Hello and welcome to the Evening News.
As the playoffs are now officially under way, we’ll keep you updated every evening. What’s happening today?
Here’s the latest news from around the league:
Mike Brown and Dan Gilbert meet for dinner.
Chris Broussard of ESPN The Magazine reports that sources close to Mike Brown and Dan Gilbert acknowledged that the two met for dinner last night and that the meeting went well. It was the first time Brown and Gilbert had met since Brown’s firing in the summer of 2010. Broussard also reports that Chris Grant, the Cavaliers general manager, was at the meeting as well.
While no offer was formally extended to Brown, the two sides agreed that they would speak later in the week. It appears likely that Brown will return to Cleveland, where he coached the Cavaliers to the 2007 NBA Finals and was named the 2009 NBA Coach of the Year. 
The Cavaliers also reached out to Phil Jackson over the weekend and are highly interested in bringing Jackson in as the head coach. As we mentioned on Saturday, Jackson is open to the possibility of going to Cleveland. Broussard, however, indicated on Monday that Cleveland does not seriously expect Jackson to accept a coaching position.
Both Brown and Jackson are anticipated to receive interest from several teams with coaching vacancies this offseason. The Cavaliers are considered to be among the most desirable destinations for a coach because of Kyrie Irving’s presence and the team’s available cap space.
Chris Paul indicates he will re-sign in Los Angeles; acknowledges Bledsoe will probably leave.
According to Arash Markazi of ESPNLosAngeles.com, Chris Paul sounds optimistic about returning to Los Angeles. While Paul wouldn’t not talk specifically about his own future, he was candid about the team’s chances of bringing back super spark-plug Eric Bledsoe: “There’s no way he can be here next year because we probably won’t have enough money to pay him,” Paul said.
Paul’s contract expires at the end of this season while Bledsoe’s expires after next season. By saying “we probably won’t…” Paul gave his best hint yet that he plans to be with the Clippers after the season. 
Bledsoe, at only 23-years-old, has emerged for Los Angeles this season and has brought necessary energy and athleticism off of an otherwise-old Clippers bench. In Saturday’s Game 1 victory over the Grizzlies, Bledsoe scored 15 points on seven of seven shooting, grabbed six rebounds, and dished out four assists in just 18 minutes of action.
“He should be a starting point guard in this league next year,” Paul said of Bledsoe.
If the Clippers look to trade Bledsoe this offseason, they will likely be able to receive a sizable package of draft picks and prospects for him. At last February’s trade deadline, it was rumored that the Clippers were in deep discussions about a possible Bledsoe for Paul Millsap deal with Utah.
Jeremy Lin feels inconsistently judged by media.
In a profile from Jere Longman of The New York Times, Jeremy Lin admitted to some frustration by the constant scrutiny he receives from the media.
“It seems like everybody’s perception of me is very bipolar,” Lin said. “To one group, it’s overpaid, overrated; to another group, it’s underpaid, underrated, underdog. It’s funny to me because there’s no real balance. Why can’t I just be a young player who’s shown some potential and has a lot of learning to do?” 
Lin has proven this season that he can be a capable starting point guard in the NBA. He has orchestrated the league’s second highest scoring offense in Houston. Lin’s scoring and assist averages have remained similar to last season’s while his turnovers have gone down and his three point shooting has improved.
Still, in big games, Lin has failed to prove worthy of the three-year $25.1 million contract that New York declined to match last summer. He made his postseason debut in Houston’s 29-point blowout loss to Oklahoma City on Sunday. In the game, Lin scored just four points and committed four turnovers in 32 minutes.
Lin’s comfort on the court figures to only improve with more experience.
“He still has a lot to figure out, but I was really proud of Jeremy, how he handled the ups and downs [of the regular season],” said coach Kevin McHale.
