Black Friday has passed. But bargains can still be found this holiday season.

The chocolate fountain is always reasonable. The same goes for a set of fish mugs. Both items can be purchased for less than $60.

You can satisfy your inner Hendrix and score Guitar Hero III for about $90. For a few dollars more, you can land a shooting guard who ranks in the top 10 in scoring. Not your style? How about a power forward who averages a double-double?

We know, we know. Most people don't think NBA when they think of bargain prices. But if you know where to look, you can find them.

These players put up big numbers at reasonable prices. Some have signed extensions that will take them off this list next season. Others will soon become free agents and will double or triple their current salaries.

But for now, the price is right.

IND ($1.5 million)

Leads Pacers at 18.6 ppg and is their best peri- meter defender

SAC ($1.8 million)

Ranks in the top 10 in scoring with an average of 24.4 points

LAL ($2.1 million)

Young 7-footer averages 10.9 points and 10.3 rebounds

MIN ($2.4 million)

He's no KG, but 20.9 ppg and 11.2 rpg are nothing to sneeze at

TOR ($2.4 million)

Splits time with T.J. Ford and still manages 9.7 ppg and 7.6 apg

GST ($2.6 million)

Big, runs the floor, averages 10.8 ppg and 9.7 rpg, and shoots 61.8 pct.

PHI ($2.8 million)

Sixers' current AI averages 17.7 points, 6.9 rebs. and 5.4 assists

POR ($2.8 million)

Guard averages 17.3 points, 4.9 assists without forcing action

CHA ($3.2 million)

Improving offensive presence at 16.9 points, 7.7 assists per game

NO ($3.6 million)

One of the best young point guards in the league averages 18.7 points and 9.9 assists

San Antonio has jumped to an early lead in the Southwest Division.

Don't look for the Mavericks to close the gap anytime soon.

Nine of the Spurs' 12 games in December are at home. Since San Antonio is 9-0 at the AT&T Center, it's unlikely the team will give up much ground there. The three road games – Golden State, the LA Lakers and Memphis – aren't exactly against the league's elite.

Here's another advantage for San Antonio. None of those games are scheduled on back-to-back nights.

Seven of the 15 games the Mavericks play in December are on the road. They will have played more road games by Dec. 10 than the Spurs will play all month.

The Mavericks have 11 games scheduled against teams that entered the month with a winning record. The Spurs face seven games against winning opponents.

The Mavericks' goal in December should not be to close the gap on Spurs for the division lead. It should be to lose as little ground as possible.

• I doubt Phil Jackson needs the money. But even if he doesn't, how does anyone turn down $24 million to coach the LA Lakers for another two seasons? I'm not saying that was Jackson's prime motivation, but it had to rank up there.

• I doubt Detroit's Rasheed Wallace will keep his cool all season. But then, I expected him to have more than one technical this deep into the season.

• I doubt the citizens of Memphis will throw a parade, but the Grizzlies have won back-to-back games. It took them 73 games to accomplish that meager feat last season.

• I doubt he will win, but Utah's Carlos Boozer is a strong MVP candidate in the early going. "A lot of games, he's putting us on his back," guard Deron Williams said.

• I doubt any team will lose a game by more than 45 points this season. Congratulations, New York.

"He's about as safe as me in a room full of cookies."

TNT analyst Charles Barkley on the status of New York's Isiah Thomas

"If you watch Mick Jagger, he doesn't go out and say, 'You know, I've done this for 10 years. Today, I'm giving a bad concert.' "

Phoenix coach Mike D'Antoni on players and teams doing the same thing over and over

"When I think about why guys are not playing hard, you've got to start thinking about, what are they doing? Are they taking care of themselves? What are they doing at home, or are they in the streets?"

New Orleans coach Byron Scott

The Court is a little light on star power this week. But hey, it's a long season. You've got to pace yourself.

We know. The Magic fooled us with their fast start last season. But this team is different. Why? Because Dwight Howard says so. We're not about to argue with a man who already has 72 dunks.

Valets beware. The Miami guard knocks over a podium and grabs the valet by the arm after he's told there's no record of his payment. When you only make $2.2 million, you have to count every penny.

This spot in The Court is normally reserved for Isiah Thomas or Stephon Marbury. Take your pick. But after a 45-point loss to Boston, we decided to share the love.

San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich made his life miserable for three years. Udrih repaid the favor by going for 27 points in Sacramento's win over the Spurs. Parting is such sweet sorrow, or something like that.

A spinal injury has already stolen one season from his NBA career. Now Ford is missing time after his second stinger in six months. He should return soon, but this is scary.

Gave $100,000 to construct basketball courts in New Orleans and his hometown of Slidell, La. Duhon and his Stand Tall Foundation also raised more than $450,000 in relief funds in the months after Katrina.