Bad time for NBA lock-out, says marketing expert

source: By Larry Fine

NEW YORK

(Reuters) - The National Basketball Association's decision to lockout players has come at a bad time with the National Football League already embrioled in a labor dispute, according to a marketing and crisis management expert.

NBA Commissioner David Stern declared a lockout after their collective bargaining agreement with players expired at midnight on Thursday, saying the salary system in the $4 billion league had to be changed to keep team owners from losing money.

The ongoing NFL lockout started in March after club owners and players could not agree on how to divide $9 billion in revenues.

"Nobody in the public is receptive to a fight between millionaires and billionaires," Ronn Torossian, CEO of 5WPR, a New York public relations firm specializing in crisis management, told Reuters on Friday.

"For better or for worse the NBA will absolutely suffer because of the NFL. People are just not receptive to these sorts of fights, given the state of the world, given the state of the economy."

Stern said he understood there were risks involved in locking out the players, who currently make an average salary of about $5 million a year.

"I'm not scared," Stern told reporters after last-ditch talks on Thursday with the Players Association failed to bridge the gap between the two sides. "I'm resigned to the potential damage that has been caused to our league.

"And as we get deeper into it, these things have the capacity to take on a life of their own. You never can predict what will happen."

The NBA says 22 of its 30 teams lost money last season and that players' salaries had to be controlled to allow teams to be profitable.

In contrast, owners of clubs in the profitable NFL say they are seeking a bigger cut of the revenues in order to better grow the game and build new stadiums.

Duke University law professor Paul Haagen, a sport law expert, suggested there could be more sympathy for the NBA labor struggle than for the NFL.

"The central difference appears to be the NBA needs concessions more critically than the NFL," Haagen told Reuters.

'NO SYMPATHY'

Torossian said the distinction might be lost on fans.

"There is no sympathy at all for that fight. You can explain to me that this one isn't making money, or that one isn't making money," he said.

"But when you're charging hundreds of dollars to attend a game, it just doesn't score you any empathy points.

"Especially since we're still in a difficult economic time. It's important to realize that times are still tough in America and I'm spending a lot for entertainment and I have a lot of different options."

Stern was resigned to some fan backlash.

"I think our fans will have a negative view of why can't you work this thing out," he said. "So I don't expect anything good to come out of this. This is just what happens in labor today."

Torossian called it a "lose-lose" battle.

"The longer it drags on, the more damaging it is," he said. "There is always the danger of a public backlash and that speaks not just to fans but to corporate sponsors as well."

The public relations man said he believed there would be little damage to the NBA if an agreement was reached without threatening the start of their season in late October.

"You still have time before you have long-lasting damage," Torossian said.

If the labor impasse drags on, that could cause trouble.

"The NFL for example, is getting into a real danger zone," said Torossian, casting an eye toward the early September start of the professional football season.

(Editing by Peter Rutherford)

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NBA Saturday: Can the Dallas Mavericks Repeat?

source: By: Alex Kennedy 

The Dallas Mavericks are still celebrating their franchise's first championship, but that hasn't stopped them from looking ahead to the future. The general consensus within the organization is that the same group will be back to contend for another title next season, and the team is confident that they can repeat as champions.

"I hear they do things big in Dallas," Tyson Chandler said during the team's championship parade. "If we do it big, it can't just be one."

As the enormous crowd of 220,000 fans erupted, Chandler, with a smile on his face, channeled his inner LeBron James and mockingly shouted: "Two? Three? Four? Five?"

The Mavericks didn't have a single player on their roster that had won a championship prior to this season. After finally experiencing that success, the players aren't satisfied and want to pop bottles, celebrate in nightclubs and hoist the Larry O'Brien trophy again next season.

"Right now, I'm going to enjoy this one," Shawn Marion said. "At the same time though, we're going to go for another run. That's what it's all about. We started these playoffs with our stomachs empty, now they're full, but they're going to get even fuller."

Dallas has six players that will become unrestricted free agents this summer. Tyson Chandler, Caron Butler, J.J. Barea, DeShawn Stevenson, Brian Cardinal and Peja Stojakovic are no longer under contract, but Mark Cuban is expected to open the checkbook and do whatever he can to keep Dallas on top. 

"If we all come back, the sky is the limit," Chandler said. "Me and Cuban have some talking to do. I told him that I was going to talk to him when he has a couple bottles in him to see if I could get a few more dollars out of him."

Butler was tremendous during the regular season and Barea stepped up during the Finals, but Dallas' priority this offseason is re-signing Chandler. He was the anchor of the Mavericks' defense and added plenty of toughness and leadership to the team. While he has been noncommittal about his future in Dallas, he has praised the city and organization that allowed him to accomplish his ultimate goal.

"The fans of Dallas have been absolutely incredible," Chandler said. "They welcomed me into the city, they made it comfortable for my family and they cheered me on every night. When I walk through the city, all I hear are positive things. Knowing what this city went through a few years ago, losing to that exact same team, I had nothing on my mind except bringing that trophy back to where it belonged."

"I felt like this was the team that could get me over the hump," he added. "This was the perfect storm, with the roster we had, and I felt that all we had to do was believe in ourselves. We believed that we could beat the other teams when nobody else in the league felt we could."

Ask anyone within the organization and they'll talk about how he changed the culture of the team.

"We have a lot of things to look at this offseason. We have to bring back the big fella, Tyson Chandler. I can't tell you how much he meant to the organization this year," Jason Terry said.

"T.C. was critical," Cuban added. "Right when he got there, we kind of viewed him as our 'Kevin Garnett.' The guy that was going to be vocal, that was going to hold people accountable. I remember having conversations with him – 'It's okay to yell.' This team has enough camaraderie and trust that you can do those types of things. He kept on bringing it. He had challenges during the year with foul trouble and different things, but when it came down to crunch time – that block he got in the fourth quarter was legendary. I mean, that's a tide turner that I'll remember forever. We don't get here without Tyson Chandler."

Even if Dallas can retain Chandler's services, repeating will be a difficult task.

Veteran teams such as the Los Angeles Lakers, San Antonio Spurs and Boston Celtics each want to add to their trophy cases before their respective windows close. Then there are the Chicago Bulls and Oklahoma City Thunder, who are no longer up-and-coming threats, but rather perennial contenders. Finally, there are the star-studded squads like the Miami HEAT and New York Knicks that will only continue to get better each and every year as they continue to improve their chemistry.

The Mavericks' competition will be fierce and the odds will be against them, but as they proved this season, that's when they're at their best.

"We've got one championship," Jason Kidd said during the parade. "Now, we need to go and get another."

NBA Draft Notes: With the NBA Draft less than one week away, the rumor mill is churning. Teams are starting to finalize their draft boards and players are getting a clearer picture of their range and what they should expect to happen next Thursday. Here are some of the draft rumors that have been circulating:

• Julyan Stone has emerged as a potential first-round pick after a series of spectacular workouts. He has seen his stock skyrocket throughout this process because he's been able to dominate individual matchups against smaller guards in workouts and prove to teams that his game will translate well to the next level. The Los Angeles Lakers have expressed interest in him at #41, but he may not be on the board that late because the Miami HEAT may go with Stone at #31. Miami brought in Stone for a workout and then put him through an extensive physical that included blood work and a CAT scan. Others teams, including the New York Knicks, have also expressed interest in Stone, but they'll likely have to move into the first round to draft him.

• Many of the teams that want to add a late first round pick believe their best bet is dealing with the San Antonio Spurs. Multiple executives believe that San Antonio wants to move the 29th pick, and teams such as the New York Knicks and Phoenix Suns would love to take it off of their hands. Both teams will wait to see if the player they're targeting is on the board when the Spurs go on the clock before entering a bidding war for the pick.

• Don't be surprised if the Charlotte Bobcats draft Marshon Brooks at #9 or #19. Earlier this week, Brooks had an outstanding workout with the Bobcats. He was matched up against Alec Burks for much of the afternoon and multiple witnesses said that Brooks got the better of Burks on both ends of floor. Brooks dominated and the Bobcats came away extremely impressed. He has climbed draft boards throughout this process with excellent performances in front of decision makers and he has shown that he has no problem playing his game, even when matched up against those projected higher than him. A few months ago, Brooks in the top ten would have seemed ridiculous, but he has really turned heads throughout this process.

• The Utah Jazz find themselves in a bit of dilemma. The Jazz hope to grab a point guard and big man with their two picks in the first round - #3 and #12. They have made it clear that they love Brandon Knight, but drafting the one-and-done guard from Kentucky at #3 may not be the best option for Utah if they want to maximize the value of their two picks. At #12, Markieff Morris and Tristan Thompson are among the best bigs expected to be available and drafting either of those players would be a reach. The Jazz would likely be better off drafting a center first, selecting either Jonas Valancuinas or Enes Kanter at #3, and then picking either Kemba Walker or Jimmer Fredette at #12. That way, they get a better duo than if they were to take Knight and then a marginal talent at #12. Fredette has already cancelled a workout with the Houston Rockets, which suggests that Utah has made him a promise and that they're leaning toward selecting a big man at #3.

Summer League Officially Canceled: After much speculation, the NBA has decided to officially cancel the Las Vegas Summer League. The dates at the Cox Pavilion and Thomas & Mack Center had been reserved in case the players and owners worked out a new collective bargaining agreement on time, but that clearly won't be the case.

The Orlando Summer League has yet to officially be canceled, but it's unlikely that we'll see basketball on the practice courts of the Amway Center this summer.

There had been some talk of using at least one of the venues to host a showcase for D-League and overseas talent, as well as select unrestricted free agents, because those players wouldn't be under contract with NBA teams. Instead, Summer League will be canceled, which means that the looming lockout has taken its first victim.

That means that basketball fans need to get their fix of the NBA in the next week as draft talk continues to dominate the discussion. After that, there won't be much to talk about, outside of the CBA negotiations, for who knows how long.

The Summer League cancellation is just further proof that this is going to be a very long summer for NBA fans.

Read more NBA news and insight: http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=20166#ixzz1PnQBTpAK

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MVP confirms interest in Sacramento Kings

source: abs-cbnNEWS.com

MANILA, Philippines – Filipino businessman Manny V. Pangilinan finally confirmed rumors that he has been invited to help keep the struggling Sacramento Kings franchise afloat.

In an interview with the Philippine Daily Inquirer in Hong Kong, Pangilinan said that he wants a majority stake if he does decide to accept the offer to join a group of investors that will take over the Kings.

“I have to admit, the idea is very titillating,” said Pangilinan.

According to Pangilinan, the group of investors was organized by retired former NBA All-Star Chris Webber, who was the star of the Kings from 1998 to 2005. They met during Pangilinan’s recent trip to Sacramento, where he visited the Arco Arena, the Kings’ home stadium.

“If we proceed, we’ll be seeking a majority stake,” said Pangilinan, the chair of the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company and owner of the Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters and the Meralco Bolts in the Philippine Basketball Association.

Pangilinan is also the head of Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas.

Pangilinan told Inquirer that he will need to personally invest between $200 million and $260 million for a stake in the Kings.

 “Whether we do it or not, it’s a great idea for a Filipino group to own an NBA team,” Pangilinan said. “Filipino coaches and players could be part of an NBA team.”

If he decides to join the group of investors, Pangilinan will become the first Asian to control an NBA team.

Pangilinan has expressed some concerns regarding this business venture, however. “We would be absentee owners,” he said in an interview with the Business Mirror. “We are here and the NBA team is there while we manage it here. It’s different when you manage a business in the country where you live.

“Hopefully, we could invite some Filipino investors in the equation.”

Pangilinan’s group will reportedly meet with the Kings’ representatives next month.

The Sacramento Kings organization has been mired in financial issues for the past few years, due in part to the team’s poor performance.

They last made the NBA postseason in 2006.

The team is owned by the group of California businessman George Maloof Sr., which has been battling money troubles as well.

Earlier this month, the group decided to keep the team in Sacramento for another year. -- With a report from Business Mirror

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Chris Bosh the one who got away on Bulls

source: By Mark Heisler, McClatchy-Tribunew News

Everyone knows the Miami Heat's Big Three: LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and . uh . Chris Bosh!
Whatever he is, third of the Big Three, or King of the Other Guys, Bosh scored 34 points Sunday night, leading the Heat to victory in the battle of supporting casts as Miami beat the Bulls, 96-85, to take a 2-1 lead in the Eastern Conference final.

"There's absolutely nothing easy in this series," Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said. "It's a battle, it's a scrap, it's a fight every single possession."

Now, it's win Game 4 tonight or go home in a hole for the young Bulls, getting a crash course in life in the fast lane. Derrick Rose, their star and the NBA's MVP, was bottled up for the second game in a row.
Joakim Noah, their unofficial MVP, was caught on camera appearing to say something to a fan like what Kobe Bryant was caught on camera saying to a referee.

Noah apologized on Monday. The NBA then fined him $50,000 U.S.

Oh, and Rose had been quoted as saying steroids are a "huge" issue in the NBA, then recanted before Sunday's game.

As for the Heat, fame isn't all it's cracked up to be. Showing what this series has degenerated into -er, become -Game 3 turned into a shootout between Bosh and the Bulls' Carlos Boozer (26 points) as both defences continued to load up for Rose, James and Wade.

Only two players had a pair of 30-plus nights against the Bulls in the regular season, those being Wade and Portland's LaMarcus Aldridge.

"It is the Eastern Conference finals and it's coming down to will and determination," Bosh said. "I want people to know I want it."

James (22 points) and Wade (17) combined for 39 points, shooting 12-for-30.
Unfortunately for the Bulls, who would gladly concede those numbers and take their chances, they have only one superstar for Miami to contain. Rose was held to 20 points, shooting eight-for-19, taking only two shots in the fourth quarter.

"I thought Bosh was terrific from the start of the game," Chicago coach Tom Thibodeau said. "I thought we allowed him to get his confidence early. And then he's hard to slow down when he gets going like that."

Of course, that's what happens when you try to load up for two superstars, not just one. And Bosh isn't chopped liver, himself. He made 13 of 18 shots Sunday.

"Obviously you have to commit to Wade and James, but that doesn't absolve you of covering the others," Thibodeau said.

"You have to have the ability to do both. You have to go in with a multiple-effort mind-set."

That's a good one, multipleeffort mind-set. That means if you're Noah, you have to guard your man while eyeing James and Wade, ready to jump out and help if they take a step toward the hoop.
Oh, and if the ball goes to Bosh, who has a two-inch height advantage over the 6-8 Boozer, can you get over there, too?

In other words, good luck. That's assuming Bosh brings it. No longer the No. 1 option as he was in Toronto, Bosh has become a human dumping ground, ritually targeted when things go wrong, the Pau Gasol of the East, if not quite as good.

Like Gasol, Bosh is what he is, which is very good, but not very physical.

If Bosh was considered the best big man available last summer, it's only because he's taller than Amare Stoudemire, much less pouty and hasn't been hurt as often.

Of course, if he's your best big man, as he is for Miami, you may have a problem up front.
If he's your only good player over 6-8, you have a real problem.

"A lot of people don't understand how difficult it is to make the adjustment to play with two players who dominate the ball," said Wade, one of the players who dominates the ball.

With the Bulls looking elsewhere, Bosh is adjusting quite nicely in this series.
So now it's Chicago's turn.

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Dirk Nowitzki leads Mavs to epic comeback victory

source: By Associated Press

OKLAHOMA CITY — Dirk Nowitzki scored 40 points, Jason Kidd hit the go-ahead 3-pointer with 40 seconds left in overtime and the Dallas Mavericks overcame a 15-point deficit in the final 5 minutes of regulation to stun the Oklahoma City Thunder 112-105 on Monday night and take a 3-1 lead in the Western Conference finals.


Dallas didn’t lead until Nowitzki hit two free throws 16 seconds into overtime, needing to rally from a 99-84 deficit in the final 5 minutes of regulation. The Mavericks never let the Thunder — who were one win shy of tying an NBA record with eight OT wins in the regular season — go ahead in the extra period.



Kevin Durant missed a 3-pointer on Oklahoma City’s opening possession of overtime then didn’t get another shot until he missed a 3 off the front rim in the final 10 seconds with the Thunder down by five.

Durant finished with 29 points and 15 rebounds, and Serge Ibaka had 18 points and 10 boards for Oklahoma City. Russell Westbrook added 19 points, eight rebounds and eight assists.

Game 5 is Wednesday night in Dallas.

Only two teams have come back from 3-1 deficits in NBA history without the benefit of home-court advantage in Game 7 — Houston in the 1995 West semifinals and Boston in the 1968 East finals.
Durant had nine of the Thunder’s 26 turnovers, including the one that led to Kidd’s big shot.

Kidd stripped him as he went up for a shot with just over a minute left in overtime, then took a pass from Nowitzki, pump-faked to get Westbrook in the air and stepped up and drilled a 3-pointer to put Dallas up 108-105 with 40.3 seconds left.

Westbrook missed on a drive on Oklahoma City’s next possession, and Jason Terry hit two free throws with 13 seconds left to give the Mavs a two-possession lead. Durant finally got another shot off, squatting with his head hanging down as Kidd walked up for two free throws to provide the final margin.
Terry finished with 20 points for Dallas and Kidd scored 17 to go with seven assists, five rebounds and four steals.

Fueled by the disappointment of losing Game 3 and squandering home-court advantage, the Thunder took control right away and never trailed in regulation.

With much of the sellout crowd remaining on its feet, the Thunder grabbed control with two separate bursts of seven straight points early in the fourth quarter. Durant had a two-handed slam and a 3-pointer off an offensive rebound in the second run, gesturing as though he were slapping on a pro wrestling championship belt after the 3 made it 99-84 with 5:06 remaining.

He hadn’t won anything yet, though, especially with guard James Harden fouling out just after Dallas starting the closing run in regulation.

The Mavericks limited the Thunder to just one basket the rest of the way to wipe away the lead and tie it at 101 on Nowitzki’s two free throws with 6.4 seconds left.

Nowitzki scored 12 points during the Mavs’ 17-2 run and got fouled by Nick Collison, who grabbed the big German’s hip as he lunged to tip the ball away, before hitting both foul shots to tie it.

Shawn Marion blocked Durant’s 3-pointer at least 30 feet from the basket with 2 seconds left, and the Mavs couldn’t convert a chance at the win when Kidd’s inbounds lob with 0.7 seconds left hit the rim.

Oklahoma City came roaring out of the gates after trailing by as many as 17 points in the first quarter of Game 3. The Thunder hit their first nine shots and took an 18-8 lead after Durant caught a deflected inbounds pass and zoomed in for a right-handed jam.

Dallas managed to stay within striking distance, never falling more than 12 behind, and used repeated trips to the foul line to get within 59-54 at halftime. Nowitzki’s driving layup cut the deficit to 61-59 with 8:53 left in the third quarter, and Kidd missed a jumper for the tie before Oklahoma City started pulling away again.

Durant provided a five-point possession during a 13-4 run that bumped the lead to 74-63 after Collison’s two-handed dunk with 4:49 left in the third. He hit the first of two free throws, then added a 3-pointer after Collison got the rebound and kicked it out to him. Finally, Durant hit the free throw after Tyson Chandler was called for a technical foul for elbowing Kendrick Perkins [stats] while maneuvering for rebounding position on Durant’s 3.

The Mavericks got within 79-77 in the final minute of the third quarter after a string of seven straight points that included a 3-pointer from Terry that made Thunder coach Scott Brooks turn away and put his head down on the scorer’s table.

NOTES: The NBA rescinded Chandler’s first two technicals in this series, so his postseason count is currently at four — three shy of what’s needed for a one-game suspension. ... Dallas was the only visiting team to win twice in the regular season at the Oklahoma City Arena, where the Thunder were 30-11. The Mavs are 4-0 in the building in the regular season and playoffs. ... Brooks, facing repeated questions about his starting lineup, says he’s sticking with it. "We’re a young team," he said, "and if you give a young team instability, you’re going to get very inconsistent results."

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Thunder oust Grizzlies to advance in NBA playoffs - AFP

source: AFP

OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma — NBA season scoring champion Kevin Durant poured in 39 points and grabbed nine rebounds to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder past Memphis 105-90 and into the Western Conference playoff final.

The Thunder defeated the Grizzlies four games to three in the best-of-seven second round series and advanced into the league semi-finals against the Dallas Mavericks, who will host game one on Tuesday.

"This was a physical series," Durant said. "They relied on their big fellows. That helped us a lot (preparing for Dallas). We're excited to play the next series."

Russell Westbrook added 14 points, 14 assists and 10 rebounds for Oklahoma City, which has the youngest team in the playoffs with an average age of 25.4 years per player.

"He has been doing this for us all year. Why stop now?" Durant said of Westbrook.

Durant scored 18 points in the first half to give the Thunder a 42-34 lead at half-time. Memphis pulled within three points late in the third period before the Thunder pulled away for good.



"No matter if I was shooting 10-for-30, I was going to be aggressive," said Durant. "My teammates did a great job getting me the ball and I was able to get some good shots."

James Harden added 17 points for Oklahoma city while Nick Collison grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds for the Thunder.

Mike Conley led Memphis with 18 points while Zach Randolph added 17 points and 10 rebounds and O.J. Mayo contributed 14 points for the Grizzlies.

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LeBron James, Dwyane Wade Helping Miami Heat Rewrite NBA Superstar Rules

source: By Tom Ziller - NBA Contributor

The Miami Heat didn't need a pecking order after all. LeBron James and Dwyane Wade are racing through the NBA Playoffs while sharing the load equally.

 

May 14, 2011 - Why would LeBron James and Dwyane Wade fail as partners on the Miami Heat? In July, in December, in February, there were as many theories as there were skeptics, but the most prevalent concern was that without an Alpha -- a CEO, in one famous writer's parlance -- the team would fail to meet its potential. NBA teams need pecking orders, a clear leader who will take the brunt of credit and blame for success and failure, a star above all others who would establish the conditions under which triumphs were accomplished.

A major portion of this concern was crunch time. Without a pecking order, who gets the ball in the clutch? Who takes or creates the biggest shots in the biggest moments? Who is the Michael Jordan, and who is the Scottie Pippen? Who is the Magic Johnson, and who is the James Worthy? Who is the Larry Bird, and who is the Kevin McHale? Those champions had pecking orders, clear demarcations of hierarchy within the team. The Heat, they said, wouldn't have such a clear process, and unless one of them -- Wade, in all likelihood -- gave the other the captain's chair, Miami would never sublimate basketball and reach their championship potential.

Two series in, and that theory couldn't look more wrong.

The Heat are 8-2 in the playoffs, and James and Wade couldn't be more equal if they'd actually made a point to be equal. The numbers lay it out.
There is no CEO, only two superstars sharing the load almost completely equally. Both are getting plenty of clutch looks in the playoffs, too; LeBron has 19 shots, and Wade has 13. Who's the CEO? Who's the clear Alpha?

In assessing the New NBA created by the Heat, critics failed to recognize that in the New NBA, there are new rules, chief among them that machismo is, for all intents and purposes, dead. Remember, these stars agreed to share fame, to share the spotlight. They volunteered to effectively renounce the MVP award -- of which LeBron has two and Wade none -- and perhaps even renounce, in James' case, a future claim to G.O.A.T. status. They gave up the highest individual glories to attain the greatest team glory.

We knew this back in July when they preened together in South Beach, that they were different, that the NBA was different and that old tropes weren't necessarily valid any more. There's no disputing that LeBron's Decision was a paradigm shift away from the me-first, allegedly AAU-created self-over-everything attitude of the post Magic&Bird league. We all understand that. But many failed to project that new reality on to the NBA itself.

If LeBron and Wade, two of the top five players in the NBA, were willing to share the spotlight and fame off the court, why wouldn't they also do so on the hardwood? If these men could overcome the pitfalls of machismo in what was essentially a business deal, couldn't they also overcome them in their craft? LeBron and Wade announced in July that they didn't need a pecking order, a CEO, a clear-cut hierarchy. So why did so many insist they did in fact need one?

The Heat are setting those concerns, and the league as we know it, on fire. And with the CEO Theory billowing in smoke, so goes the machismo paradigm. Let us hope LeBron and Wade can be a lesson to all young stars: you don't need to be superior or subservient to your co-stars to succeed. Just be. The rest will follow.

The interesting precursor to all of this, by the way, is the success of the Redeem Team in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. There are a million different ways to read that tournament; if you want to see it from the standpoint of those who doubted the Heat could win without LeBron or Wade consciously standing down to let the other lead, then Team USA only won gold because Kobe Bryant took over in the closing minutes against Spain. But to me, the tournament and gold medal game as wholes showed the power of fluid equality on the court; in its lack of a pecking order, Team USA became completely unpredictable and truly unstoppable.

Tell me that doesn't sound like the Heat in these playoffs.

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Andrew Bynum suspended for first five games next season - latimes

source:By Mike Bresnahan

Center also is fined $25,000 for removing jersey after being ejected for hard foul of Dallas' Jose Barea in Sunday's season-ending loss. Meanwhile, Pau Gasol denies reports of breakup with girlfriend.

The Lakers keep getting reminded about their meltdown in Dallas. It was the NBA's turn to tap them on the shoulder Tuesday.

Andrew Bynum was suspended by the league for the first five games next season without pay and will forfeit $677,272 in salary for belting diminutive Dallas guard Jose Barea in the final game of the Lakers' season Sunday.

Bynum was also fined $25,000 for removing his jersey as he left the court after getting ejected in Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals.

After 48 hours of raging criticism from all corners, including many Lakers fans, Bynum apologized Tuesday for driving his forearm into the ribcage of an in-flight Barea.

Bynum said his actions "don't represent me, my upbringing, this franchise or any of the Laker fans out there that want to watch us and want us to succeed. Furthermore, and more importantly, I want to actually apologize to J.J. Barea for doing that. I'm just glad that he wasn't seriously injured in the event. All I can say is I've looked at it, it's terrible and it definitely won't be happening again."

It happened twice this season to Bynum, who drew a two-game suspension in March for flattening Minnesota forward Michael Beasley.

Tuesday was the first day of annual exit interviews for Lakers players at their training facility.

Bynum said he "didn't pay much attention" to what people said about him publicly since committing the foul on Barea. Then he jumped into his modified Porsche 911 and a sports-talk radio show drifted out of his windows.

Bynum was not contrite immediately after Sunday's game, saying he was embarrassed that the "smallest guy on the court" kept scoring on the Lakers. What changed his mind two days later when he met with reporters?

"I went and watched it," he said. "It was terrible. The whole sequence. Sometimes you just have to . . . man up and own it, and that's what happened."

Bynum said he had tried to contact Barea. "I think he has bigger and better and more important things to do so I don't know if I'll get a response back," Bynum said.

Bynum had an apology to offer, but Pau Gasol had a denial to make.

Gasol was tired of hearing how his girlfriend was connected in any way to his poor play, let alone the demise of the Lakers' season. An unsourced report last week on a website said Gasol and his girlfriend broke up, and that Gasol blamed a "teammate's wife" for facilitating the breakup by not talking Gasol's girlfriend out of it.

The problem with that story: Gasol and his girlfriend never broke up.

Silvia Lopez Castro was at all five playoff games this spring at Staples Center. She sat next to Gasol's mother last Wednesday in Game 2 of the West semifinals.

"It's ridiculous," Gasol said Tuesday. "We never even had any altercations. Nothing. It was definitely not founded on anything true. She's been very supportive and she's been there for me during this tough time."

The "tough time" would be his ragged play since the end of the regular season.

Gasol averaged 19.6 points and 11.1 rebounds in last season's playoffs but only 13.1 points and 7.8 rebounds this postseason. His shooting percentage dropped to 42%, down from 54% in last season's championship run.

Gasol left himself open to second-guessing after the Lakers were eliminated by the Mavericks when he said there were off-court issues that might have affected his play. He clarified his comment Tuesday, pinning it to the inaccurate website report.

"The story went out and it just kept getting bigger," he said. "Because of where we play, there's going to be stories that are made up, that are totally false. All my people around me were telling me, 'Did you hear about this? What are you going to do about it?' And I'm just trying to worry about the next game."

Bynum and Gasol weren't the only focus of the exit meetings, with some players still trying to determine why their season ended so quickly.

Forward Ron Artest said there was too much physical exertion along the way, pointing out that six Lakers played all 82 regular-season games, including him. "Our legs were gone," he said.

Bynum, on the other hand, said there wasn't enough activity.

"Practices just weren't intense enough," he said. "We got caught up so much looking ahead we weren't making the more serious steps now to be prepared for what was coming."

Kobe Bryant almost never practiced with the team, getting permission from Coach Phil Jackson to sit out an overwhelming majority of the practices to conserve his body.

Veteran center Theo Ratliff was mostly injured and was almost never available to bang against Bynum on non-game days. Lakers rookies Derrick Caracter and Devin Ebanks were shuttled back and forth to and from the team's Development League affiliate in Bakersfield. Gasol and Derek Fisher were often told they didn't have to practice to preserve their stamina.

For his part, Bynum missed 26 games and dozens of practices, including training camp, because of injuries.

"We have to practice," Bynum said. "I can't address anyone's health and certainly no one can address mine. I haven't been the most healthy person.

"But I know that in order to win, we need to practice and we need to be out there doing things together. That's the main thing that I see that was different from the last two years. Our practice just wasn't the same."

Bynum, however, was adamant that the Lakers' roster could win a championship as it stands now.

"I 100% believe we can win a title," he said. "This team is a contending team. We have the talent. Honestly, it makes it a bit easier to rein guys in and to be focused, having the feeling of defeat for six months."

Bryant and Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak will meet with reporters Wednesday.

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NBA AM: Phil Jackson To The Knicks? - hoopsworld

source: By: Lang Greene 

The Los Angeles Lakers, attempting to pull off a three-peat, suffered an embarrassing sweep at the hands of the Dallas Mavericks in the second round of the playoffs, a defeat which has stunned many around the league. In the aftermath there have been calls to blow up the team's current roster and plenty of speculation regarding the unit's trust issues with each other throughout the season. 

And the speculation continues. 

Less than forty-eight hours after Hall of Fame head coach Phil Jackson presumably coached his last NBA game, a league source confirmed to the New York Post that Jackson is definitely finished in Los Angeles but may indeed be open to offers in the future – which may include the New York Knicks in 2012. 

"If the right situation presented itself, he would have to consider it," the league source told Marc Berman of the New York Post. "Phil's going to have to find a way to keep himself occupied and fulfilled because Jeanie [Buss, Lakers executive and Jackson's girlfriend] is not retiring."

It goes without saying that a proven head coach possessing eleven NBA championship rings will be in high demand around the league for the foreseeable future. Every team close to championship contention looking to fill a coaching void will have to at least ring Jackson's phone and gauge his interest in returning to the sidelines out of pure protocol – standard procedure. 

Most of these rumors will easily be dismissed, but Jackson has a deep rooted history in New York and seriously considered taking the reins of the Knicks in 2005 before returning to Los Angeles after his second retirement from coaching. 

Buss, the daughter of owner Jerry Buss, confirmed this to the New York Post back in February.
"I can tell you he was open to going to the Knicks in 2005, then the Laker job opened up," Buss said before Jackson appeared at Madison Square Garden in February, presumably the last time as coach. "The Knicks job would bring him full circle and I wouldn't stop him. I am in New York several days every month for business. That being said, the Knicks have a very good coach and are doing very well. So it shouldn't matter."

One roadblock to Jackson coaching in New York as it currently stands is the presence of Mike D'Antoni.

Finally there is optimism surrounding the Knicks as the team finished above .500 for the first time since 2002, made their first postseason appearance since 2004 and have All-Star forwards Amar'e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony under contract through their primes. 

However the Knicks limped down the stretch of the regular season and were swept by the Boston Celtics in the first round of the playoffs. 

While the Knicks are committed to D'Antoni through 2012, the veteran coach was reportedly on the hot seat at various times throughout the season.

If New York struggles next season and fails to live up to the lofty expectations, the organization will be in the market for a head coach and have an owner in James Dolan who would be more than willing to offer a  financially lucrative package to a coach of Jackson's stature.

Outside of lucrative compensation packages and the opportunity to coach two stars in their prime, Jackson won two titles as a reserve forward with the team in the seventies and often credits Red Holzman, his coach at the time, as being his mentor while he developed his craft.

Jackson will turn 66 in September so this retirement is likely to be the finale, but if the Knicks came calling after he's had a full year of rest and give him an opportunity to return to his old stomping grounds and join a team on the rise you have to wonder if the competitive fires will lead him back to the Big Apple.

For now, Jackson seems intent on retiring and not looking back.    
"All my hopes and aspirations are this is the final game I'll coach," Jackson told the media after the Lakers were swept from the playoffs. "This has been a wonderful run."

So Who Is Going To Coach The Lakers?

With Jackson heading to Montana to spend more time at his farm, the Lakers are in need of a coach to take the helm. 

The heir apparent seems to be current assistant Brian Shaw.
Shaw won three titles with the Lakers as a player and has full knowledge of the triangle offense serving as Jackson's assistant for the past six years.

If the club doesn't blow up the roster and wants continuity it would seem as though Shaw would get a strong look since he has the respect of All-Star guard Kobe Bryant. 

However if the Lakers decide to retool on the fly or seek a coach with experience (Shaw has no head coaching experience) there are a host of other candidates to choose from.

Let's take a look at some of the names the Los Angeles Times listed as early candidates: 

Doc Rivers: The current Celtics coach has long stated that he wants to take some time away from the game to spend with family, so it's improbable that the Lakers would pursue him strongly. Reason being is that Bryant is entering the twilight of his career, so the team would want someone to be fully engaged at least for the next three seasons.

Rick Adelman: The veteran coach, who was just dismissed by the Houston Rockets, has compiled a career record of 945-616 in stints with Portland, Golden State, Sacramento and Houston. 
He led the Trail Blazers to two finals appearances in the early nineties and hasn't hinted at retirement from coaching though at 64 he's only one year younger than the departed Jackson. 

Byron Scott: Though Scott possesses a sub .500 career record on the bench (371-418), like Adelman he also holds two finals appearances on the resume leading the New Jersey Nets there in 2002 and 2003. 

Scott also won coach of the year in 2008 leading the New Orleans Hornets to 56 wins that season.
In addition, Scott suited up for the Lakers in eleven seasons during his playing career winning three titles as a member of the "Showtime" teams led by Hall of Fame guard Magic Johnson.
Scott is the current coach of the rebuilding Cleveland Cavaliers, a position he accepted before LeBron James took his talents to Miami last summer.
If the Lakers were to pry Scott away from Cleveland it is extremely likely the team would have to compensate the Cavaliers (draft picks, cash, etc.). 

Larry Brown: The Hall of Fame coach unceremoniously parted ways with the Charlotte Bobcats just 28 games into the 2011 campaign.
Brown, who commands respect from players and remains one of the best teachers around the game, won a title as coach of the Detroit Pistons in 2004 (NBA coaching career mark: 1098-904). 
The issue with Brown is that upon his arrival to a franchise, massive roster changes are usually the direct result. Brown tends to favor roster turnover and acquiring specific types of guys to play his style of basketball. 

Current Lakers, Lamar Odom, Matt Barnes, Derek Fisher and Ron Artest seemingly fit Brown's preference of tough minded veterans while All-Star forward Pau Gasol does not.
Brown will be 71 at the start of the 2012 season but still hasn't fully ruled out a return to the sidelines. 

Grant Hill Snubbed From All-Defensive Team?
The NBA announced the 2011 All-Defensive team members yesterday and as expected there were a few notable omissions from the list. 

In the West, Phoenix Suns forward Grant Hill finished seventh in media voting racking up four first-team votes and three second-team votes for All-Defensive honors but surprisingly was not among the top 10 picked by twenty-two opposing coaches.

Suns head coach Alvin Gentry took exception to the snub on Monday.

"No one did more defensively for their team than him," Gentry said of Hill to Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic. "He got punished for what we did as a team. I'd like to know who else guarded Amar'e Stoudemire, Blake Griffin, Derrick Rose, Manu Ginobili, Kevin Durant and everything but a five (center)."

Gentry had a point. 

All of the players selected to this year's All-Defensive teams are members of teams who reached the postseason. 

Hill, 38, despite five All-NBA selections has never been named to the All-Defensive squad in sixteen seasons as a professional.

There were other candidates who also had legitimate gripes for being snubbed such as Chicago's Luol Deng or Atlanta's Josh Smith, but ultimately every team of this nature is going to have guys on the borderline who are omitted. 

Sadly for Hill this may have been his last chance to add the All-Defensive recognition to his already stacked mantle. 

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Read more NBA news and insight: http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=19742#ixzz1M1X011Wk

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Miami Heat making NBA playoffs look too easy. Who can stop them? - hoopsvibe

source: by J.N.

Everything is set up perfectly for the Heatles to win it all. They made quick work of the Philadelphia Sixers. The Boston Celtics are falling down all over the place trying to guard LeBron and Wade. Their opponent in the Eastern Conference Finals will probably be quick work, too. This is what LeBron, Wade, and Bosh wanted. This is reality. They are making the 2011 playoffs look like an exhibition. It’s like that?  

What team can stop them? Dwyane Wade and LeBron James are a matchup nightmare. The haters across the Internet have become quiet and went back into hiding. Before the playoffs started, choosing the Miami Heat to go all the way to the NBA Finals was the logical thing to do since they have the two best playoff performers according to PER – LeBron with 28.5 and Wade 29.1. LeBron’s career player PER is 27.2 and Wade is 24.5. How do you stop these guys?

There is no strategy to beat them since these two superstars seen it all. There is only one way to neutralize the Heatles – play hardnosed defense. That is all.

Are you laughing? Well, stop laughing. The Sixers were definitely first round fodder. Their defense wasn’t good to begin with. The current Boston Celtics are getting prepared for the trash man to collect. The green squad looks old. Do not be surprised when the Heat steals one from Boston on their home floor. They’re looking sharp. Once Bosh, Wade, and LeBron are all clicking with some bull thrown in from a fourth player, it is lights out. They are unbeatable.

The regular season was just mere meaningless drama for the media to create stories. Yes, there were some chemistry issues and melt downs, but they had to go through it to learn each other. After all, the Miami Heat was built for the playoffs. These guys know it. We know it. They’re making that come to fruition right now. They are up 2-0 against Boston. They are doing what they’re supposed to do and that is to protect home court.

The Boston faithful claim that their team is demoralized, not old. Hey, Celtic fan – look man. Are you guys truly guaranteeing that your Celtics will take game 3 and 4? That is some good talk. Why make a claim like that against any opponent? Just keep it moving. Do not cry about the officials. They are not the ones holding you back.

Ray Allen was crap in game 2 going 2-7 from the field. Glen Davis brought junk. Jermaine O’Neal looks useless. Shaq will not save the day. Paul Pierce is too busy trying to get with Wade’s mother. Kevin Garnett has to channel the inner 2003 KG from somewhere. Rajon Rondo is still trying to get up off the floor after LeBron put him down and dunked his soul. The only thing that can save the Boston Celtics is effort on the defensive end. And probably Twitter.
 

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Bulls' Rose becomes NBA's youngest MVP winner - reuters

source: Reuters.com


CHICAGO – Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose ended LeBron James's two-year reign as the NBA's most valuable player on Tuesday when he became the youngest winner of the sport's highest individual honor.

Rose, who led the Bulls to the best record in the NBA this season, beat out perennial contenders James of the Miami Heat, Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers and Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic.

"I want to thank my team mates and the coaching staff," an emotional Rose said at a news conference where he accepted the award. "You all push me every single day making sure that I play hard and play with passion."



The 22-year-old All-Star, taken with the first overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft, is the first Bulls player to capture the honor since Hall of Famer Michael Jordan claimed the last of his five MVP awards in 1998.

Rose received 1,182 points and 113 first-place votes from a panel of 120 sportswriters and broadcasters combined with fan balloting, the NBA said in a NBA statement.

Howard placed second with three first-place votes and 643 points, James was third with four first-place votes and 522 points while Bryant had one first-place vote and 428 points.

Rose averaged a career-high 25 points and 7.7 assists this season while guiding the Bulls to a 62-20 record that earned them the top seed in the NBA playoffs.

When Rose arrived at the Bulls' training camp ahead of the 2010-11 season he openly wondered why he could not be the league's MVP, even though he did not receive one vote for the award last year.

"I wasn't trying to be cocky at all," said Rose. "I knew that I put a lot of hard work in in the summer, in the offseason and I just wanted to push myself, and that was about it."

The Bulls, who lost the opening game of their best-of-seven Eastern Conference semi-final to the Atlanta Hawks on Monday, resume their series on Wednesday in Chicago.

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Chris Paul (hand) expected to play

source: By Arash Markazi
ESPNLosAngeles.com

The black tape wrapped around the left thumb and wrist of New Orleans Hornets point guard Chris Paul was as much a mystery to him as it was the reporters who surrounded him after practice Saturday.

Paul doesn't remember exactly when or how he hurt his thumb but says he will be ready to start Game 4 of the Hornets' first-round series against the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday night.

"I don't even remember [when], one of the times they were reaching," Paul said. "I have no clue. It feels better. I will be all right by tomorrow." 

When Paul was asked again about his thumb, he did his best to avoid the subject, saying, "We got more stuff to worry about than my thumb."

Hornets coach Monty Williams wouldn't offer any more specifics about the injury other than it was confined to his left thumb.

"It's his thumb, now if you want to call it something else, like an appendage, I don't know," Williams said. "It's not his wrist or a tendon or a bone. It's not anything like that. It's the NBA. A lot guys are walking around bumped and bruised and these are the things you play with the second half of the year." 

Paul, who had 22 points, 8 assists and 5 rebounds in Game 3, was 8-for-10 from the field in the first half, but just 1-for-3 in the second half. Williams said he will closely monitor Paul, who played through injuries last season while missing 37 games, and talk with team doctors before Game 4.

"He's done it his whole career," Williams said of Paul's playing hurt. "I'm going to have to be his brains, though. If the doctors tell me it's something that can hurt him in the future, that's something we're going to have to talk about, but listening to him and watching him today, he says he's good to play but we'll have to wait until [Sunday]."

After falling behind 2-1 in their best-of-seven series, the Hornets can ill afford to be without Paul at his best. He's averaged 25 points and 10.3 assists in the series.

Kobe Bryant says the Lakers were pleased with their balance in Friday's 14-point victory, but must be ready to respond to the Hornets' adjustments and intensity in the pivotal Game 4.


Arash Markazi is a reporter and columnist for ESPNLosAngeles.com. Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
Follow Arash Markazi on Twitter: @ArashMarkazi

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Rose scores 36 as Bulls top Pacers 96-90 in Game 2

source: associated press


CHICAGO (AP) — Two playoff games, two dramatic victories for the favored Chicago Bulls, and all is right in Carlos Boozer's eyes.

Derrick Rose scored 36 points, Boozer added 17 points and 16 rebounds, and top-seeded Chicago escaped with another comeback victory over Indiana, beating the Pacers 96-90 on Monday night in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series.

"Every game will be tough," Boozer said. "There's not going to be any easy games in this playoffs in any series. So we look forward to some more tough games. We're built for that. We've had close games all season, and we don't expect any easy games."

Rose went wild again, scoring eight points over the final 4 minutes. Kyle Korver, who made a tiebreaking 3-pointer in Chicago's opening 104-99 victory Saturday, connected from long range to make it 90-85 with just over a minute left.

The Pacers still wouldn't go away.

A.J. Price drew a foul on Rose and hit three free throws to get Indiana within two with 23.4 seconds remaining. But Luol Deng made two free throws, Mike Dunleavy missed a 3-point attempt at the other end and Ronnie Brewer hit two foul shots to help the Bulls hold on.

Chicago made its last 16 free throws to finish 27 for 34.

"Our play has to get better," said Rose, who powered the Bulls to an NBA-best 62-20 record in the regular season. "We have to be more smooth, more efficient, especially on the defensive end where we have to try a lot harder. But I feel like we're going to get things together pretty quickly."

The Pacers were right there even though they lost Darren Collison to a sprained left ankle late in the first half. Collison said X-rays were negative but he isn't sure if he will be available for Thursday night's Game 3 at Conseco Fieldhouse.

"Right now, it's just real sore and swelled up pretty bad," he said.

Indiana threw a few more looks at Rose but still couldn't corral the dynamic point guard, who also had eight rebounds and six assists — and six of Chicago's 22 turnovers.

"We did a great job on him all night," Pacers coach Frank Vogel said. "He's a great player. He made key plays down the stretch to win a game for them."

Rose, likely headed for his first NBA MVP award, scored 39 points in Game 1, when Chicago closed with a 16-1 run to avoid the upset. He didn't get to the line quite as much this time but made the most of his opportunities, hitting 12 of 13 free throws after making 19 of 21 in the opener.

"I feel like this was the sequel to the Derrick Rose show," Indiana forward Danny Granger said. "It really just happened all over again."

Boozer came up big after a quiet Game 1 to help the Bulls dominate the boards (57-33) and come away with the win despite shooting 38.6 percent and a rash of turnovers.

Granger led Indiana with 19 points, but Tyler Hansbrough struggled, finishing with just six points on 2-of-12 shooting after scoring 22 points in the opener.

"We feel like we've outplayed them for most of the series," Price said.

Indiana's T.J. Ford provided the shot of the game when he banked in a 55-foot heave at the third-quarter buzzer to tie it at 67, sending loud oohs and aahs through the arena.

But the Bulls let out a big sigh of relief in the end. They realize there's plenty of room for improvement, but they're still in control.

For that, they can thank Rose.

"He made big play after big play," Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said. "He kept attacking the basket. They put a lot of pressure on him. He made the right play. He made the right decisions."

NOTES: Bulls G Ronnie Brewer said he doesn't expect his sprained left thumb to heal until after the season and will likely play with pain the rest of the way. "It's not like it's just going to heal after a day or two," he said.

"We practice every day. It's not like I'm sitting out or taking plays off." ... Former Bull Cliff Levingston presented the game ball before the opening tip. ... Fans cheered Bears coach Lovie Smith when he was shown during a timeout late in the first quarter. ... The Pacers have not won a playoff game since Game 3 of their first-round series with New Jersey in 2006. They dropped the next three games to bow out in six and did not get back to the postseason until this year. ... Price finished with 13 points.

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Heat 94, 76ers 73 :Miami Heat rolls past 76ers to take 2-0 lead

source: BY JOSEPH GOODMAN
jgoodman@MiamiHerald.com

Physical evidence of an arena whipped into a frenzy swirled through AmericanAirlines Arena on Monday night.

Large sections of fans in the upper bowl turned their free white T-shirts into rally towels during the Heat’s 94-73 victory against the Philadelphia 76ers. The result was a flurry of cotton fibers falling like snow from the rafters every time the Heat made an outstanding play.

And there were a lot of them from the Heat on Monday. The atmosphere inside the arena: white-out conditions both on and off the court.

The crowd — clad in all white — was a storm of excitement; the Heat’s defensive effort was a blizzard of domination. Miami allowed just 31 points in the first half, set a playoff record for opponent’s shooting percentage and seemingly turned a once competitive first-round series into an unfair matchup of vastly different teams.

“I think [Monday] was so far our best of the season,” Heat forward Chris Bosh said of his team’s defense. “That’s how we want to play our defense. If they do score we want them to score outside the paint with a hand in their face.”

The Heat held the Sixers to 25.6 percent shooting from the field in the first half, setting a franchise playoff record for opponent’s first-half shooting percentage. Philadelphia managed just 13 points in the first quarter, and its first-half total equaled its offensive output in the first 12 minutes of Game 1.

The Heat now heads to Philadelphia with a 2-0 lead in this best-of-7 series that all of sudden seems like forgone conclusion. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra was already warning of complacency minutes after Monday night’s blowout.

“We don’t have anyone up against the ropes,” Spoelstra said. “An NBA playoff series doesn’t start until someone wins on the road. We have to have an incredible sense of urgency in Game 3 and somehow wipe this out of our minds.”

But Monday’s shellacking will be hard to forget. How good was the Heat’s defense on Monday? The Heat’s Big 3 outscored the 76ers starters 64-29, and Sixers point guard Jrue Holiday led Philadelphia’s starters with four points in the first half. The Sixers shot 20 percent in the first quarter, 30.4 percent in the second quarter and 28.1 percent in the third quarter.

“I think our poor shooting really discouraged us,” Sixers coach Doug Collins said.

After the game, Sixers reserve Thaddeus Young credited Heat reserve Joel Anthony for being “the reason why their defense is so strong.” Anthony played 27 minutes Monday and had four points, six rebounds and three blocks.

“He does a lot that goes unnoticed,” said Young, who led the Sixers with 18 points off the bench.
Fans inside AmericanAirlines Arena certainly noticed. They chanted “MVP!” every time Anthony went to the free-throw line. Fans serenaded Anthony with MVP chants on Saturday, as well. He lived up to the name with 5:09 left in the second quarter when he rejected Young on back-to-back shots, triggering the game’s offensive highlight on the opposite end of the floor.

Anthony’s second block in the sequence led to Mario Chalmers on a fast break and moments later led to LeBron James finishing an amazing one-handed alley-oop to give the Heat a 34-23 lead. The Heat led by 18 points at halftime, and it swelled to 23 points in the third quarter.

James led the Heat with 29 points, shooting 10 of 19 from the field two days after managing just four field goals (his low with the Heat) in Game 1. He added seven rebounds and six assists. Wade, who was a game-time decision due to a lingering migraine headache, had 14 points, six rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block in 35 minutes.

“I wasn’t able to eat on Saturday,” said Wade, who missed Sunday’s practice.

Bosh had his second double-double in as many games with 21 points and 11 rebounds. He was 9 of 13 from the field and got the Heat off to a quick start in the first quarter during the team’s 10-3 run to begin the game.

“Our confidence isn’t too high or too low right now,” James said. “We did what we needed to do and that was protect home court.”

Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/04/18/2173459/miami-heat-routs-76ers-game-2.html#ixzz1Jzxxl5w2

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Billups doubtful for Knicks on Tuesday

source: (AFP)

BOSTON, Massachusetts — New York Knicks guard Chauncey Billups was listed as "very questionable" by coach Mike D'Antoni on Monday for Tuesday's NBA playoff game at Boston due to a left leg injury.

The Knicks, who lost 87-85 at Boston in Sunday's opener of the best-of-seven Eastern Conference playoff series, would be without their starting point guard if Billups indeed is unable to play.

Billups, who came over with Carmelo Anthony from Denver in a blockbuster February trade, was injured in the final seconds of Sunday's game with what was diagnosed as a strained left knee or thigh muscle.

Toney Douglas would likely move into the starting lineup if Billups is unable to play.

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NBA AM: Kobe Bryant Not Worried About Loss

source: By: Steve Kyler

Kobe Isn't Stunned: If you had the LA Lakers losing to the short-handed New Orleans Hornets in LA in Game 1, you are either a huge Hornets fan or you really doubted the Lakers.

Regardless, that's exactly what happened yesterday as Chris Paul led his Hornets team to a huge Game 1 playoff win after kicking in 33 points and 7 rebounds while handing out a whopping 14 assists.
Lakers' guard Kobe Bryant said he wasn't stunned by the loss, but understands New Orleans is not a team his squad can afford to overlook.

"We're not stunned by it," Bryant said to Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com. "We're not shocked by it. We've been here before. Whether you lose Game 1 or Game 2, you still wind up having to split, which is important for us to do."

"We didn't do coverages defensively that we were supposed to do," Bryant said. "We just didn't do them. I don't know if we forgot about them or lack of effort to execute but we didn't stick to our game plan. So, it's not really about us making adjustments, it's about doing what we say we're going to do in the first place."

Lakers forward Pau Gasol had a terrible game going 2-for-9 from the field and dropping in just eight points on the night.

Kobe refused to put the blame of the loss on Pau's shoulders, and believes his teammate will respond in Game 2.

"Pau is our guy," Bryant said. "He's the next in line in terms of responsibility and the pressure that comes along with that. He'll be ready to go next game".

"I think this game here, he's going to use that as motivation coming back in Game 2 and be ready to go. No doubt about it."

Bryant admitted that his Laker team has been too inconsistent and rely too much on "flipping the switch" and in this series that's simply not going to work.

"It's dangerous," Bryant said. "Absolutely, this series can be over quick."

Game 2 for the Lakers is set for Wednesday in Los Angeles with tip off set for 10:30pom EST. The Lakers will then travel to New Orleans for Game 3 and 4 set for Friday the 22nd and Sunday the 24th respectively.

Read more NBA news and insight: http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?STORY_ID=19467#ixzz1JwhHf37M

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