troy Murphy back after both players missed Wednesday’s game at New Jersey with leg cramps and a…

Court Awareness: Wednesday review
We should be talking about Shaq’s historic night, but a silly fight stole the show, says Andrew Ungvari in his Wednesday review.NBA/~4/451773616″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Gordon, Bulls shoot down slumping Mavericks
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Iverson helps sloppy Pistons rally past Warriors
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NBA’s most dominant force? Injuries
The list of the NBA’s walking wounded grows by the day. Randy Hill looks at who’s been hit worst by an abundance of early injuries.NBA/~4/452007863″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Pacers Team Report (Yahoo! Sports)

The addition of Elton Brand in the offseason was supposed to push the Philadelphia 76ers upwards into the same category as Detroit and Cleveland, and right below Boston, in the Eastern Conference. The results haven’t been promising so far and the Pacers don’t plan to make them any better on Friday.

The Pacers, who have turned into a scrappy team that plays hard for 48 minutes, will probably double team Brand in the post and dare the 76ers to shoot from the perimeter.

The 76ers, who rely on the penetration of Andre Miller and Andre Iguodala, have only attempted 106 three-pointers, making 39 percent of them, in eight games.

The Pacers should have Danny Granger and Troy Murphy back after both players missed Wednesday’s game at New Jersey with leg cramps and a…

Don’t be fooled, Jazz still hitting high notes
Don’t be fooled. Under bandleader Jerry Sloan, the Jazz are still hitting all the high notes — just like they always do, Mike Kahn says.NBA/~4/450898184″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Video: TJ Ford and Kevin Durant duel in Indiana

Former Longhorns TJ Ford and Kevin Durant matched up Monday night and both had big games.

Pierce’s clutch jumper hands Hawks first defeat
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Don’t be fooled, Jazz still hitting high notes
Don’t be fooled. Under bandleader Jerry Sloan, the Jazz are still hitting all the high notes — just like they always do, Mike Kahn says.NBA/~4/450898184″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Ford has near triple-double as Pacers beat Nets (AP)
The banged-up Indiana Pacers won their third straight game with a 98-87 victory over the New Jersey Nets on Wednesday night.

Court Awareness: Recapping Tuesday’s action
After watching LeBron James go for 41 again, John Lorge thinks we might be able to end the MVP debate early.NBA/~4/450977849″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Hawks improve to 6-0
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Pistons beat Kings to earn 1st win with Iverson
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NBA Power Rankings
John Galinsky’s Power Rankings are no laughing matter in Detroit, not with the Pistons sliding since adding Allen Iverson.NBA/~4/449845717″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

PG Williams returns for Jazz in win over Sixers
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Hinrich has thumb surgery to repair torn ligament
Chicago Bulls guard Kirk Hinrich had surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right thumb and could be out for three months. Dr. John Fernandez and Dr. Mark Cohen of Rush University Medical Center performed the operation Tuesday. Hinrich was hurt last Friday night in Chicago’s 100-83 victory over Phoenix when he tried to knock the ball away from the Suns‘ Amare Stoudemire. The Bulls‘ first-round pick in 2003 out of Kansas, Hinrich has appeared in six games and averaged 8.3 points this season.NBA/~4/450111634″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Hill: Mayo among standout NBA rookies
Nobody doubted O.J. Mayo’s ability to score. But Randy Hill says there’s much more to the Memphis rookie than meets the eye.NBA/~4/449696786″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

National Basketball Association Game Capsules

T.J. Ford scored 11 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter and finished with 10 assists, as Indiana toppled Oklahoma City, 107-99, at Conseco Fieldhouse.

Pacers Team Report (Yahoo! Sports)

The years of waiting to get steady play at point guard might be over for the Pacers thanks to T.J. Ford and Jarrett Jack.

Coach Jim O’Brien brings Jack in for Ford at some point in the first quarter, and he also plays the duo together in the backcourt at times to bring a different dimension to the game.

“The guys (president) Larry (Bird) brought here, T.J. and Jarrett at the point, they’re a tough tandem,” O’Brien said. “They’re very, very tough guys.”

Ford’s best game as a Pacer came against Oklahoma City when he had 24 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds in 40 minutes.

Ford is averaging 17 points and 6.0 assists this season. Jack is putting in 9.3 points and handing out 2.3 assists.

Ford’s and Jack’s play comes at the right time.