RICH MAN, POOR PLAY
Philadelphia 76ers forward Chris Webber may be far off his career averages at 11.0 points and 8.3 rebounds before Friday, but he is the second-highest-paid player in the NBA this season.
Webber, with career averages of 21.4 points and 10.0 rebounds, earns $20.7 million, behind only Minnesota's Kevin Garnett ($21 million).
Rounding out the top five are Miami's Shaquille O'Neal ($20 million), San Antonio's Michael Finley ($19.03 million), and New Jersey's Jason Kidd and Indiana's Jermaine O'Neal ($18.08 million each).
Finley's total includes $16.1 million from Dallas, which waived him last year.
GRAIN ELEVATING
The change from the microfiber ball back to the leather one on New Year's Day will be strangest for the Boston Celtics, the only team that plays today and on the day of the change.