Jamison picked up the injury toward the end of the first quarter 109-104 win against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Something went awry when he tried to foul Cleveland reserve center Zydrunas Ilgauskas(notes). (Note to self: Never mess with a 260-pound, 7′3" Lithuanian.)

Last year Jamison sprained a knee in the preseason and missed a few weeks. At least he’s getting all of this out of the way before the regular season starts.

"You can never have enough bigs in this league but it has to be someone that’s going to be able to help the team," Suns coach Alvin Gentry told the paper. "We’re not just going to go out and put another guy on our team to say, ‘Now, we’ve got a big.’ If we’re going to go get someone, he has to be a guy who can play in our rotation."

Guess they’re missing that Shaquille O’Neal(notes) fellow right about now.

The person who will likely pay the price is third-string point guard Dan Dickau(notes).

During a recent interview on ESPN, newly signed Los Angeles Lakers forward Ron Artest said the team needed to be "hoodalized.”

There is a difference of opinion whether signing the veteran, physical forward to a deal was a good thing or a bad thing. The deal has been both ripped and praised in the Los Angeles Times for example.

However, the Times did note that Artest, like him or not, will fill a void for the Lakers, who were viewed as "soft” during different junctures of the regular season and playoffs.

The Times wrote: A little more than a month ago Denver physically pound them (the Lakers) to tie the Western Conference finals at two games each. They obviously toughened up enough to win those next two games, as well as the Finals, but this move was done with an eye toward the Eastern Conference. Now they have someone to slow down LeBron James. And Paul Pierce. (And also Carmelo Anthony . . . can’t totally ignore the West.)

Danny Ainge, the President of Basketball Operations for the Boston Celtics, told the Boston Globe Monday the team will make a qualifying offer to forward Glen "Big Baby” Davis.

If another NBA team were to sign Davis, a restricted free agent, to an offer sheet, Boston would have seven days to match it.

Davis, whose annual salary is $711,517, increased his value with strong performances late in the regular season and playoffs, replacing the injured Kevin Garnett in the starting lineup, the Globe reported. Davis averaged 15.8 points and 5.6 rebounds in the postseason, and hit a game-winning jumper at the buzzer in Game 4 of the second-round series against Orlando.

Also, guard Eddie House will decide today on whether to accept his $2.86 million option for next season or become a free agent, according to agent Mark Bartelstein.

According to the Globe, free agent guard Stephon Marbury said he would like to re-sign with the Celtics if he is offered a fair deal. Marbury will be an unrestricted free agent beginning tomorrow and is excited about the possibility of making a title run again next season.

Celtics coach Doc Rivers has said he hopes Marbury will be back.

"He’s been [at the Berto Center] working some," Forman said. "He’s starting to run some and get some shots up. So we think that’s progressing well. At this point, [the training staff] is real happy with his progress."

Deng, sidelined since Feb. 28, has said he is trying to avoid surgery at all costs, according to the Tribune.

Now that Phil Jackson won his 10th championship, there will be questions regarding his return to the Los Angeles Lakers.

According to Charles Barkley and the Los Angeles Times, Jackson will not return.

"I don’t know if he’s the greatest coach of all time, but Phil Jackson is in the conversation,” Barkley said. "I mean, you win 10 championships — that’s pretty impressive. But I don’t think he’s coming back. Phil’s done. I just think he’s had enough. He’s definitely gone. That’s just my opinion, though.”

New York Knicks president Donnie Walsh apparently has his eye on Marcin Gortat, the 7-foot, back-up center of the Orlando Magic, according to a report in the New York Post.

The Post reported Walsh would like to get a center with his $5 million mid-level exception during free agency. The Knicks had no interior defensive presence, and that’s Gortat’s strength. He also blocks shots and rebounds.

The Polish big man originally was drafted by coach Mike D’Antoni’s Suns in the second round of 2005, but they traded his rights. Gortat probably will not be re-signed because he plays a smallish role as Dwight Howard’s backup and the Magic can’t pay him accordingly, the Post reported.

The Post reported Magic general manager Otis Smith can match any offer, but said he knows it will be a financial challenge to retain Gortat.

Orlando Magic Coach Stan Van Gundy doesn’t feel as though it is him against Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson in the NBA Finals.

"I don’t think coaches ever match up," Van Gundy told the Los Angeles Times. "If Coach Jackson and I were out there one-on-one. . . . He was an NBA player and I was a below-average Division III player in college, so my guess is the advantage would go to him.

"[Jackson's] bad hips might even it up a little, but probably not enough to make a difference. The guy has won more playoff series than I have playoff games. I mean, obviously, you’re talking one of the greatest coaches, if not the greatest coach, in the history of the NBA, and I’m here for the first time."

Kobe Bryant was clutch for the Los Angeles Lakers in the decisive Game 6 in Denver Friday night. The Denver Post compared his performance to one by Michael Jordan. Bryant finished with 35 points, 10 assists and just one turnover.

The Post wrote that Denver’s nemesis set the tone early with his tenacity. The Lakers stormed out to a lead, gave it up just once in the first half, and steadily pulled away with Bryant providing a big boost late in the second quarter.

Afterward, Denver coach George Karl sighed and said: "No. 24 had a great five minutes at the end of the (first half) that no one in basketball could have covered him. He made about four shots in that stretch that I think Jesus would have had trouble covering. And those took the game from a manageable game to 13 (points)."

Mo Williams made plenty of mistakes in the game Sunday night and then made another one in the media room after it, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

"I think we’re giving guys too much respect personally. They are a good basketball team but so are we." Mo said.

Accoring to the Plain Dealer, Williams was making reference to Cavs altering their defense and their game too much to deal with the Magic.

"We’ve got to get back to what we were doing defensively. We’re trying things we haven’t tried all year."