General Manager O'Neal?

1. Shaq wants the New Jersey Nets to stay in Newark, and — who knows? — maybe they’ll even name him the GM.
2. Rajon Rondo was named to NBA.com’s All-Hustle team. Notably left off the roster? Kevin Garnett. I defy you to find someone who works harder than Garnett.
3. Semih Erden’s translator, Ilker Belgutay, who is to unintentional comedy what Hank Aaron was to home runs, set up Tony Gaffney with Erden’s former Turkish team, Turktelekom. Belgutay received a phone call from Faruk Akagum, Turktelekom’s coach, shortly after Gaffney was released from the Celtics. “He called me and asked who was around,” Belgutay told the Boston Herald. “I mentioned that he would like Tony.” Soon after the call, Gaffney was offered a contract that he couldn’t refuse.
4. Kevin Garnett didn’t look great yesterday (actually, he didn’t do much of anything), but one thing I read today encouraged me: he wanted to pressure the ball full court. “He looks good,’’ Rondo said of Garnett. “He’s running the floor. He wanted to pick up with me a couple times defensively, but I wouldn’t let him.’’ Before his injury, KG used to pick up the opposing point guard full court and harass them. Since the injury, he hasn’t. If he wants to pressure PG’s again, he’s feeling better. At least, that’s how my theory goes.
5. Anybody else see Perk’s watch yesterday? That damn thing almost blinded me.
6. Ron Artest, on stopping Kevin Durant: “You gotta be Ron Artest. If you’re not Ron Artest, you don’t have a chance!” Me, on stopping anyone else: “You gotta be Semih Erden. If you’re not Semih Erden, you don’t have a chance!”
7. A fan who went to the C’s game yesterday: “We came to see how the big boys play,” Craig said. “It’s amazing how big these guys are when you see them in person — and it’s amazing how small Nate Robinson (5 feet, 9 inches) really is.”
8. Shaq’s got Semih fever. When Erden failed to take advantage of a matchup against Mareese Speights, Shaq screamed out, “Semih, kill him.” I hope Erden’s translator didn’t take that literally. Shaq also said, “Going up against three great big men each day in myself, [Jermaine O'Neal] and [Kevin Garnett], [Erden's] going to be a force for us.”
9. Adam Morrison, on whether there’s still enough time to resurrect his career: “I guess so. We’ll see.” Me, on whether there’s still enough time to go back to college and get a 6.0 GPA, then be the first man to walk on the moon, then be the first person from Longmeadow, MA to get drafted into the NBA: “I guess so. We’ll see.”

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