It's easy to get carried away with preseason numbers, but Chris Copeland's 21 points in 19 minutes for the Knicks last night might have been enough to earn the training camp invitee a spot on the regular season roster, Mark Berman of the New York Post thinks (Sulia link). Mychel Thompson still has a shot to beat Copeland out, Berman believes, but John Shurna lacks strength and is a longshot to avoid getting cut. As we continue to size up just who will be around on opening night, here's the latest from the Atlantic Division.
- Even without Andrew Bynum, out with a bone bruise on his right knee, the Sixers are a better team this year than last, argues Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Daily News.
- John Mitchell of the Philadelphia Inquirer believes the shortcomings of Rockets GM Daryl Morey, who makes heavy use of analytics, demonstrate why the Sixers were smart to go with Tony DiLeo as GM instead of a numbers guy.
- Celtics basketball operations president Danny Ainge has made it clear to coach Doc Rivers that he wants to see significant minutes from the team's rookies this season, as Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald writes.
- The Celtics are in the midst of three games in four days, and Rivers said the team may begin to pare down its 18-man roster once this busy stretch is done, Bulpett notes.