Dwight Howard comments on Hedo Turkoglu’s improved conditioning

New conditioning program

Dwight Howard, on Hedo Turkoglu, starring in Orlando after leaving for pratfalls in Toronto and Phoenix:

“The one thing that’s better with Turk was he was out of shape for all the years he was here and now he’s like 8% body fat, which is the lowest since he’s been alive.”

Good tip, wherever they go

Denver Coach George Karl, on his team’s turnovers:

“ Sam Cassell always had a good quote: ‘If you shoot it, you can’t turn it over.’ Maybe I should tell that to Chauncey [Billups] and Carmelo [Anthony].”

Contraction Bowl

Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News on the recent New Jersey-Minnesota game, ultimately won by the Timberwolves:

“If LeBron James... was able to kick just one team out of the league, the New Year’s Day clash between the Nets and Timberwolves would mean a lot more than which team gets more ping pong balls....

“Loser is out of the league.... I’m thinking Kevin Love would be a good fit on the Nets.”

Fresh delusions

New Jersey owner Mikhail Prokhorov on his 10-26 Nets to the Bergen Record:

“We no longer have a losing mentality and that is a huge step for the Nets.... Maybe being an outsider lets me bring something fresh to the team and the league.”