Welcome to Tuesday’s Morning Mashup. For the latest news, start at our WEEI.com home page or click here for the top stories from our news wire.

WHAT’S HAPPENING LOCALLY TUESDAY:
MLB: Rays at Red Sox, 7:10 p.m. (NESN; WEEI)

AROUND THE WEB:

♦ Pistons forward Charlie Villanueva, who was involved in an incident with Kevin Garnett earlier this season, has a new worst enemy. In Monday night’s game vs. the Cavaliers, Villanueva and Ryan Hollins were ejected following a fourth-quarter scrum. After things appeared to have calmed down, Villanueva ran across to the court in an attempt to get at Hollins while being restrained by a teammate and security guard. As he was led to the Pistons locker room, Villanueva said, “I will kill that dude. I don’t give a [expletive].” After the game, Villanueva was more subdued. “I overreacted,” he said. “He said some things that got me upset.”

♦ Jose Canseco is back in baseball, as player/manager of the independent North American League’s Yuma Scorpions. His twin brother, Ozzie, will serve as his bench coach and hitting coach and also play. “Jose is a very accomplished player, he has a lot of sway in the media and in pop culture, and he’s bringing that to the city,” league president Kevin Outcalt said.

♦ Two former University of San Diego basketball players and an assistant coach were among seven people charged in a point-shaving scheme Monday. Brandon Johnson, the school’s all-time leader in points and assists, allegedly took a bribe to influence a game in February 2010 and tried to get a former teammate to do the same this season. Johnson spent this season with the Dakota Wizards of the NBA Development League.

♦ Real Clear Sports has a list of the top 10 surprises of the NBA season. No Celtics-related items made the cut. The Nets’ trade for Deron Williams ranked No. 1, beating out the Carmelo Anthony drama.

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA: On April 12, 1992, which Red Sox pitcher threw a no-hitter but lost the game, 2-1, to the Indians?

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Last night’s Celtics-Pistons matchup at the Palace at Auburn Hills marked a rematch between mainly Celtics forward Kevin Garnett and Pistons big man Charlie Villanueva. In the first bout between the two teams, Garnett reportedly called Villanueva a “cancer patient,” while Garnett claims he called Villanueva, who has alopecia universalis, a cancer to his team. After the game, in which Garnett was out by the first quarter and Villanueva was forced to sit the bench because of early foul trouble, the Pistons forward said that he, “Thinks he got the message across,” the Detroit Free Press reports.

A mere 10 seconds into the game, Villanueva was hit with a foul on Garnett, and spent only two minutes and 57 seconds on the floor before getting in foul trouble. Ultimately, Villanueva had much more of an impact, netting 14 points in 28 minutes of play.

“It was very frustrating [picking up my second foul],” Villanueva said. “But sometimes I let my emotions get the best of me and whatnot. But the second half I refocused and the game started coming my way.”

In their first meeting, the Celtics dominated the Pistons in every aspect of the game, eventually winning in a landslide 109-86 thrashing. Garnett had gotten the best of Villanueva that day.

But after last night’s game in Detroit and an early exit for Garnett, who scored two point in nine minutes, the playing field has been leveled.

Free agency has begun in both the NHL and NBA, with big-name players already on the move, including a few local college heroes landing in spots that will undoubtedly decrease their popularity in Boston.

In the NHL, the most popular free agent was taken off the market early when the Blackhawks decided it would be a good idea to pay Marian Hossa $5.233 million as a 42-year old. The 12-year deal is worth $62.8 million total, and while the average salary isn’t too devastating in the short term, Hossa will undoubtedly kill Chicago’s cap when he’s past his prime and the Blackhawks are trying to make improvements elsewhere.

While Hossa has played a part on almost-winning teams in the past (lost in Stanley Cup Finals the last two years with Pittsburgh and Detroit, respectively), the expectations placed on him by Chicago doubled when the Blackhawks watched leading scorer Martin Havlat defect to the Wild late last night for six years and $30 million. The Blackhawks also lost goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin, who is headed to Edmonton after going 25-8 in his final season in Chicago.

Gionta inspires youth hockey players despite being the same size as them

There may have been massive shakeup in Chicago, but perhaps the biggest splash was made by the Canadiens. After trading for Scott Gomezon Tuesday, the Habs opened free agency by inking Mike Camalleri, Jaroslav Spacek, and old friend Hal Gill, to name a few. While Gill will provide the team with size (and, as Boston has witnessed, probably not much else) it is the signing of a little man, Boston College alum and NCAA champion Brian Gionta, that should cause the most heartache around these parts.

Gionta played four years at BC, winning it all in the ’00-’01 season before heading to the New Jersey Devils. Many pegged him as too small for the NHL– he is the second-shortest player in the league at what seems to be a generous 5’7″– he started for the Stanley Cup champion Devils in the ’02-’03 season. After the lockout, it seemed as though the “new NHL” was designed for him, as the Rochester Rocket scored a career-high 48 goals in the ’05-’06. Now at the age of 30, Gionta will make $5 million a year for the Habs. 

Not to be outdone, of couse, the Rangers threw some big money around too, but in what appears to be a less-logical fashion. Despite the fact that he only suited up in 17 games last season and has been notorious for his injuries, Marian Gaborik is headed to New York thanks to a 5-year, $37.5 million contract.

After missing significant time with a back injury last season, Gaborik was out for the final 38 thanks to hip replacement surgery. As Alex Katz wrote earlier today, hip injuries in sports are happening more and more often with each passing year.

As for the NBA, somebody just made Memphis’ recent pairing of UConn stars Rudy Gay and Hasheem look a lot less cool. The Pistons have thrown some big money around and should see a significant return when they team two UConn products– Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva– with former Husky Richard Hamilton.

While Gordon was a handful for the Celtics in their first-round match-up with the Bulls last season (42 points in game two, 33 in game seven), it is likely that both players will play a bigger role as nemesis to the Green than they previously have in their NBA careers.

 A call into Jonathan the Husky was not immediately returned, but all signs point to him remaining in Storrs and not replacing Detroit’s incumbent mascot, Hooper.

Meanwhile, ‘Sheed Watch continues in Boston, with Ainge apparently pulling out the big guns today. As expected, the Celtics aren’t the only team vying for the services of the 6-foot-11 forward, with the Spurs being the latest team to display their interest.

As for where Hedo Turkoglu is headed, you can forget about those Toronto rumors. Portland remains interested in Turkoglu, while it looks like David Lee is a more realistic option for the Raptors. 

Colleague Greg Cameron put together an impressive entry on NBA free agency in which he named Chris Andersen as a possibility for the Celtics. Unfortunately for local fans of tattoos and ridiculous hair, it’s looking like the Birdman will stay in Denver.

Here’s one to keep an eye on: the Cavaliers are apparently going after Ron Artest.

Music and Lyrics by Ronald William Artest, Jr.:

Paul!

I’m so sorry to humiliate you on TV by pulling your shorts down.

I won’t do it again!

Truly one of the sincerest moments in NBA history. How could that guy in Detroit not like him? Oh well, art isn’t for everyone. Seriously though, the Celtics may have the Big Three, but do you think a team that featured LeBron James, Shaquille O’Neal and Ron Artest wouldn’t sell out every road game they play? Artest would bring Cleveland defensive prowess, but his insanity may sell just as much.