Peep Show
By Terry Brown
NBA Insider
Tuesday, October 28
Updated: October 28
1:24 PM ET
Detroit Pistons: Rick Carlisle wasn't always coach of the Indiana Pacers. Last year, he was head coach of the Detroit Pistons, who won the Central Division and will be raising that banner Wednesday night when they play, who else, the Pacers. "Wow, I don't know what I'm going to be thinking," Carlisle said in the Detroit News. "It's really hard to say. It will be nice to be there for the ceremony and to have been a small part of what was accomplished last year." Even Carlisle's replacement agreed. "I hope he's a part of it," Larry Brown said. "I wish he gets to be down where I am (by the Pistons bench) when they raise the banner. He was a big part of the last two years."
Orlando Magic: What, Doc Rivers worry? "You're disappointed because we didn't go to the second round," Rivers told his team in the Orlando Sentinel. "I'm disappointed because we didn't win it all. Somebody needs to change their goals." And when the team tips of Wednesday night, Rivers will become the longest tenured coach in Magic history. But that doesn't mean things will always be that way. "I'm willing to take gambles, to change the team and do whatever it takes," Rivers said. "It may work. It may not work. But I'm going to always gamble on the side of getting better."
Van ExelGolden State Warriors: Scratch Nick Van Exel off the Warriors' MASH unit. Despite having knee surgery on Oct. 20, he will not start the season on injured reserve and may return in the next five games. "He feels like he's on a good uptick," general manager Garry St. Jean said in the Contra Costa Times. "We talked to the doctors, talked to Nick, and with that said, maybe we're looking at some games before the five games are up."
Milwaukee Bucks: Desmond Mason signed a contract extension with the Milwaukee Bucks reportedly worth about $21.6 million. It was the same extension he thought he'd be signing with the Seattle Sonics. "Going through the whole process of negotiation was a little stressful," Mason said in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "It goes back and forth, back and forth. But we came to a compromise and I think it was fair for both sides. In Seattle, we talked about being there for a long time and they told me they wanted myself and Rashard and Vladimir and some of those guys to be the core for that team in the future. But they made their changes and things happened and things changed . . . There's no hard feelings anymore. I'm here and we got the deal done and me and my wife will be here for a while."
Seattle SuperSonics: Ray Allen may be going under the knife to correct his injured right ankle as early as this weekend. "It's a situation where he met with the doctors, and now he's going to talk to some of his advisers," GM Rick Sund said in the Seattle Times. "Surgery is an option. If he elects to go the surgery route, it would be Friday or Saturday."
McDyessNew York Knicks: Antonio McDyess isn't playing tonight or tomorrow or anytime soon. "He's not close to scrimmaging," said Knick coach Don Chaney in the New York Post. Team officials hoped the power forward would be able to return as soon as the sixth game of the season but it looks as though late November is the earliest he'll be able to play.
Minnesota Timberwolves: Troy Hudson is out. Wally Szczerbiak isn't far behind. "All I know is, playing in a full game, especially Wednesday, doesn't seem like it's even in the realm of possibilities," Szczerbiak said in the Minneapolis Star Tribune. "We're going to have to come up with a plan." Hudson was placed on injured reserve and will miss at least five games. Szczerbiak may be placed in a walking boot for as long as two weeks.
By Terry Brown
NBA Insider
Tuesday, October 28
Updated: October 28
1:24 PM ET
Detroit Pistons: Rick Carlisle wasn't always coach of the Indiana Pacers. Last year, he was head coach of the Detroit Pistons, who won the Central Division and will be raising that banner Wednesday night when they play, who else, the Pacers. "Wow, I don't know what I'm going to be thinking," Carlisle said in the Detroit News. "It's really hard to say. It will be nice to be there for the ceremony and to have been a small part of what was accomplished last year." Even Carlisle's replacement agreed. "I hope he's a part of it," Larry Brown said. "I wish he gets to be down where I am (by the Pistons bench) when they raise the banner. He was a big part of the last two years."
Orlando Magic: What, Doc Rivers worry? "You're disappointed because we didn't go to the second round," Rivers told his team in the Orlando Sentinel. "I'm disappointed because we didn't win it all. Somebody needs to change their goals." And when the team tips of Wednesday night, Rivers will become the longest tenured coach in Magic history. But that doesn't mean things will always be that way. "I'm willing to take gambles, to change the team and do whatever it takes," Rivers said. "It may work. It may not work. But I'm going to always gamble on the side of getting better."
Van ExelGolden State Warriors: Scratch Nick Van Exel off the Warriors' MASH unit. Despite having knee surgery on Oct. 20, he will not start the season on injured reserve and may return in the next five games. "He feels like he's on a good uptick," general manager Garry St. Jean said in the Contra Costa Times. "We talked to the doctors, talked to Nick, and with that said, maybe we're looking at some games before the five games are up."
Milwaukee Bucks: Desmond Mason signed a contract extension with the Milwaukee Bucks reportedly worth about $21.6 million. It was the same extension he thought he'd be signing with the Seattle Sonics. "Going through the whole process of negotiation was a little stressful," Mason said in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "It goes back and forth, back and forth. But we came to a compromise and I think it was fair for both sides. In Seattle, we talked about being there for a long time and they told me they wanted myself and Rashard and Vladimir and some of those guys to be the core for that team in the future. But they made their changes and things happened and things changed . . . There's no hard feelings anymore. I'm here and we got the deal done and me and my wife will be here for a while."
Seattle SuperSonics: Ray Allen may be going under the knife to correct his injured right ankle as early as this weekend. "It's a situation where he met with the doctors, and now he's going to talk to some of his advisers," GM Rick Sund said in the Seattle Times. "Surgery is an option. If he elects to go the surgery route, it would be Friday or Saturday."
McDyessNew York Knicks: Antonio McDyess isn't playing tonight or tomorrow or anytime soon. "He's not close to scrimmaging," said Knick coach Don Chaney in the New York Post. Team officials hoped the power forward would be able to return as soon as the sixth game of the season but it looks as though late November is the earliest he'll be able to play.
Minnesota Timberwolves: Troy Hudson is out. Wally Szczerbiak isn't far behind. "All I know is, playing in a full game, especially Wednesday, doesn't seem like it's even in the realm of possibilities," Szczerbiak said in the Minneapolis Star Tribune. "We're going to have to come up with a plan." Hudson was placed on injured reserve and will miss at least five games. Szczerbiak may be placed in a walking boot for as long as two weeks.
