When you think of "go-to players" on the defending NBA Champion Boston Celtics, Brian Scalabrine is not the first guy to pop into your mind. In fact he may not be one of the first eleven guys that come to mind. But on Tuesday with Celtics All-Star forward Kevin Garnett serving a one game suspension, the seldom used veteran got the start. Scalabrine did not put up "Big Ticket" type numbers, but he did hit a critical shot near the end of the game against the New York Knicks as Boston got the win 110-101. The Celtics while not off to the unbeaten streak they started last season with still has the best record in the NBA Eastern Conference.

The reigning NBA Eastern Conference Player Of The Week (actually two consecutive weeks) Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James set another record Tuesday night to add to the string of accomplishments he has set so far in his career. LBJ became the youngest player in NBA history to score 11,000 points, as Cleveland defeated the New Jersey Nets 106-82. James broke the record in the first quarter of the game. Lebron at the age of 23 years, 324 days, broke the mark set by the L.A. Lakers guard Kobe Bryant who accomplished the feat at 25 years, 99 days.

Since the end of the 2008 NBA Finals, I have felt like a voice in the wilderness bucking conventional wisdom. As soon as the Boston Celtics held the NBA Championship trophy in their hands, the speculation started in the media. Every time a franchise made a move in the off-season, according to many members of the media, it was with one thing in mind. How that NBA team could best position themselves to acquire Cleveland Cavaliers All-Star forward LeBron James.

Carlos Boozer recorded a double-double, and led six Utah Jazz players in double figures, as the Jazz defeated the Phoenix Suns Monday 109-97. The Jazz got the crowd at the Energy Solutions Arena stoked, after coming back from a first quarter deficit. The victory puts Utah in sole possession of first place in the NBA Northwest Division

Every once in a while though you see a player make a dramatic transformation. So far in this young NBA season a perfect example of that has been New York Knicks big man Zach Randolph. The 27 year old veteran now in his eighth NBA campaign is in his second season in New York, after being traded by the Portland Trail Blazers on the day of the 2007 NBA Draft. Randolph was as much as a hindrance as a help last season for the dysfunctional Knicks. Although he averaged a double-double (17.6 ppg, 10.3 rpg) for the campaign reportedly he was a distraction for the team on and off the court.

The NBA announced on Monday that Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James has been named the Eastern Conference Player Of The Week for games that were played from November 10 through November 16. Denver Nuggets point Chauncey Billups was named as his counterpart in the NBA Western Conference. LBJ has been given the award for the second consecutive week in the young NBA campaign.

Here is a life lesson, I think we can all agree on; It is never a good thing to be charged with insider trading by the Securities and Exchange Commission. However, when the economy of the USA is in the greatest free fall since the Great Depression, and millions of Americans are watching their future dissolve as they read their monthly 401K statement, it's a real bad time to be dealing in stock market irregularities!

The "Associated Press" reported Monday that the S.E.C. filed a civil lawsuit in a Dallas courtroom against Dallas Mavericks team owner Mark Cuban. The agency contends that Cuban uside inside information to avoid suffering $750 thousand in losses. All the S.E.C. is doing is looking to fine the Mavericks team owner, and to take away any earnings that he would have made in the transaction. Cuban as of this writing has not been charged with any crime, that would fall under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Attorney in Dallas. So far there has been no comment from the U.S. Attorney's office on the matter.

Most people don't like working on their birthday, but I have the feeling that Phoenix suns forward Amare Stoudemire didn't mind one bit on Sunday. Stoudemire celebrated his twenty sixth birthday with thousands of his closest friends at the US Airways Center as the Suns just beat up the Detroit Pistons 104-86. The Suns shot 56.9% (41-72) from the floor for the game, and 50% (6-12) from outside the arc. Amare commemorated the day of his birth as he recorded a double-double and was the game's leading scorer.

Orlando Magic forward Hedo Turkoglu scored a game high 20 points, as he led his team over the Charlotte Bobcats Sunday 90-85. Turkoglu came up big, in a game which center Dwight Howard was rendered ineffective by foul trouble. Howard scored just 4 points for the Magic, before fouling out with 3:18 left in the contest. The other four Orlando starters shouldered the extra load as they would all score in double figures.

The Boston Celtics Saturday night needed an overtime period, but they defeated the Milwaukee Bucks at the Bradley Center 102-97. The victory on the road, one night after suffering their first home loss at the hands of the Denver Nuggets, gives the "Green Team" the best record in the Eastern Conference at 9-2. Paul Pierce and Ray Allen led the Celtics to their fourth victory on the road.

Two young teams on the rise, one from the Eastern Conference, and one from the Western took the floor at the Q Arena Saturday night as the Cleveland Cavaliers hosted the Utah Jazz. Both teams are expected to be near the top of their respective conferences when the regular season ends in April. The two opponents will face each other only twice this season unless they were to meet in the NBA Finals. Score game one of this two game set decidedly in the Cavaliers favor, as they defeated the Jazz 105-93. Once again LeBron James thrilled the hometown faithful as he led the way for Cleveland with a game high 38 points, as he was one of four of the team's five starters to score in double figures.

The Orlando Magic got double figure scoring from their starting five led by Rashard Lewis with 23 points, and exploded in the fourth quarter for 30 points to just get by the Dallas Mavericks Friday night 102-100. Dallas tried to extend the game into overtime, but a Jason Terry shot rimmed out giving the Magic the victory. Orlando was down by double digits early in the fourth quarter, before coming back for the dramatic win.

Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups led the Denver Nuggets with 18 points each, and Melo also grabbed 13 boards, as the Nuggets came into the "New Garden" Friday night and shut down the Boston Celtics 94-85. It was only the second loss of the season for the Celtics, their first at home in the still young NBA campaign. Denver held Boston to shooting 39.7% (29-73) from the floor for the game.

The Detroit Pistons dominated from the opening tip as they shot 50.7% (35-69) from the floor, and all five of their starters scored in double figures, as they defeated the Los Angeles Lakers Friday night at the Staples Center 106-95. Rasheed Wallace and Allen Iverson each scored 25 points, to lead the team from the "Motor City" as they handed the Lakers their first loss of the campaign.