Rose throws it down hard on the Suns’ player Leandro Barbosa. Barbosa will remember that one for the rest of his life.

“Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers is not really an expert on Thunder forward Jeff Green’s game. Rivers just plays one as a proud father. Rivers’ oldest son, Jeremiah, played one season with Green at Georgetown before transferring to Indiana.”I know him as well as anybody,” Rivers said of Green.

“I was at a lot of those games.”But unlike the good old days in Washington, D.C., where Green excelled from the start and led Georgetown to a 67-27 record over his three seasons, Rivers witnessed Green’s baptism by fire continue Wednesday night in the Thunder’s 96-83 loss to his Celtics club.Celtics forward Paul Pierce was the latest in a string of tough assignments for Green, who already has also gone head to head with Milwaukee’s Richard Jefferson, Houston’s Ron Artest and Minnesota’s Mike Miller.

But Green has performed admirably. Jefferson had 20 points and eight rebounds. But Artest and Miller scored just 10 points each, and Pierce had 20 points but needed 20 shots.Next up is Utah’s Andrei Kirilenko tonight against the Jazz in Salt Lake City.”It’s a learning process having to guard some of the best forwards in the game,” Green said. “It’s still more to come. I just go back, look at tape and see how I played them, and the next time we play them I just have to come back with a little more different approach because they’ll probably be expecting the same thing.”

Kirilenko, although currently Utah’s sixth man, ranks second on the Jazz in minutes played and third in scoring at 14.8 points. He’s one of the league’s best defenders and most versatile players.”I think it’s a great opportunity for him to learn what these guys do because he’ll be guarding them the majority of his career,” said Desmond Mason. “But it’s also an opportunity for him to learn how to play on offense. So I think it’s going to be a learning experience for him on both ends.”"

Having kicked off their season 0-3, Tony Parker was mad going into last night’s game against the Timberwolves. And I’m talking not-speaking to-Eva-Longoria-and-wanting-to-punch-Timmmy-in-the-face mad. But who said anger isn’t a virtue. Tony led the Manu-less Spurs to their first victory of the season with an amazing 55 points, his career-high.

It wasn’t just the scoring that was on fire, Parker had 10 assists and 7 rebounds to boot. The last NBA player to have at least 55 points and 10 assists in a game was Michael Jordan. He had 57 points and 10 assists for Chicago against Washington on Dec. 23, 1992. Tony, you’re in good company, buddy.

You know Eva Longoria probably gave him one hell of a fuck after that performance.

I imagine that’s what Celtics fans are saying to Rockets fans after last night’s game. In case you were busy watching the presidential election or something, the Celtics handed Rockets their first loss of the season 103 – 99. (Whoever decided that they should play this game on election night needs to be fired.)

Ray Allen was on fiyah!

Motivated to compensate for a loss at Indiana three days earlier, the Celtics took control for long stretches, leading by as many as 15 in the first half, then holding off the Rockets on the shooting of Ray Allen, who scored a season-high 29 points.

And Yao Ming left his A-game in the locker room

Celtic center Kendrick Perkins (15 points, 4 blocks) outdueled Yao Ming (8 points), his aggressiveness and quickness keying the Celtic inside game early and his outside shooting providing the finishing touch after some exceptional ball movement.

Ray Allen also weighed on Barack Obama’s victory, calling it a “historic moment”

“This is going to make this country better. [Barack Obama] showed it doesn’t matter where you come from, who your parents are, if you work hard, Obama became president, and that’s what this signifies.”

All in all, it was a hard fought game and the better of the Big 3 (for now) prevailed. Watch out, though. The Rockets could be a threat in the West once they figure out how best to play together and if T-Mac and Yao stay healthy.

Celtics Fend Off Rockets [Boston Globe]

AI set himself up for that one. Remember this?

Who’s the main point of attraction on the LA Lakers team? If you answered Kobe Bryant or KB24, you’re absolutely wrong. Nothing sells tickets to the Lake Show than boobs. More titillating photos of the Laker Girls below.

The Nuggets couldn’t wait to get rid of Allen Iverson who failed to lead them past Round 1 of the playoffs after 2 seasons. Nuggets traded AI just 2 games into the season.

The Pistons and Nuggets on Monday finalized a trade — which was initially discussed during the summer, sources close to the process told ESPN.com — that brings guard Allen Iverson to Detroit and sends Pistons mainstays Chauncey Billups and Antonio McDyess to Denver.

Which team will benefit more from the trade?

After two years of debating team names and logos, witness lists and e-mails, we’ve finally got a ballgame. Read on for an rundown of Oklahoma City Thunder firsts.

First field goal (11:07): Guard Earl Watson converts a layup coming off the right wing.

First free throw (10:32): Forward Jeff Green converts both ends of a shooting foul.

First turnover (9:28): Green on a bad bounce pass.

First foul (9:17): Nick Collison against Charlie Villanueva.

First rebound (9:01): Collison at the offensive end.

First booing of game officials (8:10): A charging call against Kevin Durant (the proper call, however).

First defensive rebound (8:17): By Green. Not a good sign when it takes this long to get a defensive rebound.

First double-digit deficit (18-7 at 6:29 in first quarter): There figures to be plenty more of these this season.

First timeout (6:22): Not coincidentally, followed seven seconds later by the first Thunder timeout.

First substitution (6:22): Chris Wilcox for Johan Petro.

First steal (6:01): By Earl Watson.

First half-court shot by fan during a timeout (3:29): The guy nearly made it, hitting the left side of the rim.

First home-state product to play (2:48): Former Oklahoma State great Desmond Mason enters and scores 19 seconds later.

First Thunder Girls sighting (between first and second quarters): Black trench coats and white, high-heeled, knee-high boots.

First dunk at Thunder basket (2:04 in second quarter): Unfortunately, it came during a timeout by the Thunder Dunk Team using a mini-tramp.

First points scored by Durant (11:13 in third quarter): He missed his first four field-goal attempts in a scoreless first half.

First dunk (7:43 in third quarter): Durant, smooth as silk along the left baseline.

First 20-point deficit (63-43 at 7:23 in third quarter): There figures to be plenty more of these, too.

First YMCA timeout dance (7:44 in fourth quarter): Needs work, people. Lots of work.

First 3-pointer (5:11 in fourth quarter): On right wing from Russell Westbrook. Pulled Thunder to within 90-79.

First mascot appearance: Never happened and won’t happen for several months until the team comes up with one.

First loss (9:33 p.m.): Bucks 98, Thunder 87.

Check out the trailer for NBA 2K9, which hits streets on October 31. I’ll be first in line to cop it.