Out of Bounds

	Andrei Kirilenko is learning the American way: books are bad, headphones are good. Brian Bahr/Getty Images

• While the Jazz lead the Northwest Division, Andrei Kirilenko continues to struggle (9.2 points after averaging 15.3 last season). But the coaching staff thinks it has pinpointed Kirilenko's problem: too much reading. Kirilenko's pregame routine includes reading Russian-language novels at his locker while his teammates are out on the court warming up. When asked about the coach's odd request that he stop reading, Kirilenko's told the Salt Lake Tribune, "Books are bad, headphones are good." Just don't let any English teachers know about the Jazz's policy.

• Sacramento Kings coach Eric Musselman -- who pleaded no contest last week to an October arrest for driving under the influence of alcohol -- will spend 48 hours on a work project cleaning up a local park or schoolyard, building toys for the sheriff's department holiday toy drive or washing vehicles owned by the county. Musselman will sit down with a screener for the sheriff's work project program soon to decide how he'll spend his community service.

• The UK-based Barclays Bank paid $400 million over 20 years for naming rights to the Nets' new arena in Brooklyn. Many local residents, however, are less than pleased that the team will receive funding from a bank whose founding family profited from its ownership of slaves in the 18th century. Barclays responded to the criticism by saying that its slave-trade past should be understood in the context of history, and that it will spend $2.5 million on enhancing basketball courts all over the borough of Brooklyn.

Funny Money

• Forbes released its annual NBA team valuations, and only seven teams (New York, Dallas, Philadelphia, Indiana, Memphis and Portland) lost money last season. Here are the rest of the results:

• Don't feel bad for Nate Robinson, who lost $108,000 of his $1.2 million salary during his 10-game suspension for on-court fighting. Fellow Knicks Jerome James, Quentin Richardson, Steve Francis, Jamal Crawford and Stephon Marbury all pitched in and gave Robinson $10,000. "It wasn't a huge amount compared to what I lost," Robinson said of the money. "But that's not the point. The point is that they cared ... that's the main thing."

• Latrell Sprewell is being sued for $200 million by the mother of his four children, Candace Cabbil, who met Sprewell while both were attending the University of Alabama. Among the items in the lawsuit is that by turning down a three-year, $21 million deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2005, Sprewell breached his agreement to continue pursuing his basketball career as long as he was physically able, while she stayed at home, raising their kids.

Scanning the Blogs

• Mark Madsen may be one of the league's most fiery players, but the MAD DOG BLOG shows a more reflective side of the Minnesota forward. In discussing coach Dwane Casey's firing, Madsen admits that he was told the news by a reporter and goes on to praise Casey for a job well done.

• We may have claimed Mike Dunleavy as the best coach's son, but we doubt THE MIKE DUNLEAVY JR. HATER BLOG is that impressed. The site, which boasts of being the "one and only site dedicated to the most untalented and overpaid player in the NBA," skewers the Pacers' forward, and even tracks his triple-singles (recording single digits in points, rebounds and assists). The count is at 16 this season.

• While Kobe Bryant's one-game suspension for grazing Manu Ginobili is one of the more absurd calls of NBA discipline czar Stu Jackson's tenure, Spurs fans are one group we weren't expecting to complain about it. But POUNDING THE ROCK -- which calls the suspension a "dangerous precedent" because Ginobili is known "to flail his arms like he's possessed" -- thinks that for karma reasons, Manu should just come out and say the suspension is ridiculous. Don't hold your breath.

Say What?

• "No. I eat two cheeseburgers, fries and a milk shake right before the game.''
-- Heat guard Gary Payton, 38, to the Miami Herald on whether his diet has changed because of his age.

• "I hope they're doing bad."
-- Phil Jackson to the Los Angeles Daily News when asked about the mental state of the Lakers after they lost their second game of the season to the Bobcats.

• First of all, Dirk [Nowitzki] and [Tim] Duncan are going two-a-day practices and playing 48 minutes. We'll give those guys maximum exposure."
-- Western Conference All-Star coach Mike D'Antoni to the East Valley Tribune when asked about his plans for the game.