Weez

Well, Barry's down right now and they don't trust White or Yarborough, so that's the lineup they're probably trying to "tinker" with, this being the preseason and all...

No one here knows what to expect from CC ~ I barely remember what he "brought" as a bu several years ago and no one's gotten to see him play much in recent years...he can't be counted on. Hendu's health is on the rocks right now... Nailon scores off the bench. He's not good for much else, and certainly shouldn't be starting, not with that D, no three range, etc...but he's a nice o-punch off the bench...

a) we know it's still the preseason and this team is still trying to figure each other out. b) Reef is still playing only limited minutes and is not the focus of the offense or touching the ball first in many sets c) SJax's flaws (to's. out of control play at times) were well documented...his drop in 3pt% is most likely due to rushing thigns and not seeing quite as sweet of passes out of the post/double team (from duncan). d) he's still got the potential and attributes that excited me when we signed him... e) more than anything, if there was one thing I could chnage on this team it'd be Dion...for someone more like David Wesley or Kerry Kittles...a vet nice, run of the mill two guard with handles, height, range, and decent D...

Can Van Gundy help Rockets avoid disaster? By Chad Ford NBA Insider Send an Email to Chad Ford Monday, October 20 Updated: October 20 1:49 PM ET Chat wrap with Chad Ford Welcome back to the NBA, Jeff Van Gundy. It was a little less than two years ago that Van Gundy took a walk after practice, came back awhile later, and suddenly and unexpectedly resigned as the head coach of the Knicks. He cited fatigue, discouragement and a lack of passion for the job in his resignation speech. Just below the surface, you knew that Van Gundy kept looking at his aging, declining Knicks team and wondered to himself, why bother? Fast forward to this weekend, when Van Gundy had to indefinitely suspend one of his best young players, Eddie Griffin. It was the last in a long series of indignities in Rockets camp that has to have VG asking himself yet again -- is anything worth this? Why bother? Weren't the Rockets that hip, up-and-coming team with a young all-star point guard and center? Weren't they the team that was just one step away from being a real playoff contender? Wasn't Van Gundy's tough approach supposed to be the perfect medicine for what ailed this soft, but talented team? While I'm a firm believer that the preseason means nothing (see Around the League), if this were NASA, the engineers would be screaming "Abort!" right about now. What's Houston's problem? Start with injuries that have kept key players like Cuttino Mobley, Eric Piatkowski, Maurice Taylor and Adreian Griffin on the bench this preseason. Injuries and an AWOL Eddie Griffin have slowed Jeff Van Gundy and the Rockets this preseason. Mobley is expected back today, but the loss of four key players has hindered Van Gundy's ability to put in his new offense. "It is important," Van Gundy told the Houston Chronicle. "We need to have our guys back so we can figure out our rotation and how we're going to play. So that's important." Next, put a dash of tired Yao Ming, who was worn ragged by the Chinese National Team this summer. False news reports out of China this summer breathlessly reported that Yao was suffering from some sort of fatigue syndrome. That's bogus. But he is exhausted and the Rockets are genuinely nervous about how their star center is going to hold up this year. Throw in an AWOL Griffin, who skipped the game on Wednesday and then didn't show up for practice Thursday morning either. The Rockets are trying to play down Griffin's absence, claiming that he'll be back with the team soon enough. "We're going to see this as a very short-term blip on the radar and get Eddie back as soon as he's ready to conform to what he is expected to do, which starts with showing up to work every day, on time, ready to play and perform well," Van Gundy said. However, he didn't show up to camp in shape and struggled when he was with the team. Something else is going on. This weekend, the Philadelphia Inquirer (Griffin's from Philly) claimed that Griffin was considering quitting basketball. "All anyone cares about right now is that Eddie is all right so he can play," a Griffin confidant told the Inquirer. "He wants to quit playing basketball. He doesn't want to play anymore. He's just drained by all the responsibilities in his life and he can't take it anymore. Some, you just know he'll get past. There's too much to lose. But that doesn't mean he isn't going through some tough times right now." If Griffin really did pack it up this season (physically or mentally) the Rockets will really struggle in the paint. With Taylor out and Griffin on vacation, the team would be forced to play Yao more minutes and pair him alongside Kelvin Cato in the frontcourt. Cato? Here's all the proof that you need that Van Gundy is losing his mind. "I keep talking about this -- when you're surrounding Yao and Steve, all you need are tough, smart, hard-working professional players who know who they are. They're not confused," Van Gundy told the Chronicle. "So he (Cato) is not going to jack up perimeter shots. He's going to shoot a high percentage, he's going to rebound, he's going to know coverages, and he's a very smart player." Then to top it off, Van Gundy is already butting heads with star point guard Steve Francis about the team's new inside-outside offense. Van Gundy wants Yao to be the team's first option in the paint. Van Gundy's experience, from his days with Patrick Ewing, is that big centers get higher percentage shots than shot-happy point guards. "Steve offensively, right now, is trying to hit the home run every time down," Van Gundy said. "Steve is sometimes so great he can hit a home run. To shake somebody and take on another guy and take tough shots . . . the game's got to be easier. We're not playing team offense the right way. Blown play after play, assignment after assignment." "We're not adapting to change. There are a few pockets of resistance." Francis' experience, forged in the infamous Kelvin Cato era, is that you never, ever give the big guy the ball. "I've been playing the same way for five years," Francis said. "The part of me going one-on-one when the shot clock is going down, that's what I've got to do. I'm not going to throw the ball to a 7-foot guy on the three-point line if I can do something at the end of the shot clock." Van Gundy also wants Francis to step up and set the tone on the team. Every coach needs a star player who buys into the offense and sells his teammates on it. Of course, Yao's on board. But Van Gundy needs Francis to set the example to get the others to follow. "It wrenches my gut to say that right now we don't play hard," he said. "Until we do - and that's the foundation for every good team: giving an honest day's effort every night and being unselfish - we're going to struggle." Francis's response? "Whatever," he said. "As a team, we just have to get on the same page. We're straight. We're cool." Cool? If I'm Carroll Dawson, I'm making sure that Van Gundy doesn't go on another one of those soul searching walks after practice this week. If VG does, I'm not sure he'll like what he finds. Around the League Danny Ainge finally decided to dump Antoine Walker. A Celtics source told Insider Monday morning that the Celtics were sending Walker and Tony Delk to the Mavericks for Raef LaFrentz, Jiri Welsch, Chris Mills and a future No. 1 pick. WalkerIt's a head scratcher for both teams. The Mavs were looking for a tough, blue collar center to do some banging in the paint. Instead, they get Walker, a power forward in name only, who prefers, like the rest of the Mavs, to launch from the perimeter. The Celtics get a guy who could be a legit center in the league in LaFrentz. But at what price? Paul Pierce was already doing too much as it was? Now he's the only threat on the Celtics to score 20 a night. LaFrentz can average roughly 15 and eight in Boston. But those aren't close to Walker's numbers. With guys like Allen Iverson and Kevin Garnett signing big extensions, the Celtics were feeling pressure to either pay Walker or dump him now. Considering they had no intention of signing him to the "max" extension he was asking for, they thought a trade was the best course of action. Welsch is a nice prospect -- down the road. Mills is a salary-cap dump. Did either team get better? I don't see how. The Mavs are now clearly the most lethal offensive team in the league. But there really can be too much of a good thing going on in Dallas. I wouldn't be shocked if they followed this trade up with another move. You've got to have a role player or two on your team. As for the Celtics, I'm not sure where they go from here. They don't have a ton of tradeable assets. They'll need to find another scorer. Vin Baker? Kedrick Brown? Marcus Banks? Someone will have to step up for the Celtics to improve because of this trade. The preseason is supposed to be a time of hope and joy. The slate is clean. Everyone's a contender until opening night. Miracles still do happen. Right. Need evidence that the preseason means absolutely nothing? Just look atop the standings in the NBA's four divisions. The Heat lead the Atlantic with a 5-1 record. The Raptors (4-1) are atop the Central. The Jazz and Grizzlies (4-1) are sitting pretty in the Midwest. And the Warriors' 4-1 record gives them top honors in the Pacific. Considering that all five teams have a slim to none chance of making the playoffs (with the possible exception of Memphis) don't get your hopes up too high. Van Exel Nick Van Exel is thinking about having surgery again . . . or is he just trying to push the Warriors into trading him? The last time Van Exel considered surgery on his always shaky left knee was two seasons ago, just before he was traded from the Nuggets to Mavericks. That time, Van Exel marched into Kiki Vandeweghe's office and dropped the gauntlet -- either trade him to a title contender or he'll have season-ending surgery. Vandeweghe traded him and, miraculously, Van Exel was able to play through the rest of the season without the surgery. With the Knicks trying to pry Van Exel away, don't put it past him to use the surgery as a bargaining chip. With that said, read into his comments about the potential surgery all you want. Warriors doctors prescribed rest for the sore knee. Van Exel decided to get a second opinion from the Mavericks team physician. "I'm not really concerned, just that if I have to have surgery, I'd rather get it done as soon as possible so I can get back quick," Van Exel told the Contra Costa Times. "If it's going to take rest and it will go away, then that will be good. But I don't know what's going to happen. I'm not concerned because I don't think it's season-ending or anything like that. I don't think it will be any more than three weeks. I'm just guessing, three or four weeks. But you never know how things are." Harrington The buyout frenzy continues. The Knicks look like they're the latest to jump into the fray. The New York Post is reporting that the team is considering buying out the last two years and $6 million of Othella Harrington's contract. The Knicks currently have 16 players with guaranteed contracts. The Bucks reportedly struck a deal with Jason Caffey on Saturday. Caffey had two years and $11.8 million remaining on his deal. There's no word yet on what the buyout actually was. "It was kind of a mutual agreement," coach Terry Porter told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "I think he wanted to try some other team, maybe. It was a mutual agreement, based on what happened last year. The most important thing for this franchise going forward, is we're trying to set a mind-set, a tone, an energy level and approach that is appropriate and conducive to winning. We thought we should go our separate ways." Caffey hadn't played all preseason. Once the Bucks bought out Anthony Mason, the writing was on the wall. Dumping Caffey completes the Bucks complete makeover from playoff contender to lottery fodder. The team now has just one player, Toni Kukoc, over the age of 30. Even Kukoc may not be around for long. The word around the league is that the Bucks have been shopping Kukoc, and his expiring contract, to teams trying to cut payroll. The team is looking for first-round draft picks and at least one young prospect in return. While nothing is imminent, look for something to go down closer to the trade deadline in February. Griffin too lucky to throw in towel Stephen A. Smith / Philadelphia Inquirer Mobley's return charges up Rockets' practice Michael Murphy / Houston Chronicle Griffin too lucky to throw in towel Stephen A. Smith / Philadelphia Inquirer Van Exel may have surgery Matt Steinmetz / Contra Costa Times McDyess Clears Another Hurdle Marc Berman / New York Post Caffey's release a 'mutual agreement' Tom Enlund / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Peep Show By Terry Brown NBA Insider Monday, October 20 Updated: October 20 9:46 AM ET Los Angeles Lakers: Phil Jackson knows a motivated Shaq is a dangerous Shaq, even if it means the center gets a little angry at his head coach. "I've been with Shaquille for four years," Jackson said in the LA Times. "We've grown used to the nature of the beast. We enjoy him when he's humorous and fun and laughable and clowning. And we put up with him when he's the other side. I'm really pleased with him, actually, to be honest. So far he's done a great job getting in shape, in the best possible shape, and physically I think he's coming into the season in good condition. After the workout this morning, he said he feels better. That's all we're hoping for." O'Neal, verbally upset with Jackson, decided to return to action early Sunday despite a bruised left heel. McDyessNew York Knicks: According to Antonio McDyess, it's only a matter of time before he's back on the floor for the New York Knicks."[Today] I could do cutting, tip drills, post moves - pretty much everything one-on-one, but not five-on-five," McDyess said to the NY Post. "I definitely have to get comfortable with five-on-five." He is expected to have a final CT scan on Wednesday and then be cleared to scrimmage with the team in 7 to 10 days. Houston Rockets: Eric Piatkowski, Maurice Taylor, Adreian Griffin and Eddie Griffin may be sitting on the bench for various reason, but you can scratch Cuttino Mobley off that list today. "I'm going to try and come back (today)," said Cuttino Mobley in the Houston Chronicle. "I worked out (Sunday), doing some dummy offense and running up and down a couple of times, so I'm feeling a little better. I'm just excited to get back to practice. Basketball is me. I love basketball; you know what I'm saying? I love basketball, so I'm just happy to be back." Mobley has been suffering from a strained left hip for the last week. Miami Heat: The doctors tell him it'll be one, or two or maybe even three weeks before he can return from his knee surgery, but Caron Butler can hardly wait another minute. ''It's rhythm that you have to have out there on the court,'' Butler said in the Miami Herald. "I think it's one of those things where I'm going to have to play in practice for like a week and maybe even longer just to get a rhythm back. I still shoot every day and try to do little things, but if you're not out there with the fellas and everything, you lose rhythm. But I watch all the games and definitely watch the practices to see what everybody does and where I would fit in. Hopefully when I get out there, everything will click a little bit.'' New Orleans Hornets: First it was Dajuan Wagner with the knee problem. Now, it's Ira Newble. "I'm worried; he's a big part of this puzzle,'' Cavaliers Coach Paul Silas said in the Akron Beacon Journal. "He's my best defender at that forward spot. I need him.'' Newble has already sat out the first two weeks of training camp with knee problems and will see a specialist in Cleveland as soon as the team arrives home. O'Neal Unexpectedly Returns From Injury Tim Brown / Los Angeles Times McDyess Clears Another Hurdle Marc Berman / New York Post Mobley's return charges up Rockets' practice Michael Murphy / Houston Chronicle Injured Butler awaits first day of work Israel Gutierrez / Miami Herald Newble's bothersome knee bothering Silas Brian Windhorst / Akron Beacon Journal

By Marc Stein ESPN.com Editor's note: Here's a glimpse of the good -- and the bad -- that could happen to the 2003-04 Toronto Raptors. The play of rookie Chris Bosh has been a pleasant surprise. Best Case Scenario Three things need to happen for the Raptors to rejoin the clutch of teams trying to snare one of the last playoff spots in the East ... or at least re-establish themselves as a .500 team. 1. Stay healthy. That's not exactly a news flash, and certainly not exclusive to the Raptors, but it applies to Toronto maybe more than any other team in the league after the Raps set an NBA record with 519 man-games lost to injury last season. Vince Carter, for starters, is said to be healthy again, and Lamond Murray is back after missing all of last season. Those two should restore some juice to Toronto's offense. Trouble is, Toronto has been plagued by injuries for so long that there is now an expectation that Vince (or someone else important) will go down long-term. It got so bad last season, remember, that the Raptors never had 12 healthy bodies to dress for a game. Perhaps a spell of sustained health early in the season will get the injury stuff out of the Raptors' minds and allow them to focus on everything else important. 2. Chris Bosh looks as good during the regular season as he has during the exhibition season. Raptors general manager Glen Grunwald wasn't wrong last May when he said that the draft starts at No. 4 -- meaning that the team with the fourth pick, which turned out to be Toronto, had the first tough choice to make after the inevitable selections of LeBron James, Darko Milicic and Carmelo Anthony. The good news? Toronto appears to have made the right choice. You never want to get too excited about what happens in the preseason -- either way -- but Bosh has not looked out of place in the pro game. Not at all. He's a shot-blocking presence already and his offensive game is developing ahead of schedule. If the Raptors continue to get what Bosh has given them in the exhibitions -- 14.5 points and 7.5 rebounds through the first four -- their otherwise unimposing front line starts to look passable. And it should only help Bosh that he's playing north of the border -- out of the rookie spotlight, in other words -- while all the attention is focused on LBJ, Darko and Melo. 3. The Vinsanity prevails for 82 games ... or close to it. Again, not exactly a news flash here. The Raptors will only be as good as Carter is this season, and Vince has two injury-filled seasons to make up for. If a summer with Team USA was the spark Carter claims it was, Toronto could certainly rejoin the race for No. 8 in the East. If he goes down again, the Raptors figure to reclaim last place in the Central. Worst Case Scenario The Raptors will continue to be lottery-bound and win less than 30 games if the following three things happen. 1. They have to rely on their depth. Reason? Because they really don't have any depth. We're actually fans here of the athletic Jerome Moiso, but you've got to stretch considerably more than Moiso's impressive wingspan to label him a marquee free-agent addition. Toronto, sadly, had to label Moiso as such. Pick almost any position and the Raptors are undermanned, meaning that they're relying heavily on the returns of Carter and Murray, the hiring of coach Kevin O'Neill and the potential of Bosh to create a new atmosphere. 2. The Raptors are swallowed up by the two big holes in their lineup. Remember that saying about point guard and center being the toughest positions to fill? Don't have to tell it Toronto. Alvin Williams isn't a pure point, but he's the Raptors' best option there. Antonio Davis is a power forward, but O'Neill will have to play either Davis or Jerome Williams -- or maybe Bosh -- at the five. All those guys are really power forwards. You can get by without significant size in the East, but the Raptors aren't just small. Struggling to fill those two key positions, Toronto also ranked as one of the league's worst defensive teams last season: 29th in opponent field-goal percentage (.461), 28th in 3-point defense (.375). O'Neill will fix some of that, but the personnel hasn't changed significantly. 3. Personalities clash. O'Neill, again, is certain to improve the defense, but he's a rookie head coach with a well-known temper. As much as Toronto needed a disciplinarian after the laid-back Lenny Wilkens era, it remains to be seen how the Raptors' veterans respond to O'Neill's prodding. Williams, just to name one vet, has struggled for minutes in the preseason, even though his rebound-and-hustle package would figure to appeal to O'Neill as much as anyone on the Raps' roster. It's also no secret that Davis would prefer to be traded to a contending team, and we're still a bit shocked that Carter admitted publicly that he wanted Toronto to trade the pick that begat Bosh for a veteran. For a guy who hasn't appreciated the constant criticism over the past couple of seasons, Carter didn't exactly offer the rookie a warm welcome. Bosh appears to have silenced any doubters already, inside and outside of the locker room, but stay tuned. T-Dot, as the e-mailers love to call it, hasn't been the happiest place for hoops lately. Winning is the fastest way to change the mood, but the skeptics (hello) don't see a roster that can win (or lift the gloom) this season. Marc Stein is the senior NBA writer for ESPN.com. To e-mail him, click here. Also, send Stein a question for possible use on ESPNEWS.

Carlisle has several options at small forward By Chad Ford NBA Insider Send an Email to Chad Ford Friday, October 17 Updated: October 17 9:50 AM ET A big logjam at small forward. That's the challenge coach Rick Carlisle has ahead of him as he attempts to untangle one of the deepest teams in the East. Does he start Ron Artest, the team's best defender and team's second-leading scorer? Maybe it should be Al Harrington, who has the size and athletic ability to be a star but just needs more experience. Or what about Jonathan Bender, the Pacers practice wonder boy who is seemingly on the verge of a breakthrough season every training camp? Or, maybe it's Austin Croshere, a Larry Bird and Rick Carlisle favorite, who's been steaming on the bench the past few seasons waiting for revenge. How does Carlisle balance that depth? It looks like he'll split the difference, throw Artest and Harrington in the starting five and bench a healthy, but aging Reggie Miller at the two. Indiana Pacers Small Forward Exp Ht '02-03 Stats Notes 1. Al Harrington 5 6-9 12.2 ppg, 6.2 rpg in 30.1 mpg He's an extraordinarily taleted player who has yet to find the consistency it takes to become a star. One night he'll drop 30 on you. The next night he disappears. But he's getting better and the Pacers love his size and toughness at the position. If he stumbles, Ron Artest will take over here, but right now it looks like they want to give Harrington a shot. 2. Austin Croshere 6 6-10 5.1 ppg, 3.2 rpg in 12.9 mpg Expect his minutes to grow substantially now that Carlisle is back. He'll get looks at the three and the four. He's still one of the best shooters on the team. 3. James Jones R 6-8 -- A second-round steal. Jones has great athletic ability and is a very good shooter from beyond the arc. The Pacers like him, though he's unlikely to see too much time this season. Shooting Guard Exp Ht '02-03 Stats Notes 1. Ron Artest 4 6-7 15.5 ppg, 5.2 rpg in 33.6 mpg Next to O'Neal, he's the team's most valuable player. Along with Ben Wallace, he's one of the few game-changing defenders in the league. His offense also continues to improve. If he can avoid those on-the-court flair ups, he's due for a huge year. 2. Reggie Miller 16 6-7 12.6 ppg, 2.5 rpg in 30.2 mpg An ankle injury slowed Miller down considerably last season, but that wasn't the only reason his production trailed off. Miller now lacks the quickness to get his own shot, which means he always has a hand in his face when he's trying to shoot. 3. Fred Jones 1 6-3 1.2 ppg, 0.5 rpg in 6.1 mpg Great athlete, but he'll struggle again this season to get in the rotation. Point Guard Exp Ht '02-03 Stats Notes 1. Jamaal Tinsley 2 6-3 7.8 ppg, 7.5 apg in 30.6 mpg One of the better assist men in the league, but he struggles with that jumper and is a terrible defender. His minutes may dip this season with the addition of Kenny Anderson and Anthony Johnson 2. Kenny Anderson 12 6-1 6.1 ppg, 3.2 apg in 19.2 mpg Was awful last season, but the Pacers still he has gas left in the tank. The year before he was critical to the Celtics' surprising playoff run. 3. Anthony Johnson 6 6-3 4.1 ppg, 1.3 apg in 12.8 mpg Jason Kidd's backup will get more of an opportunity to play in Indiana. 4. Jamison Brewer 2 6-4 2.2 ppg, 1.8 apg in 8.8 mpg Once again an afterthought. Power Forward Exp Ht '02-03 Stats Notes 1. Jermaine O'Neal 7 6-11 20.8 ppg, 10.3 rpg in 37.2 mpg Now that he has a big contract, can he live up to expectations? It won't be easy. With Brad Miller gone, the team will expect him to spend plenty of minutes playing center this year, something O'Neal isn't fond of. 2. Jonathan Bender 4 7-0 6.6 ppg, 2.9 rpg in 17.8 mpg Is this Bender's year? A knee injury has once again set him back. When he does return expect him to get major minutes on the floor with O'Neal. Center Exp Ht '02-03 Stats Notes 1. Scot Pollard 6 6-11 4.5 ppg, 4.6 rpg in 14.4 mpg He's a better rebounder and a better defender than Brad Miller. But most feel that the Pacers took a step back in the middle. 2. Jeff Foster 4 6-11 2.1 ppg, 3.6 rpg in 10.4 mpg A solid rebounder, but he has to be one of the most overpaid players in the NBA. 3. Primoz Brezec 2 7-1 1.9 ppg, 1.0 rpg in 5 mpg He's looked decent in the preseason.

D - I would wager (haven't checked stats, minutes etc.) that they're playing the younger guys quite a bit this preseason in order to attain chemistry and figure out what they're going to do with Redd/Mason/Kukoc/TT ~ they've really got a log jam and may go with a purely small ball lineup at times with Gads being their C (he runs the floor well) and TT or TK being the PF...much like what Miami (before Butler had surgery) and the Magic are going to do... a) they won't be contending for the playoffs this year, though you're right in that they've done a nice job of completely rebuilding on the fly and have now assembled what could be, emphasis on could, a nice nucleus. With the exception of TK, Gads, and Ford the young core has been in the L a little bit now and have playoff experience... b) more and more teams in the East are playing small ball...though the NBA in general is moving this way, the East is doing it with shorter players (in general ~ aka, not Dirk, Peja, R. Wallace type players). this should really benefit the Hawks if they piece together some chemistry, roles, and an offensive scheme...Reef's game is excellent here, if used correctly. I could write more, but this is getting long...

~Posters note, Ford is either too busy to think straight or I'm mistaken, but I thought Bender was much more of a perimeter oriented player, moreso than Harrington~ Carlisle has several options at small forward By Chad Ford NBA Insider Send an Email to Chad Ford Friday, October 17 Updated: October 17 9:50 AM ET A big logjam at small forward. That's the challenge coach Rick Carlisle has ahead of him as he attempts to untangle one of the deepest teams in the East. Does he start Ron Artest, the team's best defender and team's second-leading scorer? Maybe it should be Al Harrington, who has the size and athletic ability to be a star but just needs more experience. Or what about Jonathan Bender, the Pacers practice wonder boy who is seemingly on the verge of a breakthrough season every training camp? Or, maybe it's Austin Croshere, a Larry Bird and Rick Carlisle favorite, who's been steaming on the bench the past few seasons waiting for revenge. How does Carlisle balance that depth? It looks like he'll split the difference, throw Artest and Harrington in the starting five and bench a healthy, but aging Reggie Miller at the two. Indiana Pacers Small Forward Exp Ht '02-03 Stats Notes 1. Al Harrington 5 6-9 12.2 ppg, 6.2 rpg in 30.1 mpg He's an extraordinarily taleted player who has yet to find the consistency it takes to become a star. One night he'll drop 30 on you. The next night he disappears. But he's getting better and the Pacers love his size and toughness at the position. If he stumbles, Ron Artest will take over here, but right now it looks like they want to give Harrington a shot. 2. Austin Croshere 6 6-10 5.1 ppg, 3.2 rpg in 12.9 mpg Expect his minutes to grow substantially now that Carlisle is back. He'll get looks at the three and the four. He's still one of the best shooters on the team. 3. James Jones R 6-8 -- A second-round steal. Jones has great athletic ability and is a very good shooter from beyond the arc. The Pacers like him, though he's unlikely to see too much time this season. Shooting Guard Exp Ht '02-03 Stats Notes 1. Ron Artest 4 6-7 15.5 ppg, 5.2 rpg in 33.6 mpg Next to O'Neal, he's the team's most valuable player. Along with Ben Wallace, he's one of the few game-changing defenders in the league. His offense also continues to improve. If he can avoid those on-the-court flair ups, he's due for a huge year. 2. Reggie Miller 16 6-7 12.6 ppg, 2.5 rpg in 30.2 mpg An ankle injury slowed Miller down considerably last season, but that wasn't the only reason his production trailed off. Miller now lacks the quickness to get his own shot, which means he always has a hand in his face when he's trying to shoot. 3. Fred Jones 1 6-3 1.2 ppg, 0.5 rpg in 6.1 mpg Great athlete, but he'll struggle again this season to get in the rotation. Point Guard Exp Ht '02-03 Stats Notes 1. Jamaal Tinsley 2 6-3 7.8 ppg, 7.5 apg in 30.6 mpg One of the better assist men in the league, but he struggles with that jumper and is a terrible defender. His minutes may dip this season with the addition of Kenny Anderson and Anthony Johnson 2. Kenny Anderson 12 6-1 6.1 ppg, 3.2 apg in 19.2 mpg Was awful last season, but the Pacers still he has gas left in the tank. The year before he was critical to the Celtics' surprising playoff run. 3. Anthony Johnson 6 6-3 4.1 ppg, 1.3 apg in 12.8 mpg Jason Kidd's backup will get more of an opportunity to play in Indiana. 4. Jamison Brewer 2 6-4 2.2 ppg, 1.8 apg in 8.8 mpg Once again an afterthought. Power Forward Exp Ht '02-03 Stats Notes 1. Jermaine O'Neal 7 6-11 20.8 ppg, 10.3 rpg in 37.2 mpg Now that he has a big contract, can he live up to expectations? It won't be easy. With Brad Miller gone, the team will expect him to spend plenty of minutes playing center this year, something O'Neal isn't fond of. 2. Jonathan Bender 4 7-0 6.6 ppg, 2.9 rpg in 17.8 mpg Is this Bender's year? A knee injury has once again set him back. When he does return expect him to get major minutes on the floor with O'Neal. Center Exp Ht '02-03 Stats Notes 1. Scot Pollard 6 6-11 4.5 ppg, 4.6 rpg in 14.4 mpg He's a better rebounder and a better defender than Brad Miller. But most feel that the Pacers took a step back in the middle. 2. Jeff Foster 4 6-11 2.1 ppg, 3.6 rpg in 10.4 mpg A solid rebounder, but he has to be one of the most overpaid players in the NBA. 3. Primoz Brezec 2 7-1 1.9 ppg, 1.0 rpg in 5 mpg He's looked decent in the preseason.

with this much dispartiy between the conferences, I think it depends on how you want to rank 'em... but I hope everyone keeps placing us about where you have us...

More than anything (right now), I really hope OE didn't blow and ACL or tear a meniscus last night...

a) don't start sucking SJax's %*@# just yet, because his TO's are an area of concern, and his ball handling and ability to control himself while remaining/in the act of being aggressive is important to "potential," part of why many of us are excited about his being here. b) he IS just getting warmed up right now AND he's handling the ball a lot more than he will be in the regular season once Reef returns/gets back to full strength, thus becoming the 1st option again.

I'll see if I can track it down. Gimme till later this weekend.

I'm not sure if Vince beats Nique...imo it'd come down to Nique and what I've seen of Dr. J...

They struggled with just Shaq and Del Harris...and before that, with Vlade and NVE, they were "ok"...but that doesn't sum up the division, who had the horrible, horrible Clipps and Kings

The Sky Hook is the single most unstoppable move in all of basketball. period.

Sac is NOT deep anymore...they've traded a lot of their depth, primarily to get Miller...I still can't believe they didn't resign Jimmy Jackson... Wallace better step up...it's his time to shine right now

Six-division format on the horizon By Chad Ford NBA Insider Send an Email to Chad Ford Thursday, October 16 Updated: October 16 11:51 AM ET Next season the West is going to get considerably tougher, and the East will add yet another patsy to its 98-pound weakling line-up. That was the word out of the NBA Board of Governors meeting in New York on Wednesday. The governors are expected to approve the league's new six-division alignment. The move is being made in response to the addition of the Charlotte Bobcats to the Eastern Conference next season. To balance the conferences at 15 apiece, the New Orleans Hornets will move to the Western Conference. That can't sit well with teams like the Grizzlies and T-Wolves, who have been lobbying for years to get the [censored] out of the West. Instead, the West is receiving one of the few teams in the East that could actually compete for a playoff spot. The Hornets are one of the only teams in the East with great size, a requisite for success in the West. How do the Hornets feel about it? "It will sure make things more challenging," Hornets coach Tim Floyd told Insider. "I think it helps you realize what a great window of opportunity we have this season. In the East, the field is a little bit more open. There's a lot of congestion at the top in the West." According to a source familiar with the new realignment proposal, a final breakdown of the divisions hasn't been made. The divisions also have not received names just yet. However, the most likely breakdown is thought to look something like this. Eastern Conference Northeast: Boston Celtics, New York Knicks, New Jersey Nets, Philadelphia 76ers, Toronto Raptors Southeast: Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Bobcats, Orlando Magic, Miami Heat, Washington Wizards Central: Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, Detroit Pistons, Indiana Pacers, Milwaukee Bucks Western Conference Northwest: Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Portland Trailblazers, Seattle Supersonics, Utah Jazz Southwest: Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets, Memphis Grizzlies, New Orleans Hornets, San Antonio Spurs Pacific: Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix Suns, Sacramento Kings The most sprawling division, geographically, is the Northwest, but the league was going to have problems there no matter what it did. There was a thought that the league would clump all of the teams physically on the West Coast together and move the Suns and Kings into a Midwest division along with the Wolves, Nuggets and Jazz, but that's less likely to happen, according to sources. From a strategic standpoint, the Southeast division will clearly be the easiest draw. Only the Magic are currently projected as a playoff team in that division. Adding the expansion Bobcats to the mix will give everyone a few easy wins. The toughest division? Probably the Southwest. The Mavs, Spurs and Hornets are all playoff teams for sure. The Rockets are on the verge of making the push, and even the Grizzlies have some promise. Around the League Have the Magic struck out on yet another first-round pick? Those are the whispers in Orlando after a disappointing summer and preseason for Reece Gaines. According to sources with the team, coach Doc Rivers has become increasingly convinced that Gaines doesn't have the court vision or leadership skills necessary to be the team's point guard -- at least not this year anyway. Of course, Gaines has the size to play two guard, but his value is diminished if that becomes his only position. GainesRivers, like other coaches who are former point guards, always gives his point guards a rough time. But this one will be tough to swallow. The team needs some size at the point. Right now, its other two point guards are Tyronn Lue (6-0) and Shammond Williams (6-1). Neither is starting quality. If the early read on Gaines is correct (remember that it sometimes takes point guards a little longer), it will be the fourth straight first-round pick for the Magic to go belly up. The Magic have struggled with the draft since taking Mike Miller No. 5 in 2000. Their 2001 selections -- Steven Hunter and Jeryl Sasser -- have both been disappointing. In fact, Sasser (who was taken ahead of Jamaal Tinsley and Tony Parker) is on the verge of being cut by the team, despite a guaranteed contract this year. Last year's first-rounder, Ryan Humphrey, has also been disappointing and was traded to Memphis just before the trade deadline. Now for the good news. The Magic scored a home run in the second round this year. The team loves Georgian center Zaur Pachulia and believes he may be the steal of the draft. The Magic are also high on Kentucky two guard Keith Bogans, who is likely to replace Sasser on the 15-man roster this year. Carmelo Anthony had another impressive performance Wednesday night versus the Pacers. Anthony got his first real NBA challenge when Ron Artest (arguably the best perimeter defender in the league) was called upon to guard the rookie. Artest lit up Carmelo on the offensive end, but Carmelo held his own in the scoring department. The move that turned everyone's head. Anthony caught the ball on the baseline just outside the key. He turned, lowered his shoulder into Artest's chest and drove the burly forward into the basket before scoring an easy bucket. Said Artest after the game: "He's not bad." Injuries are piling up as the preseason goes into week three, but it's doubtful anyone is having as much tough luck as the Pacers. On Wednesday night the team had six rotation players -- Kenny Anderson (pulled left hamstring), Jonathan Bender (left knee surgery), Austin Croshere (pulled left hamstring), Anthony Johnson (fractured left finger), Al Harrington (sore right shin) and Jermaine O'Neal (sore lower back) -- out with various injuries. "It's made it tough for us to get everything in that we need to," coach Rick Carlisle said. That's great news for free agents like Omar Cook and Carl English, who have received extended auditions just so the team can field 12 players in the exhibition. Unfortunately, guys like Cook are struggling to keep the coach interested. Cook went 0-for-8 from the field on Wednesday with just one assist and three turnovers in 21 minutes. Camby Marcus Camby has now played three straight games without an injury. That's thanks in part to Jeff Bzdelik's decision to only play him in the first half of games. Why isn't Camby rejoining the starters in the second half? He's healthy and looks like he's in great shape. The answer according to one Denver source? "We don't want to tempt the gods. If he can give us 20 minutes a night for 82 games, we'll be happy." Peep Show By Terry Brown NBA Insider Thursday, October 16 Updated: October 16 11:51 AM ET Van HornNew York Knicks: New Knick Keith Van Horn didn't exactly call his teammates lazy, but he might as well have after New York fell to 0-5 in the preseason."We need to get more precise when we practice -- with cutting, passing," Van Horn said in the New York Post. "We're not running through our offense at the speed we should be. In the game, we try to go at that speed, there's turnovers and bad plays. We need to step it up in focus, concentration and precision when we run through our offense." Van Horn was quick not to blame coach Don Chaney but rather the players themselves. "I think there's a difference between the speed of the game and speed we're running the plays at practice," Van Horn said. "Until we show that precision running the plays in practice, we can't expect to go into the game where it's 25 percent faster and be able to run things the way we want. Each individual has to take it upon themselves to cut harder, move quicker, be more precise with our passes [in practice]." New Jersey Nets: Will all the Nets starters please step forward. Not so fast, Alonzo. "I don't care how (Byron Scott) uses me. I don't care what the rotation is. If I have to come off the bench, fine," Mourning said in the New York Daily News. "I just got to get used to that. It shouldn't be that difficult for me. I feel the window of opportunity closing. This chance may not come again for me to do this. I am going to do what I can to try and make it happen." Head coach Byron Scott might instead choose to use Jason Collins or Aaron Williams as the starting center knowing that Mourning will be able to play only about 25 minutes a game. Denver Nuggets: Jon Barry can run and jump and do most of the things expected of a professional basketball player. He just can't use his right arm right now."It's tough," Barry said in the Denver Post. "I am able to run and do everything, but my right arm is dead. It's very difficult to shoot or even pass the ball. Everything felt normal when I played, but it's not now. (There was pain) during the first couple days of training camp, but it was tolerable. But the last two days, I've just had a pain shooting down my right arm." An MRI has already been performed and will help determine the length of absence from play. Houston Rockets: It's going to cost forward Eddie Griffin about $51,394 for missing the Rockets last preseason game without checking in first. "I just had some problems I had to take care of," Griffin said in the Houston Chronicle. "Things are fine now. I'm going to be back with the team. I'm going to be out for two games, but I understand, because that's the best for the team because I didn't show up. I had some stuff to take care of. I'm fine with it. I should have let him (Van Gundy) know. I didn't let him know. That's what you've got to do." Philadelphia 76ers: Strained groin or not, Derrick Coleman is going to get into shape if it kills him. "I feel pretty good," Coleman said in the Philadelphia Inquirer. "The main thing right now is just conditioning more than anything. So I tried not to come out of practice at all, tried to play the whole practice." Coleman, famous for his lack of concern for health and fitness, is making a good impression on his new coach. "It's great," Randy Ayers said. "We're doing a lot more up and down [the court] for him to get him going. Then we'll probably back it off after games and do a lot of half-court stuff. But right now, we're trying to get Derrick up and down the court. He's been great. He's running a lot better than he did at this point last year." Keith To Knicks: Speed It Up Marc Berman / New York Post Mourning: I'll come off bench for ring Ohm Youngmisuk / New York Daily News Barry facing recovery from 'dead' right arm Marc J. Spears / Denver Post Griffin expects 2-game suspension from Rockets Jonathan Feigen / Houston Chronicle Coleman is back and working hard Joe Juliano / Philadelphia Inquirer

By Chad Ford ESPN.com Editor's note: Here's a glimpse of the good -- and the bad -- that could happen to the 2003-04 Orlando Magic. Tracy McGrady, judging by this look on media day, is still upset about the Mike Miller deal. Best Case Scenario Three things need to happen for the Magic to lock up home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. 1. Tracy McGrady stays mad. Remember when the Magic traded away best buddy Mike Miller and McGrady showed his disgust by dropping 50 points in three quarters on the first team he could get his hands on? The Magic need more of that. T-Mac is arguably the most gifted player in the league. If he had the razor-sharp focus and killer instinct of Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant, he'd be unstoppable. The good news is that McGrady is just 24 years old and still getting better. He's been a little surly in camp and the folks in Orlando hope he starts taking it out on the competition. 2. Drew Gooden averages 10 to 12 rebounds a game. The Magic haven't had a decent rebounder since they shipped Ben Wallace to Detroit. For all of Gooden's talent on the offensive end, the Magic need him most on the boards. They brought in Juwan Howard to take the bulk of the offensive load off McGrady. Gooden's job will be to crash the boards relentlessly. The team continues to give up way too many offensive boards. If they can just take care of their defensive rebounding, it will be a big improvement. 3. The bench gives the team something. Pat Garrity is the Magic's best player coming off the bench. But they'll need more than a 3-point shooter to go deep in the playoffs. Someone else -- Steven Hunter, Andrew DeClercq, Shammond Williams, Zaur Pachulia or Reece Gaines -- needs to take a big step this year. The Magic starters were overburdened in 2002-03 and seemed to run out of gas as the season wound down. If they can play an honest eight-man rotation, they'll protect themselves from fatigue and injury. Worst Case Scenario The Magic will slip into the lottery if the following three things happen. 1. T-Mac can't stay healthy. The Magic are a one-note team. Like the Spurs and Sixers, they're a playoff team with their best player and a lottery team without him. McGrady's back acted up again at the Olympic qualifying tournament. On Tuesday, the team revealed that McGrady was diagnosed with pleurisy, an inflammation of the lining of his lungs that was leaving him breathless on the court. For the last few seasons, McGrady has struggled to keep himself healthy for 82 games If the Magic are going to make a strong run at home-court advantage in the first round, McGrady has to play and stay healthy, for all 82 games. 2. The Magic don't find a real point guard. Tyronn Lue is a nice undersized, backup point guard. Williams is a journeyman who's shoot-first, ask-questions-later attitude couldn't even buy him a real job on the point-less Nuggets last season. Gaines, a rookie, looks like a deer in the headlights. In other words, the Magic's point guard position may have actually gotten worse than the Jacque Vaughn/Darrell Armstrong disaster from last season. If someone doesn't step up, or if John Gabriel doesn't find a point guard via trade, McGrady (who led the team in assists last season) will be the point man again this year. 3. Howard doesn't score 18 points a game. No one is exactly sure how Howard will respond to being second fiddle on a good team. He's put up most of his numbers on bad teams that used him as a first option almost nightly. The only exception was a brief stint in Dallas, where he was closer to a fourth option most nights. The Magic brought him in to score and rebound. Four games into the preseason, Howard was still struggling to get a feel with the team. He passed up several open shots and instead deferred to other guys on the floor. The Magic need Howard to take the pressure off T-Mac offensively if they want to stay in the playoff race. Chad Ford covers the NBA for ESPN.com's ESPN Insider.

Who, not where, is important for Magic By Chad Ford NBA Insider Send an Email to Chad Ford Thursday, October 16 Updated: October 16 1:28 PM ET Positions? Do the Magic really need positions? If things go according to plan this year, Doc Rivers will start four small forwards and a point guard and pray that they'll play just enough defense and rebound to make an improvement. Of course, Tracy McGrady has his spot locked up. Juwan Howard and Drew Gooden will be starters, too, though their positions are still up in the air. Tyronn Lue wins his job by default. As for the two guard? It looks like Gordan Giricek is shooting his way into the heart of Rivers. Orlando Magic Center Exp Ht '02-03 Stats Notes 1. Juwan Howard 9 6-9 18.4 ppg, 7.6 rpg in 35.5 mpg Howard isn't a center, but does it really matter in the East? The Magic don't look at Howard as a center either, but they do plan on starting both Howard and Drew Gooden, meaning someone will technically be filling this spot. Of course, Howard also will see minutes at the four and the three this season. 2. Andrew DeClercq 8 6-10 4.7 ppg, 4.4 rpg in 26.5 mpg He's the closest thing to a real center that the team has. That's pretty scary. 3. Zaur Pachulia R 6-11 -- He looked great in the summer league and could end up being one of the steals of the draft. Before camp started, the team thought he could actually get minutes, but an injury sidelined him for most of training camp, putting that in doubt now. Power Forward Exp Ht '02-03 Stats Notes 1. Drew Gooden 1 6-10 12.5 ppg, 6.5 rpg in 26.8 mpg He averaged over 12 boards a game in the postseason, giving the Magic hope that Gooden will give them a real enforcer on the boards. He also could be their post offensive option in the post. 2. Steven Hunter 2 7-0 3.9 ppg, 2.8 rpg in 13.5 mpg A good athlete but still doesn't have a clue how to play. Got stronger this summer, which has helped his progress, but he still looks a ways away. He'll also see minutes at center. Small Forward Exp Ht '02-03 Stats Notes 1. Tracy McGrady 6 6-8 32.1 ppg, 6.5 rpg in 39.4 mpg McGrady did it all last year. He was the team's leading scorer, rebounder and assist man. But his body wears down from carrying such a heavy load. If Howard and Gooden can pick up some of the slack, T-Mac will be fresher for the playoffs. 2. Pat Garrity 5 6-9 10.7 ppg, 3.8 rpg in 31.9 mpg He's the team's best shooter, but logged way too many minutes last season. Garrity is best in doses of about 20 minutes a night. 3. Grant Hill 9 6-8 14.5 ppg, 7.1 rpg in 29.1 mpg He won't try to make a comeback until January, but most likely he'll miss the entire season. Shooting Guard Exp Ht '02-03 Stats Notes 1. Gordan Giricek 1 6-6 12.3 ppg, 3.1 rpg in 28.3 mpg He looks sharp in camp and is an excellent fit with the rest of the team. Smart player who can light it up. If he plays better defense, he'll keep his starting job. 2. Keith Bogans R 6-5 -- Has great upper body strength and proved in the summer league that he can score. It looks like he's going to make the roster cut. 3. Jeryl Sasser 2 6-5 2.6 ppg, 2.5 rpg in 13.7 mpg He's a bust. Look for the Magic to waive him. Point Guard Exp Ht '02-03 Stats Notes 1. Tyronn Lue 5 6-0 8.6 ppg, 3.5 apg in 26.5 mpg Lue was a disappointment in Washington. It's hard to see how he'll be much more than that in Orlando. He's a decent back-up point guard, but he has no business starting. 2. Shammond Williams 5 6-1 8 ppg, 3.4 apg in 24.1 mpg He's an explosive scorer, but he's yet to find a fit in the league. Doc Rivers loves him. Is this his lucky break? 3. Reece Gaines R 6-5 -- He's already in Doc's doghouse. Privately, the team is very concerned that he can't play point guard. His value as a two guard drops dramatically. Has been shaky so far in the preseason.

NO is already having injury problems, Alexander's out for the season...I'm just not sure about them. They could go far, but could falter in a lot of close games due to coaching. This team will go only as far as Baron has truly matured as a pg and Mash can stay healthy....

you should also read Kobe's version of the story...I can't remember what magazine it was printed in, but it was pretty interesting, essentially saying that much of "emotional problems" that occured more or less started when he started freaking out in the middle of sex because he wasn't wearing a condom, then she starting freaking out and things just snowballed from there...

The same thing I said all along...that she's more than likely full of it...and subsequently (if true) an idiot for many many reasons...

he's not on Detroit's team anymore...

Point guard only real question By Terry Brown NBA Insider Wednesday, October 15 Updated: October 15 12:55 PM ET If the Sacramento Kings are still the deepest team in the league, then somebody better look below Peja Stojakovic and call for a measuring stick. They're older, a bit more bruised and not quite as intimidating. But that doesn't mean they're not still overly talented and court savvy, with a firm sense of purpose behind all those 60-plus win seasons. It just means the camp battles aren't as fun in this town as they used to be. Sacramento Kings Point guard Exp Ht '02-03 Stats Notes Mike Bibby 5 6-1 15.9 ppg, 5.2 apg Statistically better before coming to Sacramento. Financially better since. Politically speaking, you just can't have a guy making $8.5 million lose his position because of injury, so hopefully Bibby can log more than 55 games this season and he and Bobby Jax can play for it. Bobby Jackson 6 6-1 15.2 ppg, 3.1 apg If being named the Sixth Man of the Year doesn't at least make Jackson the best back-up point guard in the NBA, then maybe it should, perhaps, make him the starting point guard on his own team. Speed alone makes him a match-up nightmare. His shooting, improved each year in Sacramento (both from the field in general and from long-range), might very well make him an all-star on almost any other team. Shooting guard Exp Ht '02-03 Stats Notes Doug Christie 11 6-6 9.4 ppg, 2.2 spg If the 2.2 steals per game don't get you, then the 4.7 assists per game will. By the time opponents figure out that Christie, after all this time, is still a starting shooting guard in the NBA, the Kings have won another game and you can't recall the name of his back up. He remains the required team player in any succesful NBA franchise. Gerald Wallace 2 6-7 4.7 ppg, 2.7 rpg May very well be ready to add to his NBA trophy case which, so far, only consists of a runner-up slam dunk trinket. A third-year player blessed with this type of athleticism couldn't ask for a better environment. Anthony Peeler 11 6-4 7.7 ppg, 2.9 rpg Here just in case aforementioned third-year player doesn't take full advantage of his environment. But not a bad third-stringer, at that. Small forward Exp Ht '02-03 Stats Notes Peja Stojakovic 5 6-10 19.2 ppg, 5.5 rpg If he shot too much better, he wouldn't be human. But that doesn't mean he still can't play better. His rebounding, passing and defending are still wanting, and unless they get better, he'll simply be an all-star shooter rather than superhuman. Still, can get that shot off in traffic, in form, incredible. Gerald Wallace 2 6-7 4.7 ppg, 2.7 rpg Doors are just opening up for this kid. Power forward Exp Ht '02-03 Stats Notes Chris Webber 10 6-10 23 ppg, 10.5 rpg Arguably an MVP candidate from the first day he uncorked that smile in an NBA uniform. But until we can remove the "candidate" part, we'll always feel a bit frustrated at seeing that smirk in only 308 of a possible 378 Kings games. Cumulative numbers are staggering, but as of yet they amount to no crown of any significance. Lawrence Funderburke 6 6-9 2.7 ppg, 2 rpg Has scored only 2,022 points in a six-season NBA career, but every one of them has been for the Kings. He has that going for him. Darius Songaila R 6-9 -- Are those bags heavy yet, rook? Center Exp Ht '02-03 Stats Notes Vlade Divac 14 7-1 9.9 ppg, 7.2 rpg Starter out of respect. Last year, they told him he could pace himself into the playoffs, but because of injuries to teammates, he played more minutes than he had three years ago. Now, with Brad Miller, the Kings make good on that promise. Brad Miller 5 7-0 13.1 ppg, 8.3 bpg Eastern Conference all star becomes just another big man in the other bracket, which features the likes of Shaq, Duncan, KG and Dirk. The fact you have to use both Brad and Miller to recognize him means he still has a way to go to really earn the fat contract he just got. Nonetheless, dependable in size and short jumper. Tony Massenburg 11 6-9 4.7 ppg, 2.7 rpg Six more fouls to give.

By Marc Stein ESPN.com Editor's note: Here's a glimpse of the good -- and the bad -- that could happen to the 2003-04 Sacramento Kings. Brad Miller, left, will start at power forward in place of the injured Chris Webber. Best Case Scenario Three things need to happen for the Kings to maintain their 60-win level and re-establish themselves as a co-favorite to win the championship along with San Antonio and the L.A. Lakers. 1. Sustained health. No one can remember the last time the Kings had any. They don't start the season with any, either, as Chris Webber is still recovering from offseason knee surgery, likely sidelining Webber until December. "We're starting the season the way we always do," Vlade Divac said. Of course, the Kings will deal with injuries now if they knew that meant a healthy roster for the postseason. 2. A good start. Two seasons ago, the Kings won early without Webber. Last season, the Kings won early without Bibby, then survived the loss of Bobby Jackson. Depending on your perspective, this is either a source of comfort or concern. On one hand, no team in recent memory has proven more adept at winning without its regulars than Sacramento. On the flip side, winning in the face of major injuries is one of the hardest things to do, which suggests that it will be tough to continue. The solace: Sacramento couldn't ask for a much better Webber replacement than Brad Miller. 3. Plenty of Peja. He'll be the November go-to guy with Webber out and Peja's stroke, when I saw him over the weekend, looked as swish-worthy as ever. If there's a concern with Peja, it's - surprise - the injury bug. He suffered injuries playing for his country each of the last two summers and is prone to ankle trouble. His countryman Divac, though, insists that Stojakovic keeps himself in better shape than anyone in the league. Yes, Vlade said league. "People in Sacramento made it a big, big deal, asking why he played for the national team (when Serbia and Montenegro had already qualified for the Olympics)," Divac said. "It's the same thing like asking why Mike Bibby played for the U.S. national team. It's ridiculous. (Stojakovic) could have turned an ankle in a pickup game, stepping on a rock." Worst Case Scenario The Kings will lose in the second round of the playoffs (or maybe the first) if these three things happen. 1. The bench isn't as productive as it used to be. Sacramento was the undisputed Deepest Team In The League last season. Not any more. Jim Jackson, Keon Clark, Scot Pollard and Hedo Turkoglu are all gone. Anthony Peeler and Tony Massenburg were signed to join Bobby Jackson and Gerald Wallace. Once Miller goes to the bench, that group looks a lot better, and Miller says a reserve role will be no problem. "I've done that more than I've started," Miller said. But Adelman doesn't have the lineup flexibility seen the past few seasons. 2. The defense slips. Sacramento quietly led the league in field-goal percentage defense last season, after years of ridicule regarding its porous D. The Kings have to maintain that commitment to stopping people, but do so with a smaller team. When Adelman opted for smaller lineups last season, he had at least two of the following three players on the floor: Stojakovic, Jim Jackson or Turkoglu. With Jackson and Turkoglu now in Texas, with Houston and San Antonio respectively, Adelman's small ball team is smaller. Peeler and Wallace, who finally gets his chance to claim some of the swingman minutes behind defensive specialist Doug Christie, are the prime options now. 3. Frustration starts to set in. A team can only take so many disappointments, and the Kings have had their share. The big question about them entering the season is their team spirit, and whether it has been dampened any by the steady stream of injuries and playoff heartbreaks Sacramento has endured. The Kings have to prove how tough they are all over again. Marc Stein is the senior NBA writer for ESPN.com. To e-mail him, click here. Also, send Stein a question for possible use on ESPNEWS.