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FYI: Christmas is four days away. Get yer shoppin’ done. Forgetting Christmas is bad.

Gerald Wallace upset Tyson Chandler with some comments, but there was also this nugget in the story: ”One reason Wallace’s words may have bothered Chandler is because Chandler is battling through ankle and toe problems. Though he’s played in 24 of the Bobcats’ 26 games this season, Chandler said he still is not fully recovered after having surgery on his left ankle and toe in May. “Some days I feel like I’m 90 percent, then sometimes like last night [against Utah], I feel like I can’t move,” said Chandler, whose per game averages of 6.5 points and 6.8 rebounds are his lowest since his rookie season. “Doctors have told me I won’t be 100 percent until halfway through the season.”

Interesting thoughts on the “rookie wall”: “Hess doesn’t like to use the term “rookie wall” he likes to call it a “drop in mental focus.” When their bodies start to look tired, Hess and his staff will do everything from alter a players’ diet and workout load to getting them messages. One thing he won’t do is let them use the wall as an excuse. He says he starts to see some first-year players start to break down around this time of season.”

Nice story on Byron Mullens and Christmas: ”Mullens’ memories of Christmas mornings aren’t as merry as most. Seasonal snow stuffed the streets of Mullens’ old neighborhood in Columbus, Ohio, but his family never awoke to gobs of gifts bundled below a tall, tailored tree. His father, Paul, ducked in and out on the family and decided he’d sit most Christmases out. His mother, Barbara, left alone with six children, couldn’t afford to make Christmas Day dreamy. “I didn’t really have nothing,” Mullens said of his Christmas gifts. Mullens tried to offer his favorite memories. He struggled, taking less time than an eight-second count to concede there were few. The best Mullens could cite was seeing his family together, seeing them safe. Those moments weren’t promised and were far from plenty.”

Anthony Tolliver was called up to the Blazers and Tim Potvak of FanHouse writes about how Tolliver’s callup proves the D-League’s worth: “Tolliver came to Portland with a change of clothing and his workout gear. He hasn’t been back to Idaho, leaving Friday with the Blazers on a four-game road trip that started Saturday in Orlando. The NBA Development League is almost inconsequential to the average basketball fan. But to those that play in it, it’s a lifeline to the NBA. Last season, 20 players got called from the D-League into the NBA. Yet often they disappear as suddenly as they appear.”

Video proof of James Harden’s athleticism:

Jerry Jones wants 100K at the All-Star Game: ”Well, we want to push the magical number and we think we have an opportunity here,” the visionary Dallas Cowboys owner said Saturday afternoon before the Texas-North Carolina college game. “We’re well along the way right now: One-double-O.” That’s Jones-speak for 100,000 fans jamming Cowboys Stadium for the NBA’s Feb. 14 showcase event, which is being broadcast by TNT and ESPN Radio. Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has also plugged that “magical” number since the All-Star Game was awarded to the Dallas area over a year ago.”

Kevin Durant writing about Christmas: “One of the coolest gifts I received was a Michael Jordan jersey. I was in eighth grade and he played for the Wizards, and I had some Timberland boots that matched. The Wizards had the brown in their jerseys and I had some tan boots and I was fresh going to school. Everybody was like, dang that’s a nice little outfit you got on. So that was probably one of the best.”

Thabo Sefolosha’s website got a nice little color re-design.

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Bolts