www.round-up.com We’re almost at the All-Star Break, the time where the league’s best players, instead of having a few days off to ready themselves for the intensity of the upcoming playoff race, run around in front of the world’s media and act as if they love the contrived pap that the NBA does oh so well…

In the past week, a further 2 spots have been determined in the Best-Players-Never-To-Win-A-Ring Starting 5, with both Reggie Miller and Karl Malone officially announcing their respective retirements. Malone hasn’t played all season since limping off the court during the NBA Finals last June, but Miller, at age 39, is still suiting up for his under-manned Pacers. Players retire all the time, yet both Malone (owner the second-most points, minutes and broken noses in league history), and Miller (first all time in three-pointers made and attempted) were important relics not just to their respective teams but to the league – throwbacks to the days of pre-million dollar contracts, short shorts and pure fundamentals.

Reggie and the Mailman both made their fair share of enemies throughout the league in their heyday – Miller throughout his memorable tussles with Jordan and the Bulls, and Malone with his sharp elbows in the low post – but even if you didn’t like them you had to respect them. Malone’s work ethic was legendary, and there’s a theory that this aspect alone secured him the contentious 1999 MVP award; his campaign was nothing extraordinary statistically but in the uncertainty of the time, the league decided his commitment to the gym, the Jazz and the game in general deserved the accolade. For his part, Reggie will simply go down in NBA history as one of the game’s best shooters – one of the rare men to shoot +.500 from the field +.400 from the arc and +.900 from the line in the same season. Miller’s announcement that he will call it a day at the end of this current season means perhaps it is premature to classify him in the “never won a ring” category, but with the Pacers now dipping out of 8th place in the East, it’s getting increasingly unlikely this season which offered so much promise can possibly be reclaimed.

Upon reviewing their careers full of achievement and ultimately heartbreak, you come to realise that, in essense both men were paradoxes; Reggie the rail-thin spot-up shooter who was as tough as nails, and Malone the chiselled power forward whose iron will went soft with the game on the line.

In Minnesota, GM Kevin McHale unexpectedly dumped his good friend Flip Saunders as coach of the erratic TWolves, a move which was made more to save money than it was about saving their season. Just 9 months ago, Minnesota were tough, deep and a Sam Cassell limp away from the NBA Finals. But this season they’ve become a discordant, misfiring outfit who have currently dropped all the way out of the playoff race. And as much as he liked and respected Saunders (who won’t be unemployed for long), McHale needed to see first hand which of his players are letting him down and which, if any, are worth keeping. The trade deadline is just around the corner, and don’t forget that Minnesota actually get a first round draft pick this June. McHale obviously hasn’t.

Meanwhile, Cassell and fellow Minnesota malcontent Latrell Sprewell were in Jacksonville 10 days ago attending Steve Francis’ Superbowl party. Now an annual event following the success his presence at last years’ Superbowl had in securing his trade out of Houston, Francis hosted this years’ function with an open invitation to any NBA player desiring a change of address. Also in attendance were New Orleans point guard Baron Davis, Toronto’s Jalen Rose, Sacramento’s Peja Stojakovic and the entire New York Knicks.

Kobe’s back – KB8 returned to the Lakers’ lineup on Sunday with a 26 point, 7-22 shooting performance in the loss against LeBron (25 points, 8-20 shooting) and the Cavs, and followed that up by dropping 40 points on the reeling Utah Jazz this evening. Now that his ankle’s ready to jump off of once again, Kobe can retain his place among the NBA’s leaders in scoring (2nd), minutes played (3rd) and turnovers (1st).

In tonight’s Houston/Washington clash at the Summit (or wherever it is the Rockets play these days), both teams attempted 84 field goals. So that means it was a close game, right? Well, 30-points close; the Rockets made an astonishing 50 of these 84 field goals (that’s 60%) to win 123 to 93; their 8th straight victory.

How difficult is Amare Stoudemire to defend? Mehmet Okur had a terrible night Monday, fouling out in just 18 minutes matched up against the Phoenix wunderkind. Stoudemire went to the line 17 times, on his way to a 42 point outing. And, unlike certain other low-post behemoths, he makes his free throws – 72% on the year. The Suns, meanwhile, have overtaken San Antonio for the best record in the league.

The latest chapter in Alonzo Mourning’s eventful career looks as if it will be set where it began, as Pat Riley has convinced the peripatetic center to, pending a physical, join Miami off waivers. Quite apart from any on-court productivity he might bring to the Conference leading Heat, this addition will mean Miami have the 1st, 2nd and 3rd picks from the 1992 draft – one of the best ever – on their roster . No news as to if, or when, Jim Jackson (4th pick), Tom Gugliotta (6th pick), Robery Horry (11th pick), Anthony Peeler (15th pick) or Doug Christie (17th pick) will be joining the fun.

Nick Van Exel was born on my mother’s birthday (although not in the same year), and she has as many blocked shots this season as the Portland guard. NVE has played 1456 minutes so far this season – yes that’s right – without a single block. Even his backcourt mate Damon Stoudamire, who’s 3 inches shorter, has one. And it’s obvious Van Exel has been putting in the hours tutoring rookie Sebastian Telfair the art of NBA play, as he hasn’t blocked a shot this season either.

Chump Watch Who is the odd man out from this list of recent NBA Chumps?
A. Alan Henderson
B. Eric Montross
C. Andrew DeClercq
D. Vitaly Potapenko
answer at bottom of page.

The once-invincible Chicago Bulls hosted the once-almost-invincible Sacramento Kings this evening, and, as you will read in the morning papers, beat them for the first time since 1998. As they’re in the Eastern Conference, there’s often a distinction between a ‘good’ team and a ‘playoff’ team, but the league is learning quickly that these Bulls are both. Former Chicago center Brad Miller lead the Kings in points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks in the loss.

Chump Quiz Answer: Eric Montross, as all the other chumps are actually still in the NBA. That’s an argument in favour of more Expansion right there.