- Rick Carlisle is willing to take desperate measures to have his players play better, according to Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News: “We have good guys, I’ve never questioned that,” coach Rick Carlisle said Monday. “We’re all in it together. That’s the bottom line. There’s a foxhole, we’re in it right now. “It’s 15 players and however many coaches and our GM and our owner and we got to battle our [tails] off to get out. It’s not easy. Washington’s got a bad record, but they’ve been in virtually every game and I can’t say the same for us.”… Carlisle even took the drastic measure after the blowout loss to San Antonio on Sunday of saying he would consider anything — including suspensions — for players who don’t adhere to basic fundamentals on the court. He said that knowing full well that enforcing such a measure in these times would be difficult.“
- DeMarcus Cousins may be on the trading block, but the cost to attain him may simply be too high, according to Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio: “The Kings have denied they’re trying to trade center DeMarcus Cousins, a true talent as both a player and a trouble spot. But multiple sources who claim to have taken their calls said that’s not true, that Cousins is actually on the market. The asking price, however, “is way too high right now,” said one opposing GM.”
- Despite all the problems he has caused, the Rockets appear to be intent on keeping Royce White, from Wojnarowski:
If Royce White decides he wants to play basketball, he'll have to play in Rockets organization. Houston has no intention of releasing him.
@WojYahooNBA
Adrian Wojnarowski
- Gregg Popovich will continue to sit players as he has always done in his career as a coach, according to Jeff McDonald of Express-News: “I don’t know what the guidelines are,” Popovich said before the Spurs’ 111-86 victory at Dallas on Sunday. “I don’t know how you plan. I’m just going to do what I’ve been doing for 16, 17 years. “I’m mostly concerned with the health and safety of my players, especially the ones who are a little bit older. When they need rest, I’m going to give it to them.”… “If you’re playing four games in five nights and you need to rest somebody, I think that’s a call that I’ll make if I need to do that,” Popovich said. “I’ve done it before, and I’ll do it again, I’m sure.”
- Rajon Rondo does not believe the current Celtics team can simply turn it around and figure out how to win, according to Steve Bulpett of Boston Herald: “That doesn’t really matter now, because we’ve got, like, nine different players,” Rondo said yesterday. “There’s only about three guys who’ve been here and did that. It’s not like this is the same team that turned it around late and knows how to do that. So I don’t compare it to last year or other years. “Even though we’ve gotten off to slow starts the last two or three years and turned it around, each year is different. Each team is completely different. So I’m not banking on that.”
- Don’t expect Derrick Rose back in action any time soon, according to Tom Thibodeau. Nick Friedell of ESPN Chicago has details: “Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose is doing all non-contact drills in practice, but coach Tom Thibodeau said Rose is “not anywhere close to playing” as he rehabs from a torn ACL in his left knee. “He’s right where he’s always been,” Thibodeau said after Sunday’s practice. “Each week he’ll do a little bit more, he’s doing more basketball stuff but still he’s not anywhere close to playing. He’s got a long way to go for that. He’s doing all the non-contact stuff in practice, none of the contact stuff, but he’s doing well overall.”
- Byron Scott wants Kyrie Irving to continue being aggressive, from Bob Finnan of News-Herald: “His ability to score is going to impact the game,” Cavs coach Byron Scott said. “They have to give him more attention when he has the ball in his hands. He’s able to create for him teammates and, obviously, for himself. “I want him to stay aggressive. He’s trying to find that happy medium of getting guys involved and keeping them happy, and also being able to score. As long as he stays aggressive, he’ll be able to do that.” “Sometimes he gets passive and gives up the ball too early,” Scott said. “Sometimes they double-team him and try to take the ball out of his hands. He’s still talented enough to get past most bigs. Sometimes, he gives it up too easy and too early. I want him to stay aggressive. If he keeps that mindset, I think he’ll be fine.”