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Bulls ruin championship celebration, embarrass Heat 108-66

   

 

Enlarge By Doug Benc, Getty Images

Kirk Hinrich drove the Bulls to victory, scoring 26 points as Miami suffered the worst loss in NBA history for a defending champion on opening night.

Staff and wire reports

The Miami Heat picked up their championship rings from last season while the Chicago Bulls put down a deposit on next year's jewelry.

The Bulls, bolstered by the addition of center Ben Wallace, defeated the Heat 108-66 on Tuesday night in the first game of the NBA's regular season.

GAME REPORT: Bulls 108, Heat 66

NBA Commissioner David Stern gave the Heat their "trophy rings" in an elaborate pregame ceremony in Miami. That was the highlight for the Heat as the Bulls ran to a 29-point first-half lead and extended it to 42 points in the second half.

Chicago has a long season before it starts worrying about ring sizes, but for one night it made the Heat's players, with an average age of 27 years, 73 days, look old and slow. The Bulls had 14 fast-break points to none for Miami.

Kirk Hinrich, who signed a five-year extension on his contract earlier in the day, led Chicago with 26 points. Wallace, a four-time defensive player of the year who was signed as a free agent from the Detroit Pistons during the offseason, had five points, 11 rebounds and a blocked shot.

"It's a lot of emotion and a lot of energy tied up in the ring ceremony, and we wanted to come out and keep them off guard," Wallace told TNT.

Shaquille O'Neal missed his first five shots and finished with seven points on 3-for-10 shooting.

The Heat may miss the energy of guard Jason Williams, out until Thanksgiving because of knee surgery. While guard Dwyane Wade led the Heat with 25 points, Gary Payton hit only one first-half shot en route to seven points.

It was the biggest blowout loss for a defending NBA champion in the first game of the regular season. The previous record was a 15-point loss by the 1983 Los Angeles Lakers, then coached by Pat Riley, to Golden State.

Chris Duhon added 20 points for the Bulls.

"Welcome back to reality," Heat coach Pat Riley told The Associated Press. "Obviously it was absolutely one-sided. There isn't really much to say, other than we do know and there has been a gauge put on how much work we have to do."

Chicago seized command with a 37-14 second-quarter burst, a stretch where the Bulls connected on 79% of their shots  compared to 29% for the Heat, who simply never got rolling. The lead was 59-30 at halftime and just kept growing.

"I'd be saying the same thing if we got beat. I'd say it's one game," Bulls coach Scott Skiles said. "We have all the respect in the world for them and they have something that we eventually want to get. This one game is not indicative, I don't think, in any way of what kind of season they are going to have."

The Heat turned the ball over 23 times, leading to 32 Chicago points and were outrebounded 49-29.

Luol Deng had 12 points and Thabo Sefolosha the league's first player from Switzerland  added 11 on 4-of-4 shooting for Chicago.

It wasn't the worst all-time loss for a reigning champion, but it sure came close: Orlando beat Chicago 115-68 on April 2, 1999, and that 47-point margin is the biggest defeat for a reigning titleholder, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

"We'll be all right," said Heat center Shaquille O'Neal, who had only seven points and five rebounds. "Long season."

The Heat donned the same red uniforms they wore June 20 in Dallas when they won the franchise's first title, and got their rings in an elaborate pregame ceremony capped by raising the commemorative banner to the rafters.

The championship feel was there.

The championship play was not.

"In some cases, the home team gets their rings and goes blub, blub, blub, blub because they're so pumped," said NBA commissioner David Stern, who handed out the jewelry to the Heat players, coaches and staff before the game. "I've been to a couple of those."

The teams last met in the first round of last season's playoffs, when the Bulls frustrated the Heat often before finally falling to the eventual champs in six games.

The Bulls had their way with the Heat this time around.

Wade hit a three-pointer with 4:12 left in the opening quarter to draw Miami within 17-13. But Chicago  fueled by Heat turnovers and foul trouble  went on a 17-6 run over the next 7 minutes, building a 15-point lead. And not coincidentally, the Bulls had 15 points off 11 Miami turnovers to that point.

It was 51-28 after Walker made a free throw with 1:42 left in the half, but Duhon hit back-to-back three-pointers to give Chicago a 29-point lead. Apparently undeterred, Skiles picked up a technical foul for arguing a call with referee Bernie Fryer.

That was about the last thing Skiles had to be upset about. Miami never got closer than 22 in the third quarter, and the outcome was in no doubt from there.

"Obviously, this is a total embarrassment," Heat center Alonzo Mourning said. "We're better than what we showed out there tonight. I know things will get better before they get worse. Just kind of unfortunate, in our home opener, that we came out with this kind of showing."

Notes: Tyrus Thomas' NBA debut ended early; he went to the Bulls' locker room with 7:43 left with a broken nose. He and Heat forward James Posey collided while going for a rebound, and Thomas took a hard fall underneath the basket. "First game, first broken nose. Welcome to the life," Thomas said. ... The Bulls' Andres Nocioni and Wade each got technicals for arguing about foul calls. ... Before Miami's ring ceremony, a moment of silence was held in honor of Boston Celtics legend Red Auerbach, who died Saturday.

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No Kobe, no problem for Lakers as Odom leads squad past Suns 114-106

Updated 11/1/2006 2:20 AM ET E-mail | Save | Print | Subscribe to stories like this  

 

Enlarge By Kevork Djansezian, AP

Lamar Odom scored 34 points and pulled down 13 rebounds to help the Lakers overcome the Suns.

LOS ANGELES (AP)  Kobe Bryant could only sit and watch, unable to lend a hand to his Los Angeles Lakers teammates. Without him, it appeared they had no chance, especially when the high-scoring Phoenix Suns made their first nine shots in the season-opener.

However, Phoenix cooled off, Lamar Odom sparked a comeback, and the Lakers beat the Suns 114-106 Tuesday night.

GAME REPORT: Lakers 114, Suns 106

Odom matched his career high with 34 points to go with 13 rebounds and six assists, 19-year-old Andrew Bynum had career-high totals of 18 points and nine rebounds, and Maurice Evans added 17 points for the Lakers, who outscored the Suns by 27 after falling behind 39-20 in the first quarter.

Even their coach expressed surprise.

"You don't know what to expect, these players don't have any history as far as NBA games  kids like (Jordan) Farmar, who gave us a big lift in the second half," Phil Jackson said. "Andrew's first start in his NBA career, a start that was auspicious. It was Maurice Evans' first game as a Laker, and on his homecourt, he comes off the bench in the second half and starts and does a great job for us."

Reserve Leandro Barbosa scored a career-high 30 points to lead Phoenix. Shawn Marion had 16 points and seven rebounds and Steve Nash added 15 points and 13 assists for the Suns.

Phoenix's Amare Stoudemire, an All-Star two years ago who missed nearly all of last season after undergoing microfracture surgery on his left knee, had six points in 12 minutes in a reserve role.

The Lakers shot 55.4% and outrebounded Phoenix 43-29. The Suns shot 51.9%  not bad, but a major comedown after they made 77.2% in the first quarter.

Bryant, the NBA scoring champion with a 35.4-point average last season, didn't play because of soreness in his surgically repaired right knee, and will also sit out of Wednesday night's game at Golden State.

Bryant underwent arthroscopic surgery in mid-July, and missed the Lakers' eight exhibition games. He said he hoped to return this weekend.

Bryant spoke briefly to the capacity crowd of 18,997 at Staples Center before the game  the Lakers' first since they were embarrassed 121-90 by the Suns in Game 7 of their first-round playoff series last spring. Phoenix rallied from a 3-1 deficit to win the series.

"I am extremely proud," Bryant said. "We have been talking about it during the offseason and then in training camp about the confidence of this team. Tonight we played with that same kind of confidence."

Jackson was on the bench, just as he said he would be before undergoing right hip replacement surgery Oct. 3. Like Bryant, Jackson missed all eight preseason games, but worked extensively with his players in practice the past couple of weeks.

"The defense was the problem," Suns coach Mike D'Antoni said. "We just couldn't stop them. I think 106 points is enough to win, but they made shots."

Odom scored six points and Vladimir Radmanovic four during a 12-4 run that gave the Lakers a 101-85 lead with 9 minutes remaining. The Suns weren't closer than seven points after that.

"They played like a team tonight," Marion said. "We were up in the first half by 19 and should have blown the game open. But we let them back in, they got the momentum with the fans behind them and they ran away with it. When we aren't scoring, our defense should be there. But that wasn't the case tonight."

The Suns play their home opener Wednesday night against the Clippers, the team they eliminated in the second round.

The Lakers went ahead for good by scoring 13 straight points for an 83-73 lead late in the third quarter. It was 87-79 entering the final period.

"We defended well and rebounded the ball," Odom said. "I started the game slow, I took some bad shots. My adrenaline was going, I just had to slow down a little bit."

The Suns made 17-of-22 shots in the first quarter for a 41-26 lead. The Lakers trailed by 15 points despite shooting 11-of-21 in the period.

The Suns cooled off in the second quarter, shooting 6-of-18 while being outscored by 10 points, trimming their lead to 58-53.

Notes:  A moment of silence was observed before the game in memory of former Boston Celtics coach Red Auerbach, who died Saturday at age 89. The Lakers and Celtics have met in the NBA Finals 10 times. ... Auerbach and Jackson share the NBA record, having won nine championship rings as head coaches. ... Jackson didn't travel to Golden State for Wednesday night's game. Assistant Kurt Rambis will fill in, just as he did during the preseason. Jackson said he hopes to coach in the Lakers' next road game  Sunday night at Seattle. ... Nash, the NBA's MVP the past two years, has a new look this season, having cut most of his shaggy hair off. ... The Lakers also played without injured centers Kwame Brown (shoulder) and Chris Mihm (ankle), opening the door for Bynum. ... The Lakers are 14-1 in their last 15 season openers and 33-14 to begin the season since moving to Los Angeles in 1960. ... The Suns are 20-19 in season openers.

Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.  

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Ranking NBA teams 1 through 30

Updated 10/30/2006 5:03 PM ET E-mail | Save | Print | Subscribe to stories like this  

 

Enlarge By Ronald Martinez, Getty Images

Spurs pivotman Tim Duncan, shown driving on Mavs defender Dirk Nowitzki in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals on May 7, is coming off an off season. But that isn't likely to happen again because he and the Spurs have something to prove.  

The NBA champion Miami Heat have brought all their top players back. The Dallas Mavericks, who lost to the Heat, made strategic changes, and the Phoenix Suns are hoping Amare Stoudemire returns to NBA All-Star form. They are the front-runners, but the San Antonio Spurs have won the crown every other season since 2003 and again are lurking nearby. Eastern Conference upstarts  namely the Chicago Bulls and Cleveland Cavaliers  are also ready to take the next step, making it a wide-open run for the title.

"The difference between winning and losing and the parity between teams is sliced as thinly as I've ever seen it in my 27 years in the NBA," said Minnesota Timberwolves vice president of basketball operations Kevin McHale.

With the season opening Tuesday night, USA TODAY's David DuPree ranks all 30 teams:

1. Phoenix Suns (West)

They set the offensive standard for the rest of the league, and their defense is underrated. So much hinges on Stoudemire, however. If he has fully recovered from the knee injury that limited him to three games last season, this team could win 65 games and its first NBA title under the direction of two-time MVP Steve Nash.

2. San Antonio Spurs (West)

Though their roster is getting up in age, look for the Spurs to push the ball more and allow Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker to create a lot. Tim Duncan had an off year; don't expect another one. They are the most balanced team at both ends of the floor.

3. Miami Heat (East)

They showed their mettle in overcoming a 2-0 deficit in the NBA Finals to win four in a row. Shaquille O'Neal's alleged decline has been greatly exaggerated. He is still the single most dominant force in the NBA. This team is deep and tough, and Dwyane Wade is there to lead the way.

4. Dallas Mavericks (West)

They added shooters in Austin Croshere, Anthony Johnson and Devean George and haven't given up anything at the defensive end. They are big and versatile and will make opponents match up with them instead of the other way around.

5. Chicago Bulls (East)

Already the best defensive team in the NBA, they added Ben Wallace to make them even tougher. Coach Scott Skiles will also loosen the reins a little at the offensive end. Their depth will wear opponents down, and their physical style will rough them up.

6. Detroit Pistons (East)

They aren't going to scare anybody at the defensive end anymore, but they will be a load to handle offensively. Expect a lot of zone defense. Nazr Mohammed is no Ben Wallace, but he will have to do. Look for them to use Rasheed Wallace at center a lot.

7. Cleveland Cavaliers (East)

David Wesley should help with the outside shooting, and a healthy Larry Hughes is a big boost. LeBron James could very well lead the league in scoring as he inches even closer to averaging a triple-double. Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Anderson Varejao are a tough center tandem.

8. Houston Rockets (West)

The additions of Bonzi Wells and Shane Battier could be just what Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady needed for this team to make a major move. If they stay healthy, no one will want to face them in a playoff series. This is the only team in the league that had a better road record than its home mark last season.

9. Indiana Pacers (East)

Losing Peja Stojakovic hurts, but getting Al Harrington makes them tougher and he is a better fit. Stephen Jackson's latest transgression makes one think something will always pop up to hurt this team. A lot depends on the health of point guard Jamaal Tinsley, who has missed half of the games the past two seasons.

10. Utah Jazz (West)

There might be no better front line in the league than Andrei Kirilenko, Carlos Boozer and Mehmet Okur. They can score inside and out, creating matchup nightmares. Their only pure-shooting deep threat, though, is Gordan Giricek, and that could hurt them.

11. Los Angeles Clippers (West)

Shaun Livingston is a star in the making, and this could be his breakout year. There is no more productive center-power forward tandem in the NBA than Chris Kaman and Elton Brand. The Clippers led the league in blocked shots and were second in rebounding last season.

12. New Jersey Nets (East)

Everybody knows and fears the big three of Richard Jefferson, Vince Carter and Jason Kidd, but center Nenad Krstic is a master at the pick-and-roll and has a reliable midrange jumper. Rookie Marcus Williams was a draft-day steal, and he'll help a bench that was the fourth-lowest scoring bench in the league last year.

13. Los Angeles Lakers (West)

Centers Chris Mihm and Kwame Brown are injured, and Kobe Bryant's health is in question after offseason knee surgery. The Lakers need a fast start, and that's not the way to get it. The addition of Vladimir Radmanovic gives the offense a big boost, though.

14. Sacramento Kings (West)

For the first time in nine seasons, the Kings have a new coach as Eric Musselman replaces Rick Adelman. This is a nice blend of youth and veterans, and a rededicated and happy Ron Artest is reason for hope. Mike Bibby will miss a couple of weeks with a thumb injury.

15. Denver Nuggets (West)

Getting Nene back from knee surgery will really help inside, but a lot of how well the Nuggets do rests on Carmelo Anthony's shoulders. He could be a better rebounder, but when it comes to scoring, he could lead the league. Kenyon Martin needs to have a big year.

16. Orlando Magic (East)

There is another team in Florida, and it is a good one. If Grant Hill stays healthy, this could be the surprise team of the East. Dwight Howard could be the next great NBA big man, and Darko Milicic is bigger and stronger. They have plenty of shooters, too.

17. Washington Wizards (East)

Two moves that seem small loom large. Free agent DeShawn Stevenson is better than Jared Jeffries, whom they let go to the Knicks, and Darius Songaila is a good-shooting big man who will make the high-powered offense even more potent. They still don't have a reliable low-post presence, however.

18. Memphis Grizzlies (West)

Pau Gasol will be out at least three months after surgery for a broken foot, and that means trouble for the Grizzlies, as everything revolves around him. Rookie Rudy Gay will get a chance to shine as head coach Mike Fratello is forced to loosen things up on offense.

19. Milwaukee Bucks (East)

Moving Andrew Bogut to center is a key move. The emergence of point guard Mo Williams allowed them to trade T.J. Ford to the Toronto Raptors for Charlie Villanueva, who fits into their plans much better.

20. Golden State Warriors (West)

Don Nelson was brought in to get them running, and off they've gone, averaging 116.8 points in the preseason  and they didn't lose a game in the process. Point guard Baron Davis should thrive under Nelson, and moving Troy Murphy to center really opens things up.

21. Minnesota Timberwolves (West)

Kevin Garnett is rejuvenated, and so is the offense with the additions of free-agent point guard Mike James and rookie Randy Foye. They will force the tempo and not have to rely on Garnett to do everything every night at both ends.

22. New Orleans-Oklahoma City Hornets (West)

Attracting a free agent of Peja Stojakovic's stature shows how far this franchise has come. Add newcomers Tyson Chandler and Bobby Jackson to go along with rookie of the year Chris Paul and David West, and the Hornets are plenty excited. But can they be physical enough?

23. Toronto Raptors (East)

They've switched to an up-tempo offense and brought in T.J. Ford to run it. The franchise player is still Chris Bosh on a young team laden with international players such as rookies Andrea Bargnani from Italy and Jorge Garbajosa from Spain.

24. Philadelphia 76ers (East)

This is still Allen Iverson's team, and it goes only as far as he can take it. There has been a new dedication to defense and Samuel Dalembert is a key to that, but Iverson and Chris Webber are big liabilities at that end of the floor.

25. Seattle SuperSonics (West)

They gave up a league-worst 105.6 points a game last season, and teams shot 48.5% vs. them, the highest in the league. There is no indication it will be harder for opponents to score this year. There is also the lingering threat of a possible move to Oklahoma City hanging over them.

26. New York Knicks (East)

The roster features good young players in Jamal Crawford, Nate Robinson, Channing Frye and David Lee and a reinvigorated Stephon Marbury now that Isiah Thomas is coach, but what are they to do with Steve Francis? Center Eddy Curry has to play very big for this team to do anything of note.

27. Charlotte Bobcats (East)

The backcourt of Raymond Felton and Brevin Knight could be good with their versatility. The Bobcats led the NBA in forcing turnovers at 17.9 a game, but they were the worst-shooting team at 43.3%.

28. Boston Celtics (East)

Paul Pierce is coming off career highs in scoring and field-goal percentage, but the Celtics are rebuilding around him again. Healthy Wally Szczerbiak will be a big help, but Sebastian Telfair probably isn't the answer at point guard.

29. Portland Trail Blazers (West)

Brandon Roy has already created a buzz as a possible rookie of the year. He can play either guard spot and small forward. They will continue to try to figure out what to do with Darius Miles and Zach Randolph, however.

30. Atlanta Hawks (East)

With just three of its top players over 25 years old, losing Al Harrington hurts this young team. Josh Smith tries to fill Harrington's shoes. They finally have a first-rate point guard in Speedy Claxton, and that should settle things down a bit and make Joe Johnson even more effective. But they will begin the season without Marvin Williams, the No. 2 pick in last year's draft who's out six to eight weeks with a broken bone in his left hand.

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NBA teams making it big with small ball

Updated 10/30/2006 5:57 PM ET E-mail | Save | Print | Reprints & Permissions | Subscribe to stories like this  

 

Enlarge By Robert Hanashiro, USA TODAY

Suns swingman Boris Diaw, shown throwing down a dunk on a breakaway October 22 in San Diego, is listed as a guard on some sports websites, a forward/center on others.

 NEARING EXTINCTION

Where, oh where, have all the centers gone?

As recently as the 1995-96 season, five of the top 10 scorers in the NBA were conventional, prototypical centers. But last season, not a single true center was even among the top 30 scorers.

Defenses have become sophisticated enough to negate most big men with double- and triple-teams and zone defenses. As the game has become more wide open, young players aren't being taught the big man's game anymore and the conventional center is becoming more of a specialist: a rebounder, screen setter and shot blocker.

The result? Far less scoring from the center position.

By David DuPree, USA TODAY

Small ball is the in thing.

This season, more teams will be playing a free-wheeling, open-court, non-center-dominated style of basketball that is becoming the signature of the NBA. But it's not exactly what it sounds like. Small is a style, not a size, and positions are just names, not identities.

Teams are spreading the floor, with the conventional center often not playing a principal role in the offense.

Part of the change in approach is out of necessity as new rules instituted in the past few seasons have opened the floor, outlawed hand checking and turned most of the advantage to the offensive player. Four years ago, teams were scoring 93.4 points a game and taking 14.9 three-point shots. Last season, teams averaged 97.0 points and 16.0 attempts from behind the arc. Both numbers probably will increase this season.

"The rule changes have put a premium on teams having players who are multidimensional," said league commissioner David Stern. "When you allow a zone, you better have as close to five players as you can get who can put the ball up, pass, etc. That's going to actually make the game flow a little bit better and be more enjoyable. You beat a zone by ball movement and having a guy who can shoot.

"Rebounding and defense alone doesn't do it. You've got to have rebounding, defense and offensive skills. And our fans are responding very well."

So are the players.

"Everybody likes to play an up-tempo game," said Cleveland's LeBron James, the NBA's third-leading scorer last season with a 31.4 average. "But you still have to play as a team and still do the little things  that's what wins games."

Another factor in the new style of play has been a falloff in the number of dominant centers either in the league or on the way, which makes small ball even more appealing to teams.

As recently as the 1994-95 season, the top three scorers in the league were centers (Shaquille O'Neal, Hakeem Olajuwon and David Robinson), and during the 1995-96 season, five of the top 10 scorers were centers. Last season, no center was even among the league's top 30 scorers, and only one center led his team in scoring â€â€Mehmet Okur of the Utah Jazz.

"Do I ever expect a guy as a low-post player to average 26 or 27 points? No way," said Houston's Jeff Van Gundy, who coaches 7-6 center Yao Ming. "Because of the new rules and because of the great defense played in this league, the post game is the hardest game to play now. It's brutal.

"That's why there are very few teams that really play post-up basketball. The post game, by nature, is slower and more methodical because it takes some misdirection or ball reversal, spacing and entry passes to get it inside."

The Miami Heat's O'Neal, 7-1, and Yao are the only two dominant prototype centers left in the league. The next-best low-post players are two 7-foot power forwards, the San Antonio Spurs' Tim Duncan and the Memphis Grizzlies' Pau Gasol, whose games are more finesse than muscle, though they do have classic low-post moves. The next-best center in the game could be 7-1 Greg Oden, a freshman at Ohio State University.

"Everybody would like a guy who can go down there and just go to work and (score) in the mid-20s every night, but there just aren't many of those guys," said Chicago coach Scott Skiles. "And a lot of times, those guys don't do anything else when you get them, and so by the end of the game it ends up being a wash.

"The (Detroit) Pistons were last in the league in points in the paint last year and won 64 games, and (Spurs 6-2 point guard) Tony Parker is not a low-post player and he is very high for points in the paint."

More teams are running

The way the game is going might be best illustrated by two teams: the Dallas Mavericks and the Phoenix Suns.

The Mavericks, who won 60 games and made it to the NBA Finals before losing to the Heat last season, had a two-headed center in 7-0 DeSagana Diop and 6-11 Erick Dampier. They combined for 8.0 points a game on a team that averaged 99.1. Their value was in defense and rebounding.

When the Mavericks wanted to go small, they moved another 7-footer, Dirk Nowitzki, to the position. Last season, Nowitzki he was a 41% three-point shooter. He opens the floor, stretches the defense and makes Dallas a different team.

"With the rules they put in where you can't touch anybody, I think that's the way to go sometimes," Nowitzki said.

When the Suns lost center Amare Stoudemire to a knee injury last season, they eventually were forced to use 6-8 Boris Diaw an all-around player with a guard's mentality  at the position. And Phoenix did just fine, leading the league in scoring for the second consecutive season and fast-breaking its way to the Western Conference finals.

The Suns' philosophy is to run all game long.

Not everyone can play that way, but a lot of teams try  at least part of the time  including the Spurs, Washington Wizards, Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors, New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets and New Jersey Nets. And the list is growing.

"I think you run better with better players," D'Antoni said. "It's just a matter of coaches believing in it and letting it go and not pulling back the reins when you hit some bumpy road. We'll see how many people will do it."

Denver's George Karl is determined to get his team to run as much as Phoenix does. It helps that he has Marcus Camby, a perfect small-ball center. Camby, 6-11, is very athletic and plays more like a small forward, using speed and quickness instead of muscle, and running the floor like a guard. He is also an excellent rebounder and shot blocker.

"I think it's a commitment to run all of the time," Karl said. "There's only been six or seven teams  the Lakers did it in the '80s; Phoenix does it now. I think there are a lot of teams that run well in certain games, but to do it 82 games, it has to be a philosophy of the organization."

Even with Duncan, the Spurs have proved they can play small ball. They move him to center and off they go.

"We have always pushed the basketball," said San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich. "We have never been a half-court team. We have always pushed it. It's hard not to push it with Parker and (Manu) Ginobili out there, and Timmy likes to run. We will go small at times and play around Timmy, and play a conventional lineup other times."

Part-time small ball

Even teams that have built reputations playing more conservatively on offense are changing their ways at least part of the time. The Indiana Pacers acquired Al Harrington from the Atlanta Hawks and moved power forward Jermaine O'Neal to center, giving them a small-ball look.

"We want to be able to play a style that is a more athletic style," said Indiana coach Rick Carlisle.

The Pistons lost defensive player of the year Ben Wallace to the Bulls as a free agent and, as a result, are expected to play more zone defense and look to score more points.

When Detroit goes to its version of small ball, 6-11 Rasheed Wallace a good three-point shooter and open-court player  is at center.

"What we have found out is when we play zone we are more productive offensively and we have gotten many more fast-break opportunities," said Detroit coach Flip Saunders.

International basketball also has had an effect on the way the NBA game is played. When NBA players began playing in the Olympics in 1992, they dominated. Now it's the USA that is playing catch-up when it comes to international competition. The USA has failed to win the last three major international basketball competitions.

The ideal style of play now, even in the NBA, is more of an international approach: five players who can handle the ball; a lot of movement; and decent outside shooters at all positions, with less emphasis on big, dominant centers or one-on-one players.

"Teams across the world play so much as a team, and that's what we want to try to do," the Cavs' James said.

Despite the evolution of small-ball in the NBA, there is a caution flag to heed.

"You can play small ball and try to lean more toward scoring all you want," said Dallas coach Avery Johnson, "but you still have to rebound and defend to win in this league."