Each weekday morning, BDL serves up a handful of NBA-related stories to digest with your leftover potato chips.

Paul Coro, Arizona Republic: "Steve Nash and Grant Hill left US Airways Center at 11:10 p.m. Saturday night, sitting in on 45 minutes of a one-hour, closed-door meeting with Suns Managing Partner Robert Sarver, General Manager Steve Kerr and coaches. Eleven hours later, they were in another meeting Sunday, when Porter said players and coaches 'aired out differences' and watched game film. [...] The Suns' first 3-7 stretch since the 29-win season of 2003-04 has prompted such action. [...]  Shaquille O'Neal said 'excuse time is over' and ripped the Suns defense, saying teammates need to 'man up' 12 times in a 3 1/2-minute interview. 'We have to figure it out,' Kerr said. 'If the pieces don't fit, that's on me.'"

Peter Vecsey, New York Post: "Has Michael Curry lost control of the 25-20 Pistons and the respect of the players? Did he have it to lose? Numerous players didn't much care for Flip Saunders. Now it's more a lack of confidence in the rookie coach than a dislike of him, from what I'm told. 'No confidence' is more like it, a veteran confided to a friend. 'Psychologically we've lost confidence in him and I don't know how you get that back.' Biggest gripe from two veterans: They're convinced Curry is being told who to play by Joe Dumars. Following yet another Palace coup (Pistons have lost 10 at home this season), the Celtics upped another winning streak to double figures. 'We wanted to come in and take over Detroit,' Doc Rivers said. 'You know, like the American taxpayer.'"

Mike Bresnahan, Los Angeles Times: "Andrew Bynum underwent the exam Sunday morning without Altchek in attendance at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, the same place Altchek performed season-ending surgery on Bynum's other knee last May. Results are expected today, as well as a timetable for Bynum's return, long before the Lakers take the court tonight against the New York Knicks. 'We're all just on pins and needles waiting,' said Bynum's agent, David Lee. 'We're all walking on eggshells.' [...] The Lakers will try to make do for Bynum's absence by sliding Pau Gasol over from power forward to center and moving Lamar Odom into the starting lineup at power forward. (It might not happen against the undersized Knicks, but it will be their standard setup after that.)"

Alan Hahn, New York Newsday: "The NBA decided Friday that the Knicks are not eligible to use a disabled player exception to replace Cuttino Mobley, who retired in December because of a heart condition. The exception, according to the NBA collective-bargaining agreement, would have allowed the Knicks to spend up to $4.45 million — half of Mobley's salary — to acquire a replacement player. Now it is believed the Knicks will hold on to Mobley's rights as a possible trade chip for a future deal. Mobley will be an expiring contract next season worth $9.5 million. One example of how this could work in the Knicks' favor came last spring, when the Mavericks used retired Keith Van Horn's contract to complete the Jason Kidd trade with the Nets."

Dave Feschuk, Toronto Star: "You can say a lot of unflattering things about the .388 Raptors this season. You can assassinate their basketball acumen for ignoring defense and shirking rebounding and actively avoiding the paint in favor of jump shot upon jump shot. But it's only lately, in two straight home losses, that you've been able to say this: They quit. There wasn't more than a fleeting moment in yesterday's unconscionable blowout at the hands of the Orlando Magic and Friday's dismal walk-around against the Milwaukee Bucks when you could say, with any honesty, that the Raptors looked like they had the desire to win. And there certainly wasn't a single moment when they looked like they had a chance to win."

K.C Johnson, Chicago Tribune: "The chances of Vinny Del Negro getting fired this season are about as great as Jerry Reinsdorf singing karaoke at halftime of the next Bulls home game. And that could have been written even before the Bulls impressively downed Phoenix on Saturday night for their first three-game winning streak since April 2007. The silly speculation about Del Negro getting fired this season, possibly by the beginning of the All-Star break Feb. 13, overlooks three crucial factors: He's in the first season of a three-year deal, and Reinsdorf already is paying Scott Skiles not to work for him. Reinsdorf played a role in Del Negro's hiring after general manager John Paxson first signed off on Mike D'Antoni and Doug Collins. Little about Del Negro's learning curve in his first season coaching at any level surprises anybody in Bulls management."

Janny Hu, San Francisco Chronicle: "Though the Warriors are well out of the playoff race, they still need to assess their high-priced core now that Monta Ellis, Corey Maggette, Stephen Jackson and Jamal Crawford are relatively healthy. Team officials have maintained that they have no interest in trading Randolph or injured forward Brandan Wright, even if Nelson's spotty use of his young big men — or his playing of undrafted rookie Rob Kurz ahead of them at times — has helped encourage suitors."

Ailene Voisin, Sacramento Bee: "There is nothing bland about Spencer Hawes. If he were an entrée, he would be a 7-foot-long hot dog smothered in mustard and onions. He always has an answer — or at least something to say — and has long possessed the skills to become a quality NBA center. But he is only 20 years old. Sometimes we forget. Sometimes, he forgets. He doesn't know more than his coaches. He hasn't outplayed Brad Miller. He hasn't earned the right to whine to the referees with the perfected high pitch of a seasoned veteran. And he hasn't provided enough details for Kings officials (or anyone else) to complete his professional portfolio."

Joe Freeman, The Oregonian: "After an offseason of reflection, goal setting and rigorous training, Trail Blazers' forward LaMarcus Aldridge returned to Portland last fall to say this at Media Day on the eve of training camp: 'My whole summer, I was training to try and make myself a better team leader, and to put myself in the best position to be an All-Star this year.' And less than two weeks ago, after Aldridge torched the Milwaukee Bucks for 22 points, nine rebounds and five assists, all while making 8 of 13 field goals, he had this to say when I asked him if he was poised to fulfill his preseason goal and become an All-Star: 'I think so. But that's not my say so. It's on the other coaches around the league if they feel like I've done a good enough job. My goal coming into the season was to be an All-Star. I said it and I think everybody made a pretty big deal out of it. But now I just have to keep playing well and whatever happens, happens.'"

Rick Bonnell, Charlotte Observer: "So right after your 14th NBA season, the first thing you do is bake yourself two hours a day in 105-degree heat and bend into positions Gumby couldn't imagine. You would do that if you're Juwan Howard. That's why, five days short of his 36th birthday, he's likely to start for the Charlotte Bobcats tonight against the Utah Jazz. Howard played at power forward with the starters throughout practice Sunday. That shifted Boris Diaw to small forward and Adam Morrison to the bench. Coach Larry Brown said he's still mulling who will start against the Jazz, but it sure looked like Howard is either a starter or, at minimum, will play starter's minutes."

George M. Thomas, Akron Beacon Journal: "Delonte West is getting closer to returning from his broken right wrist, the veteran guard said. 'This week I've got a week where I can start shooting, so I can get some touch back with my left hand,' he said. And what about the cast on his right hand? 'They said it's coming off Thursday, so that's exciting news. I don't feel depressed about that,' he said jokingly. 'Plus I'm running out of suits, so I have to hurry up and get back up.'"

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