THIS WEEK IN THE NBA
The schedule finally starts to balance out for Portland, which has been living out of a suitcase for most of the season. The Trail Blazers have home games this week against Sacramento and Phoenix, the second and third games of a stretch in which they play 10 of 12 at home. "We've got to win these games," said Portland's Brandon Roy. "There's some good teams there (on the upcoming schedule). It's not a cake-walk home stretch." Denver visits two-thirds of the Texas Triangle, Monday at Dallas and Tuesday at Houston. San Antonio has a tough back-to-back, playing at New Orleans on Wednesday and at Orlando on Thursday. Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade will square off when the Lakers visit Miami on Friday. The Lakers then move on to Orlando on Saturday. GAME OF THE WEEK
Former Suns coach Mike D'Antoni returns to Phoenix with the New York Knicks on Monday.
Bucks WEEK
For the first time in franchise history, the Bucks are playing 18 of their first 28 games on the road. That stretch finally ends this week with games in Miami, Philadelphia and New York. Saturday's game against the Clippers is the first of three straight at home.
QUOTABLE
"There won't be any ceremonies. Save those for when you're dead." - Utah coach Jerry Sloan, when reminded that he had been spared a ceremony for his 20th anniversary with the Jazz because the team was on the road.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Miami's Dwyane Wade (right) has been breathing some rare air this season. Through 21 games, Wade was averaging 29.5 points, 7.5 assists and five rebounds. The only players to average those kinds of numbers over the course of a season were Oscar Robertson, who did it six times, and Michael Jordan, who did it once. "Hopefully, I can keep it up," said Wade. "Hopefully, I can do better. It's always great to be in the same conversation with Michael Jordan and Oscar and Magic (Johnson) and all those guys. But they did it for a season and mine is only for 20-something games. We've still got 60-something more to go." Wade, who was bothered by injuries the past two seasons, is on pace to set career highs in scoring, field-goal shooting, three-pointers made, steals and blocked shots. "He's always been good," said Charlotte coach Larry Brown. "But what he's doing now, I don't know if he can play any better, at both ends."
NUMBERS GAME
* Maurice Cheeks' firing in Philadelphia was the 224th coaching change in the NBA since Jerry Sloan took over in Utah.
* Before scoring 35 points against the Milwaukee Bucks last week, it had been 98 games since Shaquille O'Neal had scored 30 or more points in a game.
* Phoenix has won 32 of its last 36 games against the Bucks.
* David Lee scored at least 11 points and grabbed at least 11 rebounds in 10 straight games, tying Patrick Ewing for the longest 11-11 streak by a Knicks player since the NBA-ABA merger in 1976.
* Dallas guard J.J. Barea averaged 19.0 points in a four-game stretch after scoring a total of 35 points in the team's first 16 games.
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