Jordan Crawford had some unpleasant times while he was with the Washington Wizards, according to Michael Lee of Washington Post: “It was time. It was definitely time to go,” Crawford said. “I wanted to leave.”… “They let everybody be themselves. Everybody a man over here. They treat you like a man and do things the right way,” said Crawford, who scored 10 points in a Game 2 loss. “I’m around better people. People that, when they see talent, they appreciate it and they try to work you in. They accept real people around here.”… “If they would’ve accepted what I was doing, plain and simple,” Crawford said, when asked what could’ve kept him in a Wizards uniform. “I put in the work. Nobody else doing what I’m doing. I could’ve won them more games and that’s what they wanted from me; I think they wanted me to be Superman a little bit. But if I put up a triple-double trying to get them a win and you come in and blame the whole game on me, you know what time it is. You see what it is.”
- Crawford also got into an exchange with Carmelo Anthony and Raymond Felton after the conclusion of Game 5:
- Anthony had an appropriate reaction for the seldom used Crawford, from Lee:
Carmelo Anthony: "I'm not thinking about Jordan Crawford right now. I don't even think he deserves for you to be typing about him."
@MrMichaelLee
Michael Lee
Udonis Haslem, like Chris Bosh, became a victim to burglary. From the Local 10 News: “Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies say Miami Heat center Udonis Haslem’s home in Southwest Ranches was recently burglarized. On Saturday, April 13, deputies were dispatched to Haslem’s home after a burglary alarm was triggered from his security company around 9:47 p.m., according to the police report. Once Haslem returned home around 10:25 p.m., deputies said he was able to unlock the front door and open it, where a suitcase was in the home’s immediate entrance. The suitcase was open with all of the clothes inside pulled out of it and on the floor, said deputies. Haslem advised that the suitcase was not like that when he left the home. After a search of the home with a K9 unit, deputies said no one was still inside the home. According to the police report, in the master bedroom, the side table drawers were pulled out and ransacked, along with the drawers and shelves in both walk-in closets of the master bedroom.”
Jason Collins’ future with the Washington Wizards is doubtful, from Lee: “Jason Collins’s barrier-shattering revelation that he is gay will have no influence on theWashington Wizards’ plans with him this offseason, a person with knowledge of the team’s thinking said Tuesday. Bringing back a 34-year-old free agent center with limited skills was never among the team’s priorities — and that has not changed. That doesn’t mean Collins will not return to Washington, the person said, but if the 7-foot center wants to continue his NBA career it will likely be elsewhere. Coach Randy Wittman rarely used the 12-year-veteran after acquiring him from the Boston Celtics at the trade deadline. Collins appeared in six of a possible 30 games with the Wizards, contributing just four points, eight rebounds, four blocks and 11 fouls; he never played more than 18 minutes in a game.
J.R. Smith, who started off Game 5 shooting 0-of-10 from the field, said prior to the game that the series would have been over if he played in Game 4. Frank Isola of Daily News has details: “Jason Terry goes by the nickname “Jet,” while the monikers Knicks fans will undoubtedly call the Boston Celtics guard will fall under the category of “parental discretion is advised.” J.R. Smith, however, isn’t in the mood for name-calling. In fact, the volatile Knicks shooting guard, who was suspended for Game 4 for elbowing Terry in the chin, wouldn’t even acknowledge Terry’s existence when asked about him on the eve of Game 5 at the Garden. “Who?” Jason Terry. “Who’s that? I don’t know who that is. I’m sorry.”… “Oh yeah, it would’ve been over,” he added. “I’d have been playing golf today.”
Kobe Bryant explained why it’s important for Dwight Howard to stay with the Lakers, from Mike Bresnahan of Los Angeles Times: “He also said it was “very important” that Dwight Howard joined him too. “I hope he does,” Bryant said Tuesday while meeting with reporters for his end-of-season interview. “I think Los Angeles is the perfect spot for him to assert himself, kind of put his foot down and have his career really take off and be what it should be. There’s no greater place for centers to play than here in Los Angeles. I’ll talk to him and bring him out to the house, chill with him a little bit, watch another cartoon movie or something. We’ll have a good time.” Bryant thought Howard would stay with the team after entering free agency July 1. He can re-sign for five years and $118 million or go to another team for four years and $88 million. “I would say he is. From a business standpoint it makes more sense, both contractually and also perception-wise,” Bryant said. “It’s an incredible market, a great place. A lot of things go well for you if you win here.”
