NBA Capsules: AP Interview: Arenas shrugs off sentencing nerves

WASHINGTON — As he has done many times in the month of March, Gilbert Arenas took off his shirt in a building full of adoring fans.

This time, though, he was simply changing into a T-shirt with the PETA logo, not removing his Washington Wizards jersey to toss into the crowd on the way to the locker room after a game. Suspended by the NBA for the rest of the season for bringing guns to the locker room, he was giving away used fur coats to women in need on behalf of one of the few groups still proud to be associated with him: People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

"I have a lot of free time on my hands," Arenas said when one of the organizers thanked him for coming.

After the coats were handed out, Gilbert spoke to The Associated Press, his first interview since pleading guilty to a felony gun possession charge in January. Appearances such as these are helping pass the time until the next big date on his calendar: March 26, when he’ll learn whether he’ll go to jail for his crime.

Asked if he was nervous, Arenas shrugged.

"If the judge goes off with the story the papers write, then, yeah," Arenas said. "But if he goes off the actual real story, then I have no problems with it."

Arenas has maintained that he had four guns in the Wizards locker room and took them out in a "misguided effort to play a joke" on teammate Javaris Crittenton, who then displayed a firearm of his own and has since been sentenced to a year of unsupervised probation for a misdemeanor gun charge. Arenas could get anything from probation to five years in jail, although the government indicated it will not seek more than six months.

Until the fateful date comes and goes, questions about Arenas’ future are hard to answer. Would he be willing to play again for the Wizards, the team that gone to great lengths to disassociate itself from him, the team that has removed nearly every trace of him from the Verizon Center?

"I have no problem," Arenas said. "Basketball is basketball. I don’t think people realize that. No matter what city, overseas, D-league, park league — I just want to play."

Then again, Arenas noted that his future with the Wizards is not up to him. He’s only in the second season of a six-year, $111 million contract.

"That’s up to the city and the owners," Arenas said. "It’s out of my hands."

Arenas’ sentence could determine whether the Wizards will attempt to void the remainder of his contract, something the players’ union would almost certainly oppose. Still, team president Ernie Grunfeld has indicated an Arenas appearance in a Wizards uniform could happen again, saying last month: "He’s part of the organization. If he wants to play, he’s going to play here."

Arenas is not big into downtime — he’s been known to play online poker during halftime of NBA games and work out in the Verizon Center gym at 2 a.m. — but knee problems that derailed his previous two seasons have made it easier for him to cope while away from the arena.

"You’ve got to remember: I’ve been hurt for two years before this, and so I did all my stir-crazy moments then," he said. "So now it’s like ‘I’m used to this, I’m used to this time off.’ Just play with the kids, be a father."

Arenas also said he’s "staying in shape and finding causes to help, without all this publicity behind it." The athlete who used to make news regularly via blog, Twitter and outlandish comments in the locker room expressed surprised to find a reporter at the PETA event, and his short answers exhibited his preference to lay low.

His million dollar smile came to life, however, for the people at Rachael’s Women’s Center, where the event was held. It might seem unusual for PETA to be giving away furs, but these were all donated by people who bought them, then had a change of heart and wanted to discard them for ethical reasons. Rather than throw them away, PETA accepts the furs and gives them to homeless people and others in need of a winter coat to stay warm.

Arenas helped the women try on the furs, giving advice on size and looks. Several asked for autographs, photos or hugs — or a combination of all three — and he complied every time. He was called "my favorite basketball player" by one woman and told by another how much the last-place Wizards need him back.

PETA approached Arenas about becoming a spokesman for the organization early in the season. It was coincidental that the organization released a photo of his tattooed bare chest with the slogan "Ink, Not Mink" the very week that he was initially suspended by NBA commissioner David Stern.

"Nothing that allegedly happened had anything to do with how animals are treated on farms or the issues that we advocate for as an organization," said Dan Shannon, director of campaigns for PETA. "If he wants to speak out about the cruelty in the fur industry, we want him to do that."

Arenas said he’s never owned a fur. Being welcomed by PETA is a welcome change: The Wizards have kept their distance and his shoe company, Adidas, has dropped him altogether.

"It’s just like anything. When something happens, everyone flees away," Arenas said. "So I already knew all that was going to happen. But PETA, they stayed behind me, they stayed with the cause, and that’s the reason I came."

A.I. will not return to 76ers due to family issues

PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia 76ers have said goodbye to A.I.

Allen Iverson’s second stint with the team he once led to the NBA finals ended with a whimper Tuesday when the Sixers announced he would not return for the rest of the season.

Iverson has mostly been absent from the team for a month, returning to Atlanta to be with his family as they deal with an undisclosed illness of his 4-year-old daughter, Messiah.

Iverson, who returned to the 76ers as a free-agent in December, has not played since Feb. 20.

"After discussing the situation with Allen, we have come to the conclusion that he will not return to the Sixers for the remainder of the season, as he no longer wishes to be a distraction to the organization and teammates that he loves very deeply," team president Ed Stefanski said. "It has been very difficult for Allen and the team to maintain any consistency as he tries to balance his career with his personal life."

The former NBA MVP and four-time scoring champion averaged 13.8 points in 28 games this season. He started the season with Memphis but only played three games before he announced a short-lived retirement.

Coach Eddie Jordan said at practice it was best for Iverson to move on and put his focus on his family.

"I think it was the right thing to do at the right time," Jordan said. "His body of work has proven to be a terrific body of work in the history of the NBA."

Iverson’s agent, Leon Rose, did not immediately return messages seeking comment. Other attempts to reach Iverson were unsuccessful.

The 34-year-old Iverson made a tearful return to Philadelphia eager to prove he wasn’t finished after disastrous stints in Detroit and Memphis. He returned to a sold-out crowd dotted with No. 3 jerseys, but he only showed flashes of his former playmaking self when he ruled the NBA as one of the best guards around. He scored at least 20 points six times — including a 23-point effort in a game against the Lakers that turned into a throwback 1-on-1 duel vs. Kobe Bryant.

"Before it was like, give him the ball, everybody spread out and let him do his thing," Sixers center Samuel Dalembert said. "Now, he’s like, you have to run this, you have to get him involved. He was still learning the offense. There were a couple of games where it was a struggle offensively, but other games he got the feel for it. You got the flash of A.I."

Iverson said at a Feb. 15 practice that it was emotionally draining to leave his family to play basketball.

"It was tough to leave her and my wife and kids," Iverson said. "But I do have a commitment and an obligation to be with my team and to do my job. But it is rough. I think this is the only thing I do in life where for a couple hours during the game I don’t think about nothing but (basketball)."

Iverson was hobbled by an arthritic left knee and constantly needed it drained. He usually walked gingerly around the locker room after games. His dwindling production didn’t bother his fans — Iverson was voted a starter for the East All-Stars, though he did not play.

Dalembert, who played with Iverson in both his Philly stints, said A.I. was not the same player who once terrorized the opposition. But Dalembert also noticed a more reserved, humbled Iverson who just wanted to fit in instead of dominating the ball or making splashy headlines with controversial or selfish actions.

"He was focused, he was being a leader," Dalembert said. "It was a completely different Iverson. The role we needed him to play, he was doing it. He understood what he needed to do for the team and he came in and did it."

The Sixers have been awful with or without Iverson. They are 22-37 after a 126-105 loss to Orlando on Monday night. They were on a nine-game losing streak when Iverson made his debut on Dec. 7.

Andre Iguodala, another Sixer who saw both ends of Iverson’s time in Philly, said he’ll miss No. 3.

"He did a good job bringing his personality to us," Iguodala said. "On the plane, on the bus, just having a chance to laugh. He brought a huge positive side. Guys enjoyed being around him."

Iverson was the No. 1 overall pick in the 1996 draft and spent 10 seasons in Philadelphia before he was traded to Denver in December 2006. He won the MVP in 2001 when he led the Sixers to the Finals.

Now, the global superstar who popularized "talking about practice," might be talking about retirement.

This time for good.

-- Dan Gelston

D’Antoni taking beatings right along with Knicks

GREENBURGH, N.Y. — Two years ago, Mike D’Antoni had his choice between two of the NBA’s most renowned franchises.

He would have been the leading candidate to coach the next U.S. Olympic team had Mike Krzyzewski declined to return.

One more thing about Mike D’Antoni: He’s on pace to lose 100 games in two seasons.

Losses now come as quickly for D’Antoni as points used to, making it easy to wonder if his reputation is taking a beating right along with his New York Knicks.

"I don’t see Mike as being any different coach than he was when we were winning 62 here. It’s beyond me how all of a sudden a guy changes," said Phoenix coach Alvin Gentry, who still talks regularly with his old boss.

"You know Doc Rivers lost his last 18 games, if I’m not mistaken, or he lost 18 out of 19. Then he got Kevin Garnett and all of a sudden now he’s a great coach. Mike is no different than when he was winning games here. You take the personnel that you have, you try to put them in a situation to win and sometimes that doesn’t work out. That doesn’t mean Mike is any less of a coach than he was here."

The Knicks are 20-39 after going 32-50 in D’Antoni’s first season after picking New York over the Chicago Bulls. Those are numbers that get coaches fired, and while it’s unlikely he’s going anywhere, he knows it doesn’t exactly justify that $6 million per year salary, either.

"I haven’t had a good year, that’s for sure," he said.

But is it fair to blame the coach, when all the moves the Knicks made with an eye toward the future have left him a subpar roster in the present?

"What’s fair is fair doesn’t really matter, because we’re going to go ahead and do our jobs best we can and knowing where we’re going, and it’s up to me to get us there," D’Antoni said. "And we’re not there obviously yet."

They weren’t supposed to be this season. New York traded away two of its best players — Zach Randolph and Jamal Crawford — early in 2008-09 to create salary cap room for this summer, then opted to protect that space rather than upgrade for this season.

That means he came back with the recently benched Chris Duhon as his starting point guard, the position where he once had Steve Nash. He’s also had a group of unreliable shooters, including Duhon and recently traded Jared Jeffries and Larry Hughes, who currently rank 25th in the league in 3-point shooting.

D’Antoni still insisted the Knicks could be a playoff team, but he’d have a hard time finding many people around New York or the NBA who would’ve believed him. The team just doesn’t have the personnel to run the system that turned the Suns into a perennial championship contender under D’Antoni.

"It just comes down to as a coach, you’re trying to fit your players in a system that works for them," Chicago coach Vinny Del Negro said. "Different teams, different players, you’re going to get different results at times, so it’s not easy."

It’s been harder than D’Antoni thought, and the frustration has started to show while he endures a meaningless stretch run for the second straight year.

Usually affable with the media, he grew testy Saturday when questioned about his decision not to foul when leading by three points in the final seconds of a game, after the Knicks were forced to overtime twice within a week when a player made a late 3-pointer.

Then Monday, he acknowledged his team "kind of gave up" in the third quarter in Cleveland, when the Knicks trailed by 49 points in a 124-93 loss.

D’Antoni used to be on the other end of those types of scores. His Suns averaged 58 wins in his four full seasons, using his pedal-to-the-metal system to ring up better than 110 points per game in three of them and twice reach the Western Conference finals.

When he and the Suns parted ways in 2008, he had a pair of jobs waiting for him. The 2005 NBA coach of the year chose New York, but Knicks fans are still waiting for the turnaround D’Antoni engineered in Phoenix.

"New York has been lacking a winner in terms of the Knicks for some time, so people are hungry and anxious, but Mike D’Antoni will always do his share to make his team competitive, exciting and the players will play for him," said USA Basketball chairman and former Suns owner Jerry Colangelo, who has hired D’Antoni twice. "So I think he just needs time."

Not surprisingly, the guy whose system was known as "7 seconds or less" isn’t interested in taking his time. Knicks president Donnie Walsh said D’Antoni takes losing hard, to the point he has to remind his coach that the team’s struggles aren’t his fault.

"I know he’s a good coach," Walsh said. "I go to practice every day, I talk to him every day and I know that if he had the players that could fit into his style that he’d be successful."

The Knicks hope to get those players this summer, and D’Antoni could be the key. The U.S. Olympic team assistant is friendly with LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, and Walsh has noticed how so many of the league’s stars greet D’Antoni at the Knicks bench when they play in New York.

So perhaps it was a little alarming to Walsh that D’Antoni’s player-friendly reputation has come into question in New York, where Hughes, Nate Robinson and Eddy Curry complained about or were confused with their roles this season, and Stephon Marbury feuded with the coach last season.

"My experience in the league over 40 years is that when teams aren’t winning, players don’t take the kind of responsibility they should for their own situation and they ran off on someone else. Usually it’s the coach," Colangelo said. "I’ve heard that ad infinitum, about lack of communication, a lack of direction, ‘I don’t know my role.’ We could repeat that a million times. I’ve heard it. But you don’t hear that from winning teams."

The remaining schedule is difficult, so the Knicks may not even hit 30 wins. There is no Nash or Amare Stoudemire here to make his offense hum, but D’Antoni said the players he has will be competitive.

The losses go on the coach’s record, but D’Antoni’s defenders maintain that the blame shouldn’t.

"There’s definitely disappointment that we haven’t won more games, but that’s not coach’s fault," center David Lee said recently. "He’s done an unbelievable job, he’s the best coach I’ve ever played for on any level and I’d be happy to have him as my coach the rest of my career."

-- Brian Mahoney

James files papers to switch from No. 23 to No. 6

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio — The number on LeBron James’ back will be different next season. The Cleveland Cavaliers can only hope the logo on the front of his jersey remains the same.

James has filed paperwork with the NBA to change his uniform number next season to No. 6 from No. 23, the league confirmed Tuesday. James said earlier this season he would be willing to give up No. 23 in an effort to have the NBA retire it in honor of Michael Jordan.

Paperwork had to be filed this week to request a number change for next season.

"All it does is back up LeBron’s beliefs," Cavs coach Mike Brown said. "He’s a loyalty guy. When he believes in something, he sticks to his guns and he believes wholeheartedly in what he’s doing."

James can become a free agent this summer. He would only need the league’s approval to change numbers if he remains in Cleveland. Should he sign with another team, James would be allowed to choose any available number without needing approval.

He dismissed a question about his future shortly after the Cavaliers beat the Knicks 124-93 Monday night.

"I stopped answering free agent questions a long time ago," he said.

James, who declined interview requests on Tuesday, is going from one famous number to another. Julius Erving and Bill Russell both wore No. 6.

"The first thing I think of is Dr. J," Brown said.

James wore No. 6 with the U.S. Olympic team and wears it every day in practice. He isn’t the first superstar to change numbers mid-career. Among others, Jordan briefly wore No. 45 after coming out of retirement with the Bulls, and Kobe Bryant more recently switched from No. 8 to No. 24.

"We remember the 8 on Kobe, but we also know the 24," Cavaliers point guard Mo Williams said. "After a year or two, people will look past the old number and let it rest with Jordan."

Instead of wins, Nets offer fans windfall returns

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The struggling New Jersey Nets have come up with another gimmick to sell tickets in a season where they have won only six games.

This time, the Nets are going to give fans a different return on their money — a tax return.

The Nets have combined with Roni Deutch Tax Center to offer a free New Jersey income tax return to state residents 18 years and older who attend their game against the Orlando Magic on Friday night at the Izod Center.

Patrons won’t get their state taxes done on the spot. They’ll be given a coupon for a free state tax return. The cost is usually $29.

Not a bad return from a team that has a shot at breaking the NBA record for fewest wins in a season.

-- Tom Canavan

Celtics’ Pierce returns for game against Pistons

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — Boston Celtics forward Paul Pierce was a late addition to the starting lineup Tuesday night against the Detroit Pistons.

Pierce, who missed three games with a thumb injury, wasn’t listed on a lineup sheet passed out a few minutes before the opening tip, but replaced Marquis Daniels when the introductions were made.

Pierce leads Boston with 17.9 points per game.

Kings forward Nocioni suspended for 2 games

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Sacramento Kings forward Andres Nocioni has been suspended by the NBA for two games without pay after pleading no contest in California to drunken driving.

The suspension was to begin with Tuesday night’s game between the Kings and the Thunder in Oklahoma City.

Nocioni was arrested about 2 a.m. Nov. 5 when a police officer noticed his car weaving in downtown Sacramento, hours after the Kings had lost a home game to the Atlanta Hawks.

An attorney entered a no contest plea to a misdemeanor drunken driving charge on Nocioni’s behalf on Feb. 22.

As part of his sentence, Nocioni will serve two days in a work program operated by the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department. He also must complete a three-month alcohol class, pay a $480 fine and court penalties and serve three years’ probation.

Ellis will likely miss entire Warriors’ road trip

OAKLAND, Calif. — Golden State Warriors leading scorer Monta Ellis underwent an MRI exam on his injured back that revealed a strain, and he isn’t expected to join the team at all during its five-game road trip.

He did not accompany the team to Miami, where the Warriors were set to begin the five-game trip Tuesday night. Ellis already missed a game last Saturday.

Golden State, which is also without center Andris Biedrins for the trip because of a sports hernia, signed forward Reggie Williams to a 10-day contract Tuesday. He was called up from the Development League’s Sioux Falls Skyforce.

The Warriors have the third-worst record in the NBA at 17-41.