Each weekday morning, Ball Don't Lie serves up a handful of NBA-related stories to digest with your pigeon.

Jonathan Feigen, Houston Chronicle: "Perhaps the setting was fitting, a reminder of how far Tracy McGrady(notes) must go. But for the first time since microfracture surgery last spring, McGrady, 30, practiced with the Rockets on Sunday. He went through a few stints of the scrimmage, moving well and without pain in a small, but significant step in his comeback. His first participation in training camp did not alter his schedule. General manager Daryl Morey said it was 'part of the process.' The Rockets expect McGrady to be out at least until an MRI scheduled for Nov. 23. Still, he played and all reports were that he played well. 'He looked good, real good,' forward Trevor Ariza(notes) said. 'He was real poised, real confident.'"

Mike Monroe, S.A. Express-News: "The Spurs public scrimmage at the AT&T Center was followed Sunday by a 3-point shootout that produced a surprise ending: a victory for power forward Tim Duncan(notes). After several guards and forwards, including veteran Michael Finley(notes), failed to make more than four shots in a truncated version of the All-Star Weekend Three-Point Shootout - 12 attempts in 45 seconds, rather than 25 attempts in 60 seconds - Duncan volunteered to try the long-distance competition. Five makes later, he was the team's unofficial 3-point champion. 'When the magic number was four, I didn't think it was going to be too hard,' said new Spur Richard Jefferson(notes), who served as PA announcer for the contest, 'If he would have had to make eight, or so, it would have been hard. But either way, to have our center win the 3-point contest was very impressive.'"

Bobb Finnan, News Herald: "The longer the Delonte West(notes) ordeal plays out, the more the Cavaliers might get used to Anthony Parker(notes) as their starting shooting guard. Parker, signed to a two-year contract in the offseason, has lived up to expectations through the first week of training camp. The 6-foot-6, 210-pounder was a starter in all three previous years in Toronto. When asked if it mattered to him whether he starts or comes off the bench, he gave the politically correct answer. 'It doesn't matter,' Parker said. 'Either way, I'm going to have some opportunities. I'll be on the floor with LeBron or Shaq regardless.' Cavs coach Mike Brown claims the shooting guard spot is up for grabs. In some ways, Brown's rotation might work better if West came off the bench since he also serves as the backup point guard. 'Our rotation was easy with (West) being our backup point guard (last season),' Brown said. 'I'll do whatever is best for the team.'"

Ira Winderman, South Florida Sun-Sentinel: "It makes sense because it makes the most sense. No, Michael Beasley(notes) is not a prototypic small forward. And if Udonis Haslem(notes) wasn't entrenched at power forward, the Beasley experiment likely never would have been necessary. But starting Beasley at small forward is the right move for this team. At least for now. That's now as in Monday's exhibition opener in Detroit. Better to see what the 2008 first-round pick can accomplish at small forward during the preseason than when the games count. The first two tests shouldn't overwhelm, with Tayshaun Prince(notes) tonight and Orlando's Rashard Lewis(notes) on Wednesday the type of covers Beasley could have been matched up against at power forward. The real tests will come against small forwards who are closer to shooting guards, the Paul Pierce(notes) and Andre Iguodala(notes) types."

Matt Steinmetz, FanHouse: "First thing you notice about Baron Davis(notes) these days is that beard. It's long, it's thick and it's got some scruff. It's back — and all of it, too. Now whether the Los Angeles Clippers are back remains to be seen. But the return of Davis' beard is certainly a good omen. So was the arrival of Blake Griffin(notes). [...] It absolutely looks like [Baron] Davis, after a disappointing 2008-09 for the Clippers, is poised for a big year. He's in shape and perhaps just as important he's comfortable and seems to be in a good frame of mind. 'It took me a year to adjust to this situation,' said Davis, who signed a five-year, $65 million contract last offseason with L.A. 'I didn't know what to expect ... no idea what to expect. It was a weird year. It was a weird summer and it carried into a weird year. It takes me a while for me to get used to a situation and for people to get used to me. Now, I think I'm back to being me. Back to being who I know I can be. And I know how to be successful.'"

Kate Fagan, Philadelphia Inquirer: "[Eddie] Jordan said Saturday that he had "normal NBA sets" in the offensive package as a precautionary measure considering the layered, in-depth nature of the Princeton offense. 'This team does play hard, and we have other things we can go to if they don't get the grasp of the offense early in the season,' Jordan said. 'We have normal NBA sets in our package. When I see them struggle, we'll go to some standard stuff. I tried to do that in practice the other day, and they went back to the Princeton. That's what they like to do.'"

Doug Smith, The Toronto Star: "The improvements in Andrea Bargnani's(notes) ability to defend are subtle and often lost in the blur of action on an NBA court. But to Raptors assistant coach Marc Iavaroni, they tell the tale of a still-young big man with talent and a willingness to learn and could help Bargnani become a key defensive contributor as the season unfolds. Iavaroni, whose concentration on the defensive aspect of the game is intense, was impressed last week in Ottawa with Bargnani's ability to defend off the ball, to be in the right spot and make the right play to help. It's maybe shading off his man by another 10 inches or so, anticipating a play before it happens, being in sync with teammates and the club's basic principles. Bargnani is not perfect at it — nobody in the league really is — but he's good enough that the guy who's dealing with the team's defence said it was perhaps the biggest surprise he got about Bargnani's game during the first week of work."

Brian T. Smith, The Columbian: "It has gone from four players down to two. And now, two will battle for one. Just a single open roster spot remains for the 2009-10 Portland Trail Blazers. Friday, the Blazers released Quinton Hosley and Donell Taylor(notes), cutting the team's training camp roster down to 16 players. Now, the winner of Portland's 15th and final spot will likely come down to the battle between veterans Ime Udoka(notes) and Jarron Collins(notes) for the right to remain with the team. Portland Trail Blazers coach Nate McMillan said he has been impressed by the play of both players. McMillan stated he expects Udoka and Collins will remain with the team throughout training camp. Then, a hard decision will have to be made."

Rick Bonnell, Charlotte Observer: "Many of you are savvy enough to connect the dots and pose this question: 'If [D.J.] Augustin is making strides and Raymond Felton(notes) is routed toward unrestricted free agency, shouldn't the Bobcats cut the cord, either by not offering Felton a contract or pursuing a sign-and-trade next summer?' [...] I've been told by someone who should know that Felton turned down a long-term contract from the Bobcats that would have paid him about $7 million a season. Barring a huge improvement in his performance, I don't know that anyone will offer him more than that next summer. More pertinent, I find it a reach that the Bobcats would offer him more next summer. This is a team, after all, that has projected losing as much as $30 million a season the next three years. The Bobcats might have to decide between Felton and Augustin, and knowing Augustin would have two more seasons on the rookie scale, plus a qualifying-offer season, would make him the fiscally-safer choice between the two."

Steve Bulpett, Boston Herald: "Ray Allen insists he's living in the moment. So if the possibility of being a free agent seems a season away to him, it's only because, well, it is. [...] 'Naturally you have thoughts, but you just stay focused on what you have to do each day,' Allen said. 'Everyone has thoughts about security and your kids' future. You think about how you're going to live in 10 years or whatever, but it's the present that you've got to take care of. I have an agent, and he has a relationship with the management, with Danny (Ainge, the GM), with the Celtic ownership. They'll take care of that business. If I need to know anything, I'll be alerted. There's a time and a place for that. But I think the people in my camp understand that in order for me to be the best at what I need to do out here for my job, I can't have stresses. I can't be frustrated. I can't be focused on things other than playing basketball.'"

Dave D'Alessandro, The Star-Ledger: "The pressure he faces is unlike that of the typical NBA player, and for the first time, Yi Jianlian(notes) seems ready to acknowledge that. Because you wondered: Does he feel it at all? An inane premise, as it turns out. Anyone whose every move is followed by 1.3 billion countrymen and a few dozen people in New Jersey knows he's under the microscope this season, even if you're the great stoic. So one week into camp, it's time to find out how he is handling the pressure of his job, because that is precisely what everyone in the organization has feared since his disappearing act over the last month last season. 'Try to be different from last year,' the Nets forward said Sunday, when asked what he wants out of his third NBA season. 'Show everybody that I'm better from last season. That I've changed.'"

Drew Sharpe, Detroit Free Press: "Allen Iverson should shut up and move on with his life. But he just can't. He threw another dagger into Michael Curry's already decomposed coaching carcass, telling ESPN that the former Pistons coach lied to him about never having to come off the bench. Iverson referred to his one year in Detroit as 'the worst year of his life.' Can someone give the poor man a Kleenex? It's nonsense like this that kills the NBA's reputation, furthering the perception that its stars are little more than whiny, self-absorbed millionaires with little regard for the concept of team."

Sekou Smith, AJC: "[Josh] Smith sat out most of the scrimmage after tweaking his left ankle early on. He said it wasn't anything serious and that he simply stayed off of it to be careful. 'I just had to get up out of there,' Smith said. 'It was super-competitive out there and I just didn't want to take any chances messing around on it after I twisted it. It's fine, though.' Woodson said he expects Smith back on the practice floor Monday and ready for Wednesday's preseason home opener against New Orleans."

Eddie Sefko, The Dallas Morning News: "Basketball fate has a sense of humor. How else can you figure the Orlando Magic stealing two players from the Mavericks this summer, then getting teed up as the first preseason opponent tonight at American Airlines Center? Actually, 'stealing' is a little strong. But the Magic definitely prevented the Mavericks from getting center Marcin Gortat(notes), a primary free-agent target. And they signed Brandon Bass(notes) away from the Mavericks. Tonight, both will be at AAC as members of the Magic. 'Brandon is a good friend, a family friend, but Kris Humphries(notes) is definitely filling in thus far,' Jason Terry(notes) said. 'And you know what? Brandon owes me some money, and I think he did just get paid, so hopefully I can collect.'"

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