Roy joined several of his teammates and took a tour of King's Atlanta birth home and the downtown YMCA where King learned to play basketball and swim.

"To see the house where he was born, and to go to the gym where he played some hoop was kind of cool," Roy said. "It's like you get to walk in his shoes for a minute, which is a great moment, especially for us being African American males. Because of a lot of the things we are able to do today are things he fought for."

"I think it is good for them to see that, it's educational for them," Coach Nate McMillan said. "Life is about opportunities, and for me, I ask, 'Would I have had this opportunity (to coach) 40 or 50 years ago?' No. So that's what this is all about: In life, we hope for an opportunity to show what we are capable of doing, and helped give us all that opportunity."

The Royals are looking at some quality derpth from the mound this year. While Gil Meche, Brian Bannister and Zack Greinke are looked at as sure things for the Royals rotation, newly signed Brett Tomko will likely compete for one of the final two spots, along with Kyle Davies, Jorge De La Rosa, Luke Hochevar and Luke Hudson. John Bale will also be given a chance at the rotation, and the Royals also signed Brian Lawrence and Hideo Nomo to minor-league deals.

At age 35, Tomko was 4-12 with a 5.55 ERA in 40 appearances â€" 19 of them starts â€" for the Dodgers and Padres last season.

The KC Royals avoided arbitration by agreeing to contracts with three players on Friday and exchanged arbitration numbers with their three other eligible players hoping to set their 08 lineups.

First baseman/outfielder Ross Gload agreed to a two-year deal. Gload hit .288 with 51 RBIs and agreed to a two-year deal worth $3.2 million. The club option for 2010 is worth $2.6 million. Catcher John Buck hit .222 and led the team with 18 home runs. He signed for $2.2 million, a raise from the $440,000 he made in 2007.

Left-handed pitcher Jorge De La Rosa agreed to one-year deals. De La Rosa went 8-12 with a 5.82 ERA and signed a deal for $1.025 million plus performance bonuses.

After lefty Jimmy Gobble agreed to a one-year, $1,312,500 contract on Thursday, three players — Zack Greinke, Mark Teahen and Esteban German — remain eligible for arbitration.

Greinke asked for $1.8 million and was offered $1.15 million; Teahen asked for $2.9 million and was offered $1.9 million; and German asked for $1.2 million and was offered $837,000. Since Dayton Moore took over as general manager, the Royals have not gone to arbitration with any players.

Dwayne Wade finished with 37 points and helped Miami score 35 in the third period to take a seven-point lead, but it wasn't enough. "That was the best third quarter we've played in probably two years around here," Wade said. "We thought that was the turning point, but it wasn't."

"We just couldn't sustain what we did in the third quarter," Heat coach Pat Riley said. "That was as well as we played in a long time from a defensive standpoint. Then in the fourth quarter we just began to miss shots." Wade managed only two points in the final period, when he went 1-for-7, including a miss that would have tied the game with less than 2 minutes left.

What a fantic, what a maniac, what a Cheesehead! Mathew Kowald, is an avid Green Bay Packer fan, he got totally upset that his 7-year-old son wouldn't don a Packers' jersey during the team's playoff game last Saturday. Soooo, he was arrested on Monday in Portage, Wis., after his wife told local authorities that the man restrained his son for an hour with tape and taped the jersey onto him.

Kowald was held pending bail,in jail until Wednesday, when he pleaded no contest and paid a fine of $186. Kowald's wife filed a restraining order so that Kowald couldn't have contact with his family. I tell you... thats a fanatic.

He fits too! As per Herm. After all He adds "You play to win the game." "The thing I like about Chan when we talked is the one thing he kept saying. He kept saying that it's real simple, what it's all about. It's about winning the game and doing whatever you have to do to win the game. He's exactly right."

"He's a good fit for us," Coach Edwards said. "He's a veteran play-caller, and our philosophies are similar. Just follow the guy's career. You know he's a solid guy. He's a good teacher. He can make it simple enough that the young guys can line up and play. He's been on the college level for the last six years. He can relate to the younger players like Larry Johnson.

Generally, Chan Gailey has succeeded as an NFL offensive coordinator. While his teams haven't always been high-scoring, they've almost always won. He was coordinator for the Broncos (1989 and 1990), Steelers (1996 and 1997) and Dolphins (2000 and 2001) for a total of six seasons, and five of those teams advanced to the playoffs.

The 1989 Broncos and 1996 Steelers reached the Super Bowl.

Here's the deal: Last week I wrote a scouting report of the Blazers that extolled the virtues of Brandon Roy. A subsequent question was emailed to FOXSports.com asking me to explain why I had previously called Roy a "flop" just about "a year ago" midway through his rookie season. Consulting my files, I found another appraisal of the Blazers that I had done in January 2006, in which Roy's potential was praised and his areas of weakness also cited. Nowhere in this particular article did I call him a flop.

Subsequent bloggers pointed out that I had indeed used the phrase in describing Roy a few weeks later during my mid-term ratings. Upon checking this additional source, I realized that I had indeed dismissed Roy (as well as Martell Webster) as "flops." My thanks to all of you attentive readers out there!

As everybody who reads my columns no doubt knows, I am very passionate about the game. That's why I express myself so strongly.

And considering that I am always willing to go out on a limb and to avoid the wishy-washy, humdrum voices of most of the national media-choir, some of my opinions are bound to be erroneous. My most egregious error having been to second Michael Jordan's notion that LeBron James was destined to be merely an "average NBA player."

On the court and off, nobody shoots 100 percent, nor should they be expected to do so. As for me, I don't keep score of my hits and misses, but the reality is that I've produced many more buckets than bricks.

More than making predictions, however, I believe that my function is to point out some aspects of the game that even the most fervent NBA watchers might have overlooked. And also to dispel the miasma of media-hype that clouds so many fans' true understanding of what actually happens during a ball game.

I'm not seeking to please or displease any particular segment of NBA fans. All I can do is call 'em the way I see 'em.

As far as the Roy flop-flap is concerned, I can only repeat the mantra chanted at one time or other by players at every level from MJ to the no-game hackers who have next-after-next in the schoolyards.

My bad.

Aldridge and Portland used a rolling opening 12 minutes to help breeze past the Nets in East Rutherford, NJ. The Blazers jumped all over New Jersey early, riding the hot hands of Aldridge and Roy to establish a 25-12 lead by the end of the first quarter. "We tried to come out, be aggressive and speed them up a little bit. We did a good job of getting a lead and maintaining it," Roy said. Adding, "We tried to come out, be aggressive and speed them up a little bit. We did a good job of getting a lead and maintaining it," Roy said.

LaMarcus Aldridge had 20 points and seven rebounds to pace Portland past New Jersey, 99-73, at the Izod Center. Aldridge scored the first six points of the game for Portland, and added a hook shot later in the quarter that upped the visitors' lead to 19-8. Roy, meanwhile, netted all of his 10 first-half points in the opening 12 minutes, including a three-pointer with 2:52 on the clock that made it 24-10.

"They definitely came out with a big punch, a lot of energy," said Carter.

Defense was equally responsible for the lopsided margin, as the Blazers held the Nets to just 21 percent shooting in the first stanza. Brandon Roy had 16 points while Jarrett Jack totaled 15 points and seven assists for Portland, which has won five of six and 18 of 20 overall.

Malik Allen had a team-best 17 points and eight rebounds for the Nets, who have dropped three of four. Vince Carter and Jason Kidd ended with 10 points apiece, but were a combined 5-of-22 from the field.

Aldridge scored the first six points of the game for Portland, and added a hook shot later in the quarter that upped the visitors' lead to 19-8. Roy, meanwhile, netted all of his 10 first-half points in the opening 12 minutes, including a three-pointer with 2:52 on the clock that made it 24-10.

"They definitely came out with a big punch, a lot of energy," said Carter.

Defense was equally responsible for the lopsided margin, as the Blazers held the Nets to just 21 percent shooting in the first stanza.

New Jersey pulled to within seven early in the second on the strength of a 10-3 burst, but Portland had an answer, and pushed the lead to 49-34 by halftime.

The Nets made another mini-charge in the third, slicing the deficit to 10 with 8:46 to play after a slam by Sean Williams.

Portland finished the quarter strong, however, and owned a 68-53 advantage heading into the fourth.

The Nets did not seriously threaten the rest of the way.

The Associated Press

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Terrell Owens ran routes and caught passes in his return to practice Thursday in Irving, Texas, showing only a slight limp at times. Owens seems on track to play in the Cowboys' playoff game against the New York Giants.

Owens, recovering from a sprained left ankle, didn't go against any defenders during the short period of practice open to the media. But he took part in some team drills after that.

While he was taking full strides running routes and making some cuts without any apparent problems, Owens had a slight limp at times when he jogged or walked.

"I thought that he moved well, and ran at the level that we were practicing, and those weren't half-speed," owner Jerry Jones said. "He's in very good spirits, very competitive spirits, very focused on our success here Sunday."

Seen in the perimeter around the locker room during lunch before practice, Owens appeared to be walking fine, though he said little.

"You're not getting anything out of me," Owens said.

Owens hurt his ankle Dec. 22 in the game at Carolina and sat out the regular-season finale at Washington.

GS Warriors fell 109-91, yes they fell hard. They were spinning their wheels, stuck in the mud and just plain in awe at times. Talk about follow the bouncing balls.

Coach Don Nelson has admitted surprise the Blazers have run their 17-1 streak – second-best one-loss streak in franchise history without the services of Greg Oden. "I am surprised just a little bit," Golden State's coach said. "It wouldn't have surprised me had their No. 1 pick not been out all year. Without him, to do what they've done is remarkable.

One game at a time on this road trip, Toronto, first stop.

109-91 thats all that needs said, again. Ya see, Portland broke out early to a 22-6 advantage, then led 30-14 after the first quarter. They actually won going away, winning by 27 points until pulling the starters early in the final period. Yes. It was another extreme night for the Blazers who moved into sole possession of first place of their division in the Northwest with their fourth straight win.

Quotes:

"It feels great," guard Brandon Roy said. "We've worked hard to get to this point. We know what it takes to be in first place, and we know have a big test ahead of us."

"I'm looking forward to this {road} trip." James Jones added "It gives us a chance to get on the road, lock down, focus and try to take a game from a team that's not going to give it to you. If you're a competitor, you want to go in and play in those types of environments."

Tonight, when the streaking Blazers (21-13) play host to Golden State (20-15), they will be showing off their latest ranking as 4th in the western confrence, but it will also begin to be a good indicator as to how committed LAldridge is to his latest inside game. The Warriors like to play with small lineups, and in the first meeting with the Blazers -- during which Aldridge was injured -- the Blazers repeatedly went inside to center Joel Przybilla early in the game, forcing Golden State to change its lineups.

That's what coach Nate McMillan and assistant coach Maurice Lucas want to see, LA go work inside. Both have been harping all season for Aldridge to take his game closer to the basket. "When you are more aggressive, you get to the line more," Aldridge said. "And lately, I've been getting to the basket more, which I feel good about. This year, I think I have been showing people I can score on the block, that I'm not just a jump shooter anymore."

Actually, it's a raise from the $422,000 Hudson made in 2007. Last year, his shoulder injury limited him to just one start. He underwent surgery in June but is expected to be recovered enough to compete in spring training.

Hudson first suffered the problems in spring training, and made four minor-league rehab starts before a disastrous season debut on May 9 in which he gave up five runs in two-plus innings in a 17-3 loss to Oakland. Hudson underwent surgery in June. He was projected to be the Royals' No. 3 starter after going 6-3 with a 4.79 ERA in 15 starts in 2006.

GM Dayton Moore added."When he's healthy, he's got some pretty dynamic stuff,"adding "The quality of his pitches is very good. We're counting on him coming in here and competing for a job."

The Royals have seven players still facing arbitration: John Buck, Jorge De La Rosa, Esteban German, Ross Gload, Jimmy Gobble, Zack Greinke and Mark Teahen.

The Nuggets have three days to lick their wounds from their pummeling at the hands of the Phoenix Suns last night. Meanwhile the Portland Trailblazers will let all that December success turn itself into a percentage point first place position over those same Nuggeets.

You can see later today in local articles as they come online. You will see, all the celebration, all the glee heading tomorrow nights GS Warrior game in the Rose Garden. They manhandled the Spurs in the Bay Area 130- 121 to warm up for Blazers.

Playing their fourth game in five nights, the Nuggets allowed Phoenix to shoot 69 percent and score 46 points during the first quarter. By halftime, Phoenix had 11 3-pointers and 78 points, the most allowed by Denver in a first half since 1996. After just three quarters, Phoenix led 106-90. The Suns(24-10) average an NBA-best 109.3 points per game.

"I'm pretty sure it surprised everybody that they were making shots like that," said Denver guard Allen Iverson, who scored a game-high 32 points. "When we missed shots, they took total advantage pushing it downcourt, and we were caught in a lot of cross matchups."

All this left to alot of Nuggets gettijng pissed.

Carmelo Anthony scored 20 points, nearly five below his season average, but he did lead Denver with 14 rebounds — seven on the offensive glass. But he couldn't get into an Anthony-like flow. "I wasn't getting any calls once again tonight," he said. "And tonight was really brutal out there for me. I know I don't really talk about it that much, I don't like to make excuses, but tonight was an exception."

The postgame frustration was contagious. As Iverson walked off the court, the feisty Denver captain looked over at the Suns, who were high-fiving like they had just hit another 3-pointer.

Screamed Iverson: "We'll see all y'all (expletive) again!"