NBA Essentials: Jazz Big Men Dance in Salt Lake, Stern Talks About Leaving

NBA Essentials provides the must-see links, quotes and videos of the day.



* "Koufos, the second breaker up, definitely wins the heart of the EnergySolutions crowd, but I have a funny feeling Fesenko would pocket more shiny quarters if they took this to the streets." -- J.E. Skeets, Ball Don't Lie

* "SI.com: Will there be a 30th anniversary? A 35th? A 45th for that matter? Stern: There won't be a 35th, I can tell you that, and it doesn't pay to speculate on 30." -- David Stern, in an interview with Sports Illustrated about his 25th anniversary as commish:

* "Did you need any more proof that Dwyane Wade is back and the young talent on the Heat is exciting? Look at this play!" -- NESW Sports

* "Now, I don't know how good of a strategist Coach Finstock was, and he wasn't much for inspiring speeches, but there was never a better in-game coach in the history of Movies. I mean, this guy understood the meaning of getting the ball to the hot man and getting everyone else out of the way. Now, was the hot man a Werewolf? Yes. That just shows Coach Finstock's out-of-the-box thinking." -- Thoughts from the Jockstrap (via BallHype)

* "This season, it seems like we're entering a new era, one where the sky is patroled by utter professionals with a strong aversion to inner turmoil. We're not just seeing players with simple narratives take over; a lot of them seem way lacking in any kind of narrative, or personality-driven dynamism. " -- B. Shoals, Free Darko

Last but not least, an 18-year-old kid designed the jerseys for the All-Star Rookie Challenge, winning a contest sponsored by EA Sports. Why couldn't the Oklahoma City Thunder have thought of that?