SH Blog: Gasol Stands His Ground In LA; Attorney Claims Perkins Is Innocent; Beasley Punches Self In Head

• Andrea Bargnani may not receive a warm welcome in his return to Toronto: ““They can boo (Bargnani) all they want to now,” Casey said. “Fans are going to do what they’re going to do.” With the way things ended in Toronto for Bargnani, it’s not a shock Raptor fans will let him hear it, and his teammates know it as well. As he addressed the media Thursday, the ex-Raptor was serenaded by Carmelo Anthony to the old “Welcome Back, Kotter” theme song. Bargnani, Barbarino — same difference. Friday’s game will be Bargnani’s first against his former since the No. 1 pick of the 2006 draft was traded to the Knicks in July.”

• Steph Curry and Kyrie Irving will be rivals on the court this year, they are both helping out off it: “It’s Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry going to Tanzania and delivering mosquito nets to families trying to prevent malaria, the leading killer of children in Africa, according to the grassroots organization Nothing But Nets. Or it’s Los Angeles Lakers big man Pau Gasol visiting Syrian refugees in Iraq. Or it’s Cleveland Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving traveling to South Africa on behalf of UNICEF and the NBA’s Basketball Without Borders program to help transform lives through education. Or it’s Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez going to Africa with the Clinton Foundation to help provide clean water to developing communities.”

“There’s a tangible goal at the end of it. It’s $10 to save four lives,” Curry said. “It’s a small commitment that has such a big impact. It’s possible that you can eradicate the whole problem of malaria in Africa just like we’ve done here in the North America and Europe just by providing by these nets for people in those areas and by killing the species of mosquito that is carrying the bacteria.”

• How about 10 predictions for this season from SheridanHoops’ Senior Writer Jan Hubbard: “Although I wouldn’t consider myself to be a serious bettor, I do enjoy an occasional trip to Las Vegas, where the betting is legal and sometimes expensive. Vegas is the ultimate venue for those who believe they are blessed with the power of clairvoyance. Think you’re smart enough to predict the outcome of a game, or games? Sports books provide unlimited opportunity for you to prove it. On an ideal day, I would wish for the ability to make three correct predictions. In Vegas, that is called a parlay and it pays 6-1. Hit a couple of those and you’ve got a lot of room for future error.”

• Attorney for Kendrick Perkins claims he is innocent in his recent altercation: ““Kendrick Perkins did nothing wrong, and I am confident that he will be exonerated,” said Matt Hennessy of DeGuerin, Dickson, Hennessy and Ward. “My client takes these charges very seriously. He is a respectful and kind person and is anxious to address these charges for the sake of his family and his team. We will defend these allegations vigorously in court.” Perkins posted $1,000 bail Thursday morning because of accusations he punched a woman and her brother outside a nightclub in Houston. The case was initially dismissed but later re-filed. The Thunder released the following statement on Thursday: “We were made aware of the allegations and take this matter seriously. We are in the process of gathering more information and have no further comment at this time.””

• Can Royce White finally make it in the NBA: ““I’ll be there tomorrow and I’ll be ready to play,” White said after Sixers practice Thursday. “I want to be able to show that I can play and be able to get with my teammates for the first time where we can play together and not against each other. I haven’t been on Evan [Turner]‘s or Thaddeus [Young]‘s or Spencer [Hawes]‘s team since back in the summer when we were playing open gym, so it will be good to be able to set a screen for somebody instead of on them.” But while Sixers fans will get their first up-close look at the affable but oft-anguished White (6-8, 260), it may not be the last time he plays at the Bob Carpenter Center. The venue is home to Philadelphia’s NBA Development League affiliate, the Delaware 87ers, which begin their inaugural season Nov. 23 at Canton. And if White makes the Sixers roster, there’s a chance he could find himself in a Sevens jersey at times throughout the season. White, the 16th overall selection in the 2012 NBA draft, has a sometimes debilitating anxiety disorder and prefers to travel by personal bus rather than plane. Air travel has triggered panic attacks. The 22-year-old never played a minute for Houston, instead spending much of last season either suspended or with the Rockets’ D-League affiliate.”