The Chat Room: Giving Duncan his due, and Marbury his

We got NBA.com's staff writers together Tuesday afternoon in a chat room to discuss what's going on around the league. Rob Peterson checked in from New York, John Schuhmann from Jersey, Art Garcia from Dallas and Dave McMenamin -- who lives in L.A. -- from his beloved Syracuse.

Here's what they had to type. (Not their real screen names.)

NBA.com: I don't want to start off with Marbury, so we won't ... The recently injured superstar more important to his team: Kevin Garnett or Tim Duncan

John Schuhmann: The one with four rings.

Rob Peterson: Tim Duncan has been because he's been able to get it done down the stretch of games, game-in and game-out.

Peterson: KG was willing to defer.

Art Garcia: The entire Spurs system revolves around Duncan. Everybody in SA plays off Duncan, from Parker to Ginobili on down. Do you think Mason or Bonner would be knocking down wide-open 3s without Timmy around?

Dave McMenamin: Duncan re-invented himself this summer. His numbers are on the rebound after a steady decline over the last 3-4 seasons. His calm has permeated his team for a decade vs. KG's 1.5 years of crazy.

NBA.com: Either of those teams have a shot at all if Garnett/Duncan would stay down for long?

Garcia: Nope.

Schuhmann: Not a chance.

Garcia: But Boston is better equipped because the offense doesn't have to flow through KG.

McMenamin: Boston can get to the Finals. And if Pierce can capture the magic he had last June, there's a slight chance. The Spurs can't get past L.A. with out TD though.

Peterson: No way. The Celtics couldn't handle the Lakers at home when KG fouled out. They had to go to Big Baby, and he couldn't knock down the shots. I don't know -- i.e. highly doubt -- Mikki Moore could fill his shoes.

Peterson: If the Cavs get Joe Smith and KG stays out, it's the Cavs.

McMenamin: Are we really celebrating the Joe Smith signing that much?

McMenamin: He's in his, what, 14th year? Putting up seven and five?

Garcia: He's Joe Smith!

Schuhmann: We're having a Joe Smith party at the house tonight, actually.

Peterson: He's a solid guy who can hit the open jumper in the Cavs' offense. If P.J. Brown could give the Celtics quality minutes, Joe Smith can.

Peterson: It's not the Lakers pilfering Pau Gasol, but it helps.

NBA.com: OK. On the Celtics ... talk about overhyped signings ... Marbury. Like it or not? Make a difference or not?

Schuhmann: He gives them a better ball-handler than Eddie House, but otherwise, he's not a good fit for their offensive balance and defensive intensity.

McMenamin: I watched him against Indiana. He was giving up a ton of size to Brandon Rush, but still, if you thought Eddie House wasn't giving them anything on defense, Marbury was invisible out there.

Garcia: Not overhyped. He can help a team if his head is right and there is no reason he'll tip over the applecart in Boston. If he does, he needs a new tattoo across his head: MORON.

Peterson: I would say it's more melodramatic than overhyped. But after not playing for more than a year, I'm skeptical about his timing and fitness.

NBA.com: Points to Art for the first applecart reference

Garcia: nice

Peterson: Do we still have applecarts?

Garcia: Big apple carts

McMenamin: Isn't that more outdated than Polaroid? Whens the last time we've actually seen an applecart?

McMenamin: The set of Gangs of New York?

NBA.com: No chance Marbury messes things up there?

Schuhmann: If there's any sign of trouble, they'll dump him faster than they did Darius Miles.

NBA.com: Another guy with a rep ... AI. Is it going to work with him in Detroit coming off the bench?

Schuhmann: I was waiting for them to waive him before midnight on Sunday.

Peterson: Bwahahaha.

Garcia: Nope. It'll work when he leaves via free agency.

McMenamin: Not at all.

Peterson: He dominates the ball so much that it wouldn't work with that group. Who knew Joe Smith would be a hotter commodity than A.I. I never figured A.I. as an addition by subtraction guy, but that's what happened in Detroit and Denver.

Garcia: He needs to bring back the cornrows.

NBA.com: But they're still a playoff team, the Pistons are ... right?

Peterson: Yeah, if A.I. can buy in.

Garcia: Barely, but they're not going to do much.

Schuhmann: hard to see them falling below two of the milwaukee/new jersey

NBA.com: Odd squad out in the West?

McMenamin: Phoenix.

Garcia: I hate to say it: Phoenix

Schuhmann: suns, unless another injury hits someone else.

Peterson: I'd have to say Phoenix because I'm not sure how Shaq will handle the rest of the regular season grind. And they need him down the stretch.

Garcia: The Mavericks don't deserve to go -- OKC anyone? -- but not having Stoudemire is too much to overcome.

McMenamin: They've played well - 6-2 - under Gentry, but both their losses came against quality teams. They're beating the Clippers, Thunder and Raptors. It's a little misleading. Although, Sunday's game was a classic.

NBA.com: Why do you hate to say it, Art?

Garcia: I love me some Steve Nash.

Garcia: don't include that

NBA.com: I don't know what to say to that. I think that's gotta stay. Vote?

Peterson: I think that stays, because I second Art's amour.

McMenamin: Keep it, why not.

NBA.com: Not going to do Kobe-LeBron this week. Am gonna ask you guys, who have seen some good basketball and some bad ... worst team out there right now with little or no hope of getting better anytime soon

Garcia: Sacramento. The Maloofs just gave it all away.

McMenamin: They only have 12 guys on the roster and Kenny Thomas doesn't even get to travel to save costs. The cow town has become the cry town.

Peterson: How long have you lived in L.A., Dave? Already calling Sacramento a cow town?

Garcia: it is a cowtown

Schuhmann: Sacramento, for sure. For all the reasons stated above and a lack of a point guard to make something of the limited talent that they do have.

NBA.com: More cowtown: Sacramento or Fort Worth?

Peterson: Never been there, but I am from Wisconsin. We know cows. The "worst" team I've seen is Washington, but they have too much talent to be this bad. I'd need to go with Sacramento. I can't even watch them when no one else is on.

Schuhmann: What's a fort worth?