ORLANDO -- As teammates for the Eastern Conference, Dwight Howard talked to Chicago's young Derrick Rose at All-Star Weekend, almost apologizing for knocking him on his rear end just a couple days before. He also gave him some advice about driving the lane against shot blocking centers like him.
Rose obviously didn't listen.
Just a month after he did it the first time, Howard knocked Rose out of a Magic-Bulls game early again Thursday night, sending him into the locker room for treatment.
At least this time, Rose finished the first quarter.
Both departures came after drives to the basket that Howard was determined to protect. On Feb. 10, in the last game before the All-Star break, Rose went up for a layup just three minutes into the game, only to have Howard knock him hard to the floor, sustaining a painful hip injury. He took one free throw and left the game.
Although Rose played in the All-Star Game, he withdrew from both the Rookie/Sophomore game and the Skills Challenge because of the hip injury.
Over at TrueHoop, there's a fun and uplifting conversation with noted guru Idan Ravin regarding his recent work with the Minnesota Timberwolves. It talks about the work being done in developing players, the mental challenges the players are facing, and the potential with that team. It's a really interesting interview with a great basketball mind.
Too bad the franchise in question has about as much of a future as buggy whips.
It's there for all to see. On the left bicep of Wesley Matthews is a tattoo in cursive that reads "Dynamic Duo,'' and, adorned with a basketball, has the initials "WM'' and "PM."
The tattoo refers to Matthews and the single mother, Pam Moore, who raised him in Madison, Wis.
"He got it when he was 18,'' Moore said. "I wouldn't let him get a tattoo until he was of legal age. He had little skinny arms then so it wasn't a very big tattoo.''
Wesley Matthews' tattoo Matthews, 23, has grown up plenty since then. As an undrafted rookie out of Marquette, he's surprisingly become the starting shooting guard this season for the Utah Jazz.
But Matthews' admiration for his mother hasn't waned in the least. In fact, if a general assumption is made about from whom Matthews learned the game of basketball, there is a quick correction.
Many might think Matthews' skills were honed by his father, Wes Matthews, a quick 6-foot-1 point guard who played in the NBA from 1980-88 and 1989-90, winning two titles with the Los Angeles Lakers. But that's not so.
ORLANDO, Fla. -- It often takes a star to get a star, which is why point guard Derrick Rose believes his Bulls are on course to land one of the big-name, high-profile free agents this summer.
"It would be huge for us. It would make us a serious contender,'' Rose told FanHouse Thursday afternoon before the Bulls played the Magic in Orlando. "I think we can get one of them. We have other things to worry about right now, getting into the playoffs, but I can't wait for that day (landing another star) to come.''
By trading away John Salmons and his $6.4 million contract last month, the Bulls became one of eight teams that can offer a maximum salaried contract to one of the free agent stars this summer.
James, Wade and Bosh all have had their interests linked to the Bulls at some point this season.
Ever since December, as Brandon Jennings's 55-point outburst turned into a curse, Tyreke Evans has been the hands-down favorite for the NBA's Rookie of the Year award. Evans, Sacramento's lead guard, has flirted with the rare 20-5-5 line all season, a mark only Oscar Robertson, Michael Jordan and LeBron James have ever done as rookies.
Some argue Golden State's Stephen Curry has caught Evans in the R.O.Y. race. More likely, observers are looking to manufacture excitement in the contest. Consider that Curry's best month -- 21-5-7 on 53 percent effective field goal percentage in February -- is only a bit better than Tyreke's worst month -- 20-5-5 on 48 percent eFG in November. (In fact, in February, Evans did exactly what Curry did, minus one point per game.)
Still, first leaguewide acknowledgment in years in grasp, the Kings have sought to push Evans over the top. This is how "Reke R.O.Y. Night" came about. The franchise showered Evans with love, making him the centerpiece of Wednesday's game against Toronto -- 10,000 fans got t-shirts, 5,000 got pictures of Reke's head attached to a stick, Evans got a special intro during the presentation of starting lineups, and the video screen broadcast a montage of various NBA stars heaping praise on the rookie. It was truly something Donald Trump would set up for his own birthday.
ORLANDO -- As teammates for the Eastern Conference, 
Over at 
ORLANDO, Fla. -- It often takes a star to get a star, which is why point guard 
