In Miami, the song remains the same for Riley and Heat

Sporting News, The, Feb 21, 2000 by Dave D'Alessandro

Through last Saturday's games. TSN's Power Poll is determined by TSN editors, Comments by Stephen Siegel.

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George Karl's comparison of the Lakers and Blazers: "The Lakers actually have two better players in Shaquille and Kobe. That's a great argument: Are 10 guys going to be better than two really good ones? A lot of the other Lakers are good, too. Our theory is that from one to three, the Lakers are better. But from three through 10, Portland is really a lot better." ... Toronto coach Butch garter, who knows that bad blood makes for good rivalries, is looking to start one with Milwaukee. It's not like the teams need his help-there was Toronto's signing of G Dell Curry after he orally committed to the Bucks, there was the Ray Allen-Vince Carter Olympic flap-but Butch Carter says there's more: "They seem to want to put us in our place," he said of the Bucks. "When we went into free agency, there was a lot of bad-mouthing me, starting with (former Bucks G.M. Bob) Weinhauer. We didn't respond. Then after we signed Dell, George Karl was badmouthing me. What bothers me is that people I felt good about allowed this B.S. to go on."... Hornets PG David Wesley busted out for 30 points against the Cavaliers recently. Wesley had been in a funk since Bobby Phills' death, and his floor game was such that coach Paul Silas gave the ball to Anthony Mason in a point-forward offense. Those close to Wesley (still facing charges of reckless driving for his role in his teammate's death) feared that the guilt would overwhelm him. "I don't want him to carry guilt around," the father of his best friend, Dr. Bobby Phills, told the Charlotte Observer. "There's no need to, because we've got too much life left ... He is a good guy and as close a friend as Bobby had." ... Did Rick Pitino look at the exit polls after the Danny Fortson-Alvin Williams made before rescinding it? Perhaps. It was, after all, hard to justify it: This deal ultimately would have meant trading G Ron Mercer for Alvin Williams, F Eric Williams and a draft choice, and that's nobody's idea of progress.

Dave D'Alessandro covers the NBA for the Newark (N.J.) Star-Ledger E-mail him at daved@sportingnews.com.