Three random observations ...

NBA Preview 2011-12 (Part Two)

2011-12-24T17:59:00.002-05:00

Here's part two of my NBA preview, covering the Western Conference. Click here for part one on the East.

1. Oklahoma City Thunder: So many people hopped on this team’s bandwagon in 2010 when the Thunder gave the eventual champion Lakers everything they could handle in the first round. It’s somewhat perplexing that there isn’t quite as much hype this year on the heels of a trip to the conference finals, where Oklahoma City lost again to the eventual champs. If the Thunder makes a similar improvement in 2012, it will win the title. While the climb gets steeper at this level, there’s little reason not to favor Oklahoma City to at least win the West. The Mavs and Lakers both lost key components, and the Spurs, Grizzlies and Clippers are wild cards. The Thunder has stability and youth, and they go 10-deep, assets that the compressed schedule will magnify.

2. Memphis Grizzlies: Their place as the No. 2 team in the West would be a lot more secure if they hadn’t lost Darrell Arthur for the season. Still, injuries will happen to just about every team, and if the worst injury of the season happens to someone who doesn’t start, it’s not damning. The Grizzlies proved last year that they’re capable over overcoming injury, as Rudy Gay, arguably their best player, was absent for their shocking playoff run. They won’t catch anyone by surprise this year, but they don’t have to. The post games of Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol were not built on subtlety, and as long as Randolph is plugged in, there’s little reason to expect Memphis won’t pick up where it left off last year.

3. Los Angeles Clippers: They’re the team everyone wants to see this year, and as they establish themselves as one of the elite teams in the West, the enthusiasm will only grow. They seem ripe for at least one more deal, as it would seem illogical to keep four point guards who could all conceivably start in this league, especially when Randy Foye is the best pure shooting guard they have. Still, it’s hard not to get excited about how Chris Paul and an improving Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan will mesh together. Caron Butler was an expensive signing, but he does seem like the proper fit as a steady veteran at small forward.

4. Dallas Mavericks: Tyson Chandler was the keystone of the team’s defense in last year’s championship season, and his loss hurts. The Mavs shed plenty of critical role players from last year, too, as DeShawn Stevenson, Caron Butler, J.J. Barea and Peja Stojakovic are all gone. Picking up Lamar Odom for next to nothing will help, but it’s not clear how he and Dirk Nowitzki, both power forwards, will fit together. Vince Carter’s name is bigger than his game at this point, so he will have a minimal impact. The Mavs were a No. 3 seed last year before their playoff run, so it’s hard to see them finishing any higher than fourth considering what they lost.

5. Los Angeles Lakers: This is a team seemingly locked into transition mode. Coach Phil Jackson and his triangle offense are gone. Odom’s sense of betrayal following the scuttled Chris Paul trade seemed to be the catalyst for his exit. Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum face constant questioning over their future whereabouts. The erosion of the supporting cast and lack of depth will make it harder on Kobe Bryant, a 15-year vet who would already have been challenged by the compressed schedule. With Shannon Brown gone, there’s no obvious backup to Kobe. New coach Mike Brown has a challenge on his hands if he wants to escape the first round of the playoffs, much less win the championship.

6. San Antonio Spurs: It’s hard to get a read on this team. They won 61 games last year but got knocked off by the eighth-seeded Grizzlies, a year after pulling their own first-round upset as a No. 7 seed against the Mavs. However you look at it, the Spurs haven’t been to the conference finals since 2008, and there’s little to suggest they’ll get there this year, either. Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili are 35 and 34 years old, respectively, and Tony Parker, at 29, doesn’t seem like he’s the same, either. They lost sixth man George Hill in a trade for rookie Kawhi Leonard, a move that would raise eyebrows if it hadn’t been made by well-regarded general manager R.C. Buford. Leonard and second-year man Tiago Splitter will have to make significant impacts in order for the Spurs to remain an elite team.

7. Denver Nuggets: It’s a testament to the rebuilding efforts of Denver Nuggets general manager Masai Ujiri that they’re still one of the league’s deepest teams even though three key players from last year are stuck in China. If any team is built for three games in as many nights, it’s this one. There are no stars, barring the distinct possibility that Ty Lawson or Arron Afflalo have breakout seasons, but plenty of rotation-worthy bodies. The arrangement worked well during the second half of last season, and it will be enough to get the team to the playoffs again this year.

8. Portland Trail Blazers: Just as the Nuggets have shown resilience in the wake of the Carmelo trade, the Blazers franchise remains in the playoff hunt despite the retirement of Brandon Roy and continued injury woes of Greg Oden. LaMarcus Aldridge turned into a legitimate star last year, and Wesley Matthews justified his $35 million contract. The additions of Jamal Crawford and Raymond Felton will be enough to get them back to the postseason in a tough Western Conference.

9. Phoenix Suns: Nice guys Steve Nash and Grant Hill won’t finish last, but for the second year in a row, they won’t make the playoffs, either. The emergence of Marcin Gortat late last year gives the team some hope, but there’s little to like here beyond the graying brilliance of Steve Nash, age 37 and the pluck of Grant Hill, 39, neither of whom will be well-served by the condensed schedule.

10. Golden State Warriors: The key for the Warriors might be how much new coach Mark Jackson reins in the team’s up-tempo attack. Whether he likes it or not, this team is built for speed, at least until general manager Larry Riley, aided by the legendary Jerry West, starts making it over to fit the coach’s defensive style.

11. Sacramento Kings: Is this the year the young talent starts to mature? Tyreke Evans, the 2010 rookie of the year, Tyreke Evans was hurt last season and took a step back. He and DeMarcus Cousins are a year older and, hopefully, wiser, and they’ll have a full season with Marcus Thornton.

12. Minnesota Timberwolves: Another team stockpiling youngsters, the T’Wolves are hoping new coach Rick Adelman can help a few more players exceed expectations the way Kevin Love and Darko Milicic did last year.

13. Utah Jazz: As the preseason shedding of Mehmet Okur demonstrated, the Jazz are in full rebuilding mode. Look for a lot of experiments, like Paul Millsap at small forward, and heavy minutes for Derrick Favors and Gordon Hayward.

14. Houston Rockets: What the Rockets may need most this year is Kevin McHale’s sense of humor. It might be a 66-game season, but it will feel much longer for Houston, even though they return many of the same players who overachieved to a ninth-place finish in the West last year.

15. New Orleans Hornets: There’s little doubt the Hornets extracted a heavy price from the Clippers for Chris Paul. It still won’t be enough to make them competitive this year. They got nothing in return for their second-best player, free agent David West, and much of the scoring burden rests on Eric Gordon’s shoulders.

Playoffs

First Round: Thunder over Blazers; Grizzlies over Nuggets; Clippers over Spurs; Lakers over Mavs

Conference Semis: Thunder over Lakers; Clippers over Grizzlies

Conference Finals: Thunder over Clippers

NBA Finals: Heat over Thunder in 7

NBA Preview 2011-12 (Part One)

2011-12-24T17:10:00.004-05:00

Update: I realized that at least one Atlantic Division team needs to be among the top four seeds in the East, according to NBA rules. I kept the regular season rankings the same, but I adjusted the playoff matchups.

Who needs "'Twas the Night Before Christmas"? Let's crank up the old blog again for a Christmas Eve NBA preview! The Eastern Conference goes first.

1. Miami Heat: One of the least-notorious shortcomings of the Heat last year was that the team spent the entire year trying to figure out how everyone fit in. Injuries, midseason acquisitions and the challenge of getting three guys used to being the No. 1 option to function cohesively left the rotation in turmoil all the way through the Finals. After a season worth of tinkering, it seemed only appropriate that Erik Spoelstra switched starting point guards for Game 6 against Dallas. This year, there figures to be more stability. Now that LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh have a better understanding of how to play with each other and, just as importantly, know who else will be on the floor with them, the Heat can fulfill their potential.

2. Chicago Bulls: A match almost a year in the making finally came to pass when Richard Hamilton signed to fill the gaping hole at two-guard in Chicago. If they avoid the injuries to Joakim Noah and Carlos Boozer they suffered last year, the team that last year had the league’s best record and the youngest MVP in NBA history is poised to improve. It may still not be enough to catch the Heat, particularly if Boozer continues to disappoint as he did in the playoffs last year.

3. Atlanta Hawks: After the Heat and the Bulls, there’s a major drop-off in the East. Since the Celtics and Magic aren’t what they have been in recent seasons, the Hawks suddenly go up a few notches by default. In a shortened season that will reward stability, Atlanta stands to benefit from a core that’s been together since 2008. This is especially true if Jeff Teague carries over his revelatory performance from last year’s playoffs.

4. Indiana Pacers: Everyone’s favorite Eastern Conference team on the rise. And why not? Adding David West and George Hill to a promising young roster is reason for excitement. Plus, Paul George reported to camp 2 inches taller than last year, meaning he’ll be a matchup nightmare as a 6-foot-10 shooting guard.

5. Orlando Magic: The 4-2 first-round defeat to Atlanta last year, in which Dwight Howard scored 46 points in a game the Magic lost by 10 points, said volumes about the potential of this Magic team. They can only go as far as Dwight Howard can take them on his broad shoulders, and that might not be any farther than the first round of the playoffs. If they trade Howard, it’s not as if they’re breaking up a championship team.

6. Boston Celtics: The obituary of these Celtics has been written many times before, and yet they always seem to remain contenders. This time, though, they’re really in trouble. A compressed schedule minimizing the impact of their veteran core, and Jeff Green’s year-long absence robs them of the depth they needed to keep everyone fresh. It’s also a morale-killer that confirms the worst fears about the Kendrick Perkins trade.

7. New York Knicks: If last year’s Heat was supposed to be a three-man team, these Knicks take the idea a step further. Aside from the monster frontline of Carmelo, Amare and Tyson Chandler, there’s really not much else on the roster. Since depth is more valuable this season than it usually is, this is a problem, even if Amare can stay healthy. The Knicks need Baron Davis and Landry Fields at their best to have hope of grabbing a high playoff seed.

8. New Jersey Nets: If Mikhail Prokhorov’s manifest destiny is realized, a playoff appearance could be just the beginning for the Nets. Whether or not they land Dwight Howard this year, they probably still have enough to beat out weak competition for a postseason berth. A full season of Deron Williams and the veteran presence of DeShawn Stevenson, who, like Kris Humphries, signed in the final week of the shortened preseason, should be enough to push this team out of the lottery.

9. Philadelphia 76ers: It’s hard to argue the Sixers didn’t overachieve last year, especially considering the limited contributions they got from Evan Turner, the No. 2 pick in the 2010 draft. It’s reasonable to expect him to be better, but it’s just as reasonable to believe everyone else will take a step back. Their stability will help them stay competitive for a playoff spot, but their overall lack of talent will keep them from getting there.

10. Washington Wizards: John Wall is telling us to expect a breakout season from him, and he showed glimpses of his potential in his rookie season last year. No one else comes near his talent level on this team, but you don’t need much to be in the hunt for the postseason in the East.

11. Milwaukee Bucks: The team’s fate may depend on whether Andrew Bogut is finally healthy after his horrific arm injury curtailed a surprising run to the playoffs in 2010. The Bucks are hoping Stephen Jackson will play the same kind of role John Salmons did two years ago to boost their pop-gun offense. Jackson, who has back issues and has already made rumblings about his contract, might not be the guy to lean on.

12. Detroit Pistons: Greg Monroe’s steady improvement went largely unnoticed last season. If he keeps it up, he may get his due as an up-and-coming post presence, but because the rest of roster is bloated with tweener guards and small forwards, it will mean little in terms of wins and losses.

13. Cleveland Cavaliers: Kyrie Irving and Tristan Thompson, the first and fourth picks in this year’s draft, respectively, provide hope in Cleveland. And hope is all they have.

14. Charlotte Bobcats: It says a lot about the Eastern Conference that this reprehensible roster might not be terrible enough to finish last.

15. Toronto Raptors: The team went 22-60 last year, failed to sign No. 5 pick Jonas Valanciunas, and its most significant offseason acquisition might be Gary Forbes. Enough said.

Playoffs

First Round: Heat over Nets; Bulls over Knicks; Hawks over Magic; Pacers over Celtics

Conference Semis: Heat over Pacers; Bulls over Hawks

Conference Finals: Heat over Bulls

Trade deadline analysis: Part 2

2010-02-18T17:46:00.002-05:00

Now a look at the Western Conference:

Rockets
Acquire Kevin Martin and Hilton Armstrong from the Kings and Jared Jeffries and Jordan Hill from the Knicks for Tracy McGrady, Carl Landry and Joey Dorsey. The Rockets get a 2012 first-round pick from Knicks and swap their 2011 first-round picks with New York as long as the Knicks don't have the first overall selection.

Houston will miss Carl Landry's toughness, clutch scoring and vicious attacks on Dirk Nowitzki's elbow. But they get a legitimate scorer to plug in at starting shooting guard and get rid of a persona non grata in McGrady. Plus the opportunity to steal a lottery pick or two from the Knicks. This deal was actually GM Daryl Morey's second offer to the other teams. The first was "heads I win, tails you lose."

Clippers
Acquire Drew Gooden from Wizards in three-way deal with Cavs for Al Thornton and Sebastian Telfair.

Because really, what do the Clippers need with a good, young small forward anyway?

Grizzlies
Acquire Ronnie Brewer from the Jazz for a protected 2010 first-round pick.

"Yes, hello, NBA league office? This is Memphis GM Chris Wallace. I'd like to use my first-round pick this year to select the starting shooting guard off of the third-place team in the Western Conference ... wait, you mean I can actually do that? This was supposed to be a prank call!"

Kings
Acquire Carl Landry and Joey Dorsey from the Rockets and Larry Hughes from Knicks for Kevin Martin, Hilton Armstrong and Sergio Rodriguez.

Sacramento is now sure to lead the league in elbows nearly swallowed whole.

Jazz
Acquire protected 2010 first-round pick from Grizzlies for Ronnie Brewer

Hey Jazz fans! Excited that your team is hot and a game out of second place in the West? Well guess what? The Jazz just traded away its starting shooting guard for absolutely nothing until June! And they also failed to get anything in return for Carlos Boozer, who is bound to leave as a free agent this summer! Don't forget to renew your season tickets right away!

Trade deadline analysis

2010-02-18T16:21:00.006-05:00

We're back with a look at the winners and losers at the NBA Trade Deadline. The Eastern Conference goes first.

Celtics:
Acquire Nate Robinson and Marcus Landry from the Knicks for Eddie House, J.R. Giddens and Bill Walker.

Let's look at it this way. If the road to getting back into title contention this year was a mile long for this team, Robinson moves them forward by about 10 feet. But at least he's better than the last flashy guard the C's got from New York. (Steph Marbury would contend this point, but he's too busy learning how to say "career-killing live Web cast" in Chinese.

Sixers:
Acquire Jodie Meeks, Francisco Elson and a second-round pick from the Bucks for Primoz Brezec and Royal Ivey.

Pitchers and catchers have already reported to Phillies camp, so this move will not make anyone in Philadelphia remember they have a basketball team, too. When the best thing to happen to your team all year is the uniforms, it doesn't bode well.

Knicks:
Acquire Tracy McGrady from the Rockets and Sergio Rodriguez from the Kings for Jared Jeffries, Jordan Hill and Larry Hughes. The Knicks also give up their 2012 first-round pick and agree to swap 2011 first-round picks with the Rockets, unless the 2011 pick is first overall.
Acquire Eddie House, J.R. Giddens and Bill Walker from the Celtics for Nate Robinson and Marcus Landry.

New York's 2010-11 Plan A: Sign LeBron James and Dwyane Wade.
Plan B: Break the record New Jersey sets this year for worst record in league history.

Bulls:
Acquire Hakim Warrick and Joe Alexander from the Bucks for John Salmons.
Acquire Ronald Murray and Acie Law from the Bobcats for Tyrus Thomas.

Chicago better hope LeBron and Wade don't mind bad weather or unyielding comparisons to Jordan and Pippen. Or Vinny Del Negro.

Cavs:
Acquire Antawn Jamison from the Wizards and Sebastian Telfair from the Clippers for Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Emir Preldzic and a 2010 first-round pick.

Anything short of winning the 2010 title is disaster for Cleveland. Not quite the disaster that LeBron leaving would be, but still ...

Bucks:
Acquire John Salmons from Bulls for Hakim Warrick and Joe Alexander.
Acquire Primoz Brezec and Royal Ivey from Sixers for Jodie Meeks, Francisco Elson and a second-round pick.

I hear Salmons and Brandon Jennings will have a reverse H.O.R.S.E. contest next week. Both players will take an array of difficult shots with the goal being to miss as many as possible.

Bobcats:
Acquire Tyrus Thomas from Bulls for Ronald Murray and Acie Law.

Are we sure Larry Brown is healthy enough for Tyrus Thomas? I mean, is his heart OK? Can he handle this at his age?

Wizards:
Acquire Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Emir Preldzic and a 2010 first-round draft pick from the Cavs and Al Thornton from the Clippers for Antawn Jamison and Drew Gooden.

For those who missed the D-League showcase this season, here's another chance: Washington visits New Jersey on Feb. 28th. Get your tickets now!

Quick predictions

2009-10-27T19:02:00.003-04:00

Coming in just before tip-off ...

Eastern Conference Playoff Teams
in order of finish
Magic
Cavs
Celtics
Hawks
Pistons
Bulls
Raptors
Heat

Western Conference Playoff Teams
in order of finish
Lakers
Mavs
Spurs
Blazers
Jazz
Nuggets
Thunder
Hornets

Playoffs
First Round
Magic 4, Heat 2
Cavs 4, Raptors 1
Celtics 4, Bulls 3
Hawks 4, Pistons 1
Lakers 4, Hornets 0
Mavs 4, Thunder 2
Spurs 4, Nuggets 1
Blazers 4, Jazz 2
Second Round
Magic 4, Hawks 1
Cavs 4, Celtics 3
Lakers 4, Blazers 2
Spurs 4, Mavs 0
Conference Finals
Magic 4, Cavs 1
Spurs 4, Lakers 1
NBA Finals
Spurs 4, Cavs 2

MVP: LeBron James

2009-10 Opening Day Starting Lineups

2009-10-26T15:46:00.006-04:00

OK, so something a little bit different this year, perhaps, and we'll start with a very small scale season preview. I've tried to compile what I believe to be a pretty accurate account of every team's starting lineup as the season begins. I'm going by what every team's intended starting lineup is for their first game, notwithstanding minor injury. For instance, I list Josh Howard as a starter for Dallas even though he won't make it back from a left ankle injury in time for the opener. He should be back within the first month of the season, unlike Tracy McGrady, who's out until around the All-Star break. McGrady is not listed as a starter. In a couple of instances where it's too close to call and the team has made no official statement, I've listed both potential candidates.

So here goes. I plan on being back with occasional, with an emphasis on occasional, updates throughout the year. The daily updates were a little much and weren't really done the way I would have hoped last year, so we're trying something else.

UPDATE (6:22 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27): Blazers SF Nicolas Batum will have shoulder surgery and is out for at least the first half of the season, so Martell Webster is likely to take his place.

Atlanta Hawks
PG Mike Bibby
SG Joe Johnson
SF Marvin Williams
PF Josh Smith
C Al Horford

Boston Celtics
PG Rajon Rondo
SG Ray Allen
SF Paul Pierce
PF Kevin Garnett
C Kendrick Perkins

Charlotte Bobcats
PG Raymond Felton
SG Raja Bell
SF Gerald Wallace
PF Boris Diaw
C Tyson Chandler

Chicago Bulls
PG Derrick Rose
SG John Salmons
SF Luol Deng
PF Tyrus Thomas
C Joakim Noah

Cleveland Cavaliers
PG Mo Williams
SG Anthony Parker/Delonte West
SF LeBron James
PF Anderson Varejao
C Shaquille O'Neal

Dallas Mavericks
PG Jason Kidd
SG Josh Howard
SF Shawn Marion
PF Dirk Nowitzki
C Drew Gooden

Denver Nuggets
PG Chauncey Billups
SG Arron Afflalo
SF Carmelo Anthony
PF Kenyon Martin
C Nene

Detroit Pistons
PG Rodney Stuckey
SG Richard Hamilton
SF Tayshaun Prince
PF Charlie Villanueva
C Kwame Brown

Golden State Warriors
PG Monta Ellis
SG Stephen Jackson
SF Anthony Randolph
PF Ronny Turiaf
C Andris Biedrins

Houston Rockets
PG Aaron Brooks
SG Trevor Ariza
SF Shane Battier
PF Luis Scola
C Chuck Hayes/David Andersen

Indiana Pacers
PG T.J. Ford
SG Brandon Rush
SF Danny Granger
PF Troy Murphy
C Roy Hibbert

Los Angeles Clippers
PG Baron Davis
SG Eric Gordon
SF Al Thornton
PF Chris Kaman
C Marcus Camby

Los Angeles Lakers
PG Derek Fisher
SG Kobe Bryant
SF Ron Artest
PF Pau Gasol
C Andrew Bynum

Memphis Grizzlies
PG Mike Conley
SG O.J. Mayo
SF Rudy Gay
PF Zach Randolph
C Marc Gasol

Miami Heat
PG Mario Chalmers
SG Dwyane Wade
SF Michael Beasley
PF Udonis Haslem
C Jermaine O'Neal

Milwaukee Bucks
PG Brandon Jennings/Luke Ridnour
SG Michael Redd
SF Luc-Richard Mbah a Moute
PF Hakim Warrick
C Andrew Bogut

Minnesota Timberwolves
PG Jonny Flynn
SG Corey Brewer
SF Damien Wilkins
PF Ryan Gomes
C Al Jefferson

New Jersey Nets
PG Devin Harris
SG Courtney Lee
SF Chris Douglas-Roberts
PF Y. Jianlian
C Brook Lopez

New York Knicks
PG Chris Duhon
SG Wilson Chandler
SF Al Harrington
PF Jared Jeffries
C David Lee

New Orleans Hornets
PG Chris Paul
SG Morris Peterson
SF Julian Wright
PF David West
C Emeka Okafor

Oklahoma City Thunder
PG Russell Westbrook
SG Thabo Sefolosha/James Harden
SF Kevin Durant
PF Jeff Green
C Nenad Krstic

Orlando Magic
PG Jameer Nelson
SG Vince Carter
SF Mickael Pietrus/Matt Barnes
PF Rashard Lewis
C Dwight Howard

Phoenix Suns
PG Steve Nash
SG Jason Richardson
SF Grant Hill
PF Amare Stoudemire
C Channing Frye

Philadelphia 76ers
PG Lou Williams
SG Andre Iguodala
SF Thaddeus Young
PF Elton Brand
C Samuel Dalembert

Portland Trail Blazers
PG Steve Blake
SG Brandon Roy
SF Martell Webster
PF LaMarcus Aldridge
C Greg Oden

Sacramento Kings
PG Tyreke Evans
SG Kevin Martin
SF Desmond Mason
PF Jason Thompson
C Sean May

San Antonio Spurs
PG Tony Parker
SG Roger Mason
SF Richard Jefferson
PF Antonio McDyess
C Tim Duncan

Toronto Raptors
PG Jose Calderon
SG Demar DeRozan
SF Hedo Turkoglu
PF Chris Bosh
C Andrea Bargnani

Utah Jazz
PG Deron Williams
SG Ronnie Price
C Mehmet Okur
SF Andrei Kirilenko
PF Carlos Boozer

Washington Wizards
PG Gilbert Arenas
SG Mike Miller
SF Caron Butler
PF Antawn Jamison
C Brendan Haywood

Marion to Mavs in 4-way trade

2009-07-09T16:12:00.005-04:00

No deal in the NBA, with its complex salary cap structure, is simple. The four-way trade approved this afternoon is certainly no exception. Shawn Marion was acquired by the Dallas Mavericks in a byzantine arrangement that has assets going between the Mavs, the Raptors, the Magic and the Grizzlies. The core of the deal has Marion heading from Toronto to Dallas in a sign-and-trade move. Kris Humphries and Austrailian centerNathan Jawai goes with Marion, while the Raptors get Antoine Wright and Devean George in return. Hedo Turkoglu's decision to go to Toronto is wrapped up in this, as Toronto gets him as part of a sign-and-trade with Orlando, and the Magic at least receive cash and a trade exception instead of nothing, which they would have gotten if Turkoglu simply signed with the Raptors. The Grizzlies helped facilitate this, sending Greg Buckner to Dallas and receiving Jerry Stackhouse in return along with a 2016 second round pick. The Grizzlies will likely release Stackhouse, meaning they wind up gaining a bit of cap space and little else. Their participation in the deal is by far the most questionable, as though GM Chris Wallace were simply looking for ways to build good will after his gift of Pau Gasol to the Lakers helped L.A. to the championship. The pursuit of Allen Iverson, on top of at all, must leave Grizzlies fans shaking their heads. The Mavs are at the other end of the spectrum. They improve their perimeter defense markedly with Nowitzki around, and if they keep Josh Howard, they'll likely move him to shooting guard to facilitate Marion at small forward and allow Sixth Man of the Year Jason Terry to continue in his bench role. They signed Marcin Gortat and have Jason Kidd coming back, too, so they're clearly looking to win now, a smart move given Nowitzki is in his prime. They probably haven't done enough to put themselves over the top, but they've gotten a lot closer. The Raptors are retooling after last season's debacle, and trying to show Chris Bosh that they're committed to winning. They didn't have any intention of signing Marion after they agreed to a deal with Turkoglu, so that they receive a couple of veterans like Wright and George makes this trade a winner for them. Wright can move into the starting shooting guard position vacated by Anthony Parker, who is headed to the Cavs. The criticism for Toronto GM Bryan Colangelo should come not for his willingness to get involved in deal so much as the decision to dump Marion and pick up Turkoglu in the first place. The notion that Turkoglu is that much of an upgrade over Marion is not a strong one, and what the Raptors gain in outside shooting and a few more points per game, they lose in on the glass, where Marion was 3.1 rebounds a night better than Turkoglu. Bosh, who averaged 10 boards a night, almost twice as many as the next best returning Raptor, will have to take a leap and rebound a lot like Turkoglu's old teammate Dwight Howard, who averaged 13.9 a game last year.

Lakers make faustian deal for Artest

2009-07-03T00:32:00.004-04:00

1. The Lakers clearly have a win-now mentality, and with Kobe preparing for his 31st birthday next month, that makes sense. The move to acquire 29-year-old Ron Artest and let 24-year-old Trevor Ariza go would seem to support that theory, but it's only a marginal upgrade that could have a much greater long-term cost. Ariza raised his game significantly in the playoffs, justifying his midseason insertion into the starting lineup with clutch play and 11.3 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game in the postseason. Artest's numbers were better, with 15.6 points, 4.3 rebounds and 4.2 assists a night during the playoffs, but it would be hard to argue the former Defensive Player of the Year was any more effective at stopping people than Ariza. It's even harder to make a case that Artest is a better guy to have around the locker room, given his well-documented antics. He's never played with a superstar like Kobe before, and hasn't been surrounded by quite as much talent either. Ariza meshed quite effectively as a role player, and it remains to be seen whether Artest can do half as well as someone who is no more than a third offensive option behind Kobe and Pau Gasol. The Lakers will be paying Artest about the same amount of money Ariza is getting from the Rockets, but Artest gets three years instead of five on his contract. It makes little sense why Mitch Kupchak and the L.A. braintrust would balk at just two more years for someone who could have been a cornerstone for the next few years and the transition into the post-Kobe era. The next five years with Ariza could have at least ensured a 20-something would occupy one starting wing spot while Kobe aged. Artest turns 30 in November and will be entering his 11th NBA season. The only party that came out looking worse than the Lakers was Ariza himself, who goes from the champions of the league to a team that may just have lost Yao for good and is still awaiting Tracy McGrady's return from microfracture knee surgery. It hardly seems worth it, for either Ariza or the Lakers, given the difference of two years that appeared to be all that stood in the way of a better situation for both.

Three random observations ...

2009-06-26T00:02:00.003-04:00

... about the NBA:

1. It was odd that the Thunder passed up Ricky Rubio, given that he is the pure point guard they lack. It was odder still that the Kings didn't take him, either. Rubio fell into the lap of the Minnesota Timberwolves at the fifth pick in Thursday's 2009 NBA Draft, and in a night that was heavy with point guards, the Wolves got quality and quantity. Rubio, an 18-year-old whose passing skills have already been compared to those of the all-time greats, has experience as a professional in his native Spain and at the Olympic level with the Spanish national team, the silver medalists in 2008. The Thunder, and especially the Kings, will regret missing out on him. James Harden, only 19, is a legitimate top four selection, so Oklahoma City is at least getting a player of decent value out of the No. 3 pick. Tyreke Evans is talented, but there are questions about his shooting and athleticism, which doesn't bode well for a two-guard. He plays the same position as Kevin Martin, the best player on the Sacramento roster. The move just doesn't make sense. The Wolves have quite a pair in Rubio and Al Jefferson, but they inexplicably took Jonny Flynn, another point guard, with the sixth pick. GM David Kahn is promoting the idea that the two could play together, but he wouldn't compromise his trade leverage by announcing that one or both is available. The truth is likely that one of them can be had. The Wolves turned heads again when they selected Ty Lawson, yet another point guard, at No. 18, but they quickly traded him to Denver for future considerations.

2. The New York fans were sorely disappointed when Stephen Curry was taken by the Warriors at No. 7, one pick before the Knicks could have nabbed him. Curry, with his ability to shoot and finish, would no doubt have been fun to watch Mike D'Antoni's system, but New York need not shed a tear. Jordan Hill may actually be an even better fit. He is a 6-10 power forward who can rebound and run the floor, which makes for a prototypical D'Antoni center. The Knicks have David Lee at center, too, but often teamed him with Jared Jeffries, a lithe power forward over whom Hill is a significant improvement. Lee is a restricted free agent, so the Knicks have the option now to not match another team's long-term offer if they so desire, opening up even more cap space for 2010. Hill has shown continual improvement in his rebounding numbers while at college, winding up at an average of 11 per game this past season at Arizona, and if that trend continues in the pros, the Knicks may have come up with a steal.

3. The news Thursday was not all about the draft. The Magic acquired Vince Carter, along with second-year power forward Ryan Anderson, for Rafer Alston, Courtney Lee and Tony Battie. It's a surprising move, since it was clear the formula Orlando had this past season worked, at least well enough to get the team to the Finals. Magic GM Otis Smith, to his credit, wants more. Yet it's not clear whether the Magic really got any better. They diversified their offense with a player who can penetrate, create his own shot and gave themselves another ballhandler, all of which was necessary. He's still capable of scoring 20 points a game, dishing out close to five assists and grabbing about five rebounds, but Carter's numbers were down across the board this past year, when he turned 32. It's likely he'll continue his decline this year, but even a diminished Carter may be better than what the Magic had. The tough part of this trade for the Magic is having to give up Lee, an impressive rookie whose game is only going to get better, instead of worse. Orlando may find out they would have been better off keeping him, but they instead decided to go with Carter, whose talents are far more of a known quantity. Anderson's presence in the trade may have been enough to quell Smith's concerns, since like Lee, he seems poised for improvement after a promising rookie year. His 6-foot-10, 240 pounds frame, 4,7 rebounds in 20 minutes a night and 36.5 percent three-point shooting make him a perfect backup for Rashard Lewis. The Nets probably aren't ecstatic about giving him up, especially since they clearly have an eye on the future. The rest of the trade sets up New Jersey quite well for the summer of 2010. Alston and Battie are contracts that expire after next season, when they will look to combine a young nucleus of Devin Harris, Lee and Brook Lopez with cap space to go after a premier free agent class.

Three random observations ...

2009-06-25T00:50:00.008-04:00

... about the NBA:

1. Shaq is finally headed to Cleveland. The Cavs are acquiring him for the 46th pick in Thursday's draft plus Ben Wallace and Sasha Pavlovic, two players the Suns will be more easily be able to move off their books. The deal, which this blog first discussed in February, gives LeBron his first Hall of Fame-caliber teammate, albeit one in the twilight of his career. Shaq will turn 38 next March, but his 17.8 points per game and 8.4 rebounds from last season represented a renaissance that included a deserving selection to the All-Star Game, where he split MVP honors with Kobe. Now, Shaq will look to one-up Kobe with another NBA title. It's clear Cleveland wants to win this season, while LeBron is still under contract. There's no other reason to acquire a center in his late 30s with a $21 million salary. The move shores up Cleveland's frontline, which was overmatched by Orlando's athleticism and diversity of skill in the Eastern Conference Finals. It provides LeBron with the kind of playoff-tested sidekick that he sorely missed in that Orlando series, as long as Shaq remains healthy and in good playing shape. Shaq's continued production at a high-level is a risky proposition, but the Cavs must go all-in this year. It's a gamble worth taking. The move makes sense for the Suns, too, who were going nowhere. It will be painful for Phoenix to lose Shaq, Steve Nash, who is sure to follow, and other veterans like Amare Stoudemire and Grant Hill, but it's clear they were no longer close to being title contenders after missing the playoffs this year. Now, they can begin to rebuild.

2. The Spurs, another perenial contender that took a step back this past season, found a way to move back into the picture. The acquisition of Richard Jefferson for Bruce Bowen and Kurt Thomas gives the Spurs the kind of athletic wing player they've long lacked to put along side Manu Ginobili in crunch time. Jefferson, 29, revitalizes the aging Spurs, who get Ginobili back from the ankle injury that prematurely ended his season this year. Jefferson averaged 19.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.4 assists last year, and has experience as a contributing member of a contending team with New Jersey in the first few years of his career. It's another shrewd move by general manager R.C. Buford, and while it's far from a panacea for the Spurs, who must be wary of the long-term health of Ginobili and Tim Duncan, it's likely the best move they could have made this offseason. The trade is a salary dump for Milwaukee, a franchise that continues to search for answers, having failed to win more than 42 games for eight straight seasons after making the Eastern Conference Finals in 2001.

3. I hesitate to do mock drafts with as many trades and potential deals affecting the draft order as we've seen this year, but here's a stab at it. A lot of speculation holds that Ricky Rubio, the 18-year-old Spanish point guard phenom, will drop after a poor workout with Sacramento. Don't buy it. Rubio, competing in last year's Olympics, has already shown he can compete at a high level with world-class competition. He shouldn't fall out of the top four, and if he does, a team or two will look back on this draft with a great deal of regret.

1. L.A. Clippers: Blake Griffin, PF, Oklahoma
2. Memphis: Hasheem Thabeet, C, Connecticut
3. Oklahoma City: Ricky Rubio, PG, Spain
4. Sacramento: James Harden, G, Arizona State
5. Minnesota: Jordan Hill, PF, Arizona
6. Minnesota: Stephen Curry, PG, Davidson
7. Golden State: Demar Derozan, SG/SF, Southern Cal
8. New York: Jonny Flynn, PG, Syracuse
9. Toronto: Tyreke Evans, G, Memphis
10. Milwaukee: Jrue Holiday, G, UCLA

Update: Golden State appears to be sending Jamal Crawford to the Hawks for point guards Acie Law and Speedy Claxton, so I'm now projecting the Warriors will take Demar Derozan instead of Jonny Flynn, whom I see getting scooped up by the Knicks.

NBA Finals, Game 5

2009-06-14T22:55:00.002-04:00

Say what you will about Kobe, but nobody wanted it more this season. Kobe led the Lakers to a title without Shaquille O'Neal for the first time in his fifth try without his former Hall of Fame teammate, furthering his position among the All-Time greats Sunday after a 99-86 victory to seal the NBA championship. Kobe combined with Lamar Odom, coincidentally one of the players acquired in the trade that sent Shaq away, to take the heart out of the Orlando Magic, who never challenged after a 16-0 L.A. run in the second quarter. Kobe scored 30 points, had six rebounds and dished out five assists, right on his numbers for the playoffs, and won his first Bill Russell Finals MVP award. Odom had 17 points, including three from three-point range, and pulled down 10 rebounds that were key to L.A.'s 47-36 advantage on the boards. Odom in essence canceled out Rashard Lewis, who had 18 points and 10 rebounds. The problem for Orlando is that Lewis was their most prolific contributor Sunday. Dwight Howard was held almost completely in check, scoring only 11 points to go with 10 rebounds and three blocks. The Magic shot just 8-for-27 from behind the arc, while the Lakers were 8-for-16 and made 11 more free throws as well. The game simply wasn't competitive once Trevor Ariza, who scored 11 of his 15 points during a four-minute stretch in the second quarter, heated up after a confrontation with Hedo Turkoglu. The two were jawing near the Orlando bench, and both were hit with technical fouls with 5:43 to go until halftime. The Magic were ahead 40-39 at that point, but Ariza nailed a pair of 26-foot three-pointers, made a layup, a 15-footer and a free throw, and by the end of the half the Lakers had a 10-point lead. Ariza used the series to deepen the Magic's lament over trading him away last season for Mo Evans and Brian Cook. The Lakers got Pau Gasol in another lopsided deal last year, and he continued to pay dividends in the clinching game Sunday, delivering 14 points and a game-high 15 rebounds. The Lakers haven't lost three in a row since acquiring Gasol, a staggering achievement that underscores the hole the Magic were in, trailing 3 games to 1 and needing to win three straight. Orlando was nonetheless one Courtney Lee shot in Game 2 and one Dwight Howard free throw in Game 4 from a much different series. The Finals, apart from Sunday and Game 1, were far from a victory lap for the Lakers. It's not clear, given how close Orlando came, and the fact the Cavs saved their worst games for last, that the best team won. It is certain that these Lakers are a championship-caliber club, and that coach Phil Jackson should be recognized as the gold standard among NBA bosses. His record of 10 titles, more than anyone not just in the NBA but in the NFL or Major League Baseball as well, will likely stand forever. He was fortunate, indeed, to lead teams with the best players of their time, like Jordan, Shaq and Kobe, but plenty of coaches have failed to make the most of their talent. A few others have taken them to the top of the mountain once or twice, but never again. Jackson has proven again and again that his success, and the success of his teams, is no fluke.

---

Thanks for reading this year. It's been a fun learning experience and I intend to keep this going. This is a constantly evolving process, so I'm not sure how the blog will look next year, but it will be here. Keep an eye out for draft coverage and analysis of free agent signings and trades in the offseason. It should be interesting, with all sorts of teams looking to dump salary. And, in case you're wondering, my predictions, so solid during the first two rounds of the playoffs, were off the mark in the last two. I took the Cavs in five games in the Eastern Conference Finals, but wound up one of many who were caught off guard by the Magic, who won in six. I was much closer in the Western Conference Finals, where I had the Lakers winning in 7. They took care of Denver in six. I had the right team in the Finals, but I thought it would be a seven-game series instead of five. How was I supposed to know Dwight Howard would miss two free throws and Jameer Nelson would completely forget Derek Fisher was one of the all-time great clutch three-point shooters?

NBA Finals Game 4

2009-06-12T10:17:00.002-04:00

The Orlando Magic could easily be up 3-1 in the NBA Finals. They're down 3-1 instead. The Magic were up by a dozen at halftime Thursday, and held a five-point lead with as few as 31 seconds to go, but shockingly poor defense and two missed free throws by Dwight Howard allowed the Lakers to force overtime, where they pulled away for a 99-91 victory. Game 4 was a dramatic collapse that costs Orlando any reasonable shot it might have had and presents the Lakers with a clear shot at the championship. The Magic built an 87-82 lead on a three-pointer and a tough runner by Hedo Turkoglu, who hit more than his share of difficult shots en route to a team-high 25 points. Turkoglu never made another basket. Rashard Lewis missed a 16-footer with 39 seconds to go, and Derek Fisher, whose greatest contribution to the game was yet to come, grabbed the rebound, and started a fast break that ended with Kobe finding a hustling Pau Gasol for an uncontested dunk. That cut the lead to three, but the Magic were able to get the ball to their best player, Dwight Howard, underneath, where three defenders converged upon him and sent him to the line with 10.4 seconds left. The Magic shot just 60 percent from the line all night, but either one of Howard's free throws would have in essence sealed the game for the Magic. Howard, who was a woeful 6-for-14 from the stripe, missed them both. Orlando coach Stan Van Gundy elected not to foul, and allow the Lakers to shoot for three-pointer if they wanted. Van Gundy didn't tell Jameer Nelson to give his man ample room to take the trey, but that's exactly what Nelson did, laying off of Fisher as the veteran sharpshooter added one more clutch playoff three-pointer to his resume. The stunned Magic had all sorts of trouble getting the ball inbounds for an answer with 4.6 remaining, and a quick leaner by Mickael Pietrus went array as the buzzer sounded. Orlando continued to look rattled in the overtime, scoring only three points, but had the game tied in the final minute. Fisher once more delivered a daggar, with another three-pointer that gave the Lakers a 94-91 lead with 31 seconds to go. Turkoglu missed a three-pointer on the other end, and Gasol got free for another dunk that served as exclamation point to the L.A. victory. The words preceding the punctuation would read, "Thank You," for 19 turnovers and 15 missed free throws from the Magic. The Lakers didn't fail to take advantage of the opportunities laid at their feet, and again were led by the brilliance of Kobe, who had 32 points, eight assists and seven rebounds. Gasol had 16 points and 10 rebounds, and Trevor Ariza, who scored all of his points in the second half, put up 16 points and nine rebounds. None of it would have gone toward a win if the Magic had not allowed it to happen.

NBA Finals Game 3

2009-06-09T23:58:00.004-04:00

Kobe came out Tuesday determined to close the door on any chance he would not cement his legacy with a championship this year. He finished with the kind of performance that raises legitimate doubts about his championship mettle and the outcome of the series with Orlando. The Magic cut the L.A. lead to 2-1, prevailing 108-104 in a game the Lakers could have won if Kobe had not missed 10 of his last 13 shots from the floor, five of his last eight free throws, and lost the ball when Dwight Howard poked it away in the final minute. The stretch run was the complete opposite of his first quarter, when Kobe had 17 points and either scored or assisted on all but four L.A. baskets. He was a major reason why the Lakers were able to stick around despite 75 percent shooting in the first half for the Magic, a phenomenal display that set an all-time NBA Finals record for field goal percentage in a half. Kobe's totals of 31 points and eight assists don't suggest any sort of failure, but the lofty standard to which he is aspiring to be held demands more than just a prolific statistical showing. Too many misses and mistakes prevented his team from sealing victory after erasing what had been a nine-point deficit with 7:55 to go. Kobe missed from close range with 3:33 left, was off on a 3-pointer with 2:02 on the clock, clanked a free throw with 59 seconds to go, lost the ball with 28 seconds remaining and missed two three-pointers on the final L.A. possession. Those troubles obscure a scintillating 63 percent shooting performance by the Magic and a 51 percent shooting night for the Lakers that was nearly enough to put them over the top. Rafer Alston had a fearless performance after scoring a total of 10 points in the first two games, going 8-for-12 for 20 points. Rashard Lewis shot 3-for-6 on his three-pointers, including a pair of treys at the end of the first half that erased the last lead for the Lakers, and went 8-for-14 overall to score 21 points. Howard tied Lewis for the team high in points, going 11-for-16 at the line and 5-for-6 from the floor. Hedo Turkoglu was 7-for-12 for 18 points on an all-around night, leading the team with seven assists and grabbing six rebounds as well. Mickael Pietrus came off the bench to score 18 as well and, once in the game, was able to slow Kobe, who was far and away the focus of L.A.'s offense. His 11-for-25 performance from the floor came on more than twice as many shots as any other Laker, though his teammates made the most of their limited opportunities. Pau Gasol was 9-for-11 for 23 points, and Lamar Odom and Jordan Farmar had identical 4-for-6, 11-point stat lines off the bench. Trevor Ariza struggled with his shot thanks to Turkoglu's defense, but managed 13 points and seven rebounds. Derek Fisher went 4-for-9 for nine points, including a wide open three-pointer he canned to pull the Lakers within two points at the 5:25 mark of the fourth quarter. The Lakers tied the game on a pair of Gasol free throws with 2:41 to play, but Pietrus finished off a Turkoglu miss with a resounding dunk that gave the Magic the lead for good. The Magic are a couple of Courtney Lee misses in Game 2 away from enjoying a lead in the series, as well. Kobe still has a ways to go before he wins his first NBA crown without Shaq, and as the unquestioned best player on his team. The question for the rest of the series, much as it was coming into the Finals, is whether he possesses that extra gear necessary to carry a team the way Jordan, Russell, Bird and select few others did. If he does, he will ascend into their ranks. If he plays the way he did in the second half of Game 3, he won't.

NBA Finals Game 2

2009-06-07T23:48:00.002-04:00

The first assignment for the Magic after Game 2 of the NBA Finals might be making sure rookie Courtney Lee isn't ruminating about the end of regulation. He missed two shots from close range in the last 10 seconds, either of which would have provided visiting Orlando the winning margin in what turned out to be a 101-96 overtime victory for L.A. that gives the Lakers a 2-0 series lead. Lee drove the lane with 10.5 seconds to go and missed a contested layup, but after Hedo Turkoglu blocked Kobe Bryant's shot on the other end, Lee received an unexpected second chance. He broke toward the basket on a backdoor cut as the ball was being inbounded on an inbounds play with six-tenths of a second go to, catching the ball in the air and switching hands to get a shot off in time over the outstretched hands of Pau Gasol. The ball was shot with a little too much force and bounced off the backboard and away. It was a tough shot, and the layup before was far from a wide-open opportunity. Stan Van Gundy and Lee's teammates must impress upon him that the weight of the loss does not fall on his shoulders alone. The Magic simply made too many mistakes, turning the ball over 20 times while Van Gundy's lineup experiments bore no fruit. Van Gundy used Rashard Lewis as a small forward with centers Dwight Howard and Marcin Gortat on the floor early in the fourth quarter, and went largely without a point guard down the stretch. The Lakers were unfazed, as Kobe, Gasol and Odom all proved why they're top-level talents. Kobe did plenty of scoring and passing, with 29 points and eight assists, while Gasol had 24 points and 10 rebounds, and Odom went for 19 points and eight rebounds in 46 minutes. The Magic had the hot-shooting Lewis, who nailed six treys for 34 points to go along with 11 rebounds, 22 points on 8-for-17 shooting from Hedo Turkoglu and a 17-point, 16-rebound night out of Howard. They just didn't have a complimentary player like Derek Fisher, who nailed a couple of three-pointers and went 4-for-9 from the field overall to register as L.A.'s fourth double-figure scorer with 12 points. No one other than the three high-scorers for Orlando had more than five points. Fisher played 41 minutes while his understudies Jordan Farmar and Shannon Brown were out there for just six minutes apiece, and the veteran rewarded coach Phil Jackson's confidence. Kobe, Gasol and Odom will be remembered as the prime movers for this Lakers team if they can win two more games, but Fisher remains an invaluable asset when he's needed the most.

The NBA finals are always hyped as a clash of stars, but role players often have as much to do with the outcome as anyone else. Veteran Derek Fisher, who at times has struggled with his shot this year,

NBA Finals Preview

2009-06-03T16:40:00.005-04:00

No. 1 L.A. LAKERS vs. No. 3 ORLANDO MAGIC
Summary
This year's NBA Finals matchup would be highly anticipated in just about any other year. The prospect of a rising young star in Dwight Howard leading a 59-win team of three-point gunners into a battle with Kobe, Gasol and a talented yet vulnerable 65-win Lakers team has a great deal of cachet, but because we missed out on LeBron vs. Kobe, it's a little deflating. The NBA and would be better to move on, though, and appreciate the plentiful appeal of the matchup we have.

Orlando comes in riding a huge high after making the Cavs look like LeBron and the D-League All-Stars. The Lakers played some of their best basketball against the Nuggets, but not until Games 5 and 6. The eternal question about this Laker team is about the kind of effort they'll give. It's the Finals, so one might expect them to be going at full bore, but because it's the Magic, instead of the Cavs, their fragile psyches may allow them to let up. Coach Phil Jackson, if he earns his record 10th ring, will have earned it. He's opposed by Stan Van Gundy, finally manifesting the championship run he seemed poised to take with the Miami Heat a few years earlier before Pat Riley usurped the opportunity. Van Gundy has proven himself with his ability to make adjustments, and he'll be forced to make more, especially if the X-factor, Jameer Nelson, makes a return from his torn labrum. His chances of playing seem to depend on whichever member of the Magic organization is speaking at the time. The odds he'd actually be effective are, despite his history success against the Lakers, much lower than a 50-50 shot. Nelson's potential comeback at best could serve as an effective smokescreen that creates a distraction for the Lakers. At worst, it disrupts the chemistry and psychology of the Magic, a team that comes in playing remarkably well. Van Gundy, too, will earn his title if he gets it.

The point guard position is a pivotal matchup with or without Nelson. Rafer Alston had a career playoff high 26 points in Game 4 against Cleveland, but followed it up with just three points in Game 5. Derek Fisher has been up-and-down throughout the playoffs, as have his two backups, Jordan Farmar and Shannon Brown. The play of the backups, with veteran Anthony Johnson against the younger Lakers, may be the determinant.

The other guard position is all about Kobe, who had an awesome closeout game against the Nuggets, scoring 35 points to go with 10 assists and six rebounds. He put it all together as both a distributor and a scorer, and when he has nights like that, the Lakers are simply unstoppable. The Magic will send whomever necessary to limit his scoring and passing, with Alston, starting shooting guard Courtney Lee, Hedo Turkoglu, Mickael Pietrus and J.J. Redick all likely to get a look at some point. Pietrus, who was the primary defender against LeBron in the conference finals, is most likely to spend crunch time assigned to Kobe, creating as tough a three- or four-week stretch as there can be for any one defender. LeBron scored plenty of points against him, but Pietrus was able to keep LeBron from becoming an offensive facilitator, and if he can do the same against Kobe, it'll be a huge plus for the Magic.

The Orlando wing player not assigned to Kobe gets Trevor Ariza, the defensive specialist who has suddenly become potent on the offensive end as well, going 30-for-60 from behind the three-point arc in the playoffs and lifting his regular season average of 8.9 points per game to 11.4 for the postseason. Opponents can't double off of him to check Kobe, a significant breakthrough for the L.A. attack. His emergence has been mirrored by the resurgence of Hedo Turkoglu, who has played better as the playoffs have gone on. He was a major force in the Cleveland series even without an eye-opening percentage from behind the arc. He averaged 17.2 points, 6.7 assists and 6.3 rebounds a game against the Cavs, while shooting 39 percent from long distance. He gave the Magic a point forward who could score from just about anywhere on the floor, creating much greater offensive diversity than just Howard and three-point gunning. He'll give Ariza plenty of headaches if he can keep it up, and perhaps force Jackson to use Lamar Odom on him instead of Rashard Lewis.

Orlando's power forward has been the sort of all-around offensive presence the Magic have needed him to be throughout the playoffs, as Lewis has scored in double figures in each of the team's 19 postseason games and averaged 19.4 points per game for the playoffs. Odom, who appears to have shaken off the effects of a blow to the back he suffered during a fall in the Houston series, is just the sort of versatile defender who can counteract Lewis, having the ability to guard the perimeter as well as the post. Odom will likely see crunch time minutes, but Pau Gasol will start at power forward, meaning Lewis will be challenged to defend Gasol's array of moves in the post. Gasol is not an overwhelming physical presence for Lewis, however, and the Magic should be more easily be able to exploit Gasol's weaknesses as a perimeter defender if Jackson indeed starts Andrew Bynum instead of Odom.

Bynum would start at center, of course, against Howard, a daunting challenge for a 21-year-old who disappears at times and was slow to recover from a midseason knee injury. The Lakers, much as the Magic will probably do with Kobe, are likely to give Howard multiple looks, with Bynum, Gasol and perhaps the ubiquitous Odom as candidates to go up against Superman. Howard must establish himself early for the Magic, particularly if Bynum is starting, and get in a rhythm before frustration and fouls set in. The Lakers, after seeing what happened when Howard saw too much single coverage in Game 6 against Cleveland, are probably going to come with a lot of help defenders and try to cut off passing lanes to deny him the ball. The Magic, as has been well documented, are prone to going away from Howard for long lengths of time, so if the Lakers can do what they can to discourage his teammates from passing him the ball, he might go a long time in between touches. That will be especially true if the Lakers can use their length to limit Howard from collecting the gargantuan 15.4 rebounds a game he's pulled down throughout the playoffs.

The benches would seem to indicate an advantage for the Lakers on sheer volume alone, since they can easily go 10 players deep. Each team has its three-point marksman, namely Sasha Vujacic for L.A. and Redick for Orlando. The Magic have an effective backup center in Marcin Gortat, while the Lakers have Luke Walton, a resourceful player who has started for the team in the past and can be a pest defensively on Turkoglu or Lewis.

The Lakers greatest edge still revolves around Kobe, and his ability to take over games in a myriad ways. They'll need him to play at his best not just for points and assists but for his energy and ability to spark his teammates as well. He is, just as he seemed so eager to be when Shaq was around, the single most important person for the Lakers. He's longed for the opportunity to power his team to a championship. Staring the ravages of age in the face as he competes in his 13th NBA season and approaches his 31st birthday, this may well be his best chance left for a ring. He's not letting it go. Prediction: Lakers in 7.

Schedule
Game 1 - Thu June 4 Orlando at L.A. Lakers 9 p.m. ABC
Game 2 - Sun June 7 Orlando at L.A. Lakers 8 p.m. ABC
Game 3 - Tue June 9 L.A. Lakers at Orlando 9 p.m. ABC
Game 4 - Thu June 11 L.A. Lakers at Orlando 9 p.m. ABC
Game 5 * Sun June 14 L.A. Lakers at Orlando 8 ABC
Game 6 * Tue June 16 Orlando at L.A. Lakers 9 ABC
Game 7 * Thu June 18 Orlando at L.A. Lakers 9 ABC

Lineups
Los Angeles Lakers
Starters
PG Derek Fisher
SG Kobe Bryant
SF Trevor Ariza
PF Pau Gasol
C Andrew Bynum
Bench
F Lamar Odom
PG Jordan Farmar
G Sasha Vujacic
G Shannon Brown
SF Luke Walton
PF Josh Powell
C D.J. Mbenga

Orlando Magic
Starters
PG Rafer Alston
SG Courtney Lee
SF Hedo Turkoglu
PF Rashard Lewis
C Dwight Howard
Bench
G/F Mickael Pietrus
PG Anthony Johnson
C Marcin Gortat
SG J.J. Redick
F/C Tony Battie
PG Tyronn Lue
C Adonal Foyle
SG Jeremy Richardson
Injuries
PG Jameer Nelson (separated shoulder, questionable)

Eastern Conference Finals Game 6

2009-05-31T00:00:00.004-04:00

The weight LeBron took upon his shoulders to carry his team past Orlando into the NBA Finals finally became too great to bear. LeBron went scoreless in the second quarter and was held to 25 points, matching his lowest output of the postseason, as the Magic ousted Cleveland with a 103-90 victory Saturday to win the Eastern Conference Finals 4-2. It was Dwight Howard in the dominant role typically played by LeBron, as Howard scored a playoff career high 40 points to go with 14 points. Howard was the focal point of the Magic offense two nights after taking just 10 shots in Game 5. Saturday he took 21 shots and made 14 of them, and went 12-for-16 at the line as the Cavs elected not to double-team so as to cover Orlando's potent three-point shooters. The strategy failed to work on Howard or the gunners, as Mickael Pietrus went 4-for-7 from behind the arc and Rafer Alston and Rashard Lewis both checked in with 3-for-7 performances from three-point range. The Magic were 12-for-29 on treys, while the Cavs had their own success, going 9-for-20. Mo Williams was 3-for-4 from long distance, but all of his production came in the second half after he had just three points going into the break. Delonte West had two three-pointers on a 22-point night when he was the major weapon other than LeBron, who hit a pair of three-pointers himself. The stat line of 25 points, seven assists and seven rebounds is quite a night for just about anyone, but for LeBron it was a significant dropoff after scoring at least 35 points in each of the first five games of the series. His teammates, and Williams in particular, failed to deliver the support that would have allowed him to be anything less than spectacular every night. Williams was acquired in the offseason to provide a steady ballhandler and an additional scoring threat, but he didn't have a single game in the series with more than five assists and only once delivered more than 20 points. Williams had 17 points and five assists Saturday, but Zydrunas Ilgauskas ended his season with a real thud, scoring just two points on 1-for-5 shooting while getting destroyed by Howard on the other end. Igauskas has been one of the best offensive centers in the league for many years in Cleveland, but looked all of his 33 years against Howard, who is a decade younger. Ilgauskas, a free agent this summer, may be let go as the Cavs face a crucial summer for their franchise. They have just one more year with LeBron before his contract is up in 2010, and it may be their last chance at what has seemed like a sure championship. Anderson Varejao, Joe Smith and Wally Szczerbiak are all free agents as well, and general manager Danny Ferry faces some hard decisions. The Magic seem much more well-positioned for the future, but they don't have to worry about next year just yet. The mercurial, quirky team reliant on outside shooting and their physical specimen of a center will see if they can continue to trample on the championship plans of another favored team when they face the Lakers in the Finals. We'll have a full Finals preview in advance of Game 1 on Thursday.

Western Conference Finals Game 6

2009-05-30T10:36:00.003-04:00

The Lakers have had their struggles in this postseason, but they appear to be peaking at the right time. L.A. played at full intensity while the Nuggets endured a curious collapse, particularly at the defensive end, as the Lakers advanced to the Finals for the second straight year after a 119-92 blowout Friday to end the Western Conference Finals in six games. The Lakers shot a whopping 57 percent, and made nine of 16 three-point attempts. Kobe Bryant led five players in double-figures and three players who scored 20 or more for the Lakers with 35 points on 12-for-20 shooting. Kobe added 10 assists and six rebounds on a night when he had opportunities for himself as well as his teammates. Pau Gasol had 20 points and 12 rebounds, while Lamar Odom delivered his second straight impressive performance with 20 points and eight rebounds off the bench. Trevor Ariza went 3-for-4 from behind the arc for 17 points as he continues to show improvement, particularly on the offensive end. The Lakers had an edge on the boards as well, outrebounding Denver 38-27 as L.A.'s high field goal percentage manifested itself in the form of fewer missed shots leading to fewer transition opportunities for the Nuggets. Chauncey Billups, who averaged 20.6 points for the playoffs, never got into a rhythm Friday, and took just seven shots for 10 points. He did his best to ignite the offense with nine assists, but the rest of the team had just five assists combined, while the Lakers totaled 28 assists. The only sharpshooter for the Nuggets in Game 6 was J.R. Smith, who was 4-for-9 from three-point range and 10-for-17 from the floor for 24 points. Carmelo Anthony came up with 25 points, but had too many lapses on the defensive end. It wasn't a fitting ending for the Nuggets or the Denver crowd, which saw their team post its best-ever regular season record and advance farther in the playoffs than they've gone in 24 years. The Nuggets experienced tremendous growth after the trade to acquire Chauncey Billups, and if they keep the team together, they need only to absorb the lessons the Lakers taught them and take a few more steps to truly join the league's elite. There's no next year for L.A., advancing to the 30th NBA Finals in franchise history. Kobe, in his 13th season, knows his personal window is closing. He must win now to cement his legacy, and the rest of the Lakers must surely be hungry to erase the memories of last year's opportunity missed.

Eastern Conference Finals Game 5

2009-05-29T09:49:00.003-04:00

LeBron isn't asking for much in terms of help from his teammates. No one other than LeBron had what might be deemed a stellar sort of night Thursday for the Cavs, but it was enough to get by at home for a 112-102 win in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals, cutting Orlando's lead to 3-2. LeBron scored or assisted on 32 straight points in the third and fourth quarters, racking up a triple-double with 37 points, 14 rebounds and 12 assists. He was extraordinary, but failed to score 40 points for just the second time in this series. Those two occasions are, not coincidentally, the two games the Cavs have won. LeBron was not alone Thursday, as the man acquired to be LeBron's second-in-command finally played like it. Mo Williams nailed six of nine attempts from behind the arc for 24 points, and his hustle play with the team down by one and 6:09 to go helped turn the game in Cleveland's favor. He hustled after a missed three-pointer, diving out of bounds to save the ball and bouncing it off the leg of Rafer Alston to ensure the Cavs retained possession. Williams then assisted LeBron on a three-point play that put Cleveland in front for good. Daniel Gibson helped seal the victory with eight of his surprising 11 points in the fourth quarter, as he found his missing shot to go 3-for-4 from three-point range. Zydrunas Ilgauskas held his own against Dwight Howard, with 6-for-8 shooting for 16 points and six rebounds. That was all the Cavs needed in a topsy-turvy game that saw Cleveland blow a 22-point lead in the first half, Orlando take a six point lead in the third quarter, and the Cavs wind up pulling away for a double-digit victory. The Cavs emerged shooting 50 percent as a team and, thanks to Williams and Gibson, 50 percent from behind the arc, while the Magic shot just 46 percent from the floor and 32 percent on 25 shots from from three-point range. The Magic failed to take advantage of an edge at the free throw line, making just one more shot on 41 trips to the line compared to 34 attempts for the Cavs. It was an especially long night for Rafer Alston, who followed a career high 26 points in Game 4 with jus three on 1-for-10 shooting Thursday. Rashard Lewis struggled as well, going 4-for-13 for 15 points, but the resurgent Hedo Turkoglu made up for it with 29 points, a playoff career high of his own. Dwight Howard was once more brilliant in the paint, going 8-for-10 for 24 points and 10 rebounds, but again didn't get enough shots to become a dominant force, and fouled out with 2:21 to go. Howard isn't likely to publicly rehash his complaints about a lack of offensive involvement before Game 6 on Saturday, but he would be wise to do so in private. The Magic must feed Howard when he's on his game and others, like Lewis and Alston, are not. It is an ironic juxtaposition of superstars, in which one must become less integral to his team's offense and the other must become more so.

Western Conference Finals Game 5

2009-05-28T09:58:00.003-04:00

1. The Lakers had to play better defense and get improved play from Lamar Odom after a 19-point loss in Game 4. Done and done. The Nuggets went 9:53 with just one made field goal in the second half, and Lamar Odom posted 19 points and 14 rebounds as the Lakers pulled away in the fourth quarter Wednesday for a 103-94 victory to take a 3-2 series lead over Denver in the Western Conference Finals. The Nuggets led 73-66 after a Dahntay Jones tip-in with 5:11 to play in the third quarter, but it all fell apart for Denver from there. Trevor Ariza blocked Carmelo Anthony's jumper the next time down the floor, and though the Nuggets retained possession, Pau Gasol came up with an errant pass from Chauncey Billups and fed Shannon Brown for a dunk that ignited the Lakers. Gasol came away with yet another bad pass from Billups, Anthony was called for traveling and the Nuggets were caught with a 24-second clock violation as Denver continued to unravel on its next three possessions. A Billups three-pointer gave the Nuggets their last lead at the 2:24 mark of the third quarter, and Denver trailed 89-81 after their next basket, a Linas Kleiza trey with 7:18 left in the fourth quarter. Odom scored eight of his points during Denver's drought, and Brown, another spark plug off the bench, had all six of his points. Kobe had a team-high 22 points, but acknowledged after the game that he consciously tried to play more of a facilitator's role, dishing out eight assists. It worked, just as it did when the Lakers took Game 7 against the Rockets in the conference semifinals. Pau Gasol had 14 points and 10 rebounds, Trevor Ariza put up 12 points, five rebounds and four assists and Derek Fisher poured in 12 points as the Lakers had five players in double-figures. Andrew Bynum looked solid in limited playing time as well, scoring nine points in 19 minutes. The Lakers had an advantage on the interior all night, as Nene was barely a factor with four points and eight rebounds before fouling out. Kenyon Martin was the only post player for Denver who found any sort of success, with 12 points and five rebounds, while Chris Andersen had just two points and eight rebounds instead of his usual energizing performance off the bench. Anthony provided the lion's share of the offense, scoring 31 points, but went just 9-for-23 from the floor. That pales in comparison to the poor shooting of J.R. Smith, who was 1-for-10 from three-point range. Kleiza, who scored seven points in the second half to keep the Nuggets afloat for awhile, was the lone exception to a night of struggles for Denver. The talented Lakers played near their best Wednesday, and it seems the Nuggets can only hope L.A. can be lulled back into its frequent slumbers for two more nights.

Eastern Conference Finals Game 4

2009-05-26T23:53:00.002-04:00

It seemed like, as it had all season, that LeBron was destined to come out on top. A phantom foul on Mickael Pietrus as he was guarding LeBron was followed by a no-call on Anderson Varejao as he kept Dwight Howard from the basket at the end of regulation Tuesday, but Howard responded by creating his own fate. He came out and made three dunks to begin overtime, scored 10 of his team-high 27 points in the extra period as Orlando took a 3-1 series lead on Cleveland with a 116-114 victory. Howard's block of LeBron's driving shot with 16 seconds to go was symbolic not just of the moment but the entire series. The Magic's superstar has been maligned during the playoffs for his disappearances at key moments and his complaints about not seeing enough shots, but came through in an overtime that put Orlando a game away from the Finals. Howard's frustrations have been well-documented, and continued as he was called for a technical foul in the third quarter that puts him one technical away from an automatic suspension. He shook it off in overtime, and now it is LeBron who has to wonder what more he has to do. He scored more than 40 points for the third time in the series, pouring in 41, and on all three occasions his team has lost. His teammates showed signs of breaking out of their collective slump, led by Mo Williams, who had 18 points through three quarters. Yet Williams did not score in the final 16 minutes of the game, and Delonte West, the team's third-leading scorer with 17, put up only four of those points in the fourth quarter. The bench broke its string of four straight single-digit scoring performances, but was still outscored 26-14. Pietrus outdid the Cleveland bench all by himself with 17 points, all while drawing the unenviable assignment of guarding LeBron. The five three-pointers Pietrus hit were impressive, but no one had a touch quite as fine as Rafer Alston did, hitting on six of 12 attempts from behind the arc for 26 points, a career playoff high. Alston's unexpected contributions exascerbated Cleveland's troubles on defense. The Magic shot 50 percent from the floor and 17-for-38 on three-point attempts while the Cavs went just 6-for-22 behind the arc. The defense and all-around contributions that made the Cavs so tough all year have deserted them at the worst time. They must perform a spectacular turnaround now to claim a spot in the Finals that seemed just a week ago to have already been theirs.

Western Conference Finals Game 4

2009-05-26T07:48:00.003-04:00

This time, the Nuggets started and finished. Denver was done in by going nearly half the fourth quarter without a field goal in Game 3, but on Monday kept on scoring as seven players wound up in double-figures during a 120-101 victory that tied the Western Conference Finals at 2-2. The tightly called game resulted in 49 free throws for the Nuggets but only 38 for the Lakers, and Carmelo Anthony, in particular, took advantage. He was dealing with a stomach virus and suffered a sprained ankle in the first half, but mitigated a 3-for-16 shooting night with a 9-for-11 performance at the line for 15 points. It was nonetheless well below Anthony's average, so Billups, who was 9-for-9 at the line, and J.R. Smith, who nailed four of nine three-point attempts, filled in the gaps and scored 24 apiece. Denver's bench outscored L.A.'s 42-24, led by Smith and 10 points from Linas Kleiza, and the Nuggets pounded the Lakers on the boards, pulling down a 58-40 advantage. Kenyon Martin had 15 rebounds, Chris Andersen 14 and Nene 13, while Pau Gasol led the Lakers with just 10. Gasol and Andrew Bynum had an efficient night down low, with 21 points on 8-for-11 shooting for Gasol and 14 points on 6-for-7 from the field for Bynum. Kobe led all scorers with 34 points, but shot just 10-for-26 from the field and 2-for-10 from behind the arc. The struggles of Lamar Odom continued, as he shot 1-for-8 for five points and failed to score more than 10 points for the eighth game in a row, after averaging 17.8 points per game in the first round. The Lakers might be able to slip by the Nuggets if Odom doesn't become more productive, but they won't win a title. They'll do neither if they can't rebound or defend without fouling.

Eastern Conference Finals Game 3

2009-05-24T20:12:00.002-04:00

The difference for the Cavs this year has been the improved play of the supporting cast around LeBron. Sunday it seemed as though Cleveland was stuck in a time warp, as LeBron nearly outscored all of his teammates put together in a 99-89 loss to Orlando that gives the Magic a 2-1 series lead. LeBron scored 41 to go with nine assists and seven rebounds, but the Cavs made just nine field goals that he neither scored nor assisted upon. Cleveland shot just 5-for-26 from behind the arc, and even LeBron was ice cold from long distance, going 1-for-8. The Magic wasn't stellar from the outside either, shooting just 35 percent from three-point range, but surprisingly attempted just 16 treys to Cleveland's 25. Orlando did much of its damage at the line, draining 39 of a strikingly high 51 free throws attempted. Dwight Howard had his own foul trouble, playing just 28 minutes, but made the most of them thanks to plenty of free throw attempts, going 14-for-19 at the line for a team-high 24 points. It was the first time Howard failed to pull down double-digit rebounds in the entire postseason, but his teammates pitched in to keep the Cavs' edge on the glass to just 42-40. Hedo Turkoglu had 10 boards, helping making up for atrocious 1-for-11 shooting from the floor. Rashard Lewis had a relatively quiet night, scoring 15 points, his lowest offensive output since the first round, and still the Magic came away with victory. Rafer Alston and Mickael Pietrus filled the offensive void, as Alston had the hot shooting hand early en route to 18 points while Pietrus scored 11 of his 16 in the second half. The real masterstroke was by Orlando's defense, which allowed Cleveland to shoot just 37 percent and were content to let LeBron try to play one-on-five. Mo Williams was the second leading scorer for the Cavs, with 15, and he shot just 5-for-16 from the floor. Delonte West, with 12, was the only other double-figure scorer. The Cleveland bench continued its struggles on the road, failing to score 10 points for the fourth straight game away from home. The Magic have taken the Cavs completely out of their offensive rhythm in a magnificient defensive display. Cleveland would have been down 0-3 if not for LeBron's buzzer-beater. They'll need a lot more than off-balance three-pointers to right themselves in a series that's been owned by the Magic.

Eastern Conferrence Finals Game 2

2009-05-23T09:01:00.003-04:00

Hedo Turkoglu and Mo Williams came alive during the fourth quarter Friday, powering their teams' offenses. But when it came down to the final shot, Williams turned to the man who gets it done all the time for the Cavs, assisting LeBron for a three-pointer over the arms of Turkoglu that dropped in as time expired to give Cleveland a 95-95 victory in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals. LeBron's shot at the top of the key rescued the Cavs from what would have been a disastrous loss after blowing a 23-point lead. The Magic chipped away at that first-half deficit, finally tying the game with 6:13 to go on a 15-footer by Rashard Lewis, who once more proved difficult for the Cavs to contain and led the Magic with 23 points. Courtney Lee followed with a 10-footer at the 5:26 mark to give Orlando its first lead. The Cavs retook the lead on a Williams three-pointer about a minute later, and then Turkoglu, who scored eight of his 21 in the fourth quarter, hit a three-pointer to tie the game with 48 seconds left. Turkoglu's shot with less than a second to go gave Orlando what looked to be the winning 95-93 margin, but it instead merely set up another signature moment for LeBron. It was yet another high scoring night for LeBron, who had 35 points to go with five assists and four rebounds, and he was essentially the only scorer on the floor until Mo Williams scored nine of his 19 points in the final period. Delonte West added 12 points, and Zydrunas Ilgauskas had 12 as well, though his greatest contribution was on the boards, where he pulled down 15 rebounds. He was competitive with Dwight Howard all night as the Cavs refused to let Howard go off the way he did in the Magic's Game 1 victory. Howard followed up a 30-point night with just eight shots and 10 points to go with 18 rebounds. The frightening thing for the Cavs is they nearly lost even as they contained Howard. The Magic's psyche clearly took a hit on the buzzer-beater, but they have played the Cavs remarkably well on the road, and have a chance to take command of the series if they play just as well at home.

Western Conference Finals Game 2

2009-05-22T07:41:00.002-04:00

1. Nuggets fans might want to play the number 16 in the lottery, as that number was central to some unexpected contributions and a comeback from their team in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals. Kenyon Martin overcame a broken ring finger on his left hand to score 16 points, and Linas Kleiza provided the bench play Denver lacked in Game 1 with four made three-pointers and 16 points as the Nuggets erased a 16-point deficit in the first half Thursday to win 106-103. The other major scoring outputs for Denver came from more familiar sources. Carmelo Anthony scored at least 30 points for the fifth game in a row, with 34, and Chauncey Billups shook off the relative struggles of Game 1 to score 27. The Nuggets still must be troubled by J.R. Smith's continued cold shooting, as he went 1-for-6 for just three points. The Lakers have their own concerns about Derek Fisher, who lost his touch again after nailing three of six from behind the arc in Game 1, going 1-for-9 for three points Thursday. Kobe Bryant tried to make up for it with an efficient 20-shot, 32-point performance, while Trevor Ariza was a force on both ends, with 6-for-7 shooting and 20 points to go with four steals. Yet Ariza will rue his worst play of the night, when he tripped after caputuring a jump ball with the Lakers down two and 18 seconds to go, resulting in a turnover that led to game-clinching free throws by Billups. Each team can now say they've let a game get away, and it will be especially incumbent upon the Lakers to cut down on mistakes as they attempt to capture the next two games in Denver, where the Nuggets haven't lost in more than two months.

Eastern Conference Finals, Game 1

2009-05-21T07:54:00.004-04:00

The Cavs are not invincible. Any team can be beaten if it gives up 55 percent shooting, and 45 percent shooting from behind the arc, as Cleveland did in only its second meaningful loss at home all season Tuesday, a 107-106 defeat at the hands of Orlando. That the Cavs came within in Mo Williams' prayer off a jump ball with a second to go despite playing such poor defense most of the night shows just how potent Cleveland is. LeBron had a magnificent night, scoring 49 points on 30 shots, dishing eight assists and pulling down six rebounds. It's not his fault Cleveland's interior players couldn't compete. Dwight Howard and Rashard Lewis outscored Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Anderson Varejao 52-24, led by Howard's 30 points and 13 rebounds. Lewis was 9-for-13 for 22 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Orlando's distributors were effective at feeding the post, as Orlando piled up 32 assists to Cleveland's 23. Hedo Turkoglu served up 14 assists and Rafer Alston had eight. The Magic had a much more productive bench as well, led by Mickael Pietrus with 13 points. The Cleveland reserves were outscored 25-5, with those five coming from Joe Smith. Wally Szczerbiak, Daniel Gibson and Ben Wallace went scoreless, as the Cavs struggled to find a complementary scorer for LeBron. Williams scored 17, including a three-pointer and the end of the half and another that gave Cleveland a lead with 2:04 to go, but it was not enough. The same goes for Delonte West, who nailed three treys but went just 4-for-13 for 11 points. The major problem the Cavs must address isn't on offense, of course. They have to improve their defense and particularly on the interior, where they can't allow Howard to have another huge scoring night. Friday night is suddenly even more important than it would have been, with Cleveland fighting to avoid a difficult 0-2 hole and Orlando seeking a knockout punch.

Three random observations ...

2009-05-20T10:16:00.002-04:00

... about the NBA:

1. One man who has been there before doesn't quite stack up to a whole team with experience. That was the case Tuesday for Chauncey Billups and the Nuggets, who fell to a Lakers team that exhibited more poise under pressure late in a 105-103 L.A. win in the first game of the Western Conference Finals. The Nuggets held a four point lead with 3:25 to go after Carmelo Anthony scored his 39th point. Kobe Bryant responded with a long two-point jumper, and after Pau Gasol blocked a Nene layup, Bryant tossed out of the double team to an open Derek Fisher, who hit his third game-changing three-pointer of the night to give the Lakers the lead. Billups responded with a three-pointer of his own to give the lead back to Denver. Consecutive fouls led to four points at the free throw line for L.A., and a two-point Laker lead. Trevor Ariza then stole Anthony Carter's inbounds pass, and two more three throws made it a two-possession game. Billups followed with another three-pointer to cut it to one, but with three seconds and no timeouts, it was too late for the Nuggets. Billups, who had 18 points and eight assists, couldn't single-handedly beat the Lakers as Anthony and the rest of the team lost its head down the stretch. Kenyon Martin made an unexpected offensive contribution with 15 points, but committed a unnecessary foul on Kobe that sent him to the line in a tie game with 30 seconds to go. Nene had a healthy output with 14 points on 6-for-9 shooting, but fouled out with 1:14 to play. The Nuggets bench, one of the team's greatest strengths, was outscored 27-16 as J.R. Smith struggled to find his shot on an eight-point night. The Lakers seemed one-dimensional in the box score, but Kobe's 40 points for once did not indicate a lack of involvement from the rest of the team. Fisher had 13 clutch point, and Pau Gasol had a double-double with 13 points and 14 rebounds. Six Lakers made at least one shot from the floor off the bench, and five made at least one three-pointer on a night when the Lakers shot 11-for-25 from behind the arc. Denver actually held an advantage from the floor, as the Nuggets shot 49 percent to 41 percent for the Lakers, but L.A. made up for it with outside shooting, a 46-37 rebounding edge, and at the line. Denver shot just 23-35, or 66 percent, on free throws, and even the normally straight-shooting Billups missed three of nine foul shots. The savvy Lakers were able to steal a game Tuesday, and the Nuggets can only blame themselves for a loss that may haunt them all summer.

2. The Kings are kicking themselves, too. They had the worst record in the NBA, but fell to fourth in the draft order after the lottery Tuesday. The L.A. Clippers won, meaning they'll likely be selecting Blake Griffin of Oklahoma first overall. There's a dropoff in talent after Griffin in what's generally hailed as a weak draft class, so the Kings and the Wizards, who had the second-worst record but fell to fifth place in the lottery, are clear losers. The Thunder, a team that looks poised to take a leap with Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, moved up a spot, which can only improve Oklahoma City's chances of making the playoffs next year. The Grizzlies, another team with young stars in place, should get better after picking second this year. But no team got luckier than the Clippers, a franchise that could use luck and a little direction, too. Griffin would prompt the team to move some of its frontcourt parts, nearly all of which were on the shelf with injury at one point during their dreadful 2008-09 season. The draft isn't until June 25, of course, so there's more than a month for the Clippers to change course and decide against Griffin and instead take the next Michael Olowokandi, the bust of a No. 1 pick whom the Clippers selected the last time they won the lottery.

3. We're changing the format a little bit down the stretch here. With only one game a night for the duration of the season, we'll focus on that contest, and instead of breaking everything into three separate entries, we'll just have one "observation" (though really the observations include more than just a single thought). The exception will be when league news prompts another entry or two. So let's enjoy what should be an intriguing final two rounds, with either Kobe versus LeBron or an upset on the way.

Conference Finals previews

2009-05-19T15:38:00.007-04:00

WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS PREVIEW
No. 1 L.A. LAKERS vs. No. 2 DENVER NUGGETS
Summary
No one would have given the Nuggets much of a chance against the Lakers when the playoffs began. The clubs have since taken divergent paths, with Denver cruising to easy five-game victories over New Orleans and Dallas while L.A. looked out of sorts in seven games against Houston following a first-round dismissal of Utah. The point guard matchup, perhaps more so than any other, inspires confidence in those who are now calling for a Denver upset. Chauncey Billups has been magnificent, averaging 22.1 points, 7.3 assists and a startling 54 percent on three-point attempts in the playoffs. The Lakers have meanwhile struggled to find the right mix from their trio of Derek Fisher, Jordan Farmar and Shannon Brown. That's hardly true at the other guard spot, where Kobe is averaging 27 points, five rebounds and 4.5 assists in 12 postseason games. He scored 40 in Game 2 against Houston but just 14 in Game 7 as he focused his attention on getting his teammates involved, a key assignment for him moving forward. Dahntay Jones has the unenviable task of trying to slow Kobe, though any success in that endeavor will go far to cement Jones' reputation as a premier perimeter defender. The same goes for Trevor Ariza. His job will be guarding Carmelo Anthony, whose playoff averages of 27 points, 6.4 rebounds and 4.3 assists compare favorably to Kobe's. The Lakers are likely to go with Pau Gasol at power forward and Andrew Bynum starting at center, meaning Denver's Kenyon Martin, known for his athleticism and interior defense, will have his hands full against the long, agile Gasol. Bynum struggled mightily against Utah, losing his starting job, but he regained it when Lamar Odom sustained a back injury against Houston, and is coming off his best performance of the playoffs in Game 7. Bynum is an X-factor, but so is Nene, who was known primarily for injuries and inconsistency until this season, continuing his evolution in the playoffs with six double-figure scoring games. Odom and the Nuggets' Chris Andersen give each team energy off the bench, and while the Birdman is hot, Odom is more experienced and a better all-around threat. The greatest difference maker in reserve for Denver is J.R. Smith, who has averaged 16.3 points a game of instant offense. The Lakers don't have anyone of Smith's caliber on their bench, but they have plenty of bodies, including the efficient Luke Walton, streak shooting Sasha Vujacic, and whichever two point guards don't start. Steady Anthony Carter is the backup point guard for Denver, which really goes only eight deep, though Linas Kleiza makes an occasional cameo to provide the team with an additional shooter. The Lakers play 10 men, with Josh Powell able to step into the post if needed. Both benches are among the game's best, though L.A. can only lay that claim if Odom isn't starting. Denver has the more consistent rotation, and it's clear the entire team is in rhythm. They can defend and score, but so can the Lakers, who, for all their troubles, still have the more talented team. They've got homecourt advantage, too, and they're going to need it, given Denver's newfound enthusiasm for their team, which hasn't lost at home in more than two months. It will be a lot more competitive than anyone might have thought when the playoffs began, but Kobe, the best player on either team, will not be denied a shot at another title. Prediction: Lakers in 7.

Lineups
Schedule (all times Eastern)
Game 1 - Tue May 19 Denver at L.A. Lakers 9 p.m. ESPN
Game 2 - Thu May 21 Denver at L.A. Lakers 9 p.m. ESPN
Game 3 - Sat May 23 L.A. Lakers at Denver 8:30 p.m. ABC
Game 4 - Mon May 25 L.A. Lakers at Denver 9 p.m. ESPN
Game 5 * Wed May 27 Denver at L.A. Lakers 9 p.m. ESPN
Game 6 * Fri May 29 L.A. Lakers at Houston 9 p.m. ESPN
Game 7 * Sun May 31 Houston at L.A. Lakers 8:30 p.m. ABC

Lineups
Los Angeles Lakers
Starters
PG Derek Fisher
SG Kobe Bryant
SF Trevor Ariza
PF Pau Gasol
C Andrew Bynum
Bench
F Lamar Odom
PG Jordan Farmar
G Sasha Vujacic
G Shannon Brown
SF Luke Walton
PF Josh Powell
C D.J. Mbenga

Denver Nuggets
Starters
PG Chauncey Billups
SG Dahntay Jones
SF Carmelo Anthony
PF Kenyon Martin
C Nene
Bench
SG J.R. Smith
F Linas Kleiza
PG Anthony Carter
PF Chris Andersen
C/F Johan Petro
F Renaldo Balkman
PG Jason Hart

EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS PREVIEW
No. 1 CLEVELAND CAVALIERS vs. No. 3 ORLANDO MAGIC
Summary
The King finally has a worthy challenger to his throne. LeBron and the Cavs have cruised to eight consecutive double-digit victories to begin the playoffs against clearly inferior competition. The Magic, who won 59 games in the regular season, represent a clear step up, but whether they'll be able to get any closer to knocking off Cleveland than the Pistons or Hawks did is another matter. The Magic will no doubt be using an array of defenders on LeBron, who is the leading scorer in the playoffs with 32.9 points per game, to go along with 9.8 rebounds and 6.8 assists. Hedo Turkoglu, Rashard Lewis, J.J. Redick, Mickael Pietrus and Courtney Lee are all liable to wind up on King James before the series is through. That leaves plenty of open shots for guards Mo Williams and Delonte West if the Magic choose to double-team, and that could widen the advantages Cleveland already has at the guard positions. Williams, at 14.8 points and 4.5 assists per game for the playoffs, is another tough matchup for Orlando's Rafer Alston, who just got done dealing with the toughness and savvy of Andre Miller and the speed and skill of Rajon Rondo. Williams is a much better shooter than those two, so it's yet another defensive adjustment. West has thrived this season after being switched to shooting guard, and is coming off a 21-point performance in Game 4 against Atlanta. He has a clear advantage over Redick, if Orlando coach Stan Van Gundy stays with the shooter, and would likely hold an edge over Lee or Pietrus if there's a change in the Magic's starting lineup. Orlando's meal ticket is in the paint, where Rashard Lewis will be a tough cover for Anderson Varejao, who isn't used to playing on the outside as much as Lewis likes, and at center, where Dwight Howard has, despite his up-and-down involvement on offense, averaged 16.6 rebounds a game. Zydrunas Ilgauskas isn't the kind of player Howard is, but he's still one of the better centers in the league, and has the size and offensive skill set to at least make the matchup competitive. The Magic's bench could keep the series interesting as well, particularly if Redick can hold onto the starting two-guard spot and the hot-shooting Pietrus can remain with the second unit. Lee is a multi-dimensional scorer who can provide punch off the bench as well. Anthony Johnson is a solid, experienced backup point guard, while reserve power forward Tony Battie is a competent scorer in the post and Marcin Gortat is shooting 71 percent as Howard's backup center. Cleveland's bench has struggled, particularly away from home, nearly coughing up a big lead to Detroit in Game 3 and following with combined totals of 13, seven and eight points in the next three road games. Power forward Joe Smith and swingman Wally Szczerbiak have been the best of a motley bunch, though it's unfair to count center Ben Wallace's production by offensive numbers. Daniel Gibson's shooting has been missing, and Sasha Pavlovic has done little to recall his days as a starter. This trend will have to continue for Orlando to prevail, as will the resurgent play of Hedo Turkoglu, who's coming off of 25 points and 12 assists in Game 7. Otherwise, the Magic have no shot. Prediction: Cavs in 5.

Schedule
Game 1 - Wed May 20 Orlando at Cleveland 8:30 p.m. TNT
Game 2 - Fri May 22 Orlando at Cleveland 8:30 p.m. TNT
Game 3 - Sun May 24 Cleveland at Orlando 8:30 p.m. TNT
Game 4 - Tue May 26 Cleveland at Orlando 8:30 p.m. TNT
Game 5 * Thu May 28 Orlando at Cleveland 8:30 TNT
Game 6 * Sat May 30 Cleveland at Orlando 8:30 TNT
Game 7 * Mon June 1 Orlando at Cleveland 8:30 TNT

Lineups
Cleveland Cavaliers
Starters
PG Mo Williams
SG Delonte West
SF LeBron James
PF Anderson Varejao
C Zydrunas Ilgauskas
Bench
F/C Joe Smith
G/F Wally Szczerbiak
F/C Ben Wallace
G Daniel Gibson
F/C Darnell Jackson
SG Sasha Pavlovic
SG Tarence Kinsey
Injured
PF J.J. Hickson (back, out indefinitely)

Orlando Magic
Starters
PG Rafer Alston
SG J.J. Redick
SF Hedo Turkoglu
PF Rashard Lewis
C Dwight Howard
Bench
G/F Mickael Pietrus
SG Courtney Lee
PG Anthony Johnson
C Marcin Gortat
F/C Tony Battie
PG Tyronn Lue
C Adonal Foyle
SG Jeremy Richardson
Injuries
PG Jameer Nelson (separated shoulder, out)

Three random observations ...

2009-05-18T14:45:00.002-04:00

... about the NBA:

1. Hedo Turkoglu is known as a late-game player. He also appears to be a late-season player. Turkoglu shook off the struggles that had plagued him for months to show signs of life early in the series against the Celtics, and came back after a 3-for-13 clunker in Game 6 to deliver his finest performance since February on Sunday when the Magic really needed him in Game 7. He hit on nine of 12 shots, including a 4-for-5 performance from three-point range, to score 25 points to go along with a playoff career high 12 assists as the Magic won Game 7 in Boston to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals. Turkoglu had it going throughout the game, with 10 points in the first half and a three-point dagger with 3:55 to go that answered a Ray Allen trey and put the Magic up by 15. Allen was Boston's leading scorer with 23 points on 9-for-18 shooting, but everyone around him was flat. Paul Pierce had 16 points but went 4-for-13 from the field, Glen Davis only got seven shots off for 13 points, and Rajon Rondo went 4-for-10 for 10 points. Orlando outscored the Celtics 25-12 off the bench, as Mickael Pietrus sizzled in his 24 minutes of play, shooting 6-for-7 and making all three of his shots behind the arc for 17 points. Rashard Lewis went just 5-for-14, but went to the line 10 times and wound up with 19 points. Rafer Alston had 15 points, and Dwight Howard was just the fifth leading scorer on the team, struggling with foul trouble and taking just nine shots for 12 points. Howard couldn't complain about the lack of shots this time, though, given all the other hot hands on the team, and he still made his presence felt on the boards, where he had a game-high 16 rebounds, and on defense, with five blocks. The Magic became a much better defensive team after being eliminated in the second round last year, and it was the defense, which held Boston to 32 percent shooting and 4-for-16 from three-point territory, that lifted Orlando past the conference semifinals this year. The Celtics, who played so valiantly without Kevin Garnett, can simply hope Garnett, Pierce and Allen can avoid breaking down next year, and that their young players continue to improve so they can return to championship contention in 2010.

2. The Lakers, who have squeezed in as many naps as possible in these playoffs, finally kept their hands off the snooze bar Sunday. The post players for L.A., and in particular the long-slumbering Andrew Bynum, finally took control as they should have much earlier against the depleted Houston interior in an 89-70 Game 7 victory that did away with the pesky Rockets. Bynum hit on six of seven field goal attempts and scored 14 points, while Pau Gasol had game highs in points, with 21, and rebounds, with 18. The Lakers held a 55-33 advantage on the boards, as shooting guard Ron Artest led Houston with eight rebounds. The attention to defense was the key for the normally offensive-minded Lakers. The Rockets shot just 37 percent, and though Aaron Brooks, who has averaged 24.7 points in his last three games, was again the leading scorer, the Lakers held him to 4-for-13 from the floor and 13 points. Luis Scola, another difference maker from Game 6, endured a 4-for-12 shooting performance for just 11 points. The reserve backcourt of Von Wafer and Kyle Lowry combined for 18 points, but with Carl Landry going 2-for-10, the bench couldn't keep Houston in the game. Kobe Bryant, who has mostly looked to score during the playoffs, played a facilitator's role Sunday, taking just 12 shots for 14 points while dishing out a team-high five assists and grabbing seven rebounds. Kobe's conscious deferrment to his teammates may be what the Lakers need to get going as the competition gets tougher against the Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals. The Rockets, as hard as they fought without Yao Ming, Dikembe Mutombo and Tracy McGrady, had no business taking L.A. to a seventh game. Many questons face the Houston franchise this offseason, but the answer the Lakers must deliver is whether they can learn from the fevered intensity the Rockets have shown.

3. I reviewed my predictions after the first round, so let's see how I fared in the conference semis. I had the Lakers in seven, believing the Lakers would struggle as they did against the Rockets, though I surely wouldn't have made the same call if I knew Yao would miss more than half the series. The Nuggets won in five and I had them winning in six, but I could have been dead on if not for the non-call on Antoine Wright that led to Carmelo Anthony's three-pointer at the end of Game 3. I called for the Celtics to prevail in seven, which looked like a winner until Hedo Turkoglu materialized when I least expected him to and the Magic regrouped to steal Game 7 on the road. I underestimated the Cavs, daring to think they could lose a game against Atlanta by picking them to win in five when they instead made it consecutive sweeps to start the playoffs. So I nailed only one of the series after picking four of eight on the nose in the first round, but picked three of four winners this time while coming within a game of perfection in each of the three series I missed. I'll take it, and move on to the conference finals, with previews and predictions Tuesday before Game 1 between the Nuggets and Lakers.

Three random observations ...

2009-05-15T10:29:00.003-04:00

... about the NBA:

1. No one gets up off the mat quite like these Houston Rockets. And no one has more egregious lapses than the Lakers. The Rockets responded to a 40-point blowout in Game 5 by evening up their Western Conference Semifinals at 3-3 Thursday with a wire-to-wire 95-80 victory over L.A. It's the second time in three outings the Lakers have trailed the entire game after holding a lead at some point in every game all season. The Rockets ran out to a 21-3 lead, and kept the Lakers at arm's length the rest of the way. L.A. came within two points in the third quarter after Houston started 1-for-7 coming out of the half, but Carl Landry converted a three-point play to re-energize the Rockets, whose lead was back to nine by the end of the period. Landry was a catalyst off the bench with 15 points on perfect 6-for-6 shooting and nine rebounds, helping the depleted Houston front line dominate in an area where the Lakers are supposed to have an advantage. Luis Scola had 24 points and 12 rebounds while Pau Gasol had 14 points and 11 rebounds, Andrew Bynum went scoreless with seven rebounds in 19 minutes, and Lamar Odom had eight points and 14 rebounds off the bench. The lack of production from the L.A. post players represented more yeoman's defensive work from 6-foot-6 Chuck Hayes, who once more started at center. It was the even smaller Aaron Brooks who carried the day for the Rockets, going 8-for-13 from the floor and nailing three of four attempts from behind the arc for a team-high 26 points. His production has been the barometer for the Rockets all series, as he's scored 19 points or better in three wins and 14 or fewer in three losses. It's his hot shooting and ability to penetrate that allows Houston to shoot high percentages, as they did Thursday with their 51 percent showing from the floor on Thursday, and negate the offensive production of Kobe. The Rockets defense kept Kobe relatively in check as well, as he scored 32 points, but took 27 shots to get there, and the rest of the Lakers struggled to get going on a 36 percent shooting night. The lone bright spot was the play of Jordan Farmar, who has been reinvigorated since starting for the suspended Derek Fisher in Game 3. Farmar was one of just three double figure scorers for L.A. with 13 points on 5-for-10 shooting, while Fisher struggled to 1-for-7 shooting for two points. Don't be surprised to see Farmar inserted back into the starting lineup for Game 7. The Lakers can use any spark they can get right now.

2. Point taken from Dwight Howard. The Magic fed their superstar big man early, and he wound up with 23 points on 16 shots in Game 6 Thursday instead of the 12 points on 10 shots he had in Game 5. Yet the Magic kept going to a hot hand whose success is just as critical, giving Rashard Lewis 18 shots for 20 points in an 83-75 Orlando victory that evens the Eastern Conference Semifinal series at 3-3. Lewis has been able to exploit the mismatch he has with Glen Davis and Brian Scalabrine on the offensive end the entire series, so he continues to get the looks, and together with the involvement of Howard, who yanked down 22 rebounds, the Magic controlled the interior. The inside production was critical, because Hedo Turkoglu returned to his cold-shooting ways after an 18-point Game 5, struggling through a 3-for-13, seven-point performance Thursday. The starting backcourt of J.J. Redick, who was 0-for-7 for two points, and Rafer Alston struggled as well, until Alston nailed a go-ahead three-pointer with 4:01 left and sank a tear drop with 1:52 to go to finish with 11 points and give the Magic a three-point lead. Turkoglu followed with his lone highlight, a dagger of a trey that put Orlando up six with 1:23 to go. The Magic nonetheless wound up with just 37 percent shooting, enough only because Boston committed 22 turnovers to just 10 for Orlando. Rajon Rondo and Kendrick Perkins were the major culprit for the Celtics, giving away the ball five times each despite major production in other areas. Rondo went for 19 points, a team-high 16 rebounds and six assists while Perkins had 15 points and 10 rebounds. Paul Pierce scored 17 points and had nine rebounds, but the rest of the team struggled, and in particular Ray Allen, who was without his shot for the second straight game, going just 2-for-11 for five points. The Celtics need Allen to find some way to contribute in Game 7, just like the Magic need more out of their shooters. Orlando may insert Mickael Pietrus for Redick, while Boston's reserves will be asked to get it done off the bench, just as they did in Game 7 against Chicago.

3. Commissioner David Stern held court Thursday in Houston before Game 6 between the Rockets and Lakers, and it appears he, too, has concerns the right calls aren't always being made by the officials. He reiterated his desire for 100 percent accuracy, and said he'd be in favor of expanding the replay system to include a coach's challenge system like the one the NFL has. It's unclear whether such a system would have allowed Dallas coach Rick Carlisle to challenge the non-call on Antoine Wright that led to Carmelo Anthony's game-winner in the Mavs-Nuggets series, but it's clear the league must move in that direction. The spectre of the Tim Donaghy scandal still looms over the league and its officials, who continue to be perceived as, at best, incompetent, and at worst, criminally so. Any effort to make the outcome of games as clear and indisputable as possible is the correct one for the NBA right now, as is the further definition of flagrant and technical fouls. Stern said he won't loosen the reigns on the league's penalties for such transgressions, but the man who metes out most of the punishment, Stu Jackson, is open to more communication about just what the rules are. Players, coaches, fans and apparently officials could all benefit from greater clarity, as the ejections, suspensions and spectre of suspensions stemming from the violation of these loosely defined rules have been major stories in the playoffs. Stern draw the line wherever he wants, but he has to tell everyone where it is first.

BONUS OBSERVATION
4. A special note here to pass along the news that the NBA has lost another of its most intriguing figures to cancer. Wayman Tisdale, who provided size and offense off the bench for Indiana and Phoenix and was a 20-point scorer for Sacramento in the 1980s and '90s, died Friday morning at the age of 44. Tisdale was a force in college ball at Oklahoma, and was inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame, and after his 12 years in the NBA recorded eight albums, achieving a second fame as a jazz bass guitarist. A bone cancer diagnosis led to the amputation of his right leg in 2008, and disease continued to consume Tisdale. He received an award from the Greenwood Cultural Center in his native Tulsa, Okla., but appeared at the ceremony 30 pounds lighter than usual and in a wheelchair after battling acute esophagitis, which kept him from swallowing. He nonetheless had a 21-date concert tour scheduled for this spring and summer. His death comes on the heels of Chuck Daly's passing this weekend. Let's hope this is the last such news for awhile.

Three random observations ...

2009-05-13T10:47:00.003-04:00

... about the NBA:

1. It's all falling apart for the Orlando Magic. They were a buzzer-beater away from a 3-1 lead Sunday, but now find themselves trailing 3-2 after blowing a 14-point fourth quarter lead Tuesday in a 92-88 defeat to Boston. Coach Stan Van Gundy blamed himself for poor defensive strategy on the Glen Davis basket that beat them in Game 4, and Van Gundy drew more than just self-criticism after Game 5. Dwight Howard said after taking just 10 shots in Tuesday's game that the team must do a better job of getting the ball to him. He appears to have a point, since it's tough to win if the best player on the floor is an afterthought on offense. It's been this way for the entire series. Howard, Hedo Turkoglu and Rashard Lewis shared the ball and took 14 shots apiece in Game 4. Howard was limited to eight shots because of foul trouble in Game 3, and took one fewer shot than Lewis in Game 2. Howard took 12 shots in Game 1, fourth most on the team. Yet Howard can only blame himself for his struggles on the boards after the first quarter, when he pulled down nine of his 17 rebounds. The Celtics as a team held a 42-39 advantage on the boards, as everyone in the starting lineup for Boston, except Ray Allen, had at least seven rebounds. The Magic were done in by their inability to pull down a rebound in the final minute, allowing Boston to keep the ball for a 54-second stretch until Eddie House made two free throws for an 88-85 Boston lead. The Celtics got to the free throw line more often than the Magic, and took full advantage, sticking all 21 of their shots. Davis, in further evidence of his arrival, was the leading scorer with 22 points, outplaying the man to whom he was assigned, Rashard Lewis, the Magic's leading scorer with 18 points. Paul Pierce had a relatively quiet scoring night but nearly came away with a triple-double in a 19-point, nine-rebound, eight-assist performance. Stephon Marbury added 12 points, all of which came in the early part of the fourth quarter to keep Boston afloat. Now it's the Magic who must quickly reconcile differences and use the weapons they have to avoid being sunk.

2. The Rockets stunned the Lakers in Game 4 without Yao Ming, but continuing to get abberationally great performances from supporting players is no reliable way to win a series. That was clear Tuesday as the Lakers and their superior talent took control in a 118-78 rout that puts L.A. up 3-2 in the series. Lamar Odom played limited minutes for the Lakers after injuring his back on a hard fall in Game 4, but even so, the Lakers displayed superior athleticism and dominated every phase of the game. The outside shooting that was such an important factor for the Rockets on Sunday was absent Tuesday, when they shot 5-for-29 from behind the arc. Ron Artest's shooting woes continue, as he went 4-for-15 and 1-for-7 from three-point range to score just nine points. Aaron Brooks was once more the leading scorer for Houston, but his 14 in Game 5 was well off his career-high 34 from Game 4. The Lakers had seven scorers in double figures, led by Kobe's 26, and made the most of 18 Rocket giveaways, scoring 24 points off turnovers. The Rockets had just 10 points of 13 turnovers by L.A. The major disparity was in field goal percentage, as the Lakers shot 51 percent while the Rockets made just 32 percent of their attempts from the floor. It was a reversal, and then some, from the last time out. The Rockets, with their limited personell, will be hard-pressed to turn the series another 180 degrees in Game 6.

3. Here is the schedule for the next few days:
Wednesday, May 13
Dallas at Denver, Game 5, 9 p.m. TNT
Thursday, May 14
Boston at Orlando, Game 6, 7 p.m. ESPN
L.A. Lakers at Houston, Game 6, 9:30 p.m. ESPN
Friday, May 15
Denver at Dallas, Game 6, if necessary, TBA ESPN
Sunday, May 17
Orlando at Boston, Game 7, if necessary, TBA TNT
Houston at L.A. Lakers, Game 7, if necessary, TBA TBA
Dallas at Denver, Game 7, if necessary, TBA TBA

Three random observations ...

2009-05-12T09:44:00.002-04:00

... about the NBA:

1. There's a step up from Detroit and Atlanta to either Orlando or Boston, but the question for the Cavs right now is whether anyone can give them a game. Cleveland moved to 8-0 in the playoffs, with each victory by double figures, in an 84-74 win Monday that completed a 4-0 sweep of the Hawks. LeBron was brilliant once again, nearing a triple-double with 27 points, eight rebounds and eight assists, but the story was Cleveland's defense, which held Atlanta to woeful 32 percent shooting. The Hawks shot just 2-for-13 from three-point range, and if it hadn't been for an advantage at the free throw line and in the turnover category, Atlanta might have been dusted by 25 or 30. The Cavs committed 18 turnovers to Atlanta's eight, and shot just 14-for-26 at the free throw line while the Hawks went 26-for-30. Cleveland once more struggled to find bench production, getting just six from Wally Szczerbiak and two from Joe Smith. There are chinks in Cleveland's armor, but they hardly show up next to the deep dents they put into their opponents. The Cavs took apart the Hawks on the boards again, gaining a 48-33 advantage through 11 from Anderson Varejao and 10 by Zydrunas Ilgauskas. No one on the Hawks had more than the eight rebounds of Josh Smith, who was one of only two cogs in working order for Atlanta. Smith had 26 points, while Joe Johnson had 18 points, seven assists and six rebounds. The rest of the team shot just 21 percent against a Cavalier defense that, together with LeBron, are halfway from delivering Cleveland its first championship.

2. The rest of the Mavericks finally gave Dirk Nowitzki the help he needed, and Dallas finally won a game in its Western Conference Semifinal series with Denver. Nowitzki scored 44 and was one of six players in double figures as the Mavs chipped away at a deficit that was as much as 14 points in the first half to come up with a 119-117 victory to avert a sweep. Josh Howard overcame his ankle to score 21 and grab 11 rebounds, while Jason Kidd had 13 points, 10 rebounds and six assists. Jason Terry, Brandon Bass and J.J. Barea scored in double-figures as well as the Mavs shot 51 percent. Dallas dominated the boards, with a 50-34 rebounding advantage thanks in large part to Nowitzki, who had a game-high 13. The Dallas star was virtually matched by Carmelo Anthony, who had 41 points, 11 rebounds and five steals, but for once, Anthony's team didn't have the firepower to keep up with Nowitzki's. Chauncey Billups had 24 points and seven assists, and J.R. Smith went 7-for-10 for 19 points, but it was clear the Nuggets missed Birdman Andersen, who was sidelined with a stomach flu. They got a solid performance from Nene, who had nine points and eight rebounds and caused all sorts of trouble once more for Erick Dampier, who fouled out. Yet it wasn't the sort of 20-plus point offensive showing he put out in Games 1 and 2. The Nuggets will struggle in the paint without either Birdman or an unusually stellar performance from Nene, but there's little for them to be concerned about as far as this series is concerned. It took a gargantuan effort for the Mavericks just to beat a shorthanded Denver team. Birdman should be back for Game 4 Wednesday (9 p.m., TNT), and that should be the end of the Mavs.

3. Just about everyone expected Chris Mullin's dismissal as VP of basketball operations from the Warriors. What no one can forecast is what Golden State will do next. The troubled franchise stripped Mullin of most of his power in November, firing Mullin aide Pete D'Allesandro and promoting longtime Don Nelson assistant Larry Riley, who was in turn named Mullin's replacement Monday. Team president Robert Rowell clashed with Mullin, despite the job Mullin did to construct the franchise's first playoff team since 1994. Mullin's acquisition of Stephen Jackson and Al Harrington in a midseason trade sparked the Warriors to the postseason in 2007, where as a No. 8 seed they upset Dallas, the league's top overall seed. The team barely missed the playoffs in 2008, but floundered to a 29-53 finish this year while Mullin was out of the loop. Now the Warriors are without not only a man who has brought recent success but a legendary player for the team in the '80s and '90s and a member of the original Dream Team. He was a connection to Golden State's last heyday for the Bay Area's rabid basketball following, and his departure will further test the team's already put-upon fan base. The franchise could be one of the league's most important teams, but under Chris Cohan, who has not coincidentally been owner since 1994, they have not been.

Three random observations ...

2009-05-10T18:23:00.003-04:00

... about the NBA:

1. The Lakers apparently forgot that Yao Ming was not the only competent professional on the Houston roster. L.A. simply laid down in the first game since Yao's season-ending broken foot was diagnosed, trailing by as many as 29 points in a 99-87 loss that leaves the Western Conference Semifinal series tied a 2-2. The Rockets were able to trounce the Lakers even as Ron Artest struggled through a 4-for-19, eight-point night because the Lakers let Aaron Brooks simply dismantle them for 34 points on 12-for-20 shooting. Opposing shooting guard Derek Fisher wasn't a factor on either end of the floor, finishing with two points on four shots as L.A. struggled to find any offense. Kobe Bryant followed up five consecutive 30-point performances with a 15-point dud in which he failed to get to the line even once. Pau Gasol led the Lakers with 30 points, but 18 of those came in the fourth quarter once the game was already out of reach. The Rockets simply did a masterful job on defense, and picked up scoring from infrequent contributors like Brooks and Shane Battier, who nailed five of 10 three-point shots for 23 points. Houston wound up with a 43-37 advantage on the boards even though L.A. had a significant size advantage, thanks to Luis Scola, who had 14 rebounds, Artest with 10, and Chuck Hayes, who started at center and pulled down nine. The Lakers were simply outworked in an ominous sign for their championship hopes. They clearly suffer from a lack of focus, and the onus is on Phil Jackson to call upon his Hall of Fame coaching talent and get the team to play to its capabilities.

2. The Celtics are in great shape against Orlando whenever Glen Davis can go toe-to-toe with Rashard Lewis. That's what happened Sunday, when Davis nailed a 21-foot jumper at the buzzer to give the Celtics a 95-94 victory to tie the series at 2-2. Davis scored 21 points, including the game-winner and another jumper with 32 seconds left to give the Celtics the lead, to go with six rebounds. Lewis got to the line and sank two free throws to put the Magic up with 11 seconds left, and had 22 points and five rebounds on the night. The Celtics won despite foul trouble for Paul Pierce, Brian Scalabrine and Davis, 1-for-10 shooting from long range, only two bench points and just seven points off eight Orlando turnovers. Boston made up for it with phenomenal 53 percent shooting, and it helped that the Magic, who rely so heavily on three-pointers, shot an abysmal 5-for-27 from behind the arc. Pierce was the primary offensive force once more for the Celtics, going 9-for-15 from the floor and 8-for-9 at the line for a game-high 27 points. Rajon Rondo had 21 points and 14 rebounds, and Kendrick Perkins had 12 points and 13 rebounds as Boston gained a 44-38 edge on the boards despite Dwight Howard's 17 for Orlando. No one other than Howard had more than five rebounds for the Magic. Howard, who scored 23 points, and Lewis were the only consistent offensive threats, as no one else scored more than 11 points. Mickael Pietrus had a good-looking 11 points on eight shots in 27 minutes, but Hedo Turkoglu had an ugly 11, following his best performance in the playoffs so far in Game 3 with one of his worst Sunday, going 4-for-14 from the floor and 1-for-4 from three-point range. Turkoglu must come up with a better showing offensively, and Lewis has to contain Davis defensively, for the Magic to turn back the determined Celtics.

3. Here is the schedule for the next few days:
Monday, May 11
Cleveland at Atlanta, Game 4, 7 p.m. TNT
Denver at Dallas, Game 4, 9:30 p.m. TNT
Tuesday, May 12
Orlando at Boston, Game 5, 8 p.m. TNT
Houston at L.A. Lakers, Game 5, 10:30 p.m. TNT
Wednesday, May 13
Atlanta at Cleveland, Game 5, TBA TNT (if necessary)
Dallas at Denver, Game 5, TBA TNT (if necessary)
Thursday, May 14
Boston at Orlando, Game 6, 7 p.m. ESPN
L.A. Lakers at Houston, Game 6, 9:30 p.m. ESPN

Three random observations ...

2009-05-09T23:14:00.002-04:00

... about the NBA:

1. Fouling is becoming a tricky proposition in the NBA, with flagrants and suspensions handed out if you're too forceful and no-call when you need it if you're not forceful enough. The League Office ruled late Saturday that Antoine Wright use the Mavs' foul to give on Carmelo Anthony with just seconds left in Game 3, meaning Anthony's subsequent game-winning three-pointer should not have counted. Yet Wright can be faulted for stopping before the whistle blew to protest the non-call, allowing Anthony an uncontested look that turned a two-point Denver deficit into a 106-105 lead with 1.1 seconds to go. That margin wound up the final score, allowing the Nuggets a 3-0 lead despite plenty of struggles on Saturday. Denver committed the majority of the 61 fouls committed in a parade to the foul line that made the no-call at game's end a bitter irony for Dallas. Birdman Andersen fouled out early in the fourth quarter, Nene and Carmelo Anthony wound up with five fouls, and Kenyon Martin, Chauncey Billups and J.R. Smith all had four. The Nuggets were forced to go small up front, with Anthony as a power forward. It didn't slow his production, as he wound up with 31 points and eight rebounds. Billups was the other force for the Nuggets, scoring 32 on 3-for-7 shooting behind the arc. Yet no one else scored more than Martin's 12 for Denver, including Nene, who struggled through a foul-plagued, 2-for-10, five-point outing after back-to-back 20-point games to begin the series. The Mavericks shot 40 percent from the field but put five players in double figures, including Dirk Nowitzki, put up another stellar performance only to lose once more. He's averaging 32 points and 11.7 rebounds a game in this series after 33 points and 16 boards in Game 3, yet only Saturday did his teammates give him enough support to keep the Mavs competitive. Jason Terry had 17 points and Brandon Bass 16 points and five rebounds. Josh Howard shook off his right ankle injury from Game 2 for 14 points and seven rebounds, but Dallas can only wonder what might have happened if he shot better than 5-for-15 from the floor. The Mavs will have all summer to think about any number of breaks that could have gone their way Saturday.

2. There is no debate: LeBron James is the best basketball player on the planet right now. He was two points shy of his career playoff high and two assists shy of a triple double Saturday as the Cavs won 97-82 to beat back their first challenge of the series and take a 3-0 lead over Atlanta. LeBron scored 47 points, pulled down 12 rebounds and delivered eight assists the Cavs, who clamped down after the Hawks went ahead 65-64 with 3:45 to play in the third quarter. Cleveland went on a 20-4 run in the next 10 minutes of play, with LeBron scoring 12 of his team's points and the Hawks simply becoming unglued. Zaza Pachulia argued a foul call with the Hawks down by just one point and earned a quick ejection, robbing Atlanta of the inside player it needed with Al Horford hobbled by a gimpy ankle. Horford, who was only supposed to play for short bursts, played from that point in the late third quarter until the final minute, but it hardly mattered who was out there for the Hawks as Cleveland turned it up on both ends of the floor. The Hawks got 21 from Joe Johnson, 18 from Josh Smith and 17 points from Flip Murray, but were murdered on the boards, giving up a 46-23 rebounding advantage to the Cavs. Anderson Varejao had 10 rebounds and Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Joe Smith added eight apiece, as the only real concern for Cleveland was bench play. Smith, who had seven points, was the only player to score in reserve for what has otherwise been a productive second unit. It's a problem, but one a lot of teams wish was their only one right now.

3. No one really blinked when Dikembe Mutombo went down with a knee injury in Houston's first series against Portland, since no one figured the league's oldest player could have that much of an impact, particularly given his short minutes. Now that Yao Ming has been diagnosed with a broken foot that will keep him out the rest of the postseason, having at least one legitimate center in the rotation would have come in handy. As it is, the Rockets look done, and one wonders whether they're finished for more than just this season. Yao has had his season ended by a broken bone in his foot three out of the last four seasons, and with Tracy McGrady having his season wiped out early by microfracture surgery this year, Houston may need to find players who can simply stay on the court. It's particularly unfortunate in the case of Yao, of whom so much has been expected, and from whom so much has been delivered, at least up until injury strikes. His 7-foot-6 frame just appears too fragile to handle the rigors of the NBA season.

Three random observations ...

2009-05-08T22:55:00.003-04:00

... about the NBA:

1. The Celtics picked a poor time to deliver a dud on the defensive end. The Magic, behind the kind of performances they've long needed from Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu, shot 59 percent Friday even without the suspended Rafer Alston in a 117-96 win that gives them a 2-1 series lead over Boston. Rashard Lewis had his inside and outside game working, and scored a game-high 28 points while grabbing six rebounds. The cold-shooting Turkoglu awoke, going 8-for-12 from the floor for 24 points. Dwight Howard missed only one of his eight shots as he dominated the paint on both ends of the floor. He had 17 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks, four of which came in the first half, and was a major reason why three Celtic post players wound up with five fouls apiece. The Magic backcourt of Courtney Lee and Anthony Johnson combined for 8-for-11 shooting for 24 points until Johnson gave a shove to Stan Van Gundy during an argument between the third and fourth quarters and didn't return to the game. The Celtics had cut what had been a 20-point lead to nine at that point, but the Magic quickly regained control on a night that was all theirs. Ray Allen struggled through a 3-for-13 night and was 0-for-5 from three-point range, while Rajon Rondo wasn't quite as game-changing as usual, with 15 points, six assists, five rebounds and three steals. Paul Pierce returned to form with 27 points and six assists, and Eddie House continued his piping-hot shooting off the bench, nailing six of seven shots and three of four from long range for 15 points. Yet the major story for the Celtics was their foul trouble up front, as Glen Davis, Kendrick Perkins and Brian Scalabrine all nearly fouled out, causing all sorts of trouble for a team that's already thin up front. Howard and Lewis were both able to operate effectively in the post, and the Magic will no doubt look to feed them down low once more in Game 4. The Celtics missed a golden opportunity to beat the Magic without Alston, but still have a chance to gain control of the series Sunday.

2. Jordan Farmar has returned to form for the Lakers, and that's bad news for the Rockets, and everyone else, too. Farmar stepped in for the suspended Derek Fisher and had a solid 12 points, seven assists and five rebounds as the Lakers took a 2-1 series lead Friday with a 108-94 victory. All five Laker starters were in double figures, even though Kobe continued to be the focal point of the L.A. attack, scoring 33 points and going 4-for-6 from behind the arc. Lamar Odom, starting once more, was a force with 16 points and 13 rebounds, making up for the relative struggles of Pau Gasol, who had 13 points and six rebounds going up against Yao. The Rockets controlled the boards with a 56-43 advantage, but committed 17 turnovers to L.A.'s six, while the Lakers shot 11-for-20 from three-point territory. Ron Artest was once more the offensive star for Houston with a team-high 25 points, but for the second consecutive game he was ejected on dubious grounds, this time for a late flagrant-2 foul on Gasol. Yao was the game's leading rebounder with 14 but wasn't as sharp with his shot, going 6-for-14 and 7-for-9 at the line for 19 points. The Rockets, like the Celtics on Friday, missed a chance to beat their opponents without their starting point guards. The difference is Houston is playing a top-seeded team that has home court, and now the Rockets will have to win a second game at L.A. in this series to pull off the upset.

3. The pins on the lapels of all the coaches in the playoffs will have extra meaning now. Hall of Fame coach Chuck Daly, 78, died early Saturday morning after a battle with pancreatic cancer. The leader of the Dream Team and back-to-back champions with the Detroit Pistons was named one of the Top 10 Coaches in the league's history when the NBA celebrated its 50th anniversary in 1997. He went 638-437 in stops at Cleveland, Detroit, New Jersey and Orlando, but will be most remembered for his work resurrecting the moribund Pistons franchise, elevating the franchise into its current status as one of the league's mainstays. Daly had just one losing season as a head coach, when he went 9-32 with the Cavs, who were in shambles under owner Ted Stepien. He was hired a year later by the Pistons, owned by the late Bill Davidson, and went on to become the franchise's all-time winningest head coach in the regular season and playoffs. It's been a rough season in Detroit, with the loss of Davidson and now Daly coupled with the decline of the team after six straight trips to the Eastern Conference Finals. The legacy that Davidson and Daly left will not fade so easily.

Three random observations ...

2009-05-07T01:12:00.003-04:00

... about the NBA:

1. The Magic have proven they can win when Dwight Howard isn't there. But what about when he's there but doesn't perform well? Howard went just 5-for-13 for 12 points Wednesday, and though he had 12 rebounds, it was a far cry from the 22 boards he cleared in Game 1. It was an otherwise eerily similar box score on the Orlando side of the ledger, but a different result, as this time the Magic lost 112-94 to fall into a 1-1 series tie with the Boston. The difference was on the Celtic side, where Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo had much better performances and Eddie House put up an insane 31 points off the bench. House continued the trend of stellar play for Boston reserves with an 11-for-14 shooting performance that included a 4-for-4 mark from three-point territory. Rondo had his third triple-double of the series with 15 points, 18 assists and 11 rebounds, while Allen put up 22 points and six rebounds. The Celtics won going away even without a significant contribution from Paul Pierce, who was limited by foul trouble and scored just three points in 16 minutes. A variety of offensive weapons emerged, including Kendrick Perkins, who held his own against Howard on the block with 16 points and nine rebounds. The Magic got what they needed out of Rashard Lewis, who had 17 points and 10 rebounds, as well as Mickael Pietrus, who came off the bench to score 17 points on 14 free throw attempts. Orlando didn't play anywhere close to the level they needed on the defensive end, allowing 51 percent shooting. The Celtics have dominated this series for about a game and a half, and can take full control as the series shifts to Orlando on Friday for Game 3.

2. Houston's hopes of knocking L.A. off course by making its offense one-dimensional took a hit Wednesday. Kobe, over the flu was draining him a bit in Game 1, scored 40 points on 27 shots, and Pau Gasol abused a foul-plagued Yao Ming for 22 points and 14 rebounds in a 111-98 win for the Lakers that tied the series at 1-1. Yao played just 26 minutes, took just four shots and had 12 points and 10 rebounds, and though backup Carl Landry performed quite admirably on the offensive end and the boards, with 21 points and 10 rebounds, neither he nor Yao could keep Gasol from wreaking havoc. Derek Fisher's 12 points prior to his ejection were enough to put the Lakers over the top. Artest, who was ejected as well, led the Rockets once more with 25 points and five assists, and though five Houston players were in double-figures, it was clear they missed having Yao out there as a dominant force in the post. Landry replaced his scoring but didn't help matters for the Rockets by committing a team-high five turnovers on a night when Houston as a team had 20 giveaways. Yao's 7-for-6 shot-blocking presence would certainly have helped as well, since the normally granite Houston defense allowed the Lakers to shoot 50 percent. His ability to stay on the floor will be a major story as the series progresses.

3. Yao's fouls will have plenty of competition for top billing, however. The Rockets-Lakers series is suddenly rife with more than enough subplots to pique the interest of L.A.'s Hollywood crowd. Will Ron Artest be suspended for his uniquely intense reaction to an arm to the throat by Kobe, one that got him tossed from Game 2? (No.) Could Kobe be suspended himself for the blow to Artest? (No.) Will Derek Fisher be suspended following his ejection for a flagrant foul on Luis Scola, a clear retaliatory move after Scola's words with Lamar Odom? (Yes.) What happens between Scola and the Lakers the rest of the series? (We'll see.) Will Von Wafer return to Rick Adelman's good graces, after the Houston coach sent his own player to the showers prematurely for insubordination? (Again, we'll see.) And who will officiate the series after Joey Crawford exercised such tight control during the fourth quarter that Kobe was hit with a technical for exchanging the kind of in-game chatter with Shane Battier that goes on between every other play from grade school on up? (We'll know after 9 a.m. on the day of each game, when the NBA releases its referee schedule.) This rest of this series, tied at a game apiece, will be interesting for many more reasons than just X-and-O matchups.

Three random observations ...

2009-05-06T13:57:00.003-04:00

... about the NBA:

1. The way Nene has played against Erick Dampier and the Mavericks, the Denver-Dallas series could be over in hurry. Nene and the Nuggets dominated inside for a second consecutive game, and Denver took a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference Semifinals on Tuesday with a 117-105 victory. Nene followed up his 24-point performance in Game 1 with 25 points on 8-for-12 shooting and eight rebounds. Chris Andersen shot 4-for-5 for eight points and nine rebounds off the bench, abusing Dampier, who did little to counter his defensive shortcomings with four points and four rebounds. The Mavericks once more provided little support for Dirk Nowitzki, who delivered 35 points and nine rebounds. Jason Terry made three treys, scored 21 points and handed out six assists to pick up the slack for Josh Howard, who was lost with yet more ankle trouble in the first quarter. That was about it for Dallas, as no one else scored as many as Antoine Wright's quiet 10 points. The Nuggets had another 25 points from Carmelo Anthony, 21 from J.R. Smith, and Chauncey Billups drained four three-pointers on an 18-point, eight-assist night. Kenyon Martin added 12 points, seven rebounds and four assists as all the Nuggets had it all in gear. Nowitzki and Terry kept it close through three quarters, and thanks to a Jason Kidd desperation three at the buzzer they were down just 86-83 going into the fourth quarter. That's when the Nuggets clamped down on defense, forcing missed shots and turnovers, and Nene and Anthony went on a two-man 16-2 run. The Mavericks don't appear to be able to stop the Nuggets from scoring in the paint, so their only chance of getting back in the series is to hope Denver's defense begins to show flaws of its own on the road in Games 3 and 4. Don't count on it.

2. LeBron need not convince anyone of his stature in the NBA right now, given that he just hoisted the MVP trophy before the Cleveland fans Tuesday. He then went out and looked as if he wanted to prove that the award was indeed his, scoring 34 points, grabbing 10 rebounds, and coming up with four steals in a 99-72 win for the Cavs in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against Atlanta. James was an even more dominant force in the Cleveland offense than usual, though Mo Williams still managed to make his presence felt as well. Williams drained four three-pointers and scored 21 points, while Delonte West took over much of the ball-distribution responsibilities, with nine assists and 12 points. Cleveland's inside players struggled, with Zydrunas Ilgauskas going 2-for-9 while Anderson Varejao was 2-for-8, but it didn't matter against the Hawks, who succumbed to the superior Cleveland defense and committed 17 turnovers compared to just seven for the Cavs. Atlanta was punished on the boards, too, as the Cavs held a 41-33 advantage thanks to Varejao, who had nine rebounds, and James. Josh Smith scored 22 points and had six rebounds, but Joe Johnson never got untracked offensively, scoring just 11 points on 10 shots from the floor. Mike Bibby had a hot shooting night, nailing five three-pointers for 19 points, and added eight assists, but no one else scored more than six points for Atlanta. The Cavs spent eight days just practicing in between the first and second rounds, but this series may simply be more tuning up for LeBron and company.

3. Game 2 is pretty early for a virtual must-win in a series, but that's likely the case in the Orlando-Boston series. The Celtics can seize control with a win tonight, capitalizing on the momentum they gained from their near-comeback from a 28-point deficit Monday, but if Orlando wins again, they'll be up 2-0 heading home for games 3 and 4. The key for the Celtics will be the continued stellar play of its bench, and in particular Brian Scalabrine, whose outside shooting has been on-point the last two outings. The Celtics could also use better shooting from Rajon Rondo, who has gone cold just as the bench has heated up. The Magic are counting on Rashard Lewis to regain the form he exhibited in the first half of Game 1, when he was the leading scorer on the floor with 14 points. He scored only four points in the second half, and none after the Celtics began their comeback. Lewis at his best is a vital secondary threat to Dwight Howard, and provides them with an inside-outside threat that gives the Magic the offensive diversification they so greatly need. Courtney Lee, a rookie who has continually improved throughout the season, is scheduled to return from his fractured sinus for Game 3 on Friday. Orlando would be wise to ask him to help them close out the Celtics as opposed to relying upon him to turn the tide after a loss tonight.

Three random observations ...

2009-05-04T22:57:00.004-04:00

... about the NBA:

1. The Lakers this year have been far and away the dominant team in the Western Conference, so to beat them Monday, the Rockets turned back the clock. Houston, as many Laker opponents did a few years ago, allowed Kobe to get off 31 shots but dared his teammates to beat them, and in a rare turn of events the past two years, the rest of the Lakers failed to deliver in a 100-92 Game 1 loss. Kobe had his own struggles, shooting 1-for-7 from three-point range, but still wound up with 32 points. Pau Gasol was the next highest-scoring Laker with just 14 points to go along with 13 rebounds. Andrew Bynum, who was back in the starting lineup, and Trevor Ariza scored 10, but that was about it. Derek Fisher was outplayed on a 3-for-10, eight-point night by Aaron Brooks, who got to the basket for 19 points despite 1-for-5 shooting from beyond the arc. Yao dominated the post for the Rockets even more so than usual, scoring 28 points and grabbing 10 rebounds, while Ron Artest once more put his offensive game on display with 21 points and seven assists. The Lakers seemed to struggle with incorporating Bynum back into the lineup, as though Bynum scored in double-figures, Gasol didn't get as many shots as he's used to and Lamar Odom scored just nine points on 4-for-8 from the floor. It would have helped L.A. if Bryant were more efficient, as he shot 14-for-31 but only went to the free-throw line five times. Chances are Bryant will either come up with a gem or actively look to get his teammates more involved in a suddenly critical Game 2 for the Lakers. Rick Adelman and the Rockets, having put up a masterful performance Monday, must be ready to make the counter-adjustments.

2. Few teams have stolen a game on the opponent's home court to begin a seven-game series and left with such serious concerns as the Magic. Watching a 28-point lead be chipped down to just four points Monday must have been a nightmare for Stan Van Gundy, whose team was able to hold on for a 95-90 victory. The Celtics shot just 39 percent but were able to hang around as the Magic went cold in the fourth quarter, hitting only five shots and scoring 17 points in the fourth quarter. Orlando made just nine shots after taking that 28-point lead with 8:57 to play in the third quarter. Rashard Lewis scored 14 points to lead all scorers in the first half, but had just four more points, and failed to score at all when the Celtics were clawing their way back. He was outplayed for stretches by Brian Scalabrine, who has been hot off the bench for Boston. He hit a pair of treys and scored 10 points in 27 minutes while Glen Davis was saddled with foul trouble. Eddie House hit a couple of three-pointers, too, and Stephon Marbury had a burst of eight straight points for the Celtics in the second quarter. Boston's bench, which struggled against Chicago until breaking out in Game 7, played evenly with Orlando's, even with Mickael Pietrus checking in as the Magic's second leading scorer with 17 points. Paul Pierce had 16 of his game-high 23 in the second half to spur the comeback attempt, but the Celtics were ultimately done in by identical poor shooting nights for Rajon Rondo and Ray Allen, each of whom went 2-for-10 from the field. Rondo made up for it with a late charge, scoring 10 of his 14 points at the line and grabbing 10 rebounds. Kendrick Perkins grabbed 16 boards to give Boston a 47-40 edge on the boards despite Howard's stellar 16-point, 22-rebound performance. The Magic continued to use a balanced-scoring formula that's been effective for them, but eventually they'll need someone to be able to get on a roll offensively. They were bailed out by Pietrus, who went 3-for-7 from behind the arc in Game 1. Orlando can't be as reliant as they are on outside shooting and sustain their success, so they'll need a more diversified attack to stem the Celtics' momentum.

3. The Hawks pushed the Celtics to a seventh game that wasn't supposed to happen last year, and if they do that to the Cavs, it will be quite an accomplishment. Moral victories and keeping the series competitive are about the extent of the reasonable goals for Atlanta, which faces a league's best team in the Eastern Conference Semifinals beginning Tuesday at Cleveland. The Cavs came within a point of tying the all-time record for wins at home, but the Hawks are tough at home as well, and they'll look to claim a couple in Atlanta before the series is through. The key is containing newly crowned MVP LeBron James, which will be a chore for Maurice Evans, Atlanta's best perimeter defender. Marvin Williams and Josh Smith will no doubt get their crack at him as well, and the Cavs have plenty of shooters to make you pay if you double LeBron. Delonte West, one of those guys who can knock down it down for Cleveland, has thrived since moving over from point guard to his natural position at the beginning of the season, and he'll have perhaps the toughest assignment defensively for the Cavs in Joe Johnson. The point guard matchup will be critical, with Mo Williams, an explosive scorer, going against veteran Mike Bibby, who can score as well, can control the tempo better than Williams and give the Hawks an advantage in the backcourt. Josh Smith will have plenty of trouble with the taller Anderson Varejao, especially on the glass, but can test Varejao's energy and athleticism if he tries to use his dribble-penetration capabilties. Yet Varejao might wear him out on the block if Smith is not careful defensively. Al Horford will have his own difficulties trying to track down Zydrunas Ilgauskas, especially with his gimpy ankle, and Zaza Pachulia, who usually gives the Hawks a boost in the paint when he comes off the bench, has not one but two dangerous reserve big men with which to content in Ben Wallace and Joe Smith for Cleveland. The Cavs have Daniel Gibson, who provides energy, a bit of ballhandling and shooting, as well as Wally Sczcerbiak, who gives them length and shooting, off their bench as well. The Hawks will need Flip Murray to get hot to avoid a deep Cleveland team from opening double-digit leads in second quarters. Atlanta's bench stepped up against Miami, but they're still a liability when compared to Cleveland's. Making the second round, just like making the playoffs last year, is a step in the right direction for the Hawks, but they're walking, not running. Prediction: Cavs in 5.

Schedule
Game 1 - Tue May 5 Atlanta at Cleveland 8 p.m. TNT
Game 2 - Thu May 7 Atlanta at Cleveland 8 p.m. ESPN
Game 3 - Sat May 9 Cleveland at Atlanta 8 p.m. ABC
Game 4 - Mon May 11 Cleveland at Atlanta 7 p.m. TNT
Game 5 * Wed May 13 Atlanta at Cleveland TBD TNT
Game 6 * Fri May 15 Cleveland at Atlanta TBD ESPN
Game 7 * Mon May 18 Atlanta at Cleveland 8 p.m. TNT

Lineups
Cleveland Cavaliers
Starters
PG Mo Williams
SG Delonte West
SF LeBron James
PF Anderson Varejao
C Zydrunas Ilgauskas
Bench
F/C Joe Smith
G/F Wally Szczerbiak
F/C Ben Wallace
G Daniel Gibson
F/C Darnell Jackson
SG Sasha Pavlovic
SG Tarence Kinsey
Injured
PF J.J. Hickson (back, out indefinitely)

Atlanta Hawks
Starters
PG Mike Bibby
SG Joe Johnson
SF Mo Evans
PF Josh Smith
C Al Horford
Bench
SF Marvin Williams
C Zaza Pachulia
G Flip Murray
PF Solomon Jones
SG Mario West
C Randolph Morris
PG Acie Law

Three random observations ...

2009-05-03T18:07:00.003-04:00

... about the NBA:

1. Dallas is in trouble unless its interior defense improves after what we saw Sunday. Nene looked like a Hall of Famer against Erick Dampier and Ryan Hollins, scoring 14 of his playoff career high 24 in the second quarter of a 109-95 win for Denver in the opener of the Western Conference Semifinals. Chris Anderson came off the bench to score 11 points, grab six rebounds and block an astounding six shots as the Nuggets dominated the paint. Anderson was one of the players who had double figures off the bench for Denver, which scored 39 points altogether. J.R. Smith shot 7-for-13 for 15 points and dished out six assists while Anthony Carter got hot as well, shooting 6-for-8 for 12 points and four assists. The Nuggets built an 82-75 lead after three quarters with little contribution from anyone other than Nene and the bench, and when Carmelo Anthony finally turned it on to score 14 of his 23 in the fourth quarter, it served only to widen the margin of victory. It was a familiar refrain for the Mavs on offense, who got 28 points and 10 rebounds from Nowitzki but nothing noteworthy out of anyone else. That was Denver coach George Karl's strategy, not double-teaming anyone and forcing someone other than Nowitzki to step up. Josh Howard, Jason Terry and Jason Kidd all had 15, but no one else had more than six, and the Mavs wound up turning the ball over 20 times. Rick Carlisle must counter with a coaching move of his own, the rest of the Mavericks other than Nowitzki must improve their play and Dampier has to show a pulse in order for the Mavs to have a chance in this series.

2. Everyone will remember the Chicago-Boston series. Only diehards and Hawks fans will look back fondly on the Miami-Atlanta series, finally won by the Hawks after seven games decided by 10 points or more. Atlanta took control early and never looked back behind stellar performances by Joe Johnson and Josh Smith in a game that wasn't even as close as the 91-78 final score. Johnson hit on six of eight three-pointers, scored 27 points and added five rebounds and four assists, while Smith scored 21 points and pulled down nine rebounds. Ronald Murray nailed three treys and Mike Bibby two as Atlanta caught fire from behind the arc, shooting 11-for-23 as a team. That was in stark contrast to Miami's 2-for-9 long-distance performance. Dwyane Wade shot 2-for-9 on three-pointers but still managed to score a game-high 31 points. Udonis Haslem had 14 points and 13 rebounds, while Michael Beasley added 17 points and seven rebounds in a surprisingly proficient showing for a rookie in a Game 7 on the road. But no other Heat player scored more than six points, as Miami's other prominent rookie, point guard Mario Chalmers, went 1-for-6 for just four points and four assists. Jermaine O'Neal had to leave the game after playing less than a minute, shooting an airball and committing two fouls to show he still wasn't right after suffering a concussion in Game 5. Al Horford returned for the Hawks, but wasn't much of a factor, scoring seven points and pulling down just three rebounds as Miami gained a 39-30 advantage on the boards. That edge was offset by 17 Heat turnovers compared to just seven for Atlanta. Enjoy it, Hawks fans. It's as far as your team is going to get with LeBron and the Cavs up next.

3. I don't like to point out these things too often, but have to do a little self-recognition here. I came within a game of correctly predicting every Eastern Conference first round series. I picked Cleveland in four, and they won in four. I picked Atlanta in seven, and they won in seven. I picked Boston in seven, and they won in seven. I picked Orlando in seven, and they won in ... six. OK, I didn't see a 25-point blowout in Philadelphia minus Dwight Howard coming. I can live with that. I wasn't quite as accurate with Western Conference. I had the Nuggets in five all right, but thought the Lakers would finish off Utah in four games instead of five. I had the Blazers and Spurs advancing rather than the Rockets and Mavericks. So that means I nailed four of eight series, came within a game on two more, and was wrong on the last two. I'll take it. Now let's see how the second round goes.

Three random observations ...

2009-05-03T10:12:00.003-04:00

... about the NBA:

1. It wasn't another overtime thriller, but it was dramatic enough to provide a fitting conclusion to what probably was the greatest first round series in the history of the league. The Celtics' bench surprised everyone two nights after coming up with only nine points by delivering 30 points Saturday to lift Boston to a 109-99 win that clinched a 4-3 series victory over the Bulls. Eddie House canned all five shots that he took, including four three-pointers, and Brian Scalabrine had two treys of his own in an eight-point outing. That was plenty of support for Boston's veteran superstars, who came through on a night when they were needed most. Ray Allen led the way with 23 points and seven rebounds, and Paul Pierce had 20 points and nine rebounds. Rajon Rondo struggled with his shot for the second straight game, going 2-for-8 for seven points, but delivered 11 assists. He wasn't the only one for whom a lid seemed on the basket. John Salmons struggled to 3-for-12 shooting, including 1-for-5 from behind the arc. He missed a layup and three-pointer in succession around the four-minute mark, either of which could have cut a five-point game down to one possession. Ben Gordon could have made it a one-possession game if he made a 4-foot baseline runner with 47 seconds to go, but he missed, and Joakim Noah was called for his sixth foul as he tried to rebound. That capped a night when Gordon led all scorers with 33 points but shot just 7-for-23 from the floor and only 4-for-12 from three-point territory, receiving credit for a first-quarter trey only after a league-office ruling in the fourth quarter in a bizarre turn. The Bulls received one more gift with 28 seconds left when Kirk Hinrich stole Rondo's inbounds pass, but Gordon followed with another missed three-pointer, and the Celtics closed it out at the line. The Bulls shot 39 percent from the field and 29 percent from beyond the arc as a team while the Celtics shot 45 and 53 percent, respectively. It's hard to counter that kind of gap, especially considering the Celtics went on a 20-2 run to close the first half. The Bulls chipped away at the lead but never came closer than three points, a margin that surely is bitter coincidence to Chicago given its poor outside shooting. It was a stirring challenge nonetheless for an upstart team with a bright future. They must make a decision on unrestricted free agent Ben Gordon, but everyone else should be back. The Celtics, though, won't have to worry about next season for a little while longer. Their ability to deliver blow after blow until they got to the knockout punch indicates Kevin Garnett's spirit is still on the floor even if his body isn't, and that the Celtics have as much will to persevere as any defending champion.

2. Boston will have to endure a test that looms even tougher now. The veteran Celtics, after having endured a seven-game, seven-overtime thriller, must turn around 48 hours later to face an Orlando team on three-days rest in Game 1. The Magic are coming off a stirring 25-point win in Philadelphia without the suspended Dwight Howard, proving they're more than just a one-man operation. Orlando enters with a great deal of confidence, but so must the Celtics, knowing what they just withstood to get to this point. Rajon Rondo is now a full-fledged star after throwing up a pair of triple-double in the first round and very nearly posting two or three more, and he's clearly one of the top five point guards in the game. He faces veteran Rafer Alston in round two after facing down the Rookie of the Year in the first series. Alston came up with a gem in the clinching game against Philadelphia, scoring 21 points and dishing out 10 assists, but can't be expected to keep up with Rondo. The other guard spot is a clear advantage for the Celtics as well, with hot-shooting Ray Allen going up against fill-in J.J. Redick, the replacement for Courtney Lee, who isn't likely to play in the series with a fractured sinus. Orlando coach Stan Van Gundy may also turn to the longer Mickael Pietrus to help defend against Allen. Van Gundy must hope Hedo Turkoglu's length can distract Paul Pierce, but its clearly advantage Boston at small forward as well. Glen Davis took major strides in the Chicago series, but Rashard Lewis began playing some of his best basketball in the first round as well. Lewis can use his perimeter game to give Davis fits on the defensive end. Howard, of course, will do more than just annoy Kendrick Perkins inside. Perkins did a tremendous job on the glass against Chicago but will find it much tougher going against Howard. Still, Perkins continues to grow by leaps and bounds and has the experience of being the starting center on a championship team, so he's anything but a pushover for Howard. The problem for the Celtics with both Kevin Garnett and Leon Powe injured is whom to turn to off the bench, which struggled against Chicago until bursting forth in Game 7. Eddie House won't go 5-for-5 every night, and you can't count on Brian Scalabrine's outside shot all the time. Stephon Marbury has provided steady point guard play but has no confidence in his shot, and Mikki Moore and Tony Allen haven't been any help. The Magic certainly aren't as deep with Lee out, but if Redick can hold down the shooting guard spot, Pietrus can be a capable wing player off the bench. Tony Battie and Marcin Gortat provide plenty of bulk and rebounding to go along with Howard inside, and Anthony Johnson is a stabilizing veteran hand at point guard. The difference off the bench could be critical considering the wear and tear on Pierce and Allen from the first round, so there's pressure on the Celtic reserves. But a greater challenge stands before the Magic's supporting cast, which must duplicate or come close to the performance they had without Howard the last time out against Philadelphia. It was inspiring, but only one game. There is ample evidence to suggest Howard will have to come up with a gargantuan effort on his own. It's also a lot to ask of the Celtics to win another seven-game series, but they've got more guys under the age of 25 than they do over 30 in their starting lineup, and all of them have been through this plenty of times before. Prediction: Celtics in 7.

Schedule
Game 1 - Mon May 4 Orlando at Boston 8 p.m. TNT
Game 2 - Wed May 6 Orlando at Boston 8 p.m. TNT
Game 3 - Fri May 8 Boston at Orlando 7 p.m. ESPN
Game 4 - Sun May 10 Boston at Orlando 8 p.m. TNT
Game 5 * Tue May 12 Orlando at Boston TBD TNT
Game 6 * Thu May 14 Boston at Orlando TBD ESPN
Game 7 * Sun May 17 Orlando at Boston TBD TNT

Lineups
Boston Celtics
Starters
PG Rajon Rondo
SG Ray Allen
SF Paul Pierce
PF Glen Davis
C Kendrick Perkins
Bench
G Eddie House
F Brian Scalabrine
PG Stephon Marbury
F/C Mikki Moore
SG Tony Allen
SG Bill Walker
PG Gabe Pruitt
Injuries
PF Kevin Garnett (knee, probably out for year)
F/C Leon Powe (knee, out)

Lineups
Orlando Magic
Starters
PG Rafer Alston
SG J.J. Redick
SF Hedo Turkoglu
PF Rashard Lewis
C Dwight Howard
Bench
F/C Tony Battie
SG Mickael Pietrus
PG Anthony Johnson
C Marcin Gortat
PG Tyronn Lue
C Adonal Foyle
SG Jeremy Richardson
Injuries
PG Jameer Nelson (separated shoulder, out)
SG Courtney Lee (fractured left sinus, probably out for series)

3. Here's the schedule for the next few days:
Sunday, May 3
Miami at Atlanta, Game 7, 1 p.m. ABC
Dallas at Denver, Game 1, 3:30 p.m. ABC
Monday, May 4
Orlando at Boston, Game 1, 8 p.m. TNT
Houston at L.A. Lakers, Game 1, 10:30 p.m. TNT
Tuesday, May 5
Atlanta or Miami at Cleveland, Game 1, 8 p.m. TNT
Dallas at Denver, Game 2, 10:30 p.m. TNT
Wedneday, May 6
Orlando at Boston, Game 2, 8 p.m. TNT
Houston at L.A. Lakers, Game 2, 10:30 p.m. TNT

Three random observations ...

2009-05-02T09:42:00.003-04:00

... about the NBA:

1. The blowout series continues. Miami and Atlanta continued a perplexing back-and-forth of double-digit victories Friday, when it was the Heat's turn to come up with a 26-point, 98-72 win. Dwyane Wade was the catalyst, ignoring a sore back to score a playoff-high 41 points. Michael Beasley had his best game of the playoff as well, scoring 22 points and snaring 15 rebounds, key to Miami's 47-35 advantage on the boards. The Heat shot 47 percent to Atlanta's 37 percent, as Josh Smith, Maurice Evans and Flip Murray endured poor shooting nights for the Hawks. Murray was still one of three Hawks in double-figures, led by Mike Bibby's 20-point, seven-rebound performance. Joe Johnson, who might have had a better night had he gotten to the foul line more than once, and Murray had 13 points apiece. Injuries again played a factor as each team was without its starting center, with Al Horford nursing a sprained ankle and Jermaine O'Neal dealing with a concussion he suffered late in Game 5. The teams had already had to replace their small forwards, and this time little-used Solomon Jones slid into the pivot for the Hawks while the Heat went with Joel Anthony, who started 28 games earlier this season. Both played reasonably well, with Jones going 3-for-4 with 6 points and five rebounds while Anthony went 3-for-3, with six points and eight rebounds. Horford and O'Neal could return for Game 7, and small forward Marvin Williams came back for a five-minute cameo off the bench Friday. Whoever gets the most out of their hobbled players, like Miami did Friday with Wade, has the advantage Sunday for Game 7.

2. The Rockets will present a unique challenge for the Lakers when their series starts Monday. Houston is a long, athletic team that can play lock-down defense, while the L.A. is long, athletic and offensively oriented. Plenty of attention will be focused on the post, where the Lakers will miss out on their ability to change the look against Yao Ming from time to time unless Andrew Bynum can return to form. Pau Gasol is the lone option at this point, but it's not a bad one. He can match if not beat the production of Yao on most nights. The only drawback is that Gasol probably doesn't have the strength to harass Yao and deny him position, which, if it happened, would drastically affect Houston's game. The power forward matchup gives the defensive edge to Luis Scola, at least down low. Odom's superior athleticism makes him a better perimeter defender, but unless there's a switch he's unlikely to guard outside. Scola is the kind of rugged player who can give Odom fits if he's not focused. The wing matchups are all about Kobe. The Rockets have Shane Battier, who was NBA All-Defensive Second Team last year, and Ron Artest, the 2004 Defensive Player of the Year. They'll take their turns guarding the Laker superstar, with Trevor Ariza likely assigned to Ron Artest while Kobe marks Shane Battier on the other. The Rockets have the weapons to keep Kobe in check, but they'll have to keep him well below average offensively to make up for the lack of offensive production Battier and Artest usually provide, Artest's 27 in Game 6 against Portland notwithstanding. Aaron Brooks outdueled a savvy veteran in the first round and finds himself facing another in the second. Derek Fisher has been slumping and the Lakers could use his defense and shooting touch to counter Brooks, who was a force at times against Portland. The battle of the benches could come down to who has the best shooting touch. The instant offense of Von Wafer or Sasha Vujacic could turn a game or two in the series. The Rockets have a couple of bruisers in Carl Landry and Chuck Hayes who can push around Andrew Bynum, if he's not ready, or Josh Powell, if he's not up to their physicality. Luke Walton, who tore the deltoid ligament in his left ankle late in the Utah series, could return as soon as Game 1 against the Rockets, and gives the Lakers a veteran forward who adds to their depth and can give L.A. much needed blue-collar work. There's little doubt the Lakers will need to display the toughness against Houston that they didn't show against Boston in last year's finals. It will be a challenge, but the Rockets, of course, aren't as good as those Celtics, and the Lakers, with a Hall of Fame coach like Phil Jackson, have undoubtedly learned their lesson. Prediction: Lakers in 7.

Schedule
Game 1 - Mon May 4 Houston at L.A. Lakers 10:30PM TNT
Game 2 - Wed May 6 Houston at L.A. Lakers 10:30PM TNT
Game 3 - Fri May 8 L.A. Lakers at Houston 9:30PM ESPN
Game 4 - Sun May 10 L.A. Lakers at Houston 3:30PM ABC
Game 5 * Tue May 12 Houston at L.A. Lakers TBD TNT
Game 6 * Thu May 14 L.A. Lakers at Houston TBD ESPN
Game 7 * Sun May 17 Houston at L.A. Lakers TBD TBD

Lineups
Los Angeles Lakers
Starters
PG Derek Fisher
SG Kobe Bryant
SF Trevor Ariza
PF Lamar Odom
C Pau Gasol
Bench
G Sasha Vujacic
G Shannon Brown
PG Jordan Farmar
C Andrew Bynum
PF Josh Powell
C D.J. Mbenga
Injuries
SF Luke Walton (torn deltoid ligament in left ankle; could return for Game 1)

Houston Rockets
Starters
PG Aaron Brooks
SG Ron Artest
SF Shane Battier
PF Luis Scola
C Yao Ming
Bench
SG Von Wafer
PF Carl Landry
PG Kyle Lowry
G/F Brent Barry
PF Chuck Hayes
PF Brian Cook
SG James White
Injuries
SG Tracy McGrady (out, knee)
C Dikembe Mutombo (out, knee)

3. Here's a look at the schedule for the weekend:
Saturday
Chicago at Boston, Game 7, 8 p.m. TNT
Sunday
Miami at Atlanta, Game 7, 1 p.m. ABC
Dallas at Denver, Game 1, 3:30 p.m. ABC

Three random observations ...

2009-05-01T09:04:00.003-04:00

... about the NBA:

Just as a note, if this entry looks a little short, I wanted to get something about the thriller in Chicago up as quickly as possible, because the game deserves it. I'll fill in with my other two observations later today. (And now we have the post in full.)

1. Wow. Just when you thought the Bulls-Celtics series couldn't get any better, it did. The two teams have now played seven overtime periods after the Bulls won 128-127 Thursday in triple OT. Add up all of the scores and throw out the blowout in Game 3, and the two teams are separated by just one point. This evenly matched affair has produced some of the greatest drama we've ever seen on hardwood, and will go down as the best first-round series ever if Game 7 is even remotely competitive. It's made stars out of guys like John Salmons, who languished in obscurity in Philadelphia and Sacramento before coming to Chicago via midseason trade and finding himself in this barnburner. Salmons has for most of his career played a supporting role and he's come off the bench more often than he's started, but Thursday he was the main option for the Bulls, scoring 35 points in a whopping 60 minutes of playing time. Derrick Rose, a rookie, has blossomed, too, and he delivered a 28-point, eight-rebound, seven assist performance. Brad Miller, another player the Bulls acquired in that trade deadline deal with Sacramento, had 23 points and 10 rebounds off the bench, playing all kinds of clutch minutes. The Celtics, of course, have their share of established stars, none who shone more brilliantly than Ray Allen, who had a playoff career high 51 points and tied his own record for most three-pointers in a postseason game with nine. But no one ever expected Glen Davis would play as well as he has in this series when he came into the league, and Thursday he went for 23 points and seven rebounds, not bad for an injury replacement in the starting lineup. Rajon Rondo's stock is rising even on an off night. He struggled through a 4-for-17 shooting night, but still dished out 19 assists and pulled down nine rebounds, winding up just a board and a bucket shy of his third triple-double of the series. Paul Pierce, Kendrick Perkins, Joakim Noah and Tyrus Thomas played brilliant games as well in a night that was just loaded with stellar performances. If you're even a passing fan of the NBA and you're not totally psyched for Game 7, check your pulse to make sure you still have one.

2. The maturation of the Orlando Magic reached a significant milestone Thursday. They proved they could easily handle the pressure of a big game without having Dwight Howard to fall back upon in a surprising 114-89 destruction of Philadelphia to close out a 4-2 series victory. Too often the Magic haven't supported their superstar when he was in the lineup, but without him, it oddly seemed almost too easy. A team with Howard, suspended after an elbow to Samuel Dalembert in Game 5, and Courtney Lee, out indefinitely with a fractured left sinus cavity, would look even better if Rashard Lewis showed up every night the way he did Thursday. Lewis went 11-for-22 from the floor, scored 29 points, grabbed seven rebounds and dished out five assists. Rafer Alston stepped to the fore as well, going 8-for-16 for 21 points and 10 assists. Marcin Gortat plugged the hole in the middle, clearing 15 rebounds and chipping in 11 points while former college basketball great J.J. Redick got the call at shooting guard, filling in admirably with 5-for-9 shooting and 15 points. Mickael Pietrus came off the bench to shoot 5-for-10 and score 14 points, as Orlando shot 54 percent as a team and held the Sixers to 41 percent from the floor. Philadelphia got precious little outside of Andre Miller, Andre Iguodala and Lou Williams, as Thaddeus Young's struggles continued in a 4-for-11, eight point night. Miller shot 7-for-13, scored 24 points and had seven rebounds and five assists, Iguodala had 20 points and six rebounds, and Williams had 17 points off the bench. The rest of the team scored just 28 points combined as it was clear the Magic were focused on both sides of the floor. If they can duplicate that effort with Howard back, there could be no stopping this team.

3. The right move may not have saved the Blazers, but the wrong one will no doubt haunt coach Nate McMillan all summer. Portland removed struggling 20-year-old rookie Nicolas Batum from the starting lineup Thursday in favor of another rookie, 24-year-old Rudy Fernandez, who had been a spark plug off the bench. Batum wound up scoring five points in three minutes, more than Fernandez had in 41 minutes of a 92-76 loss that closed out a 4-2 series win for Houston. McMillan elected to keep his other option at small forward, Travis Outlaw, coming off the bench where he's been successful, but he did little better than Fernandez, shooting 2-for-9 for nine points. The only Blazers to score in double-figures were LaMarcus Aldridge, with 26, and Brandon Roy, who had 22 in a disappointing end to the first playoff appearance of a promising young team. It was Houston that was thought to have trouble scoring, but defense, as it often does this time of year, won out. It helped that the Rocket guards have been hot, and Thursday it was Ron Artest's turn. He was aggressive on offense, mixing drives, midrange jumpers and three-point bombs to score a game-high 27. Aaron Brooks went 5-for-11 for 13 points, complemeting Yao Ming's solid inside play for 17 points and 10 rebounds. They'll need to score a bit more to topple the Lakers in next round's clash of styles. The Rockets can only slow the pace so much against the NBA's third-best scoring team in the regular season, a team with much more refined weaponry than the Blazers could deploy. Advancing past the first round was an accomplishment for a franchise that hadn't done so since 1997, but the next barrier will be significantly harder to scale.

Three random observations ...

2009-04-30T10:34:00.004-04:00

... about the NBA:

Before we get started, here's the schedule for the next couple of days:

Thursday
Boston at Chicago, Game 6, 7 p.m. TNT
Orlando at Philadelphia, Game 6, 7:30 p.m. NBATV
Portland at Houston, Game 6, 9:30 p.m. TNT
Friday
Miami at Atlanta, Game 6, 8 p.m. ESPN

1. The Heat-Hawks series is beginning to take on the look of a Heat-Knicks series from about 10 years ago. The slugfest, which had already seen the injury of both starting small forwards, sent two players to the locker room prematurely Wednesday, though one of them, Dwyane Wade, returned after taking a blow to the head. The other, Al Horford, left with a sprained right ankle in the second quarter and didn't come back. The Hawks had a 55-35 lead at the time of his exit and were never seriously challenged in a 106-91 victory. Joe Johnson was a major reason why, enjoying his best game of the series, scoring 25 points to go with six assists and six rebounds. He essentially matched the performance of Dwyane Wade, who shook off an 0-for-4 start, his head's painful meeting with the hardwood after a collision with Josh Smith, and an aching back. Wade had 29 points, four rebounds and four assists, but didn't receive the kind of help Johnson had. Three Hawks scored 20 points or more, including Johnson, Smith, who had 20 points, eight rebounds and four assists, and Flip Murray off the bench, who had 23 points and five rebounds. Atlanta claimed a 37-29 rebounding advantage even with Horford for the entire second half, as Jermaine O'Neal, who had been playing so well for much of the series, went to sleep inside. He scored just two of his 14 after halftime and pulled down a total of just three rebounds. The Heat will need him to wake up early for Game 6, when each team will need to get the most out of the healthy players it has left.

2. Chauncey Billups was the pre-eminent figure in Games 1 and 2, but by the end of the Hornets-Nuggets series, Carmelo Anthony had affixed his star squarely on Denver's first playoff series win in 15 years. Anthony scored 13 of his 34 points in the third quarter as the Nuggets used a 14-0 run to blow open what had been a tie game at the half and close out a 4-1 series victory with a 107-86 win. Anthony caught fire at about the same time J.R. Smith began launching and hitting from three-point range. Smith hit 5-for-8 from long range en route to 20 points off the bench, padding a 51 percent shooting night. The Hornets, in contrast, shot just 38 percent on a rough night for their backcourt. Chris Paul dished out 10 assists but shot just 5-for-16 for 12 points, while Rasual Butler was 0-for-4 from behind the arc and 3-for-11 total on a seven-point night. That negated a 24-point, nine-rebound performance by David West and a too-little, too-late appearance by offseason acquisition James Posey, who had 18 points off the bench. Tyson Chandler was out with swelling in his troublesome left ankle, but his absence seemed strictly academic. The Hornets were able to muster some pride after a record-tying 58-point loss in Game 4, but it was clear this group was done. They've already tried to dump Chandler, but that same ankle got in the way, so expect plenty of other parts to change, including coach Byron Scott. The Nuggets want nothing to change heading into their series with the Mavs, which should be an interesting clash of teams on a roll.

3. The Nuggets and Mavs appear an even match for the Western Conference Semifinals. Each team ended the regular season on a roll and carried that momentum into 4-1 series victories in the playoffs. The Mavs have followed their formula for victory, surrounding Dirk Nowitzki with enough scoring help to overwhelm defenses, while the Nuggets have alternated scoring explosions from Carmelo Anthony, Chauncey Billups and J.R. Smith to post 49 percent shooting, the highest for any team in the playoffs. The Nuggets also gave up 39.6 percent shooting, a playoff low, although a 58-point blowout over a team in disarray like the Hornets is bound to skew some numbers. Still, its significant that while Dallas shot 46.3 percent, the Spurs shot nearly as well, which serves notice that Dallas will have trouble stopping Denver. The personnel matchups paint a somewhat different picture. Chauncey Billups doesn't have nearly the acceleration and quickness of Tony Parker and is similar stylistically to Jason Kidd, though Kidd doesn't have nearly the shooting touch Billups does. It will be interesting to see how George Karl and Rick Carlisle, two coaches who know how to set up a defense, use their wing players. The assumption is Dahntay Jones will slide over to guard Josh Howard, though that would leave Carmelo Anthony to track down the much smaller J.J. Barea. When Jason Terry comes in the game, though, Jones will probably be assigned to him. The onus will be on Howard to stop Anthony, which is asking a lot, unless Carlisle slides Dirk Nowitzki over from power forward, since Kenyon Martin isn't that much of a scoring threat at this stage of his career aside from offensive rebounds and putbacks. Erick Dampier will have to keep Nene from finding his scoring groove at center, but rebounding will be the key for both. The teams had two of the top three scoring benches in the league during the regular season, led by Smith and Terry,and it will be a pitched battle between Chris Anderson and Brandon Bass inside. Ultimately, the Nuggets' superior size may become the key issue unless Dallas can speed up the tempo. History does not bode well for a team looking to push the pace in the playoffs. Prediction: Nuggets in 6.

Lineups
Denver Nuggets
Starters
PG Chauncey Billups
SG Dahntay Jones
SF Carmelo Anthony
PF Kenyon Martin
C Nene
Bench
SG J.R. Smith
F Linas Kleiza
PG Anthony Carter
PF Chris Andersen
C/F Johan Petro
F Renaldo Balkman
PG Jason Hart

Dallas Mavericks
Starters
PG Jason Kidd
SG J.J. Barea
SF Josh Howard
PF Dirk Nowitzki
C Erick Dampier
Bench
SG Jason Terry
F/C Brandon Bass
SG Antoine Wright
PF James Singleton
G/F Gerald Green
SG Matt Carroll
C Ryan Hollins
SF Devean George

Schedule
Game 1 - Sun May 3 Dallas at Denver 3:30PM ABC
Game 2 - Tue May 5 Dallas at Denver 10:30PM TNT
Game 3 - Sat May 9 Denver at Dallas 5PM ESPN
Game 4 - Mon May 11 Denver at Dallas 9:30PM TNT
Game 5 * Wed May 13 Dallas at Denver TBD TNT
Game 6 * Fri May 15 Denver at Dallas TBD ESPN
Game 7 * Sun May 17 Dallas at Denver TBD TBD

Three random observations ...

2009-04-28T23:16:00.002-04:00

... about the NBA:

1. Sometimes, when a couple of guys on a championship team decide they want to win, nothing can stop them. Rajon Rondo and Paul Pierce simply refused to go down Tuesday, powering Boston back from an 11-point fourth-quarter deficit to win 106-104 in the third overtime game of the series. The Celtics lead 3-2 because Rondo and Pierce scored 27 of the last 40 points for Boston, including Pierce's 15-footer to send the game to overtime and his eerily similar 20-footer to win it. He finished with 26 points and seven rebounds, while Rajon Rondo continued his remarkable play in the series, coming close to his third triple-double with 28 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds. The Bulls simply couldn't stop Rondo's penetration, which allowed the Celtics to have score nearly twice as many points in the paint. It is particularly remarkable that the Celtics won on a night when their bench only gave them five points and Ray Allen scored only 10. Glen Davis had his shooting touch, going 7-for-11 for 21 points and six rebounds, while Kendrick Perkins was a beast inside, scoring 16 points and grabbing 19 rebounds. Yet the Celtics were outrebounded 50-44, and Davis and Perkins were the only real help Pierce and Rondo had all night. The Bulls simply didn't get as many opportunities as Rondo was able to create for Boston, and a couple of Chicago's primary scoring weapons suffered through a tough shooting night. Ben Gordon went just 6-for-21 and John Salmons was 5-for-15. Gordon wound up with a team-high 26 points because he went 11-for-12 from the line, but one wonders if he could have had more if his strained left hamstring were fully healthy. The Bulls can wonder about what would have happened if a flagrant foul had been called on Rajon Rondo for his arm to the face on Brad Miller at the end of the game, too. But the series is not yet done, and they can do more than just ruminate Thursday in Game 6.

2. The Magic claimed the series advantage against the Sixers with a 91-78 win Tuesday in Game 5, but they may have lost as much as they gained. Dwight Howard had a phenomenal 24-point, 24-rebound game, but could be suspended for Game 6 because of an elbow he delivered to Samuel Dalembert in the first quarter. That was shortly before Howard inadvertently struck Courtney Lee in the head, a blow that forced Lee out for the rest of the night and could keep him out indefinitely. Hedo Turkoglu, who saved Orlando in Game 4, faded back into his late-season shooting woes, going 3-for-14 from the floor for nine points. Turkoglu's struggles made Howard's impressive double-double even more so. He was one of only three Magic players in double figures in any category. Rashard Lewis had by far his best shooting night of the playoffs so far, canning 9-for-16 from the field and 3-for-5 from behind the arc. Rafer Alston went toe-to-toe with Andre Miller, scoring 14 while dishing out four assists versus just one turnover. Miller had 17 points, six assists and four steals, while the Sixers were led by Andre Iguodala's 26 points. Willie Green added 16 points, but Philadelphia struggled to get scoring from everyone else, as the bench only chipped in six points. The major difference was on the boards, where once more Howard was the key in a 45-33 rebounding advantage for the Magic. Just about everyone in Magic blue will have to come up with a superhuman performance if Superman is unavailable Thursday.

3. It just wasn't happening for the Spurs this year, and Dallas made that abundantly clear in their first-round series. The normally ironclad San Antonio defense was a sieve, allowing 51 percent shooting and 10-for-20 from behind the arc Tuesday as the Mavs closed out a 4-1 series victory with a 106-93 win in Game 5. Six Mavs wound up in double-figures, none as prolific as Dirk Nowitzki, who had 31 points and nine rebounds. That Dallas was able to get at least competent support for their superstar was key to beating a team that was down to a one-two punch but little else. Tim Duncan had 30 points and eight rebounds, and Tony Parker put up 26 points and 12 assists, but that was about it. The Spurs shot a slightly better percentage from the field, but made just 3-for-16 from three-point range, negating the advantage. The series simply reinforces the importance of Manu Ginobili, and serves notice that the Mavs aren't too far removed from leading 2-0 in the 2006 Finals and the best record in the 2006-07 season. The top three weapons for Dallas, Nowitzki, Josh Howard and Jason Terry, remain from those teams. Don't rule out another deep run from this group.

Three random observations ...

2009-04-27T22:45:00.002-04:00

... about the NBA:

1. The Hawks and Heat are just four games into the playoffs, but attrition has already set in. Both teams were missing their power forwards Monday, Marvin Williams out with a sprained right wrist for Atlanta and Jamario Moon strained a lower abdominal muscle for Miami. Dwyane Wade was hobbled by a sore back and what appeared to be a variety of other ailments in the second half, and struggled to a 9-for-26 shooting performance. Yet the Heat can't lay the blame on Wade, or Moon's absence for that matter, for their 81-71 loss that allowed Atlanta to pull even at two games apiece. Any team that shoots 38 percent, gets outrebounded 40-33 and gets a puny two points from its bench is bound to fail. Daequan Cook went scoreless in 23 minutes of play, Michael Beasley hit two free throws in 10 minutes and Yakhouba Diawara didn't attempt a shot in his six-minute appearance. The Heat's offensive woes extended to its starters, as Udonis Haslem went 2-for-8 for just four points and Mario Chalmers had four points and a single assist in 38 minutes. All of the offense came from Wade, who had a game-high 22 points and seven assists, Jermaine O'Neal, who scored 20, and James Jones, who replace Moon in the starting lineup and scored 19. The Hawks didn't exactly light up the scoreboard, but had a remarkably balanced attack, as seven players scored between 10 and 15 points. The only Hawk to see significant playing time and fail to reach double-digits in points was Al Horford, who was saddled with foul trouble and wound up with four points in 17 minutes. Atlanta's defense isn't usually as impenetrable as it was Monday, and for the Hawks to advance they'll need Horford to reverse his poor play on both ends against O'Neal the past three nights.

2. It may very well go down as the worst night of Chris Paul's career. The Nuggets jumped all over the Hornets early, opening up a 36-13 lead after the first quarter and never looking back in a 121-63 embarrassment of the Hornets. Paul struggled through 36 long minutes, shooting 2-for-7 for just four points, and committing just as many turnovers (six) as he had assists. No one found any sort of success for New Orleans, which finds itself down 3-1 headed to Denver for Game 5. The Nuggets outshot the Hornets 57 percent to 32 percent, and made 10 of 20 three-point shots compared to New Orleans' 2-for-15 performance behind the arc. Carmelo Anthony had 26 points, seven assists and six rebounds to lead seven Nuggets in double-figure scoring. The series, almost certain to end Wednesday in Denver, has starkly displayed the opposite direction in which each franchise is heading. The up-and-coming Hornets would have been favored over the disorganized Nuggets at the beginning of the year, but now it's New Orleans in disarray and Denver with a shot at going to the Finals.

3. Everyone knows the Lakers can score. The question as these playoffs go on is how well they can stop people. The kind of performance they delivered Monday should be their benchmark. It was by no means a stellar defensive effort, but it was enough to close out a 4-1 first round series victory over Utah in a 107-96 win. The Lakers held the Jazz to 40 percent shooting, and made it difficult for Utah's top three options. Deron Williams shot 4-for-12 for 14 points, Carlos Boozer was 3-for-8 for 10 points and Mehmet Okur went 2-for-9 en route to scoring eight. Lamar Odom's work on the glass, pulling down 15 boards, helped L.A. limit Utah's opportunities with a 50-43 rebounding advantage. Odom has had double-figure rebounds in the last three games as he has had no trouble adjusting back to the starting lineup. He had his best night of the series Monday, scoring 26 points, second only to Kobe's 31. Kobe began the series deferring so everyone could get involved, but he's been much more aggressive since his 5-for-24 showing in Game 3, breaking 30 points for the second time in a row Monday with 31 points. The Lakers have shown they can win whether or not Kobe is a ball-distributor or primarily looks to score. It's on the defensive end where their fate will be determined.

Three random observations ...

2009-04-27T17:08:00.002-04:00

... about the NBA:

1. The idea that the losses of Kevin Garnett and Leon Powe would catch up to the Celtics seemed quite distant in a Game 3 blowout. No one could have imagined Boston's lack of depth would be so apparent in Game 4. Boston's bench provided only 11 points compared to Chicago's 30, and once Kendrick Perkins fouled out with just over a minute left in regulation, and his replacement Brian Scalabrine fouled out in overtime, the Celtics had little left for double-overtime, where they succumbed 121-118 to fall into a 2-2 series tie. Rajon Rondo sat out for only three minutes en route to his second triple-double in three games, and Paul Pierce sat just six minutes while piling up a game-high 29 points. Every Bull had at least nine minutes of rest even though only seven players appeared for more than just a few seconds, as Chicago got solid contributions from each man. Rose nearly had a triple-double as well, with 23 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists. Everyone else who played had at least 18 points or double-figure rebounds, except Brad Miller, who had a not-too-shabby 12 points and five rebounds in 25 minutes. The Celtics were reliant on their starters, and Rondo, Pierce and Ray Allen in particular. They committed 21 turnovers and allowed 48 percent shooting, which can do in just about anyone. A special performance like the one Rondo had, with 25 points, 11 assists and 11 rebounds, simply doesn't come around every night. The Celtics surely regret using it to stay in the game rather than applying it to a victory. There's no room for wasted brilliance in a series as close as this one.

2. Brandon Roy did just about everything he could to tie Portland's series with Houston on Sunday in Game 4. He had 31 points, five rebounds, five assists, three steals, three blocks and made all 13 of his free throws. Yet a sequence in the fourth quarter encapsulates how the Rockets were able to resiliantly stymie his every effort in an 89-88 victory that gives Houston a 3-1 advantage. Roy had suffered through his worst stretch of the game, turning the ball over three times and missing a jumper in five minutes after entering the game with 10:15 to go in the fourth. He responded by charging hard against Shane Battier, drawing the foul and making the free throw to give Portland an 80-79 lead with 5:03 left. Ron Artest tried to answer with a layup on the other end and missed, but Yao Ming got the rebound. He put it back up and missed, but Kyle Lowry was there to grab another rebound and try another shot. That missed, too, but Lowry got it back again and reset the offense. Artest found Battier for a three-pointer that gave Houston a two-point lead. Roy quickly answered with a trey of his own to reclaim the lead for the Blazers, and Artest tried to counter again. This time his miss was grabbed by Carl Landry, who once more allowed the Houston offense to reset. Artest found Battier one more time to give the Rockets the lead for good with 3:24 to play. The Rockets wound up with 16 offensive rebounds, seven of which came from Luis Scola, as those second-chance opportunities wound up burning Portland. Battier's 4-for-6 shooting from behind the arc was part of a 9-for-16 night from three-point territory for the Rockets. Extra effort and getting hot at the right time is a formula that's worked for a lot of teams, and may be enough to lift the Blazers into the second round.

3. Orlando's three-point shooting had seemingly abandoned the team once more, as the Magic shot 0-for-5 from beyond in the arc fourth quarter. That was until Hedo Turkoglu nailed a trey with 1.1 to go for a 84-81 victory Sunday to square the series with Philadelphia at 2-2. Turkoglu has struggled to start the postseason but in Game 4 came up with a playoff-high 17 points, seven of which came in the fourth quarter. That matched the total of Rashard Lewis, who kicked in seven rebounds to give Dwight Howard just enough support. Howard delivered 18 points and came down with 18 rebounds, nearly half the team's total of 37 boards. All five Magic starters scored in double figures, but the bench struggled to just four points. The Magic reserves lacked the spark that Lou Williams, with 11 points on nine shots, gave the Sixers. Philadelphia put all of its starters in double-figures, too, but Andre Iguodala failed to ignite an offense that produced merely 39 percent shooting, going 4-for-13 from the floor despite dishing out 11 assists and grabbing seven rebounds. Either team could have won the game handily if one of their primary scorers had a 25- or 30-point night. Yet Orlando in particular has to be pleased with the all-around effort, particularly because its a rare night they can get scoring from more than just Howard and one or two other guys.

Three random observations ...

2009-04-26T00:19:00.000-04:00

... about the NBA:

1. It wasn't going to happen every night for Chauncey Billups. The Nuggets difference-making point guard failed to score 30 points, unlike in Games 1 and 2, and committed his first two turnovers of the series in a 95-93 loss Saturday to the Hornets in Game 3. Billups shot just 3-for-10 from the field, but didn't exactly have a poor afternoon, scoring 16 and adding seven rebounds and six assists. Carmelo Anthony wound up with 25 points and eight rebounds on a night when the Nuggets were solid but not spectacular as they had been. That allowed the role players for the Hornets, the sort of guys for whom home court always seems to make a difference, to push New Orleans to victory. Sean Marks had a surprising eight-point, six-rebound afternoon, and Rasual Butler canned three of his four shots from behind the arc to power a 17-point, five rebound performance. James Posey put up 13 points and nine rebounds and some nagging defense, and David West put up his customary 19 points and nine rebounds. It was all in support of Chris Paul, who was once more brilliant with 32 points and 12 assists. Getting help for Paul is critical for the Hornets, especially as they continue to endure the struggles of Peja Stojakovic, who went 1-for-9 for four points. Stojakovic's ill-advised three-point attempt with 34 seconds to go left the door open for the late-charging Nuggets. Carmelo Anthony scored seven points in a minute and a half and assisted on a J.R. Smith three-pointer as Denver closed from down 11 to within three points. They got within one with 25 seconds to play, but Anthony wound up with just an off-balance shot with four seconds left and a half-court three-pointer as time expired, neither of which went in the basket.

2. Maybe Tim Duncan and Tony Parker should get into doubles tennis. They'd find the sort of two-man game they were playing Saturday is a lot more effective in that sport than it was on the basketball court in Game 4 against the Mavericks. Parker tied George Gervin's 1978 postseason team record for most points in a half with 31 and wound up with 43 points, while Duncan had 25 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists. The rest of the team scored only 22 points in a 99-90 loss that pushes San Antonio to the cusp of elimination. Gregg Popovich's insertion of Bruce Bowen into the starting lineup to replace Roger Mason provided little spark either offensively, where Bowen scored five points and Mason was scoreless in 17 minutes off the bench, or defensively, where Josh Howard got to the hoop consistently for 28 points. The Mavericks won for the second straight time without Dirk Nowitzki as their leading scorer, getting a throwback 17-point, seven assist and seven-rebound performance from Jason Kidd. Nowitzki had only 12 points, but grabbed 13 rebounds, key to a 49-35 advantage for Dallas on the boards. The Spurs outshot the Mavs 44 percent to 38 percent, but the extra possessions thanks to the rebounding edge, and the bench, which outscored San Antonio's 23-10, made up for it. It won't be easy against a team known for its toughness over the years, but the Mavs now have three chances keep the Spurs from the second round for the first time in 11 years.

3. There was no way Kobe was letting the Jazz off the hook the way he did in Game 3. He followed up a 5-for-24 shooting night with a 16-for-24 explosion for 38 points Saturday, as the Lakers stretched a seven-point halftime lead to 19 by the end of the third quarter in a 108-94 victory in Game 4. L.A. turned a rebounding deficit from Thursday into a 46-39 advantage thanks in large part to the 15 boards that Lamar Odom gave them in a return to the starting lineup. Andrew Bynum's disconcerting Game 3 performance led to his benching and sparing use Saturday, as he scored two points and committed two fouls in just seven minutes. He was hardly needed, however, as so many other Laker weapons were sharp on a 52-percent shooting night. Pau Gasol had 13 points and 10 rebounds, Shannon Brown came off the bench for 10 points, and Sasha Vujacic canned three treys for nine points. Deron Williams had 23 points and 13 assists in a gutsy 46-minute outing, and Carlos Boozer put up 23 points and 16 rebounds, but it was not enough for Utah to keep pace with hot-shooting L.A. Mehmet Okur returned from a hamstring injury but struggled, going scoreless in just 13 minutes. Add his inability to contribute in the playoffs to the long list of injuries that completely derailed the Utah season, which appears headed for its conclusion Monday in Game 5.

Schedule update

2009-04-25T16:42:00.003-04:00

We'll be back later this weekend with more, but here's the updated playoff schedule for the next few days. All times Eastern.

Today
New Orleans 95, Denver 93, Nuggets lead series 2-1
San Antonio at Dallas, Game 4, in progress
Atlanta at Miami, Game 3, 6:30 TNT
L.A. Lakers at Utah, Game 4, 9 p.m. ESPN
Sunday
Boston at Chicago, Game 4, 1 p.m. ABC
Cleveland at Detroit, Game 4, 3:30 p.m. ABC
Orlando at Philadelphia, Game 4, 6:30 p.m. TNT
Portland at Houston, Game 4, 9 p.m. TNT
Monday
Atlanta at Miami, Game 4, 8 p.m. TNT
Denver at New Orleans, Game 4, 8:30 p.m. NBATV
L.A. Lakers at Utah, Game 4, 10:30 p.m. TNT
Tuesday
Chicago at Boston, Game 5, 7 p.m. TNT
Philadelphia at Orlando, Game 5, 7:30 p.m. NBATV
Dallas at San Antonio, Game 5, 9:30 p.m. TNT
Houston at Portland, Game 5, 10 p.m. NBATV

Three random observations ...

2009-04-24T14:53:00.002-04:00

... about the NBA:

1. The Lakers fortunes seemed to turn on a dime Thursday. They not only lost to Utah on Deron Williams' jumper with 2.2 seconds left, but endured a disconcerting performance from Andrew Bynum. The knee brace Bynum wears since tearing his MCL has prompted complaints from the Lakers 7-foot center, and it looks like it's now causing a serious slip in production. He missed practice Wednesday after unimpressive seven and 10-point outings in the first two games of the playoffs, and then turned into a foul machine Thursday in Game 3. He committed five fouls and scored four points in just seven minutes against a Utah team that was still without its starting center, Mehmet Okur, who has a strained right hamstring. Lamar Odom picked up the slack offensively with 21 points and 14 rebounds, and Pau Gasol had a strong 20-point, nine-rebound evening, but without Bynum, the Lakers were eaten alive on the boards by Carlos Boozer. He had 22 rebounds that were the difference in a 55-40 advantage on the glass for Utah, and scored 23 points to boot in a rare display of Boozer's full arsenal this year. He outshone even Kobe, who endured an off night, shooting just 5-for-24 and totaled 18 points, not enough on a night when some clutch shooting could have come in handy. He did record one of his six assists on a pass to Pau Gasol that led to a game-tying basket with 11 seconds to go, but that only set the stage for Williams. It wasn't the best night for Williams, who finished with 13 points on 3-for-7 shooting and nine assists, but he came through when the Jazz absolutely had to have him.

2. The only negative for the Mavericks on Thursday is that they only got to play one game. Dallas throttled the Spurs 88-67 on a night when San Antonio looked spent. The Mavs held their opponents to 32 percent shooting, kept all but two of their players in single-digits, and allowed no Spur to score more than the 12 that Tony Parker had, hardly an encore for his 38-point performance in Game 2. Dallas shut them down from the start, allowing just 30 points in the first half and 12 more in the third quarter. Tim Duncan shot 2-for-9 for just four points, and Michael Finley went scoreless in 17 minutes. The Mavs were led by Dirk Nowitzki, who piled up 20 points and seven rebounds in 27 minutes, and Josh Howard, who had 17 points and eight rebounds in the same amount of time. Dallas had five players in all reach double-figures, including new starter J.J. Barea, who had 13 points to go along with seven rebounds. Still, the series could an even affair if the Spurs win Saturday, though its hard to imagine an aging team bouncing back from a game like this in less than 48 hours.

3. The Bulls, too, are but a win a way from tying up their series following a blowout loss Thursday. They certainly can't do much worse than in Game 3, when the Celtics raced to an early lead and defused a Chicago crowd that was ready to ignite. Boston was up by 11 after the first quarter and 22 at halftime as it cruised to a 107-86 win. Defense was the catalyst as always for the Celtics, who harassed the Bulls into 22 turnovers. They held Chicago to 38 percent shooting and the potent backcourt combo of Derrick Rose and Ben Gordon to just 24 points combined. Paul Pierce had a strong if abbreviated 27-minute night, leading the Celtics with 24 points. Rajon Rondo continued his emergence as an all-around force, with 20 points, a game-high 11 rebounds, six assists and five steals. Glen Davis outplayed his childhood buddy Tyrus Thomas, posting 14 points, nine rebounds and six assists, and even Stephon Marbury, who had 13 points and five assists off the bench, got into the act. The Celtics have turned the series around after the alarming loss in Game 1. We'll see Sunday if Chicago can return the favor.

Three random observations ...

2009-04-22T22:02:00.002-04:00

... about the NBA:

1. Everyone in the building had to know Dwyane Wade would bounce back Wednesday from a dreadful Game One in Atlanta. The question was whether anyone else on the Heat would. The answer was a resounding yes as Miami built a 13-point halftime lead and kept the Hawks at arm's length during the second half of a 108-93 victory. Wade was back to his usual Hall of Fame-caliber self after a 19-point game one in a 33-point, seven assist, five-rebound performance in which he hit on six of 10 three-pointers. Daequan Cook hit six from behind the arc as well en route to 20 points as the Heat wound up with a postseason team-record 15 made three-pointers. Jermaine O'Neal, perhaps inspired by a visit to the locker room by legendary Heat center Alonzo Mourning before the game, had 19 points, six rebounds and four blocks. Udonis Haslem stepped up when the team needed him most. He nailed the first of back-to-back jumpers with 4:35 to play while Dwyane Wade was on the bench with five fouls and the Heat was up by only five points, its slimmest margin of the second half. The Hawks countered with six players in double figures but no with more than Mike Bibby's 18 points. Ronald Murray had 15 points off the bench, but needed a team-high 15 shots to make that total, going just 4-for-15 from the field. Most egregious for the Hawks was their defense, which followed up a triumphant playoff debut in which they held Miami to 64 points by allowing 56 percent shooting in Game 2. Consistency is a word that is sure to come up in practice for both teams leading up to Game 3 Saturday.

2. Dwight Howard was saddled with foul trouble thoughout the night Wednesday, and attempted just six shots. Orlando had a sorry night from behind the arc as well, making just six of 23 three-point attempts. Yet the tone for the Magic after Game 2 against Philadelphia was an encouraging one. That's primarily because of rookie Courtney Lee, who led the team with 24 points on 10-for-17 shooting from the floor in a 96-87 win over the Sixers. Lee's mix of strong drives to the basket early and hot mid-range shooting late bailed out the Magic, who were in danger of heading to Philadelphia down 0-2. Howard wound up with just 11 points in 30 minutes, but nonetheless was able to assert his influence on the boards, where he had a game-high 10. Rashard Lewis had eight rebounds to make up for his 1-for-5 night from three-point range as the Magic's 44-37 edge on the boards was key to limiting Philadelphia's possessions. The Sixers shot a slightly higher percentage from the floor thanks to a triumvirate of options Wednesday. Andre Miller led all scorers with 30 points and added seven rebounds, Andre Iguodala had 21 points and eight rebounds, and Thaddeus Young wound up with 20 points. No other Sixer scored more than five points, however, and as a unit the rest of the team shot just 7-for-26. Lou Williams, counted on for production off the bench, hardly delivered on a 2-for-10, four-point night. The Magic discovered they have more options than they thought when it comes to key performances. The Sixers just need more guys playing at an average level.

3. Chauncey Billups has won a Finals MVP award, but has never before been such a dominant force in the postseason. Billups continued his mastery of Chris Paul and the New Orleans Hornets with 31 points, three nights after scoring 36 points in Game One, as the Nuggets went up 2-0 with a 108-93 win. Billups made four of six attempts from behind the arc, bringing his total of made three-pointers to 12 for the series. He shot 8-for-15 from the floor and 11-for-11 from the line, where he is a perfect 19-for-19 in two playoff games. He's also helped to slow Paul, whose 14 points Wednesday and 21 from the first game still total less than what Billups scored in Game 1. Dahntay Jones has shouldered the majority of the load against Paul, showing off the kind of defense that has made him a starter on a quality team. Jones even went 5-for-5 for 11 points on the offensive end, where whatever he gives the Nuggets is usually a bonus. Carmelo Anthony deferred to Billups, Jones and the team's other hot hands, dishing out nine assists while still posting 22 points. It was a night when it all seemed to click for Denver and all New Orleans encountered was frustration It was a decent offensive night for the Hornets supporting cast, but still not enough. David West had 21 points and 10 rebounds, Peja Stojakovic was 5-for-9 for 17 points, and James Posey had 12 points and eight rebounds, all beneficiaries of Paul's 13 assists. New Orleans is running out of options, and time, as the Nuggets prepare to put the series out of reach Saturday.

Three random observations ...

2009-04-22T10:22:00.002-04:00

... about the NBA:

1. Portland's interior defense was a joke in Game 1. Its marked improvement by Game 2 on Tuesday was critical to a bounce-back win for the Blazers. Yao Ming had 24 points in half on Saturday but was held to 11 on just six shots from the field the entire evening Tuesday as the Rockets fell 107-103. Joel Przybilla, LaMarcus Aldridge and Greg Oden combined to shut down Yao and reverse a disparity in rebounds from Game One, as the Blazers were able to edge the Rockets on the boards 36-35. The other key for Portland was Brandon Roy, who took matters into his own hands on the offensive end and wound up with 42 points on 15-for-27 from the floor and 10-for-12 from the line. It was the kind of performance the Blazers needed to have from their superstar at some point in the playoffs. It didn't hurt that LaMarcus Aldridge was also on his game, scoring 27 and collecting 12 rebounds, both figures more than any other Rocket posted for the evening. Houston was led for a second straight night by Aaron Brooks, who had 23 points as he continues to dominate the point guard battle with Steve Blake. Von Wafer got hot off the bench, getting to the interior of the Portland defense and scoring 21 points. The Rockets certainly welcome heavy scoring from somewhat unusual sources, but will have a tough time getting anywhere if Artest, who had 19 on Tuesday, and Yao can't crack 20.

2. You'll have to excuse the Lakers if they look a little bored. The Jazz, especially when they're on the road, simply can't compete with the West's overwhelming favorite. The Lakers built an early lead scoring at will against Utah, particularly inside, where Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum and Lamar Odom took advantage of Mehmet Okur's continued absence with a strained hamstring and combined for 26 of the L.A.'s 41 points in the first quarter. The Lakers put it in cruise control the rest of the way, letting the Jazz within three points late until the defense clamped down. Carlos Boozer made it 109-106 with 3:16 to play, but the Lakers stymied four straight Utah possessions with a Trevor Ariza steal, a loose ball foul against Carlos Boozer, a Derek Fisher steal, and two Gasol blocks. Kobe's 21-footer with 1:03 to play sealed it. Kobe led the way with 26 points, nine assists and six rebounds, but really it was a balanced effort as seven Lakers reached double figures, including recent bench revelation Shannon Brown, who had 12. Brown had most of those against Deron Williams, who otherwise had a stellar night with 35 points and nine assists. Boozer was no slouch with 20 points and 10 rebounds, as it became apparent that even when their stars are shining, the Jazz have serious problems with the Lakers. Okur's possible return in Game 3 would certainly help, but it's unlikely he'll be able to swing a series that L.A. has completely dominated so far.

3. The Cavs, like the Lakers, got a little sloppy in Game 2 of a lopsided series Tuesday. Cleveland built a 29-point lead over the Pistons by the fourth quarter, which was whittled down to seven with both teams' reserves on the floor, before the starters returned to restore order in a 94-82 victory for the Cavs. LeBron James was unstoppable, with totals of 29 points and 13 rebounds that were both game highs, plus six assists to boot. He was scarcely the only one for Cleveland, as Mo Williams had 21 points and seven assists while Delonte West had 20 points, just one fewer than his playoff career high. Antonio McDyess had 11 rebounds for the Pistons, but no other Piston had more than four on a night when Detroit was simply out-toughed, a rarity in Detroit's heydey. The Pistons relied on their guards for scoring, as Richard Hamilton had 17 and Rodney Stuckey 14 to lead the way. Will Bynum had 10 of his 13 and Arron Afflalo all 10 of his points in the fourth quarter as both teams emptied their benches. It's become clear after two games that the best chance the Pistons have at a single win in this series is for Cleveland's newly crowned NBA Coach of the Year Mike Brown to repeat his mistake of slackening the reins too early. Don't count on that happening.

Three random observations ...

2009-04-20T21:54:00.002-04:00

... about the NBA:

1. The Bulls' win over the Celtics in Game 1 was no fluke. Ray Allen's poor performance in the playoff opener probably was. Allen was back to his usual self in Game 2 Monday, nailing four clutch three-pointers in the fourth quarter, including the game-winner with two seconds to go, as the Celtics survived 105-103 to tie the series heading to Chicago for Game 3. Allen had 30 points in all on 9-for-18 shooting to lead the Celtics just two days after he went 1-for-12 from the field for four points. Yet his bounce-back performance would have meant little if Rajon Rondo didn't give further notice that he is to be considered a star and a top-flight point guard. Rondo shook off an ankle injury that sent him to the locker room in the second quarter to return and finish a triple-double, with 19 points, 16 assists and 12 rebounds, with five steals to boot. He also helped relegate Derrick Rose to a facilitator's role in the wake of his 36-point explosion in Game 1, holding him Monday to just 10 points. Ben Gordon picked up the scoring slack and then some for Chicago, scoring a playoff career high 42 points while evoking a few memories of a man with a similar last name who had a 63-point performance at Boston Garden 23 years ago to the day. But just as Jordan didn't have enough help to win that day, only one of Gordon's teammates scored as many as John Salmons' 17. That's scarcely enough, especially when the Bulls got manhandled on the boards by a 50-35 margin, largely thanks to the dozen rebounds each by Rose and Kendrick Perkins. As Jordan's Bulls learned in the '80s, and these Bulls will soon come to realize, one man show only takes you so far no matter how dazzling the performer.

2. San Antonio was embarassed on the defensive end in Game One. The Spurs responded in swift fashion. No Mav scored more than 16 points, and Dallas a team was held to 40 percent shooting and outrebounded by a 44-28 margin in a 105-84 San Antonio rout in Game Two. No one's struggles personified the Mavs' night more than those of Dirk Nowitzki, who shot just 3-for-14 for 14 points. Jason Terry led Dallas with 16 points, but that's a below average night for a guy who is used to getting to the line more than three times all night. Dallas was missing a catalyst in the vein of Tony Parker, who was seemingly unstoppable slicing his way to the basket during a 38 point, eight assist performance. Tim Duncan had an off night offensively, taking only 10 shots and scoring 13 points, but he wasn't needed the way he often is because Drew Gooden answered the bell again. Gooden had 13 points in 19 minutes off the bench in the type of performance that has made him the next in the line of shrewd acquisitions by the Spurs. Another of their hallmarks during their years of success has been playing well when behind in playoff series. No one should be surprised if the early advantage Dallas earned in Game One is never regained.

3. The Spurs picked up Gooden while the Celtics went after Mikki Moore, another big man who came available late in the season. Maybe Boston should have signed them both. Word came Tuesday that another post player for the Celtics is injured. It's been revealed that Leon Powe tore the ACL in his knee during Monday's game, and he's out for the playoffs. The team, which last year rotated five players in and out of the power forward and center positions, is down to three. It hurts because it costs Boston a championship-tested reserve who knew how to produce in limited minutes, coming up with eight points and eight rebounds in 17 minutes of play Saturday. Powe is a much better rebounder than Moore, who likes to step away from the basket on the offensive end. Powe is the more efficient scorer, as well, and the only significant gain the Celtics make is in length, because Moore is four inches taller. It all came together so quickly brilliantly for the team in 2008, and with injuries to Garnett and Powe and GM's Danny Ainge's heart attack, it is seemingly all coming apart just as swiftly.

Three random observations ...

2009-04-19T21:36:00.002-04:00

... about the NBA:

1. It was a game that symbolized the systemic problems of the Orlando Magic. Sunday they got a stellar 31-point, 16-rebound effort from Dwight Howard, but their other two stars struggled and the team shot a combined 5-for-18 from the line as they blew an 18-point lead against the Sixers and lost 100-98. They were helpless after Howard got poked in the eye and left the game with his team ahead 79-61 in the third quarter. Courtney Lee gave the Magic 18 points, a lot more than they expected from the rookie, but it just wasn't enough. Hedo Turkoglu didn't hit a three-pointer all night and wound up with six points on 2-for-8 shooting. Rashard Lewis scored 15 points, but only three rebounds, three assists and not a single block or steal. Their bench was outscored by a whopping 42-13 margin. Part of that disparity came from Philadelphia's secret weapon. Veteran Donyell Marshall shot 4-for-5 and scored 11 points in 11 minutes, including eight points in the final 4:18, and nailed a three-pointer with 34 seconds left to tie the game. Lou Williams had 18 points, second only to Andre Iguodala, whose game-winning 22-footer with 2.2 to play capped a 20-point, eight-rebound, eight-assist night.

2. Dwight Howard isn't the only superstar from a Florida team that could use a supporting cast. Wade had an off night, scoring just 19 points and turning the ball over eight times, but the rest of the Heat was even worse. The Hawks held them to a season-low in points Sunday during a 90-64 thrashing in Game One of their series. Michael Beasley came off the bench to score 10 points and grab 10 rebounds, but no one else from Miami had double figures in any category as the Heat shot 37 percent from the floor and were outrebounded 50-35. The high-flying Hawks got plenty of looks around the basket, and no one had more of those than Josh Smith, who took advantage to go 9-for-14 from the floor, grab 10 rebounds and score 23 points. He was one of six players in double figures for the Hawks, including all five starters plus Zaza Pachulia, whose size off the bench was key. Pachulia had 10 points and 10 rebounds and Al Horford had 14 points and nine rebounds as the Hawks completely dominated the paint. Jermaine O'Neal, acquired at midseason to bolster Miami's pivot, scored just five points and pulled down only a pair of rebounds. The only good news for the Heat is that it can't get much worse.

3. There aren't many scenarios wherein J.R. Smith can go 0-for-7 from three-point range, Carmelo Anthony scores only 13 points and the Nuggets still win a playoff game. Yet that's precisely what happened Sunday. The difference was all Chauncey Billups. He exploded for eight three-pointers and 36 points overall to turn the game into a 113-84 Denver romp. Smith got hot from close range in the second half as he and Billups combined to score every point in a dazzling 21-0 run that put the game out of reach early in the fourth quarter. Smith finished with 19 points, Linas Kleiza 13 and Nene 12 plus 14 rebounds to more than make up for Anthony, who was saddled by foul trouble and, when he was in the game, mostly deferred to Billups. Chris Paul had his hands full as one of three men who tried to guard Billups, but wound up with 21 points and 11 assists, far better production than any other Hornet in a familiar refrain. Peja Stojakovic had but 13 points, while David West went 4-for-16 for only 12 points. Tyson Chandler, who had six points and five rebounds, was clearly outplayed by Nene. Billups probably won't have quite so good a shooting night again in this series, but if Anthony comes back to put up merely his average numbers, the Hornets have quite a task in front of them.

Three random observations ...

2009-04-18T15:42:00.003-04:00

... about the NBA:

1. The Celtics were able to endure Ray Allen's struggles early in last year's playoffs. They won't be able to do the same this year if Allen stays cold. The erstwhile member of Boston's new Big Three had an abominable shooting performance, missing 11 of 12 shots from the floor including a baseline jumper that could have sent Saturday's playoff opener to double overtime in a 105-103 OT loss. The Celtics don't have enough to mask such a poor performance with Kevin Garnett out, even when Rajon Rondo hits for 29 points, nine rebounds and seven assists. Paul Pierce, who must carry a great deal of the scoring load, went 8-for-21 for 23 points and missed a free throw that would have given the Celtics the lead with 2.6 seconds left in regulation, so it wasn't the greatest of days for him, either. It was, however, the best performance Derrick Rose has ever authored, at least in his brief NBA career so far. He had 36 points, tying the record for the most ever in a playoff debut, added 11 assists and went 12-for-12 at the line, defying what convention says about rookie point guards in the playoffs. Joakim Noah had 17 rebounds, and Tyrus Thomas got hot at the right time, nailing three jumpers in overtime. The Celtics are in major trouble.

2. The key for Dallas is the play of its supporting cast around Dirk Nowitzki, and Saturday night the lesser lights stole the show. Josh Howard led six players in double figures to show his chronicly achy left ankle felt just fine in a 105-97 win in Game One at San Antonio. Nowitzki had 19, and while usually any number under 20 for him spells doom for the Mavs, they didn't need him to be a dominant force on this night. Even Jason Terry, normally the second option, wasn't needed nearly as much as usual. Brandon Bass, scored 14, J.J. Barea 13, and Terry had 12 to power the Dallas second unit, which outscored San Antonio's bench 39-14. Erick Dampier chipped in 11 rebounds and 10 points as well on a rough night for the Spurs defense, which allowed 54 percent shooting. The inability to stop the Mavs on the other end wasted a throwback performance by Tim Duncan, who had 27 points and nine rebounds, as well as another age-defying shooting night for 36-year-old Michael Finley, who went 7-for-10 for 19 points. Tony Parker was his usual self with 24 points and eight assists, but it simply wasn't enough.

3. The banner Saturday for road teams finished up in Portland, where the Rockets had the best opener of all. The Blazers had no answer for Yao Ming, Aaron Brooks zipped past Steve Blake and the vaunted Houston defense shut down everyone in Portland, including the crowd in a 108-81 shellacking. Yao had an amazing first half, going 9-for-9 from the field, 6-for-6 at the line and grabbing seven rebounds during a 24-point explosion. Joel Przybilla wound up with three fouls and Greg Oden two trying to guard him. Yao added just two more rebounds for his final line as the Rockets decided to rest him for all but six minutes of the second half. Brooks kept Houston going after the break, hitting four of his five three-pointers in the second half and finishing with a game-high 27 points to go along with seven assists. He was too much to handle for either Blake or Blazers backup point guard Sergio Rodriguez, who combined for just seven points and eight assists. The only Portland starter to score in double figures was Brandon Roy with 21, but he needed 23 shots from the floor to do it on a night when the Blazers were outshot 59 percent to 42 percent. Greg Oden was the only bright spot, taking advantage of the lack of athleticism from Dikembe Mutombo when Yao was out to score 15 points on 6-for-7 shooting. Oden couldn't stop Yao, though, on a night when no one could.

NBA Playoffs Preview

2009-04-17T17:26:00.001-04:00

Here is a primer for the NBA Playoffs, which begin Saturday:

EASTERN CONFERENCE

No. 1 CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (66-16) vs. No. 8 DETROIT PISTONS (39-43)
Summary
Two years ago, these teams met in an Eastern Conference Finals and Detroit was heavily favored. The Cavs pulled the upset and the two franchises have experienced contrasting fortunes ever since. LeBron was brilliant in that series, and has since been surrounded by the right supporting cast, chiefly point guard Mo Williams, who is a legitimate secondary scorer. Williams will match up with Rodney Stuckey, whose inability to replace the production of Chauncey Billups has caused plenty of consternation in Detroit. The man whom Billups was traded for, Allen Iverson, is officially on the playoff roster but will not play, ostensibly because of a back injury. Even if he were there, and on his best behavior, this series would be no contest. The Cavs hold a clear advantage at four of the five starting positions, with the Richard Hamilton vs. Delonte West matchup the lone exception. Will Bynum can light it up off the bench, but Cleveland's got a deep mix of youth and experience in reserve to counteract anything he might do. The Cavs were dominant at home, going 39-2, and would have tied the record of the 1986 Celtics for most homecourt wins of all time had they not rested their stars in the finale. They'll have homecourt advantage in every series they play in this postseason, including their opener. They'll scarsely need it against the Pistons. Prediction: Cavs in 4.

Schedule
Game 1 - Sat April 18 Detroit at Cleveland 3:00PM ABC
Game 2 - Tue April 21 Detroit at Cleveland 8:00PM TNT
Game 3 - Fri April 24 Cleveland at Detroit 7:00PM ESPN
Game 4 - Sun April 26 Cleveland at Detroit 3:30PM ABC
Game 5 * Wed April 29 Detroit at Cleveland TBD TBD
Game 6 * Fri May 1 Cleveland at Detroit TBD TBD
Game 7 * Sun May 3 Detroit at Cleveland TBD TBD

Lineups
Cleveland Cavaliers
Starters
PG Mo Williams
SG Delonte West
SF LeBron James
PF Anderson Varejao
C Zydrunas Ilgauskas
Bench
G Daniel Gibson
G/F Wally Szczerbiak
F/C Joe Smith
F/C Darnell Jackson
SG Sasha Pavlovic
SG Tarence Kinsey
C/F Lorenzen Wright
Injured
F/C Ben Wallace (status unclear)
PF J.J. Hickson (out two to three weeks, lower back)

Detroit Pistons
Starters
PG Rodney Stuckey
SG Richard Hamilton
SF Tayshaun Prince
PF Antonio McDyess
C Rasheed Wallace
Bench
PG Will Bynum
C Kwame Brown
PF Jason Maxiell
SG Arron Afflalo
F Walter Herrmann
F Amir Johnson
PF Walter Sharpe
Injuries
G Allen Iverson (out, back)

No. 4 ATLANTA HAWKS (47-35) vs. No. 5 MIAMI HEAT (43-39)
Summary
This season has seen Dwyane Wade at his absolute best. The MVP of the 2006 Finals returned from injury this year to guide a team that went a league-worst 15-67 last year to the fifth seed in the East, shepherding a rookie head coach, a rookie point guard and another rookie, No. 2 overall pick Michael Beasley, who is the team's sixth man. Wade led the league in scoring with a 30.2 average, garnering MVP consideration even though LeBron and Kobe were leading their teams to their conferences' best records. The spectre of a second-round matchup with LeBron's Cavs has the league salivating. But standing in the way is an improved Atlanta team that built on last year's stiff seven-game challenge of the champion Celtics to earn homecourt advantage in the first round. The Hawks' first five are as good as just about anyone's. It's the bench, which strains to go eight deep, that has kept Atlanta down. But that scarsely matters in the playoffs, where minutes are stretched and virtually nobody plays any more than eight players anyway. The Hawks will no doubt have all kinds of trouble guarding Wade, with Joe Johnson, Marvin Williams and Mike Bibby all likely to be assigned to him at one point or another. The Heat will have their own difficulty dealing with a veteran point guard in Bibby, and with Johnson, who has been through the playoff wringer before with Atlanta and Phoenix. The Hawks, who are tough at home, will milk their extra game in Atlanta for all its worth. Prediction: Hawks in 7.

Schedule
Game 1 - Sun April 19 Miami at Atlanta 8:00PM TNT
Game 2 - Wed April 22 Miami at Atlanta 8:00PM TNT
Game 3 - Sat April 25 Atlanta at Miami 6:30PM TNT
Game 4 - Mon April 27 Atlanta at Miami TBD TBD
Game 5 * Wed April 29 Miami at Atlanta TBD TBD
Game 6 * Fri May 1 Atlanta at Miami TBD TBD
Game 7 * Sun May 3 Miami at Atlanta TBD TBD

Lineups
Atlanta Hawks
Starters
PG Mike Bibby
SG Joe Johnson
SF Marvin Williams
PF Joe Smith
C Al Horford
Bench
G/F Mo Evans
C Zaza Pachulia
G Flip Murray
PF Solomon Jones
SG Mario West
SG Thomas Gardner
PG Acie Law

Miami Heat
Starters
PG Mario Chalmers
SG Dwyane Wade
SF Jamario Moon
PF Udonis Haslem
C Jermaine O'Neal
Bench
PF Michael Beasley
SF Yakhouba Diawara
SG Daequan Cook
C Joel Anthony
SF James Jones
PG Chris Quinn
C Mark Blount

No. 2 BOSTON CELTICS (62-20) vs. No. 7 CHICAGO BULLS (41-41)
Summary
Here is where the true intrigue in the first round lies. How well will the Celtics play without Kevin Garnett? Not very well, in all likelihood. Rajon Rondo is going to be asked to become one of the "Big Three," and even if he does elevate his game, there is no way he can replace Garnett's on-court intensity, and certainly not his low-post defense. So much of Boston's success in the brief KG era has been about their team defense, and perhaps the Celtics, to some extent, can mask the gaping hole Garnett leaves. And maybe Glen Davis will put together a string of nights where his midrange jumper is hot to replace the scoring they're missing. It's conceivable Boston gets by Chicago, but they won't go any farther without Garnett. The Bulls offer plenty of reasons why the Celtics may even be screwed for the first round. Point guard Derrick Rose has justified his status as the No. 1 overall pick from last year, and his play has been worthy of Rookie of the Year honors. Ben Gordon, entrenched as a starter now, is as explosive a scoring force as anyone. John Salmons has been a revelation since coming over in a trade from Sacramento. And the first three guys off the bench, Brad Miller, Kirk Hinrich and Tim Thomas, are all veterans who have gotten it done in the playoffs before. Chicago's got a great shot to advance. They might even be favorites, if Rose weren't a rookie, if Salmons weren't prone to being eaten alive by Pierce and if Tyrus Thomas was decidedly better than Davis. Prediction: Celtics in 7.

Schedule
Game 1 - Sat April 18 Chicago at Boston 12:30PM ESPN
Game 2 - Mon April 20 Chicago at Boston 7:00PM TNT
Game 3 - Thu April 23 Boston at Chicago 8:00PM TNT
Game 4 - Sun April 26 Boston at Chicago 1:00PM ABC
Game 5 * Tue April 28 Chicago at Boston TBD TBD
Game 6 * Thu April 30 Boston at Chicago TBD TBD
Game 7 * Sat May 2 Chicago at Boston TBD TNT

Lineups
Boston Celtics
Starters
PG Rajon Rondo
SG Ray Allen
SF Paul Pierce
PF Glen Davis
C Kendrick Perkins
Bench
G Eddie House
F/C Leon Powe
F/C Mikki Moore
SG Tony Allen
F Brian Scalabrine
PG Stephon Marbury
SG Bill Walker
Injuries
PF Kevin Garnett (knee, status unclear, could be out for year)

Chicago Bulls
Starters
PG Derrick Rose
SG Ben Gordon
SF John Salmons
PF Tyrus Thomas
C Joakim Noah
Bench
PG Kirk Hinrich
C Brad Miller
F Tim Thomas
G Lindsey Hunter
PF Linton Johnson
SG Anthony Roberson
C Aaron Gray
Injuries
SF Luol Deng (could return only for deep playoff run, stress fracture in right tibia)

No. 3 ORLANDO MAGIC (59-23) vs. No. 6 PHILADELPHIA 76ERS (41-41)
Summary
These two teams enter the playoffs with no momentum, so they're fortunate to run into one another. Philadelphia lost six in a row before winning on the season's final night against Cleveland's B-team, while the Magic lost to the Raptors, Knicks, Nets and Bucks in the last two weeks. It's a clash of tempos, as the Sixers will look to run while the Magic will pound it inside to Dwight Howard and free up room for their three-point gunners. Orlando has a clear advantage with Howard in the middle against Samuel Dalembert, but the rest of the matchups depend on how well the Magic are shooting and spreading the ball around. Rafer Alston, who has been a part of the Houston's recent first-round flameouts, will try again to win a playoff series against a superior point guard in Andre Miller. The veteran Miller is no Deron Williams, whom Alston has had to go against the last two years in the first round, but Miller's savvy will play a key role as he looks to control the pace. Thaddeus Young came back in the final game of the regular season after missing the last seven with a sore ankle and a bruised bone in his foot, and if he's not at 100 percent, the advantage at power forward definitely tips in favor of Rashard Lewis. Andre Iguodala can run Hedo Turkoglu ragged if he wants to, and must find some way to use his superior athleticism to his advantage. Shooting guards Courtney Lee and Willie Green are in their teams' lineups in large part because of their defense, and could be switched off of each other if the situation warrants. Orlando's defense has been the key to its ascension into the league's elite, but Philly's defense finished in the top half of the league in points allowed as well. The Sixers arguably have a better bench, as well. If it seems like it adds up to a fairly even series, it does, despite the 18-game difference in the standings. Howard's pre-eminence will be the deciding factor, but it will be closer than you might expect. Prediction: Magic in 7.

Schedule
Game 1 - Sun April 19 Philadelphia at Orlando 5:30PM TNT
Game 2 - Wed April 22 Philadelphia at Orlando 7:00PM NBATV
Game 3 - Fri April 24 Orlando at Philadelphia 8:00PM ESPN2
Game 4 - Sun April 26 Orlando at Philadelphia 6:30PM TNT
Game 5 * Tue April 28 Philadelphia at Orlando TBD TBD
Game 6 * Thu April 30 Orlando at Philadelphia TBD TBD
Game 7 * Sat May 2 Philadelphia at Orlando TBD TNT

Lineups
Orlando Magic
Starters
PG Rafer Alston
SG Courtney Lee
SF Hedo Turkoglu
PF Rashard Lewis
C Dwight Howard
Bench
F/C Tony Battie
SG Mickael Pietrus
PG Anthony Johnson
C Marcin Gortat
SG J.J. Redick
PG Tyronn Lue
C Adonal Foyle
Injuries
PG Jameer Nelson (out)

Philadelphia 76ers
Starters
PG Andre Miller
SG Willie Green
SF Andre Iguodala
PF Thaddeus Young
C Samuel Dalembert
Bench
SG Lou Williams
F/C Marreese Speights
PF Reggie Evans
C Theo Ratliff
PG Royal Ivey
F Donyell Marshall
SG Kareem Rush
Injuries
C Elton Brand (out)

WESTERN CONFERENCE

No. 1 LOS ANGELES LAKERS (65-17) vs. No. 8 UTAH JAZZ (48-34)
Summary
The Lakers gave us a preview of what to expect when on Tuesday, they toyed with the Jazz before pulling away in the second half for a blowout victory. And that was when the game meant something for the Jazz but had no bearing on the Lakers' position. L.A. has all its cogs working, with Andrew Bynum back and at 100 percent, which allows Lamar Odom to go to the bench, turning that unit into an elite corps of reserves. The Lakers have the ultimate crunch-time scorer in Kobe Bryant and not one but two inside scoring threats in Bynum and Pau Gasol. The Jazz never quite recovered from early-season injuries, and it's unclear if Carlos Boozer is fully healthy. Paul Millsap is a more than capable backup but not the kind of scorer that Utah needs to team with Deron Williams, an elite point guard without elite finishers. This will be no contest. Prediction: Lakers in 4.

Schedule
Game 1 - Sun April 19 Utah at L.A. Lakers 3:00PM ABC
Game 2 - Tue April 21 Utah at L.A. Lakers 10:30PM TNT
Game 3 - Thu April 23 L.A. Lakers at Utah 10:30PM TNT
Game 4 - Sat April 25 L.A. Lakers at Utah 9:00PM ESPN
Game 5 * Mon April 27 Utah at L.A. Lakers TBD TBD
Game 6 * Thu April 30 L.A. Lakers at Utah TBD TBD
Game 7 * Sat May 2 Utah at L.A. Lakers TBD TNT

Lineups
Los Angeles Lakers
Starters
PG Derek Fisher
SG Kobe Bryant
SF Trevor Ariza
PF Pau Gasol
C Andrew Bynum
Bench
F Lamar Odom
G Sasha Vujacic
SF Luke Walton
PG Jordan Farmar
G Shannon Brown
PF Josh Powell
C D.J. Mbenga

Utah Jazz
Starters
PG Deron Williams
SG Ronnie Brewer
SF C.J. Miles
PF Carlos Boozer
C Mehmet Okur
Bench
PF Paul Millsap
F Andrei Kirilenko
G/F Kyle Korver
F/G Matt Harpring
PG Brevin Knight
C Jarron Collins
PG Ronnie Price

PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS (54-28) vs. HOUSTON ROCKETS (53-29)

Summary
Two intriguing teams meet to decide who gets eviscerated by the Lakers in the next round. It's a shame, because either would make an interesting participant in the Western Conference Finals. The Blazers have a young group with plenty of potential but virtually zero playoff experience. The Rockets are built around a core of veterans, many of whom have been around for consecutive first-round losses against in the last two years against Utah. Tracy McGrady, was around for those disappointments, and of course he won't be this year because of his midseason knee surgery. McGrady had become known for guiding his teams to the playoffs only to be quickly finished, and it will be enlightening to see if Houston truly is better without him. The Rockets were certainly no worse after losing their main scoring threat and trading Rafer Alston to the Magic, handing the keys to the offense to young Aaron Brooks and inserting Ron Artest into the starting lineup. Brooks and Artest now find themselves walking right into a major challenge, having to guard veteran Steve Blake and emergent superstar Brandon Roy, respectively. The Artest-Roy matchup will be a show, as a former Defensive Player of the Year tries to slow one of the league's Top 10 scorers. Yao Ming against Joel Przybilla is another such clash of scoring versus tenacity, as Przybilla has proven a pest against the league's more talented centers. Portland's bench is of course a great strength, and the Blazers will likely defy playoff convention by going 10-deep. The Rockets aren't quite as deep but do boast some bruisers, like Carl Landry and Chuck Hayes, who solidify the team's reputation as a defense-first outfit. Defense does win championships, after all. But you have to have some semblance of offense to win, too, and when Tracy McGrady went down, the Rockets lost their go-to scorer. McGrady may have the reputation as a playoff loser, but that doesn't mean Houston is automatically a winner without him. Prediction: Portland in 6.

Schedule
Game 1 - Sat April 18 Houston at Portland 10:30PM ESPN
Game 2 - Tue April 21 Houston at Portland 10:00PM NBATV
Game 3 - Fri April 24 Portland at Houston 9:30PM ESPN
Game 4 - Sun April 26 Portland at Houston 9:00PM TNT
Game 5 * Tue April 28 Houston at Portland TBD TBD
Game 6 * Thu April 30 Portland at Houston TBD TBD
Game 7 * Sat May 2 Houston at Portland TBD TNT

Lineups
Portland Trail Blazers
Starters
PG Steve Blake
SG Brandon Roy
SF Nicolas Batum
PF LaMarcus Aldridge
C Joel Przybilla
Bench
SF Travis Outlaw
SG Rudy Fernandez
C Greg Oden
PG Sergio Rodriguez
PF Channing Frye
PG Jerryd Bayless
PF Michael Ruffin
Injuries
SF Martell Webster (out, stress fracture in foot)

Houston Rockets
Starters
PG Aaron Brooks
SG Ron Artest
SF Shane Battier
PF Luis Scola
C Yao Ming
Bench
SG Von Wafer
PF Carl Landry
PG Kyle Lowry
G/F Brent Barry
PF Chuck Hayes
PF Brian Cook
C Dikembe Mutombo
Injuries
SG Tracy McGrady (out, knee)

DENVER NUGGETS (54-28) vs. NEW ORLEANS HORNETS (49-33)
Summary
The Nuggets made a trade that brought everything together. The Hornets almost made a trade that blew everything apart. Denver's fortunes turned on a dime when Chauncey Billups arrived from the Pistons, bringing championship experience as well as a pass-first attitude, both of which the Nuggets have long lacked. The fate of the Hornets, at least for this season, was spared when a money-saving deal was vetoed when Tyson Chandler failed his physical with the Thunder. That brought shot-blocking Chandler back to New Orleans, but the Hornets have found the Thunder's doctors were onto something. Chandler's ankle has been excrutiatingly slow to heal, and without him New Orleans was unable to get homecourt advantage for one or two rounds in the playoffs. The lack of homecourt edge cost the Hornets against the Spurs in the second round last year, but that's not all New Orleans has going against them this year. The Nuggets are on a roll, having won 14 of their last 17 as the team continues to coalesce neatly into the roles coach George Karl has designed for them. Carmelo Anthony is the No. 1 scorer, J.R. Smith the No. 2 scorer and sixth man, Kenyon Martin the defensively oriented post man, Nene the offensive inside force, Dahntay Jones the perimeter stopper, and Chris "Birdman" Anderson the energy guy off the bench. It's a classicly functional NBA team matched up against the Hornets, who have been almost entirely reliant upon Chris Paul and to a lesser extent David West. James Posey, who was supposed to be the player to put New Orleans over the top and into the Finals, hasn't gotten it done. And neither will the Hornets. Prediction: Nuggets in 5.

Schedule
Game 1 - Sun April 19 New Orleans at Denver 10:30PM TNT
Game 2 - Wed April 22 New Orleans at Denver 10:30PM TNT
Game 3 - Sat April 25 Denver at New Orleans 1:00PM ESPN
Game 4 - Mon April 27 Denver at New Orleans TBD TBD
Game 5 * Wed April 29 New Orleans at Denver TBD TBD
Game 6 * Fri May 1 Denver at New Orleans TBD TBD
Game 7 * Sun May 3 New Orleans at Denver TBD TBD

Lineups
Denver Nuggets
Starters
PG Chauncey Billups
SG Dahntay Jones
SF Carmelo Anthony
PF Kenyon Martin
C Nene
Bench
SG J.R. Smith
F Linas Kleiza
PG Anthony Carter
PF Chris Andersen
C/F Johan Petro
F Renaldo Balkman
PG Jason Hart

New Orleans Hornets
Starters
PG Chris Paul
SG Rasual Butler
SF Peja Stojakovic
PF David West
C Tyson Chandler
Bench
F James Posey
G Antonio Daniels
F/C Melvin Ely
PF Sean Marks
SG Devin Brown
SF Julian Wright
C Hilton Armstrong
SG Morris Peterson

No. 3 SAN ANTONIO SPURS (54-28) vs. No. 6 DALLAS MAVERICKS (50-32)
Summary
The Spurs dynasty was presumed dead when it was announced a couple of weeks ago that Manu Ginobili would be out for the playoffs. That doesn't mean they can't still make the Mavericks trip over their headstone. San Antonio rallied for home wins against Utah and New Orleans to ensure home court advantage for the first round, meaning that though they won't win a title, they can at least win a round or two. Tim Duncan, whose knees have been killing him in the second half of the season, put up 20 points and 19 rebounds in the season finale, a week after scoring just four points against Portland and days after sitting out at Sacramento. He's still capable of flashing back to the transcendent player he always had been. The emergence of Drew Gooden after he was acquired for the season's final weeks has provided a portion of the inside scoring they need, while Tony Parker is in full command as the team's No. 1 option as well as distributor. Parker, if with a definite advantage in quickness against Jason Kidd, just might let everyone know he is right at the level of Chris Paul and Deron Williams atop the point guard food chain. There exists just as much possibility that Dirk Nowitzki will remind us all that he is just two years removed from an MVP season. He can do that and the Mavs may still lose, however, if Jason Terry isn't a 20-point scorer, Brandon Bass doesn't punish the Spurs on the boards and Erick Dampier can't at least hold his own down low. Those are a lot of ifs. Prediction: San Antonio in 7.

Schedule
Game 1 - Sat April 18 Dallas at San Antonio 8:00PM ESPN
Game 2 - Mon April 20 Dallas at San Antonio 9:30PM TNT
Game 3 - Thu April 23 San Antonio at Dallas 8:30PM NBATV
Game 4 - Sat April 25 San Antonio at Dallas 4:00PM TNT
Game 5 * Tue April 28 Dallas at San Antonio TBD TBD
Game 6 * Fri May 1 San Antonio at Dallas TBD TBD
Game 7 * Sun May 3 Dallas at San Antonio TBD TBD

Lineups
San Antonio Spurs
Starters
PG Tony Parker
SG Roger Mason
SF Michael Finley
PF Matt Bonner
C Tim Duncan
Bench
F/C Drew Gooden
G/F Bruce Bowen
SF Ime Udoka
PG George Hill
C Fabricio Oberto
F/C Kurt Thomas
PG Jacques Vaughn
Injury
G/F Manu Ginobili (out, ankle)

Dallas Mavericks
Starters
PG Jason Kidd
SG Antoine Wright
SF Josh Howard
PF Dirk Nowitzki
C Erick Dampier
Bench
SG Jason Terry
PG J.J. Barea
F/C Brandon Bass
PF James Singleton
G/F Gerald Green
SG Matt Carroll
C Ryan Hollins
SF Devean George

Just FYI

2009-04-17T14:37:00.002-04:00

Both the Eastern AND Western Conference previews will be up by this evening.

Three random observations ...

2009-04-16T11:27:00.002-04:00

... about the NBA:

1. Well, that will change my playoff preview. Kevin Garnett could be out for the entire postseason. The Sixers I'm sure thoroughly regret winning Wednesday in Cleveland to move into sixth place, and the Bulls will be sending a basket of flowers to Toronto for beating them. The loss of KG rips the heart and soul out of the Celtics. Yes, they rallied to hold off Orlando for the second seed, and yes, Glen Davis filled in admirably at power forward. But the regular season is not the playoffs, and with serious doubt cast on his return, the psychological lift that KG has always given the Celtics is countered. There's no way they can repeat without him. There might not even be enough to get by the Bulls.

2. Age and injuries have set in at San Antonio, but the Spurs still won't go down easy. Tim Duncan's knees didn't ache enough to stop him from a vintage 20-point, 19-rebound performance, and Michael Finley summoned all that's left from his 36-year-old body to pour in 17, including the three-pointer with no time left to force overtime, where the Spurs pulled away to beat the Hornets, 105-98. Duncan's mastery of the boards was the difference as San Antonio outrebounded New Orleans by an impressive 46-33 margin. New Orleans center Tyson Chandler, playing for the first time in more than a month because of his balky ankle, couldn't handle the load inside, scoring 10 points and grabbing just three rebounds in just 20 minutes. The Hornets got no more support from their bench, which scored only 13 points, while the Spurs got 12 points and five rebounds from Ime Udoka and 11 points from Drew Gooden in reserve. The win earned San Antonio the Southwest Division title and the No. 3 seed, which could provide them with a path back to the Western Conference Finals for the fourth time in five years. The loss relegated the Hornets to the seventh seed and a matchup with the Denver Nuggets, who finished the season on a 14-3 run.

3. There has been plenty of criticism of last year's Jason Kidd-Devin Harris trade for the Mavericks, and the deal will no doubt look even worse as Kidd ages and Harris comes into his prime in New Jersey. Wednesday, however, the trade looked just fine. Kidd had a triple-double and as the Mavericks beat the Rockets 95-84 to climb into the No. 6 seed. Kidd scored 11 points, dished out 12 assists and had 10 rebounds in support of Dirk Nowitzki, who had 30 points and 15 rebounds, and Jason Terry, who scored 23. Houston starting point guard Aaron Brooks was outplayed by Kidd as well as his own backup, as Kyle Lowry had 15 points, seven rebounds and five assists on an all-around night. Lowry was one of the few Rockets to find offensive success on a night that Houston shot just 40 percent, including a 4-for-17 performance from behind the arc. Yao Ming was his usual self,with 23 points and nine rebounds, but Luis Scola was largely absent, and Lowry's seven boards were the second most on the team. The Rockets, who always have trouble scoring, must find a way to slow the pace and shoot better from the outside if they are to advance past the Blazers. The Mavericks simply need more nights like Wednesday from Kidd and Terry so Nowitzki doesn't have to worry about going up against Tim Duncan and carrying the scoring load all by himself at the same time against the Spurs.

Three random observations ...

2009-04-15T11:10:00.002-04:00

... about the NBA:

1. The Sixers, after playing so well to dig themselves out of an early-season hole, have come apart just short of the finish line. They had a legitimate shot at the No. 5 seed after beating Detroit to clinch a playoff spot April 4, but have since lost six straight. Now they must win and hope Chicago loses to avoid the No. 7 spot and a first-round series with a fully loaded Celtics team they couldn't beat at half-speed in Philadelphia on Tuesday. Boston was without Kevin Garnett, due to return tonight from injury, and the suspended Ray Allen, but still got by Philadelphia 100-98. The Sixers had plenty of shots at the end, but failed to make a single field goal in the final 2:24. Paul Pierce carried the scoring load, as you might expect, pouring in 31 points for Boston, but the Sixers couldn't contain emergency starter Tony Allen, either, as he shot 8-for-14 for 18 points and chipped in five assists, four rebounds and three steals. The Celtics, already having clinched their seed and with nothing to play for, were allowed to shoot 52 percent as a team as the Sixer defense laid down. The Celtics, who are concerned about Garnett's health even when he does come back, couldn't have drawn up a better first-round opponent for themselves.

2. The Lakers have been locked into their playoff position for several days, but Phil Jackson rarely sees any game as meaningless. It was no doubt satisfying to their coach that the Lakers issued a 125-112 pounding to the team they'll be seeing in a first round matchup on the final night of the regular season. L.A. abused Utah inside, getting 22 points from Andrew Bynum and 20 plus nine rebounds and six assists from Pau Gasol. Lamar Odom added 16 off the bench, keying a reserve unit that continues to round into shape thanks in large part to the emergence of Shannon Brown, who is challenging Jordan Farmer for his spot as backup point guard and last night scored nine points in 20 minutes. Brown allows the Lakers to reliably go 11 deep if they want to, and gives L.A. just one more weapon in an already well-stocked arsenal. The Jazz countered with Deron Williams and his 25 points and got 20 off the bench from their AK-47, Andrei Kirilenko, but simply don't have the firepower to pull of an upset if Carlos Boozer, who scored 16 points, can't match the production of the Laker bigs.

3. The playoffs are on their way, and so is the Three Random Observations ... preview. We'll have the Eastern Conference breakdown on Friday and the Western Conference up Saturday before the games begin. The blog will continue throughout the playoffs. It should be a fun couple of months. I'll be trying very hard not to forget life outside of basketball exists. Especially because I'm getting married in June (but not on a day when any games are scheduled, of course!)

Three random observations ...

2009-04-14T10:21:00.002-04:00

... about the NBA:

1. The Pistons' chances of anything more than a No. 8 seed ended Monday in appropriate fashion for a team that has been in a downward spiral all season. They led by as many as 11 points in the second half before going the final 4:20 without a field goal in a 91-88 loss at home to Chicago. The Pistons scored only 13 points in the fourth quarter as their 28th-ranked offense stalled out again. Detroit didn't establish scoring with their inside, as Rasheed Wallace, Antonio McDyess, Jason Maxiell and Kwame Brown shot a combined 9-for-30, and didn't light in up from the outside, either, going just 4-for-14 from three-point range. Top pick Derrick Rose solidified his case for Rookie of the Year on the other end, scoring including 10 of Chicago's last dozen points in the final 5:18. Rose had 24 points to lead the Bulls, who move a half-game in front of Philadelphia for sixth place.

2. The Mavericks' late-season surge out of eighth place was very nearly wasted with an inexplicable loss on Monday. The Mavs were down seven with six minutes to play when one of Dirk Nowitzki's running mates finally got it going. Jason Terry had nine of his 22 points in the final 5:39, including the game-winner that broke a tie with .2 seconds remaining in a 96-94 escape act against visiting Minnesota. The Mavs needed Terry because they somehow couldn't guard Craig Smith, who came off the bench for the lottery-bound Wolves to shoot 10-for-13 for 24 points and grab eight rebounds. Minnesota matched Dallas in near lockstep right until the end, shooting the same 45 percent from the field and collecting an identical total of 40 rebounds. The Mavs have Nowitzki, of course, and he had a vintage 34-point, nine-rebound performance, but with Josh Howard resting a sore ankle, no one stepped up to keep pace with the former MVP on the team until it was nearly too late. Dallas must have its role players if it is to take advantage of the higher seed it has been chasing and advance past the first round. The Mavs can clinch the No. 7 seed with a win Wednesday against Houston, and can move into the No. 6 spot with a New Orleans loss to San Antonio that night.

3. The Hornets looked like a team headed in the right direction on national television Sunday. Looks can be deceiving. They lost their fifth game out of seven in a 86-66 rout at Houston. The night was a disaster for New Orleans, as even Chris Paul turned in a relative clunker, scoring nine points, assisting on seven shots and grabbing five rebounds. David West led all New Orleans scorers with a paltry 14 points and the Rockets controlled the tempo from the start, pounding the ball inside to Yao Ming, who took advantage of New Orleans' weakness inside to score 22 points and grab seven rebounds. Luis Scola had 15 rebounds as the Rockets controlled the boards as well by a 46-37 margin. Houston simply squezzed off New Orleans at every turn, holding the Hornets to 35 percent shooting while the Rockets overcame Ron Artest's 2-for-13 night to shoot 46 percent as a team. The Hornets must either beat San Antonio on Wednesday or hope the Rockets beat Dallas to hold on to the sixth seed. Houston can move anywhere between the second and fifth seeds as the fluid Western Conference takes until the regular season's last night to finally gel.

Three random observations ...

2009-04-13T10:20:00.004-04:00

... about the NBA:

1. No, Kevin Garnett was not there. No, the Celtics had nothing to play for in terms of the standings, having already clinched the East's No. 2 seed. But Cleveland's 107-76 destruction of the Celtics was significant because of the way the Cavs dominated the game against a Boston team that seemed either unwilling or unable to compete. Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo, who are expected to be stars even when Garnett plays, shot a combined 8-for-34 for 25 points, fewer than LeBron, who had 29, scored all by himself. Boston gave Cleveland no reason to believe it isn't destined for the Finals as the playoffs get set to begin. True, the Celtics could be motivated by such an embarassment, but they could just as easily be thoroughly discouraged. After all, the Cavs are just about unbeatable at home, and Boston will have to win at least once in Cleveland to beat them. The only real positive for the Celtics was that Tony Allen played his best game since returning last week from a thumb injury, scoring seven points on 3-for-4 shooting in 21 minutes. Kevin Garnett is set to return Wednesday, and the Celtics can only hope he quickly returns to form as well.

2. All of the attention from the Heat-Knicks game Sunday is focused on Dwyane Wade, who sprang for a career-high 55 points in a 122-105 triumph that clinched the East No. 5 seed for Miami. It was Wade's third 50-point game in less than two months, and while his performance sends quite a signal to the rest of the league heading into the playoffs and MVP balloting, it wasn't the only positive sign for the Heat coming out of Sunday. Their two rookies, Michael Beasley and Mario Chalmers, shined as well. Beasley tied his career high with 28 points, and set a new career mark in rebounds with 16 as he made his first start since November. Chalmers turned in a fine performance against veteran Chris Duhon, scoring 15, dishing out nine assists and coming up with four steals. We know Wade will be there for the first-round series with Atlanta. The question is whether Beasley and Chalmers are going to show up, and the indication we got from Sunday is that they will.

3. The Mavericks supporting cast must have looked at what the Hornets doing and lowered their standards coming into their second matchup in three days Sunday at New Orleans. The problem is the Hornets leading men were even better than usual. Chris Paul and David West both had 31 points, combining for 62 of their team's 102 in a 102-92 victory over Dallas. Paul added 17 assists and was a single rebound shy of a triple-double. Dirk Nowitzki wasn't too shabby either, scoring 29 points and grabbing 14 rebounds, but he was the only one really on his game for the Mavericks. Josh Howard and Jason Terry shot a combined 10-for-30 for 28 points, OK but not enough, and Brandon Bass had 13 points but failed to dominate the boards the way he had on the front end of the home-and-home. Jason Kidd was solidly outplayed by Paul, and went 3-for-13 from the field. No one other than Paul or West showed up for the Hornets either, save for Peja Stojakovic's dagger of a three-pointer with 1:08 left, but for a change it didn't cost them. New Orleans can clinch the No. 6 seed in the West with either a win in its final two games or a loss by either Dallas or Utah.

BONUS OBSERVATION

4. It's time for a rule change. Michael Finley nailed a three-pointer with 1.3 seconds left on the game clock but zero on the shot clock that gave San Antonio its winning 95-92 margin. Replays clearly showed Finley still had the ball in his hand when the shot clock expired, but referees don't have the power to use video to review 24-second violations. The play was the difference between a Spurs win and overtime, and is just the sort of critical moment for which replay was introduced in the first place. The NBA has to extend replay to shot-clock violations, at least in the final two minutes of the game. It's an easy move to make that would go a long way toward protecting the game's integrity.

Three random observations ...

2009-04-12T10:54:00.003-04:00

... about the NBA:

1. The Magic gave Rashard Lewis the night off Saturday to prevent further injury to his right knee, which is stricken with tendinitis. It turns out they rested the wrong guy. Hedo Turkoglu turned an ankle and left the game in the third quarter of a depressing night for Orlando fans. The Magic dropped the game 103-93 to the Nets, who were without Devin Harris, while Dwight Howard, who scored only seven points and had eight rebounds, looked like he took the night off, too. The extent of Turkoglu's injury is not known, but what is certain is that in two nights, the Magic's season has taken a decided turn for the worse. The only positive development of the last few days is that they won't be facing their nemesis, the Pistons, in the first round.

2. We knew the Jazz had trouble on the road. What we never expected is they'd lose a game at home to a skeletal Warriors squad on the season's final weekend. Utah played no defense, allowing 55 percent shooting against a team that was without Corey Maggette, with post-concussion syndrome, Jamal Crawford, with a strained lower back, Monta Ellis, with a sore left ankle, and Brandon Wright, with a left shoulder injury. C.J. Watson picked up the offensive burden, inexplicably bursting for 38 points and nine assists against Deron Williams, while Ronny Turiaf patrolled the middle on defense, blocking five shots. Rob Kurz added an unlikely 21 points as the Warriors opened up a 13-point halftime lead and never looked back. The only positive for Utah was that Carlos Boozer scored 25 points, his highest total since returning from knee surgery earlier this year. They'll need him to help right the ship for a team that's lost six of seven with a playoff series against the Lakers on the horizon.

3. It's easy to pin the blame for the Pistons' collapse on Allen Iverson, and he deserves plenty of it. But now that he's gone, not all is well in Detroit. The Pistons lost a winnable game Saturday at Indiana, and now need to win out and get help to avoid the No. 8 seed. Rasheed Wallace, who had six points, six rebounds and two blocks, was outplayed by rookie Roy Hibbert, who had nine points, eight rebounds and four blocks. Jarrett Jack, with 18 points and six assists, got the best of Rodney Stuckey, who had 10 points and five assists and he continues to struggle with his anointment as the team's future. Yet the Pistons still had a chance at the end, down one with less than half a minute to go. Rasheed Wallace missed a jumper with 18 seconds left, and Troy Murphy gobbled up the rebound and was fouled. He hit one of two, and the Pistons still had a chance until Jack stole the ball from Tayshaun Prince and Danny Granger sealed the 106-102 win at the line.

Three random observations ...

2009-04-11T11:02:00.004-04:00

... about the NBA:

1. Injuries have done in plenty of teams this year, but the Magic can blame only themselves if they fail to go any deeper in the playoffs this year than they did last. Orlando lost in stunning fashion at home to the Knicks, and fell to two games behind the Celtics for the No. 2 seed in the East with three games to play. The Magic failed to do Friday what just about everyone has done against the Knicks, letting New York win the battle of the boards 49-44, forcing only nine Knick turnovers and falling short of 100 points in the 105-95 upset. The Magic took 11 fewer shots, and their three-point shooting, so critical to their chances in any game, was largely absent on a 7-for-28 night from behind the arc. Even more telling of Orlando's perplexing offensive woes was New York's 25-15 advantage in assists, as the ball stagnated whenever the Magic had possession. Now the Magic will more than likely have to win a game in Boston, where the Celtics went 13-1 in the playoffs last year, to get past the second round.

2. James Posey, supposedly the key pickup of the offseason, looked nothing like it as he made his return from a sprained elbow in a huge game Friday. Chris Paul and David West were left with little but a two-man game with Tyson Chandler still out with an inflamed left ankle, and the Hornets dropped the front end of a critical back-to-back with the Mavericks 100-92. Paul had a brilliant 42 point, nine rebound and seven assist night, while West had 20 points and 14 rebounds, but they were stranded by their almost-invisible teammates. Posey was a non-factor, shooting 1-for-6 from the field and providing little defensively either in 19 non-descript minutes. Peja Stojakovic found only seven shots for nine points and though the hero of a few nights ago, Rasual Butler, had another late three-pointer, he scored only five points all night. The Mavs dominated the front line, getting 25 each from Dirk Nowitzki and Josh Howard while Erick Dampier had 12 points and eight rebounds. Reserves Jason Terry had 18 points and Brandon Bass 13 rebounds in further demonstration of the greater all-around night Dallas enjoyed. The two teams play again Sunday in New Orleans, and another Dallas win would leave the two teams tied for sixth. Chandler is likely to return for the playoffs, but by then, the Hornets could easily be No. 8 in the West, facing a first-round series with the Lakers.

3. The Jazz, however, are making a strong case that they will be forced into the executioner's ring with the Lakers after dropping yet another road game Friday in a 105-99 loss at San Antonio. The Spurs, without Manu Ginobili but looking to keep home court advantage in the first round, received a boost from their bench, as late-season pickup Drew Gooden scored 14 and Ime Udoka, who has long been a key reserve for San Antonio, added 13. Utah was outscored 33-16 in bench points, but couldn't make the argument it would have been better with frequent sixth man Andrei Kirikenko in reserve. Kirilenko went 1-for-9 for four points in his starting role, while Carlos Boozer, the other starting forward, provided less than a stellar effort, shooting 4-for-12 for 15 points and eight rebounds. Tim Duncan, on aching knees, played Boozer evenly, scoring 14 points and grabbing nine rebounds. The Spurs, though unlikely to advance as deep as they're accustomed, can still get home court for at least one series if they can finish in front of the Blazers, with whom they are currently tied, or Rockets, who are a half game in front. The Jazz, though slumping, hold the tiebreaker over both New Orleans and Dallas, and face an easy schedule of the Warriors, Clippers and a Laker team that may rest its starters on the season's final night.

BONUS OBSERVATION

4. The Lakers now have little to play for in their two remaining games after the Blazers sent them a message Friday. Portland made sure the L.A. knows the Pacific Northwest is their Bermuda Triangle, winning its eighth straight at home over L.A. 108-96. It was a game the Lakers needed to keep pace with Cleveland, which would now have to lose two of its last three to cede the No. 1 overall seed for the playoffs. Kobe Bryant was his usual self, scoring 32 and getting to the line a dozen times, but the rest of the team only got there eight times as the Blazers enjoyed a 37-20 advantage in free throws attempted. Portland kept Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol in check, limiting Bynum to 13 points and six rebounds while Gasol had just 12 and four. Joel Przybilla reaped the bounty on the boards, collecting 13, while LaMarcus Aldridge outplayed the Laker bigs, going for 16 points and eight rebounds. Steve Blake scored 16, too, and served up six assists as he dominated the point guard matchup with Derek Fisher, who had just two points and two assists. Rudy Fernandez, who was clotheslined by Trevor Ariza the last time the Lakers played in Portland, got the last laugh, popping for 15 points off the bench while Ariza had only four. The result essentially locks in the Lakers into the second-best record in the NBA, while Portland, now in fourth place, is in position to leapfrog Houston for third and perhaps even Denver for the No. 2 seed in the West if the final few days of the regular season break their way.

Three random observations ...

2009-04-09T11:02:00.002-04:00

... about the NBA:

1. That was a close call Wednesday for the Magic, who very nearly had their chances of the No. 2 seed torpedoed by the Grizzlies. Orlando's sharp-shooters arrived in the final minutes to save the day, rallying the team from a 63-55 deficit to begin the fourth quarter. Hedo Turkoglu and, surprisingly, J.J. Redick combined to score 20 of the team's 27 points in the final period to lift the Magic to an 81-78 victory. Turkoglu finished with 20 points and seven assists, while all of Redick's nine points came in the fourth quarter. O.J. Mayo had two looks from three-point range in the final seconds, but neither went through, capping a 1-for-11 night behind the arc for Memphis. The Magic didn't fare much better, shooting 4-for-21 on three-pointers, but they created more possessions for themselves with a 41-32 rebounding edge, mostly thanks to Dwight Howard's 13 boards. It was enough to overcome a 16-9 advantage in points off turnovers for Memphis, and keep the Magic a game behind Boston for second place in the Eastern Conference.

2. It's amazing how in a few days a matchup with the Spurs in the first round has gone from being a booby prize to a sought-after commodity. But it looks like San Antonio's a lame duck now that Manu Ginobili is out for the year and especially after Wednesday, when Tim Duncan limped with aching knees to just four points in 24 minutes in his first back-to-back in nearly six weeks. Only Tony Parker is at 100 percent, and he was limited to just 17 points by the Blazers, who have won six of seven and got their first win at San Antonio in seven years. Portland erased a 19-point deficit in the second quarter to pull within two at halftime, feeding off its bench, which outscored San Antonio's 35-26. Brandon Roy led all scorers with 26, LaMarcus Aldridge added 20 and Joel Przybilla controlled the glass with 17 rebounds, which not coincidentally was the difference in the 43-26 advantage the Blazers enjoyed on the boards. Yes, Duncan and the Spurs won't have to face back-to-backs once the playoffs start, but it's clear Duncan won't be healthy enough to do the extra work needed to overcome the absence of Ginobili, without whom San Antonio is just 18-16 this year. The Spurs have fallen into a three-way tie for third with the Blazers and Rockets, and with games still left against the Jazz and Hornets, could easily fall as far as sixth place.

3. The Jazz were supposed to finish the season on a roll with all of their key players back in the lineup after early season health issues. It hasn't happened that way. They've lost four of their last five and continue their maddeningly poor play on the road, falling to 15-24 away from Salt Lake after a blowout 130-101 loss at Dallas. The defense just wasn't there for Utah, which allowed 55 percent shooting and 11-of-24 from behind the arc for the Mavs, who are now tied with Utah for seventh place. Dirk Nowitzki was 12-for-18 with 31 points, and Dallas got plenty of production from its backup guards, as Jason Terry had 21 points and J.J. Barea wound up with 18 points and nine assists. The Mavs outrebounded the Jazz 47-34, and capitalized with 27 points on 19 Utah turnovers. It was an all-around whipping that clinched a playoff spot for the Mavericks, who are just a game out of sixth place after languishing in eighth for most of the season.

BONUS OBSERVATION

4. The only team the Jazz beat in the last five, the Hornets, are having similar problems heading into their matchup with the Mavs on Friday. They missed Tyson Chandler dearly in a 105-100 loss to Phoenix on Wednesday, and without James Posey, who has missed the last five games as well, they have next to nothing on their bench. Shaq ate Hilton Armstrong for lunch in the low post, scoring 17 points, grabbing 11 rebounds and blocking two shots as the Hornets countered with a small lineup that kept Armstrong on the bench for all but 17 minutes. His replacements did no better, and the Suns had a 28-11 advantage in bench points. Chris Paul was his usual stellar self with 29 points, 16 assists and seven rebounds, but he was nearly matched by a vintage Steve Nash performance. Nash had 24 points and 13 rebounds, and held Paul, who holds the NBA record for consecutive games with a steal, without a single theft all game. The good news for the Hornets is Posey and Chandler should be back within a week. The bad news is they must make up two games to rise from sixth place and seventh-place Utah and Dallas are nipping at their heels, both just one game behind.

Three random observations ...

2009-04-07T22:52:00.002-04:00

... about the NBA:

1. The Hornets precisely followed the script they need for the playoffs in a major win on the road Tuesday. They got a marquee performance from Chris Paul, strong support from David West, and, in a departure from most nights this year, a third 20-point scorer in Peja Stojakovic. They also got key contributions from their role players when they were most needed, most notably Rasual Butler's 30-footer at the buzzer to force overtime. David West, who had 20 points and six rebounds hit the clutch shot in overtime, sinking a 16-foot jumper to break an 87-87 tie with eight seconds to go. New Orleans then sealed the 93-87 win with free throws by Stojakovic, who had 24 points and nailed five of seven from behind the arc, and Paul, who scored 26 points and was a rebound and an assist shy of a triple-double. The Hornets were also spared the usual clutch play of Dwayne Wade. He led all scorers with 32 and added seven rebounds and six assists for Miami, but a missed free throw at the end of regulation and a turnover late in overtime fueled his frustration which sparked two technicals and his ejection with 1.4 seconds to go in the extra period.

2. Yao Ming knows Manu Ginobili's season-ending ankle injury leaves the door open for another Western Conference team to make a leap in place of the Spurs. So Yao did his best Tuesday to move his team into the position of second title-contending team from the West by clearly outplaying Dwight Howard. The matchup of the top two centers in the game went the way of Yao, who had 20 points on 8-for-13 shooting and 16 rebounds to Howard's 13 points on 5-for-11 from the field and 10 rebounds. Rashard Lewis did his best to keep Orlando competitive with 22 points and 12 rebounds, but Houston's defense was otherwise too tough, limiting the Magic to 38 percent shooting. The Rockets remain just a half game behind San Antonio and crept to two back of Denver for the Western Conference No. 2 seed.

3. Committing 19 turnovers and allowing your opponent to shoot 52 percent is a formula that gets you in a lot of trouble. That's exactly the situation in which the Blazers found themselves, down as many as 14 points in the second half at lowly Memphis. They were down 84-79 inside of five minutes to play when Brandon Roy showed why he is to be considered among the elite players in the game. He either scored or assisted on five of the Blazers' last six baskets from the field, scoring 11 of his team-high 24 points when it mattered most. He stripped Mike Conley with the Blazers up 94-93 and seven seconds to go, and made both free throws after getting fouled, forcing a three-point shot by O.J. Mayo that went awry at the buzzer. Travis Outlaw hit a couple of clutch shots, too, including what turned out to be the game-winner with 13 seconds to go, and Rudy Fernandez and LaMarcus Aldridge played an effective two-man game at times to finish with 15 points each, but the night was all about Roy, who refused to let the Blazers slip in the standings. Portland remains in fifth place, a half-game behind fourth-place Houston and one game up on sixth-place New Orleans.

Three random observations ...

2009-04-05T21:20:00.004-04:00

... about the NBA:

1. The Cavs were embarrassed in back-to-back losses at Washington and Orlando. So Sunday, in one of the most important games of the regular season for them, they turned the tables on San Antonio. Tim Duncan skulked away from the arena without talking to the media after he was held to just six points in a 101-81 loss at Cleveland. Zydrunas Ilgauskas and the rest of the Cavs interior defense did a masterful job on Duncan, who didn't score after the first quarter. Manu Ginobili, who got a rare start, was similarly kept in check with only four points as he continues to struggle with ankle pain. He'll miss the Spurs' next game, against the Thunder, while he undergoes tests to determine the source of the pain. The result of the Sunday afternoon clash of contenders left the Spurs with greater worries than the Cavs had coming in. The Spurs, who seemed poised for the second seed in the West a few weeks ago, are just a half-game in front of fourth-place Houston and only two and a half games above seventh-place Utah.

2. It's been a long season for Detroit, but the lone bright spot shone brilliantly Sunday in a must-win game. The Pistons, who have fallen all the way to eighth place, opened a three-game gap between themselves and ninth-place Charlotte with five games to play after Will Bynum scored a franchise record 26 points in the fourth quarter of a 104-97 win over the Bobcats. Bynum, an undrafted pickup who has thrived in the void left by injured stars late in the season, stepped in for Richard Hamilton, who was ejected in the third quarter, and exploded, making the last shot of the third quarter before taking over the game in the fourth. D.J. Augustin, who scored 14 of his team-high 22 in the final period, tried to keep up, but no one could catch the former Georgia Tech standout, who wound up with 32 points and seven assists, both game highs, in just 26 minutes of play. Bynum, whose team option will undoubtedly be picked up this summer, scored the last 13 points for the Pistons, the last 11 of which capped a 14-for-16 night at the line. None of it would have happened without the absence of Allen Iverson, the fan least-favorite whose back injury opened up minutes for Bynum, who is quickly endearing himself to the Motor City.

3. Yao Ming, outdone by Pau Gasol in Friday's loss to the Lakers, was back in a big way Sunday. He held Joel Przybilla scoreless, and drew four fouls against Greg Oden, who was on the floor for just 11 minutes. Yao wound up with 21 points and 12 rebounds to lead an otherwise balanced Rocket attack to an important 102-88 win over the visiting Blazers. The Rockets moved into a tie for third place in the West with the Spurs, passing Portland, which fell into fifth. Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge had 22 points each to lead all scorers, but the Blazers didn't get it done on the defensive end, allowing Houston to shoot 51 percent. The Rockets were in control throughout, gaining a 42-34 edge on the boards and committing only eight turnovers to limit Portland's opportunities.

Three random observations ...

2009-04-04T09:02:00.002-04:00

... about the NBA:

1. And here come the Lakers. They returned home from a 4-2 Eastern road trip with serious questions about the depth that was supposed to be one of the team's strength. Then they beat one of their primary contenders in the West while getting a surprise contribution off the bench. D.J. Mbenga more than held his own against Yao Ming and the other Houston bigs on Friday, scoring eight points and blocking two shots in just 10 minutes of play. The stretch run belonged to Kobe as it always does, and he turned on the switch after having made only four baskets in the first 41 minutes of play, scoring eight quick points to give the Lakers their first double-digit lead of the game with 3:55 to play. The Lakers came away with a 93-81 victory that leaves them just a game behind suddenly struggling Cleveland for the best record in the league.

2. Yes, the game probably meant much more to Orlando going in. But after it was done, the Magic's 116-87 utter destruction of the Cavs had reverberations around the league. The Magic, which normally relies on its defense, upped the pace against the Cavs, which usually likes to slow it down, too, and the result was a 41-point Orlando lead in the third quarter. LeBron said he had never before, in the pros or high school, been down 40 points or more. Friday his team just had no answer for Dwight Howard, who dominated the inside with 20 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks in 27 minutes. Rashard Lewis nailed five of seven three-point attempts, and Rafer Alston had his first double-digit assist game for the Magic, dishing out 10 while scoring 11 points. The Magic are still a game behind Boston for second place in the East, but no one can doubt their ability to beat anyone in the league. And the Cavs, losers of two games in as many nights, look like they could definitely use the home-court advantage that goes with the best record in the league.

3. You wouldn't think the Heat could get away with less than 30 points from Dwayne Wade in a game when their opponents shot 51 percent, but they did in a fierce battle between two teams that really needed a win. The bench was the key in a 97-92 win over the Bobcats, as Daequan Cook scored 16 points, including two free throws to seal it with five seconds to go, and grabbed seven rebounds. The visiting Heat outscored the Cats by 19 points with Cook in the game, and by 18 with rookie Michael Beasley, who shot 7-for-9 for 14 points. The bench as a whole overwhelmed the Charlotte reserves, who were outscored 41-18. Miami, which had lost four of five to slip to sixth place, moves back into a tie for sixth place, while Charlotte drops to two and a half games out of the last playoff spot with just six games to play.

Three random observations ...

2009-04-02T20:47:00.003-04:00

... about the NBA:

1. The Wizards are one of many teams in the lottery who have shown signs of life as the season winds to a close. Injury-wracked Washington had Gilbert Arenas back for the second time all year, and Brendan Haywood started for the first time this season. Finally healthy, the Wizards took down the best team in the NBA, snapping Cleveland's 13-game winning streak with a 109-101 victory. The game meant much more for the Wizards than it did the Cavs, serving as a showcase for what Washington is capable of when it has all its pieces together. Cleveland still has a two-game lead for home court advantage throughout the playoffs, and a much more critical matchup Friday in Orlando. Yet the Wizards beat the Cavs earlier this year without Arenas and Haywood, and pushed homestanding Cleveland in a tight game on Christmas. The rivalry sparked by two recent playoff meetings between these teams will undoubtedly return in force next season.

2. If you're looking for a statistically bizarre game, Utah-Denver from Thursday night will fit the bill. Usually, four players with double-doubles, as the Jazz had, is enough to win. Deron Williams had 18 points and 10 assists, Carlos Boozer had 15 points and 11 rebounds, Mehmet Okur 14 points and 15 rebounds, and Paul Millsap 14 points and 12 rebounds. But Utah shot only 37 percent from the field, and Denver shot 10 percent better in a 114-104 victory. The Nuggets got a phenomenal three-point shooting night from J.R. Smith, as he tied a career high and was one short of the franchise mark with eight treys. Just one of Smith's 14 shots was from inside the arc. Just to adding to the rare numerical night was Chris Anderson, who had a career high eight blocks. Perhaps the only number that has lasting value, however, is zero, which is how many times the Jazz have won on the road against a team with a winning record.

3. Rookie point guard Mario Chalmers was having a pretty good game Wednesday, having totaled 18 points, six rebounds and five assists in a tough matchup with Jason Kidd. Then, a liability that is perhaps the most glaring one the Heat have heading into the playoffs reared its head at the worst time. Chalmers' inexperience was evident in a decision not to get the ball to Dwyane Wade or any of his team's other scorers with the clock under five seconds and his team down by a point, instead driving the lane. He was called for a charge against Josh Howard with 2.3 seconds to go, and the Mavs sneaked out of Miami with a 98-96 win that left the Heat in sixth-place, a percentage point behind surging Philadelphia. It was, oddly enough, the 10th consecutive regular season win by Dallas against Miami, any one of which they would surely trade for another chance to win Game 3 of the 2006 Finals.

Three random observations ...

2009-04-01T09:52:00.005-04:00

... about the NBA:

1. Tuesday was bad matchup night for the top teams in the West. Gerald Wallace had a phenomenal night as the Bobcats completed a season sweep of the Lakers, 94-84. Wallace had 24 points, 13 rebounds and a whopping five blocks as the Bobcats held the third-highest scoring team in the league to 39 percent shooting. Charlotte, in contrast, shot 52 percent, with all five starters plus D.J. Augustin off the bench scoring in double figures. Boris Diaw played a point forward role, dishing out 12 assists to go along with 11 points, and Emeka Okafor, with 13 points and nine rebounds, was close to a double-double. The Lakers got good mileage out of their top three guys, as Kobe had 25 points, Pau Gasol 16 points and 11 rebounds and Lamar Odom 20 points and nine rebounds, but no one else had double figures in any category. L.A.'s bench was outscored 23-11, the second consecutive time it was more than doubled-up in the second straight upset loss for the Lakers.

2. The visiting Thunder held off a late charge by the Spurs on Tuesday to polish off their second victory against San Antonio in three games this year. The Spurs had whittled a 17-point lead down to one with 36 seconds to go, and had a chance to win the game after Tim Duncan blocked Jeff Green's shot and Michael Finley grabbed the rebound with 13 seconds left. Gregg Popovich eschewed the timeout, letting his veteran team set up a shot on the fly. It didn't work. Finley wound up with an off-balance 19 footer that went awry to give Oklahoma City the win and drop the Spurs behind Denver for second in the West and into a tie with Houston atop the Southwest Division. Kevin Durant had another splendid evening, with a game-high 31 points and eight rebounds, while Russell Westbrook got it done on both ends, scoring 16 and dishing out 10 while limiting Tony Parker to 11 points. Thunder center Nenad Krstic, whose acquisition was one of the most significant midseason moves this year, scored 16 and grabbed eight rebounds in just 25 minutes. Oklahoma City looks to be in great shape headed into next year.

3. Another team that seems primed to make a leap in 2010 is Sacramento, and they showed why against New Orleans for much of the night Tuesday, using three-point shooting to hang around in a game that shouldn't have been as close. The Hornets outshot the Kings, 54 percent to 49, and grabbed 41 rebounds to their 29. But Francisco Garcia's trey to complete a 14-for-24 shooting night from behind the arc for the Kings left the game tied with under a minute to go. Beno Udrih put up an awkward-looking jumper from 11 feet out that found the net with 1.7 remaining to give Sacramento a one-point lead. Then the Hornets, playing without James Posey and Peja Stojakovic and in desperate need of a role player to step it up, got exactly what they required. Rasual Butler found an open spot on the inbounds play, took the pass and hit a cold-blooded three as time expired to give New Orleans the 111-110 win. David West, with 40 points and nine rebounds, and Chris Paul, who had 15 points, 15 assists and eight rebounds, did the heavy lifting, but Butler did exactly what's required of a role player: execute when the occasion calls for it.

BONUS OBSERVATION (since it's close to playoff time):

4. Nobody can beat the Blazers when their full arsenal is on display. We realize this after Tuesday's 62 percent shooting night against the Jazz. Normally, a 49 percent shooting night like the Jazz had gets you a win, but not when the other team scores 125 points, makes 10 of 18 three-pointers and spreads around 32 assists. Brandon Roy had 25 points and 11 assists and LaMarcus Aldridge scored 26, and they were joined by four other Blazers with double-figure points. The Jazz put five guys in double figures, but no one had more than Carlos Boozer, who had 20 points. Boozer wasn't supremely effective either, committing six of his team's 16 turnovers in the 125-104 loss that moves the Jazz into seventh place, a game behind the fifth-place Blazers with the Hornets sandwiched in between.

Three random observations ...

2009-03-31T10:28:00.003-04:00

... about the NBA:

1. Somehow I think Dwyane Wade would be good at stand-up comedy. Why? Because this season he's become an expert at being up on stage all alone. He scored 42 points last night, but other than 13 for Mario Chalmers and Jermaine O'Neal's 10, no one so much as scored in double figures for the Heat, who fell 101-95 to the visiting Magic. Orlando, conversely, had balanced scoring, led by Dwight Howard's 22 and Rashard Lewis' 21. The final three minutes of the game were a microcosm of the entire night as the Magic pulled away for the win. Howard, Lewis and even J.J. Redick, who sank four free throws to seal it, all scored for the Magic off assists by Courtney Lee and Hedo Turkoglu. Wade scored all the points for the Heat in the final three minutes, and created all of his own shots. It's scary to imagine what the Heat could do with a supporting cast around their superstar this year.

2. No lead is safe against an up-tempo team, a lesson the Jazz have learned twice. Utah blew a 21-point lead before recovering to beat the Suns on Saturday, and Monday they were up by 24 in the third quarter before the Knicks rallied to take a one-point lead with seven minutes to play. The Jazz regained the lead and prevailed 112-104, but Jerry Sloan has to hope his team understands now that they can't get complacent against an inferior team if it can score points in a hurry. It was at the line where the Knicks made hay, as the Jazz committed 13 fouls that sent New York to the free throw line during the comeback, including an illegal defense call. The opportunities became limited once the Jazz retook the lead with with 6:35 to play, and the Knicks took only three free throws the rest of the way.

3. You can pretty safely scratch off another team that had been contending for the final playoff spot in the East after a de facto elimination game Monday. The Nets absorbed a withering 107-78 beating at home to the Bucks in a game that was never close. Devin Harris, who has been only a 35 percent shooter in three games since returning from a shoulder injury, and Vince Carter both went 3-for-11, and no one else was able to pick up the scoring slack. The Bucks added to the Nets' offensive woes, forcing their NBA-leading average of 16 turnovers. Richard Jefferson, conversely, had a hyper-efficient night, going 8-for-12 for 29 points in 29 minutes and somehow found time to grab 10 rebounds, too. Charlie Villanueva added 20 points and rookie Joe Alexander had 16 points off the bench for a team that desperately needed the win, only their third in March. Milwaukee is barely hanging in the race, in 10th place at four games back with nine to play. The Nets, in 12th place and five and a half back, are all but mathematically eliminated.

Three random observations ...

2009-03-30T10:30:00.003-04:00

... about the NBA:

1. I thought the Suns were out of it a few weeks ago, and they might not be mathematically eliminated for another couple of weeks, but the night they very well may look back on as the end was Sunday. Phoenix couldn't get a win on the road against the team with the worst record in the NBA, allowing Sacramento 35 points in each of the first three quarters of a 126-118 loss that has them three and a half back of the last playoff spot with eight games to play. The Suns just couldn't get any stops when they needed them, and didn't have the offensive firepower to keep up, especially with Leandro Barbosa out with a left tibial bone bruise. The Suns only had five players in double figures compared to seven for the Kings. Phoenix is learning that it's tough to go with a run-and-gun system when you don't have more than five players who can compete on the NBA level.

2. New Orleans shot only 38 percent, and Chris Paul and David West were the only two Hornets to score more than 10 points all night. So how did the team come up with a 90-86 win over San Antonio? The Hornets got to the free throw line and were nearly flawless, converting 32 of 33 attempts. Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili got to the line 19 times and had 16 makes combined, which isn't bad, but the rest of the team took only two free throws combined. The refs favor home teams, and it's no wonder these teams won all their home court games in their playoff meeting last year. That's why the struggle for position in the West, where six teams, including the Hornets and Spurs, are separated by two and a half games, is so important.

3. Another return for the Pistons, another win. Allen Iverson, who missed 16 games with a back injury, rejoined the team but not the starting lineup Sunday, and having AI come off the bench was a winning formula, at least for Sunday. He looked a bit rusty, scoring eight points on 3-for-9 shooting, but more importantly didn't get in the way of key reserve Will Bynum, who had 12 points, five rebounds and four assists in 22 minutes, or Richard Hamilton, who came back Saturday in a win against the Wizards. Hamilton entered the game with three minutes to go for Iverson, and hit the last two shots for the Pistons, including the one that sealed it from 15 feet away with 14 seconds to go. The 101-97 win pulled Detroit to within a game and a half of the Sixers, just two days after they had trailed sixth-place Philadelphia by three and a half.

BONUS OBSERVATION (Since it's close to playoff time):

4. Perhaps the most important, and coincidentally most overlooked, consequence of Andrew Bynum's injury is the weakening of the Lakers bench, which had been arguably the league's best. Sunday was rock bottom for a unit that's struggled since Lamar Odom went to the starting lineup to replace Bynum. They were outscored 29-14 by the Hawks reserves, the weakest bench of any top four team in either conference. It was a frustrating 86-76 loss for visiting L.A., and a return to their usual stingy form at home for the Hawks, who had just lost consecutive games at Phillips Arena to Boston and San Antonio.

Three random observations ...

2009-03-29T11:58:00.002-04:00

... about the NBA:

1. The notion that Michael Curry's greatest regret in his first season as Pistons coach was benching Richard Hamilton in the middle of the season received quite a boost Saturday. The most anticipated return was that of Gilbert Arenas from the left knee injury that has kept him out all year, but Hamilton was coming back, too, after missing six games with a groin injury. Hamilton was the dominant force in the Detroit offense, taking 29 shots and scoring a game-high 31 points. He drained a 3-pointer with about two minutes to go and hit the two game-winning free throws with five seconds left as the Pistons held off the Wizards, who had come back from down 15 in the third quarter. The game finished with great irony, as Arenas, once a great hope for the Wizards whose future has been thrown into question by injuries, launched a potential game-winning three-pointer only to have it swatted away by Kwame Brown, a former No. 1 overall draft pick for Washington whose career also turned sour, but for a few moments like this one.

2. Two teams with flickering playoff hopes met Saturday in Charlotte, and the coach of Knicks past might have extinguished, at least for this season, the chances of the coach of Knicks present. Larry Brown's Charlotte Bobcats, in ninth place, won 95-86 to stay two and a half games back of the final playoff spot while the Knicks of Mike D'Antoni are in need of a miracle as they sit in 13th, six and a half out with nine to play. The Seven Seconds or Less offense was stopped dead by Brown's more deliberate style, as the Knicks shot 38 percent and had only four players in double figures, led by Wilson Chandler and Al Harrington with 18 apiece. New York did force 19 turnovers, but Charlotte made up for by shooting 49 percent, outrebounding the Knicks 46-34, and a stellar performance by Gerald Wallace, who had a game high 23 points, nine rebounds, eight assists and three blocks.

3. Another team scrapping for a playoff berth absorbed a frustrating blow Saturday in Utah. The Suns were agonizingly close to victory in Salt Lake City, which would have been quite a coup for a team that needs every win it can get. Phoenix led by five with little more than a minute to play, and by four with just 25 seconds left. But Deron Williams, who outdueled Steve Nash, fired one of his 13 assists to Mehmet Okur for a three-pointer, and then Williams went to the basket himself, nailing two jumpers in the final minute to force overtime. The Suns resiliantly jumped out to an early four-point lead in the extra period, but Okur and Williams came back again to score the next five points to put the Jazz back on top in a 104-99 win. Phoenix is now three and a half games back, and four in the loss column, behind Dallas for the final playoff spot in the West.

Three random observations ...

2009-03-28T10:39:00.002-04:00

... about the NBA:

1. The Spurs got a double dose of good news this week. Manu Ginobili returned Wednesday from his ankle injury, but struggled against the Hawks, scoring only two points on 1-for-7 shooting against the Hawks. Then he turned it around, going 5-for-17 for 14 points and dishing out seven assists in just 17 minutes Friday in a 111-98 against the Clippers. He was the old Manu, even if it was a limited appearance against inferior competition. This is exactly what the Spurs feared they wouldn't be getting while Ginobili struggled to come back from the injury. Now that he looks like 100 percent, the Spurs are once more the greatest threat to the Lakers in the West.

2. Just as there is optimism in San Antonio, the Celtics have to be really worried about Kevin Garnett. The Big Ticket was held out of Boston's 99-93 win at Atlanta after struggling to only four points in 17 minutes Wednesday at Orlando. He's only five games into his comeback from a right knee strain, and he has yet to play his usual minutes as the Celtics have treated him with kid gloves. It could be over-cautiousness, but it could be that the knee hasn't fully healed, too. The Celtics got a Garnett-like 19 points and 12 rebounds from Glen Davis and a superior performance from their bench that helped them withstand a comeback attempt by the Hawks. But they've learned this season that they can count on neither. They need Garnett at or near 100 percent not just to be a contender, but to merely escape the second round.

3. That was a strange game Friday in Dallas. The Nuggets outshot the Mavs 56 percent to 36 percent from the field and still won by only two points, 103-101. Blame it on a 30-12 advantage at the line for Dallas and the fact Denver, with 14 giveaways, turned the ball over more than twice the amount of times as the Mavs, who did it only six times. But it wasn't the fault of Carmelo Anthony, who had 43 points and 11 rebounds and the only basket while the Mavs went on a 13-2 run over a seven-minute stretch in the fourth quarter. J.R. Smith had 22 points in support for Denver, but only one other Denver player scored in double figures, and that was Kenyon Martin, with 10. At the same time, Dallas had Dirk Nowitzki with 26 points, J.J. Barea with 22 and Jason Terry with 20, but no one else with more than the nine points Ryan Hollins put up. An odd evening, indeed.

Three random observations ...

2009-03-26T00:00:00.002-04:00

... about the NBA:

1. Maybe Dwight Howard is Superman. He pretty much singlehandedly lifted the Magic to what is likely their greatest regular season victory since the Shaq days, scoring 24 points and pulling down 21 rebounds in an 84-82 victory Wednesday in the showdown with Boston. Orlando now is in a tie with the Celtics for second in the East thanks in large part to Howard's fourth block of the game, a rejection that covered for Hedo Turkoglu's failure to contain Paul Pierce. Turkoglu was all set up to be the goat after a dreadful 3-for-18 shooting night, including an ugly heave that missed from 29 feet away that gave the Celtics a chance with 22 seconds to play. The Turkoglu miss came at the end of a poorly designed possession for the Magic, who had Rafer Alston walk the ball up the court and stall until the shot clock was under 10 seconds. It defied Stan Van Gundy's earlier calls for greater ball movement, and makes one wonder if Howard didn't have to overcome poor coaching as well as poor play by his teammates. Rashard Lewis, who nailed four three-pointers, was the only player for Orlando other than Howard to shoot better than 36 percent. That made what should have been an easier night against a visiting team that had Kevin Garnett for only 17 minutes much more difficult.

2. Denver's problem is that no one can score other than Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups. The trouble in New Orleans is that some nights, no one can score at all, as evidenced in the 101-88 victory Wednesday by the visiting Nuggets over the Hornets. No one can make the argument that Chris Paul isn't an elite player, but as a point guard, his main function is ball distribution. The trouble is that there are no elite finishers on the team. David West is indeed an asset on a winning team, but he's not a top-shelf scorer, averaging barely 20 points a game. Peja Stojakovic, who missed the game with a sore back, has been wildly inconsistent this year, and Tyson Chandler, who was also out with his nagging ankle injury, is a defensive bedrock whose offensive contributions are really only a bonus. Wednesday night, when Paul led the team with just 19 points while the Nuggets got 29 from Anthony and 26 from Billups, was a prime example of how the Hornets lack the firepower to advance deep in the playoffs.

3. So there are rumblings that Isiah Thomas and Donald Sterling have had talks about Zeke joining the Clippers' management team. There's more to this than you think. Sterling has figured out how to keep making money even if there's a lockout in 2011. Hiring Isiah would give him and the Clippers two years to perfect their act before they go on tour with the Harlem Globetrotters as the new Washington Generals. Great idea, guys!

Three random observations ...

2009-03-25T18:56:00.001-04:00

... about the NBA:

1. The Rockets were dominant on the glass Tuesday, with three players who finished with double figures in rebounds. It didn't matter. The Jazz are just too tough at home. Utah held Houston to 35 percent shooting, and Deron Williams had a stellar performance distributing the ball, with 12 assists against only one turnover, as the Jazz pulled away in the second half for a 99-86 victory. Paul Millsap provided a major boost off the bench, scoring 15 points and pulling down a team-high nine rebounds, in contrast to Houston's bench, which scored 11 points and had 10 rebounds combined. It's a good sign for Utah, which would meet Houston in the first round if the playoffs started today.

2. San Antonio's role players are in an uncustomary slump. The Spurs' bench on Tuesday was outscored 30-15 by lowly Golden State, which fell by just one point, 107-106. Roger Mason, who nailed the game-winner from 18 feet with 23 seconds to go, was the only Spur who found much success other than Tim Duncan or Tony Parker, scoring 24 points. Manu Ginobili has been hurt, but their struggles can't be entirely chalked up to his absence. Michael Finley, who turned 36 this month, is a shadow of his former self. Bruce Bowen, three months shy of his 38th birthday, has fallen off considerably this year. Ime Udoka hasn't exactly lit it up, averaging almost two points fewer than his 6 ppg career average. Matt Bonner can get hot with his shot from time to time, but is far from an ideal complement to Tim Duncan in the post. San Antonio has Duncan, Parker, Ginobili, and Mason, and that's about it for people Gregg Popovich can trust on a consistent basis.

3. The Pistons lost again without Richard Hamilton, Rasheed Wallace and Allen Iverson, 99-91 Tuesday in Chicago. But in their absence has been the blossoming of point guard Will Bynum, who Tuesday dished out nine assists, shot 10-for-16 and totaled 20 points, matching Tayshaun Prince for the team high. He began getting regular minutes around the beginning of the month, and since Richard Hamilton got hurt March 13 against Memphis, Bynum has averaged 15.3 points, and on Friday got his first start of the season, in Rodney Stuckey's stead. But really his contributions offset the Pistons' other first round draft pick from 2007, Arron Afflalo, who has struggled to become the two-guard of the future Detroit hoped he would become. Tuesday's performance was, unfortunately for Afflalo and his team, not entirely atypical, as he went 1-for-7 and scored only two points.

Three random observations ...

2009-03-24T10:25:00.005-04:00

... about the NBA:

1. The center, as always, was there all night Monday for the Magic. It was getting the forwards and guards to join Dwight Howard that took awhile. Orlando trailed the Knicks by 10 at Madison Square Garden with 8:26 to play when the forwards finally showed up. Hedo Turkoglu scored the next seven points for the team, and Rashard Lewis followed with a three-pointer and an assist on another Turkoglu trey that made it 90-87 Knicks with 5:31 to go. Then it was the guards' turn. Rookie Courtney Lee scored eight of his 22 in the final 4:20, and Rafer Alston gave the Magic the lead for good when he sank a three-pointer with 2:34 to go. That trey was followed by a pair of key steals by Lee and Alston, keeping the Knicks off the scoreboard for a stretch of nearly two minutes in a tight game. Howard, who had 29 points and 14 rebounds, made one of his four blocks during that stretch as Orlando prevailed, 106-102, and avoided a damaging loss going into Wednesday's showdown with Boston.

2. You don't have many nights like Monday in Portland. Brandon Roy just wasn't himself as the Blazers lost 114-108 in overtime to the visiting Sixers. Roy shot 5-for-18 and seemed particularly afflicted down the stretch, missing three shots that would have given the Blazers the lead in the last six minutes, including a miss from 15 feet with the game tied at the end of regulation. He did convert a three-point play that put Portland on top 96-94 with 1:36 to play, but that was the exception to the rule, as witnessed in overtime. Roy missed a driving layup, the subsequent putback attempt, got stripped by Willie Green and clanked a three-pointer on consecutive possessions in the midst of a game-clinching 8-0 run for the Sixers in the extra period. Roy finished with 12 points, wasting 24 points and 12 rebounds from LaMarcus Aldridge, 22 points from Steve Blake and impressive performances off the bench by Rudy Fernandez and Greg Oden. You can bet Roy, who saw his Blazers fall into a tie for sixth place with Utah, will be extra-motivated to return to his stellar self against Phoenix on Thursday.

3. I don't know how a potential playoff team could blow an 11-point lead with five minutes to play against the worst team in the conference. You'll have to ask the Chicago Bulls. It very nearly happened to them Monday at Washington, when the Bulls couldn't get inside the lane and suddenly forgot how to play defense late in the game. They let Antawn Jamison run wild, as he scored 12 of his game-high 34 in the final 4:47, including a stretch of eight points in 50 seconds that pulled the Wiz within three points with 3:57 to go. Ben Gordon countered with eight points in 1:18 to push the lead back out to nine, but Washington continued to jack up outside shots, and the Bulls grabbed the rebounds and took advantage, simply running out of time at the end in a 101-99 Chicago escape. Derrick Rose found Kirk Hinrich for what proved to be the decisive layup with eight seconds left, one of just two shots the Bulls took from within 11 feet the entire fourth quarter.

Three random observations ...

2009-03-23T10:18:00.001-04:00

... about the NBA:

1. The week after the All-Star break is starting to look like the turning point in the race to be the primary challenger to the Lakers out West. That's the week Houston learned it would be without Tracy McGrady for the rest of the season and traded Rafer Alston to the Magic. That week was also when Manu Ginobili missed his first games for the Spurs with the ankle injury that has kept him out ever since. The Rockets have been on a tear over the stretch, going 14-4, while the Spurs have gone a pedestrian 10-8. The teams met Sunday in San Antonio, and even though they were playing on the road and got a less-than-stellar performance from Yao Ming, the Rockets came up with an 87-85 win that vaults Houston past the Spurs into second place in the Conference. Ron Artest, with a game-high 24 points, and Luis Scola, who had 19 points, including the final five for Houston, and 17 rebounds, supplemented 13 points for Yao, while the Spurs continued to lack credible offensive support for Tim Duncan and Tony Parker. It's the sort of contribution they usually get from Ginobili, who returned to practice this week, four weeks after an injury that was supposed to keep him out of games for no longer than three weeks.

2. Miami's comeback was critical. The Heat were on the verge of their second loss to a depleted opponent in three nights as they trailed the Pistons by six Sunday at the end of three quarters. Dwyane Wade had 31 points so far, but no one other than Jermaine O'Neal, who had only 10 points, was scoring in double figures. Miami didn't turn up its defensive intensity nearly as much as its offensive arsenal for the stretch run, as seven players scored for the Heat in a 34-point fourth quarter that proved the difference in a 101-96 win at Detroit. Jamario Moon, who had eight in the fourth quarter, wound with 17 of his own, good for second on the team behind Wade's 39. Udonis Haslem scored the last six points of the game to finish with 16, while O'Neal ended the night with 14. The Heat can't simply rely on Wade to get them past the first round in the playoffs. They need 48 minutes' worth of what they got for 12 on Sunday.

3. How bad are the Clippers? They were whipped 100-76 Sunday by a team that started Jake Voskuhl at center. The journeyman Voskuhl, who started nine games for a 33-win Charlotte team in 2007 and hasn't been in for a tipoff since, was substituting for Andrea Bargnani, who had a sore left heel. No one on the Raptors scored more than 16, either, but Chris Bosh had 13 rebounds to go along with those 16 points, while Shawn Marion had 14 points and 13 rebounds, while three other Raptors scored in double figures. It was more than enough for the Clippers, who got mauled 57-34 on the boards. The game was an example of the difference between the average lottery teams and the truly rancid. The Clippers are two games better than league-worst Sacramento, but don't be surprised if it's a Southern California team with the most ping-pong balls for the fifth time in franchise history.

Three random observations ...

2009-03-21T09:09:00.004-04:00

... about the NBA:

1. Dwight Howard played an uncharacteristically sloppy, foul-plagued game Saturday in a spot where he should have dominated. But the Magic pulled out a 110-103 win anyway in a welcome, auspicious sign for their title chances. Superman was less than heroic against the visiting Knicks, staying on the floor for just 30 minutes and attempting only seven shots in a 15-point performance even though opposing center David Lee missed the game with tendonitis in his knees. Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu played the Robin roles to near-perfection to save the day. Lewis was 11-for-18 from the floor and 4-for-10 from behind the arc to lead the Magic with 27 points, while Turkoglu went 4-for-7 from long range, dished out nine assists, pulled down seven rebounds and scored 20 points.

2. Kevin Garnett returned Friday for Boston, and even though he played limited minutes, the emotional lift to the team was palpable in an 80-77 win at San Antonio. The heart and soul of the Celtics provided inspiration that was most obvious in the play of Rajon Rondo, who had his best game in weeks, scoring 16 points and dishing out 12 assists against only one turnover. It was a point guard duel between Rondo and Tony Parker all night, with Parker going for 25 points, eight assists and seven rebounds, and if the mental toughness provided by Garnett was the difference for Rondo, it was a brain-lock for Parker that doomed the Spurs. The 79 percent free-throw shooter on the season missed four straight free throws in the final minute. San Antonio as a team scored only two points in the last 3:27. It's the sort of loss you almost never see in San Antonio, and the kind of win that could right Boston's ship.

3. How does Miami lose 96-88 in New Jersey when the Nets are playing without Devin Harris? You could lay blame on the Heat's frontline of Jamario Moon and Udonis Haslem, which was a combined 1-for-9 with five points, but it has more to do with defense, specifically against New Jersey's bench. The Nets had a 41-31 advantage in bench points, led by 18 points from both Jarvis Hayes and rookie Chris Douglas-Roberts. It was a career high for Douglas-Roberts, who shot 5-for-6 from the floor and a perfect 7-for-7 from the line, and the bench went 15-for-22 from the field as a unit. It was the kind of defensive lapse Pat Riley, now the team's president, would never have tolerated as coach. We'll see how they respond the next time out, Sunday afternoon at Detroit.

Three random observations ...

2009-03-20T00:37:00.003-04:00

... about the NBA:

1. Portland was without LaMarcus Aldridge, out with a concussion, and Nicolas Batum, who has a sprained left ankle, rendering its usually stellar bench thin Thursday at Cleveland. It mattered little as Brandon Roy and Travis Outlaw powered the Blazers to overtime against the league's best team, despite only two turnovers by the Cavs, which tied an all-time low. Outlaw had 11 of his 17 and Roy nine of his team-leading 24 in the fourth quarter, and Roy got an unexpected assist when LeBron James lept high in the air on Roy's head-fake with three seconds to go, resulting in a foul that sent him to the line for the tying free throws. LeBron missed a runner that would have won it on the other end, but set about for his atonement in overtime. His stamp was all over the extra period, as he either scored or assisted on every Cavalier basket as Cleveland pulled away for a 97-92 win. LeBron wound up with 26 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists, his seventh triple-double of the season and 24th of his career.

2. The Hawks had a textbook performance Thursday as they finished off a 7-0 homestand with a win over the Mavs. Joe Johnson led the way with 24 points and seven rebounds, while the rest of the offense was balanced amongst their top six, all of whom scored in double figures. Flip Murray had 19 points in a sixth-man role, and Zaza Pachulia filled in the gaps during 18 minutes of play, but no one else got significant run for Atlanta, which has had little depth all season. Still, it was enough for a 95-87 victory over Dallas, which was without Erick Dampier, sidelined with a swollen left knee. The game was a demonstration of the disparity that still exists between the Eastern and Western conferences. Atlanta, which now has a record of 41-28, has a four-game lead over the closest competitor for fourth place. Dallas has the same record but is holding on to eighth place by three and a half games over Phoenix. The Eastern Conference, like the Hawks, has some real talent in its first tier, but little behind it.

3. The Lakers are embarking on a seven-game road trip with some serious concerns. Defensive lapses continue to plague the team, and after blowing leads of 15 and 14 points in their last two games, they were in a tougher-than-expected fight against the Warriors on Thursday in their final home game before the trek. L.A. committed 22 turnovers and got caught up a bit in Golden State's frenetic style. Still, the Lakers persevered, as cold-shooting Sasha Vujacic broke out of a slump to go 4-for-4 and Lamar Odom provided some unusually clutch play. Odom's layup with 1:47 to go pushed a three-point lead to five, and he assisted on a huge 3-pointer by Trevor Ariza that doubled another three-point lead with 1:14 left. Odom then hit two free throws in the final minute that sealed a 114-106 win.

Three random observations ...

2009-03-19T00:28:00.002-04:00

... about the NBA:

1. It was a good night all around Wednesday for Portland, which took care of business in a 95-85 win at Indiana and saw Greg Oden return to play his first game since suffering a chipped bone in his patella. Oden wasn't bad in 12 minutes off the bench, grabbing seven rebounds to go along with four points. He also wound up with a plus/minus of +21, which suggests he fit in quite well despite not having played in more than a month. Oden and Rudy Fernandez, back at 100 percent after getting hammered by Trevor Ariza about 10 days ago, means Portland's bench is looking fierce again, which can help to set them apart as they compete in a dogfight for playoff position in the West.

2. What in the world was New Orleans doing in a dogfight with Minnesota on Wednesday? The Hornets needed a David West dunk off an assist from Chris Paul to beat the lowly T-Wolves 94-93. It was a classic example of how New Orleans needs more than just Paul and West to beat anybody of consequence. Peja Stojakovic was out with a sore back, and Tyson Chandler missed the game with a gimpy left ankle, robbing the Hornets of their two most important role players. At least one of them has to play well to provide an effective complement to Paul and West, and we've learned that's true even with the addition of James Posey, who shot 2-for-8 for just five points off the bench Wednesday. Hitlon Armstrong had a strong 12-point, eight-rebound, four-block outing, but he doesn't replace the all-around inside force that Chandler is. Rasual Butler was 6-for-11 for 14 points, but can't come close to what Stojakovic provides with his shooting touch.

3. The Rockets were also in a tighter game than they ever could have imagined against a depleted Detroit team on the second night of a back-to-back. The Pistons were without Richard Hamilton, with a left groin strain and Rasheed Wallace, with a left calf strain (if I were Tayshaun Prince, I would wrap my left thigh tightly), and yet wound up in double overtime at Houston. They ran out of gas and fell 106-101, but gave the Rockets all kinds of fits. Houston's bench was somehow outscored 21-18, and Yao Ming and Luis Scola curiously allowed a dozen offensive rebounds and 32 boards overall to Antonio McDyess and Kwame Brown as the Rockets were outrebounded 48-45 as a team. Houston's concentration was clearly shaken by the shooting incident that luckily left Carl Landry with just a flesh wound. They did, like New Orleans, come up with the win, and that's ultimately what the Rockets need any way they can get it as they sit in third place, atop six teams within three games of them.

Three random observations ...

2009-03-18T19:00:00.001-04:00

... about the NBA:

1. The clock read 30 seconds, but the attention was on three seconds. That was the thoroughly unexpected call on Dwight Howard that may have altered the outcome of a late-season showdown of title contenders. The Cavs led by two when the call was made, and the turnover by the Magic allowed LeBron to knock down two throws with eight seconds that clinched the 97-93 win. It was another tour de force by King James, who scored 43 points, pulled down 12 rebounds and dished out eight assists, and either scored or assisted on every Cleveland basket from the 6:01 mark of the fourth quarter on. Rashard Lewis was on the other side of the coin, capping an 0-for-8 night from behind the arc with yet another three-point miss on the Magic's final possession. He scored only six points as Orlando's reliance on perimeter scoring again surfaced as its achilles heel.

2. The Pistons fell back to .500 again with a 103-101 loss Tuesday at Dallas, but there continue to be bright spots in the wake of Allen Iverson's back injury. Will Bynum, getting minutes as a backup point guard now, scored 11 of his career-high 19 points in the fourth quarter as the Pistons clawed almost all the way back from a 17-point deficit. It was the second consecutive double-figure game for the undrafted former Georgia Tech star, who is averaging 8.4 points and 3.0 assists in 15.7 minutes of play during March. He could become a dangerous weapon off the bench, much in the same vein as Rodney Stuckey last year, as the Pistons seek a first-round upset in the playoffs.

3. It was St. Patrick's Day, ironically, when one may well have concluded the leprachaun is lost again in Boston. Injury struck yet another big man for the Celtics, as Leon Powe exited Wednesday's game with a bruised right knee. Without Powe, Kevin Garnett, Glen Davis or even Brian Scalabrine, the shorthanded Celtics fell to the Bulls 127-121. Boston has lost four of its last five, and are a half game and perhaps a three-second call away from falling into third place in the Eastern Conference. But by Wednesday, stirred by the curious call in the Cleveland-Orlando game, he seemed to have awoken, inflicting soreness in Dwayne Wade's hip that will keep him from facing the Celtics this evening in Boston.

Three random observations ...

2009-03-17T09:52:00.002-04:00

... about the NBA:

1. That was an inexcusable loss for the Hornets on Monday. The Rockets played without Yao Ming, who had the flu, and still went into New Orleans and picked up a 95-84 win after trailing by 11 in the third quarter. Don't blame Chris Paul, who played his usual starring role with 29 points, 11 assists, six rebounds and six steals. He might have had an even more impressive assists total had anyone other than David West, who went for 16 points and 13 rebounds, joined him on the floor. Houston instead used balanced scoring and yet another competent spot-start from 42-year-old Dikembe Mutombo to pull away late in the fourth quarter. Five Rockets scored in Houston's closing 20-9 run after Carl Landry blocked a layup attempt by Paul with the game tied and 6:18 to play. The Hornets could have have been in a virtual three-way tie with Houston and Denver for third place in the West if they had held serve against a shorthanded team at home. Instead the Rockets have third place to themselves.

2. Curious upset Monday in Oklahoma City. Usually its the Spurs who win 78-76 games that feature no more than two points scored in the final two minutes, but this was the other way around. Kevin Durant had 25 points and running mate Russell Westbrook awoke at just the right moment to help cement a comeback from an early 17-point deficit as the Thunder beat San Antonio. The Spurs jumped out to an early 27-10 lead as Tim Duncan and Tony Parker were cooking, but Duncan scored only five more points the rest of the night as Parker was left to carry the load alone. Parker scored a game-high 28 and had every one of San Antonio's seven points in the last seven minutes, but that clearly wasn't enough as Westbrook shook off an other wise tough shooting night to nail two critical jumpers in the last five minutes. His 23-foot two-pointer that gave him eight points with 2:19 to play was the last basket of the night for the Thunder, but somehow all they needed. Manu Ginobili, your ankle can't heal fast enough for the Spurs.

3. Quite possibly the two most undeserving power forwards in the game got to strut their limited stuff Monday. Yi Jianlian put up four points on 1-for-5 shooting for the Nets in his 13th single-digit scoring game out of 14 in a blowout 121-96 loss to the Nuggets. The pride(?) of China continues to confound observers who wonder how any 7-foot starting power forward could average less than half a block a game. One must continue to wonder if the State Department has something to do with his average of 24 minutes a night. Then there's Darrell Arthur, the Kansas rookie who keeps Hakim Warrick on the bench in Memphis, where the Grizzlies suffered a 103-92 beating by the Blazers. Arthur hasn't had a double-double since Nov. 7, the only one of his career, and doesn't look like the sort of defensive presence who ought to be in front of Warrick, who averages five more points a game with better rebounding and assist numbers to boot. A strained right knee ended a scoreless first eight minutes for Arthur on Monday, but an injury shouldn't be the only reason Warrick is in line to start the next time out.

Three random observations ...

2009-03-15T20:43:00.003-04:00

... about the NBA:

1. You hardly would have guessed Sunday's Indiana-Toronto tilt would wind up chock full of storylines, but it did. First is the return of Danny Granger, who missed 11 games with a partially torn tendon in his right foot. He played only 18 minutes in a limited role off the bench, but his presence gives the Pacers a chance at sneaking into the playoffs. Indiana could have pulled to within a game and a half of the final playoff spot if they took care of business Sunday north of the border, but they were eaten alive inside by Andrea Bargnani and ... Pops Mensah-Bonsu? Yes, the London-born Pops had quite a night in 22 minutes off the bench, scoring a career high 21 points, partly the result of 11-for-13 shooting at the line, while grabbing eight rebounds. Mensah-Bonsu was playing just his 20th NBA game, but the undrafted 6-foot-10, 240-pound big man looked like a seasoned veteran, as did former No. 1 overall pick Bargnani, who put up 27 points and nine rebounds. A bad day for the Pacers' three-headed center rotation of Jeff Foster, Roy Hibbert and Rasho Nesterovic.

2. Kevin Garnett, the Celtics need you back. Soon. Boston looked lost in a puzzling 86-77 loss at Milwaukee. The Celtics turned the ball over a mind-boggling 25 times, including seven by Paul Pierce, and shot 1-for-12 from behind the arc, including 0-for-5 from Ray Allen. It would be one thing if the supporting cast was not there to make up for Garnett's absence, but it's troublesome to see Pierce and Allen struggle. The defensive intensity is still there, as witnessed by Milwaukee's 33-percent shooting, but Boston shot only 38 percent, weighed down by a combined 8-for-36 brickfest by Pierce, Allen and Rajon Rondo. The good news for Boston, now just a half game in front of Orlando for the last playoff spot, is Garnett is said to be ready to return from a slow-to-heal sprained right knee by the end of the week.

3. It wasn't exactly a strong night for late evening offerings in the NBA. The only team of the four playing that has a decent shot at the playoffs was done in by Steve Novak, of all people. The Nets, who began the day just a half game out the eighth spot, were subjected to a barrage of seven three-pointers, including the game-winner at the buzzer, from Novak as the Clippers stole a 107-105 victory. The other game was a nationally televised shootout between the Suns and Warriors that provided the answer to the question, "When is watching two teams score a combined 284 points not entertaining?" That would be when two teams virtually out of playoff contention stage a 24-point blowout. The Suns, behind Jason Richardson's 31 points and at least 20 each for Shaq, Leandro Barbosa and Matt Barnes, blasted Golden State 154-130 in a game that ceased to be competitive in the third quarter.

Three random observations ...

2009-03-14T10:01:00.003-04:00

1. When can you score 34 points to lead six players in double figures against a conference-leading team and be just a footnote? When you're Kevin Martin, and your Sacramento Kings weren't quite powerful enough to overcome LeBron's 51-point effort that lifted Cleveland to a 126-123 victory in overtime. It wasn't a triple-double for the first time in four outings for LeBron, but it was a stirring performance nonetheless, as he scored 16 points in the fourth quarter to erase what was a 12-point deficit for the Cavs heading into the final period. James intercepted a pass by Bobby Jackson with under a minute to play that led to the tying free throw, and in overtime his 28-foot three-pointer with 3:01 to play gave Cleveland an eight-point lead that proved insurmountable.

2. Yao Ming has to be a big-time scorer if the Rockets are going anywhere in the playoffs, but no one ever said he had to become a clutch three-point shooter. That's exactly what he did Friday at Charlotte, nailing a trey in the closing minutes of a 91-86 comeback win against the Bobcats. Yao, who went 9-for-11 from the floor for a game-high 23 points, followed up his 26-foot three-pointer with a 15-footer moments later, giving Houston a six-point lead with 1:28 to play. Then Ron Artest and Aaron Brooks hit the necessary baskets from there to seal the win at Charlotte, where the Bobcats had a surprisingly good 18-15 record coming into the night.

3. Kevin Garnett is still out with his knee injury, and Glen Davis missed his second game Friday with a sprained ankle. So Leon Powe, the team's third choice at power forward, simply made up for both of them. Powe scored a career-high 30 points and added 11 rebounds to post his second straight double-double as the Celtics finished off the Grizzlies 102-92. He dominated his matchup with rookie Darrell Arthur, who had four points and six rebounds in just 21 minutes, and Boston coach Doc Rivers kept his hot hand on the floor, allowing Powe to play a team-high 41 minutes. Rajon Rondo returned from his sprained ankle to dish out eight assists and grab eight rebounds, but it was the solid play of the bench and Powe's big night that stood out in a game the Celtics couldn't afford to drop at home if they want to avoid falling into third place.

Three random observations ...

2009-03-14T09:33:00.001-04:00

... about the NBA:

1. Former Lakers assistant coach and current team consultant Tex Winter went on the radio this week and called L.A.'s NBA-best record a mirage, saying the Lakers, mired in a season-long three-game losing streak, weren't playing at a championship level. The needling obviously worked, because Wednesday and Thursday they went out and reminded everyone they are a truly elite team. The first night they played without the suspended Lamar Odom and came back from a 14-point deficit to win 102-96 on the road against the Rockets, who had won 12 straight at home in Houston. Lamar Odom returned for the next game less than 24 hours later at San Antonio, and the Lakers beat back a rally by the team with the next best record in the NBA, using a decided advantage on the boards and in the turnover battle to win 102-95.

2. A single play Thursday in Phoenix said all you need to know about the seasons the Suns and Cavs are having. Jason Richardson went up for a 360-degree spinning jam that was to remind everyone that he is a former slam dunk champion. It would have tied the game at 97-97 in fourth quarter, but LeBron James raced from behind to knock the ball from Richardson's hands and off the backboard before it could go through the net. Joe Smith grabbed the rebound for Cleveland and the ball went to Sasha Pavlovic, who nailed a three-pointer to make it a five-point Cavs lead. Richardson was nailed with a technical foul for correctly arguing that James had fouled him on the play, and Mo Williams hit the free throw to make it 101-95. The Suns never did tie the game and fell 119-111. James, for whom everything is coming together, had 34 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds for his third consecutive triple-double, and the fun-and-gun Suns dropped to an almost insurmountable six games back of the last playoff spot.

3. The Mavs scored a second big win on the road in as many nights Wednesday, winning in Portland a night after a victory that helped cement their playoff status in Phoenix. Dallas once more started point guards J.J. Barea and Jason Kidd together in the backcourt, and Kidd played a throwback type of game, grabbing 10 rebounds while dishing out just as many assists. Dirk Nowitzki had a game-high 29 points, and Jason Terry powered the Mavs' bench with 24 of the 35 points scored by Dallas reserves. Bench play is usually a strength for the Blazers, too, but they got 20 points from Travis Outlaw, and that was it. Rudy Fernandez missed the game, still recovering after the hit he took Monday from Trevor Ariza, and Greg Oden's knee continues to keep him out, but outside of Outlaw, Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge, who all scored 20 points or more, no one showed up for Portland. The Blazers have fallen into a tie for sixth place in the West, while the eighth-place Mavs, who have won four of five, lurk just a half-game behind.

Three random observations ...

2009-03-11T10:18:00.003-04:00

... about the NBA:

1. Deron Williams offered a clinic Tuesday on how to contribute when you're having a poor scoring night. He shot 1-for-9 and had only five points in Utah's 112-100 win against the Pacers, but dished out 12 assists, forced five steals on a night when turnovers were key, and grabbed five rebounds. He gave away the ball only twice, in contrast to opposing point guard Jarrett Jack's six turnovers. Utah scored 22 points off of Indiana's 22 turnovers as a team, while Indiana got eight points off of 12 Jazz giveaways. Those are major reasons why Utah was able to overcome Williams' lack of scoring, a pedestrian night by Carlos Boozer and 46 percent shooting by the Pacers.

2. Damning loss for Phoenix last night. The Suns were at home to the Dallas team they're chasing for the final playoff spot in the West. The Mavs got a 23-point second half from Dirk Nowitzki, and a critical 10-2 run late in the fourth quarter helped send the Suns to a 122-117 loss that puts them five games back of the playoffs. The sequence that symbolized the night was Dirk Nowitzki's four offensive rebounds that kept alive a Dallas possession during that fourth quarter run and finally led to a made jump shot from 16 feet by Nowitzki, which gave the Mavs a nine-point lead and prompted the demoralized Suns to immediately call time out. Another key was the move by Dallas coach Rick Carlisle to insert J.J. Barea into the starting lineup for just the seventh time this season. Pairing Barea with Kidd in the backcourt may not work long-term, but it was certainly the right move against the small-ball Suns, as both guys wound up with double-figure scoring.

3. The evolution of the Mo Williams-LeBron James one-two punch continues. Williams and James either scored or assisted on nine of the 10 field goals Cleveland made down the stretch in a comeback from down 19 at the Clippers. James had his second straight triple double with 32 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists, while Williams struggled until the fourth quarter. But it was when Williams showed up to score 12 of his 14 points, it showed how the Cavs are only a great team with both guys around, not just LeBron.

Three random observations ...

2009-03-10T10:16:00.002-04:00

... about the NBA:

1. A wild night in the NBA on Monday. Dwyane Wade had a game for the ages against Chicago. The double-overtime thriller featured a buzzer-beating 3-pointer by Wade at the end of the first half, another trey to tie the game with 11.4 left in regulation, and then the capper, a steal that led to a running three-pointer as time expired in the second OT to give the Heat the win. Wade finished with 48 points on 15-for-21 shooting, including 5-for-6 from behind the arc, while dishing out 12 assists to boot. The Bulls kept it interesting behind Ben Gordon's 43 points, as well as an unexpected 29 points and eight rebounds from John Salmons. But the game will be remembered for Wade's heroics.

2. Monday was also the day the Lakers-Blazers rivalry officially came back. Portland was taking L.A. apart with seconds to go in the third quarter when Lakers defensive stopper Trevor Ariza went a bit overboard trying to stop a Rudy Fernandez layup, taking a wild swipe that knocked Fernandez to the ground, where he laid for the next 10 minutes before being carted off on a stretcher. (He's OK, apparently.) The hack led to a confrontation that resulted in technical fouls on LaMarcus Aldridge and Travis Outlaw. Ariza was ejected for the foul, deemed a flagrant level 2 by the officials, and Lamar Odom may have to sit out the next game for L.A. after leaving the bench. The Blazers proceeded to finish off a 111-94 shellacking of the Lakers for their 12th straight victory at the Rose Garden, and now sit tied with Utah for fourth place.

3. Forget returning to a bench role. Maybe the best thing for the Pistons is to tell Allen Iverson to just stay away. They're 5-1 without him, including three wins against division-leading teams after beating Orlando 98-94. The Pistons played well even without Rasheed Wallace, who left the game with a strained left calf in the first quarter. Richard Hamilton scored the last seven points for Detroit and played the distributor throughout the night, dishing out 14 assists to go with a total of 29 points. Tayshaun Prince added 20 points and Antonio McDyess was dominant on the boards with 18 rebounds to power the Pistons. Even Kwame Brown got into the mix, inexplicably hitting five of six shots for 10 points while going up against Dwight Howard in 26 minutes of action. It also helped that Hedo Turkoglu had only two points in 20 minutes of play for Orlando, which lost all three games to Detroit this year. The Pistons now has a glimmer of hope that they may get back to the Eastern Conference Finals this year if they make it through the first round and can match up in the second round with the Magic, a team they own.

Three random observations ...

2009-03-09T09:14:00.002-04:00

... about the NBA:

1. I'm afraid there's not much anybody can draw from Orlando's win over Boston on Sunday. The Celtics were without both Kevin Garnett and Rajon Rondo from the start, and then lost Glen Davis to a sprained right ankle in the third quarter. The Magic took advantage of those absences in a 86-79 victory. The significance is that Orlando is just two games behind Boston for second place now, and it appears the Celtics may be forced to win two series on the road just to get back to the Finals (where they may have to win on the road again). Doc Rivers and his team say they can win on the road, but after they failed to win a single road game against inferior opponents in the first two rounds last year, I won't believe it until I see it.

2. Nice performance Sunday by Devin Harris, who scored 35 points to bring New Jersey within a game of the final playoff spot in the East. He scored eight points in the last 5:05 to give the Nets the cushion they needed, and helped keep the tempo just slow enough to knock the Knicks, who didn't have anyone score more than David Lee's 19, off their game. Harris added 10 assists, and Vince Carter checked in with 25 points and nine rebounds. Also critical was the play of Bobby Simmons off the bench. The reserve small forward was a perfect 3-for-3 from the floor, all of which were 3-point attempts, including one to break a 91-91 tie that gave the Nets the lead for good with 5:39 to play.

3. I know the Sixers were playing on the second night of a back-to-back, but jeez! Sunday's 89-74 clunker at Oklahoma City is not the kind of performance you need if you're trying to lock down a playoff berth. Kevin Durant and Jeff Green didn't even play, but the Thunder was the turtle that beat the lazy hare. Nenad Krstic ate Samuel Dalembert for lunch in the middle, going for 20 points and eight rebounds while holding Dalembert scoreless with three rebounds. Sixers Andre Miller and Thaddeus Young were the team's only double-figure scorers, going for 20 points each, but Miller had just as many turnovers as assists and Young, playing power forward, grabbed only five rebounds. The Oklahoma City bench, in 69 minutes of play, outscored Philadelphia's, which was on the floor for 82 minutes, 27-23. It was indeed an all-around pummelling.

Three random observations ...

2009-03-07T17:51:00.002-05:00

... about the NBA:

1. Hedo Turkoglu and Rashard Lewis turned it around just in time Friday for the Magic. Lewis had 15 points and four rebounds, and Turkoglu just five points and four rebounds as Orlando trailed by seven at home with 6:15 to play against New Jersey. It looked like Dwight Howard, with 26 points and 15 rebounds, was going to have to pull all the weight. Then the Orlando forwards went to work. Lewis scored six straight points for the Magic, and Turkoglu the next eight to put their team in front for good. Lewis wound up with 21 points and five rebounds and Turkoglu 13 and eight as the Magic won 105-102 to within three games of Boston and Cleveland for first place in the East. They play the Celtics on Sunday, and must get more consistent production from Turkoglu and Lewis to win that one and snatch one of the top two seeds in the conference.

2. It's hard to be a big-time scorer when you have to create all the offense for yourself. That was the case for Dwyane Wade, the league's leading scorer, Saturday against Cleveland. He had 25 points but was the only player on the team to dish out more than a pair of assists, dropping a dozen dimes and grabbing eight rebounds in a 99-89 loss. The performance of rookie point guard Mario Chalmers, who wound up with a single assist after 32 minutes of play, isn't going to cut it. LeBron James, with a triple-double of 14 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds, had a lot more help on his side, but still had twice as many assists as the next Cavalier and was the only guy on the team with more than seven rebounds.

3. It was a great night Saturday for the Hawks, who got a little separation for fourth place and home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. They beat Detroit, which could have crept to within a game back of Atlanta, and the Heat, which entered the night just a half game out of fourth place, lost to Cleveland. The Hawks entered the game having lost six of eight, and trailed by as many as 11 before their defense turned solid at just the right time. The Pistons went nearly eight minutes without a field goal during one stretch in the second half, and their starting frontcourt was held to 10-for-34 from the floor. A balanced effort led the Hawks, but Josh Smith's performance was key, as he led the team with 19 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks.

Three random observations ...

2009-03-05T06:51:00.001-05:00

... about the NBA:

1. Utah got the definitive performance from Carlos Boozer they've been waiting for all season last night. He had 20 points and 17 rebounds as the Jazz earned a critical 101-94 win against Houston. The victory pulled the Jazz to within a half game out of fourth place, and the home court advantage in the first round that comes with it, and a full game out of third. If Boozer and Deron Williams, who had 26 points and 14 assists, can play like they did Wednesday, and the Jazz wind up with a high seed, all their injury struggles early this season will be forgotten. And Jerry Sloan, in his 24th season, will deserve consideration for his first Coach of the Year honor.

2. It was a comeback of monumental significance Wednesday in Portland. The Blazers, locked in a struggle for position in the West, were down by 14 in the second half in a game against a second division opponent that they couldn't afford lose. And they didn't. Brandon Roy scored 10 out of the last 12 points, including the two game-winning free throws that broke a tie with 1.7 seconds left, in a performance that was befitting of the best player on a top-flight team. LaMarcus Aldridge had 21 points and seven rebounds, Travis Outlaw 21 points and six rebounds off the bench, and Steve Blake nailed back-to-back three pointers that gave Portland the lead and capped off a 14-0 run in the fourth quarter. But in the end it was all about Roy, who led the team with 28 points.

3. Bench shortening in preparation for the postseason continues amongst likely playoff teams. San Antonio essentially went with seven players last night in Dallas, experimenting with Roger Mason at point guard when Tony Parker was on the bench. The Mavs, tightening up their bench minutes as well, came away with the 107-102 win, but San Antonio's eyes were looking forward. Manu Ginobili, out with an ankle injury, will be back by the playoffs, and if the Spurs can come close to winning in Dallas without him, they look primed to make quick work of whomever they meet in the first round. Gregg Popovich wants to get his players as comfortable with the rotation as possible, but can't be too dismissive of regular season concerns. They hold a slim game and a half lead over Denver for second place in the West.

Three random observations ...

2009-03-03T06:46:00.004-05:00

... about the NBA:

1. The question now is whether you think LeBron or Kobe is the league's best player or should be MVP. But the personal rivalry that will soon take over the best-player debate is one that could provide the league it's best 1-2 punch since Magic vs. Bird. Dwayne Wade and LeBron, the league's top two scorers this season, already have a history of concurrent success, having been taken with picks No. 1 and No. 5, respectively, in the 2004 draft, having already been one time each to the Finals and having scored 40 points apiece in the same game in 2006. Monday night they did it again in a duel for the ages. Wade poured in 41 points, dished out nine assists and grabbed seven rebounds as he lifted Miami to an 11-point lead with 7:52 remaining. It was not enough, though, as LeBron's 42 points and eight rebounds helped fuel a furious comeback. Mo Williams scored 15 of his 30 points in the last 7:13 and LeBron got 10 points in the final 6:50 to power Cleveland to a 107-100 victory that may be just a prelude to several years in which LeBron, 24 and Wade, 27, aren't just two of the league's biggest names. They could be the names that, like Mikan, Russell, Wilt, Magic, Bird and Jordan before them, define an era in professional basketball

2. So no Kevin Durant, no Jeff Green, and the Thunder still beat the Mavericks? How the mighty have fallen! Yes, the Mavs were without Josh Howard in the second half after he aggravated a nagging left ankle injury, but Jason Terry looked strong in his second game back since breaking his hand more than three weeks ago, scoring 20 points. He and Dirk Nowitzki, who had 28 points, six assists and five rebounds, were a two-man show in Monday's 96-87 loss. No one else hit double figures in any category, and the team shot 29 percent from behind the arc. Russell Westbrook, who can't be forgotten in Rookie of the Year talk, had his first career triple double with 17 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds, and Nenad Krstic had a season-high 26 points. The Thunder as a team was just shy of 50 percent shooting from the field.

3. Only the Clippers can have six players in double figures but still only score 78 points as a team. That's what happened Monday in the 106-78 loss at home to the Spurs, when no Clipper had more than the 14 that Al Thornton and Fred Jones put up. L.A. was without Eric Gordon, Zach Randolph and Ricky Davis, so what little chance they would have had against San Antonio was probably gone before tip-off. Still, there was occasion for a vintage Spurs performance, from Roger Mason, who found a way to contribute even on a two-point, 1-for-9 shooting night. Mason, arguably the most important offseason acquisition of the past year, wound up with nine rebounds, five assists and two blocks against not a single turnover.