"Pop was a cool cat, man. And he was a helluva player."

Cuban did seem amused by the media firestorm swirling around Marbury, suggesting at one point, "Somebody ought to pick their nose in public so you guys would have something else to put on the back page."

Shaq nearly killed Rodney Stucky with a cheap shot while he was in mid air.

During the second quarter of Friday night's Spurs-Rockets game, television analysts Matt Bullard told viewers in Houston that former Spur Brent Barry thinks Bruce Bowen is a dirty player. Check out the video.

There seems to be little doubt about it. NBA players benefit greatly from collegiate experience.

Scout says the Spurs will be making the first NBDL call-up of the season.

Could the move could preceed another roster move by the struggling team?

Officially, Spurs guard Manu Ginobili is out until December. But for the first time this season, Ginobili is traveling with the team and signs may point to an earlier return.

Since Antonio McDyess was waived Monday by the Denver Nuggets, the door has been opened for the Spurs to try to land the suddenly most-coveted free agent.

"Who wouldn't want to play for San Antonio?" Marbury said. "To play with Tim Duncan, who would complain about that? That's a great organization, they win championships. They have a nice system and I like (Gregg) Popovich as coach. I can play 1 or the 2. If I was a free agent, yeah."

What's more, fellow Knick Malik Rose would love to join in San Antonio. Read more at SpursReport.Com.

SAN ANTONIO a€" Bruce Bowen didn't start Tuesday night in San Antonio's game against the New York Knicks. It was the first time in 550 games that he played for the Spurs in which he was on the active roster and didn't start. He was replaced in the starting lineup at small forward by Ime Udoka.

"It's not the true San Antonio team but we have to take care of our business,'' Chris Duhon said.

On the day he was drafted, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich was asked to clarify whether he thought George Hill, who had just been taken with the team's top draft pick could really be a valuable contributor to the veteran team.

"That's why I said that I think he can contribute right away," said a confident Popovich. "Because I think he can hit the ground running."

This soon may not have been "right away" as Popovich imagined, but it's reality. With news that Tony Parker will be shelved for at least a month with a self-inflicted ankle injury, the Spurs are counting on Hill to step in an help. More...

The Spurs are 1-4 and off to their worst start since going 1-5 in 1996. They play Tuesday at home against the New York Knicks.

Spurs fans blame Pop's beard for the team's worst start since 1996!