--F-C Ben Wallace, who is threatening to retire, has one year remaining on his contract worth $14 million next season. Very few players -- if any -- would walk away from the game with that much money at stake. "I tried to tell everyone before I signed this deal (that), for me, it was never about the money," Wallace said. "I enjoy playing basketball. I don't know what I'll do without basketball. If it comes down to it and I can't be productive on the floor, then I'm not going to come back. I'm not going to hold this team hostage because I have another year on this contract. That isn't me. I'm bigger than that."
Wallace suffered through perhaps the most unproductive season of his career in 2008-09, averaging 2.9 points and 6.5 rebounds in 56 games. In 14 postseason games, his play deteriorated to 1.1 points and 2.7 rebounds. After returning from a broken right leg, he suffered a sprained patella tendon in his left knee, and his immense jumping ability and athleticism is no longer there. What is there is some terrible pain. "I have to sit down and talk to my family and see how I feel over the course of the summer," he said. "It's not getting any easier for me. I'm going out there every night with something hurting and not being able to give the effort that you want to give. I love the game and respect the game too much to be going out there half-hearted."
--Magic C Dwight Howard and F LeBron James both are 24 years old. They might become longtime rivals in the playoffs. "I think it will be," James said. "This team will continue to grow and my team will continue to grow. Both teams are young and there's a lot of room for improvement. Orlando and its staff will continue to put guys around him. We'll continue to put guys around me, so we'll always be contenders. This won't be the first time we see each other."
--The Cavs' 39-2 home record this season was the second-best mark in NBA history. Only the 1985-86 Boston Celtics had a better home record (40-1).
QUOTE TO NOTE: "I don't know how many 'next years' I have left. I realize how elusive winning a championship is." -- C Zydrunas Ilgauskas on his career
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