Carmelo Anthony and George Karl are unhappy with each other

Perhaps the most jarring aspect of Thursday night's Celtics/Nuggets tilt, despite the incredible amount of missed layups, was the candid aside Nuggets coach George Karl gave to TNT regarding former Nugget Carmelo Anthony, and his dodgy defense.

The opening salvo:

Shocking words for people who have never seen Carmelo Anthony play basketball. He stinks on defense. That's never been in question.

But for Karl, even while pointing out Anthony's good points (George has coached over 1,700 NBA games, so to be "the best offensive player" Karl has ever coached is a pretty good thing), this seemed a little needless. And in the wake of half a year's worth of soap opera nonsense regarding Anthony's non-demand trade demand, the comments came off as sour grapes.

Or sour snakes. Let's let Anthony's Twitter reaction tell his side.

I've never heard that one before, Carmelo, but this gets even better.

Friday, the New York Daily News' Frank Isola caught up with Anthony at Knicks practice, and got a reaction longer than 140 characters:

"That's him. That's George Karl so I don't really try to pay too much attention to that. I know what I've done there in the 7 1/2 years I've been there; going to the Western Conference Finals. Last year, we were top five in a lot of categories. All that stuff, I don't know where it's coming from. I try not to pay too much attention to it."

Anthony might be referring to field-goal percentage defense or some such twaddle in his "top five" defense, but the real mark of a great team defense is points allowed. And because teams play at disparate paces, you have to account for possession counts, otherwise you'd think that the 1996 Cleveland Cavaliers were the best defensive team of all time. And Anthony's Nuggets, back in 2009 when they made the conference finals, were eighth in points allowed, pace-adjusted. That's pretty good. That was a tremendous basketball team, with Anthony and new Knick Chauncey Billups leading the way.

Still, Denver dropped to 16th in defensive efficiency (points allowed per possession) last season and 20th this year. And Anthony stinks on defense. And nobody is coming out of this looking good. Especially when you confuse "cease" with "seize," Carmelo.

That's the story now, though. There's no shame in having some pretty raw emotions after what Anthony and the Nuggets have just been through.

New York and its Knicks? They couldn't care in the slightest, so long as Carmelo keeps pumping up 27 points on three hours rest. This team is a few years removed from counting Jared Jeffries as a major acquisition, so it'll take the defensively iffy All-Star, warts and all.

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Videos: Rejoice, New York, for Jared Jeffries is 'coming home'

The New York Knicks are looking a little undersized these days. To bring Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups to Penn Plaza, Knicks president of basketball operations Donnie Walsh shipped out Timofey Mozgov (who stands 7-foot-1), Danilo Gallinari (6-foot-10) and Wilson Chandler (6-foot-8; but he can play a bit bigger and spent about 13 percent of his floor time playing power forward). As a result, Amar'e Stoudemire and Ronny Turiaf are the only Knicks taller than 6-foot-10. Clearly, they could use at least one more tall guy.

Hey! You know who's a tall guy? Jared Jeffries! You know, the ex-Knick who was traded to the Houston Rockets last year along with 2009 lottery pick Jordan Hill and first-round selections in 2011 and 2012 for the monster expiring contract of a devastated 30-year-old Tracy McGrady? Right. That guy.

Well, that guy's 6-foot-11, he never really found a home in Houston — he's averaged just 7.7 minutes per game in only 18 appearances this season — and he didn't figure into the Rockets' future plans at all (whatever those plans are, exactly). Which is why Houston plans to buy out his expiring contract and free him up to sign with another team, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post.

Newsday's Alan Hahn later confirmed the report, tweeting that Jeffries is expected to sign with the Knicks as soon as he is officially bought out by Houston, which could happen as early as Friday morning, and after he has cleared the 48-hour waiver period, which could enable him to be in uniform when the Knicks take on the Miami Heat on Sunday night (although Hahn thinks it more likely that Jeffries would join the team Tuesday to take on the Orlando Magic).

This news + MSG's mawkish Dirty Money-themed 'Melo commercial + The Internet + no time flat = VIDEO JOKES.

The first, made by Ben Masur:

... followed shortly thereafter by a second entry, created by DJ eSenTRiK:

Pretty good stuff, guys. If we're casting ballots, I'll take the latter because it employed an actual Jeffries quote (although I suppose it's possible that I just missed the interview where he said, "In fact, I suck"). One note, though: Next time, make sure to run some sort of advanced CGI morphing sequence that combines images of adult Jaleel White and Jon Heder to show us exactly how Jeffries was designed. That'd be a good look.

The videos poke fun at the epic bombast that surrounded the Carmelo trade, but they also (at least somewhat) denigrate Jeffries as a player, which is a bit unfair. Sure, he's not very exciting, offensively gifted, aesthetically pleasing or particularly remarkable, but that doesn't make him a Communist. Wait, what was I saying?

The reality is, Knicks fans are sensitive about Jared Jeffries because his return represents yet another unwelcome reminder of the era when Isiah Thomas publicly (as opposed to secretly) ran the Knicks and made ill-advised moves ... like signing an offensively challenged player without a defined role to a five-year, $30 million offer sheet after four relatively undistinguished seasons with the Washington Wizards to play on a leadership-challenged team without a defined pecking order or division of responsibilities.

As has been noted everywhere, Isiah is anathema to most 'Bocker backers, and with every report of his constant, mind-boggling influence continuing to cast a shadow over the Knicks front office, New York fans grow ever more concerned that they'll never be freed of the ties that bind them to the worst era in franchise history. In Jeffries' case, that's a shame, because under D'Antoni last season, his value as a do-everything-but-score type with length, athleticism, a penchant for drawing offensive fouls and the ability to guard all five positions started to emerge. In fact, a player like that could fill in a lot of gaps for a Knicks team that possesses two high-usage scorers but no real stoppers and that ranks in the bottom third of the league in defensive efficiency.

As long as he bears the mark of Zeke, though, it's unlikely that Jeffries will ever find himself completely within the good graces of the New York faithful. Oh, well. If you can't get love, getting laughs is the next best thing, right? (Seriously, please tell me that's right. I've kind of built an ethos around that premise.)

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What does Denver do now?

For a team that appears to have made a steal of a deal, the Denver Nuggets aren't looking too happy with their ill-gotten loot.

Six months worth of trade machinations has done nothing but overrate Carmelo Anthony's value around the league, but the Nuggets would still happily welcome even an unhappy Anthony back in an instant. He's not the most efficient or most potent of scorers, but Carmelo Anthony can put the ball in the hole, and he's been an underrated late-game mainstay for the Nugs for eight seasons. They're going to miss the guy.

And even if the Knicks overpaid for a player they could have had for a fraction of the cost once the 2011 offseason starts up, there's nothing in the deal for Denver that will turn this franchise around. Raymond Felton could be moved onto another team by Thursday night. Danilo Gallinari could jet as well. Wilson Chandler might leave as a free agent this summer. Timofey Mozgov is, at best, a work in progress. The Nuggets received real talent in return for Anthony, and they did well despite a trade market that should have left the team with absolutely no leverage. But rebuilding starts now. Without any franchise-saving parts to build around.

Denver will take in New York's 2014 first-round pick, but that's not much to look forward to, even if Isiah Thomas puppets his way toward a squad that makes the Stephon Marbury/Steve Francis/Jalen Rose/Eddy Curry Knicks look like a pass-five-times-and-set-shoot squad from your grandfather's time. At its core, New York will still have Amar'e Stoudemire and Anthony to rely on, and no team featuring those two is going to fall into the high lottery.

The Nuggies will have cap space -- as much as the Knicks would have had before they decided to splurge on and extend Carmelo Anthony -- but nothing is guaranteed, and the squad won't have max money to toss around. If the Nuggets do find a way to dump each of the Knicks they brought in via the Carmelo deal, and lose Al Harrington along the way? Then the team could have a couple of max slots to toss out, next to a core featuring Nene and Ty Lawson, which isn't a bad way to rebuild. But leverage is slim in the wake of this deal, and Denver will have to rely on teams that talk themselves into dealing for easily-overrate-o-ble cats like Gallo and Ray Felton.

Playoffs? This team can still make it. Clearly Gallo and Felton will bring the Nugs about 80 percent of what Carmelo and Chauncey brought, but this is still a talented group. And with Rudy Gay sitting out a month for the Memphis Grizzlies (a game behind Denver as it stands now) and Utah reeling, George Karl can pull the postseason off. Should you put money on Denver making it to the postseason, even after learning that the former Knicks will stay with the team following this week? I wouldn't. The West is that deep.

This is how life is when you deal an All-Star. Carmelo Anthony should never be mentioned in the same breath as LeBron James or Dwight Howard, and Chauncey Billups is not the same player in 2011 that helped turn Denver's fortunes around two years ago, but this is still a major setback for a team that wasn't exactly rocketing up the charts in the first place. Minnesota got Al Jefferson back when he was a game-changer, for Kevin Garnett. The Lakers were lucky enough to turn Shaquille O'Neal into cap space which turned into Kwame Brown that somehow turned into Pau Gasol. The Cavs and Raptors have trade exceptions that they could do big things with this week. The Nuggets have Danilo Gallinari, who is playing through a knee injury and not even hitting at the league average on 3-pointers this season.

Denver could swing big, though. Teams will call, thinking that Denver might be undervaluing Danilo and Felton, end up overvaluing those two assets as a result, and make this a winning week for the Nuggets' front office. A contract extension for Nene, working in his prime, won't change the team's cap situation much. Al Harrington is overpaid -- the team doesn't need him -- but he isn't a millstone, either. This could still work.

There's a lot of work to be done before it can work, though. You get the feeling that Denver knows this, and that's a good place to start. Even if you are starting over.

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Video: Carlos Boozer's invisible extend-o-bow floors Chris Bosh

"C'mon, that is how guys get hurt. That is how serious injuries happen. You've got to watch people's faces. I know guys want to turn to face up to the basket and everything, but we all want to play and provide for our families and not have to get a nose job. ...

"We all want to be healthy and that is very important. If it is by somebody's face, dive for the floor. It's too close."

— Chris Bosh of the Miami Heat, in an "exclusive" "interview" with me that I "made up," after the Heat's 93-89 loss to the Chicago Bulls, which was marred by Carlos Boozer's indefensible, flashback-inducing near-miss of an elbow-swing.

International readers ("Int'l read'rs"): If the clip above isn't rocking for you, feel free to peruse the Boshbury flop elsewhere, thanks to instntrply.

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Mavs rally from 19 down, run streak to 6 (AP)

After Dirk Nowitzki and the Mavericks got off to an ugly start, the Dallas bench provided a beautiful finish. Nowitzki had 31 points and 13 rebounds, Shawn Marion scored 20 points and the Mavericks won their sixth straight game, erasing a 19-point deficit to beat the Toronto Raptors 114-96 on Sunday.

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Previewing the slam-dunk contest

The dunk contest is still the crown jewel of All-Star Saturday. It can be a terrible, bloated mess, made worse by cackling announcers yelling at us about how the slam-dunk Contest is "back" (year after year), but it can also legitimately be the most fun you'll have in front of a TV until the playoffs start.

And, on basic cable in the middle of February on a Saturday night? Who's getting harmed by this fun? Or folly?

So don't mind, when they tell you the contest is dead. It's been pretty terrible at times for years. It's also been quite the show, I'd venture to say, twice as much for just as long. It's hit and miss. And, again, on a Saturday night in February. No static at all.

If you've never heard of Zander Hollander, well, there's no shame in that. For decades, Hollander produced a yearly NBA almanac that dove into the details behind every player in ellipses format. And in a tribute to his dry stylings, we humbly submit the participants in the 2011 NBA dunk contest:

DeMar DeRozan, Toronto Raptors

A disappointment in 2010, betraying his hops and wits. ...Trying to get it right this time. ...Able to go off of either foot, with the ability to either pull a near 360, or some impressive Terence Stansbury action. ...In a contest full of bigs, will try to bring it home for all the wings.

Blake Griffin, Los Angeles Clippers

Power with either hand. ...The ability to jump off of two legs, with the quickness of a one-leg bounder. ...Hands, hops and the height to make it all look otherworldly. ...The reason many of you are tuning in. ...The one to beat. ...More importantly? The reason to hope.

Serge Ibaka, Oklahoma City Thunder

Can jump, but will have props. ...No props from us.

He has one day to reconsider.

JaVale McGee, Washington Wizards

Certified dingbat, guaranteed reason to watch the train roll by. .. Length and jumping ability to drool over, with the ability to either pull off a dunk we've never seen before, or a goofball Chris Andersen-styled meltdown that could set the Internet on fire. ...Or, he could just miss a bunch of dunks.

Whatta you reckon?

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Video: Dwyane Wade catches the Kings on the flipside

Folks, you can call the play featured above whatever you'd like; no one save me will judge you, and it's not like my judgments are binding. But if it's all the same to you, I'd prefer not to refer to it as a "circus shot."

Near as I can tell, Dwyane Wade did not deploy any dancing bears or sapped-of-their-will-to-do-much-of-anything-but-laconically-walk-in-a-circle elephants in the making of this slick falling flip during the Miami Heat's breezy 117-97 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday night. What Wade did do was beat Luther Head off the dribble at the top of the key (with some help from a Joel Anthony screen), gain the lane, change directions on DeMarcus Cousins, trip over the Sacramento rookie's right foot and drain a right-handed scoop shot tossed over his left shoulder while airborne.

While certainly a lot of fun to watch, this is something that no one has ever done in any circus in history, that has little connection to giant tents reeking of animal dung, and that in no way features terrifying "clowns" (READ: face-painted transients who are all but certainly attempting to outrun cold justice for some grim deed they'd previously commited). It's very much a basketball thing, so take it easy with that Barnum and Bailey stuff.

(I will, of course, stipulate that DeMarcus Cousins does at times resemble an impeccably trained dancing bear, and that Chris Bosh has already displayed a lifelong worker's facility with the animal kingdom. I'm not an unreasonable man.)

International readers ("Int'l read'rs"): If the clip above isn't rocking for you, please feel free to peruse the off-balance underhandedness elsewhere via GoldLakerLion.

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Frye's jumper at OT buzzer lifts Suns (AP)

Channing Frye was anything but perfect in overtime for the Phoenix Suns. His final seconds more than made up for it. After committing a foul that allowed Indiana to tie the game late in OT, Frye converted a long jumper as the buzzer sounded, giving the Suns a 110-108 victory over the Pacers on Sunday.

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Scottie Pippen to join Bulls' broadcasts for the playoffs

A franchise's fanbase not surprisingly feels a great connection to their former stars. These were the players who brought them the glory of championships, All-Star appearances, and the general positive feeling that fandom is worth something.

So consider the following news to be extremely good for Bulls fans. From CSNChicago.com (via PBT):

Chicago Bulls legend and team ambassador Scottie Pippen will join Comcast SportsNet's game announcing tandem of Neil Funk and Stacey King as an additional game analyst for the network.

The six-time NBA champion and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2010 inductee will make his announcing debut on Friday, March 4 at Orlando (6:00 p.m. start). Pippen will also handle game analyst duties for every Bulls playoff telecast on Comcast SportsNet beginning in mid-April.

It's as yet unclear if Pippen will cover any other regular-season games, but with the Bulls primed to grab a top-three seed in the East he should get a reasonable amount of work this spring.

He'll also be a welcome presence. Stacey King is an effusive presence on broadcasts, and Pippen should balance him out nicely with some more measured takes on the game. A man of dignity and distinction, Pippen carries himself like a Hall of Famer should.

I just hope that other teams follow the Bulls' lead here. Tim Hardaway needs work, Miami!

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Heat's Miller cleared to return (AP)

Miami Heat swingman Mike Miller has been cleared to play after missing four games following several blows to the head. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra says Miller will be on the roster Sunday night when Miami hosts the New York Knicks. Miller has not played since Feb. 15. He was involved in jarring collisions in three consecutive games over five days and was checked several times for concussionlike...

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Let's all take a moment to be awed by Michael Beasley's hair

With apologies to fans of "Jersey Shore," for one night, at least, Pauly D did not have the best blowout in the country. On Wednesday night, that honor belonged to the inimitable Michael Beasley of the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Just feast your eyes on that luxurious monster of a fro he sported atop his scalp when his Super Cool Wolves took on the Memphis Grizzlies. It's the perfect hairstyle for the trade deadline — chaotic and sprawling, yet irresistible in its pull. Straddling the line between utter genius and abject madness. Sometimes Einstein, sometimes Carrot Top. Winston Churchill introducing a matinee screening of "Cats and Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore." All of these things, in grand follicular form.

Beasley has, of course, both sported the fro and made shocking hair decisions in the past, so this isn't necessarily uncharted territory for the Minnesota forward. But it's still a pretty sizable leonine statement. (Or perhaps, as Bomani Jones of The Morning Jones suggested, it's more of a call for a hug. Reasonable folks may differ.)

Unfortunately for Minnesotans, Beasley's extend-o-locks didn't afford him any sort of Samson-style expanded power — he finished with 14 points on 5-for-17 shooting, seven rebounds and a -16 in the Wolves' 104-95 home loss to the 32-27 Grizz (you can re-read that record if you like, but I assure you, it's accurate). Sad for Wolves fans, but still, a quality smile for those of us who've never really gotten over Ben Wallace's decision to give up the ghost and forgo the fro.

Hat-tip to our friends at NBA Offseason, via our other friends at A Stern Warning.

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Video: Sixers analyst falls asleep during game

It doesn't just stop with season-weary players and coaches. Announcers are ready for the All-Star break as well. Some could barely make it out of the last half-week of the season before sneaking in a long-deserved snooze.

Like former Philadelphia 76ers point guard, and current 76ers analyst Eric Snow.

A good minute into the video (we skipped it ahead for you), you can hear Sixers play-by-play man Marc Zumoff ask the silent Snow (cool band name, kids) if he's "meditating."

Snow's sterling reply?

"I thought I was trying to stay awoke."

(Sic.)

Snow tries to play it off as if ... well, we're not sure how he tried to play it off. It started, we think, as a typical ha-ha joke about being annoyed by his partner, before he tried to compare it to an NBA huddle or game situation, before Zumoff and the action thankfully returned.

Enjoy the break, Eric. In your defense, I've fallen asleep to your games (both as a player, in-studio talking head, and analyst) as well. It's a long season.

(HT: FanHouse, via Deadspin)

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Previewing the slam-dunk contest

The dunk contest is still the crown jewel of All-Star Saturday. It can be a terrible, bloated mess, made worse by cackling announcers yelling at us about how the slam-dunk Contest is "back" (year after year), but it can also legitimately be the most fun you'll have in front of a TV until the playoffs start.

And, on basic cable in the middle of February on a Saturday night? Who's getting harmed by this fun? Or folly?

So don't mind, when they tell you the contest is dead. It's been pretty terrible at times for years. It's also been quite the show, I'd venture to say, twice as much for just as long. It's hit and miss. And, again, on a Saturday night in February. No static at all.

If you've never heard of Zander Hollander, well, there's no shame in that. For decades, Hollander produced a yearly NBA almanac that dove into the details behind every player in ellipses format. And in a tribute to his dry stylings, we humbly submit the participants in the 2011 NBA dunk contest:

DeMar DeRozan, Toronto Raptors

A disappointment in 2010, betraying his hops and wits. ...Trying to get it right this time. ...Able to go off of either foot, with the ability to either pull a near 360, or some impressive Terence Stansbury action. ...In a contest full of bigs, will try to bring it home for all the wings.

Blake Griffin, Los Angeles Clippers

Power with either hand. ...The ability to jump off of two legs, with the quickness of a one-leg bounder. ...Hands, hops and the height to make it all look otherworldly. ...The reason many of you are tuning in. ...The one to beat. ...More importantly? The reason to hope.

Serge Ibaka, Oklahoma City Thunder

Can jump, but will have props. ...No props from us.

He has one day to reconsider.

JaVale McGee, Washington Wizards

Certified dingbat, guaranteed reason to watch the train roll by. .. Length and jumping ability to drool over, with the ability to either pull off a dunk we've never seen before, or a goofball Chris Andersen-styled meltdown that could set the Internet on fire. ...Or, he could just miss a bunch of dunks.

Whatta you reckon?

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Oklahoma City shores up its frontcourt, quite expertly

The Oklahoma City Thunder didn't trade for any All-Stars. The team didn't pick up a third transcendent scorer to move in alongside giants like Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. They still have to deal with Kobe and Pau, Tim and Manu. But they did get a lot better Thursday. A whole heck of a lot better.

In a pair of moves, the Thunder grabbed burly center Kendrick Perkins and all-around bench scorer Nate Robinson from the Boston Celtics, and veteran pivotman Nazr Mohammed from the Charlotte Bobcats for the price of two starters in Jeff Green and Nenad Krstic, along with young forward D.J. White, and the nearly retired Morris Peterson.

The Thunder lost two starters, but they also took in significant upgrades at both the power forward and center position. OKC coach Scott Brooks dutifully started Green for years at big forward, after the Thunder traded for the Georgetown forward in return for Ray Allen back in 2007. But for a good chunk of last season and all of this year, reserve forward Serge Ibaka has been better on both ends than Green, a fact often lost as Green pulled up for jumper after jumper as a member of the Thunder.

And though Krstic's touch from the outside will be missed, Perkins' defensive presence and ability to make do offensively will help the Thunder return to the defensive roots that they established last season, before abandoning them at times in 2011-12.

Mohammed may come off as the ultimate journeyman, but he's a significant contributor on both ends. Per 36 minutes of play, he averages around 16 points, 12 rebounds and two blocks a contest. Nazr won't play 36 minutes a night, you say? Well, of course. But spread out over two games, he's going to give you the production levels of a 16 and 12 guy (two blocks) in 18 minutes a night. Don't dismiss that. There was a reason Charlotte's bench kept them in so many games this year.

Oklahoma City won't be breaking the bank for these players, either. Both Perkins and Mohammed are free agents after this season.

The "penalty" for making this deal comes in needing to take on Nate Robinson's below-average contract for one year next season, but I only call this a penalty because of Nate's limited role as he joins a very crowded Thunder backcourt. With Westbrook, Eric Maynor (a fine young backup point guard), James Harden and Thabo Sefolosha, the Thunder are stacked in the backcourt, and Nate is going to struggle to find minutes. Robinson has tons of game, though, and his basketball patience grows every year. It's a bummer we won't see him working as the first spark off the bench for a playoff team this year, but that doesn't mean he won't have his moments this spring.

Where does this put Oklahoma City amongst the elite out West? This team is still a clear step behind both the Spurs (especially) and Lakers on paper, but the Thunder have given the Lakers all they can handle recently, and even the most fair-weather of NBA followers can recall that the Thunder were one secured rebound away from taking the Lakers to a seventh game in the playoffs last season. At worst, with Nate Collison shoring up that frontcourt, and Kevin Durant's ever increasing ability to slide over to power forward, this is a team on par with the Dallas Mavericks.

At best? The Thunder could save their best run of the year, in an up-and-down year, for spring. It's quite feasible.

This is another in a long line of heady moves for Oklahoma City GM Sam Presti. The team didn't give up any draft picks, it didn't affect its salary outlook (it'll be under the cap this offseason, the amount depending on what it does with Perkins) in any meaningful way, and nobody is going to want to touch these guys come May.

Careful planning leads to the ability to take advantage of great timing. Sam Presti's team is certainly an example of that.

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Shawn Kemp rips Blake Griffin's dunk

Shawn Kemp, out of nowhere, has come out of the woodwork to criticize the final dunk of Blake Griffin's Dunk Contest-winning repertoire. The 41-year-old former SuperSonics, Cavaliers, Trail Blazers and Magic forward apparently didn't like the final-round dunk that saw Blake jump over a Kia Optima, and before you make up your mind about Kemp, listen to what he has to say.

As explained to KJR radio in Seattle, and lovingly transcribed by Sports Radio Interviews:

"I'm a big Blake Griffin fan, but that dunk at the contest might've been the weakest dunk in the dunk contest that I've seen in a long time. I love the choir and all that stuff was great, but you at least gotta jump over the car though right? He swung over the car and landed on the hood of the car. I think he should at least be able to jump over the front of the car."

You have to admit, Shawn isn't wrong here.

Sure, Kemp betrayed his talent and ate his way out of the NBA. And sure, petulant behavior of his possibly cost both the SuperSonics and Trail Blazers championship-level contenders back in his time with the team. But Blake's final dunk? It was a pretty big "meh," despite the spectacle of Griffin wheeling the car out.

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Let's all take a moment to be awed by Michael Beasley's hair

With apologies to fans of "Jersey Shore," for one night, at least, Pauly D did not have the best blowout in the country. On Wednesday night, that honor belonged to the inimitable Michael Beasley of the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Just feast your eyes on that luxurious monster of a fro he sported atop his scalp when his Super Cool Wolves took on the Memphis Grizzlies. It's the perfect hairstyle for the trade deadline — chaotic and sprawling, yet irresistible in its pull. Straddling the line between utter genius and abject madness. Sometimes Einstein, sometimes Carrot Top. Winston Churchill introducing a matinee screening of "Cats and Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore." All of these things, in grand follicular form.

Beasley has, of course, both sported the fro and made shocking hair decisions in the past, so this isn't necessarily uncharted territory for the Minnesota forward. But it's still a pretty sizable leonine statement. (Or perhaps, as Bomani Jones of The Morning Jones suggested, it's more of a call for a hug. Reasonable folks may differ.)

Unfortunately for Minnesotans, Beasley's extend-o-locks didn't afford him any sort of Samson-style expanded power — he finished with 14 points on 5-for-17 shooting, seven rebounds and a -16 in the Wolves' 104-95 home loss to the 32-27 Grizz (you can re-read that record if you like, but I assure you, it's accurate). Sad for Wolves fans, but still, a quality smile for those of us who've never really gotten over Ben Wallace's decision to give up the ghost and forgo the fro.

Hat-tip to our friends at NBA Offseason, via our other friends at A Stern Warning.

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Behind the Box Score, where the Knicks looked good, considering

With the trade deadline looming, yesterday's news has become just that, so we don't have the time to give you the usual 2500-word Thursday Behind the Box Score. Be kind as to take in a truncated version today.

***

New York 114, Milwaukee 108

Carmelo Anthony had about as taxing a few days as one could imagine in an NBA life (taxed by good news-version, ‘natch). So for him to come out after this whirlwind and drop 27 and 10, against what is often the NBA's toughest defense? I don't care that he missed 15 shots, that was impressive. 117 points per 100 possessions against a Bucks team that regularly holds teams in the 90s. Or low 90s. And Chauncey Billups deserved his chant. Great show. More, please.

***

New Orleans 98, Los Angeles Clippers 87

The Clippers can't be counted on to compete with players like Eric Bledsoe, the struggling Al Farouq-Aminu, and Rasual Butler using up as many possessions as they do. New Orleans was active defensively all night, Willie Green hasn't played like Willie Green in over a month, and the Hornets notched a needed home win.

***

Phoenix 105, Atlanta 97

Atlanta's first two games out of the break have been a little worrying, because they were one tough third quarter away from being completely blown out by both the Lakers and Suns in consecutive days. In a vacuum, this isn't the worst thing, as both are talented opponents. But you'd like to see the Hawks at least do better than 12 minutes out of a possible 96. Marcin Gortat notched a needed double-double off the Suns bench.

***

Dallas 118, Utah 99

Not a "get it all in at once" blowout. Just a deep Mavericks team that kept coming and coming at the Jazz, adding 11 points for every nine the Jazz scored. Peja Stojakovic hit four threes in five attempts, and for some reason a big part of me wanted to chant "no blood for oil!" Al Jefferson (30 points, eight rebounds) obviously had Deron Williams holding him back all year.

***

Memphis 104, Minnesota 95

Tough scoring for Minnesota, as Memphis obviously wanted to right its ship, and Zach Randolph (24 and 10) dominated Kevin Love again. The Wolves did well to come back in the fourth quarter, Lazar Hayward hit a couple of big buckets and Wayne Ellington nailed a goodly amount of three-pointers, but the team just couldn't connect much in the final minutes.

***

Los Angeles Lakers 106, Portland 101 (OT)

Kobe Bryant was a bloody beast down the stretch, pulling the Lakers to a win offensively by his lonesome. Good thing, because he was bloody awful at shooting the ball for most of the first three and a half quarters. The Laker D? Great again, in spurts. The Lakers might be one big win away from a series of "don't count out the champs" columns, but understand right now that you never, ever should be counting this team out. Not until it loses four times in seven games in May. As if that will ever happen.

Brandon Roy returned and looked awfully slow.

***

Sacramento 111, Orlando 105

What can you say? Sacramento never left, they never let Orlando pull away, the Magic underestimated them just enough to keep things close, and a talented Kings team pulled it out. Nothing to kill Orlando over, to these eyes, though this was clearly a loss that could have been avoided. That's me being nice. Sacto? Another great game for Sam Dalembert off the bench, and Johnnie Taylor comes out of nowhere to drop 21 in the start.

***

Toronto 118, Chicago 113

Chicago's defense in this mess was terrible, and Carlos Boozer's D was particularly appalling (not just in that embarrassing final minute, either), but I've gotten over that by now. I swear. Let's give it up to Toronto, because though the team gave up big numbers defensively, these guys were actually showing and collapsing. If not for one poorly-conceived jumper late, Derrick Rose would have single-handedly won yet another game for the Bulls. Joakim Noah had 16 rebounds in his return.

***

Houston 124, Cleveland 119

Houston's point guard play in this game was as bad as the box score (Kyle Lowry and Aaron Brooks combined to shoot 3-22) suggests, and Brooks compounded his play with complaining throughout. Houston would not stop scoring down the stretch, though, as the Cavs didn't have the juice to keep up. Maybe Baron Davis will change that? Mean haiku, I apologize.

***

Indiana 102, Detroit 101

Rodney Stuckey lost track of Brandon Rush in the final seconds, and the result was, well, the first time any of us had seen Rush in weeks. He hit the game-winner, but who knew he was even around? Can't blame Rodney, there. Indiana had a hard time putting Detroit away despite early success, but Indy's coach Frank Vogel's commitment to Pacer depth (10 of his men played double-figure minutes) won out over Detroit's inconsistent offerings. Good offensive game, dulled by the slow pace.

***

Philadelphia 117, Washington 94

The Washington Wizards are an awful, awful team full of people who either don't know how to play winning basketball, or wouldn't care to try even if they did. John Wall and Trevor Booker are exceptions. The Sixers came at them in waves, moved the ball, and never let up. A post-game image on local Washington TV reversed the final score, and though I sometimes do that, I won't be doing it here. Also, Andre Iguodala was robbed in the 2006 Dunk Contest.

***

San Antonio 109, Oklahoma City 104

Fine execution down the stretch for the Spurs, in a fun game that featured just 18 turnovers. Jeff Green's mistakes weren't limited to the end of the game, he's now missed eight of his last 11 three-pointers in two games since the All-Star break, and continues to chuck nearly four per game despite hitting only 30 from long range.

***

Thank you for reading.

Willis Reed Oscar Robertson David Robinson Bill Russell Dolph Schayes

Previewing the 3-point contest

There's no room for creativity in the 3-point contest. You grab the ball from a rack and fire away. It's your choice as to what side to grab the leather from, I suppose, but beyond that, there's not a whole heck of a lot in terms of individual derring-do.

Then again, since the NBA started up its All-Star weekend activities back in 1984, the shootout has always been there. The Old-Timers Game, dunk contest, 2Ball -- these things have come and gone. And come back. And hopefully gone away for good. But the 3-point contest remains. Hear, hear.

Let's break this old man down.

Here are the participants:

Ray Allen, Boston Celtics
Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder
Daniel Gibson, Cleveland Cavaliers
James Jones, Miami Heat
Paul Pierce, Boston Celtics
Dorell Wright, Golden State Warriors

This, I think, could be a white-hot crew.

There are types to this game. Specialists and big men don't usually do well here. Streaky guys can do quite well in this contest, and athletes (having to run and knock in rack after rack in a short amount of time) have an advantage above all. And this group boasts a good mixture of all types.

Ray Allen just broke the NBA record for the most 3-pointers hit in a career. He's clearly quite good at this. You should read his pamphlets on the subject.

Paul Pierce is not only the returning champion, but the surprising selection from last year has actually built on his hot run from last February, putting together a career-high mark in 3-point percentage until a recent 4-for-27 stretch turned his totals sour.

Kevin Durant is my favorite, mainly because of his streakiness and his indefatigable way around a basketball court. By far, he has the worst 3-point percentage of any of the participants (making just 33.8 percent this year; the league average is 36 percent). But he can dance around that arc without breaking a sweat, and I like his chances above all.

Daniel Gibson is the smallest participant in a contest that hasn't been kind to shorter guards all that often. Steve Kerr, Mark Price, Voshon Lenard, Daequan Cook and Tim Legler have all had their luck (Jeff Hornacek had a few inches on that group), but more often than not the shorter, sweet-shooting guards fall, eh, short. Prove me wrong Daniel, and give Cavs fans a thrill in an otherwise tough season.

James Jones, at last count, has hit four 2-pointers all year (16, actually, but 16 twos in 56 games?), and he's been a killer from the corners all year. Jones has hit 42 percent of his bombs this season (93 of 220), and if his confidence is up, look out.

Dorell Wright has the lowest Q rating of all the participants, but the guy can stroke. His chances, to me, are somewhat mitigated by the fact that he has hit just a third of his 3-point attempts in the month of February (though he's still over 40 percent overall from long range) -- although I do recall Steve Kerr going through a similar swoon before owning the 1997 3-point contest.

I like Durant, but each player is a viable candidate to run away with this.

Whatta you reckon?

Wes Unseld Bill Walton Jerry West Lenny Wilkens James Worthy

Jordan defends Bobcats' trade of Wallace (AP)

Charlotte Bobcats owner Michael Jordan was busy on Saturday defending his decision to trade Gerald Wallace and playing a major role in getting a reluctant Joel Przybilla comfortable with his new boss. In a brief interview with The Associated Press, Jordan said "I love the trade" that sent the former All-Star Wallace to Portland.

Robert Parish Bob Pettit Scottie Pippen Willis Reed Oscar Robertson

The 10-man rotation, starring Tim Duncan's banker

A look around the league and the web that covers it. It's also important to note that the rotation order and starting nods aren't always listed in order of importance. That's for you, dear reader, to figure out.

C: NBA. Via Load O' Bull, Red on Roundball helps you break down Tim Duncan's bank shot.
PF: Wall St. Journal. A former Nuggets beat writer on what makes Carmelo tick.
SF: The Basketball Jones. Scott Carefoot reads between Baron Davis' lines.
SG: Sactown Royalty. Tom Ziller's must-read letter to Kings owners Joe and Gavin Maloof.
PG: Off the Dribble. Rob Mahoney's overlooked trade deadline deals.
6th: New York Times. Remembering Troy "Escalade" Jackson.
7th: Docksquad Sports. Talking with Bulls coach Ron Adams, defensive mastermind.
8th: Silver Screen and Roll. A fascinating look at differing Laker lineups, and their defensive impact.
9th: Tauntr. Many, many hilarious trade deadline-referencin' movie posters.
10th: Dr. Dre Started Burning Man. Via SB Jamie Mottram, Dr. Dre's infamous NSFW letter to his now wife, with the ultimate opening line in reference to a former Bulls/SuperSonics/Lakers shooting guard: "Hopefully you doin' well and realized that you need to quit [expletive deleted] wit Sedale and get home to your Doctor."

Got a link or tip for Ball Don't Lie? Holler at me at KD_BDL_ED (at) yahoo.com, or follow me on Twitter.

Hakeem Olajuwon Robert Parish Bob Pettit Scottie Pippen Willis Reed

Days of NBA Lives: Wherein Kevin Durant must not like movies

 

At this point, seemingly half the NBA is on Twitter. It's a wild world of training updates, questions as to which movies they should go see, and explanations of their Call of Duty prowess. Every so often, though, you also get a picture into the more interesting aspects of NBA life. This feature is your window into that world.

LaMarcus Aldridge: Who said I don't want Marcus Camby on the team?! That's my guy he makes me better and the team!

Hassan Whiteside: I swear im goin to piss a happy meal off If Rihanna don't change that hair color I'm goin to lose it ..... lookin lik Ronald McDonald lol
 
Jeff Pendergraph: Anybody know if Lacey Chabert has a twitter? Trying to see if I can get a date lol

Brandon Jennings: The Knicks are Back, Miami Is Back, Bulls are Back, remind me of the 90's. Great For The NBA. If you ask me

Kevin Durant: Watching Dante's Peak...one of my favorite movies everrrr

You can also follow Eric Freeman on Twitter at @freemaneric.

Hal Greer John Havlicek Elvin Hayes Magic Johnson Sam Jones

Video: Blake Griffin brings the laffs

In a few short months, Blake Griffin has become the hottest thing going in NBA circles by virtue of his rim-rattling dunks. His presence brings an electricity to arenas around the league, and he's made the Clippers relevant for the first time in years.

However, Griffin has a low profile off the court. Needing a dose of personality for his public image, Griffin partnered with MySpace Comedy for a series of interviews that bring you the man behind the dunks.

These are parody interviews, but they very clearly bring across what Griffin's like away from basketball. He's humble, friendly, and blessed with a pretty darn impressive sense of comedic timing. He's obviously patterned his style after Will Ferrell, but no one ever said influence is the same as stealing someone's style.

Check out the clip above and view the rest of the videos at MySpace. Social networking is the wave of the future!

Lenny Wilkens James Worthy Kareem Abdul Jabbar Nate Archibald Paul Arizin

Wizards owner brings the transparency in trade explanation

Give Washington Wizards owner Ted Leonsis credit. In his words, and ours, "transparency is good." And in eschewing the typical "everything is great! Mo Williams and Baron Davis were once All-Stars!" nonsense of most post-trade press releases, Leonsis has come clean about yet another trade in the midst of yet another Washington Wizards rebuilding process.

And although the Wizards are one of the worst and least-promising teams in the NBA, even with rookie point guard John Wall on board, Leonsis is still earning points around the league for his trade breakdown.

Last July, the Washington Wizards traded for Chicago Bulls point guard Kirk Hinrich with their available cap space, and earned a first-round pick (project big man Kevin Seraphin) for their troubles. Wednesday, the team sent Hinrich to the point guard-starved Atlanta Hawks for Jordan Crawford, Mike Bibby and Atlanta's first-round pick this June.

Leonsis knows that this is far from a boffo deal, and while he is trying to spin it, he's working that wand honestly.

I'll let him take over from here, speaking about Kirk Hinrich, and what comes next:

And [Hinrich's] value was so great that he essentially played for us for 5 months and in return we received Mike Bibby, Kevin Seraphin, Jordan Crawford, a first round pick and a bunch of money. That is great productivity from a set of trades.

The rebuild is messy. It is painful.

It is going as I expected. Lots of bumps; lots of emotion; and lots of frustration. I have been down this road before. That is the reason I remain calm and steadfast. There is no other option for us.

But I am happy that we have loaded up on picks and prospects. That part of the rebuild after we pick twice in the next draft is over. We have enough young assets now.

We will soon have more financial flexibility.

We are rebuilding just as I said we would.

Transparency is good.

I apologize for the short term pain. I believe we will see mid and long term gain.

Points for honesty, Ted. There were 117 points for the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night against your team, and that's too many, but kudos on coming clean about the rarely cut-and-dry nature of rebuilding and NBA transactions.

The salaries of Hinrich and Bibby are more or less a wash both this season and next. But though you might have fond memories of Bibby's time with the Sacramento Kings, Bibby is one of this league's worst defenders, and that was too much for Atlanta to bear, even while considering his 44 percent shooting from behind the 3-point arc. Hinrich isn't a great playmaker, so he's on Bibby's level there, and he's a streaky shooter. But he will lock down defensively, and is a younger player to bank on for 2011-12.

New Hawk Hilton Armstrong, however, isn't much of an NBA player, while Jordan Crawford may have rotation-level talent for the Wizards. And though Atlanta's first-round pick won't zoom to the top of the lottery charts this spring, the Wizards need all they can get, while only paying a couple of hundred thousand more for it.

Not the best deal, and nothing to laud GM Ernie Grunfeld for. But a piecemeal deal that, unlike Cleveland's grab of Baron Davis for a (much better) draft pick, won't upset the team's on-court play or locker-room situation.

Made all the more better by the Wizards owner honestly evaluating his team's situation, on record. Kudos for that.

Sam Jones Michael Jordan Jerry Lucas Karl Malone Moses Malone

Video: Shot clock operator shorts the Nuggets 12 seconds

It can't be easy working as a clock operator for Denver Nuggets home games. The team averages nearly 96 possessions per game, third-most in the NBA. That's a lot of flip-switchin'. Toss in the thin air, and you're bound to make some mistakes.

Like this one, as sent to us by Celtics Hub's Brian Robb:

You can clearly see the 24-second shot clock start at 12, exactly where the Boston Celtics left it when they finished their previous possession. Because the Nuggets like to work quickly, Denver managed to get a shot off within the constraints of the newly halved shot clock, but just barely. And nobody, save for Nuggets guard Aaron Afflalo, seemed to notice when the buzzer sounded early. Not the announcers, not the refs, not yours truly at home.

And Afflalo might not have been complaining about the dodgy shot clock. Watch him throughout the possession. He might be upset at not getting the ball.

NBA? You owe us, and the Nuggets, 12 more seconds.

Clyde Drexler Julius Erving Patrick Ewing Walt Frazier George Gervin

The 10-man rotation, starring an angry Marcus Camby

A look around the league and the web that covers it. It's also important to note that the rotation order and starting nods aren't always listed in order of importance. That's for you, dear reader, to figure out.

C: The Columbia. Marcus Camby does not want to be traded away from the Portland Trail Blazers.
PF: SB Nation. "The Prokorov forgives."
SF: Truth About It. Does Deron Williams go to New York next?
SG: Golf Digest. Jerry West's love of the links. Golf ones.
PG: ESPN Boston. Kevin Garnett is still an angry man.
6th: Hoopism. Comparing Jerry Sloan's time in Utah to the coaching machinations elsewhere in the NBA.
7th: The Hoop Doctors. Will the underrated Dwight Howard be in the Dunk Contest in 2012?
8th: NBA Playbook. If Carmelo is going to fit in New York, Mike D'Antoni will have to change his plays.
9th: TrueHoop. Maybe it's time to re-think the idea of Chris Paul in crunch time.
10th. Sports Radio Interviews. Dirk Nowitzki professes his love for In-N-Out burgers before pointing out that he "really doesn't know much about burgers."

Got a link or tip for Ball Don't Lie? Holler at me at KD_BDL_ED (at) yahoo.com, or follow me on Twitter.

Charles Barkley Rick Barry Elgin Baylor Dave Bing Larry Bird

Behind the Box Score, where the Knicks looked good, considering

With the trade deadline looming, yesterday's news has become just that, so we don't have the time to give you the usual 2500-word Thursday Behind the Box Score. Be kind as to take in a truncated version today.

***

New York 114, Milwaukee 108

Carmelo Anthony had about as taxing a few days as one could imagine in an NBA life (taxed by good news-version, ‘natch). So for him to come out after this whirlwind and drop 27 and 10, against what is often the NBA's toughest defense? I don't care that he missed 15 shots, that was impressive. 117 points per 100 possessions against a Bucks team that regularly holds teams in the 90s. Or low 90s. And Chauncey Billups deserved his chant. Great show. More, please.

***

New Orleans 98, Los Angeles Clippers 87

The Clippers can't be counted on to compete with players like Eric Bledsoe, the struggling Al Farouq-Aminu, and Rasual Butler using up as many possessions as they do. New Orleans was active defensively all night, Willie Green hasn't played like Willie Green in over a month, and the Hornets notched a needed home win.

***

Phoenix 105, Atlanta 97

Atlanta's first two games out of the break have been a little worrying, because they were one tough third quarter away from being completely blown out by both the Lakers and Suns in consecutive days. In a vacuum, this isn't the worst thing, as both are talented opponents. But you'd like to see the Hawks at least do better than 12 minutes out of a possible 96. Marcin Gortat notched a needed double-double off the Suns bench.

***

Dallas 118, Utah 99

Not a "get it all in at once" blowout. Just a deep Mavericks team that kept coming and coming at the Jazz, adding 11 points for every nine the Jazz scored. Peja Stojakovic hit four threes in five attempts, and for some reason a big part of me wanted to chant "no blood for oil!" Al Jefferson (30 points, eight rebounds) obviously had Deron Williams holding him back all year.

***

Memphis 104, Minnesota 95

Tough scoring for Minnesota, as Memphis obviously wanted to right its ship, and Zach Randolph (24 and 10) dominated Kevin Love again. The Wolves did well to come back in the fourth quarter, Lazar Hayward hit a couple of big buckets and Wayne Ellington nailed a goodly amount of three-pointers, but the team just couldn't connect much in the final minutes.

***

Los Angeles Lakers 106, Portland 101 (OT)

Kobe Bryant was a bloody beast down the stretch, pulling the Lakers to a win offensively by his lonesome. Good thing, because he was bloody awful at shooting the ball for most of the first three and a half quarters. The Laker D? Great again, in spurts. The Lakers might be one big win away from a series of "don't count out the champs" columns, but understand right now that you never, ever should be counting this team out. Not until it loses four times in seven games in May. As if that will ever happen.

Brandon Roy returned and looked awfully slow.

***

Sacramento 111, Orlando 105

What can you say? Sacramento never left, they never let Orlando pull away, the Magic underestimated them just enough to keep things close, and a talented Kings team pulled it out. Nothing to kill Orlando over, to these eyes, though this was clearly a loss that could have been avoided. That's me being nice. Sacto? Another great game for Sam Dalembert off the bench, and Johnnie Taylor comes out of nowhere to drop 21 in the start.

***

Toronto 118, Chicago 113

Chicago's defense in this mess was terrible, and Carlos Boozer's D was particularly appalling (not just in that embarrassing final minute, either), but I've gotten over that by now. I swear. Let's give it up to Toronto, because though the team gave up big numbers defensively, these guys were actually showing and collapsing. If not for one poorly-conceived jumper late, Derrick Rose would have single-handedly won yet another game for the Bulls. Joakim Noah had 16 rebounds in his return.

***

Houston 124, Cleveland 119

Houston's point guard play in this game was as bad as the box score (Kyle Lowry and Aaron Brooks combined to shoot 3-22) suggests, and Brooks compounded his play with complaining throughout. Houston would not stop scoring down the stretch, though, as the Cavs didn't have the juice to keep up. Maybe Baron Davis will change that? Mean haiku, I apologize.

***

Indiana 102, Detroit 101

Rodney Stuckey lost track of Brandon Rush in the final seconds, and the result was, well, the first time any of us had seen Rush in weeks. He hit the game-winner, but who knew he was even around? Can't blame Rodney, there. Indiana had a hard time putting Detroit away despite early success, but Indy's coach Frank Vogel's commitment to Pacer depth (10 of his men played double-figure minutes) won out over Detroit's inconsistent offerings. Good offensive game, dulled by the slow pace.

***

Philadelphia 117, Washington 94

The Washington Wizards are an awful, awful team full of people who either don't know how to play winning basketball, or wouldn't care to try even if they did. John Wall and Trevor Booker are exceptions. The Sixers came at them in waves, moved the ball, and never let up. A post-game image on local Washington TV reversed the final score, and though I sometimes do that, I won't be doing it here. Also, Andre Iguodala was robbed in the 2006 Dunk Contest.

***

San Antonio 109, Oklahoma City 104

Fine execution down the stretch for the Spurs, in a fun game that featured just 18 turnovers. Jeff Green's mistakes weren't limited to the end of the game, he's now missed eight of his last 11 three-pointers in two games since the All-Star break, and continues to chuck nearly four per game despite hitting only 30 from long range.

***

Thank you for reading.

Dave Cowens Billy Cunningham Dave DeBusschere Clyde Drexler Julius Erving