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STAT SHEET STUFFER
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LeBron James did more in three quarters of work than most people can do in four (or even five or six). King James scored 30 points on 11-for-19 shooting and added six rebounds, six assists and a block. He also tied a season high with five steals before watching the entire fourth period from the bench as the Cavs coasted to a 103-91 win in Charlotte.
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RICK KAMLA'S FANTASY TAKE
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"It was a nice run for Qyntel Woods. Coming off a career game against the Sixers on Saturday (24 points, 3-3 3-pt FG), Woods was a DNP on Monday (bruised left hip) and God only knows what Larry Brown has planned upon the other Q's return."
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ROOKIE WATCH
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After failing to score in the Knicks' previous three games, David Lee might have been the only player to show up for New York on Monday. He scored 18 points on 8-of-11 shooting and added six rebounds in a disappointing 120-101 road loss to the Hawks.
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GAME OF THE NIGHT
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The Clippers and Heat faced off on Monday and the two warm-weather teams were hot from the field; L.A. and Miami both shot better than 54 percent on the night. In the end, it was the newest homeowners in South Beach that made the difference. James Posey and Gary Payton - acquired in the offseason to complement stars Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O'Neal - sank five 3-pointers apiece. The duo hit a trio of back-breaking treys in the final 4:29 to keep the Clippers at bay in the Heat's 118-114 home win. The loss ended L.A.'s five-game winning streak in its tracks. The Cavs also came into Monday on a five-game tear, but successfully extended it to six with a win over the Bobcats, who have now dropped 12 straight for the first time in their history.
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QUOTE OF THE NIGHT
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"It was a real emotional game. I got fouled and went over to Trenton (Hassell) and Marko (Jaric) to get some dap and then realized, 'Whoa, they don't play for my team.' I've been real out of it for a couple of days."
-- Boston's Wally Szczerbiak, on the confusion of facing his former teammates just four days after being traded.
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STORYLINES OF THE NIGHT
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 1. Back Where It All Began
Nate McMillan, one of the most popular men in Sonics history, was back in Seattle on Monday as a visitor for the first time since he came into the NBA almost two decades ago. McMillan spent all 12 of his seasons as a player in Sonic green, had his number 10 retired, and spent almost five full seasons as Seattle's coach. The man affectionately known as "Mr. Sonic" was triumphant in his first return as the Blazers' skipper with a 116-111 Portland win. Similarly, Wally Szczerbiak spent his first six-plus seasons with the Timberwolves before being traded to the Celtics on Thursday, and made his first appearance as an opponent in the Target Center on Monday. "Wally World" watched his daughter's birth at a Minnesota hospital earlier in the day, received a warm ovation during the starting lineups, and scored a team-high 22 points. But Szczerbiak's return wasn't as successful as McMillan's; Boston was trounced 110-85.
  2. Spurs No Rodeo Clowns
Every winter, the rodeo comes to San Antonio and the Spurs are sent packing on a prolonged road swing. The last three seasons, that didn't faze Tim Duncan and Co. at all - the Spurs were 19-4 combined in those three trips. This year's eight-game expedition started Monday and won't end until San Antonio is back at the AT&T Center on Feb. 21. The Spurs got the journey going in the right direction with a 79-70 victory over the Jazz. At halftime, Utah owner Larry H. Miller announced that the team will be retiring Karl Malone's number 32 in a ceremony later this season.
 3. He's Baaaaaaack
Yao Ming had not played since Dec. 17 due to a toe infection that required surgery, and in the 21 games that Yao missed, the Rockets went 6-15 and fell into the Western Conference cellar. Any hopes Houston has of a playoff run rest squarely on its 7-6 center, but the team didn't exactly snap back to form in the big fella's return. Yao shot 7-for-14 for 15 points, grabbed eight boards and blocked a shot in 32 minutes, but the rest of the Rockets shot just 3-of-17 from beyond the arc in an 86-77 loss in Memphis.
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COOL/CLUTCH PERFORMANCE
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Jamaal Magloire's emotions must have run the gamut in the final seven seconds Monday. First, Magloire hit a layup to put the Bucks up one and drew a foul with 7.1 seconds left. After Magloire missed the ensuing free throw, ex-teammate David West made sure Jamaal regretted it. West hit a wide open 20-footer with just 0.1 ticks left to give the Hornets a dramatic 94-93 win. "Jamaal told me during the timeout that I wasn't going to make it," West said. "I told him not to give me a shot, and they let me have the shot."
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SIXTH (AND SEVENTH) MEN OF THE NIGHT
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SCOREBOARD: Jan. 30, 2006 |
AROUND THE ASSOCIATION ARCHIVE
LeBron gets loose on the break for a spectacular two-handed reverse:
