Minnesota Timberwolves

Darko Milicic Points Finger At Larry Brown | Fri 12 Mar

Darko Milicic is quick to blame his present on a past he feels hurt his game and psyche. “What changed me was Larry Brown,” he said of his former coach. “He is a guy who doesn’t understand anything, a guy who can’t understand what kind of player you are.

Detroit Pistons

Dave Bing Wants The Pistons In Detroit | Fri 12 Mar

“The mayor would love to see the Pistons return to Detroit and has expressed his interest in them doing so,” said Karen Dumas, Bing’s communications director. “While there are no formal plans, we hope the dynamics will lend themselves to this outcome.”

Phoenix Suns

Leandro Barbosa Still Not Ready To Play | Fri 12 Mar

However, despite practicing during the break, Leandro Barbosa said Thursday he still is not ready to return from surgery to remove a cyst from his right wrist. “No, I’m going to wait,” he said. “I don’t know how many games. I’m not strong yet with the hand.”

Los Angeles Lakers

Energy Level Not An Issue For Phil Jackson | Fri 12 Mar

But as far as the energy level goes? Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson says it’s not an issue. “I think it’s not unusual,” Jackson said. “I’m not concerned about it in the vain in that this is not an unusual thing for an NBA basketball team.”

Memphis Grizzlies

Heisley Can Not Guarantee Gay’s Return | Fri 12 Mar

The Knicks face another free-agent-to-be tonight in Rudy Gay, and Michael Heisley hardly made any guarantees they will keep him. “People say are you going to pay Rudy Gay? My answer to them is simply are you going to come to the games?” he said.

Oklahoma City Thunder

Oklahoma City Players Feel The Nets’ Pain | Fri 12 Mar

“I know how they feel,” Jeff Green said. “I talked to Devin Harris the last time we played them. It’s hard. I told him I’ve been through it and the only thing you can do is keep working.” The New Jersey Nets lug a 7-57 mark into a 7 p.m. game at the Ford Center.

Houston Rockets

Adelman: Jordan Hill’s Challenge Is Effort | Fri 12 Mar

Coach Rick Adelman was asked Thursday what Jordan Hill provides. “He gives us a dimension the other guys don’t,” Adelman said. “He’s athletic and plays above the rim. The biggest thing he needs to do is just play hard all of the time. He can’t relax.”

Boston Celtics

Rivers Forced To Choose Offensive Focus | Fri 12 Mar

On the one hand, Doc Rivers feels he has to reestablish Paul Pierce as the go-to guy as his team builds toward the playoffs. On the other, in order to get Ray Allen going — and for the offense to run smoothly as a whole — the ball has to move.

Utah Jazz

Matthews’ Defense Impresses Jerry Sloan | Fri 12 Mar

Jerry Sloan was interested in seeing Wednesday how rookie Wesley Matthews would do against Richard Hamilton. “I was really impressed by the fact that he got his first foul and kept playing,” he said. “I mean, that’s what young guys don’t usually do.”

Portland Trail Blazers

The Blazers End Losing Streak At Warriors | Fri 12 Mar

“There’s been a lot of those streaks the last few years that we’ve had to overcome,” Nate McMillan said. “I’m happy that it’s over. I’m happier about what we did. We pounded them on the boards, we got to the free throw line (and) we went inside.”

Detroit Pistons

Rodney Stuckey Expects To Return Soon | Fri 12 Mar

Rodney Stuckey is getting closer to his apparent return to the court. The Pistons said Wednesday that Stuckey has undergone a complete negative cardiac evaluation. Stuckey expects to play again this season. “Yeah, I want to,” Stuckey said Wednesday.

Miami Heat

Winning At Home Is Crucial For The Heat | Fri 12 Mar

If guard Dwyane Wade has one regret about his team’s sporadic play this season, it’s that the Miami Heat has shown too much hospitality at home. “We have been playing better at home,” Wade said. “That’s what we wish we would have done all year.”

Minnesota Timberwolves

Kevin Love Frustrated By Role In Offense? | Fri 12 Mar

On the day after Kevin Love wondered out loud about his team’s unconventional offense and his role in it, the Timberwolves went back to work. “I think it’s frustration,” Wolves coach Kurt Rambis said after Thursday’s practice. “I think we’re all frustrated.”

Atlanta Hawks

Joe Johnson Still Uncertain About Future | Fri 12 Mar

Reports speculated that Joe Johnson’s history with Mike D’Antoni and agent’s relationship with Donnie Walsh could lead to Johnson signing with the Knicks. But Johnson said not to read too much into it. “I don’t know what is going to happen,” he said.

Washington Wizards

Arenas Plans To Go From No. 0 To No. 6 | Fri 12 Mar

Agent Zero is no more. If Gilbert Arenas plays again for the Washington Wizards, he will not wear his signature No. 0. The team confirmed on Thursday that Arenas has submitted the paperwork to have his jersey number changed to No. 6 next season.

Memphis Grizzlies

Are Grizzlies’ Playoff Hopes Still Feasible? | Fri 12 Mar

Are the Grizzlies completely out of the running to earn their fourth playoff berth with 17 games remaining, including tonight’s meeting with the New York Knicks in FedExForum? Mathematically, the answer is no. Memphis still has an outside chance.

Chicago Bulls

Derrick Rose Suffers Sprained Left Wrist | Fri 12 Mar

”Derrick has a sprained wrist,” coach Vinny Del Negro said. ”I have no idea how bad it is. He’ll get an MRI in the morning, and we’ll see where we are then.” Del Negro wouldn’t even say whether the X-rays taken were negative, but a report said they were.

New Jersey Nets

Atlantic Yards Project Marked By Protests | Fri 12 Mar

Pomp overshadowed protest as ground was broken on the future home of Nets – the centerpiece of the Atlantic Yards project. A protest outside the site drew about 200 foes of the project, who countered that the construction will doom Brooklyn.

New-York Knicks

Avery Johnson A Second Choice For Walsh | Fri 12 Mar

Avery Johnson was Donnie Walsh’s second choice to coach Mike D’Antoni. If D’Antoni took the Bulls job, Johnson – and not Mark Jackson – would have become the Knicks head coach in May 2008, bringing his disciplinarian, defensive demeanor.