'Nasty News - Traversing Time & Space' Vol:12

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http://www.hoopsworld.com/HeadlineStori ... 925&lc=NBA

It's possible, if not probable, not everyone will be here for the Oct. 29 opener in Washington. The Nets want a third point guard, but need a roster spot. Unless they can trade straight up for one or deal someone for a pick they may buy out Ager to create space.

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http://blogs.jsonline.com/bucks/archive ... oster.aspx

The Bucks announced a 19-man training camp roster on Wednesday that included six players who were with the team at the end of last season - guards Charlie Bell, Michael Redd, and Ramon Sessions, centers Andrew Bogut and Dan Gadzuric, and forward Charlie Villanueva. Veteran players who were acquired during the off-season include forwards Malik Allen, Francisco Elson, Adrian Griffin, Richard Jefferson; and guards Damon Jones, Tyronn Lue, and Luke Ridnour.

Rounding out the roster are draft choices Joe Alexander of West Virginia and Luc Richard Mbah a Mouta of UCLA, along with four other players who were signed for training camp - 6-9 forward T.J. Cummings, 6-10 forward Matt Freije, 6-5 guard Ron Howard, and 6-2 guard Kevin Kruger.

Now it's a matter of molding it all together."We (coaches) are new too," said coach Scott Skiles. "If you're going to have half a new team, it seems to me that it just coincides precisely with installing a new system. Everybody is getting to know each other anyway. Everybody is kind of on the same footing right now." The Bucks will open their training camp next Tuesday at the team's practice facility in St. Francis.

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http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baske ... tar-1.html

Although Gallinari smiled and nodded graciously, he may not be able to fulfill that request immediately. Still nursing a sore lower back, the Italian rookie said he doesn't know if he'll be ready to practice when camp opens in Saratoga Springs on Tuesday. "It's a difficult question. I don't know," said Gallinari, when asked if he'll be ready to start camp. "I cannot say that I will be ready, I will not be ready. I don't know. We'll see in these days."

Although Gallinari doesn't have a timetable for his return and said he has been limited to only a little bit of shooting, he remains positive about his chances of participating. "It's feeling better, so much better, so I'm real optimistic about being in the training camp," Gallinari said. "It's improving in the right way."

While it was widely believed that Gallinari first injured his back in the Knicks' first summer-league game back on July 15, the 20-year-old forward disclosed Wednesday that he actually first felt the soreness flare up before that. "It was a little bit before the summer league, when we were in Las Vegas," said Gallinari. "The reason was not just that game, when I fell down. It was not that. I think many reasons, probably. I don't know. I feel better than when I was in Vegas, for sure." Gallinari scored 14 points against the Cavaliers in that July15 game, but that was the only time he played in the five-game summer league. The Knicks then allowed him to return to Italy in August to play for his national team in a European tournament, but he never played there due to lingering soreness and left before the games began.

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http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/arti ... 30371/1052

Shock coach Bill Laimbeer is still steaming about what he called a "violent act" Sunday that knocked reigning WNBA Sixth Woman of the Year Plenette Pierson out of tonight's decisive Game 3 of the Shock's first-round playoff series with Indiana. He's even more upset about the lack of response Monday from the WNBA. "That is absolutely wrong," Laimbeer said. "Whether it's fans or players from both teams, everyone knows it's wrong, and I find that disturbing." Midway through the fourth quarter of Game 2 on Sunday, Pierson and Ebony Hoffman got knotted while fighting for rebounding position. After the basket was good, Hoffman lifted Pierson over her body and Pierson suffered a dislocated right shoulder. After the game, Laimbeer called for Hoffman to be suspended.

Both players received technical fouls. On Monday, the league upgraded Hoffman's penalty to a Flagrant 2, which doesn't warrant a suspension. Also, Pierson's technical was rescinded."When you look at the replays, you realize what really happened," Laimbeer said. "It wasn't a tangled-up situation. It wasn't an off-balance situation. It was a willful attempt to slam her into the ground."Game 3 is 7 tonight at the Palace. The Shock eliminated the Fever the past two postseasons. Pierson will be out 10 days to four weeks, team trainer Laura Ramus said. That means she won't be available until after the Eastern Conference finals or later. Pierson averaged 11.9 points during the regular season and 13.5 points in two playoff games. She had 16 points, seven rebounds and five assists in Game 2.

Laimbeer said officials told him a technical was levied on Pierson because they felt she initiated the sequence. Fever coach Lin Dunn said Monday she agreed with the officials' assessment. "It looked to me on the tape that she initially locked Hoffman's arms down," she said. "... I certainly didn't think there was anything flagrant about it. Someone locks your arms, you pull away. Obviously, the officials felt that way." The Shock will look to two players who have been nonfactors in the playoffs, veteran Sheri Sam and rookie Olayinka Sanni, to replace Pierson's production. The Shock also needs to stop Indiana's three-point attack. In Game 1, the Fever was 6-for-22 from deep, and lost, 81-72. In Game 2, Indiana made 11 of 26 threes -- from six players -- and won, 89-82, in overtime. That's an issue Shock forward Taj McWilliams-Franklin said is correctable. "Those are open threes when we're rotating to help," she said. "I can stand still and shoot three-pointers, too. What we got to do is limit their dribble penetration."

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http://www.hoopsworld.com/HeadlineStori ... 925&lc=NBA

Yesterday, Dixon repeatedly used the word "comfortable" when describing how he felt after signing a one-year partially guaranteed contract with the team late Tuesday afternoon.

"I'm very excited," Dixon said. "It's a good opportunity to come back close to home and continue my career with the Wizards. I'm very comfortable. I'm very familiar with the system. There are a couple of players on the team who were here when I was here, so I'm very comfortable."

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http://www.northjersey.com/sports/nets/29731694.html

No players from Lawrence Frank's first camp as head coach in 2004 will be there. Only three from camp last year – Vince Carter, Josh Boone and Sean Williams – are left. This team is totally different and outside expectations can't be lower. Members of the organization have joked that the Nets are being picked 31st out of 30 teams. They will try to use it as motivation, but it can't last for 82 games.

The starting backcourt is solid in Carter and Devin Harris. Yi Jianlian and Bobby Simmons – both acquired for Jefferson – and Boone probably round out the starting five today. Eventually, though, Frank could face pressure to start rookie center Brook Lopez.

The bench should look something like this: Lopez, Keyon Dooling, Eduardo Najera, Jarvis Hayes, Ryan Anderson, Stromile Swift, Chris Douglas-Roberts, Williams, Trenton Hassell and Maurice Ager.

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http://www.hoopsworld.com/HeadlineStori ... 925&lc=NBA

Mark Price has joined the Hawks as a shooting consultant, the team announced Wednesday. Price, the four-time NBA All-Star from Georgia Tech, spent last season as the shooting consultant for Memphis.

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http://www.hoopsworld.com/HeadlineStori ... 925&lc=NBA

Denver Nuggets guard Chucky Atkins will be out the next six weeks after he had surgery Wednesday on his right knee.

The arthroscopic procedure to repair cartilage and clean out loose bodies was performed by Nuggets orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Steve Traina.

Atkins started having pain in the knee about two weeks ago while playing pick- up games in preparation for the season. An MRI taken Monday revealed the problem and surgery was deemed necessary.

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http://www.hoopsworld.com/HeadlineStori ... 925&lc=NBA

The Charlotte Bobcats extended an offer sheet to restricted free agent Carl Landry, the team announced Wednesday.

Landry's current club, the Houston Rockets, has seven days to decide if it will match the offer.

"Landry is an emerging NBA talent, as evidenced by his play over the final 42 regular-season games and into the Rockets first-round playoff appearance," Bobcats general manager Rod Higgins said. "His ability to play both the power forward and center position will complement our post play."

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http://www.hoopsworld.com/HeadlineStori ... 925&lc=NBA

As training camp will start next week, those early morning workouts should result in more playing time for the second-year guard.

Pistons coach Michael Curry hasn't determined what the rotation will look like, but he knows Afflalo will be Richard Hamilton's backup at shooting guard. In the past, having the title "backup" behind Richard Hamilton didn't mean much -- not with Hamilton logging close to 40 minutes per game.

But Afflalo has a greater chance to play more minutes than his predecessors, in part because of his relationship with Curry.

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http://www.hoopsworld.com/TheWireStory.asp?id=12643

Golden State Warriors guard Monta Ellis injured his ankle while riding a moped last month in his hometown of Jackson, Mississippi, according to a published report Wednesday. Citing sources close to Ellis, the San Francisco Chronicle reported that the 22-year-old tore a deltoid ligament and sustained a high ankle sprain in what was deemed a "low-speed accident." Ellis originally told the Warriors he suffered the injury during a pick-up game.

Ellis, who finally came clean about the incident, violated the terms of the six-year, $66 million contract extension he signed with the team this offseason. The Chronicle reported that riding a moped is prohibited under the uniform player contract, making it possible for the Warriors to terminate the deal. The newspaper said that would be an unlikely option, instead suggesting Ellis might be heavily fined or suspended. No decision will be made on Ellis' punishment until next week, the report said. Ellis had surgery on the ankle on August 27. The procedure was performed by Dr. Angus McBryde at the Andrews Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Center in Birmingham, Alabama.

Ellis will have his ankle immobilized for approximately six weeks and spend that time undergoing what the team referred to as "off-court" rehabilitation. A three-year veteran, Ellis averaged a career-high 20.2 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.9 assists while shooting 53 percent from the floor last season for the Warriors. Golden State was counting on the 6-3 Ellis to assume an even bigger role in the wake of Baron Davis' signing with the Los Angeles Clippers during the summer.

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http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/arti ... 1/SPORTS03

Former Piston Allan Houston signed with the New York Knicks today and will attempt another comeback with his former team. Houston is fourth on the Knicks’ career scoring list, trailing only Hall of Famers Patrick Ewing, Walt Frazier and Willis Reed. He will be in training camp next week with the franchise he led to the 1999 NBA Finals.

Forced to retire in October 2005 because of knee pain, Houston briefly tried a comeback last year with the Knicks. He didn’t join the team until 10 days after practices began following the birth of a child, then played in only one exhibition game before ending his longshot bid to make the team. He’ll be there from the start this time, but making the roster would still be difficult. Now 37, Houston hasn’t played in an NBA game since 2005 and would have to show that his knees can handle the running involved in new coach Mike D’Antoni’s uptempo system. Houston joined the Knicks in 1996 and made one of the most famous shots in franchise history, a running jumper in the closing seconds of the deciding Game 5 that gave New York an upset victory over top-seeded Miami in the first round off the 1999 playoffs. The Knicks went on to reach the Finals, where they lost to San Antonio.

A two-time All-Star and one of the league’s best outside shooters, Houston signed a much-criticized $100-million, six-year contract extension in 2001 and averaged a career-best 22.5 points in 2002-03. But chronic knee soreness then limited him. He averaged only 11.9 points in 20 games his final season, his lowest total since he was a rookie. Houston wore No. 20 in his nine seasons with the Knicks but will now wear No. 14 in honor of his father, Wade, one of the first African-American basketball players at the University of Louisville. “My father has been a great model of a man, and hopefully I can continue to carry what he taught me back to the court with the Knicks,” Houston said in a statement. “Off the court, this is also symbolic to encourage men to be committed fathers as their role remains one of the most important factors in the lives of our youth.”

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http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/arti ... 1/SPORTS03

You might think I’m kidding. I am not. You might think I’m insane. But hear me out. The Lions should offer the job of team president to …Joe Dumars. It is an idea so obviously brilliant that you cannot possibly have any questions … wait, you do have questions? Do you really think Dumars knows enough about football to draft players and sign free agents? No, I do not. But I think Dumars is smart enough to realize that. I am not suggesting the Lions make him their general manager. What they need, first and foremost, is a president who establishes a vision for the franchise. I think if the Lions hired Dumars, he would immediately tell everybody in the organization: This is who we’re going to be. Before the Pistons started winning, he told all his players, coaches and scouts they would build around defense, toughness, work ethic and teamwork.

That formula actually works better in the NFL than in the NBA. I suspect Dumars would tell anybody who would listen that the Lions would build around defense, toughness, the offensive and defensive lines and the running game. He then would hire a personnel director and coach who shared that vision and could execute it. Dumars would not decide whom to draft nor which cornerback should start. But he would move quickly to establish a culture and get everybody rowing in the same direction. But why Dumars? Can’t somebody from the NFL do that? Yes, somebody from the NFL could do that. But do you really trust the Lions to find that person?Besides, there are certain challenges inherent in working for the Fords. For the most part, they are not meddlesome owners. But they do like to protect people they like, and they are suckers for the quick, popular decision, like drafting Joey Harrington (hey, it was popular at the time) and hiring Steve Mariucci. The Lions need a president who is politically adept enough to keep the people above him (the Fords) and below him (everybody else) looking straight ahead. Dumars has known Bill Ford Jr. for years. He already has credibility with the family and with the community. If Dumars said, “Hey, I know there is a big-time running back available, but we said we’d build through defense, and our scouts prefer this defensive tackle,” then I think the Fords would listen. And Dumars could sell that to fans and reporters. But didn’t the Lions just suffer through eight miserable seasons because they hired inexperienced Matt Millen? Why hire another guy with no NFL experience? There are 1,000 differences between Millen and Dumars. Millen is impatient, emotional and thought he knew personnel when he didn’t. Dumars is patient, calculating and knows what he doesn’t know. Even with the Pistons, Dumars always is begging his people to tell him what they think, not what they think he wants to hear.

Many of Dumars’ qualities would translate exceptionally well to the NFL. The best organization in the NFL, the Patriots, also is the organization most willing to make tough decisions. The Patriots let their stars leave via free agency rather than overpay them to stay — just as the Pistons did with Ben Wallace. The Patriots never would have built their team around Randy Moss, but they were thrilled to add him at a small cost when they already were a contender. Dumars never would have built the Pistons around Rasheed Wallace, but he was thrilled to add Wallace at a small cost when the Pistons already were a contender. Dumars also builds relationships with players and keeps them on the track he laid. If Dumars were running the Lions and Roy Williams complained every week about the offense, Dumars would handle it privately, completely and painlessly. Would the Fords go for this? We know this much about William Clay Ford Sr. and his son: They want to do it their way. Probably no other team in the NFL could lure Dumars away from the Pistons. The hiring would be so unconventional that the Fords’ stamp would be all over it. And if it worked, the Fords would have to get some credit for it. Plus, the Fords badly need to rebuild some faith with the fan base. Dumars could do that. Tom Lewand, Millen’s sort-of replacement (at least for now), already has the stink of the Lions on him, whether that’s fair or not. I think if Ford Jr. gives it some thought, he’ll realize that hiring Joe Dumars would be a bold, innovative and transformative move for the Lions. Would Dumars take the job? Now that is a great question. I don’t know. Dumars obviously loves running the Pistons and working for Bill Davidson. He loves his team and his sport. But Dumars also is a rabid football fan and longtime Lions season-ticket holder. He also loves a challenge, and he knows that for a Detroit sports executive, this would be the biggest challenge of all. I don’t know whether he would take it. But the Lions have won one playoff game in five decades and are staring 3-13 in the face. And they can’t hire an executive from another team until January. I know Bill Ford Jr. is busy. But three months is enough time to make one phone call that could turn around the Detroit Lions.

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http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3609213

Allan Houston signed with the New York Knicks on Thursday and will attempt another comeback with his former team. Houston is fourth on the Knicks' career scoring list, trailing only Hall of Famers Patrick Ewing, Walt Frazier and Willis Reed. He will be in training camp next week with the franchise he led to the 1999 NBA Finals.Forced to retire in October 2005 because of knee pain, Houston briefly tried a comeback last year with the Knicks. He didn't join the team until 10 days after practices began following the birth of a child, then played in only one preseason game before ending his long-shot bid to make the team. He'll be there from the start this time, but making the roster will still be difficult. Now 37, Houston hasn't played in an NBA game since 2005 and would have to show that his knees can handle the running involved in new coach Mike D'Antoni's uptempo system.

Houston joined the Knicks in 1996 and made one of the most famous shots in franchise history, a running jumper in the closing seconds of the deciding Game 5 that gave New York an upset victory over top-seeded Miami in the first round off the 1999 playoffs. The Knicks went on to reach the finals, where they lost to San Antonio.A two-time All-Star and one of the league's best outside shooters, Houston signed a much-criticized $100 million, six-year contract extension in 2001 and averaged a career-best 22.5 points in 2002-03. But chronic knee soreness then limited him. He averaged only 11.9 points in 20 games his final season, his lowest total since he was a rookie.

Houston wore No. 20 in his nine seasons with the Knicks but will now wear No. 14 in honor of his father, Wade, one of the first African-American basketball players at the University of Louisville. "My father has been a great model of a man, and hopefully I can continue to carry what he taught me back to the court with the Knicks," Houston said in a statement. "Off the court, this is also symbolic to encourage men to be committed fathers as their role remains one of the most important factors in the lives of our youth." Also Thursday, the Knicks signed swingman Dan Grunfeld, whose father, Washington Wizards president Ernie, played for the Knicks and was their general manager from 1991-99.

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http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3609421

The Rockets matched the Charlotte Bobcats' three-year, $9 million offer sheet for restricted free-agent Carl Landry on Thursday, keeping the forward in Houston. The Rockets took less than 24 hours to make the move, leaving Charlotte still searching for front-court depth before the start of training camp next week. "We obviously thought it was a good opportunity to get the guy," Bobcats general manager Rod Higgins said. "But it's part of the business."

The 6-foot-9 Landry had been unable to reach terms with Houston since free agency began this summer. His agent threatened that Landry could sign with an overseas team as the two sides haggled over money. The Bobcats stepped in with an offer Wednesday. But even with decent depth up front, Houston decided to keep Landry, who can play power forward and center. Houston acquired the second-round pick in a draft-night trade with the then-Seattle SuperSonics last year. Landry averaged 8.1 points and 4.9 rebounds in 42 games. "We're really excited to have him back," Rockets general manager Daryl Morey said. "We're going to have a great set of players in for training camp." His playing time increased late in his rookie season after Rockets center Yao Ming was lost to injury. He scored 22 points in a game at Indiana and was voted to the all-rookie second team. Landry missed time late last season because of a bruised right knee, and Morey said the former Purdue star will undergo a physical. Morey said the Rockets are willing to take a chance with Landry's health. "We've got a good sense of the state of the knee," Morey said. "We feel like we're in a season where we've got to take risks and we've got to bring in all the best players possible. We feel like this has a chance to be a special season and we're excited Carl will be a part of it."

Landry's potential intrigued the Bobcats, who are looking to get help for last season's starters at power forward and center, Emeka Okafor and Nazr Mohammed. "We'll continue to look for ways to improve, that never changes," Higgins said. Some help could come from injury-riddled forward Sean May. Higgins said May should be close to full strength when new coach Larry Brown opens training camp. May missed all of last season after undergoing microfracture knee surgery. "Sean is working out and is starting to look comfortable out there," Higgins said. "He'll be ready to start on Tuesday."

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http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3608428

Golden State Warriors guard Monta Ellis' ankle injury was the result of a mo-ped accident and did not occur while he was playing pickup basketball, the San Francisco Chronicle reported, citing sources close to the team. Ellis, 22, who signed a six-year, $66 million contract extension with the Warriors during the offseason, tore a ligament in his left ankle and sustained a high-ankle sprain in what one of the sources said was a "low-speed" mo-ped accident, according to the report. He underwent surgery in late August and is expected to be sidelined for another two months. The Warriors and Ellis' agent, Jeff Fried, declined to comment on the report, according to the newspaper.

Riding a mo-ped is prohibited under the uniform player contract, which means the Warriors could tear up Ellis' contract. But according to sources, the team and Ellis are still working through the situation. A decision on discipline won't be made until next week, according to the report. The circumstances surrounding Ellis' injury were not clear, even to team officials, in the days immediately following the incident. Ellis initially told team vice president Chris Mullin that he got hurt during a pickup basketball game in Jackson, Miss. But according to reports, team officials were skeptical about Ellis' explanation because of the severity of the injury.

Two years ago, Los Angeles Lakers forward Vladimir Radmanovic separated his shoulder in a snowboarding accident. Radmanovic, who at first said he had slipped and fell on a patch of ice, was fined $500,000 by the team. Ellis averaged 20.2 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.9 assists last season, after winning NBA Most Improved Player honors after the 2006-07 season when he averaged 16.5 points, 3.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists.

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http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3609317

Dominican guard Francisco Garcia has signed a five-year contract extension with the Sacramento Kings, according to Thursday's edition of newspaper El Caribe of Dominican Republic.The deal is worth $23 million over four years with a fifth-year player's option worth $7 million, a source close to the negotiations confirmed for ESPNdeportes.com.

Garcia was scheduled to take routine medical exams Wednesday morning and, once results were available, expected to sign the contract. At first, the Kings were believed to want the fifth-year option at their discretion, but Garcia insisted on having it for himself. The source told ESPNdeportes.com that Garcia was happy with the deal.

Garcia, who had the best numbers of his career during the past season -- averages of 12.3 points, 1.6 assists, 1.2 steals and 3.3 rebounds -- recently arrived in the Dominican from a tour of China along with executives of the Kings franchise.

[nasty daddy]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3609246

LeBron James may wear a New York Yankees hat everywhere from his hometown of Akron to Beijing, but Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert thinks rampant speculation that the superstar will leave Cleveland in two years is "an insult to the city." Gilbert said James has given him no indication that he plans to leave for New York after his contract expires in 2010. He called the talk of his departure nothing more than conjecture from bored sports reporters. "It's kind of an insult to the city of Cleveland in my opinion -- an insult to the Midwest," said Gilbert, who spoke to the media at the Cavaliers' suburban practice facility Thursday, a few days before the team opens training camp.

James has two years remaining on a contract extension he signed with the Cavaliers in July 2006. He has said that he can't see himself playing anywhere else right now, and has declined to address what will happen in two years. But his fondness for New York has helped prompt speculation that he will leave Cleveland for the New York Knicks or the New Jersey Nets, who are partly owned by his good friend, rap mogul Jay-Z.James riled Cleveland fans last October when he attended an Indians playoff game against New York wearing a Yankees cap. He was wearing one again earlier this month on the sideline of the Dallas Cowboys -- another of his favorite teams -- before the Browns' season opener. James' loyalty has been questioned by everyone in Cleveland from fans to newspaper columnists to Browns wide receiver Braylon Edwards, who earlier this month said, "LeBron isn't a Cleveland guy. ... who knows if he even likes the Cavaliers?" Edwards backtracked a few days later, saying it was only a sarcastic joke. Speculation about James leaving escalated in the national media over the summer as he helped lead the U.S. Olympic basketball team to a gold medal in Beijing. "People in your profession are very bored on both sides of the country. There's no basketball going on so they write this stuff," Gilbert said.

Discussions on a contract extension for James are still two summers away, said Gilbert, who is entering his fourth season as the Cavs' owner. "I think we're one of the top organizations in the NBA," Gilbert said. "I think we're going to compete for a championship in the next year or two and we'll worry about that summer when it comes."Cavaliers general manager Danny Ferry added that he understands the speculation about James in 2010, but that it's not the team's present focus. "We want to seize the opportunity we have in front of us right now," he said. The Cavaliers acquired point guard Mo Williams during the offseason, drafted forward J.J. Hickson and are largely returning with the team that lost to eventual champion Boston in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals last season. "I think we were literally closer last year than the year before," said Gilbert, referring to their first trip to the NBA finals, in which they were swept by San Antonio.

[nasty daddy]

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3609635

Chris Mullin hopes Monta Ellis learned something about maturity when a misadventure with a mo-ped left the Golden State guard with a severely sprained ankle. The Warriors still haven't decided whether Ellis will feel that lesson in his wallet as well. Mullin, the Warriors' top basketball executive, and coach Don Nelson tried Thursday to stay out of the debate about whether the Warriors will fine Ellis for participating in an offseason activity prohibited in the guard's new six-year, $66 million contract. Ellis will miss training camp and at least several weeks of the regular season after injuring his left ankle last month in his native Mississippi.Mullin essentially confirmed a recent report in the San Francisco Chronicle that Ellis' injury occurred in a low-speed mo-ped crash. Ellis initially told the team he was injured while playing hoops, only to change his story days later. "I don't think anyone felt like it was the best-case scenario," Mullin said of Ellis' shifting story. "There were some things that should have been done differently. I think he understands that. With all that said, now is the time for him to have our support. He did do something wrong and needs to be accountable for it, but I do think all the energy and effort goes into getting him healthy."

Ellis underwent surgery to repair a torn ligament in his ankle, but the team still isn't certain how long its top returning scorer must spend in rehabilitation. The Warriors can't even be sure Ellis will still have the speed and skill that helped him to average 20.2 points last season. Ellis is likely to miss a significant amount of the regular season, and Golden State must decide whether it's financially worthwhile to fine Ellis for his shenanigans at the risk of alienating the player expected to be the centerpiece of Nelson's offense this fall. Nelson claimed he wasn't aware of Ellis' shifting story during his summer relaxation in Maui, and Ellis hasn't responded to requests for comment. Warriors president Robert Rowell, who hasn't given interviews about Ellis' accident, released a noncommittal statement Thursday. "We have scheduled a meeting with Monta's representatives to take place within the next 7-10 days, and upon conclusion we will have a public announcement regarding our decision," Rowell said. Ellis' troubles have taken the camp spotlight off Mullin and Nelson, who both will head into the season in the final year of their contracts. Both men claim they have no worries about their futures at Golden State, and Nelson hasn't decided whether he even wants to coach after this season. Both also seem eager to forgive Ellis so they can get to work preparing the remaining Warriors for life after Baron Davis, who defected to the Los Angeles Clippers after Golden State won 48 games but didn't make the playoffs last season. "Sometimes people learn more from experience than they do from questions and accusations and lectures," Mullin said. "Is it the best way to do it? No, I'm not saying that. It could have a long-term effect. Sometimes, it could be very bad ... but sometimes, how you handle things is as important as what happened."

Ellis averaged career bests in points, rebounds (5.0) and assists (3.4) last season while emerging as a dependable shooter for the league's highest-scoring club. Ellis was expected to take over from Davis as Golden State's starting point guard, but his absence means newcomer Marcus Williams is likely to play the position at first. Ellis will return to the Bay Area from Mississippi when his doctor clears him to travel, likely in the next few days. He will do rehabilitation in Oakland while his teammates make a preseason trip to China and get started on a season that's exponentially tougher in his absence. Although Ellis delivered a blow to the Warriors' hopes of making a playoff run with their reconfigured roster, Mullin can even see a silver lining in that cloud hanging over the club's season. "I think he'll learn a lot about himself," he said. "He'll be able to draw back to it. I told him myself, if this could trigger him to really committing to an offseason program, then all of a sudden we've got a guy 24, 25, that's really got it together. We might be able to look back and be OK."

[nasty daddy]

http://www.nba.com/pistons/news/tickets_080925.html

On Wednesday, October 1, 2008, starting at 10:00 a.m., the Detroit Pistons will make individual game tickets for their 2008-09 campaign available. Tickets can be purchased at The Palace Box Office, online at www.pistons.com, by calling 248-377-0100 or at any TicketMaster outlet.Tickets in various price ranges will be available at all outlets, with the exception of the most inexpensive seats in the building at $10. The $10 price range seats will only be available at The Palace Box Office, all day on Wednesday. The $10 seats will be available at all points of sale beginning Thursday, October 2 at 10:00 a.m.

Opening Week at The Palace of Auburn Hills begins on Wednesday, October 29 with the first game versus the Indiana Pacers at 8:00 p.m. followed by a match-up with the Washington Wizards on Saturday, November 1 at 7:30 p.m. Highlights of the Pistons home schedule include two home meetings against the NBA and Eastern Conference Champion Boston Celtics (November 9 and January 30), two meetings with LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers (November 19 and February 1), two meetings with Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic (December 29 and March 9) and single-game match-ups with Kobe Bryant and the Western Conference Champion Los Angeles Lakers (March 26), the high-powered Phoenix Suns (February 8) and perennial power San Antonio Spurs (February 19). Rising superstar guard Chris Paul leads the New Orleans Hornets into the Palace for their only visit on January 17, while a late-January weekend homestand includes games against Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks (January 23) and Tracy McGrady, Yao Ming and the Houston Rockets (January 25).. Download the entire 2007-08 schedule at www.pistons.com .

The 2008-09 season marks the 20th Anniversary of The Palace of Auburn Hills. Special promotional nights throughout the year include Friends and Family nights every Sunday home game as well as the popular Guys’ and Ladies’ Night Out promotion at Friday night home games. For more information regarding these promotions or becoming a member of the Detroit Pistons Crew (season ticket plan holders), please contact The Palace at (248) 377-0100 or log on to www.pistons.com.