COAST TO COAST

Nobody knew it was that big of a deal

In a classic example of who gets credit for what, amid the fanfare over the heartwarming meeting of two African American coaches in the Super Bowl, someone noticed that the NBA beat the NFL to that distinction (with no fanfare) 32 years ago.

With five African Americans coaching in the 18-team league, the fact that Golden State’s Al Attles and Washington’s K.C. Jones met in the 1975 Finals wasn’t ignored. Someone would have had to realize it before it could be ignored.

As Attles told ESPN, “The furthest thing from my mind was what we looked like.”

Attles is an all-time good guy. A barrel-chested guard with a voice like a grizzly bear, he was so feared, the Philadelphia 76ers’ Billy Cunningham once said, “I wouldn’t fight Al Attles with a gun.”

The respect Attles commanded prompted the Warriors to make him a coach. Even if he and Jones just found out they were pioneers, it’s truly heartwarming.

Beantown busts

No one likes to see anyone in the Boston Celtics’ predicament, so there was a common reaction to their club-record 14-game losing streak:

Anyone have a cigar?

Actually, there’s so little resemblance between these post-adolescents and those Celtics, it’s more like: Really? I thought they lost that many a few times.

Boston’s rebuilding program was doomed when Paul Pierce was hurt 19 games ago, of which the Celtics have lost 17.

As Coach Doc Rivers said of starting his third point guard, rookie Rajon Rondo, in the historic loss to the Clippers: “I wanted energy. Obviously, we’re not just going to match up with teams. Let’s not kid ourselves.”

He’s got a ticket to ride

Insiders say Memphis keeps dropping its asking price for Pau Gasol, suggesting owner Michael Heisley has told Jerry West to forget fair value and slash the payroll.

The Grizzlies reportedly asked Chicago for Ben Gordon, Luol Deng and the Knicks’ No. 1 pick, which the Bulls own. Now Memphis is down to Deng or Gordon plus another young player such as Thabo Sefolosha, P.J. Brown’s expiring contract and a 2009 first-rounder.

Insiders say a few losses may bring the Bulls around. They just eked out a win in Seattle to go 1-1 on this seven-game West Coast trip, so stay tuned.

East is east ...

How the Pistons went from 39-6 last season to 27-18: 1) They’re just not that good; and 2) They think they burned themselves out last season. “Once the playoffs get here, I think that’s what I am looking forward to and what we are all looking forward to,” Rasheed Wallace said.... Detroit’s Chauncey Billups, after Gilbert Arenas got 61 points in the Wizards’ home-and-home wins over the Pistons: “Gilbert is playing as good as anybody in the world. He’s a difficult matchup because he can score in so many ways.... And he can shoot it, darn, from half-court and in. He’s tough.”

And West is west

It’s every man for himself in Sacramento, where Ron Artest is taking over, Mike Bibby doesn’t look happy about it and the heat is on first-year Coach Eric Musselman. Said GM Geoff Petrie: “It’s the same thing I told you with Rick [Adelman, Musselman’s predecessor] and every other coach: They’re our coach until they’re not our coach.” ... The Warriors need big men, but Coach Don Nelson doesn’t think much of rookie Patrick O’Bryant. “I told him if he goes down to the D-League and isn’t a dominant player, there should be red flags all over the place and he should be the first to notice,” Nelson said. “I’d like to go to dinner with him, but I wouldn’t like to put him in the game I’m coaching.”

Famous last words

Houston’s Yao Ming, asked about Elvis Presley after singing “Viva Las Vegas!” for an All-Star promo: “I have never seen any of his movies, but I guess he was very, very big and everyone loved his music.”

-- Mark Heisler