Here is our regular look around the NBA — links to stories worth reading and notes to check out (stuff that did not get its own post here at PBT) — done in bullet point form. Because bloggers love bullet points more than old critics like slamming Seth McFarlane.
• Richard Hamilton may have had the best birthday cake I’ve ever seen. That’s it to the right (he tweeted the photo). It is real and it’s spectacular.
• Former NBA player Robert Swift had his home foreclosed, now he is just squatting there and refusing to leave.
• Former Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley suffered a stroke recently after being at the NBA All-Star Game. We wish him the best.
• Raptors fans have taken to booing Andrea Bargnani. Who should be blamed for that? Try Andrea Bargnani.
• J.J. Redick admits he cried when he was traded.
• LeBron James and Kobe Bryant today are not surprisingly your Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week. LeBron averaged 23.5 points, 9.3 assists 7.8 rebounds and 2.25 steals a game for the Heat’s four games (all wins) last week. The Lakers also were undefeated also were undefeated last week and Kobe averaged 31.3 points, 7.7 rebounds and 6 assists a game.
• How well is LeBron playing. Watch him make a one-handed, left-handed three-point bank shots just for fun.
• Great story on the best NBA gambler walking the face of the earth (he’s a great twitter follow, too).
• Here is another example of Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak saying they plan to keep Dwight Howard and make him the face of the franchise in a few years.
• Markieff Morris talks about getting to play with his brother now in Phoenix. It’s Jayhawk West.
• The league will not be suspending Carmelo Anthony for his hit on Spencer Hawes, according to reports out of New York.
• According to another report, the Sixers are still considering signing Chris Smith, J.R.'s brother. This seems a long shot.
• Bradley Beal chipped a couple of teeth last week.
• Playboy founder (and playboy) Hugh Hefner talks about his friend the late Lakers owner Jerry Buss.
• The Suns have cut loose Luke Zeller.
