THREE POINTS

RICH MAN, POOR PLAY

Philadelphia 76ers forward Chris Webber may be far off his career averages at 11.0 points and 8.3 rebounds before Friday, but he is the second-highest-paid player in the NBA this season.

Webber, with career averages of 21.4 points and 10.0 rebounds, earns $20.7 million, behind only Minnesota’s Kevin Garnett ($21 million).

Rounding out the top five are Miami’s Shaquille O’Neal ($20 million), San Antonio’s Michael Finley ($19.03 million), and New Jersey’s Jason Kidd and Indiana’s Jermaine O’Neal ($18.08 million each).

Finley’s total includes $16.1 million from Dallas, which waived him last year.

GRAIN ELEVATING

The change from the microfiber ball back to the leather one on New Year’s Day will be strangest for the Boston Celtics, the only team that plays today and on the day of the change.

Since shoot-arounds are rare on mornings of the second games of back-to-backs, they will have little time to adjust.

“It’s just like the park,” Coach Doc Rivers said. “That’s what it’s going to feel like. Whoever brings the ball on Jan. 1, that’s the one we’re going to play with.”

GOOD SEAT AVAILABLE

Ben Wallace got a family perk when he signed a four-year, $60-million contract with the Chicago Bulls last summer.

Wallace’s brother, David, had been banned from Pistons home games after he joined the November 2004 brawl featuring Ron Artest and the Indiana Pacers. He has no such restrictions at Bulls home games.

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-- PAUL NETTER