While both Newday’s Alan Hahn and the Daily News’ Frank Isola took the opportunity to use Rashard Lewis’ game-winning 3 against the Knicks last night to float the possibility of the Sonics forward making the Garden his home next season, Seattle coach Bob Hill was unflinching in assessing Lewis’ importance. From the Seattle Times’ Percy Allen.

Hill doesn’t want to hear about the list of free agents, which could potentially include Charlotte’s Gerald Wallace, who might replace Rashard Lewis if he opts out of the final two years of his contract.

“If the Sonics can’t re-sign Rashard, they should probably start all over,” he said. “Is that fair to Ray [Allen] at his age? It’s really not for me to say. It’s their [management’s] decision. But that’s my opinion because I don’t see getting the same value for him.”

When told of his coach’s comment, Lewis said: “That’s one helluva endorsement.”

New Orleans’ Byron Scott tells the Denver Post’s Mark Kizla that he wouldn’t have used the media to send a message to a star player, y’know, like the way George Karl was given a vehicle by Kizla to run over ‘Melo on Monday. Insert your own joke about Karl having way more job security than Scott.

After a disappointing sophmore campaign, LSU’s Glen Davis tells the Times-Picayune’s Jim Kleinpeter he’s got some heavy stuff to mull over.

“People that know the game know basketball players. There are always some that don’t like you for whatever reason. Do I come back or leave LSU with this horrible taste in my mouth? Or go through another year of facing double teams, getting older and losing money?”

Even Dikembe Mutombo thinks Kobe oughta be careful with those elbows.