Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here... highlighting the big storyline. Because there's nothing quite as satisfying a good morning dump.
“Our starting five should go,” coach Doc Rivers said after yesterday’s practice.
Funny how that sentiment has spread.
“He means so much to this club,” Pierce said of Rondo. “But our starting five should be in the All-Star Game.”
As for Perkins, Pierce added: “But you’ve seen it coming. He’s showing ya’ll what his improvement is.”
Herald - High Five Sought for NBA All-Stars
Wade and Vince Carter are leading the early voting among East guards, so they are expected to be the starters, but neither is a point guard. Rondo leads the Eastern Conference in assists, averaging 9.5 per game, while LeBron James is second at 8.0.
Among guards, Washington’s Gilbert Arenas is next with 6.9 assists per game. Arenas may be Rondo’s stiffest competition for All-Star honors, but he is shooting just 40 percent from the field and is having a subpar season after missing most of the last two years recovering from knee surgery.
Globe - Signs Should Point to All-Star Nod
On page 2, why Allen Iverson will not be on the court for tonight's game against the Celtics.
To round out the injury merry-go-round for a Sixers team that has lost 13 of its last 14 games, center Marreese Speights practiced yesterday but left early for treatment after he banged knees with a teammate, Jordan said.
"He was setting a screen. I was overemphasizing setting screens, and someone runs into his knee," Jordan said. "So hopefully, it's OK. It wasn't like a real traumatic sort of hit or fall or twist."
Speights played 22 minutes against Cleveland on Wednesday in his first game back from a torn medial collateral ligament in his left knee that he suffered Nov. 14 against Chicago. He was expected to miss six to eight weeks but returned in less than five.
Philly Inquirer - Injured Iverson to Miss 76ers Game in Boston
The rest of the links:
Patriot Ledger - BBD Moving Closer to Debut | Globe - Daniels Talks About Injury | Herald - Scouting Report: Sixers at Celtics| BDL - Ten Man Rotation Featuring PP Blogging | Daily Dime - Is Wade Declining?| Celtics Blog - KG: Klutch Guy |