Kobe, Lakers get better of Shaq, Suns in desert
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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″/>

Kobe, Lakers dominate Shaq, Suns
Those Shaq-Kobe matchups never get old, do they? But Thursday’s game in Phoenix wasn’t close as the Lakers won with ease.NBA/~4/460432537″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

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″/>

D’Antoni making a big difference for Knicks
Mike D’Antoni’s move to Manhattan has the Knicks playing faster and the Suns slower. Both might be better off, Randy Hill says.NBA/~4/459805643″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Rondo outplays Iverson as Celtics whip Pistons
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Behind the box score, where Jose’s got some healthy gams (Yahoo! Sports)
Toronto 101, Miami 95 I truly do apologize for making this so simple, but the difference between a Raptor loss…

Timberwolves Team Report (Yahoo! Sports)

Three weeks.

That’s all that separated the Timberwolves from their season’s

first victory and its second.

They opened a season that was supposed to be so much different

from last season’s 22-victory total with a two-point victory over

Sacramento at home two days before Halloween.

Then they lost eight straight, matching their longest losing

streak last season.

It all ended Wednesday with a six-point victory over Philadelphia

on a night when the Wolves finally made another double-digit lead count.

“Twenty-one days,” Wolves forward Craig Smith said. “Seems like a

thousand years.”

They ended that long losing streak just two nights before Kevin

Garnett returns to Target Center, an arena he called…

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″/>

Suicide lines: Dr. Gortat, McGrady’s knee, a CP3 milestone … (Yahoo! Sports)
Each weekday morning, BDL serves up a handful of NBA-related stories to digest with your Crispix .

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″/>

Wade’s 40-11-5 night wasted as Raptors win
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Jefferson, Smith help Wolves snap 8-game skid (AP)

It’s been three long weeks since the Minnesota Timberwolves last won a basketball game. “It seems like 1,000 years,” forward Craig Smith said. Not anymore, thanks to Smith’s superb effort off the bench and Al Jefferson’s refusal to let his Timberwolves collapse in the fourth quarter again. Jefferson scored six of his 25 points in the final 3 1/2 minutes to lift Minnesota to a 102-96 victory over the…

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″/>

Williams’ huge 3 helps Hawks snap 4-game skid
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76ers-Timberwolves Preview

Published: Tuesday, November 18, 2008 at 7:47 a.m. Last Modified: Tuesday, November 18, 2008 at 7:47 a.m. The Philadelphia 76ers are starting to string some wins together.

T-Mac practices day after re-injuring knee
Houston Rockets forward Shane Battier practiced with the team for the first time on Tuesday, but Ron Artest and Yao Ming skipped the workout after leaving Monday’s win over Oklahoma City with sprained ankles. Tracy McGrady also practiced Tuesday after re-aggravating his sore left knee in Monday’s game. McGrady was going to have an MRI on the knee, but decided with team officials that the test was unnecessary and practiced instead.NBA/~4/457757518″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

It’s been a rough stretch for Mark Cuban
The Mavs stink. MLB is blackballing him. And the SEC is on his case. Kevin Hench is almost sorry for billionaire Mark Cuban. Almost.NBA/~4/456564579″ 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″/>

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.

Power Rankings: Cavs eye top spot
LeBron James’ new sidekick is working out just fine, but are the Cavs ready to take over No. 1 in John Galinsky’s Power Rankings?NBA/~4/457649479″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Clippers have problems all over
What’s wrong with the Clippers? Where do you want to start? Charley Rosen takes aim at a truly dysfunctional team.NBA/~4/457241045″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

This Magic show is no disappearing act
With yet another victory Tuesday, the Magic are looking like contenders. Charley Rosen discusses whether it’s real or an illusion.NBA/~4/457961415″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Gasol lifts Lakers to home win over Rose, Bulls
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It’s been a rough stretch for Mark Cuban
The Mavs stink. MLB is blackballing him. And the SEC is on his case. Kevin Hench is almost sorry for billionaire Mark Cuban. Almost.NBA/~4/456564579″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Court Awareness: Reviewing Sunday’s games
Shaq got the boot for a flagrant foul, but the Suns were just fine without him. Erick Blasco reviews all of Sunday’s action.NBA/~4/456344337″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Suicide lines: NJ trade talks, Cuban likes Steph, McDyess … (Yahoo! Sports)
Each weekday morning, BDL serves up a handful of NBA-related stories to digest with your Nutri-Grain cereal…

Timberwolves Team Report (Yahoo! Sports)

With their losing streak at eight games after a season-opening victory, Timberwolves coach Randy Wittman has referenced the motion picture “Groundhog Day” to evoke a storyline in which his team continues to lose games in which they have held late, sizable leads.

On Sunday in Denver, he was asked if he awoke that morning to his hotel radio-alarm playing Sonny and Cher’s “I Got You, Babe,” the song to which television weatherman Phil Connors rose again and again and again in the movie.

He also was reminded that the character, portrayed by Bill Murray, tried every way possible—including carrying a bed-and-breakfast inn toaster to his bath tub—to kill himself.

Asked if it had come to that for him, Wittman laughed and said, “No, definitely not…

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″/>

NBA: Billups leads Nuggets past Wolves, 90-84

DENVER - Chauncey Billups scored 26 points, J.R. Smith had eight of his 14 points in a decisive fourth-quarter stretch and the Denver Nuggets overcame poor shooting to hand Minnesota its eighth straight loss, …

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…

MVP watch: Kahn’s Top 10 so far
Is Paul Pierce the best player in the world? No. But he just might be the MVP. Mike Kahn lists his Top 10 early candidates.NBA/~4/456267550″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Dirk goes wild as Mavs end 5-game skid in OT
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Billups leads Nuggets past T-Wolves, 90-84 (AP)

The Denver Nuggets keep finding ways to win while the Minnesota Timberwolves keep finding ways to lose. Chauncey Billups scored 26 points, J.R. Smith had eight of his 14 points in a decisive fourth-quarter stretch and the Nuggets overcame poor shooting to hand Minnesota its eighth straight loss, 90-84 on Sunday night.

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″/>

NBA Today (AP)

Suns hammer Pistons without Shaq
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Wolves aim to blaze new trail

Posted on November 15th, 2008 6:52 PM By Brian Stensaas Hello from Target Center where the Blazers and the Wolves are getting set for tip-off in about 20 minutes.

Timberwolves-Nuggets Preview

Published: Saturday, November 15, 2008 at 6:46 p.m. Last Modified: Saturday, November 15, 2008 at 6:46 p.m. Chauncey Billups’ presence seems to have injected life into the Denver Nuggets.

LeBron plays Jazz for 38; Cavs win 7th straight
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Rockets keep Paul in check in win over Hornets
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Game 6 Recap: Blazers 97, Timberwolves 93

This was a good game in the sense that winning is always good. We played a solid one and a half quarters, which was good enough to come away with the four point victory.

Nash, Alston, Barnes suspended for fight
The NBA has suspended Steve Nash and Matt Barnes of Phoenix and Rafer Alston of Houston for their roles in a fight. Alston and Barnes were suspended for two games without pay and Nash for one. The league also fined Shaquille O’Neal $35,000 and Tracy McGrady $25,000 on Friday for their actions during the Rockets‘ 94-82 win in Phoenix on Wednesday. Barnes knocked back Alston with his shoulder late in the third quarter, and Alston charged him.NBA/~4/453304394″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Overconfidence could be costly for Celtics
The Celtics keep coming out flat, then turning it on. In the long run, that’s no way to win another championship, Charley Rosen says.NBA/~4/453175232″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Quietly dominant, Howard will make noise
Dwight Howard might be mild-mannered, but the young Magic center is poised to break into superstardom, Mike Kahn says.NBA/~4/453175231″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Minnesota Timberwolves’ Kevin Love, Sebastian Telfair could start soon

Timberwolves coach Randy Wittman said he thought it energized his team when he brought rookie forward Kevin Love and backup point guard Sebastian Telfair off the bench in the first quarter of Wednesday night’s …

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″/>

Timberwolves Team Report (Yahoo! Sports)

Searching for answers in a season that numerically has started just like the last one, Timberwolves coach Randy Wittman made Sebastian Telfair his starting point guard and Randy Foye one of his first players off the bench.

Wittman did so because he liked the energy and pace Telfair brings and because introducing Foye into the game without the ball in his hands calmed a player who started the season trying too hard.

The move also has created a bottleneck at the small forward and shooting guard positions on a team that lost its sixth consecutive game Tuesday at Golden State after opening the season with a home victory at Sacramento.

With Foye getting major minutes at both guard spots, with Mike Miller playing 35 minutes a night and Telfair getting 25 or more as 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″/>

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″/>

Colangelo elected chairman of USA Basketball
Jerry Colangelo, who assembled the U.S. team that won the Olympic men’s basketball gold medal, was elected Wednesday as chairman of USA Basketball’s Board of Directors for the 2009-12 term. Colangelo spent the last three years as the managing director of the senior national team, implementing a program with a three-year commitment that culminated with the Americans’ victory over Spain in the gold medal game in Beijing. The American men hadn’t won a major gold medal since the 2000 Olympics.NBA/~4/451390527″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Pierce, Celtics hand Hawks first loss
The Hawks were undefeated and on the verge of staying that way until Paul Pierce hit this game-winning shot Wednesday in Boston.NBA/~4/451381409″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Two ejected following skirmish in Rockets’ win
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Parker shines in Spurs’ first victory

MINNEAPOLIS: Tony Parker scored a career-high 55 points, including a 20-footer at the buzzer to force a second overtime, in the San Antonio Spurs‘ 129-125 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday.

Pierce’s clutch jumper hands Hawks first defeat
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Oden makes quiet return as Blazers beat Heat
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Timberwolves Team Report (Yahoo! Sports)

Timberwolves rookie Kevin Love’s cell phone fell silent Saturday, the day he returned home to Oregon to play an NBA game there for the first time.

Last season, he brought his UCLA team to the University of Oregon, where fans angry that he chose to leave his home state for California sunshine screamed obscenities at him and his family, barraged his cell phone with calls and text messages and made his grandmother cry.

This time, Portland Trail Blazers fans greeted him politely during pre-game introductions but booed both him and his father, Stan, seated courtside, once the game began.

An acclaimed player since he was in middle school and the Pac-10 Player of the Year as a freshman who led his team back to the Final Four, Love called Saturday night’s game at the…