In three seasons of college, Richard Jefferson played a total of 2,211 minutes.  In his rookie season with the Nets, Fred Kerber of the New York Post continues, he eclipsed this by playing 2,358 minutes between the regular season and playoffs.

Now in his second season Jefferson not only has surpassed his playing from from a year ago but also has a much bigger role with much more responsibility.  Even without the playoffs, he is on pace to play over 2,800 minutes. So, he admitted, "my body is tired" and for the first time, Jefferson felt the fabled wall.

"Name one other person in my situation that has played as much as I have and is in the situation I am," said Jefferson, receiving no immediate answers because there is no one.

Despite an impressive victory against the Knicks Thursday night and one a week ago against the the Pacers, the New Jersey Nets have seen better days.  They have been slimping, accumilating a 4-6 record since All-Star break, with some attributing it to complacency, poor shooting or lack of defensive intensity.

However, Dave D'Alessandro writes in Thursday's Star Ledger, ?The problems around here are worse than you think.?  In D?Alessandro?s column he writes that a Nets insider was quoted as stating, "Let's put it this way?Jay just wishes that Byron would do more coaching than the other stuff he gets involved in. And that's a problem."  

He went on to say, "I used to think it's 80-20 that Jay would re-sign here. Now I think it's no better than 50-50."

As many know, the Nets chemistry has been far from great.  They have struggled at times in coming up with big defensive stops and executing plays down the stretch.  Sure players are the ones on the court who ultimately have to produce, but has coaching played a role in their sudden demise.  The Nets have seen losses to the Grizzlies, Magic (twice), Sixers, Wizards and Cavs.  

Yes, some of those losses have come against teams that have been playing better as of late, but losses to the Grizzlies and Cavs have many questioning the Nets present state.

After the Cavs game Tuesday night, Scott stated, ?I?m searching a little bit.?  

Interestingly enough, D?Allesandro writes how maybe fans have spotted the signs themselves. ?We've lost count of the number of times Kidd has glanced over to the bench in crunch time this month to see whether Scott wanted a specific play, only to have his coach turn his back on him.?  

Has Kidd been denied guidance from his coach?  Has Scott spent more time worrying about other teams players, most recently his quotes towards Spreewell, than worrying about his relationships with his own players? Or has the Nets found that internal turmoil which most great teams experience?

One thing is for sure, a sour relationship between coach and star player could lead to a very unhappy ending for the New Jersey Nets.

Tyronne Hill was a key member of the Sixers team that went to the NBA Finals two seasons ago, but was then traded to the Cavaliers for forward Matt Harpring (now with the Jazz).  While the trade hurt Hill, he might soon be back in the Sixers fold after his wish to be waived by the Cleveland Cavaliers was granted yesterday.

The player who might play a major role in getting Hill back in Philadelphia may be Monty Williams, coach Larry Brown distressed at his decision not to dress for the game.

Phil Jasner of the Philadelphia Daily News writes that Williams, in uniform earlier in the evening, decided against playing because of recurring problems with his surgically repaired left knee. He has appeared in just seven games all season; he played 5 minutes in the first half of Sunday night's victory over Cleveland after having three tubes of fluid drained from the knee.

"I don't think we can go much longer like this," Brown said. "It's not fair to the team, it's not fair to Monty. If he's going to come one day and want to give it a try and then the next day can't go, we can't overcome that. We've got to just figure this thing out. It's been this way all year with so many different people."

Other teams in the hunt for Hill's services include New Jersey, Dallas, San Antonio and the Lakers.

"Tyrone and I will talk about it and make a decision about what he wants to do, probably sometime [today]," Bartelstein said. "He has great feelings for Larry Brown, [general manager] Billy King and the players there, but it's a tough call."

With the New York Knicks ready to tackle the New Jersey Nets tonight, Knicks guard Latrell Sprewell apparently is ready to seek out Nets coach Byron Scott and get some answers face to face.  Sprewell, according to Frank Isola of the New York Daily News, is upset at comments Scott made last week about his work habits, comments Sprewell says made Scott look "bad."

"I don't hold anything against him," Sprewell said. "I may even ask him why he said it. I'm going to play hard and help us win but it's not going to have anything to do with the comments he made."

When asked if he would like to acquire Sprewell, Scott replied "I don't like guys who are on their own time. Spree comes to practice when he wants to, comes to games when he wants to. I give him credit that he plays hard. But that is a bad example you are setting for the rest of your team."

The comments caught Sprewell by complete surpise, stating he hasn't done anything to Scott to provoke such a verbal assault on himself.  He also said it wasn't something that he would let get to him.

"It wasn't something I was totally offended by," said Sprewell. "He doesn't know me. He hasn't coached me. He doesn't know anything about the way I play and the way I practice. I think the comments make him look bad."

"Frankly, I've never said anything negative about him. For him to come out and try to rip me, it was a little immature. He's a guy that has played before. That's just not something I would expect from a guy like him."

It is not the first time Scott has had some strong comments about the Knicks, back in October questioning New York's decision to play forward Antonio McDyess extended minutes during the preseason.  McDyess, coming off a serious knee injury, suffered another season-ending injury after damaging his kneecap.

When asked about Sprewell, Knicks GM Don Chaney said: "He has a lot of pride, I can say that. That's why sometimes you have to be very careful. Sometimes your comments can motivate other teams and other players, so you have to be very careful. Sprewell has a lot of pride."

According to a report from Marc Berman in the New York Post Sprewell is relieved to still be playing his home games in the Garden, but he did admit that the rumors of the Lakers perhaps being interested in his services did catch his attention.

"I probably had that thought in my head, because the only thing you want to play for in this game is the chance to win a championship," Sprewell said. "But my heart is here in New York, and I'm happy that I get a chance to keep playing ball here."

The trade deadline may have passed but the fun certainly hasn't, with some of the close-but-no-cigar scenarios coming into the public.

Chris McCosky of The Detroit News writes that the San Antonio Spurs inquired on the status of Knicks guard Latrell Sprewell, hoping that he could have been acquired cheaply.  If acquired Sprewell would have been re-united with assistant coach PJ Carlesimo, whom he choked while the duo were in Golden State.

A three-team deal was briefly discussed: Steve Smith and Malik Rose would have gone to the Sixers, who would have sent Keith Van Horn to the Knicks, with Sprewell going to the Spurs.

The Spurs cooled on the idea quickly when Popovich realized that by trading Rose, he would be left with Kevin Willis and Mengke Bateer as his backups to Tim Duncan and David Robinson.

The deal would have also voided their cap room that they are hoping to use on Jason Kidd during the offseason.

The Associated Press reports: On Thursday, the first four players were selected for the 2004 U.S. Olympic men's basketball team.

 Ray Allen, Tim Duncan, Jason Kidd, and Tracy McGrady were those first four and USA Basketball said Kobe Bryant could be added to the team at a later date once a contractual issue is cleared up.

Bryant is "very interested'' in playing on the team, the national team organizing committee said. The committee added that he has been asked to play on the team but has yet to sign the organization's standard player contract.

"USA Basketball remains hopeful that he will be added to the roster at a future date,'' the statement said.

Before the team goes to the Olympics, they will have to play in the Americas zone qualifying tournament in San Juan, Puerto Rico, which will take place from Aug. 20-31.

If the Americans finish among the top three at the qualifier, they will earn a trip to Athens for the 2004 Olympics.

Fred Kerber of the New York Post reports: Don't expect the Nets to do anything at the trade deadline, which is one week from today.

Nets head coach Byron Scott and team president Rod Thorn both like what they have.

"If we have everybody healthy, yeah. I think we're going to be good," Thorn said. "I don't anticipate anything. But you never know. I don't have anything in the works right now."

Said Scott: "I think we're fine. I expect it to stay intact, unless something crazy comes along. I like what we have. I think we're doing just great."

Fred Kerber of the New York Post reports: New Jersey Nets forward Rodney Rogers has sat out the past eleven games with a strained left calf and he is going to sit out at least two more, tonight against Orlando and tomorrow in Memphis.

However, the Nets insist that it is only a precautionary move.

"Rodney did a little work and said it felt pretty good," said Byron Scott, who claimed the move to keep Rogers out - a scenario Rogers seems disappointed with - is more precaution than anything. "[Today] is going to be big to see how it feels when he wakes up. He'll do a little work and then he'll get treatment [Thursday] and do a little more work. And then we'll see Friday."

Rogers claimed "I feel great" but quickly stressed "we're not going to rush it, we're going to wait until I'm right. It feels good to me. I just want to make sure when I do come back I don't have to worry about it nagging me."

Liz Robbins of the New York Times reports: As the New Jersey Nets return to action tonight, Head coach Byron Scott is not worried about star point guard Jason Kidd  bolting for San Antonio this summer, when Kidd can become a free agent.

"He's a man that's keeping all of his options open," Scott said. "If I was in his position, I'd be doing the same thing."

Kidd has said that the Nets are still his top choice, but that he is eager to go through the free-agent process. Scott believes the Nets have the edge.

"I think the relationships that he's formed here are important," he said. "I think winning obviously is very important and I think family is important. Those three things being said, I think we have still have just as good a chance as anybody, and better, to get him back, or rather, to keep him here."

During All-Star weekend, Kidd said it would be hard to turn down playing with a big man like Tim Duncan with the San Antonio Spurs. There was also fueling speculation that Kidd had narrowed his choices to New Jersey and San Antonio.

Allen Iverson failed to attend the mandatory media session for the All-Star weekend for the second straight year according to Ashley McGeachy Fox of the Philadelphia Inquirer, this year the official reason given was illness.

Iverson was able to avoid the snow storm on the way to Atlanta, so he was certainly in the area, and according to Brian McIntyre, the NBA's head of media relations, Iverson will not be fined the $10,000 that players who bypass these events are slugged with.

"Not if he's sick, legitimately," McIntyre said. "You have to take some things at face value, but I'm sure if he says he's sick, he's sick."

Kobe Bryant, Jason Kidd and Michael Jordan also missed the media sesson, each stating that they were delayed because of weather, although Jordan purposely skips this event, and willingly pays the fine.

Iverson will join Bryant, Kidd and Jordan in a special media session this morning before the Eastern and Western Conference teams practice.