NBA Roundup: We Wish You A Jerry Christmas

Notes from Monday's games in the National Basketball Association ...

• A Thousand Reasons To Cheer. The "Original Bull" made it to 1,000 coaching victories on Monday, no small feat for the man from McLeansboro, Ill., who is fifth on the list of all-time winningest NBA coaches. We kind of have a soft spot for Jerry Sloan, partly for all of his success he has never won NBA Coach of the Year, but mostly because he's had to spend 19 years living in Utah. The Jazz beat the Mavericks 101-79 (and what's up with that huge decline?) on Monday for Sloan's 1,000th. Carlos Boozer led Utah with 31 points and 11 rebounds.

• We Welcome Our Phoenix Suns Overlords. Are we as a nation ready for the Phoenix Suns as NBA champions? Opinions differ, but the NBA's top-scoring team did it again on Monday, beating Orlando 103-89 for their 11th straight win. Amare Stoudemire scored a season-high 30 points for Phoenix.

• Wastin Away On The Streets Of Philadelphia. From the heights of success to the bitter depths of despair, we present the Philadelphia 76ers — now sans Iverson — who lost their eighth straight, 81-79, to the Trail Blazers. Zach Randolph's lay-in with 2 seconds remaining was the difference.

• It's Both A Bear And Bull Market. Happy Happy Joy Joy in Chiacgo on Monday, as the Bears and Bulls both won; the latter 106-91 over the Pacers behind Ben Gordon's 23 points.