Around The Rim

Nets guard Kerry Kittles improved his game the hard way: by missing last season while recuperating from a potentially career-ending knee injury. "I used to think about stuff that sidetracked me," says Kittles, who says he worried too much about the consequences of missing a shot. "I told myself that if I could come back, I was going to enjoy the game, play aggressive and not put added pressure on myself." At week's end he was shooting a career-best 47.0%....

Bucks coach George Karl likes to keep even his own players guessing as to who'll take the last shot in the final seconds of a tight game. "Right before the play," he says, "I whisper to the inbounds passer [the name of the guy] I want him to pass it to." The idea is that when each player acts as if he might take the last shot, the pressure stays on the defense....

The Trail Blazers are back in contention thanks to inventive coach Maurice Cheeks, who has gone stretches with 6'7" Scottie Pippen at the point and 5'10" Damon Stoudamire at shooting guard, from which he works off picks to get open for his jumper. Stoudamire averaged 17.7 points over a nine-game period in the role, compared to 12.2 before that....

Playing to half-empty houses in Charlotte has toughened the Hornets, and with the return of Jamal Mashburn and George Lynch from injury, they should contend in the wide-open East....

Timberwolves VP Kevin McHale won't get misty eyed this weekend. The seven-time All-Star calls the NBA's midseason classic "a game that has no bearing on anything."