THE END OF CIVILIZATION AS WE KNOW IT: Minnesota state representative Pat Garofalo waited 
more than 24 hours before finally succumbing to pressure from the public and peers and apologizing for this lovely tweet.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah, after teammate Mike Dunleavy was elbowed in the eye, took 10 stitches and returned to the game:
“He had a huge knot on his head looking like (Evander) Holyfield, the white version, coming out there putting on a new jersey, gutting it out in the second half shows it was good for Duke’s street credibility.”
TANKAPALOOZA!: Shortly after the All-Star break, a Twitter account entitled @DidTheSixersWin was started. Its creator has been diligent but rather succinct.
LINE OF THE WEEK: Anthony Davis, New Orleans vs. Boston, March 16: 48 minutes, 14-22 FGs, 12-12 FTs, 21 rebounds, three assists, one steal, three blocks, one turnover, 40 points in a 121-120 overtime win. What, only three blocks? The points and rebounds both were career highs for Davis, who registered the first 40-20 game in the NBA this season – and the first in franchise history.
LINE OF THE WEAK: Chandler Parsons and Terrence Jones, Houston at Chicago, March 13: combined 46 minutes, 2-18 FGs, 0-3 3-pointers, 0-0 FTs, 11 rebounds, two assists, two steals, zero blocks, zero turnovers, four points in a 111-87 loss. Jones was 1-of-7 and minus-22 and Parsons was 1-of-11 and minus-20. Together, they scored as many points as Isaiah Canaan.
TRILLION WATCH: A quiet week on the inactivity front, with 2 trillions by Victor Claver of the Blazers and Jeff Ayres of the Spurs in the same game Wednesday trumped by a 4 trillion from Mavericks center 
Bernard James at Oklahoma City on Sunday. The season lead of 10 trillion is still shared by Pistons rookie Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Thunder forward Perry Jones III.
GAME OF THE WEEK: Chicago at Indiana, March 21. For a couple of weeks, the prevailing narrative about the Bulls has been that they could present problems for the Heat or Pacers in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Here’s a chance to prove it. The teams meet again three days later in Chicago.
GAME OF THE WEAK: Orlando at Utah, March 22. We’re not gonna tell you to watch the NCAA Tournament instead, but watch the NCAA Tournament instead.
TWO MINUTES: One of the under-the-radar trading deadline deals was Charlotte’s acquisition of Gary Neal from Milwaukee. First, the timing couldn’t have been better; Neal arrived just before Gerald Henderson went down with a calf injury. And Neal is playing the best ball of his career since joing the Bobcats; he is averaging a career-high 12.8 points and shooting 52 percent from the arc in eight games, although he was benched for one game by coach Steve Clifford for “an internal matter.” In consecutive games, Neal scored 19 points, a total he reached just once in 30 games with the Bucks. “I’ve never been traded in the middle of the season before, so that has been tough,” he said. “What I can bring to the team is scoring, but you also want to fit in. You don’t want to come in with the second team and think that you can shoot all of the shots. It was a feeling-out process and so far I have done a good job.” … Since his record 3-pointer streak ended, Hawks swingman Kyle Korver is 15-of-21 from the arc. … Did going for 61 points against Charlotte tire out LeBron James? In seven games since, the Heat superstar has averaged “just” 20.7 points on 47 percent shooting, including just 6-of-24 from the arc. He also had consecutive games without attempting a free throw, the first time that has happened since December 2003, his second month as an NBA player. And Miami was just 2-5 in those games. … When the Lakers are looking for another coach this spring, keep this in mind: Mike D’Antoni is 258-110 when Steve Nash is his point guard and 192-304 when someone else is running the show. … Remember when Jeremy Lamb was supposed to be the guy who would make Thunder fans forget about Kevin Martin? In 10 games since Russell Westbrook’s return, Lamb is averaging 4.3 points while shooting under 29 percent (16-of-56), including 6-of-28 from the arc. And now the guy trying to make Thunder fans forget Kevin Martin (and James Harden) is Caron Butler. … This season, there have been 195 games in which teams fell behind by at least 25 points. Two have come back to win – Golden State rallied from 27 down vs. Toronto on Dec. 3 and Indiana climbed out of a 26-point hole at Detroit on Saturday. … With Houston’s loss at Miami on Sunday, the Clippers are now the only team that has not lost three in a row this season. … The Magic are 0-32 when they 
are outrebounded. … Can you tell Lakers center Pau Gasol has pretty much had it with this season? He has spent the last two seasons feuding with D’Antoni over his role in the offense, and while injured teammates Nash and Kobe Bryant have had their seasons declared over, Gasol continues to trudge out there alongside a collection of players that look more like a D-League team. That has led to more than a bit of sarcasm in Gasol’s postgame comments. Following Thursday’s 29-point loss at Oklahoma City, Gasol said, “They’re playing for trying to get the best record in the league; we’re not. Their situation is just a tiny bit different than ours.” And after Friday’s 34-point loss at San Antonio, Gasol said, “We will try to watch some tape of how San Antonio plays and try to emulate them a little bit. Try to get to the paint and make that right pass, keep the ball moving, find the open guy, not force stuff and not try to win it on your own – you know, basics.”
Trivia Answer: Mike D’Antoni. … Happy 53rd Birthday, Sam Bowie. … My Final Four picks are Indiana, Miami, San Antonio and the LA Clippers.
Chris Bernucca is the managing editor of SheridanHoops.com. His columns appear Monday during the season. You can follow him on Twitter.
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uk
Alrghit alright alright that’s exactly what I needed!
The reason PJax could succeed is that I don’t see LeBron staying with Heat when they lose this year and next (the media stories haven’t begun) and if there are viable options to start up another Super Team.
Rondo has refused to extend with Celtics.
Kevin Love isn’t happy with Wolves.
I read somewhere that the salary cap could be as much as 65 million for 2015??
True that Knicks (assuming Melo leaves), still have about 11.9 million committed for the 2015-2016 season, but it may be possible to rid much of that salary (by offering valuable assets like Hardaway and Shumpert as motivation), Knicks could have enough cap space for a Super Team.
LeBron, Love & Rondo? If Melo stays he’d be in year 2 of his contract. Salary? Could PJax convince LeBron to take a salary cut for the future?
LeBron, Melo and ?
Without LeBron, the best I can see is Melo, Love and Rondo, which wouldn’t be bad.
However, its a roll of the dice. If the FAs don’t come, Knicks could be a laughingstock for the next decade, and that is more probable than becoming a contender again.
As usual, this Chris raises the level of Sheridan Hoops.
Regarding PJax, I don’t see his task being hard. I consider this as a roll of the dice, with about a 5% chance of succeeding, and mostly by attracting free agents, and to disregard the Dolan history of Knicks. However, despite only about a 1 in 20 chance of succeeding, until July 2015 the Media and Knicks fans will be obsessed with HOPE. In that regard Dolan has already succeeded, short term.
Chris,
I’m going to avoid what I normally do – which is lambast the columns on this site (which more often than not, they deserve), because I really respect your knowledge of the game.
Instead I’m going to offer this: why can’t the media just let this play out and see what happens? So many journalists have had every opinion under the sun, ranging from the practical to the hair-brained, it’s almost impossible to keep up.
And honestly, what’s with all the undermining of Knicks fans’ intelligence? We understand the game. We know this addition is no sure thing. In my opinion, the media continues to create this ill-conceived image of New York because it’s red meat for the readers in Oklahoma… and Tennessee… and any other small market city with a quality team. Why sink to that level? This site has nothing to lose by saying, “Hey, we have no idea how this is going to pan out, and neither does anybody else. The end.”
I just don’t get it.
Daniel,
I don’t think we undermine Knicks fans intelligence. I personally think they are among the most knowledgeable fans in the league, along with Boston’s. I have a biased view, because those are the arenas where I have seen the most games in my lifetime. But I do believe that there is not a blind support for the Knicks simply because they are the home town team and can do no wrong in the fans eyes, such as there is (or has been) in Orlando, OKC, San Antonio, Utah and Portland. People in OKC are drinking the Kool-Aid of an owner who is robbing them blind (third-highest average ticket price in the league) and lining his own pockets without financially competing with other contenders.
As you know, we write a fair amount of opinion pieces here. My weekly column is a chance to give my opinion, and my opinion is that Jackson can succeed in this role, but not with the perceived arrogance (by his peers) he has shown as a coach. And you’re right; we don’t know. No one knows. But in the interweb age, no one wants to read “I don’t know.” They want to read what will happen now. I agree with you that the tidal wave of opinion – much of it kneejerk – is a bit much at times. But we do have something to lose by writing “we don’t know” and that is page views and readership in a crowded market that is already force-feeding that to NBA fans. So Sheridan and I (and others here) try not to kneejerk so much and present thought-out opinions and analysis, which I thought this one was. You may disagree and you are entitled. But I hope you will continue to read us – and continue to disagree when you do.
Thanks for reading. CB
As always, thanks for writing back, Chris. I appreciate it.
I honestly just think Knicks fans have absolutely HAD IT with the media – our own local media as well as the national media and the net. The NYK bias is real, and we’ve just absolutely had enough of it. We as fans didn’t do anything to deserve the treatment we get in the media – and honestly, ownership/front office (aside from the Thomas years and the Ewing trade) hasn’t run the organization into the ground completely. If they had, there wouldn’t be anymore true blue Knicks fans (even though I know many have jumped ship). But it just seems that the national media wants exactly that – a New York Knicks franchise pounded six feet deep into the dirt. You know, I’d love to write a column about how THAT is what’s going on in hoops journalism right now!
You mentioned a very real scenario regarding OKC, but would you ever hear a peep about that anywhere else? Never! Because as far as other media sites are concerned (and maybe even this one), Sam Presti is a boy genius (although I know you, personally, called him out on the Harden trade). To other media outlets, Durant is the second coming, and everything is amazing in OKC. But last I checked, they haven’t won a championship yet – and may never as currently constructed. But no one ever wants to write about that. God forbid!
Everybody talks about what a genius Daryl Morey and his advanced stats are. But have the Rockets won a championship lately either? No, they have not. What have Morey’s stats given him in terms of championships? Nothing.
And let’s not forget Memphis. Did anyone seriously rip the front office for letting Lionel Hollins go? I know the Worldwide Leader didn’t, because their boy Hollinger is calling the shots there now – with his graphs and charts.
I mean, look – 3 teams have dominated the league the last 15 years – the Lakers, the Spurs, and the Heat. That’s it. All these teams like OKC, Memphis – even the Clippers – have MASSIVE front office and roster flaws, but no one bothers to call that out as long as Lob City brings in the oohs and ahhs, right?
But if the Knicks even breathe the wrong way – it’s front page news! I know we’re a big media market, but what’s going on now is beyond the point of rational journalism.
I mean, NYK fans aren’t stupid. We know we have a meddling owner. We know ownership has screwed the pooch on more than one occasion. But let me ask you, because I’d seriously love to know your opinion: has Jim Dolan really been much worse of an owner than Donald Sterling has been as steward of the Clippers? Has Dolan been worse than Robert Sarver, even?
Every little thing the Knicks do is always prematurely criticized. I always laugh with my friends that, if you put a Knicks uniform on the Playmate of the Year, every hoops journalist would say she’s ugly. It’s getting SO out of hand. And I understand online media, I understand you guys need site hits so you can keep bringing us quality news.
But Jesus, man… Maybe not so much yourself (or this site in particular), but journalists have got irrational axes to grind with the NYK. That’s why it disappoints me to see Sheridan taking up ranks with Isola of late. Everybody in New York knows that Isola thinks he’s the Bob Woodward of Basketball with an ego just as large as Dolan’s. He’s pissed about the media policy at MSG, so he causes trouble in the papers. But fans don’t care about the media policy! We just want to win.
Stephen A. Smith wrote today that Knicks players fear that their lockers are being bugged! I mean, is that not the most ridiculous thing you’ve ever heard.
You know, Knicks fans are happy today. Our team now has a link to its championship past – however far removed – in the front office. Oh, and it just happens to be Phil Jackson. It’s not a guarantee of anything, but would it kill the media to share in the optimism that New Yorkers have right now? In all honestly, I’ve read nothing but negativity across the entire blogosphere/online media outlets.
Best,
Dan
Knicks fans may be knowledgeable about watching the game and making their opinions known on talk radio, but they are also the most Delusional fans in the country. The Knicks get the most undeserved media coverage in the NBA, whether good or bad. Evidence is that the Knicks have been given equality to the Heat in National TV coverage, and way more coverage than teams like Indiana and San Antonio.
Again, Knicks fans are overly optimistic (Delusional) and have little understanding of the CBA (nor do most of the media people who mention the Knicks).
Even Phil Jackson said that team won’t be good next season. So all Knicks fans will have (especially when they don’t make the playoffs), is HOPE.