NBA: Breaking down the conferences

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The pros of ACC hoops

The ACC remains the best way to get to the NBA.

With 54 of its former players currently playing in the NBA, the Atlantic Coast Conference has more alums in the professional league than any of the six major college basketball conferences. Even with four fewer teams, the ACC has one more former player in the NBA than the Big East (53).

Duke leads all schools with 14 former players in the NBA. The Blue Devils and rival North Carolina make up half of the ACC's list.

Denver's Karl earns All-Star coaching spot

Denver Nuggets coach George Karl will direct the Western Conference in the NBA All-Star game next month at Cowboys Stadium.

With Dallas' loss at Phoenix on Thursday night and the Lakers' Phil Jackson ineligible to coach the team, the Nuggets clinched at least a tie with the Mavericks for the second-best record in the conference through this Sunday's games.

Karl has the tiebreaker over the Mavericks' Rick Carlisle because he coached the East in 2004, and Karl's last appearance came in 1998 for the West. Jackson coached the West last year, making him ineligible for the position this season.

Van Gundy to lead Eastern Conference All Stars

Orlando's Stan Van Gundy will coach the Eastern Conference in the 2010 NBA All-Star Game, set to be played on Sunday, February 14, at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

The honor is usually reserved for the coach of the team with the best record in the conference through January 31, but the Cleveland Cavaliers' Mike Brown coached the East in last year's game and is not eligible this season.

Van Gundy secured the spot after his Magic beat the Pistons, 91-86, on Sunday to secure the second-best record in the Eastern Conference at 32-16.

Mavs' Howard out indefinitely with ankle problem

Dallas Mavericks forward Josh Howard will be out of the lineup indefinitely as he continues to be slowed by offseason left ankle surgery, the club announced on Friday.

In his seventh NBA season out of Wake Forest, Howard has appeared in only three games this season and has posted averages of 12.7 points and 3.7 rebounds per contest.

He will continue to rehab the ankle and there is no timetable for his return.

Howard, Anthony earn first weekly honors of 2009-10

Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard and Denver Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony were selected as the NBA's top players for the first week of the 2009-10 season, ending on November 1.

Howard was quite simply a force for the season's first seven days, leading the defending Eastern Conference champions to a 3-0 record. He posted averages of 21.7 points, 16.0 rebounds and 2.3 blocks for Orlando, posting a double-double in each contest. His best performance came on October 30 at New Jersey, scoring 20 points and pulling down 22 rebounds in a 95-85 win.

Anthony led the NBA with a whopping 37.7 points per game as the Nuggets also finished 3-0 last week. The seventh-year pro did not fail to score less than 30 points in any contest, turning in a 42-point performance in a 133-123 decision over Memphis on Sunday.