Power Rankings: Blazers break into top 5

---

After 1 week, of NBA basketball, who do you project to be powerhouses, solid teams, and busts?

---

San Antonio 81 vs. Dallas 98* (National Basketball Association)

---

National Basketball Association

San Antonio 81
Dallas 98

Power Rankings: Lakers rise, Celtics fall after first week

---

Blazers' Oden sprains foot in first game, will miss 2-4 weeks

---

Power Rankings: Celtics begin on top, back and ready for more

---

2008-2009 Hollinger Projections - All Players

---

Power Rankings: Best and worst over past six seasons

---

1 San Antonio Spurs 59 23 .720 1 10 3.17 High: Wk 18, 2007-08 (most recent of 36) | Low: Wk 7, 2002-03 (most recent of 2) | Rankings archive Surely this outcome doesn't surprise you. The Spurs wound up halting the Lakers' three-peat run and winning the championship in the first season that the committee (of one) presided over these rankings and won two more titles after that. Then they've got a string of nine consecutive 50-win seasons going and generally rank as the franchise, from top to bottom, every other team wishes it could emulate. Who else could occupy this perch? 2 Dallas Mavericks 58 24 .707 1 15 4.23 High: Wk 12, 2006-07 (most recent of 30) | Low: Wk 22, 2007-08 | Rankings archive Snicker all you want about the Mavs' playoff exploits since the 6:30 mark of the fourth quarter in Game 3 of the 2006 NBA Finals. None of that considerable misery can change the fact that these rankings are a regular-season enterprise, which has made it impossible not to notice that Dallas has posted an average record of 58-24 over the past six seasons … and thus impossible not to rank these tortured souls accordingly. 3 Detroit Pistons 56 26 .683 1 13 5.15 High: Wk 16, 2007-08 (most recent of 25) | Low: Wk 2, 2006-07 | Rankings archive Hard to imagine that anyone would claim that Detroit hasn't fully deserved its regular spot in our top five. Frustrated as Pistons fans might be to come away from six consecutive trips to the East finals with only one championship, there's been only one source of positive consistency emanating from the Leastern Conference since Michael Jordan's retirement … and this team is it. 4 Phoenix Suns 51 31 .622 1 27 8.59 High: Wk 4, 2007-08 (most recent of 15) | Low: Wk 16, 2003-04 (most recent of 2) | Rankings archive Yet another illustration of Steve Nash's impact in his second stint as a Sun has been playing out right here in our domain. Even though Nash has been back on Planet Orange for just four of the past six seasons -- and even though the two seasons before his return were mostly forgettable -- Phoenix has nonetheless crashed the top five comfortably.

Ginobili to undergo surgery to fix injured ligament in heel

---

Schedule highlights: Season opens with champs versus King James

---

The NBA's 2008-09 schedule is out ... and you know what that means. An equally anticipated document has to go with it: ESPN.com's first rundown of must-see games for the coming season to immediately input into your electronic calendar of choice. Oct. 28: Opening Night An earlier-than-usual launch to the season starts with a tasty TNT doubleheader, leading off with the new champs from Boston hosting LeBron James' Cleveland Cavaliers on ring night and capped by Greg Oden's long-awaited NBA debut in Blazers at Lakers. Oct. 29: Opening Night (continued) Elton Brand makes his 76ers debut in the same game that Jermaine O'Neal makes his official Raptors debut: Toronto at Philadelphia. Furtherm ore:Michael Beasley makes his pro debut at Madison Square Garden (along with Dwyane Wade's official return from injury) in Heat at Knicks, Ron Artest makes his Rockets debut in Memphis at Houston, and Oklahoma City makes its debut as a full-time NBA city with a visit from the Milwaukee Bucks. And ... ESPN dishes its own doubleheader doozy: Phoenix at San Antonio to renew year after year of recent playoff pleasantries, followed by Lakers at Clippers in a fitting bow for the Clips' new Angeleno point guard: Baron Davis. Oct. 30: Houston at Dallas (TNT) The Mavericks are one of two teams (along with Charlotte) that must wait until Thursday for their opening game, giving Mavs fans more time to fret that the Rockets' acquisition of Ron Artest reduces Dallas to the third-best team in Texas. Oct. 31: San Antonio at Portland (ESPN) The best of the Halloween fare, at least in NBA terms, is unquestionably Oden matching up with Tim Duncan. Nov. 1: Washington at Detroit (NBA TV) The league is still sorting out its full 96-game NBA TV schedule, but Wizards-Pistons has been confirmed as the opener of NBA TV's maiden doubleheader, which concludes with a Portland-at-Phoenix nightcap. [+] EnlargeJesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE/Getty Images If Yao can stay healthy, this could be a preview of the 2009 Finals. Nov. 4: Boston at Houston You don't have to wait long for a look at the NBA's reigning threesome of doom (Garnett, Pierce and Allen) throwing down against the new trio on the block (McGrady, Yao and Artest). P.S. How much playing time will the twins get in Phoenix at New Jersey ... also known as Robin Lopez at Brook Lopez? Nov. 5: Charlotte at New York Larry Brown returns to Madison Square Garden with his (latest) new team. We'll spare you the dates on Larry's returns to Denver, New Jersey, San Antonio, Los Angeles, Indiana, Philly and Detroit. Nov. 6: Houston at Portland (TNT) Yao Ming and Oden go toe-to-toe for the first time. Health permitting, of course. Nov. 9: Houston at L.A. Lakers The denizens of Lakerland who so badly wanted to see Artest in purple and gold will get their first dose of torture early. In L.A.'s first Sunday home game of the season, actually. Nov. 10: Portland at Orlando Oden will have lined up against Shaquille O'Neal (Nov. 1), Yao and Dwight Howard in a span of 10 days by the time he gets through this one. Health permitting, of course. Nov. 12: Atlanta at Boston Are the Hawks and Celtics rivals now because of what happened in the first round of the playoffs? Better question: Shouldn't Olympiacos be required to swing through Atlanta as part of the usual October spree of exhibition games against top European clubs? Nov. 13: Dallas at Chicago (TNT) Mavs owner Mark Cuban could know by this point whether he has won the race to buy the Cubs, which would make this somewhat of a home game for him and certainly spice up his relationship with Bulls chairman Jerry Reinsdorf, since Reinsdorf owns the White Sox. Nov. 14: Detroit at L.A. Lakers (ESPN) What sort of reception awaits Kwame Brown at Staples Center? Just a hunch: If history is any guide, Kwame needn't expect (or want) any mention of a cake. On the undercard: Kareem Rush's Philadelphia 76ers visit brother Brandon Rush's Indiana Pacers. Nov. 18: Cleveland at New Jersey LeBron and Jay-Z! In the same building! Exactly one week before LeBron goes to MSG to hang with Spike Lee and the Knicks! Cavs fans will want to avoid online consumption of the New York tabloids for a good few days before Thanksgiving. Nov. 20: L.A. Lakers at Phoenix (TNT) Kobe, tell me how many times do you think you and Shaq will be asked about recent rapping exploits? Detroit at Boston, incidentally, isn't exactly a bland appetizer for TNT. Nov. 21: Boston at Minnesota A hamstring strain prevented KG from playing in his first visit to 'Sota as an ex-Wolf last February. Hard to see him missing two in row, though. In Philadelphia, meanwhile, Baron and Elton will be in the same building for the first time since they did not end up on the same team as so many of us expected. And over in Oklahoma City, New Orleans is in town to play the OKC TBAs for the first time, which makes

Barry signs with Houston, is third family member to play for Rockets

---

HOUSTON -- The Houston Rockets signed free agent Brent Barry to a two-year contract on Thursday, making him the third member of the family to join the franchise. Barry The 6-foot-7 Barry played 31 games with San Antonio last season and shot 43 percent (48-for-112) from 3-point range. A 13-year veteran, Barry will play for his sixth NBA team after stints with the Los Angeles Clippers, Miami Heat, Chicago Bulls, Seattle SuperSonics and the Spurs. Barry's father, Rick, spent two seasons with the Rockets (1978-80) and his older brother, Jon, played for the team from 2004-06. Barry, 36, was a member of San Antonio's championship teams, in the 2004-05 and 2006-07 seasons. Among active players, Barry ranks eighth in career 3-point field goal percentage (.407) and sixth in career 3-pointers made (1,346). Barry won the NBA slam dunk contest in 1996. He was the league's most accurate 3-point shooter in 2000-01, making 48 percent (109-of-229).

Paul's agent to meet with Hornets Wednesday regarding extension

---

NEW ORLEANS -- Chris Paul's agent plans to travel to New Orleans on Wednesday with the intention of completing a contract extension that would keep the All-Star and Team USA point guard with the Hornets for an additional three to five years. Lance Young, a senior director of the sports marketing and management company Octagon, said Tuesday that he had spoken to Hornets general manager Jeff Bower by phone and that they were in general agreement on the terms of an extension for Paul, who has one season remaining on his current contract. Paul "Weseem to be pretty much on the same page," Young said. "A little tweak here and there and we'll probably get it done in the next 48 hours." Paul is seeking the maximum pay allowable under the league's collective bargaining agreement, or about 25 percent of the NBA salary cap with 10 percent raises going forward. Such a deal could pay Paul from $60 million to more than $80 million, depending on the length of the contract. "It could be three, four, or five years. We haven't really gotten into any details yet," Young said. "Chris wants to stay with the Hornets. It just depends on how long he's going to be there." Tuesday marked the first day NBA teams could begin negotiations with free agents or current players who are seeking extensions. Paul has from July 9 until Oct. 31 to sign an extension. Otherwise, the window for negotiations closes until next summer, when Paul would be a restricted free agent. Last season, Paul led the NBA with averages of 11.6 assists and 2.7 steals. He was second in MVP voting to the Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant. Paul also was the Hornets' second-leading scorer, averaging 21.1 points per game in helping the Hornets reach a franchise-record 56 regular season victories. The Hornets drafted Paul with the fourth overall pick in the 2005 NBA draft. Paul went on to become rookie of the year while helping the Hornets improve from 18 to 38 victories that season. The Hornets nearly made the playoffs two seasons ago despite a rash of injuries to key players. This past season, the New Orleans won the Southwest Division for the franchise's first division title, then defeated the Dallas Mavericks in the first round of the playoffs before falling to the San Antonio Spurs in seven games in the second-round. Meanwhil e,ticket sales surged and sellouts became the norm during the final months of the season, strengthening the franchise's foothold in a city that once seemed in danger of losing its professional teams after Hurricane Katrina. Bower, along with head coach Byron Scott and team majority owner George Shinn, have said since last season ended that extending Paul's contract was a top priority. The belief is that locking in Paul, a top play-maker who has helped teammates David West and Tyson Chandler flourish, will help the Hornets attract and keep the type of supporting cast needed to contend for an NBA championship. Looking for immediate help heading into next season, the Hornets last week traded away their only draft choice, Kansas forward Darrell Arthur, to the Portland Trail Blazers for $3 million as part of a strategy to sign proven free agents. New Orleans will attempt to re-sign backup point guard Jannero Pargo, who opted out of the final year of his contract in hopes of getting a longer, more lucrative deal. The Hornets also are seeking a strong wing player such as James Posey or Corey Maggette, both free agents.

The Best Available Free Agents

---

Iguodala 1. Andre Iguodala, Sixers: Iguodala's decision to turn down a $57 million deal last summer is tough to justify. At the time, the Sixers appeared to be the only team with significant cap room; I'm not sure where he thought his next paycheck would come from. He had a great regular season, but a woeful postseason has put his stock back in check. He's coveted by the Grizzlies, but the chances of them prying him away from Philly look very slim. 2. Josh Smith, Hawks: On talent and potential, Smith should be on top of this list. He's a freakish athlete who can score, rebound and block shots. What holds him back is a questionable attitude. Nonetheless it appears the Hawks have to re-sign him. Given the Hawks' ownership woes, Smith is one of the few restricted free agents a team with cap space may try to pluck away -- the same way the Hawks did with Joe Johnson a few years ago. I could see the Sixers making a run at him. Okafor 3. Emeka Okafor, Bobcats: Okafor turned down $13 million per season to hit free agency this summer. He's not the best player on this list, but he's the best young center on the market. Still, there's no guarantee he'll get more money from another team. I'm sure the Grizzlies will be interested, but they know the Bobcats will match. I don't see him going anywhere, but a sign-and-trade isn't out of the question here if the negotiations go on too long. 4. Jose Calderon, Raptors: Calderon played at an All-Star level this past season. When T.J. Ford went down with injuries, he became the leader of the Raptors and proved to be the best true point guard on the free-agent market. The Raptors say they'll match any offer for Calderon and I believe them -- especially now that they've agreed to a trade with the Pacers that will ship T.J. Ford to Indiana. As it stands now, he's their only point guard. Still, don't be shocked if the Sixers make a big offer to him. They need a long-term replacement for Andre Miller and I hear Sixers GM Ed Stefanski is a big fan. Deng 5. Luol Deng, Bulls: Everyone loves Deng's talent, but so do the Bulls. At least they used to. Injuries and a poor season have hurt his value around the league. Still, it's hard to see the Bulls not matching any offer Deng gets next summer. He declined a $57.5 million extension in October, so if he makes more than that he'll come out ahead. It will be interesting to see if the budget-conscious Bulls will take advantage of the market conditions and offer him much less. 6. Andris Biedrins, Warriors: Biedrins didn't get the lucrative contract offer that several others did. He was looking for something in the five-year, $50 million range and got an offer that was reportedly substantially lower. Biedrins falls a little bit into the Anderson Varejao category -- energetic big man whose stats don't tell the whole story in terms of on-court contributions. Given that he continues to improve and he's only 21 years old, it's hard to believe the Warriors wouldn't match an offer. Ellis 7. Monta Ellis, Warriors: He's young and he can score. But his restricted status is going to hurt him. No team has the money to offer him more than the midlevel, and he probably feels as though he's worth considerably more than that. He's a player who may be better off taking the one-year tender from the Warriors so that he can be an unrestricted free agent in 2009. 8. Josh Childress, Hawks: Childress doesn't get nearly the respect or hype of many of his teammates in Atlanta, but he's been a devastatingly effective sixth man and who might still be expendable given all of Atlanta's wing talent. He probably can't get more than a midlevel deal on this market, but he'd be a bargain at that price. Gordon 9. Ben Gordon, Bulls: Of all the players who turned down lucrative contract extensions last summer, Gordon made the most mind-boggling decision. He turned down a five-year, $50 million deal that seemed above market value on a down season. For him to recoup that money this summer seems almost impossible … and now that the Bulls have added Larry Hughes to the mix, it's no longer clear where Gordon fits into the picture. There isn't a huge market for undersized 2-guards with streaky jump shots. Gordon is most likely to be the top restricted free agent not to have his offer matched, but he's going to struggle to get a huge offer from anyone. Gordon may be better off taking the Bulls' one-year tender offer. 10. Nenad Krstic, Nets: Before his knee injury last season, Krstic looked like he'd be locked up by the Nets. Now the uncertainty over his health could hurt his value. Philadelphia is one team to watch for. Sixers GM Ed Stefanski was a fan while he was back in New Jersey. A sign-and-trade is another possibility for the Nets.

Can Team USA Win Without Dwight Howard?

---

Da Truth Speaks: PJ Breaks down the NBA 09 season!

---

The best draft picks in NBA history, Nos. 1 through 10

---

Ten things that should happen in the draft … but won't

---

1. Kevin Love gets love In a perfect world he'd be gone by 8 p.m. ET. But that won't happen. In any other recent draft -- with the exception of 2003 -- Kevin Love would have been an automatic top-five selection. Blame his moms and pops for not getting busy a few years earlier, because he would have had his own sweepstakes in 2005 and 2006, when Andrea Bargnani and Andrew Bogut were the top choices. Jamie Squire/Getty Images The best for Kevin McHale to get fans to forgive him for trading KG? Draft O.J. Mayo. 2. "And with the third pick, the Minnesota Timberwolves select … O.J. Mayo The whole Miami thing (Shawn Marion not opting out, Pat Riley having questions about Michael Beasley's "character," last-minute secret workouts of point guards) messed up the most perfect fit in the draft. Mayo is perfect for the Wolves. The perfect complement to Al Jefferson, the perfect mystique and sexiness to build a PR campaign around, the perfect draft pick to make up for Rashad McCants and not have Minnesota rely on Marko Jaric's eight points per game at shooting guard. The perfect player who in a few years could make a city forget the hell Kevin McHale put them through for getting rid of KG. 3. The Bucks pick anyone but Joe Alexander The center/power forward-by-committee continues. At 6-foot-8, Alexander is the type of high-risk player the Bucks have been stockpiling since the Ray Allen era ended five years ago. Still in search of that big-time big (Yi Jianlian, Bogut, Charlie Villanueva, Dan Gadzuric), the Bucks are addicted to spending high first-round draft picks on players considered "projects." Alexander is no Kevin Pittsnogle, but he's still a project. 4. The Nuggets trade J.R. Smith and a future No. 1 pick to the Sonics for the fourth pick … And draft Russell Westbrook. How beautiful would that be? Westbrook in the backcourt with AI? The enigma that has become J.R. Smith can move elsewhere, taking the mental mistakes that have haunted him in the past two playoffs. Regardless of whether Melo is in a Nuggets uniform in November or whether George Karl is the coach in January, Westbrook -- the second coming of Baron Davis -- would fit in Denver as Tim Russert did in the "Meet the Press" chair. 5. The Spurs draft a player from America Be honest, it's time for Pop to stay home. It's time for him to draft east of Crenshaw and west of Brooklyn. The Spurs need to rethink their international approach and realize that they already have two of the three best foreign players in the world, and the chances of getting one more are anorexic. It's time to find another Bowen instead of discovering the next Ginobili. The Lakers lost to Boston in six but took the Spurs out in five, so shouldn't DeAndre Jordan or Chris Douglas-Roberts seem attractive to San Antonio? 6. The Pistons pick CDR to become Rip Hamilton's protégé Every star needs an understudy, someone who can carry on his legacy. Think of how Detroit lucked out with Rodney Stuckey "studying" under Chauncey Billups this season. As one of the best backcourts of this generation starts to age, Dumars could lay the blueprint for the next phase by drafting the player everyone knows is going to be Rip reincarnated. That's much more important right now than trying to trade Sheed. 7. J.R Giddens (New Mexico) and Mike Taylor (Iowa State) hear their names In every draft, certain players remain on the board because of persistent questions about their character and professionalism. In this year's draft these two will be affected the most. (Michael Beasley also will be affected, but for him to drop from No. 2 to No. 3 is essentially irrelevant.) Each has major talent but has not been able to shake the baggage attached to him during his college career. (Taylor was kicked out of school after his junior season and played last season in the NBA Development League; Giddens was suspended at New Mexico in 2007 for "not being a good teammate.") It's always said that the "B" in NBA stands for business, not basketball. Giddens and Taylor are about to discover how real that really is. 8. The Lakers trade Lamar Odom and the 58th pick to Sacramento for Ron Artest Someone from the Lakers needs to go, and they need Ron-Ron to beat the Celtics next season. Odom is the most attractive trade bait GM Mitch Kupchak has with which the Lakers would be willing to part. 9. A GM takes a real risk on Bill Walker He's been labeled as the new Vince Carter … which may not be a good thing. Walker, if he chooses to seriously work on his game in the next three to five years, could be the steal of this draft. He could make the Vince analogies an insult. With the right team and the right amount of patience, he could be another Gerald Wallace or Jason Richardson, but more athletic and more explosive. Scary, ain't it? 10. "The Chicago Bulls select … Michael Beasley" Derrick Rose is too good to pass up, but once GM John Paxson finds out he can't move

Are the Lakers and Celtics the favorites for next year???

---

Sympathy for the Lakers? Not until they earn it

---

Collins, Reinsdorf agree coaching search continues ... minus Collins

---