Andrew Bynum didn't practice on Saturday for the Lakers but reported no setbacks in his injured right ankle.

Bynum is expected to play on Sunday night against the Raptors, especially after posting 18 points and 10 rebounds against the Mavericks on Friday night.

"It felt the same, but it didn't get any worse," Bynum said of his ankle. "It bothered me one time in the game (Friday) night, when I tried to jump and dunk the ball and it just hurt a lot. But it subsided."

A bone spur broke free in Bynum's ankle during the team's win over the Nets on Tuesday, which is causing the center discomfort. Team medical personnel told Bynum the pain should be gone in about two weeks.

There is no risk of further injury.

"If the pain ever increases, I'm going to let everybody know and I'm going to have to take time off," Bynum said. "The worst thing that could happen to me at this point is just for the pain to increase. If that would happen, the doctor said that I would need another MRI to see why it happened."

Raptors' center Jermaine O'Neal expects to play on Sunday night against the Lakers after a two-game absence.

"We'll see how it goes (today at shootaround)," O'Neal said. "I expected to play (Friday) night but didn't play so I don't want to lead people on. I think it's a huge positive I was able to practice today so I would definitely say the chances of me playing are far greater than not."

Toronto head coach Sam Mitchell said that he'd allow O'Neal and the training staff decide when he's ready to return.

O'Neal initially strained his left knee last Friday against New Jersey. He then went over on an ankle which lead to more discomfort and some swelling.

Lakers' point guard Derek Fisher is trying to remain cautious about the team's hot start to the season.

Fisher remembers that the 2001-02 Lakers started the season with a 16-1 record, but stumbled to finish 58-24.

"As quickly as you can win 12 out of 13 or be 16-1, you go through a stretch where things get away from you," Fisher said. "It seems like things snowball from there and all the bad stuff comes out from under the rug.

"What I do remember most from that (2001-02) team was that we completed the end mission, which was to win a title. No matter how you start, it's how you finish that matters."

Lakers' center Andrew Bynum is day-to-day with a small bone spur that chipped off in his right foot against the Nets on Tuesday.

The spur has caused pain and inflammation in the foot.

Bynum is averaging 11.5 points and 8.9 rebounds per game for Los Angeles, who will face Dallas on Friday night.

There were a number debuts in the NBA on Tuesday night, and not all of them were successful.

- Washington 124, Golden State 100

Team FIC Differential: Wizards +34.7, Warriors -34.7

Ed Tapscott led the Wizards (2-10) to a win over the Warriors (5-9) in his coaching debut on Tuesday night. Caron Butler had 35 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists; Antawn Jamison posted 25 points and 11 boards; and Andray Blatche added 25 points, 12 boards, and 5 assists. Washington shot 50% from the floor and outrebounded Golden State by eighteen. Corey Maggette led with 17 points; Stephen Jackson tallied 16 points and 8 assists; and Andris Biedrins added 15 points and 9 rebounds in the loss.

Game FIC Scores

Caron Butler, Washington ? 30.9

Andray Blatche, Washington ? 30.5

Stephen Jackson, Golden State ? 18.1

Andris Biedrins, Golden State ? 13.4

- Cleveland 119, New York 101

Team FIC Differential: Cavaliers +41, Knicks -41

LeBron James and the Cavaliers (11-3) spoiled Al Harrington?s debut for the Knicks (7-7) with a convincing victory. James starred with 26 points; Zydrunas Ilgauskas had 11 points and 10 rebounds; and Daniel Gibson added 10 points and 7 assists. Cleveland hit 52% of their shots, outrebounded New York by five, and forced seventeen turnovers. Quentin Richardson scored 22 points; David Lee had 12 points and 13 rebounds; and Harrington contributed 13 points and 9 boards for the Knicks.

Game FIC Scores

David Lee, New York ? 16.9

LeBron James, Cleveland ? 16.4

Tim Thomas, New York ? 12.4

Anderson Varejao, Cleveland 11.5

- Phoenix 99, Oklahoma City 98

Team FIC Differential: Thunder +12, Suns -12

Matt Barnes hit a three-pointer with 27 seconds left on Tuesday night to give the Suns (10-5) a stunning victory over the Thunder (1-13). Amare Stoudemire had 22 points and 7 rebounds; Steve Nash posted 20 points, 15 assists, and 8 boards; and Boris Diaw contributed 11 points and 6 boards. Phoenix shot 53% from the field, but Oklahoma City led for a majority of the game. Kevin Durant scored 29 points; Jeff Green had 13 points and 6 rebounds; and rookie Russell Westbrook added 16 points, 5 boards, and 5 assists.

Game FIC Scores

Steve Nash, Phoenix ? 23.0

Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City ? 18.0

Earl Watson, Oklahoma City ? 16.0

Amare Stoudemire, Phoenix ? 15.3

- Dallas 109, Indiana 106

Team FIC Differential: Mavericks +11.4, Pacers -11.4

The Mavericks (7-7) used a 32-23 run in the fourth quarter to edge the Pacers (5-8). Dirk Nowitzki had 24 points and 8 rebounds; Jason Terry scored 29 points off the bench; and Antoine Wright added a career-high 22 points in the win. Dallas shot 50% from the field and attempted eleven more free throws than Indiana. Danny Granger posted 24 points and 7 rebounds; Troy Murphy tallied 21 points and 11 boards; and Marquis Daniels added 12 points and 8 rebounds in the loss.

Game FIC Scores

Jason Kidd, Dallas ? 23.4

Jason Terry, Dallas ? 20.3

Troy Murphy, Indiana ? 18.0

Marquis Daniels, Indiana ? 11.3

- L.A. Lakers 120. New Jersey 93

Team FIC Differential: Lakers +38.5, Nets -38.5

The Lakers (12-1) used a strong second half to put away the Nets (6-7) on Tuesday night. Pau Gasol led with 26 points and 8 rebounds; Jordan Farmar had 18 points and 5 boards; and Andrew Bynum added 15 points and 6 boards. Los Angeles shot 50% from the floor, and they outrebounded New Jersey by six. Devin Harris had 21 points and 6 assists; rookie Brook Lopez posted 17 points and 10 rebounds; and Yi Jianlian added 13 points and 9 boards.

Game FIC Scores

Pau Gasol, L.A. Lakers ? 19.8

Jordan Farmar, L.A. Lakers ? 16.0

Brook Lopez, New Jersey ? 15.8

Yi Jianlian, New Jersey ? 15.2

? RealGM calculates the Floor Impact Counter using the following formula: (Points + .75 Defensive Rebounds + Offensive Rebounds + Steals + Assists + Blocks - .75 Field Goal Attempts - .375 Free Throw Attempts - Turnovers - .5 Personal Fouls)

( )'s indicate a negative FIC score.

It is also used to rank players and to determine their `Reina Value.'
Click here to view the player rankings with the Reina Value for the current season

Five games were played in the NBA on Sunday night, with the Raptors hosting the defending-champion Celtics in a matinee affair.

- Boston 118, Toronto 103

Team FIC Differential: Celtics +18.4, Raptors -18.4

The Celtics (13-2) used 12-point advantages in the first and third quarters to easily defeat the Raptors (6-7) on Sunday afternoon. Ray Allen led with 21 points, Kevin Garnett had 15 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists, and Kendrick Perkins added 12 points and 8 boards in the win. Boston shot 61% from the floor and outrebounded Toronto by seven, while holding the home team to 44% shooting. Chris Bosh posted 24 points and 6 rebounds, while Jose Calderon tallied 14 points, 9 assists and 5 boards. Jermaine O?Neal, who played despite spraining his knee on Friday, left in the second quarter after missing a jumper.

Game FIC Scores

Kevin Garnett, Boston ? 17.8

Ray Allen, Boston ? 15.8

Chris Bosh, Toronto ? 14.0

Andrea Bargnani, Toronto ? 12.8

- Philadelphia 89, Golden State 81

Team FIC Differential: 76ers +2.8, Warriors -2.8

The 76ers (7-6) held off a late charge by the Warriors (5-8) thanks to a dominant performance by Elton Brand. Andre Miller had 9 points and 8 assists, Samuel Dalembert posted 8 points and 16 rebounds, and Brand led with 23 points and 12 boards. Philadelphia shot just 39%, but outrebounded Golden State by sixteen. Kelenna Azubuike starred with 16 points and 5 rebounds, Stephen Jackson tallied 12 points, 7 boards and 7 assists, and Andris Biedrins added 10 points and 8 boards in the loss.

Game FIC Scores

Elton Brand, Philadelphia ? 16.6

Samuel Dalembert, Philadelphia ? 16.5

Andris Biedrins, Golden State ? 14.2

Kelenna Azubuike, Golden State ? 14.0

- Minnesota 102, Detroit 80

Team FIC Differential: Timberwolves +42.0, Pistons -42.0

The Timberwolves (3-9) surprisingly outplayed the Pistons (8-5) over the full forty-eight minutes in their shocking victory Sunday afternoon. Randy Foye had 23 points and 14 assists, Ryan Gomes posted 20 points and 7 rebounds, and Al Jefferson contributed 19 points and 8 boards in the victory. Minnesota shot 53% and outrebounded Detroit by nine. Tayshaun Prince scored 20 points, Rasheed Wallace added 7 points and 10 rebounds, and Allen Iverson added 9 points on 3-for-11 shooting.

Game FIC Scores

Randy Foye, Minnesota ? 27.5

Ryan Gomes, Minnesota ? 19.4

Tayshaun Prince, Detroit ? 15.4

Jason Maxiell, Detroit ? 9.0

- Denver 114, Chicago 101

Team FIC Differential: Nuggets +45.2, Bulls -45.2

The Nuggets (9-5) used a 31-16 edge in the fourth quarter to down the Bulls (6-8) on Sunday night. Kenyon Martin had 26 points and 8 rebounds, Carmelo Anthony tallied 21 points, 13 boards and 8 assists, and Chauncey Billups added 21 points and 8 dimes. Denver shot 54% and attempted twenty more free throws than Chicago. Ben Gordon led with 28 points, Drew Gooden posted 21 points and 7 rebounds, and rookie Derrick Rose added 15 points and 6 assists in defeat.

Game FIC Scores

Kenyon Martin, Denver - 23.0

Carmelo Anthony, Denver - 22.8

Ben Gordon, Chicago - 18.1

Drew Gooden, Chicago - 12.3

- L.A. Lakers 118, Sacramento 108

Team FIC Differential: Lakers +13.8, Kings -13.8

The Lakers (11-1) remained hot with a win over the Kings (5-10). Kobe Bryant starred with 24 points, Andrew Bynum had 15 points and 10 rebounds, and Trevor Ariza added 11 points, 11 boards and 5 assists off the bench. Los Angeles outrebounded Sacramento by seven and attempted fifteen more free throws, allowing them to outcome the hot-shooting (53%) of the Kings. John Salmons led with 24 points, rookie Jason Thompson tallied 15 points and 7 rebounds, and Bobby Brown added 21 points and 7 assists off the bench.

Game FIC Scores

Trevor Arizona, L.A. Lakers - 18.0

Kobe Bryant, L.A. Lakers - 16.8

Jason Thompson, Sacramento - 16.1

Bobby Brown, Sacramento - 13.2

? RealGM calculates the Floor Impact Counter using the following formula: (Points + .75 Defensive Rebounds + Offensive Rebounds + Steals + Assists + Blocks - .75 Field Goal Attempts - .375 Free Throw Attempts - Turnovers - .5 Personal Fouls)

( )'s indicate a negative FIC score.

It is also used to rank players and to determine their `Reina Value.'
Click here to view the player rankings with the Reina Value for the current season

There were only two games on the schedule in the NBA on Thursday night, but both were marquee matchups with the Pistons and Celtics battling in Boston and the Lakers and Suns taking the court in Phoenix.

- Boston 98, Detroit 80

Team FIC Differential: Celtics +32.5, Pistons -32.5

The Celtics (11-2) used a decisive 28-19 run in the second quarter to defeat the Pistons (8-4) in Boston on Thursday night. Rajon Rondo had 18 points and 8 assists, Kevin Garnett had 15 points and 4 rebounds, and Tony Allen added 13 points and 6 boards off the bench. Boston shot 49% from the floor, while outrebounding Detroit by five and held them to 42% shooting. Allen Iverson led with 16 points, Rasheed Wallace tallied 13 points and 6 rebounds, and Jason Maxiell added 10 points and 6 boards off the bench.

Game FIC Scores

Rajon Rondo, Boston ? 16.0

Tony Allen, Boston ? 15.5

Rasheed Wallace, Detroit ? 9.8

Jason Maxiell, Detroit ? 7.8

- L.A. Lakers 105, Phoenix 92

Team FIC Differential: Lakers +18.4, Suns -18.4

The Lakers (9-1) outscored the Suns (8-5) by 13 points through the first three quarters en their way to a big win. Kobe Bryant had 24 points and 5 rebounds, Lamar Odom tallied 13 points and 9 boards, and Andrew Bynum added 10 points and 7 boards in the win. Phoenix outrebounded Los Angeles by five, but the Suns turned the ball over fifteen times. Amare Stoudemire had 21 points and 8 rebounds, Shaquille O?Neal posted 15 points and 9 boards, and Steve Nash added 8 points and 10 assists in the loss.

Game FIC Scores

Pau Gasol, L.A. Lakers ? 15.5

Vladimir Radmanovic, L.A. Lakers ? 13.3

Boris Diaw, Phoenix ? 10.8

Matt Barnes, Phoenix ? 10.4

? RealGM calculates the Floor Impact Counter using the following formula: (Points + .75 Defensive Rebounds + Offensive Rebounds + Steals + Assists + Blocks - .75 Field Goal Attempts - .375 Free Throw Attempts - Turnovers - .5 Personal Fouls)

( )'s indicate a negative FIC score.

It is also used to rank players and to determine their `Reina Value.'
Click here to view the player rankings with the Reina Value for the current season

The now famous Shaquille O'Neal interview with the Sacramento Bee that ran last week and included comments about Phil Jackson and possibly going back to the Lakers was done in the preseason in Phoenix by the Bee's Scott Howard-Cooper, a former Los Angeles Times writer whom O'Neal knows.

With public perception already settled, O'Neal was questioned Wednesday even though the original interview never asked him specifically about free agency in 2010.

"I have a great relationship with Steve Kerr," said O'Neal. "When I'm done here, we'll see what happens. Going back that way, no, it never came out of my mouth."

O'Neal said his comments about Jackson were intended as a compliment.

"Phil has always done right by me," O'Neal said Wednesday. "We had a great relationship.

"It would be idiotic for me to say something bad about him."

LeBron James broke the previous record set by Kobe Bryant to become the youngest player to reach 11,000 points in NBA history, the Associated Press is reporting.

James (23 years, 324 days) reached the plateau with a wide-open jump shot set up by a great crossover dribble late in the first quarter of the Cavaliers' game with the New Jersey Nets. He came into the game with 10,987 points.

Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers was 25 years, 99 days when he reached 11,000 points.

Magic Johnson was asked last Friday whether 2008 Finals MVP Paul Pierce was the best player in the league now, over reigning MVP Kobe Bryant.

"Paul would like to think he's better than Kobe," said Johnson. "But Kobe Bryant is the best closer in the game. He's the best player in the game. You have to remember he's done it for a long time at a high level."

However, Johnson does admit that Pierce outplayed Bryant last June.

"Now, was Paul Pierce better than Kobe in the Finals? Of course, he was better than everybody in the whole playoffs. Is he one of the top three or four players in the league right now, Paul Pierce? Of course he is. It's hard to find a guy who can go inside and outside and also a guy who can put it on the floor, then make plays for other people.

"Yes, I think he's right up there with Kobe, right up there with LeBron [James]. It's hard to pick one of those three guys.

"I'm not biased. I'm going to tell it like it is. Kobe Bryant has won three championships for a reason. Shaq [O'Neal] got us to the fourth quarter, but always Kobe Bryant closed the deal. We have to remember that.

"There's nothing biased. If Paul was the best player in the league, I would say it. But he's right there as one of the best. No question about it."