Each weekday morning, BDL serves up a handful of NBA-related stories to digest with your kipper. At least for now. We'll see how long this lasts.

Chris McCosky, Detroit News: "Jason Maxiell, a mainstay in the Pistons rotation, will be in the fold for at least three more seasons and quite possibly a fourth. Final language was still being worked out Thursday afternoon, but Maxiell today will sign what amounts to a four-year, $20 million contract extension. The fourth year will be Maxiell's option, but it is fully guaranteed. 'It will be done (today),' said Richard Katz, Maxiell's Cincinnati-based agent. 'This is good news for Jason. He loves the city and he loves the people. Could he have maybe made more money somewhere else? Yes. But this wasn't about money for Jason. He wanted to remain a Piston.'"

Brett Edwards, FanHouse: "There isn't one member of the Phoenix Suns who would tell you that the officiating was the reason that they dropped their home opener to the New Orleans Hornets. And it wasn't. Phoenix started off in a mentally sluggish state, turning the ball over and missing shots, while New Orleans hit on their first six shot attempts, and jumped out to an immediate 14-2 lead. The Hornets took control from the opening tip and hit some big shots down the stretch to make sure the Suns didn't come all the way back. But the officiating, especially in the second quarter, was so brutal that it merits its own discussion."

Frank Isola, New York Daily News: "According to a team source, one of the options the Knicks are considering for their outcast veteran is to have Stephon Marbury permanently leave the club until the organization either trades him or reaches an agreement on a buyout, the latter option being unlikely. The source insists that barring Marbury from the Knicks — which they did for several months last season — would only take place if he becomes a distraction and/or a malcontent. The Indiana Pacers are currently keeping Jamaal Tinsley from having contact with the team while they attempt to trade him. Publicly, Marbury has refused to criticize his reduced role and even said Thursday, 'Whatever they want to do is fine with me.'"

Hardwood Paroxysm: "For a majority of the fourth, Aldeman held out Yao and McGrady. The Rockets built and held a lead behind Ron Artest. That's what Artest does. He provides the second unit a guy who can produce when he needs to and then shift to an auxiliary role when the two top guys come back in. In one sequence, Artest guarded Brandon Bass, Josh Howard, and Dirk Nowitzki in back to back possessions. On top of this he nailed a huge three of a screen. Rob messaged me as Artest unleashed an awesome tribal dance, 'When did Ron Artest turn into Jason Kapono?' Artest working the perimeter gets back to a level of offensive potency with the inside-outside game that made them very hard to stop tonight."

Steve Bulpett, Boston Herald: "The commissioner won’t be at the Garden tonight. No legends will be walking to center court to deliver hardware. After the grand production of opening night, the Celtics will dive headlong into just basketball. Just 81 more to go before the playoffs. 'Amen,' said coach Doc Rivers, whose team will host Chicago this evening. 'Now the season starts. It was worth it, though. Like I said, we earned it. We deserved it. But now it’s about the games. It’s about each night us performing and seeing what we have. I jokingly said I would have rather had it like in high school where you pick your homecoming opponent — and I definitely wouldn’t have picked Cleveland. In retrospect, probably playing Cleveland (in the season-opening win) was the best thing for us, because they get you going, and that’s probably what we needed.'"

Mavs Moneyball: "As expected, Antoine Wright got the start and it, ummm, well it didn't go so well. In the first three minutes he airballed a three, turned it over on two consecutive possessions, and then fouled McGrady while he was shooting a three.  Final line -- 17 minutes, 2 points (1-6), 3 rebounds, 3 fouls. And yes, he should definitey still be the starter on Saturday and the foreseeable future. [...] I might be wrong on this, but I think Dirk only touched the ball on offense once in the first six minutes. He then made a three from behind the top of the key, and in my opinion the season officially began."

K.C. Johnson, Chicago Tribune: "Asked if he shared any pointers for  Derrick Rose in advance of the rookie's first NBA regular-season road game, Springfield, Mass., native Del Negro cracked wise. 'Enjoy the seafood — it's great,' Del Negro said. 'The clam chowder is excellent. They have some great spots there.' As the No. 1 pick, Rose isn't worried about being the fans' target on the road. 'I can block things out,' he said. 'I'm not looking at the crowd. I'm not looking at signs. I'm not hearing what's going on. I just go out there and play.'"

Celtics Blog: "He doesn't look as good in turquoise and pinstripes as he did in green and white. It just doesn't seem as natural. But everything else about James Posey last night in Phoenix brought me right back to his work last spring. When the game got close in the fourth quarter and the Hornets needed a big shot, Pose was there.  atching him step into that goofy, off-one-leg three-point stroke, one seemed to know the way each play would end. He would catch, bend his knees and then go through that relaxed stroke that envelopes his entire body, right wrist extended outward as the ball swished through the hoop. The swingman went 3-for-5 on threes and 5-for-8 overall for 13 points."

Queen City Hoops: "The Bobcats started the season with a bang: The loud bang of a balloon popping, waking up all the people dreaming about them being ready to compete; I would be included in that category. And I feel a little silly and kind of disappointed right now. Previewing the game and remembering how tough the Bobcats played Cleveland last year caused me to brush over the fact that this team showed no offensive cohesiveness in the preseason and was without a power forward who could contribute meaningfully. Lesson learned (for now — I am still a fan and with it comes a short memory, hopefully)."

Mike Wells, Indianapolis Star: "The Pacers and forward Danny Granger's representative have two days to agree to a contract extension of up to five years. Granger said the sides are talking and it wouldn't surprise him if negotiations went down to the wire. If a deal isn't reached this week, Granger will be a restricted free agent after the season, meaning the Pacers can match any offer."

Doug Smith, Toronto Star: "Jermaine O'Neal hardly played in any of the three pre-season games at the Air Canada Centre — and he looked distinctly in pre-season form when he was on the court — so tonight is a coming-out party of sorts. He knows how raucous Toronto fans can be and can't wait to hear them bellowing for him rather than against him. 'I know it's going to be a packed house, the crowd has always been great here. I know (that) as a player coming in here as an opposing team,' he said. 'I know they're going to be pumped about the new lineup that we have, it's going to be a good game.'"

Bob Young, The Arizona Republic: "For the past three seasons, Raja Bell has seen nothing but a green light when he's been open beyond the 3-point line. Nothing about his average of 461 3-point shots per season signals 'proceed with caution.' But Bell might be getting mixed signals in his first year under coach Terry Porter. After he launched a 3-pointer in the first quarter Thursday night in the Suns' home opening loss to the New Orleans Hornets at US Airways Center, Porter didn't look pleased. And not long after that, Bell was headed to the bench, where he remained for the rest of the first half."

Elias Sports Bureau: "The Hornets beat the Suns 108-95 in Phoenix one night after defeating the Warriors in Oakland. New Orleans becomes only the third team in NBA history to start 2-0 with both wins on the road against opponents which had won at least 48 games the previous season. The 1993-94 Knicks beat the Celtics and Cavaliers and the 1972-73 Bucks topped the Suns and Warriors."

Tim Cowlishaw, Dallas Morning News: "The Mavericks didn't look old Thursday night playing against what easily could be one of the two best teams in the West, along with the Los Angeles Lakers. But they did look confused when the game slowed down to half-court pace in the fourth quarter, when they were unable to run off missed Rockets shots. After scoring 86 through three quarters, the Mavericks put 16 on the board in the fourth. That lost them the opener. But at least they no longer look like a lost cause."

Wayne Coffey and Michael O'Keefe, New York Daily News: "Isiah Thomas was not breathing when police found the former Knicks coach and president sprawled on the kitchen floor of his Purchase home last week, according to an incident report obtained Thursday by the Daily News. Harrison police administered oxygen to Thomas until an ambulance crew arrived. He was taken to White Plains Hospital Center for further medical attention. According to the report, Harrison police officers responding to a late-night 911 call arrived at Thomas' $4 million home shortly after midnight on Oct.24 and found a victim unconscious in the kitchen. Thomas' name and other personal information were redacted from the report ..."

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