It's not much of a birthday present, but John Stockton knows what to expect from the NBA when he turns 41 today: Skepticism. Disbelief. And a certain sense of wonderment.
   
For almost a decade, the league has expected to sing "Auld Lang Syne" rather than "Happy Birthday" to Stockton, and every season, the future Hall of Famer has defied history and convention -- all by playing basketball, same as he ever has.
   
"When I came into the league, for a guard to be 32, that was it. You could expect a downward trend," Stockton said as he prepared for his first game as a 41-year-old, tonight against the Trail Blazers (7 p.m., FSN). "Any time [you reached] the early 30s, people at least start talking -- 'Hey, we're close [to retirement], we're close, we're close.' "