Only a handful of players selected in the NBA's 2005 draft will have received a contract extension before Friday's midnight deadline, but you can add Portland Trail Blazers swingman Martell Webster to that list.

Webster's agent, Bob Myers, told ESPN.com that the 21-year-old has signed a four-year extension with the Blazers believed to be worth $20 million, very similar to the deal Jason Maxiell received Thursday from the Detroit Pistons.

The fourth season of Webster's new contract, which will kick in next season, is at the Blazers' option.

Home-court disadvantage?

Forward Chris Wilcox said all the hoopla surrounding the Thunder’s first game in Oklahoma City possibly was a factor in a 98-87 loss to Milwaukee on Wednesday night at the Ford Center.

"You can be so hyped, sometimes you waste a lot of energy before the game,” Wilcox said. "There was a little problem. But from here on out, we’ll come out and just play hard. We dug ourselves a hole in the first quarter and couldn’t get out of it.”

Wilcox and his teammates raved about the crowd after the historic first game. They’re excited that most home games will be played in front of sellout crowds.

The opener offered a lot of activity that could interfere with players’ concentration. NBA commissioner David Stern visited the Thunder in the locker room before the game. Team officials unveiled a Thunder banner in the rafters. Mayor Mick Cornett addressed the crowd.

"There was a lot going on,” Wilcox said. "There was so much energy in the arena. Some guys didn’t know how to handle that, especially for a first game. For us, coming from Seattle, most of the time we never had sellouts. Some people didn’t know how to really handle that.”

Coach P.J. Carlesimo sensed some players possibly were too hyped for the organization’s debut. When the Thunder fell behind by 16 points midway through the second quarter, Oklahoma City was shooting 20.9 percent from the field (5-of-24).

"I’m not discouraged, but I’m disappointed we did not play better,” Carlesimo said. "We know we’re a lot better than we played. We know we’re capable of playing better individually and certainly collectively.”

Partially because he's got cred — and partially because his backups didn't do much better — Linas Kleiza is expected to start again for the Nuggets tonight in Los Angeles against the Clippers.

Kleiza, a small forward who averaged 11.2 points per game last season, made just one field goal against Utah in Denver's season-opening 98-94 loss Wednesday night. His competition for the start was Dahntay Jones, a defensive stopper who also made just one basket.

"I would probably give L.K. another start and rotate the game that way," Denver coach George Karl said. "So maybe we'll try to get him into the flow of the offense earlier in the game."

Kleiza, a key reserve, got the start because Denver is without all-star Carmelo

Anthony, suspended for the season's first two games because of an arrest last spring for a DUI.

Anthony will rejoin the team Saturday night in the Nuggets' home opener against the Los Angeles Lakers.

Kleiza also said his agent and the Nuggets were close to agreeing upon a four-year contract extension. The deadline is today; otherwise, he will be a restricted free agent next summer.

Mavericks owner Mark Cuban wants to throw "the biggest event this country has ever seen."

NBA commissioner David Stern has somewhat more modest goals for the 2010 All-Star Game, which will be played at the new Cowboys' stadium that February.

"I don't know what the largest crowd ever to see a basketball game in the United States is," Stern said Thursday. "I think it's about 78,000. We're going to top that. If Mark wants to push it to 100,000, God bless him."

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said the stadium could easily handle that crowd, adding that "the court will literally be on the star."

There was no limit to the excitement of the franchise owners and the league as the announcement was made at Victory Plaza before the Mavericks opened their season against the Houston Rockets.

Cuban said he wants to put on a show that has never been equaled.

"There ain't no party like a D-FW party," Cuban said.

"I don't think people realize this is the country's largest weekend destination by far," he said, referring to the NBA All-Star weekend. "It's amazing, and you don't really understand it until you go to one."

Mavericks' president Terdema Ussery was the guiding force behind the scenes. He worked more than 14 months, planting the first seed with the NBA that the Mavs were interested in hosting the event.

While the All-Star Game will be in Arlington, virtually all the other events will be in Dallas. The Friday night and Saturday night festivities will be at American Airlines Center. The Fan Jam will be at the Dallas Convention Center.

The league also envisions a series of events starting early in 2009 that would serve as momentum builders toward the big weekend, which will bring thousands of visitors from the sporting, fashion and entertainment industries.

Told of the NBA announcement on Thursday that the 2010 All-Star Game would be played at the new Dallas Cowboys stadium to open in Arlington, Rockets center Yao Ming was incredulous.

“In a football stadium?” he said, his voice rising an octave. “Are you sure? A football stadium? That’s just too far. It will feel like playing outdoors.”

Then Yao recalled that he did play in a football stadium in the 2002 World Championships in Indianapolis and rapidly found the notion more palatable.

“It’s not a bad idea,” he said, then went back into joke mode.

“I’ll be retired already,” he said, “so I don’t worry about it.”

Tracy McGrady said he does not like playing in football stadiums since his days in Toronto playing in the SkyDome. But he said he likes the idea of a venue that will have enough room for more fans

“It will definitely generate a lot more money, that’s for sure,” McGrady said. “There will be more room for the fans.

“It’s not as much of a celebrity crowd. When you have all the celebrities there, they’re too cool to get into the game.

“Hopefully, I’m still good enough to be there.”

When the Rockets announced Aaron Brooks would miss one to three weeks, they might have been thinking one to three games.

Brooks was in uniform, but held out of the opener on Wednesday. By Thursday, he was back on the floor, starting the second quarter with an assist and a 3-pointer on the first two trips down the floor on the way to 14 points.

Brooks went through a long pregame session on the court as a last test of his ability to come back just four days after he bruised his right ankle in practice.

“They said he worked out pretty good,” Rockets coach Rick Adelman said.

“I want to be sure he’s healthy. I don’t want to throw him out there and have something happen where he has to step back. We don’t need another prolonged injury.

“I’m hoping he can play and has no repercussions from it.”

Brooks, whose contract was extended for a third season Thursday, was the Rockets’ leading scorer in the preseason, averaging 14.4 points and 4.1 assists in seven preseason games, making 45.8 percent of his shots.

Expect a different approach tonight when the Griz host the Orlando Magic for their home opener in FedExForum.

There could be a different starting lineup, too.

Don't be surprised if rookie power forward Darrell Arthur's name is called -- a change that could happen for three reasons.

Arthur's 11-point, 15-rebound outing at Houston was a continuation of his increasingly explosive play.

The 6-9, 235-pounder out of Kansas would be an athletic and energetic complement to starting center Marc Gasol, and allow the Griz to counter the Magic's length, speed and athleticism.

Plus, Griz coach Marc Iavaroni sounded Thursday as though he has already given a lineup change serious consideration.

"Anything is possible," Iavaroni said. "I've got one more night to sleep on it."

Should Arthur become a starter, the Griz would start three rookies for the first time since their inaugural campaign in Memphis. During the 2001-02 season, rookies Shane Battier, Pau Gasol and Will Solomon started together the first of three times on Nov. 7, 2001.

Marc Gasol's rookie debut Wednesday certainly was something to write Spain about -- 12 points, 12 rebounds and two blocks. Mayo, meanwhile, missed 15 of 20 field-goal attempts, including all seven of his 3-pointers.

The Spurs kicked off their Halloween trip to Portland on Thursday in appropriate fashion.

Before boarding their charter flight, they watched a horror show. Specifically, they viewed film of their season-opening 103-98 loss to Phoenix, the results of which were more horrifying than anything Freddy Krueger ever cooked up.

“It was a horror film, for sure,” forward Matt Bonner said. “It could be on AMC tonight, the Fright-A-Thon, with ‘Friday the 13th’ and ‘Nightmare on Elm Street.’”

Said guard Ime Udoka: “It was ugly on the court, the way we did certain things.”

Most galling to coach Gregg Popovich were breakdowns in the Spurs’ transition defense, which opened the floor for Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire to run amok in the fourth quarter.

“You hate to lose a game with mental errors, and lack of effort and transition ‘D,’” Popovich said. “The transition ‘D’ and some mental aspects of the game were very poor on our part.”

They would have enjoyed the lessons more if they had come with a victory.

As it was, two shots on the Kings' final possession Wednesday night in Minnesota didn't find the net, and the many revelations about this team would come in a season-opening loss.

But the locker room afterward was far from doom-and-gloom, as the Kings took mere minutes to transition into silver-lining mode. In short, they said, the positives were plenty and the problems fixable.

"We had a chance to win it on the last play, and you can't ask for anything better than that," veteran guard Bobby Jackson said. "You fight another day. Hopefully we learn from the mistakes we made and learn not to make the same mistakes again."

Lesson No. 1: Youngsters can win games, especially second-year centers. The Kings' best shot at forcing overtime was the one that wasn't taken. Spencer Hawes, who had 12 points on 5-of-8 shooting to go with 14 rebounds and six blocks, hesitated on a mid-range jumper with five seconds left before passing to Kevin Martin for a contested 20-footer that was off target.

The play was designed for Jackson to get an open shot from the left wing, with Martin set to draw the defense before finding his teammate. It broke down when Jackson's defender denied the pass, and Martin found Hawes at the free-throw line.

"I want Spencer Hawes to take that shot," Kings coach Reggie Theus said. "He's a good shooter. He had a great basketball game. He has to be confident in taking that shot. I'll take that shot from Spence all day long."

Lesson No. 2: Martin doesn't have to be Superman, but he can't be Clark Kent, either. The shooting guard's 5-of-19 effort from the floor was nearly impossible for his team to overcome, with Theus later saying he thought Martin was "probably pressing a little bit after a couple shots weren't going in."

Phoenix's starting lineup certainly struggled while spotting the Hornets a 14-2 lead just three minutes into Thursday's home opener. But the Suns' second unit, which played to mixed reviews in the opening-night win over San Antonio, took a step backward as well with an ugly stretch of basketball to open the second quarter:

Rookie center Robin Lopez lasted only 95 seconds in the game - during which he committed three fouls and one of Phoenix's 14 first-half turnovers before taking a seat in favor of 11th man Louis Amundson.

Amundson needed only 27 seconds to get his first foul, putting the Suns in the penalty just 2:02 into the quarter.

Leandro Barbosa missed his first five shots, all of them 3-point attempts, while committing three turnovers and three personal fouls - all on the offensive end. He didn't play in the third quarter when Raja Bell enjoyed his first hot streak of the season with a 10-point eruption.

Goran Dragic continued his search for his first NBA basket with six scoreless minutes. Dragic came back in the second half and picked up his first NBA point (a free throw) and a basket (a running jumper).

But while the Suns reserves missed six of seven shots and committed seven turnovers and six fouls, Phoenix was able to stay in the game when the Hornets failed to capitalize.

Suns forward Amaré Stoudemire has been an All-Star, an All-NBA pick and finished sixth in MVP voting, but Suns coach Terry Porter knows two areas where he can develop much more - defense and post-up offense.

Porter said Stoudemire has to improve his defense to be considered on the same level as Tim Duncan or Kevin Garnett.

"He has everything," Porter said. "He's got speed. He's got strength. He's got athleticism. So he has all the tools."

On posting up, Porter said, "Amaré was someone I targeted as someone that needed post-ups. I've always believed that is a very important part of the game when you play half-court offense. If you have a low-post threat, it helps you tremendously from putting pressure on the defense and making them decide to double or maintain one-on-one coverage.

"He could be good down there. There's no reason for him not to be. He's got all the moves."

His teammates noticed his passing Wednesday and his willingness to let the game come to him.

"That more is tribute to Amaré's experience," Steve Nash said. "He made a couple plays that maybe he hasn't made in the past. It's impressive."

Andrew Bynum on Thursday signed a four-year contract extension worth $57.4 million, but the Lakers aren't done talking with agent David Lee.

Lee also represents forward Trevor Ariza, who will be an unrestricted free agent in July in what could be another lengthy contract negotiation.

Ariza has increased his all-around game, adding a three-point shot to an already intriguing mix of solid defense and burst around the basket.

He makes $3.1 million this season and could command at least double that number next summer if he continues to play as well as he has in a very young season. Through two games, Ariza is averaging 11 points and four rebounds in only 22.5 minutes a game. He has made four of five three-point attempts.

Ariza, 23, was acquired last November from Orlando for Brian Cook and Maurice Evans.

He worked hard during the off-season -- "three hours a day," his agent said -- to improve his outside touch.

The Lakers have noticed. In fact, they'd like him to shoot more often.

"It's not that he's not a good shooter, it's just that he doesn't think shot," Coach Phil Jackson said. "He's looking to drive or penetrate. We try to get him to think [about] the fact that if you're open, take a shot. This offense is an offense that creates shots for guys."

Bynum's extension could spell the eventual end of Lamar Odom's tenure with the team.

Odom is in the last season of his contract, and the Lakers deferred until next summer to make a decision on him when the team was asked by Odom's representatives for a contract extension this off-season.

Odom, who turns 29 next week, is making $11.4 million this season. (His salary-cap number is $14.1 million because of an up-front trade kicker when he was acquired by the Lakers in 2004.)

Andrew Bynum was like a colt when he got here at 17, all arms, legs and wide eyes, with no lines in his face or clues about what he was in for. He's definitely a grown man now, 21 years old (since Monday) with a $57.4-million contract extension (since Thursday).

Bynum was the anomaly of anomalies, an overweight late bloomer, as far away from being ready as you could get, who became a hard worker who soaked up coaching.

It started after his unimpressive showing in the McDonald's All-American Game when his AAU coach trimmed 30 pounds off him and invited scouts to a workout in New York. That was where Lakers assistant GM Ronnie Lester picked up on him.

I recently talked to an Eastern team official who said the team didn't even think the workout was worth attending.

"He was fat, lazy, didn't like basketball," the official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said of Bynum. "He had lost a lot of weight, but we've seen that before."

It was a bold move by the Lakers, who had all the leverage and could have waited this season to see if there were any complications from the arthroscopic surgery on Bynum's left knee.

On the other hand, with an average salary of $14.35 million instead of the maximum $17 million, the Lakers just got about a $10-million discount over four seasons (three guaranteed, the fourth at the team's option, limiting its exposure in case of catastrophic injury).

Add in another $10 million in luxury tax and the Lakers just saved about $20 million.

Of course, the injury poses a risk, but which of their players doesn't run a risk every time he goes out there?

Aside from that, it's party time in Lakerdom. Do you remember when Greg Oden was considered the best young big man since Tim Duncan or Shaquille O'Neal?

Nowadays that's Bynum.

Marcus Camby, who has been sidelined because of a bruised right heel, took another step in the right direction Thursday. Still, he said he would not play tonight against his former teammates, the Nuggets, aiming for Monday's game against Utah at home.

"Today was my first time in weeks having contact practice and all," Camby said. "For the most part, it felt pretty good till they pulled me out to ice it. I'm definitely just inches away from being out there on the court."

Dunleavy said Camby was "very doubtful" for tonight's game. The main concern is no more setbacks.

"When he's out there, he does so many positive things that we just can't have that missed time," Dunleavy said.

There was the tantalizing option of running away, at least mentally, from Wednesday's all-around debacle, a 117-79 loss to the Lakers, which was the Clippers' season opener.

Heaven knows that they would all get another viewing when they got to their practice facility Thursday, from Captain Video, also known as Coach Mike Dunleavy. But Clippers forward Al Thornton wasn't going to run or hide, even for a few hours.

Thornton went home from Staples Center and viewed the game again, saying he stayed up almost the whole night, getting to bed about 4 in the morning.

A scary movie, right?

"Probably even worse because you're embarrassed in front of the whole nation," said Thornton, who had 16 points, going seven for 15 from the field.

That feeling led to a long closed-door team meeting after the game, and new Clipper Baron Davis expressed his anger in no uncertain terms. Thornton did say there were other voices in the discussion.

"We had talked and talked about what kind of identity we have," Thornton said. "What kind of direction we want to go. What kind of purpose? What's our purpose? Who do we want to be as a team?"

There were not many answers for those questions Wednesday.

"It got a little loud," Thornton said of the meeting. "At the end of the day, we all have the same goal. We want to win. It can't be tolerated."

Not by a certain point guard named Baron Davis.

"He's a rowdy little fella," Thornton said. "When he gets [mad], he's pretty fierce."

Was that the case Wednesday in the dressing room?

"Yeah, that's accurate," Thornton said.

Despite his skills and the apparent good fit in Miami, Shawn Marion might not be a long-term member of the Heat. He is in the final year of a contract that pays him $17.8 million, and he and the Heat don't seem close to agreement on a contract extension.

He could be traded, or Miami could let him become an unrestricted free agent at season's end so it can wipe his salary off the books. Marion brusquely refers all inquiries to his agent, Dan Fegan, and Heat President Pat Riley. "I'm focused on playing ball," Marion said.

And perhaps proving that he can be more than a team's third star.

"He's one of the most valuable guys I've ever played with," said New York swingman Quentin Richardson, a teammate in Phoenix, "and he doesn't get all the credit he probably deserves."

The day after Al Harrington went public with his trade request, he and coach Don Nelson began down their path toward an unlikely reconciliation.

"I'm moving on from it, coach is also, and we're going to see how everything works out," said Harrington, who finished with 13 points on 5-for-17 shooting, seven rebounds, three assists and three steals.

The 10-year veteran had said Tuesday night that he hasn't been happy playing for Nelson and that he reiterated his trade request in a meeting Chris Mullin, the team's vice president.

"If you ask me if I want to be traded, I've been wanting to be traded since the end of last season," Harrington said Tuesday.

"With everything that happened in the summer and coming into training camp, I was hoping things were going to work out between me and Nellie," Harrington said, "but I don't think that's going to happen."

Harrington remains skeptical, and Nelson said the Warriors would continue to try to accommodate Harrington's trade request.

"Obviously, we would make a trade if we can get a good player. That's not a problem," Nelson said. "But we have to get a good player in return."

Current Cal coach and former Warriors coach Mike Montgomery has filed an arbitration claim against Golden State to recover more than $1 million in unpaid salary, MediaNews staff writer Tim Kawakami wrote on his San Jose Mercury News blog. He reported that NBA sources confirmed that Montgomery is going after money that wasn't paid to him last season, which was the final guaranteed year of his four-year, $10 million Warriors deal. According to Kawakami's sources, Montgomery's Golden State contract included a "mitigating" clause that would reduce the Warriors' payment if Montgomery were fired and then took an NBA or college head-coaching job during the duration of the deal. Warriors management apparently has argued that Montgomery could have taken a college job last spring or summer, which Warriors management believes triggered the mitigating clause and eliminates their financial commitment to him.

Andrew Bynum has signed his contract extension ($42 million over three years plus a team option for a fourth season that's worth another $16 million, making the deal potentially worth $58 million). It's turning out to be quite a week for Bynum.

"This has been a fantastic week for me so far, turning 21, winning our first two games of the season and now getting this contract signed," Bynum said. "This gives me and my family financial security, and more importantly, cements my future with the Lakers. ... I couldn't be happier."

Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak had this to say: "We're extremely happy to have signed Andrew to this extension, which will secure his immediate future with the franchise. Andrew has shown a vast array of skills for a player his size and if he continues to stay dedicated and work hard to improve, he has an excellent chance to develop into one of the top players in the NBA."

There was some disappointment but no discouragement in the Washington Wizards' locker room after Wednesday night's season-opening 95-85 loss to the New Jersey Nets at Verizon Center.

In a game that lacked energy and anything resembling flow, the Wizards did enough things right to be in the game in the fourth quarter but were ultimately done in by poor shooting and a failure to execute offensively.

Rather than harp on X's and O's before his team hit the court for practice yesterday, Coach Eddie Jordan turned the page back to the opening days of training camp in Richmond when his team was visited by K.C. Jones, who won a fistful of championship rings with the Boston Celtics as a player and coach.

"It was very profound for me," Jordan said of his chats with Jones, who coached the Bullets to a record of 155-91 in three seasons during the 1970s. "He told us a lot, but I remember him talking about when they won championships in college and with the Celtics, they had harmony. Harmony meaning they accepted roles, they knew how to communicate, they had positive energy. I want the best players to score, to shoot. If I'm a defender first, I have to get into my man and concentrate on defense. If I have to run the floor just to clear out space, that's what I have to do to create harmony and retain harmony."

The Wizards, who will be back in action tomorrow night at Detroit, got off to a decent start Wednesday night and led by five points in the second quarter but struggled to develop an offensive rhythm. The defense also broke down in key spots.

All eyes will be on fourth-year forward-center Andray Blatche this season, and the multi-skilled big man had a decent start during Wednesday's opening loss to the New Jersey Nets.

Blatche, who has been challenged by Coach Eddie Jordan and veteran teammates to raise his level of effort and performance this season, played 25 minutes of high-energy basketball, did a solid job defensively and finished with 13 points on 6-of-13 shooting with six rebounds and one blocked shot.

However, Blatche also took a handful of questionable shots and committed five turnovers. The turnovers particularly bothered him after the game.

"I take some fault because I had five turnovers," said Blatche, who averaged 1.4 turnovers per game last season. "I can't have five turnovers off the bench. Besides that, I blocked out well, I protected the rim and I scored when we needed some buckets, so I felt I had a solid overall game besides the turnovers."

In the fourth quarter, Jordan stuck with Blatche at center over starter Etan Thomas, who had a good debut with 10 points, 8 rebounds and 1 blocked shot in 19 minutes.

Blatche was solid in the final quarter with seven points and four rebounds, and he accounted for the team's only two field goals during the final six minutes. How Jordan utilizes his centers (rookie JaVale McGee played nine minutes in the second half) will be worth watching all season.

"Etan gave a lot of effort, he got some numbers on the stat sheet relative to his time, his minutes," Jordan said. "I just felt that when we made some subs, Andray had some really good moments and maybe that's what we needed to win the game, that sort of playmaking ability and special skill ability."

Orlando Magic Coach Stan Van Gundy isn't panicking after a season-opening loss, but that doesn't mean players should be comfortable and secure with their job titles.

"I'm not going to jerk guys' playing time after one game," Van Gundy said Thursday. "But at the same time, I don't think some of those spots are cemented -- that you got it for a season, half a season or 20 games or anything like that.

"I'll make changes as I see are necessary."

As bad as their 99-85 loss to the Atlanta Hawks looked -- and it was surprisingly unsightly -- the Magic expect to make only minor adjustments.

"You tinker maybe," Van Gundy said. "Look, I don't think anybody played well. If we're going off of [Wednesday night], you wouldn't play any of the 10 of them.

"And I have a feeling that won't work."

The Magic could go with a bigger rotation tonight in Memphis against the larger Grizzlies and, according to Van Gundy, throw shooting guard Courtney Lee into the mix if the bench fizzles again.

The Magic have some highly skilled players, but teams such as the Hawks expose them for not being the most athletic bunch.

Heat guard Chris Quinn said his recent ankle injury was a key reason he stumbled from preseason starter to not playing at all in the season-opening loss to New York.

Quinn, who opened training camp as the starting point guard, lost the job to rookie Mario Chalmers, who improved noticeably in the past two weeks of the preseason. Quinn has recovered from the Oct. 5 ankle injury that sidelined him for nearly two weeks. Now he is trying to make up for lost time.

''Obviously, the injury set me back a little bit, but it's hard to control those things,'' he said. ``I'm still preparing every day and getting ready for whenever my number is called. That's really all I can do.''

Chalmers started Wednesday's season opener and finished with 17 points, eight assists and seven rebounds in the 120-115 loss to the Knicks. Shaun Livingston saw limited action as the backup, but Quinn did not play.

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said the rotation at point guard would be dictated by matchups and could change from game to game.

Among Dwyane Wade's primary regrets from the Heat's past two frustrating seasons was that he didn't speak up soon enough to curtail some early signs of disarray.

Wade apparently won't let such an opportunity slip away this time.

''I'm going to tell the guys the way I feel about things, whether it's them or me -- so we can correct it and move on,'' Wade said. ``I've been on the team [long enough] to know when it goes well, it can go well, and when it goes bad, it can go bad.''

That Wade is speaking out more as the unquestioned leader of the team is not all that surprising, considering there are only two players left from the Heat's 2006 NBA title team and only a handful who were even on the roster at the start of last season.

That Wade delivered that message one game into the regular season -- after the Heat's 120-115 road loss to the New York Knicks on Wednesday -- might have been a bit unexpected.

But demanding accountability won't be a delayed process for the Heat, which enters Friday night's home opener against the Sacramento Kings (0-1) looking to address several things that went awry in New York.

The combination of defensive breakdowns and abandoning the offensive plan contributed to the Heat falling into a 23-point second-half deficit before the team rallied late.

It took less than three quarters Wednesday for Miami to get away from the principles -- mainly on the defensive end -- it spent a month trying to establish in the preseason.

Selfish play became an issue on offense when players began to look for their shots instead of working the system. Defensively, there was a lack of trust from one defender to the next that led to poor rotations and either open shots or transition baskets for the Knicks.

The day Sam Vincent was announced as Charlotte Bobcats coach, he effectively promised his team would make the playoffs. In fact, he said just before his first (and only) training camp with the Bobcats they should aim for home-court advantage in the first round.

Larry Brown, with roughly 1,000 more NBA victories than his predecessor, took the realist's approach to tonight's season-opener in Cleveland against the Cavaliers.

“We're not ready,'' Brown said following a 0-8 preseason, then he detailed the problems:

“We have not rebounded well, and that was obviously a huge concern after last year and the year before. Our defense hasn't been great, and that was a concern last year. A lot of that is because we haven't shot the ball well. Maybe our shot selection is poor. Maybe we've turned the ball over too much….

“Based on the things I think are important to winning right now – defense, rebounding, taking care of the ball – we're not there. We have work to do.''

The problem is exacerbated by forward Sean May's conditioning issues, coming back from knee surgery. They've had him running wind sprints and taking extra repetitions in practice all week.

“I haven't given them much as a starter, and that's a direct reflection on me,'' May said.

“I've been away from the game for a long time. People are tired of hearing this, but I'm still trying to figure out where to be. That's why I'm getting a lot of early fouls, being out of position.''

They averaged more turnovers than their opponents in the preseason, which they can hardly afford when it's a given they'll be outrebounded.

Brown is phasing toward a more deliberate offense, in part to cut down on giveaways, in part to reduce the number of possessions and not tax the team's depth.

Doesn't mean they'll never run off a miss or forced turnover, but quick shots in the half-court offense are not OK.

Almost from the day he took this job, Larry Brown urged Jason Richardson to redefine himself as a complete player: Drive when opponents expect a 3-pointer. Defend like you value a stop as much as a basket.

That's the difference between a winner and a guy filling a stat sheet.

“J-Rich has so much ability,'' Brown said. “Anybody who's that much of an athlete can do anything well.''

This seems the optimum time to test that premise. First with Golden State and now with the Bobcats, Richardson has played eight years in the NBA, only once reaching the playoffs. Gaudy numbers (21.8 ppg., last season) have never made him an All-Star.

He's had seven NBA coaches, five of them rookies at the job. He says he's never really been coached since he left Tom Izzo at Michigan State.

So Brown – with an NCAA title at Kansas, an NBA title with the Detroit Pistons and over 1,000 career victories – has the gravitas to make a difference. Richardson is sure of it.

“Not a knock, but a rookie coach trying to get established, his main concern is wins, not developing players,'' Richardson said. “I think some of those rookie coaches let me slide on some of the things I did – my shot selection, my defense.

“With those coaches, as long as I was scoring, that's all that mattered because I was putting up numbers.''

And now?

“I'm held accountable for every action on the court at the offensive or defensive end,'' Richardson replied. “He's demanding things I'm normally not capable of doing.''

The message on the dry erase board in the Hawks locker room after their win in Orlando Wednesday was simple.

“Don’t be satisfied.”

They are words Hawks All-Star Joe Johnson can live by this season. They are words Hawks coach Mike Woodson believes will keep his team focused.

Johnson had a sobering perspective after the Hawks opened the season with a 99-85 win. He made it clear that the team needs to remain hungry but to remember they are a legitimate team.

“My expectations for this season is just to compete night in and night out,” said Johnson, who doused any chance the Magic had of coming back with nine fourth-quarter points. “I think that will take care of us making the playoffs or how far we will go. As long as we play with confidence every night and with a winning attitude, we’ll be fine.”

That’s the focus Woodson said he expects to see out of his team in Saturday’s home opener at Philips Arena against Philadelphia.

“We have to take care of home,” he said. “These guys got that message last year and nothing’s changed.”

The next time Josh Smith says he’ll turn his game on when it’s time, you might want to listen.

That’s what he did against the Magic. After being criticized for his lackluster performance during the Hawks’ preseason, he warned everyone that he would crank his game up to a high level against the Magic.

Smith played the role of game-changer Wednesday, and not for the obvious reasons (17 points, 10 rebounds, five blocks, four steals and no turnovers). Smith’s biggest contributions came in the hustle plays he made.

Whenever there was a loose ball to be had, Smith was one of the first players on the floor after it. He set the tone for the Hawks early with two jolting blocks of Magic All-Star center Dwight Howard, sizing up his pal since pre-school both times in highlight reel fashion.

It was the type of menacing, all-court effort that has made Smith one of the NBA’s most unique talents.

“That’s when he is at his best,” Johnson said of Smith. “When he is active, blocking shots, rebounding, getting up and down the floor and dunking. We need him flying around like that. When he does that, he is one of the best in the league.”

The Atlanta Hawks and Thrashers were projected to lose about $250 million from 2002 through 2005, a Turner Broadcasting System executive said Thursday in Fulton County Superior Court.

Internal financial projections from Turner — which owned the teams until selling them in 2004 to an investor group known as the Atlanta Spirit — said the professional teams were on track to lose between $50 million to $55 million in 2002; $60 million in 2003; and more than $70 million a year in 2004 and 2005, said Jim McCaffrey, an executive vice president for Atlanta-based Turner.

Those losses were expected to increase, he testified.

McCaffrey was one of the principal negotiators with Texas businessman David McDavid, who tried to buy the Hawks, Thrashers and Philips Arena operating rights from Turner in 2003. The parties negotiated for months. Turner announced in September of that year it instead would sell the teams to the eight-man Atlanta Spirit group, which includes the son and son-in-law of company founder Ted Turner.

McDavid filed a $450 million breach-of-contract lawsuit against Turner. On Thursday, McDavid’s lawyers finished making their case, and McCaffrey began testifying as the first witness for the media company.

The trial, which began in early October, may last through the week of Nov. 17.

Both professional teams suffered from low ticket sales at the time Turner considered selling them, McCaffrey testified. The Hawks were last in the league and second-to-last in attendance, he said. For the Thrashers, attendance had “tumbled down to the bottom,” he said.

The projected cash flow losses for 2003 included $66 million, McCaffrey said, citing information from internal documents. For 2004, that projected loss was $70 million, he said.

“Clearly the projected losses were a huge barrier to anyone trying to acquire the teams,” McCaffrey said.

Down 16 points in the fourth quarter, O'Brien went to a small lineup -- which usually consists of four perimeter players and one big man -- allowing the Pacers to spread the court for dribble penetration for layups or passes for 3-pointers.

The Pacers got to as close as four points in the final minute.

"We know that we can compete with the small lineup," O'Brien said. "It's part of our bread and butter. I think that's part of who we are. When I sat down with (president) Larry Bird before I had this job, we talked about how important it is to have a small presence to go to at any time. You have to be able to play big; you have to be able to play small."

The Pacers, whose home opener is Saturday against Boston, used a small lineup at times last season. They may use it more this season because of greater depth at point guard and on the wing.

Those who played the most in Wednesday's fourth quarter were Marquis Daniels, Danny Granger, Troy Murphy, T.J. Ford, Jarrett Jack and Brandon Rush.

Granger, who played power forward during that stretch, attacked the basket and scored 12 of his game-high 33 points.

The Pacers stretched the court with four players who could drive or shoot 3-pointers. The fifth -- Murphy -- also can hit 3s, requiring his defender to stay close.

"It gives the other team a different look at us," Granger said. "It poses matchup problems when I'm at (power forward) and they have their 'bigs' guarding me."

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."

Negotiations between Katz and Pistons president Joe Dumars had broken off about a week ago. It appeared at that time that Maxiell was going to play the season out and become a restricted free agent in July.

But apparently Maxiell intervened and asked Katz to meet again with Dumars. Katz attended the Pistons' home opener Wednesday, met with Dumars and worked out the parameters of the deal.

"Nothing changed in particular," Katz said of his decision to restart the negotiations. "Jason just felt at the end of the day that this is what he wanted. He is comfortable here. He wanted to stay and the Pistons were very amendable to keeping him here. It just came together."

The tactic by coach Michael Curry worked to perfection, as the bench wound up scoring 38 points, stretching a six-point lead to 10 heading into halftime.

"We have very able guys off the bench," Curry said. "They'll get consistent minutes and we expect them to contribute. I'm confident they will."

Curry wouldn't mind relieving starters, and if the first game is any indication, he may be able to this season.

While McDyess (18 minutes, 46 seconds) and Stuckey (16:03) got their customary minutes, players such as Maxiell (18:05), Herrmann (15:37) and Afflalo (13:34) gave starters an additional breather and helped the Pistons on the floor.

Kwame Brown played only three minutes, mainly, Curry said, because of matchup problems against the Pacers.

Cavaliers guard Daniel “Boobie” Gibson had an unbelievable shooting night in the home opener on Thursday.

But that didn’t keep his teammates from razzing him about three missed free throws late in the Cavs’ 96-79 destruction of the Charlotte Bobcats.

Gibson erupted for 25 points — one off his career high. He was at the line with 4 minutes, 2 seconds remaining after being fouled behind the 3-point arc.

But he uncharacteristically missed all three, which put a slight damper on his outstanding evening.

“That’s never happened to me ever,” Gibson said. “It probably won’t happen again. I have to take all the (verbal) blows (his teammates) give me.”

He finished 1 of 14 from the field, 4 of 6 from behind the arc. Gibson, who missed a lot of wide-open shots in the season opener in Boston, said teams can’t concentrate on one player.

“We have so many weapons,” he said. “It’s tough for teams to lock in on me. I found a couple open spots and I got a couple to go.”

Wally Szczerbiak is finding himself in a whole different set of battles than at virtually any other time in his 10-year career. For the first time since he was a star at Miami University, Szczerbiak is spending time defending power forwards as the Cavaliers implement new, smaller lineups.

That means he's often required to tussle with bigger players in the post and absorb elbows and other beatings. Which made protecting his mouth a higher priority than when he was working on the perimeter.

"Wally isn't quite LeBron [James] size, but he is a big strong guy," Cavs coach Mike Brown said. "He is better suited at times to guard some of the big guys underneath than chasing around smaller guys outside."

Though Szczerbiak struggles at times staying with quick guards on defense, the move to play him at power forward for stretches coincides with having James play power forward on offense. James and Szczerbiak will often be on the floor together when the Cavs go to that strategy and Szczerbiak will sometimes take on the burden of handling the bigger guy at the defensive end.

Other teams are sure to attempt to exploit this if possible but the Cavs are operating that the mismatches will be in their favor with James being a handful and Szczerbiak, at 6-7, 240 pounds, being able to hold his own.

"I like banging with the big guys," Szczerbiak said. "I think we can do some interesting things with that lineup. We have some things to work on and we're going to get better at it. There may be a mismatches there but I'm going to follow the concepts and work within the team defense."

There are big plans in the works for Mo Williams, Delonte West and Daniel Gibson and performances like this are why. Not every game is going to be like this one, look back to Tuesday's effort in Boston when none of them played well as Exhibit A, but the difference when the Cavs get production from the backcourt is dynamic.

Williams was comfortably running the offense and finding spaces on the floor to get his shot off. Gibson was operating crisply away from the ball to get open looks. And West effectively played defense and started fast breaks. It was all too much for the Bobcats to handle, an issue the Cavs dream many opponents will face during the course of the season.

James filled up the stat sheet as usual with 22 points, nine rebounds and nine assists. Combined with Gibson hitting a flurry of jumpers on his way to 25 points, Williams putting up 17 points with seven assists and just one turnover, and West scoring nine points with six rebounds it was impressive.

"We have a good team and when we play together and defend it is going to work out well," Williams said. "It felt good to play well."

Those numbers from Williams, based on his past two seasons, are just average, which is why there is excitement around the team. Gibson was above average, nailing 7-of-9 shots in the first half to score 20 points. He would've posted a career high had he not uncharacteristically missed four free throws.

During a 107-82 Beantown blowout last Dec. 21, Kevin Garnett punctuated the victory by spending most of the fourth quarter standing on the sideline yelling fake instructions to the Celtics' scrubs finishing up the game, then doubling over in laughter with teammate Paul Pierce.

Needless to say, a competitive effort in Boston would be a step in the right direction for the Bulls.

"Last year there were a lot of teams we didn't compete against," forward Luol Deng said. "It's a new year. I think we have to go out there and compete."

"You always want to see how you match up with the world champs," center Drew Gooden added. "It's going to be a fight. We're using this as a measuring stick."

Of course, the Celtics could serve as an inspiration of sorts for the Bulls. Boston was the worst team in the Eastern Conference in 2006-07, then improved by 42 wins after trading for Garnett and Ray Allen.

The Bulls have only one new player on the active roster right now, but he's a good one. This game will be an interesting test for No. 1 draft pick Derrick Rose, who will match up against another young and athletic point guard in Rajon Rondo.

"It's going to be fun, more than anything," Rose said following Thursday's practice at the Berto Center. "We're just going to go out and try to compete with them. You never know what can happen in a game. As long as we play our type of basketball, which is an up-tempo game, we've got a chance."

"Doc's a good friend," Del Negro said. "We've known each other a long time and talked a lot. He has been very helpful and supportive."

Now Rivers is coach of the reigning NBA world champions.

"Doc gave me some advice, but it's more between me and him," Del Negro said. "He knows what it's like. Those are the people I talked to a lot and sought out. He was kind enough to give me some helpful information."

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."

Bosh said while he's not all that over-excited, he can see O'Neal especially wanting to put on a good show for the new home crowd.

"It's probably exciting for Jermaine because he's in a new situation, but I guess I'm like the old young guy around here. I know what it's like, I know what to expect," he said.

This young Raptors franchise doesn't have the opening night tradition of the 48th Highlanders, who have piped in the Maple Leafs since 1931.

But the Raptors will have to bring the best of their 48 minutes in Philadelphia on Wednesday to the Air Canada Centre tonight -- and every night -- if they want the benefits of home court advantage in the playoffs.

"The NBA is the toughest sport to win on the road," coach Sam Mitchell said, praising his team's gumption in its 95-84 Philly win after a slow start in rebounding.

Therefore, the Raptors must re-establish the ACC as a house of pain, starting with the Golden State Warriors, who begin the franchise's 14th season.

"I'd like to be better at home this year," forward Chris Bosh said. "The year before last, we were really good (a franchise-high 30 wins in 41 games before dropping to 25 last season).

"It is harder to win on the road because the fans are so close to the floor," he added, noting that teammate Jermaine O'Neal had a running banter with some hecklers on Wednesday. "You try and be good on the road, but protect the court at home. Teams shoot a lot more when they're at home."

The 76ers handed Andre Iguodala the microphone on Opening Night, and he welcomed the crowd by mentioning the parade he knew was coming from the Phillies and that, hopefully, the Sixers would soon be there with a parade of their own. Might as well aim high.

"We're trying to win a championship . . . that's our goal," Iguodala was saying yesterday, undeterred by Wednesday's 95-84 loss to Toronto.

"Last year, we lost our first game and we said we were building. Now, we've got to get it rolling. Even though there are some new guys here, we've got to keep pushing, get that ball rolling faster, rather than waiting around until February to start playing well."

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, which The News obtained after filing a Freedom of Information Act request.

Chief David Hall would not identify the victim but said last week he was a 46-year-old man who had consumed 10 Lunesta sleeping pills. Thomas is 47 years old.

"We closed this investigation Friday," Hall said Thursday. "We deemed it an accidental overdose of sleeping pills. There is absolutely no indication that he tried to kill himself. It was a standard call."

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."

The Daily News has also learned that Garden chairman James Dolan, who along with former team president Isiah Thomas had a famous falling-out with Marbury last year, fully supported Mike D'Antoni's decision to bench Marbury in Wednesday's opener against the Miami Heat.

D'Antoni wouldn't rule out Marbury playing tonight in Philadelphia, but the coach wasn't making any promises. Instead, D'Antoni reiterated that the Knicks have to keep an eye on the future and that Marbury doesn't fit into those plans.

"It's what is best for the Knicks and our future," D'Antoni said. "I have to do that."

Mike D'Antoni had no time to enjoy his first victory as New York Knicks coach, because he was on the defensive yesterday after TV cameras caught him in a cursing fit while fans were chanting for banished Stephon Marbury to be put into the game.

With some in the Garden crowd surprisingly chanting "We Want Steph" with 11:10 remaining in the fourth (others booed the chant), a stewing D'Antoni was caught on MSG Network cameras Wednesday in a tirade, mouthing:

"You've got to be (bleeping) kidding me. You've got to be (bleeping) kidding me. What a bunch of (bleep) holes."

Yesterday after practice, D'Antoni acknowledged his frustration with the Marbury chanters, showing how strongly he believes the lightning-rod point guard does not belong on the court. Marbury received a DNP, his second of his career, and is out of the rotation indefinitely despite likely being the team's most skilled player.

"Sometimes I don't think the fans quite get it," D'Antoni said. "It's like who you draft. They're going to boo. When you make a big decision, someone's going to like it, someone's not. You'll hear from the people who don't.

Though Frank wouldn't publicly reveal his plan for Williams prior to tip-off, the coach did tell the 22-year-old center what to expect during a private meeting the day before. Frank also dropped hints during the preseason, limiting Williams' playing time in favor of this year's top pick, Brook Lopez.

Actually, Williams had something to do with that. When Frank approached him before a game against the Knicks on Oct.21 and asked if he'd like to start over Lopez, Williams declined, saying that Lopez needed the playing time.

Now Williams is the one looking for minutes. Thursday he said he has no regrets about choosing to sit in favor of Lopez last week. He also offered mostly shrugs and head shakes when asked what he needs to do to get back into the rotation.

"Just keep doing me," said Williams. "My time will come."

Frank said Williams won't necessarily be stuck on the bench forever. But he couldn't offer specific examples of how Williams can earn playing time. "He's going to get an opportunity," said Frank. "When? I don't know."

"He's going to get an opportunity," said Frank. "When? I don't know." Williams was highly -touted when the Nets took him out of Boston College with the 17th pick last year. But aside from a few flashes last season, he's been mostly disappointing, failing to live up to his billing as a top shot-blocker and rim-rocker.

As expected, the Nets yesterday picked up the rookie contract options on Josh Boone (fourth year, $2.056 million), Sean Williams (third year, $1.629 million) and Yi Jianlian (third year, $3.194 million). They declined the third year on Maurice Ager ($1.88 mil).

That covers the broad strokes, in any language. Coach Lawrence Frank used most of Thursday's practice as a film and teaching session, and while he upheld his obligation to nag over minor details, there was enough praise to go around.

He also saw enough to convince himself that his initial instinct was right: When you have the depth, you might as well use it. So he reiterated that he's sticking with a 10-man rotation for the foreseeable future.

"Your team always dictates how you play," Frank said. "You try to make sure your best players are accentuated, but in a situation where it's in the best interest of the team and not just them. Once we knew what our roster was, (that is) what was going to be in the best interest of our team."

It unfolded very well in the opener. Vince Carter was the game's best player, as usual, leading his team in points (21) and assists (six). The center tandem, Josh Boone and Brook Lopez, were aggressive help defenders. Jarvis Hayes was the punch guy off the bench. Devin Harris orchestrated an offense that was remarkably cohesive (22 assists, 12 turnovers, 47.4 percent shooting), given that they're all still trying to figure it out.

And Yi had his best game since last January, scoring 17 points within the rhythm of the offense -- not including a fourth-quarter breakaway slam off a steal that was the biggest momentum play of the game.

"Yi's been great," Carter said. "He wants to learn, he asks questions, and when he makes a mistake he understands it and moves on. It's still not going to stop him from shooting. That's what I like to see: Make your mistake, learn from it, and keep going. He does that."

The best numbers of the night, in the aftermath of a poor preseason at the defensive end, were these: Washington shot 37 percent, including 5-for-21 from downtown.

"New Jersey had something to do with it," Wiz coach Eddie Jordan said. "They played pretty good defense. We couldn't drive to the basket. Their size had an effect on us."

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 [team stats] 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.”

The games are already running together, but the Celts are bent on maintaining their perch.

“After playing the Lakers (in the Finals), thinking about this summer was a blink,” Ray Allen said. “Now we’re playing again, so it almost seems like we were off for two or three weeks. Being here on the floor now, you just pick right back up where you left off.