This Christmas NBA fans will be privy to a Pistons-Spurs championship rematch and yet another chapter in the Kobe-Shaq novella as the Heat take on the Lakers.

"We had a great run. Three rings," Bryant said. "I think people should leave it the hell alone and move on. ... I understand it's interesting, but we also have an interesting game. The game itself tomorrow is interesting."

"It's a big game, a Christmas game, the marquee game, Shaq and Kobe and Phil and all that stuff," said Heat coach Patrick Riley, who's 4-2 since Stan Van Gundy resigned as Heat coach. "It's got a great sidebar to it

A cousin of Detroit Pistons forward Rasheed Wallace was killed and a police officer was wounded in a shootout authorities said occurred after an undercover drug buy.

Tyree Wallace, 22, was pronounced dead at Albert Einstein Medical Center. Sgt. Mike Mitchell, 41, was in stable condition Friday with a groin wound.

Pistons spokesman Matt Dobek confirmed that Tyree Wallace was Rasheed Wallace's first cousin. Dobek said it was unclear whether Wallace would play in Friday night's home game against the Golden State Warriors, but said he did not participate in the team's shootaround Friday morning.

On Thursday night, Mitchell was in an unmarked police car when an undercover officer bought drugs from Tyree Wallace before identifying himself, Police Commissioner Sylvester Johnson said.

As if racheting up the degree of difficulty, the Jazz may face the NBA's best team tonight without their entire starting backcourt.
   
Deron Williams, batting the effects of an ear infection, could not finish Utah's morning workout Monday, and Jazz coach Jerry Sloan sounded pessimistic about his starting point guard's chances of suiting up against the 15-2 Pistons. "We'll have to see if he's any better tonight, but ... he's still sick," Sloan said.
   
Williams would become the 11th member of the Jazz's 15-man roster to miss a game this season.
   
Gordan Giricek, Williams' backcourt partner, will definitely not dress for the game, his Achilles tendon still too sore to run on.
   
The Jazz will get one guard back: Keith McLeod, who has missed the last 13 games with a fracture in his lower back, has been taken off the inactive list and expects to play.

Carlos Delfino is frustrated. More than once he has been told he would play and ended up not getting off the bench.

"Why even talk to me?" he said. "Don't tell me nothing."

Before the game Saturday, when he knew he would play, he said, "Now they are going to (play) me, after I haven't done anything for a month."

There was a rumor floating around that Delfino had asked Dumars to trade him. He and Dumars strongly deny that.

"I have not (asked for a trade)," Delfino said. "I just want to play."

Saunders is searching for ways to reduce Prince's workload and insists Delfino will get his shot.

On most NBA teams, it might classify as full-fledged frustration. On the Pistons, the grumbles coming from the bench players are laced with understanding and acceptance.

More than anything, they're happy the team is winning, with a 13-2 record being the best in the NBA. But they also admit they're often baffled by coach Flip Saunders' rotations.

Sometimes forward Antonio McDyess plays with the starters, as he did Saturday against the Chicago Bulls. Other nights, he plays only with the reserves. Sometimes he's the first player off the bench. Other days, that honor goes to Carlos Arroyo or Maurice Evans.

Sometimes game situations call for one thing, like Dale Davis' physical play inside. Saunders will say as much before a game -- only to leave Davis on the bench.

"It's a tough position right now because we don't know really what to expect," said Evans, a swingman. "It just makes it hard to be as productive as possible when you really don't know what your minutes are going to be like."

But Evans added: "The thing is, we're winning, and no one wants to look like they're not happy. I really am happy that we're winning."

An ESPN Insider said that despite the Pistons' heated denials, they'd offered Rasheed Wallace and Darko Milicic, and that the Knicks had offered the expiring contracts of Antonio Davis and Penny Hardaway, but that Garnett wanted to be a Knick and even made "back-channel" overtures.

"I would bet money," the Insider source said, "he will be wearing a Knicks' uniform by the end of February."

One Knick will be honored tonight by the Pistons and it won't be Larry Brown. Knicks president Isiah Thomas, who, just like Brown, had a tiff with Detroit owner Bill Davidson, will be feted at halftime at the Palace as part of the Pistons' "Flashback Fridays."

A ceremony will unveil Thomas' name and the No. 11 he wore for the Pistons, permanently secured on the sidelines of the court. (Thomas already has had his jersey retired to the rafters). Also, 10,000 commemorative figurines of Thomas will be distributed and a video tribute will be played. Thomas also is expected to address the crowd.

A press release called Thomas "the face of the organization for 13 seasons." Thomas led the Pistons to back-to-back championships in 1989 and 1980.

Re-signing Ben Wallace is the main offseason objective this coming summer. President of basketball operations Joe Dumars could be even busier the summer of 2007.

Billups can and almost certainly will opt out of his contract after next season. Darko Milicic's contract will expire after that season, though the Pistons could sign him to a long-term deal after this season. McDyess also has an opt-out clause in his contract after next season.

Larry Brown is returning to the city he helped bring a championship as his Knicks take to the floor of The Palace of Auburn Hills to face the Pistons.

What will his return to an ex-team's arena be like this time?
 
"I was fired, so it's a little different," Brown said during a Thursday conference call with the media.

The Pistons were the first team with which Brown won an NBA championship in his storied career.  After falling short last year, he and the Pistons agreed to a buyout of his contract which quickly led to a full-scale courtship by Madison Square Garden brass.  Soon thereafter, he was hired to be the Knicks' new coach.

"When I walk in The Palace, I'll have a lot of special feelings," Brown said.  "It was two of the greatest years I had," he said. "I'll always be thankful the opportunity Joe and Mr. D gave me."

Pistons' head Joe Dumars said he hopes Detroit fans give Brown the big ovation he deserves.