Around the League - Tuesday

Steve Kerr looks at a bewildering first week in the NBA [yahoo]
-T.J. Ford is trying to become the Steve Nash of Canada. Is that blasphemous?
-Kevin Martin will get plenty of Most Improved Player votes at the end of the season.

NBA's stealth contenders [SI]
Five teams that rarely find themselves atop the list of preseason favorites to win the title.
But why not the Nets, Rockets, Clippers, Wizards or Pacers?

Why I hate the Mavs more with every passing day [usatoday]
Don Nelson started the revival of the Dallas Mavericks that culminated in the franchise's first trip to the NBA finals this past summer. So when the club unveiled a banner Monday night honoring its Western Conference championship, it was only fitting that Nellie was there to watch — even if it was from the opposing team's bench.

The Mavs started their season on Nov 1st, but decided to unveil the banner yesterday, when the GSW visited. I'm glad Nellie answered in a classier way, with the win.

What's with Dallas and their timeout problems? [contracostatimes]
A game marked by two ejections, a flagrant foul against Warriors guard Monta Ellis and other assorted chippiness came down to a wild sequence in which the Mavericks missed one 3-pointer, then failed to get another one off while acting coach Del Harris frantically gestured at midcourt for a timeout that never came.

Korver lighting it up [usatoday]
•He's shooting 57.6% from the field (19-for-33).
•He's a perfect 9-for-9 from the free throw line.
•He's making three three-pointers a game and converting 81.8% of his attempts (9-for-11).

Brad Miller out for 4 weeks [usatoday]
The 7-foot Miller, a three-time All-Star, played for the U.S. national team at the world championships in Japan this summer. He was diagnosed with a torn plantar fascia in his left foot Monday after the injury limited his playing time on the Kings' road trip last week.

15 years since Magic Johnson was diagnosed with HIV [foxsports]

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