Every remaining NBA team is banged up right now. It’s a fact of the playoffs that they are a of endurance as much as skill. Since the start of the first round, the Thunder have lost Russell Westbrook and the Warriors have lost David Lee for effectively the remainder of the playoffs. The Knicks and Spurs have a number of nagging injuries.
The Bulls are now missing Luol Deng and Kirk Hinrich (as well as Derrick Rose, of course), and are also facing the toughest test of any team in the relatively healthy Miami Heat. So it seems like a given that their players should avoid getting themselves ejected, right?
Now, I’m sure Nazr Mohammed would agree with that statement, and I’m also sure he regrets shoving LeBron James Friday night. But the fact remains that it happened, and the Bulls are going to need every ounce of contribution from every player on their bench if they’re going to pull off the monumental upset of the Heat. So maybe in Game 4, they should try and avoid getting tossed. Which has to be harder than it sounds.
(Want to see the OKC Thunder play? In person? Tickets here)
Today’s blog has a lot of discussion of both the myriad injuries facing the playoff teams right now, and the Mohammed/LeBron incident from last night. But it starts with some notes on the other hot topics in the league: Phil Jackson and the Kings sale.
ESPN.com’s Marc Stein confirms what others have suspected regarding Phil Jackson: “Phil Jackson is obviously taking him time weighing overtures from the Toronto Raptors and the other interested (but still unidentified) teams that have reached out to him pitching jobs that, in Phil’s words, where “none of it involves coaching.” One factor to explain that uber-patient approach emerged Friday night, when a source close to the situation acknowledged that Jackson wants to wait until the Seattle group trying to buy the Sacramento Kings is completely ruled out as an option before giving serious thought to where to work next season.”- On that topic, Art Thiel of SportsPressNW.com analyzes Chris Hansen’s decision to raise the Seattle group’s bid by $75 million: “While the speculation about motives and strategy has commenced fearsome chattering among the digirati locally and nationally, Hansen was fairly straightforward in his post: “While we appreciate that this is a very difficult decision for the league and owners, we hope it is understood that we really believe the time is now to bring the NBA back to Seattle,” Hansen wrote. “It is paramount that we do everything we can to put Seattle’s best foot forward in this process.” To me, that means Hansen is not putting stock in either of two alternatives that have been objects of speculation since Hansen was denied in a 7-0 vote two weeks ago by the NBA’s relocation committee: Litigation or expansion. He doesn’t want this purchase and arena project to be delayed. Period. Doesn’t want to sue. Doesn’t want a promise of expansion in a year, or two, or three. He wants the Kings. Right. Damn. Now.”
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