Why does the head coach always seem take the rap, even when the general manager is the one responsible for a team's failure?
Jerry and Bryan Colangelo decided to trade Jason Kidd and Cliff Robinson away and expected head coach Scott Skiles to keep right on winning. When that didn't happen (the Suns have that brutal 25-27 record, you know), where did the fingers start pointing?
While the Colangelos obviously aren't going to fire themselves, other owners appear just as reluctant to let go of irresponsible GMs who aren't related to them. Bob Whitsitt, whose chemistry experiment in Portland went completely awry last season, is still gainfully employed, while the head coach charged with making something of Whitsitt's mess, Mike Dunleavy, is no longer around.
And the list goes on and on (Dave Cowens in Golden State and Lenny Wilkens in Atlanta come immediately to mind), but the point has been made: GMs are somehow immune from the carousel head coaches are forced to ride, and there's something wrong with that.
As someone who obviously saw the writing on the wall in New York, Jeff Van Gundy is looking smarter every day.
'Unfortunate accident'
The biggest story out of northern New Jersey in the past week has nothing to do with Jason Kidd or Kenyon Martin. Jayson Williams, former Net and current NBC analyst, may have been involved in the death of a 55-year-old limo driver that occurred at his estate early last Thursday morning. The police investigation is still under way, but local newspapers have reported that the gun that killed Costas Christofi belonged to Williams and that he may have been the one who fired it. Williams' agent has called the incident "an unfortunate accident," and his lawyer denies the reports.
Trading places
New York sank to the bottom of the Atlantic Division this week, as Miami continued its resurgence and climbed out of the cellar. The Heat have won five of their past seven games, while the Knicks have lost six of their past eight. But that may not be the most disturbing news for New York fans: Don Chaney's crew has blown 10 double-digit leads this season, including eight at Madison Square Garden.
Acting his age Michael Jordan turned 39 on Sunday, and he's already feeling older. Jordan scored only 11 points in the Wizards' loss to the Rockets on Monday and announced afterward that his knee is acting up again. He'll miss Wednesday's game against Detroit and hopes to be back in the lineup on Thursday against the Nets.
SWISH: Jamal Mashburn
The Hornets' star picked up right where he left off. After missing 42 games because of an abdominal strain, Mashburn scored 22 points in 44 minutes Monday to help Charlotte knock off Milwaukee.
BRICK: Stephon Marbury
The Suns guard apparently didn't get off on the right foot with interim head coach Frank Johnson. Marbury was replaced in the starting lineup by Tony Delk in Sunday's loss to the Mavs and played only 14 minutes in the game. Word is he missed a morning shootaround, but neither Marbury nor Johnson would discuss it after the game.
SWISH: Detroit Pistons With their win against the injury-ravaged Raptors on Monday, the Pistons improved to 29-22 on the season and tied Milwaukee for first place in the Central. Detroit has won 13 of its past 17 games and, thanks to the play of Jerry Stackhouse and Ben Wallace, is looking like a force to be reckoned with in the East.
BRICK: Charlotte City Council
Taken to task by NBA vice president Russ Granik, the Charlotte City Council is reconsidering its condition that the current owners must sell the Hornets if the team is to get a new arena in the city. The council passed a $231 million arena package and had initially tried to use it to leverage George Shinn and Ray Wooldridge out of business.
SWISH: Utah Jazz
Following an 0-2 start on their nine-game trek across the country, the Jazz have reeled off five wins in a row and guaranteed themselves a winning record on the trip. If Stockton and Malone keep this up, they'll be back in that Midwest race before you know it.
BRICK: Sacramento Kings' defense
With their 20-game home winning streak on the line, the Kings were outscored 21-4 in the second quarter of their matchup against the Sonics on Sunday. Seattle was allowed to hit 19 of its 24 shots in the quarter, and Sacramento never recovered, losing 126-116. It was the Kings' second home loss of the season.
Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Dallas Mavericks, Tuesday, 8 p.m. EST Only 1 1/2 games separate these two teams in the Midwest, so this one definitely has meaning. The Mavs, who lead the division with a 37-16 record, won the first two matchups between the teams this season. Michael Finley led the way for Dallas in those games, averaging 28 points, while Kevin Garnett hasn't performed up to his usual standard, averaging only 19.
L.A. Lakers vs. New York Knicks, Sunday, noon EST Phil Jackson isn't going to be happy about this. The last time the Lakers were forced to play an early game on the East Coast, the Zen Master was concerned about his players' circadian rhythms and REM sleep patterns. Kobe shouldn't stay out on the town too late Saturday night if he wants to be at his best for the star-studded Madison Square Garden crowd.
Before his knee began bothering him again, Jordan added another game-winning shot to his long, illustrious list. With two-tenths of a second remaining, MJ hit a jumper over Shawn Marion to give the Wizards a 97-96 win over the Suns in Scott Skiles' last game on the Phoenix bench.
They are the staples of any team in the upper echelon of a league, and their availability to others is guarded more closely than that of the president. Still, Off the Glass says there are those times when a poor record and a dwindling season make a Gary Payton or a Vince Carter available to the masses.
In response to last week's question -- "Do officials and timekeepers give home teams an unfair edge in the playoffs?" -- most people believe there's a reason the term "home cooking" exists. But, as always, there were a few dissenters. Here's a sampling of the responses:
It's not just in the playoffs, it's every game. It sickens me to watch the home teams get all the calls. Jeffrey Warburton, Miami
I don't think so at all. The refs seem to be pretty fair about things, and when players say otherwise, they are making up poor excuses. L-Dog, Vancouver
Timekeepers? Yes! Thus the call for timekeepers from neutral cities. Officials? No! The NBA is officiated better than any other sport. Take pairs figure skating for example! Sean Dwyer, Sydney, Nova Scotia
Yeah, right. Wake me up when we get there, and I'll let you know.
Scott D'Errico, Memphis
This week's topic: Why are coaches fired more often than general managers?
Jennifer Cooper covers the NBA for CNNSI.com. "Week at a Glance" appears each Monday during the season.
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Before his knee began bothering him again, Jordan added another game-winning shot to his long, illustrious list. With two-tenths of a second remaining, MJ hit a jumper over 
