A few of the reasons the Knicks were able to win Game 5 and stay alive in this series were George Hill’s absence, obviously, but also the emergence of Chris Copeland: “Chris Copeland, who provided a (too-little, too-late) spark in Game 4, played a postseason-high 19:25, giving the Knicks some much-needed 3-point shooting and scoring 13 points. “Copeland just has a knack for scoring,” Tyson Chandler said. “Anytime you get him in the game, he’s going to make something happen offensively. He’s been doing it all year. He came up huge for us tonight.””
The Sacramento Kings saga continues, and there is big news from Tony Bizjak, Ryan Lillis and Dale Kasler of the Sacramento Bee: “A Sacramento investors group has reached a deal with the Maloof family to buy its controlling stake in the Kings. The deal is expected to be unveiled today. If the NBA approves the deal, a source told The Bee, escrow is expected to close at the end of May. The source, a stakeholder close to the deal, said the Maloof family was eager to “turn the page” and was pleased it was able to sell to a group that will keep the team in Sacramento. The deal would set the team’s overall value at $535 million, an NBA record. The source did not say why the price values the team at $535 million, rather than the $525 million figure the local group had offered. The sale price translates into $347 million for the 65 percent of the team controlled by the Maloofs and their business partner, Robert Hernreich.”
Atlanta Hawks’ head coach Larry Drew will interview for the Milwaukee Bucks opening, according to Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: “Larry Drew is preparing to part ways with the Hawks and will interview for the head coach position with the Bucks Monday. Drew told the Atlanta Journal Constitution Friday that in a meeting with general manager Danny Ferry earlier this week the two came to an amicable agreement to allow the coach to interview for other vacant positions in the league. The Bucks called Ferry about speaking with Drew, who is still under contract until June 30, and they were granted permission.”
“I’ve moved on from the situation,” Drew told the AJC. “We had a very professional talk just trying to get things in order since I’m still under contract.”
One coach that will remain with his team is Doc Rivers of the Boston Celtics. More from Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe: “After Doc Rivers left the door slightly ajar on the possibility of him stepping down as coach, Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge promptly shut it Thursday afternoon, confirming that Rivers will return for a 10th season. Rivers did not join his cohorts at the NBA Draft Combine because of a strained hamstring suffered playing tennis last Sunday, but Ainge said Rivers is on board with the team’s retooling efforts and will be back.”
“Yeah (he’ll be back), Doc and I are talking about our team next year,” Ainge said. “(No suspense) from my perspective. We’ve got a great coach. We’ve got a coach everybody would love to have and he’s got three years left on his contract and I think Doc likes Boston, too.Coaches get tired, though. It’s a hard job.
“You guys are the only one (who made it an issue).”
Melissa Rohlin of the Los Angeles Times has the latest on Phil Jackson’s rumored return to the NBA: “The 11-time champion coach said Thursday evening on “The Tonight Show” that he was interested in a front-office job with the Seattle group that failed in an attempt to relocate the Sacramento Kings. “I had communication with the guy that’s trying to make this move,” Jackson said on the show, referencing Chris Hansen, the leader of the Seattle bid. “It was serious talk. I thought he was a really good guy for the league.” Now that the team will remain in Sacramento, Jackson said he will not be working for the franchise. “I won’t be doing the [front-office] job in Sacramento. I like Sacramento,” Jackson said. “Well, not that much.””
Via Marcus Thompson II of The Oakland Tribune, Jarrett Jack plans to stay with the Golden State Warriors: “Warriors guard Jarrett Jack was on the verge of tears as he stood at his locker. He couldn’t find the words to truly express what he was feeling, so he let his attire do the talking for him. His future with the Warriors is uncertain. Jack, who made $5 million this season, will become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. He played a pivotal role in the Warriors’ success as the backup point guard and the late-game ballhandler. So much so, Golden State reached out for extension talks back in January, but Jack declined before talks could get going so he could focus on the season.”
“Usually before I would do any media, I would make sure I was dressed a certain way,” Jack said after the Warriors’ season ended Thursday with a 94-82 loss to the San Antonio Spurs. “I brought one of my best suits. But looking down at this jersey, it’s just a sense of pride I don’t think I’ve ever felt as a professional. … Nothing in my closet is better than what I have on now.”
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