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

Michael Lee, The Washington Post: "Gilbert Arenas came back from the shower, put on his backpack and lowered his head. He was ready for the Q&Arenas. Here is the full transcript. Q: Do you have any comment on the fine you received today? Arenas: 'Nope.' Q: Do you think the game tonight was a sign of progress? Arenas: 'Yeah, both teams played hard.' Q: How are you feeling out there on the court? Arenas: 'I feel fine.' Q: What are your thoughts on Will Bynum(notes)? Arenas: 'He's coming along well.' Q: Anything else about tonight's game? Arenas: 'No.' Q: Do you feel good about the way things are going right now, feel good about the way you are playing, feel comfortable about the new coaching staff? Arenas: 'Yep.' Q: What can you say about Flip and how is he different than what you've experienced here before? Arenas: 'He's just bringing something different than the last coach.' Q: What in particular is he bringing that's different? Arenas: (Six second pause) 'What was the question again?' Q: What are your impressions of Flip? What has he brought to this team so far? Arenas: 'It's too early to tell. Maybe next month, I'll have a better answer for you' Q: Do you have anything to say about the fine today? Arenas: 'Nope.' Q: No comment? Arenas: 'Nope' The end."

Frank Dell'Apa, The Boston Globe: "[Rasheed Wallace(notes)], who had 20 points and nine rebounds in 25 minutes, defended his prediction the Celtics are capable of winning 72 games. 'When you play with a high caliber team, whose goals are higher than other teams in the NBA, when you play with teams that want that hardware, then, yes, those records can be broken,' he said. 'But I think we can get that 72. If we overcome injuries, I think we can get it. Just imagine if guys didn't get hurt [last season], they definitely could have gotten it. That's what we're shooting for this year.'"

Bob Cooney, Philadelphia Daily News: "As the old saying goes, there is no 'I' in team. But there is a 'me,' and Sixers forward Elton Brand(notes) has had to concentrate on the selfish part of the game a little more than usual this preseason. Besides having to absorb the new offensive and defensive schemes that have been brought in by coach Eddie Jordan, Brand has had to make sure his surgically repaired shoulder and Achilles' tendon are ready to endure what he hopes to be an 82-game regular season. He also has had to find out whether he still has what it takes to be the 20-point, 10-rebound-a-night player he has been throughout his career. Sometimes that might take away from what Jordan is trying to accomplish. But for now, the coach is OK with it. 'I like that he's aggressive,' Jordan said of the player the Sixers signed in the summer of 2008 to a 5-year, $80 million contract. 'He's putting the shoulder down, he's really looking to be assertive in the paint area.' Then came the caveat. 'I want him to execute a little better, as far as spacing for his teammates, his cutting for his teammates, not for himself,' Jordan said."

Scott Howard-Cooper, NBA.com: "[Brandon Roy(notes)], once among the logical additions to the next Dream Team, has increasingly distanced himself from consideration with a lack of communication that threatens a potential roster spot for the 2010 world championships in Turkey and the 2012 Olympics in London, people close to the situation report. Roy is the first to say he needs to reach out to USA Basketball officials to let them know he is interested in playing — even if that message is accompanied by the potential deal-breaker that he won't commit to tournaments so far in the future. That's how tenuous the surprising disconnect has become: He can easily move back into prime consideration with as little as a conversation, but being left out becomes an increasing possibility with each month that passes without contact and now there is the chance Roy won't sign up anyway because of the time involved. Roy declined invitations to join the Select Team, the feeder club of young NBA players, the last two summers, opting to rest a knee injury in 2008 rather than practice against the Beijing-bound Dream Team and in '09 preferring to focus on a contract extension instead of participating in a mini-camp."

Dave D'Alessandro, The Star-Ledger: "The only demand is that they floor the accelerator so hard that they find a shot in the first seven seconds of the clock. Sounds counterintuitive, at least for a bunch of kids, right? Then consider this: To a man, the Nets say they have never been given more freedom in their lives, which means Lawrence Frank's offense is either a fool's errand or an extraordinary leap of faith. Either way, they like it, they really like it. 'It's just a work in progress,' point guard Rafer Alston(notes) said last night ... 'But I've run a lot of offenses, and this has great potential, you just have to be patient.' [...] The Nets call the offense 'Wildcat,' a term Frank lifted from his good friend Bill Parcells. It has nothing in common with the football offense, he just likes the name. For the most part, it encompasses a wide variety of different NBA approaches — the Indiana 'quick' schemes used in transition; the Adelman passing game; even some elements of the Lakers' triangle."

Ira Winderman, South Florida Sun Sentinel: "Suddenly, for the first time since [Mario] Chalmers was named last season's Miami Heat opening-night starter, there is legitimate competition at point guard with the signing of free agent Carlos Arroyo(notes). Until the Heat made the move for the eighth-year veteran, Chalmers' competition had been limited over the past year to the likes of Chris Quinn(notes), Marcus Banks(notes), Shaun Livingston(notes), Luther Head(notes) and current camp longshot John Lucas(notes) III. But now there is a veteran in the mix who has started 113 NBA games, one who has served as an understudy to the likes of John Stockton, Mark Jackson and Chauncey Billups(notes). 'I think he's landslide better than everybody,' Heat forward Michael Beasley(notes) said of Chalmers' previous competition. 'It's always going to be competition in practice, when we try to make each other better,' Chalmers said after Tuesday's practice at AmericanAirlines Arena. 'By him coming in here it helps us out, but there's no beef, no battle. Everybody is cool. We're trying to make each other better.'"

Rick Bonnell, Charlotte Observer: "[Larry] Brown addressed frustration with his team's lack of energy Monday, particularly the big men: 'I'm so disappointed in our big guys defensively and running the floor and rebounding the ball,' Brown said. 'It's just got to get better.' Nazr Mohammed(notes) put up decent numbers versus the Hawks (eight points and nine rebounds), but Gana Diop had no points and one rebound and Alexis Ajinca(notes) fouled out with seven points and two rebounds. The two big men best equipped to help — projected starters Boris Diaw(notes) and Tyson Chandler(notes) — are recovering from ankle injuries and being held out of games."

Broderick Turner, The Los Angeles Times: "It was the kind of scene that frequently could be played out this season, [Jordan] Farmar and [Shannon] Brown playing together on the court. Lakers Coach Phil Jackson has used that combination in the first two exhibition games and can envision doing the same this season. 'It's obviously an option that we want to have,' Jackson said. 'We think that both of them, with their speed and quickness and their ability, they'll be able to get steals and we can get up the court.' [...] 'We both really enjoy it,' Farmar said about playing in the backcourt with Brown. 'He doesn't mind playing off the ball. He's a little bigger. He can guard the two-guards with no problem. He's extremely athletic. When I see him on the wing, that's either an assist or I get a layup. Every time we're together on the court, something is going to happen.'"

Jody Genessy, Deseret News: "Deron Williams gave about as big of a compliment as a starting point guard can dish out Tuesday night. The praise was almost akin to the trust shown when a father hands over the keys of his car to a dependable teenager. When asked about the backup point-guard position after his team's open scrimmage at EnergySolutions Arena, Williams quickly and confidently claimed to feel 'very comfortable' about the two guys behind him on the bench. In other words, Williams can rest a bit easier this season when he hands the keys to the Jazz over to reserves Ronnie Price(notes) and/or rookie Eric Maynor(notes). I think it's probably our best point-guard crew,' he said."

Mike Wells, The Indianapolis Star: "From a distance, [Troy] Murphy comes across as a free-spirited prankster. It turns out that's not the case. 'Murph plays the Jersey goofball a lot, but he certainly knows what's going on, so we give him a hard time,' said Pacers swingman Mike Dunleavy, who has been Murphy's teammate for seven years. 'He knows all the things that are at stake.' Murphy regained his old form last season when he averaged 14.3 points and a career-high 11.8 rebounds. He's the only player in NBA history to finish in the top five in rebounding (second) and 3-point percentage (third) in the same season. He also had 48 double-doubles, a franchise record. Murphy averaged a double-double in three of the first five years of his career. 'He's always been a terrific rebounder,' Dunleavy said. 'He sort of went back to where he was in previous years and just seemed more focused and had it all together, and when he does that he's a pretty good player.'"

Charles F. Gardner, Journal Sentinel: "A significant decision awaits the Milwaukee Bucks by the end of the month, and it's not an easy one. Bucks general manager John Hammond faces an Oct. 31 deadline to decide whether to renew the first option year on forward Joe Alexander's(notes) contract. Alexander would be owed $2.76 million next season if the Bucks pick up the first of two option years on his rookie-scale contract. Complicating the choice is the disappointing performance turned in by Alexander during his rookie year in 2008-'09 and the injuries that plagued him in training camp a year ago and again during the current preseason. Alexander worked hard during the off-season at the Bucks' training facility and performed well in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, but on the first day of training camp, he was standing on the sideline due to a strained right hamstring. The 6-foot-8 Alexander has not been able to practice yet or play in the Bucks' first five exhibition games, a huge setback for a player trying to gain coach Scott Skiles' confidence and battle for time at the small forward position. Hammond declined to comment Tuesday on the Bucks' intentions."

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