<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Jan 4 - Larry Hughes on why he sometimes takes off his headband during games: "Sometimes it feel like it's weighing me down." -- Akron Beacon-Journal # Asked if the loss to the Suns -- on Leandro Barbosa's winning three-pointer -- showed the Bulls are just short of being an elite team, Scott Skiles smirked. "Then we'd be an elite team because he missed one shot? That stuff is pretty silly to me." -- Chicago Tribune # It was clear Bernard Robinson was expendable Monday, when Bernie Bickerstaff was asked about his performances: "The basketball doesn't always do what he would like it to do," Bickerstaff said, "and that's not good sometimes." -- Charlotte Observer # Tommy Heinsohn was back in his customary analyst/cheerleader seat last night, but will not make the weekend trip. Donny Marshall will sub for Heinsohn in Memphis and Bob Cousy will step in for the game in Orlando. Heinsohn missed the recent West Coast trip because of back woes. -- Boston Globe # Speaking of his decision to replace Sebastian Telfair with West, Doc Rivers said one reason was size. "That's really helped. Bassie (Telfair) and Rajon (Rondo) give us other things. But when we lose Paul, we know we're not going to outscore teams," he said. "We have to be able to defend." -- Boston Herald # Recently acquired power forward/center Slava Medvedenko is switching jersey numbers immediately, from No. 14 to No. 3. -- Atlanta Journal-Constitution # Terry Stotts was asked before the game about what caused him to go with the current starting lineup that includes Brian Skinner and Michael Redd at the forwards, and Charlie Bell at shooting guard. "Losing," said Stotts. -- Milwaukee Journal Sentinel # For Jorge Garbajosa, the 29-year-old Raptor who was named the Eastern Conference's rookie of the month for December, the awards keep coming. The Italian weekly magazine Superbasket named Garbajosa Mister Europa 2006 for his play with Unicaja Malaga in the Spanish league and Spain's national team. -- Toronto Star # Avery Johnson is not surprised that Indiana Pacers point guard Darrell Armstrong is still able to have an impact on games, despite being 38 years old. "He's in phenomenal shape, and he's one of those rare guys," Johnson said. "He's an Energizer bunny, even at his age. And he's done a great job." -- Fort Worth Star-Telegram # The league office is reviewing Allen Iverson's postgame comments Tuesday about referee Steve Javie to determine what punishment, if any, is necessary. Iverson said Javie's "fuse is real short." -- Denver Post # Second-year forward Yaroslav Korolev played in a first half for the first time in a regular-season game. Korolev attempted one shot, which Heat center Alonzo Mourning blocked. -- Los Angeles Times # Rookie Rudy Gay started in place of veteran guard Eddie Jones and wasted little time being assertive. Gay appeared aggressive and confident, played with a sense of court awareness not often seen this season. -- Memphis Commercial-Appeal # Starting forward David West, who has missed 24 games since a mysterious injury to his right elbow Nov. 10, is lifting weights and has rejoined practice. The right-handed West buried several free throws left-handed Wednesday, a la Ohio State center Greg Oden. -- The Oklahoman # "We have to get that fight in the fourth quarter," guard Earl Watson said. "Competing and fighting to me are different things. We have to get to the point where we have to fight for a victory instead of competing for it. In the fourth quarter, the good teams go to another level, the playoff teams. We have to get to that level.? -- Seattle Post-Intelligencer # The 76ers left Philadelphia on this road trip Christmas afternoon, and still have a game left, in Minnesota, on the seven-game trip. That's a monster trip, and a challenge for any coach to keep his players from giving in to fatigue. "We're aware of it, but we're trying to keep our concentration on winning basketball games," Sixers coach Maurice Cheeks said. -- Salt Lake Tribune # The NBA is attempting to make them competitive women. When the all-star game is played Feb. 18 in Vegas, it will be the first time it's held outside of a league town. So the all-star dance team will consist of one dancer from each of the 30 teams. And it's your call. Starting today at Orlandomagic.com and NBA.com, you can vote until the last week of the month. -- Orlando Sentinel</div> The Korolev tidbit was hilarious.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> # The league office is reviewing Allen Iverson's postgame comments Tuesday about referee Steve Javie to determine what punishment, if any, is necessary. Iverson said Javie's "fuse is real short." -- Denver Post </div> That's worthy of a punishment? You hear comments like that from NBA play-by-play men all the time.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"># Rookie Rudy Gay started in place of veteran guard Eddie Jones and wasted little time being assertive. Gay appeared aggressive and confident, played with a sense of court awareness not often seen this season. -- Memphis Commercial-Appeal</div> Well, that's kind of expected, seeing how Mike Fratello was canned and their new head coach, Tony Barone, is a huge fan of the team's young guys (and Mike Miller). Not really a great revelation or anything that tells us about Rudy Gay's game. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"># Starting forward David West, who has missed 24 games since a mysterious injury to his right elbow Nov. 10, is lifting weights and has rejoined practice. The right-handed West buried several free throws left-handed Wednesday, a la Ohio State center Greg Oden. -- The Oklahoman</div> What exactly was his injury and what was so "mysterious" about it? The national media really underreported that; probably because the record number of injuries elsewhere around the league.
