The Boston Celtics have spoken with future Hall of Famer Reggie Miller about coming out of retirement to help the once-proud franchise in its push for an unprecedented 17th NBA title.

"I'm always flattered when my name is mentioned as someone who can still help an NBA team win a championship," Miller said Wednesday in a statement relayed to The Associated Press by the TNT network. "I've had limited discussions with Celtics management about their roster and a potential role for me. At this time, I'm enjoying my role as an analyst with TNT."

ESPN.com was the first to report the talks. But both sides confirmed the possibility that Miller, who will turn 42 this month, would consider returning for the chance at a championship he never won during an 18-year career, all with the Indiana Pacers.

"(I have) contacted Reggie and he is contemplating a comeback with us," Celtics basketball boss Danny Ainge said through a team spokesman.

Miller's agent, Arn Tellem, declined comment.

Miller, who has been retired for two seasons, is 13th on the league's career scoring list with 25,279 points and the leader in 3-pointers made and attempted. His uniform No. 31 was retired by the Pacers last year.

In addition to working on television broadcasts of NBA and WNBA games, he has run a movie production company called Boom Baby Productions and co-hosted "Live with Regis and Kelly." But he admitted when the Pacers opened training camp without him in 2005 that it wasn't the same thrill.

"It's strange not to be a part of an (NBA) organization or part of a team," he said then. "I'm not joking with anybody on the bus like I usually do. But waking up with my back, knees and ankles hurting -- that's not stuff I'm going to miss much."

The Celtics were 24-58 last season and have won three playoff series in the nine years since drafting Paul Pierce. But they have undergone a near-complete roster overhaul this summer that has taken them from a rebuilding program to Eastern Conference contenders.

They traded for seven-time All-Star Ray Allen at the draft and then pulled off an unprecedented 7-for-1 trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves for 2004 NBA MVP Kevin Garnett. Those two will team with Pierce to form one of the most formidable top three in the NBA.

But the rest of the roster needs work.

The starting lineup includes second-year pro Rajon Rondo at point guard and Kendrick Perkins at center. Only four other players are under contract.

"Clearly, we need a little bit more help just to shore up the bench," Celtics coach Doc Rivers said after the Garnett deal. "But it's sure better talking about shoring up our bench than shoring up our starting lineup."

That's where Miller would fit in, as a backup for Allen and the kind of veteran who would provide guidance -- and perhaps a key 3-pointer -- in the playoffs. (The last time the NBA's most decorated franchise, made the postseason, in 2005, they were bounced out in seven games by the Pacers in Miller's final season).

Pat Riley vowed months ago to demand a bigger commitment from the Miami Heat this coming season.

And he didn't just mean from the players, either.

Riley said Monday that he plans to coach the Heat for the three remaining years on his contract, an announcement that ends months of speculation about his immediate future. He'll remain in the dual role of team president as well.

"I will coach those out," Riley said. "I will try to coach those out, unless somebody else makes a decision on me. That's a commitment that I want to make to the organization."

The 62-year-old Riley gave up coaching in 2003, then returned two years later -- when Stan Van Gundy stepped down in December 2005 -- and led Miami to the 2006 NBA title. But the Heat were swept out of this past season's playoffs by the Chicago Bulls, and Riley was noncommittal for months about whether he'd remain on the sideline.

But after discussions with his family, Riley is staying put.

"We finally have come to the decision that this is what I love doing," Riley said. "It also works best for us right now and so I'm just going to keep moving forward with it."

The announcement means Riley will coach through the 2009-10 season -- matching the length of Shaquille O'Neal's contract with Miami. Dwyane Wade, the 2006 finals MVP, can also opt out of his contract following that season.

"We hope that over the next three years ... that we're going to be a contender," Riley said. "And then after that, we'll re-evaluate the whole situation."

Riley's 1,195 regular-season victories trail only Lenny Wilkens (1,332) and Don Nelson (1,232) in NBA history. Only two men -- Phil Jackson and Red Auerbach -- have led more teams to NBA championships than Riley, whose title with the Heat in 2006 was his fifth as a head coach.

His decision to return for the upcoming season wasn't unexpected, at least among players. O'Neal and Wade both recently said they believed their coach was coming back, and longtime Heat center Alonzo Mourning -- who is entering his final season -- publicly implored Riley to return last month.

"He has to come back and be a part of my last year. He has to do that," Mourning said on the night he announced that 2007-08 would be his farewell. "It's only appropriate. We started together and hopefully we can end it together on a positive note."

The Heat have been spending the offseason trying to ensure that happens.

It's been a not-very-eventful summer for Miami, which tried to lure point guard Mo Williams from Milwaukee but fell $20 million shy of what the Bucks could pay him to re-sign there. The Heat did sign point guard Smush Parker -- he'll vie with Jason Williams for the starting spot -- along with veteran Penny Hardaway, and remain in discussions about bringing free agent James Posey back or acquiring restricted free agent Mickael Pietrus from Golden State.

Meanwhile, other teams in the Eastern Conference -- Boston, especially, with the addition of Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett -- have made significant moves with hopes of contending for a title.

"I understand all the prognosticators who are saying we're taking a step back while everybody else is taking a step forward," Riley said. "There are a couple of teams in the East who have gotten some good players, but they gave up a tremendous amount of assets to get them."

The Heat probably aren't capable of pulling off a Boston-esque blockbuster this summer, but Riley still believes they can get better and deeper before training camp.

"We will continue to look," Riley said. "We're not finished. We're not finished, by any stretch of the imagination, trying to improve the team."

The Washington Wizards traded the rights to Spanish guard Juan Carlos Navarro to the Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday for a future first-round draft pick.

The Wizards drafted Navarro in the second round, 40th overall, in 2002. He never joined the team, though, instead playing for FC Barcelona in the Spanish league.

"We're pleased to acquire a first-round pick, which gives us an additional asset," Wizards president Ernie Grunfeld said. "Our backcourt ... is deep and versatile. By trading the rights to Juan Carlos Navarro ... we have greater flexibility to build our team."

Last month, FC Barcelona and the 27-year-old Navarro agreed to a buyout that allowed him to head to the NBA.

He averaged 12.6 points over nine seasons in Spain, leading FC Barcelona to four league championships and one European trophy. He also was a member of Spain's world championship team last year.

In Memphis, Navarro will be paired with Spanish star Pau Gasol.

The San Antonio Spurs signed free agent swingman Ime Udoka on Thursday.

Ukoka, who was undrafted out of Portland State, averaged 8.4 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 75 games with the Portland Trail Blazers last season.

He ranked 19th in the NBA in 3-point shooting, making 89 of 219 attempts.

Udoka played in the NBA Development League and internationally before spending one season each with the Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks. He returned to his hometown of Portland for the 2006-07 season.

Gene Bartow, a former coach at Memphis State and UCLA, was hired Thursday as president of Hoops LP, the company that operates the Memphis Grizzlies and their arena, the FedExForum.

Bartow was chosen NCAA coach of the year in 1973 after leading the Tigers to the NCAA finals against powerhouse UCLA. Memphis State is now called the University of Memphis.

After a one-season stint at Illinois, Bartow succeeded John Wooden at UCLA, going 52-9 in two seasons and leading the Bruins to the Final Four in 1976.

He then left to help found the athletic program at UAB, serving as the school's first head basketball coach and athletic director.

He retired from UAB in 2000 and has been a special adviser to the Grizzlies since they relocated from Vancouver in 2001. He has helped the team scout and worked in the community to promote the team and sell tickets and sponsorships.

"I am pleased to announce the expansion of Gene's role with the Grizzlies which allows him to be more involved in all areas of the organization," team owner Michael Heisley said in a statement. "We feel he is a perfect fit for the Grizzlies and the city of Memphis. Over the past seven years Gene has expanded his involvement with the Grizzlies to enhance the team's relationship with the community."

Bartow also coached at Central Missouri and Valparaiso.

There seems to be some debate over whether Kobe Bryant or LeBron James is the face of USA Basketball.

But what about Carmelo Anthony?

Denver's forward seemed to earn it after his star turn at last year's world championships. Anthony figures to play a big role again when the Americans play for an Olympic berth in the FIBA Americas tournament, which tips off next week.

"If they want me to be the face of it, I don't have a problem with that," Anthony said after the U.S. practice Thursday at Valley High School. "I'm still young. I'm only 23 years old. I've got a lot more basketball in my body. Whatever they want me to do, I'm here for them."

Some NBA players struggle with rough-and-tumble international basketball. It seems to bring out the best in Anthony, who has also thrived in the NCAA and NBA.

"I can adjust to all types of games," Anthony said. "I don't need the ball to be effective. I can go in there and get some rebounds, get some assists and get some steals and score when I have to.

"I don't really have to try to go out there and score 30, 40 points for this team to win," said Anthony, who has averaged 24.1 points in four NBA seasons. "I can do the little things."

As the Americans prepare for the FIBA Americas tournament next week, there's been a lot of attention on newcomer Kobe Bryant and how he'll mesh in the backcourt with LeBron James. But if Anthony reprises his performance from the world championships last summer, he might be the glue that holds the Americans together.

"Arguably, Carmelo was the most important player we had last year," coach Mike Krzyzewski said. "I love Carmelo."

The FIBA Americas tourney will be Anthony's seventh with the United States. At age 20, he played sparingly on the 2004 Olympic team that settled for a bronze medal in Greece.

He had a bigger role on the world championship team that won a bronze medal in Japan last summer, serving as a tri-captain with James and Dwyane Wade.

Anthony led the Americans in scoring, averaging 19.9 points. His 35 points against Italy set a single-game U.S. scoring mark for the world championships.

Anthony shot 50.4 percent (64-for-127) from the floor and 44 percent (22-for-50) from beyond the 3-point arc. He also averaged 3.7 rebounds and had 17 steals.

He was selected to the world championships all-tournament team and was honored as USA Basketball's 2006 Male Athlete of the Year.

Anthony picked up where he left off in an intrasquad scrimmage in July, scoring a game-high 28 points.

Anthony has already shown he can perform at the highest levels of the NCAA -- he led Syracuse to the 2003 national title as a freshman -- and in the NBA, where he finished a close second to James in Rookie of the Year voting in 2004.

He has also dominated international play. The 6-foot-8, 230-pound Anthony is well-built for FIBA basketball, where much of the contact is considered incidental.

"He's so versatile, powerful," Krzyzewski said. "He can really shoot the heck out of the ball. But he can rebound it. He's not afraid. He's a kid that's just not afraid."

Krzyzewski said he didn't know Anthony very well before the forward was invited to join Team USA, but he had a glowing report from assistant coach Jim Boeheim, who coached Anthony at Syracuse.

"Carmelo's a winner, and he's a heck of a competitor," Krzyzewski said. "He plays with courage on both ends of the court. I'd like him on my team any time."

Anthony's image took a hit when he was suspended 15 games last season for his part in a brawl between the Nuggets and the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. The unpaid suspension cost Anthony about $641,000 in salary.

Anthony said he's put the episode behind him. Playing for his country -- and playing well -- will also help him restore his reputation.

"I moved on a long time ago," Anthony said. "I'm back where I wanted to be, where I'm supposed to be. Now I'm here trying to get a gold medal. I can't ask for anything better than that."

A lot has been said and written about the additions of Kobe Bryant, Jason Kidd and Chauncey Billups to Team USA this summer. Amare Stoudemire is also a big (literally and figuratively) addition, as he's fully healthy this time around. And there's always hype surrounding LeBron James, who is coming off his first trip to the NBA Finals.
But let us not overlook the man who was Team USA's best player when they won the bronze medal at last year's World Championships.

While Kidd is the leader and floor general, Bryant is the go-to scorer down the stretch and LeBron is the runaway train on the break, Carmelo Anthony's role might be as or more important than all of them.

Throughout the first three practices of this second session of training camp, Coach Mike Krzyzewski has had a primary lineup of Kidd, Bryant, James, Anthony and Stoudemire. He has said that it won't be his only starting lineup, but it's safe to say that Anthony will spend a lot of time playing the power forward position.

That means that he will be asked to bang with the big guys, rebound and defend the paint. It's not the same role that he plays on the Nuggets for sure, when he plays alongside Marcus Camby and Nenê. Bryant though, believes that Anthony can handle the role just fine.

"He's a three in the NBA, but he plays like a four," Bryant said. "Man, he's strong. You see him in the post against guys that are much bigger than he is, but he can power his way to the hole. Aside from that, if you look at European basketball, a lot of fours are on the perimeter anyway. We're very fortunate to have a guy like Carmelo who can go inside and outside just as easily."

Indeed, playing Anthony at the four gives Team USA an additional shooter on the floor. Among the true bigs, Stoudemire and Nick Collison have decent mid-range games, but none of the them can truly stretch a defense. And with opposing teams likely to pack it in the paint and force the Americans to shoot it from the outside, playing two of the bigs together might limit them offensively.

"At the four position, we're kinda small," Anthony admitted, "but at the same time, we've got a lot of speed and quickness out there. We're gonna use that to our advantage."

Still, he will have to adjust to catching the ball in different spots on the floor. As one of the bigs, he'll be asked to play behind the defense at times, looking for the gaps in the zone. He did that to perfection on one particular play in Friday's five-on-five, halfcourt workout, when Kidd found him cutting behind the zone for an alley-oop.

"On this team," Anthony explained, "you never know where you're going to get the ball at, so you've got to be prepared. I can catch the ball in the post. I can catch it on the wing. I can catch it up top. It doesn't matter."

That open-minded, whatever-it-takes attitude has been the theme here at camp, as it was last year. These guys don't care how it gets done; They just want to win. In fact, Anthony admitted that he didn't know he was Team USA's leading scorer at the 2006 World Championships until after he had returned from Japan.

"After I got back home," he said, "I was like, 'Man, how was I the leading scorer on that team like that?'"

He was the leading scorer, and he was the second leading scorer in the NBA this past season, because he's got perhaps the most complete offensive game in the world. While Bryant may be the most dominant scorer in the game and clearly has the best perimeter repertoire, he can't do damage in the low post like Anthony can.

That, along with Anthony's work ethic, made Bryant a fan from the time 'Melo carried his Syracuse team to the 2003 NCAA title. And teaming with Anthony and working closely with him in camp this summer hasn't changed KB24's mind one bit.

"I've always had the utmost respect for Carmelo, his ability and his work habits," Bryant revealed. "Coming here just reinforces that. He's always been one of my favorite players in the NBA."

The Olympic gold medal is a year away. And it's entirely possible that this team could have another off-night and fall short of their goal. But it won't be because these guys aren't willing to sacrifice personal achievements for the good of the team.

And Carmelo Anthony is at the forefront of the let's-do-this-together movement that permeates this roster from top to bottom.

"My role is to go out there and lead the team," he said. "My role is to go out there and do what I gotta do, whether it's rebound, score or play defense."

After helping the Chicago Bulls get to the NBA playoffs, Luol Deng is now working hard to try to bring a similar bounce to Great Britain's basketball hopes.

He's back in Britain and hoping to lead the national team to a berth in the 2012 London Olympics.

The 22-year-old native of Sudan moved to London as a child to escape the conflict in his homeland, and eventually worked his way up to the NBA, where he plays for the Chicago Bulls.

"Britain couldn't ask for a better ambassador, not only for all sports, but the country in general," Britain coach Chris Finch said. "He's extremely professional and takes what he does seriously. Whether that's campaigning for humanitarian issues or playing for GB or being a better Chicago Bull."

The hard part is getting the kids in Britain to take an interest in basketball.

"It's not just going to happen overnight -- it's going to take some time. The better we do the more attention the sport will get," Deng said Monday. "With 2012 and the GB team we have a chance. When kids see us play I think it will inspire then and motivate them to take the sport seriously."

The 6-foot-9 forward is scheduled to make his competitive debut in Britain for the national team on Tuesday in Birmingham, with victory against Slovakia in the EuroBasket Division B qualifier crucial to playing in the 2012 Games.

If they get through the group and the playoffs, the team will move up to EuroBasket Division A -- the final step en route to the Olympics.

The women's team, featuring Deng's sister and University of Delaware student Arek Deng, faces a similar predicament.

Deng's mission in Britain has been compared with David Beckham's hopes of making soccer more popular to Americans since his move to the United States. But Deng's commitment will ultimately be futile if the sport doesn't receive a noticeable cash injection.

"It definitely starts with facilities," said Deng, who coaches British children in the summer. "Growing up here was really hard to find a lot of facilities to practice and a lot of kids only practice may one, twice, three times a week.

"That's not enough to develop your game and also the league in the UK a lot of players are leaving the country at young age, going to Europe or going to the States where there's more attention for the game and more potential of making something out of the game moneywise."

Finch, a Texas native, is aware of the problems in Britain.

"Basketball is perceived as an inner-city sport, but if you look at the numbers in the UK, it's more of an upper-middle class sport because those are the only people who can afford to use the facilities," he said. "It's cost prohibitive for the average inner-city kid to afford."

As a 5-year-old boy, Deng's family sought political asylum in London after fleeing Sudan's civil war via Egypt. He left home at 14 to play basketball at a prep school in New Jersey.

Deng then spent a year at Duke University before being drafted by the Bulls in 2004.

Although Deng hasn't quite reached the star level achieved by Beckham, a new contract looks to make him one of Britain's highest-paid athletes.

"There's a lot of excitement in Chicago," Deng said. "We're a young team and we're making great progress."

Deng was cleared to represent Britain after FIBA, the sport's world governing body, lifted its ban on English players competing on the British team after a funding dispute was resolved with British sports bodies.

"To have such a quality player makes a big difference. He is certainly someone you can build a team around," Finch said. "He brings us a lot of class and maturity for someone so young."

Deng, who scored 26 points in an 87-59 win over Ireland last week, is giving up a potential break after a standout season with the Bulls in which he set career-highs in scoring average (18.8 points), rebounds (7.1) and shooting (51.7 percent).

"Every season the main goal is to really improve, to show the organization and the fans you have a great group of guys willing to work hard and take a step ahead," Deng said. "After what we did last year, we really have a big step to cover. Next year our focus is to be one of the forceful teams in the Eastern conference and hopefully try to win the Eastern Conference."

The Bulls advanced in the NBA playoffs for the first time since 1998, when they won the last of three straight NBA titles.

Now the soft-spoken, unassuming player wants to help Britain advance all the way to the Olympics.

The NBA on Tuesday chose former federal prosecutor Lawrence B. Pedowitz to oversee a review of its policies regarding gambling and its referees in the wake of the Tim Donaghy scandal.

Pedowitz and his partners at the New York law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz will study the NBA's antigambling efforts, as well as the processes the league uses to hire, train and monitor its officials.

"There is nothing as important as the integrity of our game and the covenant we have with our fans," commissioner David Stern said in a statement. "In order to preserve their trust, we will make every effort possible to ensure that our processes and procedures are the best they can be."

The league's entire referees program came under scrutiny after Donaghy pleaded guilty to betting on games, including some he worked, and providing inside information to others to help them win bets.

ESPN Radio in New York reported last week that Donaghy was set to name as many as 20 other referees who took part in gambling activity, though not necessarily criminal. The NBA forbids its officials from any type of betting, except for offseason trips to the race track.

Officials are allowed to attend shows at a casino during the offseason, but may not be in the gaming area. Referees who violate the policy could be fired.

Though other referees may have violated its gambling policies, the league maintains that Donaghy is the only one who did anything illegal.

"There have been allegations that other referees violated NBA rules prohibiting casino gaming and the like, but it remains our understanding that Tim Donaghy is the only referee who bet on NBA games," NBA spokesman Tim Frank said Monday.

Pedowitz's team will interview referees, players, coaches and other league personnel during its review

Reggie Miller is still debating whether to make a comeback at age 42.

The NBA's career leader in 3-pointers tried to dodge reporters' questions about his possible return on Tuesday as he attended Peyton Manning's charity bowling tournament, saying he wanted to talk about the Super Bowl MVP and his event.

Eventually, though, Miller acknowledged no decision was imminent.

"I'm in shape to bowl," Miller joked. "But I don't even know what I'm going to do."

Miller was among dozens of celebrities participating in Manning's annual tournament but was one of the feature stars because of the speculation he would return to the NBA in search of the championship ring he never won in 18 seasons with the Indiana Pacers.

Miller retired from the league two years ago and his No. 31 now hangs in the Conseco Fieldhouse rafters after being retired by the Pacers last season. He ranks 13th on the NBA's career scoring list with 25,279 points.

Danny Ainge, the Boston Celtics' basketball boss, has acknowledged he and Miller have had discussions, although Miller said Tuesday a decision might not come for another month.

"I think I'll let my body and the people I've called and talked to, help me make that decision," he said. "It will all come together."

Miller spent last season as a television analyst for NBA and WNBA games on TNT and has run a movie production company called Boom Baby Productions since retiring. He's also co-hosted "Live with Regis and Kelly."

But Miller has said it felt strange not to be part of an NBA team when training camps opened in 2005.

And Boston presents Miller with a unique opportunity to win a title. The Celtics have added seven-time All-Star Ray Allen and 2004 NBA MVP Kevin Garnett in offseason trades.

Miller would fit in as a backup to Allen on a team that needs depth after trading seven players to Minnesota for Garnett.

Will that be enough to convince Miller to make a comeback attempt?

Miller isn't saying, but former Pacers teammate Rik Smits believes there's a 65 percent chance Miller suits up this season.

"I think if his body holds up after a month or so of practice to get ready for training camp, I think he can do it," Smits said. "Part of it's mind-set, part of it's physical. He'd be a guy who could do it and probably still be able to contribute."

Veteran guard Gary Payton is not expected to return to the Miami Heat next season.

Heat coach Pat Riley said Thursday that while the 17-year veteran Payton is unlikely to return, the team has interest in signing free agent forward P.J. Brown and are hoping to re-sign forward James Posey.

Payton averaged 6.6 points in two seasons with Miami, and helped the Heat win the 2006 NBA title. Payton said several times last year that he's considering retirement, but the nine-time All-Star hasn't decided, yet.

Brown averaged 6.1 points last season for the Chicago Bulls. Brown, who'll turn 38 in October, played for Riley and the Heat from 1996 through 2000, helping Miami to the playoffs in all four seasons.

"I'd love to hang his jersey from the rafters here," said Riley, who has talked to Brown personally about a return. "I really would because he is one of my all-time favorite players, I think one of the all-time favorite players in the history of the Heat. I think he could really help us."

Posey has spent the last two seasons with Miami.

"We're still talking and I don't know what is going to happen," Riley said.

The Heat's decision on Payton was long-expected, since Miami already has three point guards -- Jason Williams, Chris Quinn and newly acquired former Los Angeles Lakers starter Smush Parker -- on the roster.

With Kobe Bryant joining LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony in the starting lineup, the Americans figured to look impressive in the opener of the Olympic qualifying tournament.

And they did -- eventually.

Anthony scored 17 points, Bryant added 14, and the United States rolled to a 112-69 victory over Venezuela on Wednesday night in the FIBA Americas tournament.

The Americans were dominant for the final three quarters after scoring only 21 points in the first. Bryant, the NBA scoring champion the last two seasons, didn't even score in the opening period.

"We can still improve," James said. "We know we didn't do as well as we could on the offensive end, even though we scored a lot of points, but we're going to get better."

They were still pretty good. The Americans quickly overcame their sluggish start and shot 55 percent from the field while putting seven players in double figures.

"I think tonight we really wanted to be aggressive from the get," Anthony said. "That was real important. I think tonight that was our main goal, to go out there and dominate. Not try to embarrass, but dominate, and I think we did a good job at that."

Michael Redd also had 17 points, Amare Stoudemire scored 16 and Dwight Howard 12 for the Americans, who improved to 27-0 in the regional Olympic qualifier. The Americans face the U.S. Virgin Islands in the final game Thursday night.

"The tournament's going to get a lot harder than we had tonight, but as a team I think we played well," James said. "We shared the ball well. We did everything that we needed to do to win a basketball game."

Bryant was making his long-awaited international debut, while Anthony was the leading American scorer last year at the world championships. They needed a little more than a quarter to show they could be a formidable duo.

Jason Kidd and Howard started along with James, Bryant and Anthony, the three starters coach Mike Krzyzewski had already named. All 12 players saw action in the first quarter, which ended with the Americans up 21-8 after some shaky shooting.

Anthony had only four points in the opening period, but he and Bryant didn't stay quiet for long. Both scored seven points in a 16-6 spurt early in the second quarter that broke open the game and extended the lead to 39-16 on Bryant's 3-pointer with 5:23 left in the first half.

Both players were involved in the highlight play of the game. Kidd leaped to keep a high pass from going out of bounds along the sideline, quickly tossing it back to Anthony. He fired it to a cutting James, who passed behind his back to Bryant for a dunk, drawing a roar from what was otherwise a fairly quiet crowd in a Thomas & Mack Center that appeared less than half full.

"Incredible play," Bryant said. "The public now has a chance to see what's been going on behind closed doors, some of the amazing plays that guys are making."

The Americans led 54-34 at halftime, and the advantage ballooned into the 30s after the starters outscored Venezuela 14-2 to open the third quarter. James' steal and breakaway dunk made it 68-36.

Greivis Vasquez scored 12 points for Venezuela, which will face Canada on Thursday.

The Americans were forced to play in the qualifier after failing to win the world championships last year. They returned this year with a stronger roster, particularly in the backcourt, where Chauncey Billups and Redd joined Bryant and Kidd.

All the U.S. problems haven't gone away, though. The Americans missed seven of their first nine 3-point attempts and were only 20-for-29 from the free throw line, two of their biggest weaknesses in recent years.

Those may not matter much over the next 11 days. The United States has hardly been challenged in three previous appearances, with only one game being decided by single digits, and isn't expected to have any trouble earning one of the tournament's two spots for the 2008 Olympics.

James scored 11 points and Mike Miller, who limped off the floor after committing an offensive foul in the closing minutes, had 10 for the Americans. Kidd, who didn't attempt a shot in 15 minutes, and rebounding and shot blocking specialist Tyson Chandler were the only players not to score.

He is a shooting guard capable of scoring points in bunches, and the United States sorely missed him when he couldn't play last summer.

That describes Kobe Bryant -- and also his backup.

Michael Redd also was unavailable for the world championships, and he's spent the first two games of the FIBA Americas tournament showing why his teammates are so glad to have him now.

"He's one of the few guys that I've seen in coaching in over 30 years where guys are just so happy that he is shooting the ball," U.S. coach Mike Krzyzewski said. "Everybody on our team, we have great scorers on our team, they're all happy when he shoots the ball."

Redd replaced Bryant early in the first quarter and hit a flurry of 3-pointers to turn the game into a rout, and the United States beat the U.S. Virgin Islands 123-59 on Thursday night.

"He's ready to come in at any time," Krzyzewski said of Redd, who couldn't play in the worlds because he was getting married. "Most shooters need time to find their rhythm. He's ready right away and he knows he's subbing for Kobe. Obviously he's a key guy for us and that's something we did not have last year."

Redd and Carmelo Anthony each scored 22 points for the Americans (2-0), who put together a dominant stretch immediately after Bryant went to the bench with his second foul less than 4 minutes into the game on his 29th birthday.

Mike Miller and Amare Stoudemire added 13 points apiece for the Americans, who shot 15-of-30 from 3-point range and had all 12 players score.

"We have so many weapons, we have so many threats, and it just makes our job that much easier," Bryant said. "You just have to come in and plug in the holes when you're called upon, step in and do your job."

The Americans are off Friday before closing pool play with games Saturday against Canada and Sunday against Brazil.

Kevin Sheppard scored 11 points for the Virgin Islands, whose best player can't play for them. Tim Duncan started playing internationally for the United States in 1996, and once that happened the St. Croix native became ineligible to play for his home team. But he also wouldn't play against them, sitting out the Americans' 113-55 victory while playing for them in the 2003 Olympic qualifying tournament.

The Virgin Islands, with former UCLA and Georgia coach Jim Harrick on their bench as an assistant, also got nine points from Carl Krauser, Kitwana Rhymer and Jason Edwin.

The Americans scored only 21 points in the first quarter of their tournament opener, but needed only 5 minutes to reach that total Thursday.

The Virgin Islands got within 17-9 with 6:15 left in the first quarter when Edwin drew Bryant's second foul while scoring. Redd replaced Bryant and scored 13 points, hitting three 3-pointers, during the Americans' run of 17 straight points that made it 34-9.

"It's a different role coming off the bench, but at the same time I've been here before backing up Ray Allen my first couple of years in the NBA, coming off the bench and expected to score immediately," Redd said. "That was my role five or six years ago, so I had to go back to that, be professional, ready to go."

Miller and Chauncey Billups made 3s later in the quarter, with Billups' shot at the buzzer giving the United States a 42-13 lead. The U.S. was 13-of-17 from the field (76 percent) in the period, including 8-of-10 from behind the arc. Redd had 15 points in 5 minutes.

"Guys like Mike Redd and Mike Miller come in and hit shots like that, it's hard to beat us," guard Deron Williams said.

The lead was 66-39 at halftime, and the third quarter quickly became festive. Fans in another small crowd at the Thomas & Mack Center sang "Happy Birthday" to Bryant while he was shooting free throws, which he said was "a little uncomfortable."

"First time that's ever happened," he said before leaving the arena with his family for a quiet celebration. "But that was fine, I appreciate it."

The Americans had a pair of highlight-reel plays a few minutes later. Kidd threw a pass off the backboard so James could throw down a dunk, and Bryant found Howard with an alley-oop pass for an 80-44 lead.

Krzyzewski also had his team play some zone in the second half, something he has said the Americans would use at some point.

Redd is being counted on to improve the Americans' perimeter shooting, their biggest weakness in recent years, and so far he's delivering. The Milwaukee Bucks guard was 3-of-5 behind the arc and scored 17 points in Wednesday's 112-69 victory over Venezuela, and added four more 3s Thursday.

The announced attendance was 5,554, about 1,000 below the opening night figure. There were perhaps 100 fans in the upper level of the 18,000-seat arena.

Reggie Miller is staying retired, passing on a chance to turn the Big Three of the Boston Celtics into the Fabulous Four.

Miller told the Celtics his decision after having several conversations with Danny Ainge, Boston's executive director of basketball operations, during the past two weeks, team spokesman Jeff Twiss said.

The NBA's career leader in 3-pointers turned 42 on Friday and has spent the last two seasons out of the NBA after retiring from an 18-year pro career, entirely with the Indiana Pacers. He never won an NBA championship, and the overhauled Celtics are considered contenders.

"Danny and Reggie have been pretty much in communication periodically over the last few weeks or so," Twiss said Friday. "Danny informed me that (Miller) will not be coming back or out of retirement.

"I think it's Reggie's news, Reggie's comeback type of thing. But if that's his decision, then I think we certainly respect his decision and appreciate his consideration of even attempting to come back."

Ainge's discussions with Miller surfaced after the Celtics obtained 2004 NBA MVP Kevin Garnett from Minnesota on July 31. They already had traded for shooting guard Ray Allen, a seven-time All-Star, on the day of the NBA draft. Those two join Paul Pierce, who has spent all nine of his NBA seasons with Boston, to make a formidable threesome in the Eastern Conference, which was mediocre last season.

Miller told the Indianapolis Star, in a story published Friday, that he would not return to the NBA with any team.

"Physically, I know I could have done it," he told the newspaper. "But mentally, when you do something like this, you've either got to be all in or all out. And I've decided I'm all out."

Last season, Miller was a television analyst for NBA and WNBA games on the TNT network. He has run a movie production company called Boom Baby Productions since retiring. He's also co-hosted "Live with Regis and Kelly."

"Everything he had to say was in that story," a TNT spokesman said.

On Tuesday, at a charity bowling event in Indianapolis, Miller said, "I don't even know what I'm going to do" about coming out of retirement.

The Pacers retired Miller's No. 31 after a career in which he scored 25,279 points, 13th most in NBA history.

The Celtics viewed Miller as a substitute who could come off the bench to provide offense. They were 24-58 last season and missed the playoffs but are considered serious contenders in the NBA East.

The Celtics have added forward Scot Pollard and guard Eddie House since obtaining Garnett but still lack depth. Their two starters besides Garnett, Allen and Pierce are point guard Rajon Rondo and center Kendrick Perkins, both young and unproven.

After containing Leandro Barbosa, Kobe Bryant still had time to keep up with LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony.

James scored 21 points, Bryant added 20 and harassed Barbosa all over the court, and the United States clinched the top spot in its group by beating Brazil 113-76 Sunday night in the FIBA Americas tournament.

Anthony also had 21 for the Americans (4-0), who for the second straight game pulled away by holding their opponent without a field goal for more than 6 minutes in the second quarter.

"When you see Kobe Bryant diving for loose balls," USA Basketball managing director Jerry Colangelo said, "and you see LeBron and Carmelo giving it the kind of work that they're putting into this, that commitment and passion, that's a message."

The Americans improved to 30-0 in Olympic qualifying games and will open second-round play Monday night against Mexico, the fourth-place finisher in Group A, in a matchup of former coaching rivals: Nolan Richardson beat Mike Krzyzewski for the 1994 NCAA title when Arkansas edged Duke.

Bryant led the defensive effort that held Barbosa to just four points on 1-of-7 shooting before a Thomas & Mack Center crowd that included former UNLV coach Jerry Tarkanian and NBA Hall of Famer Bill Russell. Injured U.S. star Dwyane Wade watched from the bench for the second straight day.

"My role here is different here than it is with the Lakers," Bryant said. "We have so many talented players and I don't have to score a lot of points. I just try to do the best I can defensively."

Barbosa entered averaging a tournament-best 27 points after scoring 36 Saturday in a 93-89 victory over the U.S. Virgin Islands. But the Phoenix guard and NBA's top sixth man never got into this game because of Bryant's early defense, and was on the bench in foul trouble when the Americans broke open the game late in the second quarter.

"I knew that he was going to come up and defense me and guard me like he did and all I was trying to do was get the ball, but I didn't have many balls in my hand," Barbosa said. "But that's OK. It's about tomorrow now, let's forget about this."

James, Bryant and Anthony combined for the first 19 U.S. points in the second half, turning the game into another romp. The Americans came in beating opponents by 52.3 points per game.

Brazil nearly beat the United States last year, losing 90-86 in an exhibition game ahead of the world championships. But Barbosa acknowledged that this is a different U.S. team, one that features nine different players this summer.

And the Brazilians are lacking one of their key players, Cleveland forward Anderson Varejao, who doesn't have an NBA contract for next season and opted not to take the risk of playing.

Still, the Brazilians kept it close until ending the first half without a field goal after Alex Garcia's basket with 6:09 remaining.

Brazil (3-1) settled for second place in Group B and will face either Panama or Puerto Rico on Monday. The teams with the four best records after second-round play advance to the semifinals next Saturday. The winners of those two games earn spots in Beijing.

Brazil trailed only 37-32 with 5:50 remaining in the half before Bryant scored the next three points and James followed with a basket for a 10-point lead. After a Brazil free throw, Bryant and Michael Redd hit 3-pointers in an 8-0 spurt that pushed the U.S. advantage to 50-34 with 2:21 to play.

With the game slipping away, Brazil coach Aluisio Ferreira reinserted Barbosa, but he picked up his third foul with 2:21 remaining in the half after trying to stop Bryant on the break. James threw in a runner from beyond 30 feet as time expired, giving the Americans a 57-38 lead.

"Brazil is one of the best international teams and they had a terrific game plan but our defense in the second and third quarters was at the highest level it's been in this tournament," Krzyzewski said.

The Americans hit their first five shots and raced to a 12-1 lead a little more than 2 minutes in. Brazil fought back to get within four on Tiago Splitter's follow with 29 seconds left, and the U.S. was only leading 27-21 going into the second.

Splitter, drafted by San Antonio, led Brazil with 13 points.

American reserve Tayshaun Prince left the game in the first half after spraining his left ankle while battling for a defensive rebound. Krzyzewski said after the game the Pistons swingman would probably miss a day or two.

James Posey brings a lot to the table, including one of the biggest championship rings you'll ever see. He's hoping to find room for another one on his hand this year.

Sporting his guady 2006 NBA Championship hardware, Posey met the press in Waltham on Monday just minutes after officially signing with the Celtics. And while Executive Director of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge said that there's more to Posey than just his ring that made him an attractive free agent, it certainly doesn't hurt his resume either.

"He plays hard, he has that experience and he knows what it takes. He's played with good players and he knows how to find his spots," Ainge said of Posey. "He knows how to create, he's good at slashing off the ball, and he's had to work for shots when you play with great players like Shaq and Dwyane Wade in Miami."

While the Celtics made quite a splash by acquiring offensive firepower (see Garnett, Kevin and Allen, Ray) in offseason trades, their free agent signings have focused on finding role players and specialists to give the team championship depth. Posey joins Scot Pollard and Eddie House as players with solid postseason experience who understand how to contribute in a very specific role.

A 6'8" swingman, Posey has mostly made his name in the league on perimeter defense and rebounding. His quick hands, long wingspan and large frame make him an above-average defender who can guard up to four positions. There are plenty of players who want to be scorers in the NBA, but it takes a different mindset to become a stopper in this league. Posey credits his college coach Skip Prosser with helping him develop as a defensive force and he can see himself becoming the Celtics stopper.

"Bringing the energy and accepting that challenge every night, that's what I take pride in. I take pride in trying to stop people," Posey said. "I like that challenge and if that's what coach wants I'm all for it."

Posey played a key role for the Heat during their run to the Finals, coming off the bench as a shutdown defender, rebounder and a clutch three-point shooter. Posey averaged 7.3 PPG and 5.7 RPG in just under 28 minutes a game for the Heat in the postseason, and he led the team by connecting on 42% of his three-point attempts. Posey's three pointer with 3:43 remaining in the deciding Game 6 of the NBA Finals put the Heat ahead by six and helped close out the Dallas Mavericks in the Finals.

Despite his successful run with the Heat, Posey found himself looking for other employment options this summer. He says he had dialogue with the Celtics throughout the summer but Kevin Garnett's arrival made playing in Boston a very appealing option for guy who's clearly interested in adding to his jewelry collection.

"I waited patiently and I landed here in a great situation where we have an opportunity to win a championship," Posey said. "There [were] other teams out there but I wanted the best chance to win a championship. This is the place to be."

Nolan Richardson proudly spoke of the scrappy effort his team gave. Mike Krzyzewski was left to defend his players -- and he was on the winning side.

Mexico kept the game respectable into the second half before the United States pulled away for a 127-100 victory Monday night in the second round of the FIBA Americas tournament.

The Americans were never in danger of losing, but also were outplayed for large parts of the second and third quarters by what should have been an overmatched opponent. A U.S. team that was leading nearly every statistical category surrendered 100 points.

"We scored about 130 points, so, it was one of those games where a lot of fouls, a lot of ... it was a different kind of game," Krzyzewski said. "To their credit, they never gave up. They just played every second of the game. For us, we need to move on. We've played great in this tournament. We can play better than we played tonight. But, when we win by 30, I'm not going to complain. That's a good thing."

Carmelo Anthony scored 28 points, tying the American record in an Olympic qualifier. He had 16 in a sensational opening quarter, when the Americans shot 80 percent from the field.

But the Mexicans, who sneaked into the second round through a three-team tiebreaker, outhustled their more talented counterparts for much of the next two periods before the U.S. put them away for good late in the third.

"I'm not into moral victories, but I am into the fact we came back and played extremely hard that second quarter, and that's how my teams have always been," Richardson said. "We never give up and that's why they call it "40 minutes of Hell."

"I told them, 'Let's bring that same intensity to the game tomorrow and see what happens. There's no question I'm very proud of them."

Mexico rarely showed the pressure defensive style the Richardson used at Arkansas, but hustled for offensive rebounds and shot 15-of-28 from 3-point range to hang around.

Kobe Bryant added 21 points, and LeBron James and Dwight Howard had 19 apiece for the United States, which led by only 15 points midway through the third quarter after beating its first four opponents by 48.4 points per game. The Americans face Puerto Rico on Tuesday night.

"They kept playing hard," Anthony said. "The Mexico team never gave up, they fought all the way to the end.

"We've been beating teams by 40, 50 points, so when we win by 20, 25, it don't look right. But at the same time, it was an ugly win but we take it and we're going to get better. I guarantee we're going to get better and be ready for tomorrow."

Romel Beck, who played for UNLV, scored 20 points for Mexico, which plays Brazil on Tuesday.

Richardson beat Krzyzewski for the 1994 national championship when Arkansas edged Duke, but had little hope of winning this matchup. Still, he didn't coach any differently.

Richardson, his hair and mustache now gray, could easily be heard hollering instructions at his players over a Thomas & Mack Center crowd of just 4,028, and gestured frequently during a lengthy discussion with a referee moments after Howard had knocked a pair of Mexican players to the ground late in the first half.

Richardson chatted with Krzyzewski and U.S. assistant Jim Boeheim, another NCAA champion, before the game. But it wasn't long before Richardson had little to smile about.

Krzyzewski made a pair of changes to his starting lineup, going with Chauncey Billups over Jason Kidd and replacing Howard with Amare Stoudemire. It didn't affect the Americans at the start.

Anthony's dunk capped a 17-2 run that gave the Americans a 35-14 lead with a little more than 2 1/2 minutes left in the first quarter. The U.S. made 14 of its first 16 shots before finishing at 16-for-20, taking a 45-23 lead into the second.

However, Mexico outscored the United States 28-20 in the second to make it 65-51 at the break. The smallest U.S. halftime lead had been 19 points Sunday against Brazil. The Americans pulled comfortably ahead early in the third, but Mexico battled back again, pulling to 82-67 on Victor Mariscal's 3-pointer with 4:45 remaining.

"Today was one of those days for us, we've been playing five of the last six days, we were going through the motions a little bit at first," James said. "They're definitely a good team. Nolan Richardson's definitely put together a good team and they shoot the ball really well."

The Americans eventually broke away for good, but the Mexicans still had one last highlight. Beck, who came in as the tournament's No. 2 scorer with 22.8 points per game, had a four-point play late in the third after Bryant fouled him on a 3-pointer.

Anthony, who set the U.S. record for a world championships game last summer with 35 points against Italy, equaled Denver Nuggets teammate Allen Iverson's 28-point night from the '03 qualifier.

The Americans played without reserve Tayshaun Prince, who sprained his ankle Sunday against Brazil.

Krzyzewski said Prince would play Tuesday and that the normal lineup would return.