So, you can see, the Suns missing four starters isn't exactly a deathwish. It's not like the Lakers, who have only three players scoring at all, missing four guys. Anyway, it's not like the Suns' best player -- or players, if you consider Cliffy No. 2 -- are out.

Says Chapman: "Either we have a really deep team that can kind of patch things up with four starters out, or you can put any four guys out there with Jason Kidd. The guy's unbelievable."

Kidd led the Suns to a 3-0 record while averaging a triple-double last week -- 25.7 points, 11.7 rebounds and 11.7 assists. Chapman's right. The guy's unbelievable.

The big games
Fifteen years ago on Christmas day, back in 1984, Bernard King scored a franchise-record 60 points for New York, but the Knicks bowed to the Nets 120-114. That got us thinking: Who are the guys on each team capable of putting up a game like that?

The high-scoring game by an individual this season is Allen Iverson's 46-point outburst. Obviously, on Philly, Iverson's the choice. We looked at each team and who has been their high scorer in a game this season and came up with this:

So what does it all mean? We had some time on our hands.

SHAQ'S LINE FOLLIES

Shaq didn't play on Tuesday, but he did nice work from the line on Monday, hitting 8-of-17 and bringing his season total up to .425 (125-294). We thought it would be fun to figure out what Shaq would have to do in the next few games, or make that years, to catch the NBA's leading free throw shooter this season, Jeff Hornacek. Hornacek for the season has made 78-of-80 from the stripe, or .975. In order for Shaq to get his percentage up that high? Shaq would have to make his next 6475 free throws in succession.

Wally's World
Some believe that Minnesota's Wally Szczerbiak is struggling this season, mainly because they see that he has only attempted 16 three-point field goals in 17 games.

Not so.

Sure, he's not taking threes, but Wally can do a lot more. He posted his first NBA double-double recently with 18 points and 10 rebounds in a win over the Mavs. He's averaging a solid 12.7 points a night and makes the shots he takes. Unlike most rookies, he's not a turnover machine and nobody is complaining about his defense. And everyone knows he can hit the three when he starts taking it.

"He has taken what they are giving him, and they are closing out hard on him and trying to prevent him from taking those shots," Timberwolves coach Flip Saunders said. "Instead, he's getting to the hole and finishing."

Wally has been a little nicked up so far, and he's not going to get a lot of votes for Rookie of the Year, not with flashy rookies Lamar Odom and Steve Francis leading their teams in scoring. The Wolves have this other young forward getting all the headlines in Minnesota. But Wally has impressed a lot of people.

"I think a lot of people are impressed by the way I take the ball to the basket and defend," said Szczerbiak, who finished third in the nation in scoring last year, averaging 24.2 ppg. "A lot of people didn't think I could do that, but that's the way I play. I try to have an overall game and play the game the way it is supposed to be played. My perimeter shooting, especially from three, hasn't been as good as it can be, but I think I'll adjust and they'll start falling. I just have to stay confident with it."

In a year or two, when Wally starts shooting threes, he'll be tough to stop. So, defenders, get him now.

Quote of the Night
"I didn't even rub it in their faces, I just kept playing like I did all night. It's about us winning the game, not about anything with the fans. We came here to win, and that's what we did."
-- Scottie Pippen on going back to Houston.

Quote of the Night, Part II
"They are a team that has been embarrassed and hungry. They are talented and wanted to come out and prove themselves, reassert themselves."
-- Bucks coach George Karl on losing to Sacramento on Tuesday.

Eric Karabell is the NBA editor at ESPN.com.