? What I learned this week: Kobe got 81 and followed it up with 35 and 39. That?s a 45% drop off in scoring. Slump city; in the next 5 games after Wilt scored 100, he averaged 50 ppg.

Hey, didn?t you used to be Bobby Simmons?

So that?s how Chris Andersen gets his ups.

Anyone who says the 76ers are better without AI needs to realize they were playing the Magic and the Knicks.

If Al Harrington isn?t traded by February, I?ll buy season tickets to the Hawks for the 2nd half of the season.

? The Celtics-Timberwolves trade was more about money than anything else. Yeah, two real good payers in Ricky Davis and Wally Szczerbiak changed uni's but the real deal was about salaries coming and going: mostly, getting rid of Mark Blount?s bringing in Kandi?s expiring deal.

? On another Celts-Wolves note, does that trade seem like White Men Can?t Jump stars Sidney Dean and #2?s getting traded for Billy Hoyle and a #1? When Sports Guy steals this from me, I expect credit.

? From the ?I Never Saw That Coming? Department: Vince Carter, day-to-day, back. It was only a matter of time; he and Jefferson get dinged more than the bell on the counter at the Airport Marriott.

? Ok, Artest was finally traded. I?m so sick of him I can?t even bring myself to write about it. I think he?ll play well once he gets his legs back and I think Peja will find his scoring touch again when (if) Jermaine O?Neal comes back into form. Besides that, both of these teams are underachieving.

? Trade Checker Trade of the Week Here?s one I?d like to see get done b/c parts of it have been rumored, some of these guys are looking to get moved and God, I think the Knicks are pathetic:

To Toronto

Trevor Ariza
6-8 SF from UCLA
4.8 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 1.3 apg in 19.9 minutes

Jamal Crawford
6-5 SG from Michigan
14.6 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 3.7 apg in 32.9 minutes

Maurice Taylor
6-9 PF from Michigan
6.7 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 0.6 apg in 17.4 minutes

Antonio Davis
6-9 C from Texas-El Paso
5.0 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 0.4 apg in 21.1 minutes

To New York

Pape Sow
6-10 PF from Cal State Fullerton
3.8 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 0.2 apg in 13.7 minutes

Mike James
6-2 PG from Duquesne
16.8 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 5.1 apg in 34.4 minutes

Eric Williams
6-8 SF from Providence
1.6 ppg, 1.6 rpg, 0.4 apg in 9.8 minutes

Alvin Williams
6-5 PG from Villanova
1.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 0.0 apg in 9.0 minutes

Jalen Rose
6-8 SG from Michigan
12.1 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 2.4 apg in 26.5 minutes

Ariza, Pape Sow, E-Dub and Mo Taylor are doghouse guys, though you never can tell with LB in NYC. Alvin Williams hasn?t played meaningful basketball since his days at Villanova, but his money comes off soon. Same for Sir Antonio Davis, Jalen Rose, Mike James and pretty much everyone else. Zeke loves Jalen Rose, always has, LB loves Mike James and Jamal Crawford is destined to play in Canada. Hell, throw in Mo Pete for the goof. C?mon, make it happen.

? Shout out to John from Maryland who loves LOVES his Hornets. They?re much improved and boast the ROY and comeback guy in David West. Now if they could just get Desmond Mason to practice jumpers instead of jumping and keep the Birdman off the hard stuff?

? Worst Team Tracker: This has become quite a heated debate, as the Musings recently popped up in international waters on a Raptors chat site. Seems some peeps up north took umbrage to my assertion that only miserably lousy teams can allow one guy to get 81 in these days of the zone defense. Anyhoo... Charlotte maintains its death grip on the bottom rung, putting together an impressive 11 game losing streak that has them at 1-11 in 2006. The only win came in double OT against the T-Mac and Yao-less Rockets. The de-clawed Bobcats have Cleveland to end the month today, so make that 1-12 in the New Year. Find me one guy who goes to these games and I?ll Pay Pal you $5. They?ve got people in Charlotte pining for the Hornets.

Quote of the week comes from Timberwolves head coach Dwayne Casey on the fact that no trades were going to be made: "We're looking over our shoulders, seeing who's going to be here, who's not going to be here. This is us. It's not changing."  Two days later Minnesota shipped Wally Szczerbiak to Boston for Ricky Davis in a 7-player swap that presumably only took two days to put together.

? Playing Scene It Sports this weekend, Special Ed was trying to come up with the NBA players that have gone to top schools like Duke, UNC, Kentucky, Arizona, etc. In doing so we realized that those Kentucky guys stink. Except Tayshaun, but what if he were on the Hawks? Phew, get a whiff of that one.

For the Weekly Musings, this is former Toronto Raptors GM Ron Babcock reminding you to keep your players spayed and neutered.

Love me? Hate me? Whichever it is, email me! kevincasini@hotmail.com