Restricted free-agent guard Charlie Bell signed a $18.5 million, five-year offer sheet with the Miami Heat on Monday, and now will wait to see if the Milwaukee Bucks choose to match that deal.

The 6-foot-3 Bell has made it clear in recent days that he wants to play for the Heat, who were foiled in a bid earlier this offseason to woo guard Mo Williams away from the Bucks. Bell averaged a career-high 13.5 points in a breakout season last year for Milwaukee, making 64 starts.

"It's been a very long and drawn out process this summer," said Bell's agent, Mark Bartelstein. "And Charlie is at the point where he's kind of broken his emotional ties to the Bucks."

The Bucks have seven days to match Miami's offer.

"I hope they don't match it," Bell said Monday afternoon in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. "The Bucks said they didn't have this kind of money and didn't want to give me a long-term deal, so I would hope they stick to what they said and let me go... I'm really thankful Miami stepped up."

Bell signed with Milwaukee two seasons ago after averaging a league-best 27 points for Breogan of the Spanish League. He went undrafted after helping Michigan State win the 2000 national championship, played briefly with Phoenix and Dallas before spending three seasons playing in Italy.

He also had an offer from a Greek team, but South Florida is where he wants to be, Bartelstein said.

"He feels very strongly about it and his mind is made up," Bartelstein said.

Williams was Miami's top point-guard pursuit this summer, but could only offer him a deal worth about $31 million. Milwaukee easily topped that to retain Williams, giving him a six-year pact worth $51.5 million.

Bell's status, meanwhile, remained in limbo.

"I had a really bad summer because of how all of this went down with Milwaukee, so I don't want to be there," Bell said. "I don't think I could give my all to the Bucks anymore, so I hope they respect that."

And with training camp starting in two weeks, Bell hopes his wait is now over.

"The last thing Charlie or I want to do is be disrespectful about this," Bartelstein said. "But he signed the offer sheet with Miami, not with Milwaukee, and there's a reason for that."

AP Sports Writer Larry Lage in Detroit contributed to this report.

A Madison Square Garden executive was ready to quit her high-salaried position -- and was nearly fired over her inability to handle work responsibilities -- in the months before she sued New York Knicks coach Isiah Thomas for sexual harassment, a top MSG official testified Wednesday.

Steve Mills, MSG Sports president and CEO, was the first witness called as Thomas and MSG opened their defense in federal court against the charges made in a $10 million lawsuit by Anucha Browne Sanders.

Mills, who attended Princeton with Browne Sanders' sister Ruth, testified that he never heard a single complaint from the plaintiff about Thomas using profanity or making inappropriate sexual contact until a Dec. 15, 2005, e-mail.

By then, Mills testified, Browne Sanders had already approached him in tears to say she was overwhelmed by work and wanted to leave her position as vice president of marketing and business operations. In the meeting a month earlier in his office, Mills said, a weepy Browne Sanders "told me she's lost the confidence of the people she worked with, and she can't do this anymore. I agreed." Mills said he also agreed to keep her on the job while she looked for a position outside MSG.

Their conversation came three months after a disastrous financial forecast meeting where Browne Sanders could not answer questions posed by Garden chairman James Dolan, Mills said.

After that August 2005 meeting, MSG vice chairman Hank Ratner said, "We should fire her right now," Mills recalled.

Dolan, whose deposition in the case was played Tuesday by the plaintiff, stepped in and saved Browne Sanders' job, Mills said during 2 1/2 hours of direct testimony. A smiling Thomas seemed buoyed by the testimony after four days of sitting through the plaintiff's case.

Browne Sanders, a married mother of three and former Northwestern basketball star, was hired by the Knicks in late 2000. She was fired in January 2006, and claimed the dismissal came after she complained to MSG management about her mistreatment.

Under cross-examination, Mills was asked if the emotional November 2005 meeting was sparked by an e-mail containing allegations that Knicks star guard Stephon Marbury had called Browne Sanders a "black b****."

"No, that's not accurate," Mills testified, although he recalled Browne Sanders referring to a potentially "explosive situation" within the Knicks organization.

Browne Sanders has alleged that Thomas initially treated her with disdain, including a litany of profanity, before becoming inappropriately physical and encouraging her to take their relationship "off site."

But Mills said the only mention of the two going "off site" came from Browne Sanders, who wanted the Knicks coach to attend an overnight off-season meeting in Connecticut. And Mills said when Thomas was told not to hug Browne Sanders after a December 2005 incident, the basketball Hall of Famer replied, "OK, cool."

The Garden claims she was dismissed for a failure to "fulfill professional responsibilities," and Mills testified to a number of problems that occurred on her watch.

Prior to Mills' appearance, presiding U.S. District Court Judge Gerard Lynch said Browne Sanders' attorneys had presented a "weak case" that the Knicks coach was involved in the woman's firing -- one of the allegations made in her suit.

"Of all the claims in this case, this is the one that looks to be a stretch," Lynch said before he nonetheless denied a defense motion to dismiss that claim. He said it was an issue better left to the jury at this point.

When Bucks general manager Larry Harris told Mo Williams that the organization decided to keep Charlie Bell, Williams was downright giddy to see his backup again.

"He starts laughing," Harris said. "He goes, 'I can't wait to talk to Charlie and tell him to pack up all his summer stuff, you're going to Milwaukee."'

Against Bell's wishes, the Bucks matched an offer sheet on Thursday worth $18.5 million over five years that the restricted free agent signed with the Miami Heat on Monday.

"The sun will shine here just as it does in Miami," Harris said.

Agent Mark Bartelstein said that Bell was absorbing what had happened and "getting his thoughts together."

"He's going to get himself prepared to have a great year with the Bucks and play his heart out, the only way he knows how to play," Bartelstein said.

The 6-foot-3 Bell had said he wasn't sure if he could patch his fractured relationship with Milwaukee and wanted to go to Miami, which failed earlier in the offseason to sign Williams away from the Bucks.

"Miami is pretty good, they like both of our guards," Harris said. "Fortunately for us, they're going to be in our uniform."

Bell averaged a career-high 13.5 points in a breakout season last year for the Bucks, making 64 starts for an injury-depleted team that finished third to last in the league at 28-54.

Bell did not return a message seeking comment. He told The Associated Press earlier this week that the Bucks didn't want to give him a long-term deal and didn't have the money available to re-sign him. Before the Heat moved in, Bell was mulling an offer to play in Greece.

"Restricted free agency is a very tough process," Bartelstein said. "As a player, you don't know where you're going to be, you have to go through getting an offer sheet. It's hard, very hard."

Harris, who said he hadn't spoken to Bell directly yet, didn't take Bell's comments personally.

"I don't begrudge a guy with his feelings," Harris said. "Your skin gets a little thicker year after year, but I think my job is to make this team better every year."

Harris said with Bell's contract, the Bucks are well over $60 million in payroll. They've spent more than $80 million this offseason on Williams and free agents Desmond Mason and Royal Ivey, who signed with the team on Tuesday.

Two seasons ago, Bell signed with Milwaukee after averaging a league-best 27 points for Breogan of the Spanish league.

He went undrafted after helping Michigan State win the 2000 national championship and played briefly with Phoenix and Dallas before spending three seasons in Italy.

Williams was Miami's top target at point guard this summer, but the Heat could only offer him a deal worth around $31 million. The Bucks re-signed Williams for six years and $51.5 million and now have a talented, young core signed.

"It's going to sound funny saying this, but some things that Mo Williams did with his contract, (he) made a great sacrifice for Charlie Bell. I think that says a lot without going into too much detail," Harris said. "I give Mo a lot of credit. He did some things to help us do what we needed to today."

With Bell returning to his bench role bolstered by Mason and Ivey, the Bucks rotation appears set with starters Williams, Michael Redd, Bobby Simmons, former No. 1 pick Andrew Bogut and either top draft pick Yi Jianlian or Charlie Villanueva.

"I think they spoke loudly today about how important Charlie is to their team," Bartelstein said. "They're in a position to be really good for a long time to come."

Disgruntled forward Andrei Kirilenko is apparently willing to accept any option that will get him away from Utah.

Whether he really has any choices will be up to the Jazz.

Kirilenko repeated his trade request to a Russian newspaper, saying he is unhappy playing the structured style Utah coach Jerry Sloan demands. Unfortunately for Kirilenko, the $86 million deal he signed three years ago has him under contract with the Jazz through 2011.

"For the past two years I've been going on the court and acting like a robot," Kirilenko told Russia's Sport-Express in a story published Friday. "When I signed my contract the future looked completely different -- I thought I would play, win and get pleasure from it. Unfortunately, this is out of the question now -- even in successful games. This is the worst feeling."

Kirilenko, who just led Russia to the European championship, said he is even considering leaving the NBA and signing with a European team. But he can't do that while Utah still holds his rights.

And the Jazz may not be very agreeable when Kirilenko's request is based primarily on his deteriorated relationship with Sloan, who is entering his 20th season as Utah's coach. The team's only comment since Kirilenko went public this week has been that he is under contract and expected to be there when practice begins on Oct. 2.

Even team owner Larry Miller, who is openly critical when he's not happy with a player, is not commenting on Kirilenko's request.

Unless Kirilenko and agent Marc Fleisher, who did not return messages Friday, can work out a buyout or persuade the Jazz to trade him, Kirilenko's only options will be to sit out or return for a seventh season in Utah.

"Anyway, while my contract with the Jazz is in place, I don't have the right to negotiate," Kirilenko said. "I think there will be offers. But it's meaningless to talk about that now."

The Golden State Warriors signed Troy Hudson on Monday, adding a veteran free-agent guard to their young roster.

Hudson played 34 games last year in his fifth season with the Minnesota Timberwolves, who paid more than $12 million to buy out his contract Aug. 3. He struggled with ankle injuries for nearly three years in Minnesota before getting stuck behind Mike James and Randy Foye on the bench last year.

Golden State waived guard Sarunas Jasikevicius last week. Hudson could become the backup point guard behind Baron Davis, sharing playmaking with Monta Ellis.

"He's had a productive NBA career and, most importantly, will provide us with additional depth in the backcourt," said Chris Mullin, the Warriors' top personnel executive. "He has the ability to run a team, and some of his other strengths -- such as 3-point shooting -- will fit in well with our style of play."

The 10-year veteran also has played for Utah, the Los Angeles Clippers and Orlando. Hudson averaged a career-best 14.2 points and 5.7 assists for Minnesota in 2002-03.

A trip to Europe is the perfect opportunity for Boston Celtics star Paul Pierce to get to know new teammates Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen.

The Celtics, who won the last of their 16 NBA titles in 1986, signed the pair over the summer to add scoring punch to a team that finished with a 24-58 record last year, the second worst in the league.

This year, with training camp to open Sunday in Rome ahead of preseason games in the Italian capital and London, Pierce is looking to return the Celtics to the top.

"Expectations around here are for a championship," the five-time All-Star said Tuesday during a conference call.

Talking about winning the NBA title before they've even played together may be a stretch, but Pierce is hoping the six-day training camp and two games in Europe will give the Celtics some cohesiveness before the regular season starts Oct. 30.

"Just try to find a foundation, but also chemistry," Pierce said. "Get a feel for one another on and off the court."

The Celtics, who have won only three playoff series in Pierce's nine years with the team, will face the Toronto Raptors on Oct. 6 in Rome, and play the Minnesota Timberwolves four days later in London.

Garnett, a former MVP and 10-time All-Star, went to the Celtics from the Timberwolves in a 7-for-1 deal -- the NBA's biggest trade for one player.

"Probably going to be a lot of emotion," said Pierce, thinking of his former teammates now playing in Minnesota.

The game will pit Celtics executive director of basketball operations Danny Ainge against Timberwolves vice president of basketball operations Kevin McHale. The pair, who orchestrated the Garnett deal, were teammates with Larry Bird and Robert Parish when the Celtics last won the NBA title 21 years ago.

The games are part of NBA Europe Live, which includes the Memphis Grizzlies. The four teams will play and train in Britain, Italy, Spain and Turkey.

London recently become a hub for American sports.

Besides the Celtics-Timberwolves game, the city will host the opening two games of the NHL season this weekend when the Stanley Cup champion Anaheim Ducks play the Los Angeles Kings.

Late next month, the NFL will play a regular-season game at the rebuilt Wembley Stadium when the Miami Dolphins face the New York Giants on Oct. 28.

The NBA, which opened a European office in London this year, has often sent teams to Europe to warm up for the season. And much like the NHL, the basketball league has seen an increasing number of European players making the leap to the United States, including France star Tony Parker and Germany forward Dirk Nowitzki.

The Celtics-Timberwolves game will be the first time the NBA has played in Britain since 1993.

Phoenix Suns forward Shawn Marion, the team's highest-paid player and a four-time All-Star, says he wants to be traded after eight years with the club.

Marion said he decided to ask to leave because the team considered trading him over the summer and won't talk about a contract extension.

Marion told The Arizona Republic late Tuesday that he had informed the team of his desires and has struggled with the decision

"I'm tired of hearing my name in trades," Marion said by phone from his Chicago home. "I love my fans in Phoenix, but I think it's time for me to move on."

Marion has two years left on his contract, which will net him $16.4 million for this season and $17.8 million in 2008-2009.

Suns general manager Steve Kerr declined to comment.

Marion said the Suns' decision not to enter contract-extension talks is only part of the reason he wants to leave. He also said the team's consideration of a three-way trade that would have sent him to the Boston Celtics in a deal landing the Minnesota Timberwolves' Kevin Garnett in Phoenix was a factor. Garnett has since been traded to the Celtics.

"I feel they tried to force my hand to Boston with the Garnett stuff," the 29-year-old said.

"I haven't done anything wrong. I leave it on the floor night in and night out," Marion said. "Sometimes it's just time to move on."

Marion said he would report as required for training camp Monday if he is still with the team. Besides Boris Diaw, who is expected to report Wednesday, the rest of the team is already in Phoenix for voluntary workouts.

"I'll do what I've got to do," he said. "I'm a professional. I'm not bitter. I love the fans, but I've got to take care of me."

Gilbert Arenas swears he is as healthy as ever.

He's certainly as talkative as ever.

The Washington Wizards' All-Star guard promised Friday he's prepared to go "full speed ahead" on his surgically repaired left knee when training camp opens next week and when the regular season opens next month.

"I've got to prove myself coming back from this injury. I've got to prove myself that I'm an MVP candidate in this league and I'm one of the best point guards in this league," Arenas said Friday.

"If I have to go out there and score 70 or 80, it's going to happen," he added, "but I don't shoot for those goals. Goals of mine are always about winning."

Arenas spoke for a total of nearly an hour with a small group of reporters during his rehab work. He shot baskets in a long-sleeved black shirt in the Wizards' muggy practice gym, rode a bicycle through the city -- without a helmet because, he said, "I look goofy in it" -- and ran sprints on a high school football field with two parachutes tied to his waist.

He didn't wear a knee brace, and there was no sign of a hitch in his step.

It's all part of the grind he is sure will get him back to where he was before tearing his knee during a game in early April.

Remember: He finished third in the NBA with a 28.4-point scoring average, hit shot after shot in the closing seconds of periods and put up three 50-point games in a 30-day span last season.

After playing over the summer, Arenas said he got his confidence back. He says his left knee feels "normal" and he won't have any restraints.

Coach Eddie Jordan begged to differ.

"He's probably going to need some time off in training camp here and there," Jordan said. "We'll watch him."

Among Arenas' other observations Friday:

--He expects Washington to go further in the postseason.

"Anything less than going past the second round is a failure," Arenas said.

-- Every Eastern Conference team was relieved not to have to face a healthy Wizards team in last season's playoffs.

"They didn't want to see us. We scored too easy," he said. "When you have a team that scores too easy, what can you really do?"

-- Arenas doesn't consider himself old enough to be a team leader; as far as he's concerned, leadership is about age or experience in the league.

"I go by years. I don't want some rookie coming in, just because he scored 30, to tell me what to do," he said.

So, for the time being, the 25-year-old Arenas will defer to the 32-year-old Antonio Daniels and 31-year-old Antawn Jamison.

How long does Arenas have to wait to take over as a team leader?

"Probably until one of them come off the team," he said, then paused and asked. "Twenty-seven? Does that sound about right?"

Bryant shows up, says he's ready to play for Lakers
There was some uncertainty regarding Kobe Bryant's presence at media day Monday, and it increased after the entire Los Angeles Lakers' roster except Bryant hit the floor for preseason promos and interviews shortly after the scheduled 10 a.m. start.

As it turned out, there was no mystery.

"He's running late. He had a doctor's appointment this morning," said Bryant's spokeswoman, Catherine Sebring, who lent a bit of intrigue last week by declining comment when asked about Bryant's plans.

Sure enough, with all eyes on the training room door, Bryant emerged at 10:34, and all was right in the Lakers' world -- at least for the time being.

Bryant hadn't said much about the Lakers since late May after calling the team's front office a mess and requesting a trade.

The two-time defending NBA scoring champion said he decided to keep a low profile after that, and the team did the same.

"We purposely didn't say anything because we wanted to keep things to ourselves," he said. "There was just too much going on -- things get misconstrued. We don't need that. We don't need any distractions for the season. There was never a doubt I was coming to camp. They knew that, I knew that.

"I was frustrated, so I blew up. Now, it's about taking this team that we have and take it to new heights. I think the important thing for everybody to understand is I want to bring a title back to L.A.

"I'm ready to play. I'm in shape, guys look good. I'm ready to go. My job is to come out here on the floor, help us win ballgames."

The Lakers left later Monday for Honolulu, where they'll begin training camp Tuesday and play their first two exhibition games before returning home Oct. 12.

Bryant pushed for an upgraded roster after the Lakers were eliminated by Phoenix in the first round of the playoffs for the second straight year.

It hasn't happened, but four months after blowing up, Bryant said all the right things.

"I'm a soldier. It's not my decision to say whether or not we should fight the war," he said. "My focus and my mind has to be on this team. We have an uphill battle. I'm going to do all I can to help us win."

Unrestricted free agents Luke Walton and Chris Mihm were re-signed, and Derek Fisher, a former Laker was added, which should improve the backcourt. But an attempt to land Kevin Garnett from Minnesota was unsuccessful, and nothing developed regarding Indiana's Jermaine O'Neal.

"I know they tried," Bryant said. "It wasn't a lack of effort. That means a lot to me."

The Lakers won three championships and reached the NBA finals four times in five years before Shaquille O'Neal was traded to Miami in July 2004. They haven't won a playoff series since O'Neal left.

Bryant apologized to general manager Mitch Kupchak early in the summer for criticizing him and bemoaning the fact that Andrew Bynum wasn't traded in a video recorded by three fans last spring and sold on the Internet.

Bryant said he text-messaged an apology to Bynum, but the 19-year-old center said the two hadn't talked.

"I thought it was kind of messed up," Bynum said. "The only thing it really did was make me work harder. I really didn't think it was that big a deal.

"He's definitely a great teammate, a great player. I just hope that everything's cool, we go out and play basketball together. He wants to win more than anyone. I'm good with everything. I just know I want to come out and be a great player, be as good as I can be."

Several other Lakers said it would be easy to put the whole brouhaha behind them.

"He's a great guy -- he's the best in the business," Brian Cook said of Bryant. "There's a lot of love here. I'm going to try to be positive, pull all the guys together. I'm one of the older guys now."

Walton said he's heard 15 versions of what happened regarding Bryant.

"We'll let all this stuff be under the bridge and we'll move on," he said. "I'm 99 percent positive that by the end of camp, nobody on our team is going to be talking about it. I don't think it's as big a deal as people are making it out to be.

"He wants to win championships. This is the team we have. We had a very strong team last year before everyone got hurt."

The Lakers won 26 of their first 39 games before losing 27 of 43 to finish 42-40. Walton, Lamar Odom and Kwame Brown all missed extensive time with injuries, and Mihm sat out the entire season.

Lakers coach Phil Jackson said the injuries were too much for the Lakers to overcome.

When asked if the current roster had what it takes to compete for a championship, Jackson replied: "I don't know. We'll have to be awfully good in the middle. We've got two guys (Brown and Mihm) who were injured and one guy (Bynum) who was a novice."

Knicks coach Isiah Thomas says "My head never left basketball"
New York Knicks coach Isiah Thomas said Wednesday his mind "never left basketball" throughout a three-week trial where he was found guilty of sexually harassing a former Knicks executive.

"Honestly, my head never left basketball. This is what I've done. This is what I do and this is what I think about the majority of the time," Thomas on the Knicks second day of training camp.

Thomas said a day after the verdict that he wasn't worried about losing his job and didn't even talk with the team about the trial before practice.

"We came back extremely focused," Thomas said. "I just wanted to make sure we stayed focused and keep the team moving. We went right into practice."

He arrived in South Carolina in time to run Tuesday night's practice, just hours after a jury in New York found that Thomas and Madison Square Garden sexually harassed Anucha Browne Sanders.

The jury decided only MSG and chairman James Dolan should pay for harassing and firing Browne Sanders. The jury awarded punitive damages of $11.6 million.

Dolan wasn't at training camp Wednesday, Knicks spokesman Jonathan Supranowitz said.

Thomas said it felt good to be back on the basketball court and see his players.

"The intensity is great. The energy that everyone is playing with is fantastic," he said.

Thomas said the team would not be distracted by the verdict, saying there was no impact on practice.

The jury needed roughly two days to find Thomas guilty and only about an hour to pile on the damages at the close of a trial rife with accounts of crude language and sexual escapades behind the scenes of a storied franchise.

The verdict spared Thomas himself from paying any damages, but it still amounted to another blemish on the resume of a two-time NBA champion.

Thomas and MSG have denied any wrongdoing, and the coach said Tuesday he would appeal.

The harassment verdict was partly anticlimactic, because the jury had sent a note to the judge Monday indicating that it believed Thomas, the Garden and Dolan sexually harassed Browne Sanders, a former vice president for marketing. A 44-year-old former Northwestern University basketball star, she is a married mother of three.

Thomas said to handle the demands of the lawsuit and preparing for camp, he worked harder in recent weeks, especially at night.

"We made sure that we were prepared and I made sure I was prepared and I did everything that I had to do," Thomas said.

Preparing for camp was easier for the Knicks' president of basketball operations this year because it's his second season as head coach.

"You call a play and you call a set and they know what to do and they know where to go. Things that, where to put in last year may have taken three days, now you can put it in a day maybe a day and a half," he said. "Having been around the guys for a whole year and understanding the system and the culture that we have makes a big difference."

Charlotte Bobcats forward Sean May will miss the season after deciding to undergo microfracture surgery on his troublesome right knee.

May will have the surgery Tuesday in New York. Recovery time will take six to 12 months.

"It's extremely frustrating," May said Friday in a phone interview.

May, the 13th pick in the 2005 draft, has played in only 58 of 164 games over the past two seasons. He had surgery to remove cartilage during his rookie season, then developed a bone bruise last year.

May said he had been cleared to play again three weeks ago, but had some swelling in the knee after workouts.

May underwent an MRI exam that revealed a troubling piece of cartilage in the knee. He missed the start of training camp to see a specialist in New York. Before seeking another opinion in Alabama, May decided to go under the knife.

"It came out of nowhere and that was probably the most shocking thing," May said. "I was on Cloud 9. I had finally just started to come back. And boom, I'm back to square one, sitting out again."

May's absence leaves the Bobcats extremely thin in the frontcourt. General manager Rod Higgins said they could sign a veteran big man. Marc Jackson, who played for New Orleans last season, is unsigned.

"It's a huge loss for us," Higgins said. "There are some free agents still out there. We've talked about a lot of guys. Marc Jackson is one of those names."

May's surgery will be performed by Dr. David Altchek in New York. May will be on crutches for six to eight weeks before beginning his rehabilitation.

"We are hopeful that his procedure will allow him to resume his career and be the player he wants to be," Bobcats team physician Glenn Perry said.

The procedure includes creating tiny holes in bones around the knee to try to stimulate cartilage growth. The surgery was once considered risky, but several football and basketball players have made successful recoveries in recent years.

No. 1 overall pick Greg Oden of the Portland Trail Blazers underwent microfracture surgery last month.

The 23-year-old May acknowledged the procedure concerns him.

"If I told you no I'd be lying," May said. "Anfernee Hardaway was out a couple of years. Darius Miles is just now starting to get back. Allan Houston. The only difference between me and those guys is they were a lot older. The older they are, the harder it is to come back from."

The 6-foot-9 May has averaged 10.4 points and 5.9 rebounds in his limited playing time, including a 32-point game against Orlando last season.

"I will be back," May said. "I'll be strong and I'll be fine. It's just going to take a year."

May's injury is one of several concerns for Charlotte up front. Forward Othella Harrington is out for the preseason after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery. Center Primoz Brezec has yet to report camp to tend to a family matter, leaving Ryan Hollins as the current starting center.

May's absence will likely lead to more playing time for rookie Jared Dudley, the 22nd pick in the draft.

But coach Sam Vincent acknowledged he'd like another big man.

"It would help," Vincent said. "But wanting a veteran big and having to deal with the salary cap and all the other issues involved, is something management has to deal with."

Chris Bosh scored 23 points and grabbed nine rebounds as the Toronto Raptors held off a spirited Virtus Lottomatica Roma squad for a 93-87 preseason victory Sunday.

Andrea Bargnani added 13 points and seven rebounds to help the Raptors win in his hometown. Danish forward Christian Drejer led Roma with 23 points.

With only two players taller than 6-foot-7, Roma struggled inside where the 6-10 Bosh was able to operate relatively uncontested.

Iceland guard Jon Stefansson hit a 3-pointer to put Roma in front 34-33 and Bargnani replied from beyond the arc a few minutes later as the lead swung back and forth in the second quarter. Christian Drejer was fouled by Joey Graham while shooting a 3-pointer, converting a four-point play that gave Roma a 45-44 lead at halftime.

Drejer and former Celtics guard Allan Ray continued their shooting streak to start the second half and Roma opened up a 65-58 lead toward the end of the third quarter.

Jason Kapono hit four straight free throws to put Toronto back in front 67-66 at the end of the third.

After Ray tied the game at 71 with another 3, Kapono and Anthony Parker both hit 3-pointers as Toronto went on a 10-0 run to take an 85-75 lead with less than six minutes remaining.

A hybrid of NBA and Euroleague rules were used for the game, with a mix of referees also.

In addition to Bargnani, the Raptors have six other players with experience in European leagues.

Parker played for Roma in 2002-03 and Rasho Nesterovic was with the Italian club in 1997-98. Garbajosa was Bargnani's teammate at Benetton Treviso, Carlos Delfino played in Italy with Reggio Calabria and Skipper Bologna, Jose Calderon made his mark in the Spanish league and Maceo Baston played in Spain from 2001-03.

Roma's Croatian guard Roko Ukic was drafted in the second round by Toronto in 2005,

Roma was missing three key players. Former Temple University standout David Hawkins is suspended for marijuana use, and Erik Daniels and Simone Bagnoli are injured.

NBA commissioner David Stern attended the game at the Palalottomatica. where the attendance was 9,823, well off the 11,118 that attended the Raptors-Celtics game a night earlier.

The Raptors now travel to Spain to play Real Madrid on Wednesday. After returning to Canada, Toronto has one more game against European competition with Zalgiris Kaunas on Oct. 17 before facing NBA teams for the remainder of the preseason.

As teams prepare for the new season, there are some familiar storylines to follow. However, there is also some new intrigue - perhaps enough to surprise us in June when the league champs are crowned.

My preseason rankings reflect potential playoff seeding, but some teams are better built for the regular season (like Dallas). Depth, age and experience all play a part on who dominates the regular season. Here's how I see the West with preseason play getting under way.

1. San Antonio Spurs - They really didn't add much to their team. Why? Because the foreign legion team of Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Tim Duncan is still the best. (Yes, Duncan is from the Virgin Islands, but they're foreign to me!) Depth, youth and experience makes them the blueprint franchise.

2. Phoenix Suns - I know Amare Stoudemire is out for the preseason, but that's no concern. The Suns are primed this year, and here are two things to watch for: 120 points per game (which means championship dreams) or Stoudemire, Grant Hill and Raja Bell in street clothes (that'd mean a lottery nightmare).

3. Dallas Mavericks - Avery Johnson has the challenge of getting rid of the Ghost of Playoff Failures Past. The inability to defend off the dribble and to have a true post-up scorer was exposed for the world to see in the postseason. Personnel changes are in their future.

4. Utah Jazz - They are for real. Carlos Boozer and Deron Williams aren't Malone and Stockton, but they're more like Malone and the new Jason Kidd. These two should take off where they left off in the playoffs.

5. Houston Rockets - The Rockets' biggest problem is chemistry. The questions are as follows: Is Steve Francis healthy or is he a head case? Is Rafer Alston streetball or street? And can Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady coexist?

6. Denver Nuggets - Having Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony for a full season should make Denver the most dangerous team in basketball. If basketball is the only story throughout the year, then look out.

7. Los Angeles Lakers - Kobe will be ... well, Kobe. However, this is the year Lamar Odom plays like an All-Star all season and the Lakers take a step closer.

8. Golden State Warriors - The bodyguard Baron Davis and the upstart Warriors are great for the playoffs. But without depth in a lot of areas, they're looking like the eighth-best club in the West.

9. Memphis Grizzlies - They improved their team by adding Mike Conley Jr. However, the best improvement comes from just being healthy. Pau Gasol is arguably the second-best power forward in the West behind Duncan, and don't underestimate Damon Stoudamire's value.

10. New Orleans Hornets - CP3 (aka Chris Paul) needs three more studs to go with him. Tyson Chandler is a beast, but it ends there. The rest of the starters would be better served as being second-unit players.

11. Portland Trail Blazers - No Greg Oden. No playoffs.

12. Los Angeles Clippers - They're baaaaaaaack ... to losing, finger pointing and empty seats. With no Elton Brand or Sean Livingston, the Clippers' future is in street clothes.

13. Sacramento Kings - New coach Reggie Theus has inherited a glimpse of the Sacramento glory days. The Kings will be in dismantling mode by the All-Star break.

14. Minnesota Timberwolves - The words that will become common place are "youthful," "patience" and "next year."

15. Seattle SuperSonics - Too young for success. Kevin Durant will be fun to watch, but it will be difficult to find more than 25 wins.

Somebody forgot to tell Ray Allen that the Celtics are Kevin Garnett's team.

Allen scored 28 points Wednesday night to lead the Celtics to a 92-81 preseason win over the Minnesota Timberwolves in Garnett's first game against his former team.

Garnett, who spent 12 years in Minnesota, scored nine points in less than 30 minutes at London's O2 Arena, but he helped in other ways.

"When you have KG in the post, everyone wants to double him," said Allen, who was 5-of-8 from 3-point range. "We can knock down 3s. We have so much available."

Garnett had six rebounds, two assists and three blocks.

"The past is the past," Garnett said. "This is a new chapter in my life."

It seems Ricky Davis hasn't forgotten his old teammate, however.

"It was definitely a different experience seeing Kevin in green," said Davis, who scored a team-high 18 points. "I almost threw him the ball once, but then I saw that green jersey."

The Celtics ran away from the Timberwolves late in the second quarter. A 15-6 run gave Boston a 50-43 lead at the half, and a 15-5 run to start the third pushed the lead to 65-48.

Garnett scored only two points during the stretch before halftime, but he set up Kendrick Perkins for two straight dunks and had a steal in between. Allen, Boston's other big offseason addition, had nine of the 15 points at the beginning of the third.

"Kevin's going to do what he's done for 12 years," Timberwolves coach Randy Wittman said. "Kevin's going to score, rebound, block shots. Kevin is going to be Kevin, and that's what he was tonight."

Boston's new "Big Three" of Garnett, Allen and Paul Pierce sat out the fourth quarter, and the Timberwolves went on an 8-0 run to cut the lead to 80-75 with 6:53 to go.

"We have three guys at the exact right time," Celtics coach Doc Rivers said. "They've done everything. They've achieved everything individually. Now they want to achieve something as a team."

Pierce, who led Boston in scoring last season, finished with only eight points and was 6-of-11 from the free throw line.

"That's the way it's going to be for us on any given night," Rivers added. "One, maybe two are going to get going. The night we get all three going, it's going to be a fun night."

Still, the combination of star players is expected to help the Celtics contend for its record 17th NBA title.

"Kevin and I are here now," Allen said. "We know what it's like trying to carry a team. We can help each other make this team better."

The atmosphere at the sold-out O2 looked familiar to some. The dancing girls, the mascots and the dunking team all made for a regular NBA atmosphere.

"I said it a couple of times on the bench, 'This is the NBA right here,"' Allen said.

And don't forget the celebrities at courtside.

Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton drew one of the biggest cheers of the night when he was shown on the video screen. Chelsea striker Didier Drogba also was in the crowd, and Celtics great Bill Russell also drew a huge cheer when he was introduced at center court during the second quarter along with Rick Barry and B.J. Armstrong.

"Seems only appropriate that there's an NBA team here," Allen said of the celebrities.

The Celtics and Timberwolves traded the lead throughout the first quarter and the start of the second. Davis scored 16 of Minnesota's 22 points in the first quarter, hitting four 3-pointers.

The Timberwolves started the game with three former Celtics on the court -- Ryan Gomes, Theo Ratliff and Sebastian Telfair.

Garnett made his first field goal late in the first quarter, dunking from the baseline to give the Celtics an 18-17 lead. But he also got called for traveling several times, including two straight infractions that were followed by a bad miss from the field.

Wednesday's game was part of NBA Europe Live, which also includes the Toronto Raptors and the Memphis Grizzlies. The Celtics beat the Raptors 89-85 Saturday in Rome, and the Wolves beat Turkish team Efes Pilsen 84-81 in Istanbul.

"I'm pleased with what came out of Turkey and London, but we still have a lot of work to do," Wittman said.

Late last month, the NHL opened its regular season at the O2 Arena. The Stanley Cup champion Anaheim Ducks and the Los Angeles Kings split the series in the first regular-season games to be played in Europe. On Oct. 28, the NFL will play a regular-season game at the rebuilt Wembley Stadium when the Miami Dolphins face the New York Giants.

The Cavaliers were able to get through the Eastern Conference last season by really only playing one legitimate playoff series - the East finals against Detroit. That will not happen again this season. In fact, there will be a new conference champion.

Here's how I see the East as teams begin their preseason schedules.

1. Boston Celtics - With three unselfish stars in Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Kevin Garnett, the learning curve is shorter than most. They will dominate a conference with only three contenders (the others being Detroit and Miami).

2. Detroit Pistons - They are one of the few teams that can only beat themselves. That's why they always believe it's a fluke when they lose. Experience wins, and Detroit's veterans can still get the job done.

3. Miami Heat - Shaquille O'Neal and Dwyane Wade tasted the sweet smell of success two years ago and have the tools to get back to the NBA finals. With Alonzo Mourning leaving after this season, an aging Shaq gets one last real chance at another title before he's done.

4. Cleveland Cavaliers - LeBron James and the young Cavs shocked the world last season, but the surprise factor is over. They will have a big task learning to live up to expectations.

5. Chicago Bulls - The young and gifted Bulls are in trouble. When Garnett came to the East and didn't land in Chicago, it slowed their progress.

6. Toronto Raptors - They're a nice team, and that very well might be their problem in getting over the top. The Raptors might need someone to get a little nasty or trade for a pit bull.

7. New Jersey Nets - They didn't get better, but there's too much talent on the roster not to make the playoffs.

8. Washington Wizards - With Agent Zero (aka Gilbert Arenas), the Wizards are a playoff team, but with no consistent inside scoring, the Wizards will struggle this season.

9. Orlando Magic - Just not enough firepower. The Magic have a lot of very good players, but none is a 20-point man on a good team. (Sorry, Rashard Lewis.)

10. New York Knicks - Scandals, poor chemistry and a bunch of round pegs trying to fit in square holes. This once storied franchise is in disarray.

11. Indiana Pacers - Who's on this team again?

12. Milwaukee Bucks - Without sounding redundant, there's just not enough talent. The Bucks are potential driven which leads to losses in the NBA.

13. Philadelphia 76ers - They'll be searching for an answer all year! OK, OK, that was a cheap shot, but it will take a lot of practice, practice, practice! (I crack myself up.)

14. Charlotte Bobcats - The Bobcats are much too inexperienced at all positions, including coach, to make noise this season. That said, they still are my sleeper East team.

15. Atlanta Hawks - Dominique Wilkins, Doc Rivers and Spud Webb are rolling over in their basketball graves right now. The Hawks have become the 2008 Clippers.

Charlotte Bobcats- Sean May-Right knee surgery - out for season & Othella Harrington-Left knee surgery

Cleveland Cavaliers-Eric Snow-Left knee tear - out 4 to 6 weeks

Dallas Mavericks-DJ Mbenga-Right knee, Devean George-Left foot, & Erick Dampier-Right shoulder

Denver Nuggets-Anthony Carter-Right hand surgery - out 6 weeks

Los Angeles Clippers-Chris Kaman-Sore lower back & Cuttino Mobley-Strained left calf

New Jersey Nets-Bernard Robinson-Torn left MCL & Marcus Williams-Broken right foot - out 6 weeks

New York Knicks-Eddy Curry-Right shoulder tear - out 2 weeks & Renaldo Balkman-Right ankle - out 4 weeks

Orlando Magic-Tony Battie-Left rotator cuff tear

Phoenix Suns-Amare Stoudemire-Right knee surgery - out 3 weeks

Portland Trail Blazers-Greg Oden-Right knee surgery - out for season

Sacramento Kings-Spencer Hawes-Left knee surgery & Shareef Abdur-Rahim-Right knee surgery - out for 4 weeks

Seattle SuperSonics-Luke Ridnour-Broken nose

Washington Wizards-Etan Thomas-Heart surgery

Etan Thomas was recovering from open heart surgery Friday, and the doctor who performed the operation didn't rule out the possibility of the Washington Wizards' center returning to play in the NBA this season.

"We think the function of his heart and lungs should return to normal," said Dr. Hartzell Schaff, a cardiovascular surgeon at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. "And it's possible he could get back to playing professional-level basketball."

Schaff said most patients recover from the operation in four to eight weeks, but the physical nature of basketball will require a longer rehabilitation for Thomas. The biggest hurdle will be the healing of Thomas' sternum, which had to be broken in order to perform the surgery.

"It's going to be more than a couple of months," Schaff said. "But I don't know if we're talking about one month more or one week more."

Thomas was diagnosed with a leaking aortic valve following a routine physical before the start of training camp last week. Schaff described the leakage as "severe" and said it revealed that Thomas had a bicuspid aortic valve that needed to be repaired or replaced.

"It's a condition that he's had since birth," Schaff said. "But it wouldn't have been apparent until the valve starts leaking."

Schaff replaced the valve during a 4 1/2 -hour operation Thursday. The doctor said Thomas was "awake and alert" Friday morning and probably will remain in the hospital until Wednesday or Thursday of next week.

"His heart function is quite good," Schaff said.

Recently, Ronny Turiaf showed how quickly an athlete can recover from such a serious procedure. The former Gonzaga star had open-heart surgery for an enlarged aortic root in July 2005, but he joined the Los Angeles Lakers in January 2006 and played in 23 games before the end of the season.

If Thomas follows a similar timeline, he would perhaps return in time for the playoffs in April, but team president Ernie Grunfeld considered such speculation premature.

"Our concern is about his health," Grunfeld said. "This isn't about basketball right now. This is about him getting healthy. The doctor feels that he can do that. I don't think you put a time frame on it. It's going to take time, but obviously we'll monitor the situation."

The 29-year-old Thomas has played six years for the Wizards and is the team's longest-tenured player. He started a career-high 32 games last season, averaging 6.1 points and 5.8 rebounds.

"I don't want to put any pressure from the outside on him, but I know he will be working as hard as he can to get back on the court," forward Caron Butler said. "That's just in his nature. He's going to try to overcome what ever obstacles are in front of him and try to get back with his brothers."

Called one of the biggest busts in NBA history and known more for his off-court tirades than his play, Darko Milicic is trying to resurrect his career.

Again.

Now with the Memphis Grizzlies, a revamped team also searching for an identity, Milicic said he feels supported for the first time in the NBA. The 7-foot Serbian has approached his new team with a fresh attitude. He wants to get comfortable -- finally -- and leave his rocky start behind.

"Any little thing used to frustrate me," Milicic said. "I don't let things bother me anymore. I'm not an angry person. I just want to play. Everything that happened before, it's history."

Milicic is best known as the 7-footer drafted by Detroit ahead of Dwyane Wade and Carmelo Anthony in 2003. Mocked by fans and media as the waste of a No. 2 pick overall, he was compared to draft bust Sam Bowie -- the man selected between Hakeem Olajuwon and Michael Jordan in 1984.

Milicic couldn't get off the bench on Pistons teams filled with veterans. He was traded to the Orlando Magic in February 2006, but was inconsistent as a reserve and again failed to play up to expectations. He's averaged just 5 points and 3.3 rebounds in 15.0 minutes per game for his career.

Just 22 years old, Milicic insists he's come a long way from the 18-year-old who arrived in the United States and had to adjust to a new lifestyle and the NBA at the same time. He's shown glimpses of what could be -- the reason the Grizzlies are the third team to risk millions on potential.

"We think he can really break through," said Grizzlies general manager Chris Wallace, who replaced Jerry West in June. "He's going to get an opportunity here maybe he hasn't gotten at other places, and I think that will allow him to shine."

For his part, Milicic said this is the first time he has enjoyed playing basketball since entering the NBA.

Even so, he continues to struggle with his temper, which has been a problem since be began playing professionally in Yugoslavia as a 14-year-old to help support his family.

Upset with the referees after a loss last month to Greece at the European championships, he went on a profanity-filled tirade to Serbian reporters in which he said he would murder the referees and harm their families. The outburst resulted in a $13,770 fine.

He said his emotions got the best of him like they have in the past when he criticized coaches for not playing him more. He asks that people not rush to judgment. The vigor he uses to express his opinions, he said, is just his competitive spirit.

"People were saying this and that about me. Everyone was real upset at me," he said. "That's just who I am. I am very passionate when I play. That won't change. I'm not going to change who I am. If people hate me, if people love me, that's fine. I don't worry about it."

But Milicic doesn't dare make predictions for this season, not when he fell short of expectations twice already.

His three-year deal with the Grizzlies for a reported $21 million pairs him with another 7-foot European in All-Star forward Pau Gasol. The duo hope to become a force in the deep Western Conference.

Gasol expects Milicic to be another low-post bruiser for the Grizzlies, and said Milicic can be the player scouts predicted.

"He has to use all those past expectations as motivation," Gasol said. "He has to want to be better. Personally, I think he can do a good job. We expect a lot of good things from him."

New Memphis coach Marc Iavaroni thinks it's important for Milicic to get off to a positive start. He said when Milicic started off struggling in the past, things continued to go sour.

Iavaroni said Milicic has the tools to be successful in the NBA, and his attitude in Memphis thus far has been stellar. Iavaroni is trying to boost that, asking Milicic to be selfless and secure in himself.

"I talked to him not just about physical toughness, but mental toughness so you can deal with mistakes," Iavaroni said. "I'm very happy with his effort. He wants to be a great player."

The Grizzlies, who had the NBA's worst record at 22-60 last season, are under pressure to turn things around, but Milicic said he won't be affected by the expectations.

"I'm excited about being with a new team and having a new start," he said. "I know what I can do, and I don't listen to what people say. I'm happy right now."