THIS WEEK IN THE NBA
Orlando's game at Minnesota on Saturday was the first of a three-game Midwestern trip that takes the Magic to Detroit on Monday and Chicago on Wednesday before it returns home to play Miami on Friday. Last season, the Magic won 27 road games, two more than it won at home. This season, Orlando is doing a better job of protecting its court, as the Christmas Day victory over New Orleans was their eighth straight at home. "People say we haven't been protecting our home court, but this year we've been trying to do a better job of that and give the fans a lot more to come out to," said Magic guard Jameer Nelson. Life gets no easier for the Wizards, who hit the road this week to play at Houston, New Orleans and Boston. The Celtics wrap up their four-game trip tonight in Sacramento and Tuesday in Portland. It's a busy week for the Nuggets, who play four on the road before hosting New Orleans on Saturday. GAMES OF THE WEEK
Dwyane Wade and LeBron James, the two stars of the much-anticipated free-agent class of 2010, square off twice as the Heat and Cavaliers will play in Cleveland tonight and in Miami on Tuesday.
Bucks WEEK
The Bucks had better pack their "A" game in the suitcase when they venture into two-thirds of the Texas Triangle for games against San Antonio and Houston, two of the top teams in the Western Conference. The Bucks have lost eight straight in Houston and five of their last six in San Antonio. A home-and-home set against Charlotte concludes the week.
QUOTABLE
"It's tricky. Sometimes you don't think you strain it so bad, then you try to run and it feels like there's a midget pulling on your coat-tail." - New Jersey's Jarvis Hayes, on trying to deal with a hamstring injury.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Kobe Bryant, like Orlando guard Jameer Nelson, hails from suburban Philadelphia, so Bryant is familiar with Nelson's career. He has never seen Nelson, who played in college at St. Joseph's, play better. "He improved every year he has been in the league," said Bryant. "I've followed him from St. Joe's to now. I continue to pull for him and I couldn't be happier for him. He's really stepping up." Or, as teammate Dwight Howard said, "I'm really proud of lil' Mighty Mouse for playing so great." Nelson, a fourth-year player, has been at the controls in leading the Magic to its best start in franchise history and to a solid third in the Eastern standings behind Boston and Cleveland. The Christmas Day victory over New Orleans was Orlando's sixth straight, and Nelson averaged 22.7 points and 6.4 assists in those six games. The Magic also beat the Lakers and San Antonio during that stretch. "The thing is, when you win as a team, good things happen for you individually," said Nelson.
NUMBERS GAME
* When the Nets improved to 9-4 on the road, it marked the first time in franchise history they were five games above .500 away from home.
* Cleveland guard Mo Williams (95.7%) is on pace to break the franchise single-season free-throw percentage record of 94.8% set by Mark Price in 1992-'93.
* Randy Foye's 16 rebounds against San Antonio were the most ever by a Minnesota guard, breaking by one the record set by Isaiah Rider in 1996.
* Before losing at Cleveland, Houston had won 11 straight road games against Eastern opponents.
* Philadelphia missed all eight of its three-pointers against Indiana and then missed all 11 shots from beyond the arc against the Celtics.
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