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

Gary Washburn, Boston Globe: "Chris Paul is wily enough to understand when he's being prodded and provoked, and that happened twice in a 30-minute period last night at TD Garden. First, Paul walked over to shake hands and exchange congratulations with Paul Pierce(notes) following the Celtics' rugged 97-87 win over Paul's New Orleans Hornets. In the midst of that conversation, Paul was approached by Celtics guard Rajon Rondo(notes) who said some unkind words to his point guard counterpart. Paul shot back at Rondo and the two had to be separated. Rondo was ushered to the tunnel by Celtics director of security Phil Lynch, while Paul continued his testy conversation with Celtics assistant coach Tom Thibodeau, and the two were seen yelling at each other while Paul slowly walked to toward the Hornets' tunnel. It was the culmination of a passionate clash between two under-25 point guards who each have a point of contention with the other. While many NBA players knuckle-knock, hug, and share laughs after games, hardly fostering any rivalry, it appears Paul and Rondo have an actual disdain for each other. [...] The situation began when both were assessed technicals after tangling under the basket with 6:10 left in the second quarter."

Chris Tomasson, NBA FanHouse: "With Monday the deadline to sign a contract extension, Memphis forward Rudy Gay(notes) said it will take a deal of about $50 million over five years to get his signature. 'I think I should be in that range,' Gay told FanHouse before his team's 133-123 loss to Denver on Sunday night at the Pepsi Center. However, Gay said the Grizzlies have yet to offer a deal worth as much as $50 million over five years. 'Yeah, you're right,' he said. Gay said his agent, Jeff Austin, told him Friday it's '50-50' an extension will be reached by the deadline, and he planned to talk with him again late Sunday night. Gay said he's putting much of the responsibility upon Austin to come up with a suitable contract and had told Austin he only wanted to hear from him in recent days if a deal was close. 'If it's not 50, if it's more, I stand behind him,' said Gay, speaking of Austin being able to negotiate a contract in excess of $50 million over five years. 'I'm not going to turn it down.'"

RealGM/Orlando Sentinel: Raptors forward Hedo Turkoglu(notes) says that he wanted to stay with the Magic, but the team's offer was unsatisfactory. Turkoglu, who was a free agent, landed in Toronto via sign-and-trade this offseason after helping lead Orlando to the NBA Finals. 'I was knocking and knocking on the door, waiting for an answer,' he told the Orlando Sentinel. 'I couldn't stand in front of the door forever. It's business. I hated to go.' Turkoglu says he was upset after having an 'awkward' meeting with the Magic this summer that included a low-ball offer. He says the Magic offered him a four-year deal worth $34 million, with the team insisting on holding the option on a fourth season. 'They said I had a good year, it's a good market for you and we hope you get some money,' Turkoglu added. 'It was awkward. After that, my agent [Lon Babby] looked into other teams. Then they [the Magic] didn't return our calls. They made some kind of offer. ... It was frustrating.'"

Associated Press: "Lakers forward Pau Gasol(notes) is getting frustrated by the slow pace of his recovery from a strained right hamstring after missing his third straight game Sunday night. Gasol has been out of action for three weeks since injuring his leg early in the defending NBA champions' preseason schedule. He didn't suit up for Los Angeles' game against Atlanta, putting Lamar Odom(notes) in the starting lineup again. 'We've done all the right treatment and rehab, and now we've just got to be patient,' Gasol said. 'It's not going away, and it was hard for a few days. I didn't expect it to be this way, but we're doing what we have to do.' [...] The Lakers haven't decided when Gasol will return, but he plans to make their upcoming road trip to Oklahoma City and Houston. Coach Phil Jackson doesn't mind if Gasol sits out both games, but he expects his starting power forward to be back fairly soon."

Marcus Thompson II, Contra Costa Times: "An MRI revealed no damage in Warriors backup center Ronny Turiaf's(notes) left knee, but he is out with a sprain. Turiaf left Friday's game against Phoenix early in the fourth quarter and didn't return. He said he went for an offensive rebound and felt his leg give out a sharp pain. Listed as day-to-day, Turiaf said his knee feels better, and he didn't rule out playing Wednesday against visiting Memphis. 'This is an injury that I played with last year towards the end, so I am familiar with it,' Turiaf said, 'I just have to stay on top of it because that is something you have to be careful with. For the position that I play, I need to have power in my legs to play defense and be successful.'"

Mike Ganter, Toronto Sun: "The H1N1 virus hasn't had the impact in Orlando it is having in the GTA, but no one is taking chances these days with any kind of flu bug. Magic starting forward Mickael Pietrus(notes) came down with something between Saturday's practice and yesterday's game against the Raptors, and the Magic decided to put him on a plane and send him back home. 'I think in normal circumstances he could have stayed, maybe even played,' Magic head coach Stan Van Gundy said, 'but these aren't normal circumstances. We'll err on the side of caution.' Van Gundy said he didn't think Pietrus had contracted H1N1, but felt it was important for the team to be ultra vigilant in protecting its players. 'If something happens and he's feeling better tomorrow, we'll fly him to Detroit (Orlando's next stop).'"

Mike Bresnahan, L.A. Times: "Jordan Farmar now has extra motivation, should he need it. So does Adam Morrison(notes). The Lakers did not give contract extensions to either fourth-year player, making them both restricted free agents in July. The Lakers had until today to reach an agreement with each player. Farmar, 23, will make $1.9 million this season and Morrison, 26, will make $5.2 million. 'I think I have a lot to offer. I know I can do so much more than I'm doing right now,' said Farmar, who is averaging 4.7 points and 1.7 assists through three games this season. 'If they really, really want me, they probably would have signed me. It's tough. I feel that I've gone out there a lot and shown what I have, with the opportunity that I've got. It's my job to try to prove it to them.' The Lakers have the right to match any offer Farmar or Morrison signs next summer."

Jason Quick, The Oregonian: "Nobody is ready to declare Greg Oden(notes) a leader yet. Not after one game. But what transpired here Sunday could be the start of the season's most important development. It could be when Greg Oden came out of his shell. When he became a little nasty. Very much intimidating. And an immensely powerful force on this team. It was so startling, so different, that Roy and Travis Outlaw(notes) were taking turns imitating Oden's deep growls at teammates during the game. 'TRAV! KEEP PLAYING! COME ON!' Outlaw said, mustering all the baritone he could from his stomach. 'MAKE YOUR FREE THROWS; LET'S GO!' Roy said, his voice deep and gravelly. It started before the opening tip. Oden went separately to Steve Blake(notes) and Roy, reminding them of last year's 102-93 loss here in a game that was out of hand by halftime. Then as the team took the court for the opening tip, he extended his hand into the chest of LaMarcus Aldridge(notes) to stop the Blazers power forward. He spoke closely to Aldridge, demonstratively pointing his finger at the court, at one point saying 'We can't have it!'"

K.C. Johnson, Chicago Tribune: "OK, so the official recruitment period doesn't begin until July 1. And there's no guarantee Wade will leave Miami or the Bulls won't engineer an in-season trade — similar to February's acquisition of Miller and John Salmons(notes) — that will affect their salary-cap situation. It also should be noted no Bulls official has said Wade will be the team's No. 1 priority next summer if he becomes a free agent. Still, as it stands, the Bulls are poised to be one of approximately seven teams with significant salary-cap space to pursue free agents in an unprecedented class that could include Wade, LeBron James(notes), Chris Bosh(notes), Carlos Boozer(notes), Amare Stoudemire and Joe Johnson(notes). NBA officials are prohibited from discussing prospective free agents. But one Eastern Conference executive, speaking on the condition of anonymity, talked glowingly of a potential Rose-Wade pairing. 'I've heard some people say both need the ball in their hands too much to be effective," the executive said. "I don't see that as an issue at all. Wade doesn't get credit for how well he moves without the ball. And great players always find a way to make it work.'"

Related: LaMarcus Aldridge, Adam Morrison, Ronny Turiaf, Steve Blake, Travis Outlaw, Chris Bosh, Mickael Pietrus, LeBron James, Carlos Boozer, John Salmons, Joe Johnson, Pau Gasol, Hedo Turkoglu, Lamar Odom, Greg Oden, Rajon Rondo, Rudy Gay, Paul Pierce, New Orleans Hornets, Suicide lines