Hello and welcome to the Evening News.
As the playoffs continue, we’ll keep you updated every evening. What’s happening today?
Here’s the latest from around the league:
Celtics deny Nets’ request to interview Doc Rivers
Jackie MacMullan of ESPN reports that the Boston Celtics have declined the Brooklyn Nets’ request to interview Doc Rivers for the team’s coaching vacancy. 
Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge acknowledged that Rivers has received interest from several teams.
“We know people want Doc,” Ainge said. “We know people want [Rajon Rondo] and KG and Paul Pierce. They are the Celtics. They’ve all had great success.”
Rivers has three years and $21 million left on the contract that he signed in May of 2011. He is currently the highest paid coach in the league.
Though the Celtics face a myriad of questions going into the offseason, Ainge fully expects to have his coach with him at training camp.
“Doc has told me he’s coming back,” Ainge said. “I talk to him almost every day about our team and what we are going to do moving forward.”
The Brooklyn Nets, meanwhile, will continue to search for a veteran leader after they let interim coach P.J. Carlesimo go following their first round exit in the playoffs.
As we discussed last night, Carlesimo believes that Brooklyn’s front office has unrealistic expectations for the team’s future.
Dwyane Wade has more knee pain this season than last
Dwyane Wade told Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald that his knees are in more pain this season than they were last season.
Last year’s knee injury involved cartilage damage, which required arthroscopic surgery in July and forced him to miss the Olympics. This season, Wade is afflicted with a severe bone bruise. 
Wade’s injury hasn’t healed with the extensive time off he’s been given throughout the playoffs. His production on the court is clearly suffering.
“I feel the same,” Wade admitted. “Time doesn’t help me right now. It’s unfortunate I’ve had to deal with this thing for two months now.”
Wade is second on the team in scoring in the playoffs despite only averaging 13.7 points a game. According to the Wall Street Journal, if the Heat do go on to win the title, Wade’s point total would be the lowest scoring output from a championship team’s second leading scorer since Jim Pollard in 1954.
Still, Wade has shown glimpses of his greatness throughout the postseason and remains confident that he can contribute at an elite level.
“When I feel great, I’m going to attack,” said Wade. “When I don’t, I know how to be a team player and give of myself for other guys. … Even though my knee isn’t 100 percent, it ain’t gone.”
Cavaliers considering Otto Porter for top pick
Michael Lee of the Washington Post reports that the Cleveland Cavaliers are considering Otto Porter for the top pick in next month’s draft.
While the general belief is that Cleveland will end up selecting Nerlens Noel, a source close to the Cavaliers told Lee that the team likes Porter’s skill set. 
Chris Grant, the Cavaliers’ GM, has a history of choosing prospects earlier than others anticipate. Both Tristan Thompson and Dion Waiters were considered to be borderline top-10 picks by many experts before the Cavaliers took both fourth overall in consecutive years.
Porter told Lee last week that he believes he would be a worthy choice for the Cavaliers.
“I definitely see myself up there,” Porter said last week in Chicago. “My versatility. I think that’s definitely going to show when I get to the NBA. My ability to rebound, bring it up the court, make something happen or set up the play. Anything that it has in store for me, I think my versatility is going to carry over.”
We have Porter going third to Washington in our latest mock draft.
