The associated Press reports that Michael Jordan is not happy with his team?s play and he?s willing to risk his knees to turn things around. Frustrated by a three-game losing streak, Jordan isn?t necessarily calling for a stating position. He is however refusing to let concern over his knees keep his team from the playoffs.

``I'm not concerned about that right now,'' Jordan said when asked about the current plan to limit his minutes to save his knees. ``I know they are. Doctors are supposed to be very conservative, especially with a guy who's about to turn 40.

``But I may not make 41. Who knows? I'd rather live in the moment. I'm a guy who lives for now. You can save all you want, but if you don't get to where you want to go ... By the time you get there I may be healthy, but I may be playing golf in April or May, and that's not fun for me. If I feel good _ which I do feel _ I'd rather get on the court and play.''

Jordan commented after losing to the winless Memphis Grizzlies that if his teammates don?t start playing better, he might start playing more.

``If they don't play well, and we're not winning, then obviously we've got to go to an area where you can count on,'' Jordan said. ``I'd like to think hopefully you can count on me.''

Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal reports: After losing their first 13 games to start this NBA season, the Grizzlies finally won - defeating the Washington Wizards, 85-74, Saturday night before a sellout crowd in The Pyramid.

THe Grizz held Michael Jordan and the Wiz scoreless in the final 2:57 to get the victory.

EArl Watson lead the Grizz in scoring with 17 points.

La Velle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports that the Timberwolves have health concerns. Coach Flip Saunders will be getting reports on Joe Smith and Wally Szczerbiak today. Then he will have to determine who will be available for tonight?s game against Memphis.

Smith has yet to play this season because of a groin injury. He has been going all out in practices recently and says he?s ready to go. If he really is ready, he will be activated for tonight?s game and will probably play some minutes off the bench.

"The good thing is that I haven't had any soreness," Smith said. "It's been pretty strong. I've been doing a lot of running. I've had two full practices, doing defensive slides and moving pretty well. I haven't had any soreness."

If Smith is activated, the Wolves must make a move to open up a spot on the roster.

While Smith is on the road back from injury, Szczerbiak is having trouble getting healthy. He has missed 7 of 11 games with foot and knee problems. When the pain flared up, he sat out the final 45 minutes of yesterday?s practice. "Wally is up and down," Saunders said. "He's one of those guys we have to evaluate every day."

Wally recently removed a metal insert from his shoe in an attempt to improve his mobility. "It's helped him some," Saunders said. "But even from a defensive standpoint, he's not able to move 65 to 70 percent of what he normally does. Wally has a great threshold of pain, so we have to make sure if we think he's doing too much. We may have to pull back."

Frank Isola of the New York Daily News reminds us that the Knicks are running out of time with their disabled player exception. They received a $4.5 million exception to replace Antonio McDyess who is out for the season after knee surgery. The exception must be used by December 2nd of it will expire.

Knicks president Scott Layden hopes to use the exception to trade for a point guard or a center. He has had preliminary talks with Memphis, who is looking to make moves after an 0-10 start. The Knicks are interested in Memphis big men Stromile Swift or Lorenzen Wright.

The Blazers and Timberwolves are two other teams that could be willing trade partners. Charlie Ward is one of the few Knicks that teams have expressed interest in because of his partially guaranteed salary next season.

On Tuesday, after compiling 8 straight losses to start the season and a 46-126 (.365) over his 2 plus seasons with the team, Memphis Grizzlies head coach Sidney Lowe resigned.

Many people had seen the move coming and thought that assistant and former head coach Lionel Hollins would take over the team.

Guess again!

In a shocking move, the Grizzlies hired TNT analyst and former head coach of the year Hubie Brown to take over the team.

Brown returns to coaching after an absense of almost two decades.

WFAN Radio in New York reported that Brown will be getting a three-year contract worth $10 million.

"We appreciate the tremendous effort shown by Sidney during his time spent as our head coach. He is an incredible person with great class, integrity and outstanding character," said West. "Sidney is a true professional with a great work ethic. I am sure that he will have other opportunities, and I wish him well for the future."

On Brown: "Hubie is one of the premiere basketball minds in the business. I feel fortunate that we are able to find such an individual in such a short period of time and that he agreed to step in and accept this job," said West. "Our young, talented players will have the experience of working with the ultimate teacher. We are certainly excited about what he brings to our team."

Lowe said "I certainly appreciate the opportunity to coach this team, and I want to thank Michael Heisley, the limited partners, and Jerry (West) and for the giving me the chance to coach the team this season. I understand that (today?s announcement) is an unfortunate part of the professional coaching business. I wish the team well. The Grizzlies have some good, young talent here, and they are going to be good in the future.?

Not only have the Memphis Grizzlies started the season by tieing a franchise record by losing their first eight games, but now they?re losing players.

After playing well Friday against Sacramento, point guard Brevin Knight went down with another injury Saturday against Denver.  This time his injury is a sprained right ankle.

On Sunday Stromile Swift took leave from the team for a few days to attend to some undisclosed personal issues.  

The Grizzlies granted Swift an excused absence for tonight's game against Golden State. The third-year forward traveled to Louisiana Sunday to be with his family, according to coach Sidney Lowe.

Swift has been one of the few bright spots this season for the Grizzlies, along with rookie Drew Gooden.  Last year's standout rookies, Pau Gasol and Shane Battier, have struggled more this season than last year.

About the only good news is that the league?s only winless team doesn?t play again until Friday.

At that time, fans won?t see Drew Gooden at small forward.  The Memphis Commercial Appeal?s Ron Tillery reports that the Drew Gooden Experiment at small forward is done for now.

"I don't think we can go with a steady diet of Drew at the three," coach Sidney Lowe said. "He's learning to play the four position in terms of what we're running. When he's playing the three we're very limited with what we can do. The offense struggles."

Lowe promised changes following the Grizzlies 84-73 loss Saturday night at Denver, but Monday?s game against Golden State was the same story as the previous seven games: another loss.

President Jerry West endorsed Lowe as his coach as recently as last week, but one has to ask whether a new coach will be the next change.

Barney Hutchinson writes about the first Nuggets home win of the season.

Michael Dickerson is back on the injured reserve.  The Grizzlies put him back on IR to give his sore back and tender groin (ouch!) more time to heal.

Dickerson missed all but the first four games of last season with a stress fracture in the groin area.  This is the first season of a six-year, $43 million contract extension that Dickerson signed last summer before getting injured.

Doctors say the injury is healed, but Dickerson is still feeling discomfort.

The team says the discomfort is because Dickerson pushed himself too hard in pre-season, and they don't want him to miss extended time again this season.

Dickerson played a total of 23 minutes in the Grizz' first two games, but hasn't seen floor time since then.  His absences from games have been Lowe's decision.  "It's in his best interest," Lowe said.

Dickerson said. "I was feeling really strong [during training camp]. I think the two-a-days may have gotten to me. I worked out really hard in the summer but never against this type of competition. Practicing twice a day may have set me back. But I believe in myself and I'll be back."

Marc Berman reports that the Knicks are still looking to use their injury exception to gain some front court help. They have a $4.546 million exception available to replace the injured Antonio McDyess. They have until December 2nd to use it. They are weighing their possibilities, but one name that has come up is the Grizzlies? Stromile Swift.

Swift was made available by the Grizzlies this summer to help alleviate a glut of big men on the Memphis roster. There were talks of a trade to Orlando in exchange for Mike Miller, but that never materialized. Grizzlies GM Jerry West may be ready to make a move after an 0-6 start for his club.

Swift is a 6-9 big man who has been averaging 13.7 points and 8.7 rebounds, playing mostly at center. His speed and athleticism would fit in well with the Knicks.

Berman writes that a source close to the situation says that the Grizzlies would require more than just the exception in exchange for Swift. They would need at least a protected first round pick. The Grizzlies would get one year to use the exception on a free agent. (RealGM note: The exception gained by the Grizzlies in this scenario would only be able to be used in trade to accept a player whose salary is equal to or less than the exception).

The source said the Grizzlies may be interested in a deal that would include Swift and a swap of point guards. Charlie Ward would go to the Knicks while Brevin Knight would go to New York. Knight-for-Ward could save the Grizzlies $3 million in salaries for the 2003-04 season. Knight is guaranteed $5 million next season while Ward only has a $2 million guarantee.