Originally published Friday, November 28, 2008 at 12:00 AM

NBA Notebook | Allen Iverson skips Pistons practice

Allen Iverson apparently chose family and food over practice — and he'll be fined for it. Iverson was the only player who didn't show...

By Seattle Times news services

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Jan. 5 — 10-day contracts may now be signed.

Jan. 10 — All player contracts are guaranteed for the remainder of the season.

Feb. 15 — All-Star game (Phoenix).

Feb. 19 — Trading Deadline, 3 p.m. EST.

April 15 — Regular season ends.

April 18 — Playoffs begin.

May 19 — Draft lottery.

June 5 — NBA finals start date (possible move-up to June 3).

June 18 — NBA finals latest possible end date.

DETROIT — Allen Iverson apparently chose family and food over practice — and he'll be fined for it.

Iverson was the only player who didn't show up when the Detroit Pistons worked out on Thanksgiving.

Coach Michael Curry confirmed Iverson will be fined, will not start tonight against the Milwaukee Bucks and might not play in the game for missing the practice.

Knicks ready to move Marbury

The Knicks will practice Friday without Stephon Marbury, and it is likely that he will be exiled with pay while the team mulls its options on how to part ways with him, a source told Newsday.

After Marbury refused to play in Wednesday's loss to the Pistons — the second time in six days he declined to play for a short-handed team — he lost whatever shreds of empathy remained from his teammates.

One option includes fining him for refusing to play, which would cost him 1/110th of his $21,937,500 salary, or $199,431. This move would get the NBA Players Association involved and an appeal would be made.

Notes

• Lil Wayne has lost patience with the interrupted career of Portland center Greg Oden. The rapper, whose real name is Dwayne Michael Carter Jr., wrote in a blog for ESPN The Magazine's Web site: "Greg Oden is a bust. He's gotta show me something, man. I don't get it. At what point in time was he dominant? I've never seen it. You've never seen it. Maybe NBA officials know something we don't. That's all I can figure."

• Trail Blazers swingman Martell Webster is practicing on a limited basis. The former Seattle Prep star is recovering from a stress fracture in his left foot that required surgery. His target return date is Dec. 5.

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