Players that aren’t allstars or superstars that you like

Kendrick Perkins ? Really?

 Kendrick Perkins is a scrub.

 As a Celtics fan, I can tell you Perkins isn’t a scrub.  He plays hard, gets under the opposing team with his physicality and is a superb post defender.  He isn’t a star, but he is a decent starting center.  I would rather have him than Chris Kaman or many other centers who get better stats.  Plus he sets big screens that, while borderline legal, get the job done.  There is a reason his teammates have extreme respect for him.

Jeff Teague, has to be top 5 quickest guards in the L, his open court speed is very very good as well, and he can get up and dunk it in the open floor and half court if necessary. His handle is incredible,his game was on full display yesterday and as I said if Josh Smith or Joe Johnson were to sit out Teague’s game would flourish and sure enough last night that’s what happened, Rondo or Bradley could not stay in front of him.

Kendrick Perkins is a scrub.

With Dwight Howard’s status still in flux (back), a reasonable camp showing should be enough for Sacre to make it to opening night.

“(Bargnani) is the same guy he was, even better than he was, before the season started last year and before he got hurt,” Casey said. “He came into camp in great shape, 15 pounds heavier and stronger, but he is playing at that high level that we saw last year and I am excited about it. When he plays at that level, he can be an All-Star. He is one of the most talented players in the league when he plays at that level and I have all the confidence in the world that he is going to play at that level.”

“There’s really nothing else to say,” Bryant said with a smirk. “I said what I had to say.”

Bryant said plenty as he sat at his locker Wednesday before the Lakers’ exhibition against the Portland Trail Blazers in Ontario. Although he nursed a strained right shoulder that has since healed, Bryant remained in a jovial mood. He joked that he’s pestered new teammate Steve Nash for winning the 2005-06 MVP with Phoenix, which eliminated the Lakers in the first round of the playoffs.fq3w23

”My first time, it was much more dramatic. It was a team that was trying to change its image. It was a team that had won 21 games in the regular season,” Aldridge said. ”So that time was a lot different than this one. This time we really have some good pieces, and I think guys are actually better this time. ”

Aldridge will obviously be working closely this season with Lillard, whom Olshey has labeled the team’s franchise point guard. The sixth overall pick in the NBA draft, Lillard averaged 24.5 points, five rebounds and four assists as a junior last season at Weber State.

The real story of Green’s return is about the Celtics remaining competitive. Age hasn’t significantly deteriorated the skills of Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, but Ray Allen left for the Miami HEAT and Boston needs someone to step up.

“To me there is one goal: no matter what I do, no matter how many minutes I play, the goal is to win a championship,” Green said when asked about starting over Pierce. “The other stuff will come. We work together. If he has an off night, I’ll pick up after him. If I have an off night, he’ll pick up for me. That’s how it is.”

“It’s really motivating to know that you can earn a spot by working hard,” Smith said. “That’s what a lot of guys on this team do, especially me. I go out in practice every day and give it my all to show the coaches that I’m listening and learning, doing what they want me to do offensively and defensively. If I do that, I know I can earn a spot on this team.”

Varejao is ready and willing to accept his new role and was quick to compliment the Cavaliers’ new rookie center.

“It was good playing with Tyler as a power forward and he was playing center,” Varejao said. “He is a smart player. He knows how to move around the basket. He knows if I am rolling, he has to replace me and if I am popping, he knows he has to roll and stuff like that.

“I haven’t really seen him where he’s not confident,” Scott said on Friday. “It’s just a matter of him getting more comfortable with what we’re doing and he’s getting more comfortable every day. As we keep saying, he’s going to be a good player. There’s no doubt about it. This is still a growing stage for him, he’s still learning, and he had his best night tonight.”

“I’m doing everything I can not to have surgery,” Nowitzki said after the Mavericks’ 123-104 victory on Monday night. “I guess that’s obvious that I really don’t want it done now. If I want to do it, I would love to do it after the season, get through the season somehow, but the swelling came back three or four times now. That’s obviously not good news.

The excessive contact led to a shoving match between the two and double technical fouls being called. Price reportedly kept telling Williams, ‘I’m home.’

“I hate when people just start talking for no reason,” Williams said afterwards. “That’s pretty much what he did. Maybe he had some boys in the crowd he wanted to impress while he can with the little minutes he’s going to have this year.

The Rockets have been looking for a way to move Martin, one of the last remnants of the Rick Adelman era in Houston, and the Thunder were looking to avoid the maximum contract discussion that Harden’s camp was trying to have. This deal accomplishes both things, and also gives the Thunder depth and draft picks in the deal.

“[Anderson] is a solid pro,” Casey said. “He is a man and it’s a man’s league. He comes out and brings a solid effort. He is where he is supposed to be all the time. Nothing fancy, nothing flashy. He just goes about his job and that is what you respect about him and that is why he is back here.