The Celtics hope that Cassell, who averaged 12.8 points per game this season with the Clippers, is the final piece that will help them win their 17th NBA championship.

Brand and Livingston hope to return this season
Clippers� Elton Brand and Shaun Livingston are hoping to return to the lineup before the end of this season. Both have begun doing basketball drills, and Brand practiced with the team this week for the first time this season.
The Clippers are 19-39 and they are on a six-game losing streak. It seems pointless for either of them to rush back this season and risk injury. Livingston has stated that he will play summer league basketball to prepare for next season.

Shaq and Kidd haven�t been much help
The Phoenix Suns and Dallas Mavericks thought they made the big trades to land them an NBA title, but so far they�ve been had.
In the Suns� first six games with Shaquille O�Neal they are 2-4, and the Mavs are 4-4 in their first eight games with Jason Kidd.
O�Neal is averaging 9.7 points per game since joining the Suns, and their team defense has been horrible.
Kidd�s numbers have been steady for the Mavs, but he has not helped them win more games. The Mavs find themselves in the seventh spot in the Western Conference. The Suns are in the fifth spot.

UCLA moves up, USC done in by the refs
UCLA�s men�s basketball team has moved up to No. 2 in the nation after their two wins against Arizona State and Arizona this past week. They could be looking at the top spot in the nation with a win Thursday night over No. 7 Stanford and a loss from top-ranked North Carolina, who play rivals Duke, ranked fifth in the nation.
USC had a reason to complain to the PAC-10. They were looking for a sweep over the Arizona schools, but they were called for a season high 29 fouls in their loss at Arizona State.
The game was tied at halftime, but in the second half Arizona State shot 36 free throws. USC shot only 11 free throws in the entire game.
Four USC players fouled out of the game, and USC was called for twice as many fouls as Arizona State, who won the game 80-66.