Kyrie Irving is very disappointed in how his team has played over the last couple of games, from Jodie Valade of The Plain Dealer: “It’s disappointing based on our effort,” Irving said. “Our fans definitely don’t deserve it, especially at the end of the season. We preached it and said we wanted to finish strong, but teams are just getting the best of us. Just our effort level wasn’t there. It’s disappointing and we have to be disappointed in ourselves. The last two games, the fans don’t deserve it.” After falling to the worst team in the NBA, Milwaukee, 119-116, the Cavaliers followed with a 111-99 loss to Boston that wasn’t as close as the score… “It’s difficult because I feel like it definitely has a little bit of hangover, especially when it gets to near the end of the season,” he said. “I know it did for me. Just being disappointed in not being able to get a taste of playoffs in my third year. It’s more or less a pride thing, but we’re professionals and we’ve just got to pick ourselves up and play this last game as hard as we can and finish the season strong, like we preached.”
The Heat may sit LeBron James and Chris Bosh for the remaining games of the regular season, from Michael Wallace of ESPN: “Miami Heat forwards LeBron James and Chris Bosh will sit out of Monday’s game against the Washington Wizards for rest. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said James will benefit from the night off to deal with some minor injuries as Miami prepares for the start of the playoffs this weekend. James has been dealing with periodic back soreness throughout the season and recently aggravated an ankle sprain. It will be just the third game of the season James has missed, with the Heat holding a 2-1 record in those absences this season. Like James, Bosh spoke after Saturday’s loss in Atlanta about a need for some time off before the playoffs. Bosh is having his least productive month of the season in April, averaging just 12.1 points and struggling with his perimeter shot. Spoelstra said James and Bosh will be reevaluated again before Wednesday’s home game against Philadelphia before determining their status for the regular season finale.”
- Pau Gasol is excited to speak to other teams as a free agent, from Mike Trudell of Lakers.com: “Gasol told us on @TWCSportsNet that he’s excited to speak w/multiple teams when free agency hits. That includes LAL, but his mind is open.”
- Jason Kidd denies the notion that he is the reason the Knicks fell apart this season, from Mike Mazzeo of ESPN: Kidd on #NYK falling apart since he’s not there: “That’s not true. I was just one small piece of the puzzle. … They’ll be back.” #Nets
Damian Lillard just got much richer, thanks to a new shoe deal with Adidas, from Sam Amick of USA Today: “Damian Lillard’s banner year continued Monday, when the second-year Portland Trail Blazers point guard finalized a new shoe contract with Adidas that is believed to be among the most lucrative of any player in the NBA. While the exact figures of the eight-year deal were not immediately known, a person with knowledge of the contract said it is smaller only than that of Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose (reportedly $185 million over 13 years with Adidas) and the Miami Heat’s LeBron James (reportedly $20 million annually with Nike) among NBA players. If certain incentives are met, the deal could extend to 10 years. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the financial terms are not typically disclosed.”
Larry Bird explained why the Indiana Pacers haven’t done better, and is generally not the happiest with what they have done overall, from Bob Kravitz of Indystar: “”A lot of times, we don’t take the fight to them (the opponent),” Bird said Tuesday, before the Pacers snapped a four-game losing streak by beating the Boston Celtics 94-83 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. “A lot of times we sit back and wait and see how it goes. And that was the case even when we were winning a lot of games early in the season. We’ve got to be mentally prepared to really go after the teams we’re playing again. We can’t have the mindset it’s just another game; it’s a very important game. All of them are.”… “People ask me if I’m mad at them,” Bird said. “I’m not mad. I’m disappointed.”… “I’m sort of going to Frank’s side because he’s had so much success by staying positive,” Bird said. “We do have to stay the course. But I also think he’s got to start going after guys when they’re not doing what they’re supposed to do. And stay on them, whether you’ve got to take them out of the game when they’re not doing what they’re supposed to do or limit their minutes. I will say, he hasn’t done that enough. “…Do I think they’ll come out of it? Yeah, but I don’t think it’ll happen overnight.”
Joe Dumars has officially stepped down from his position with the Detroit Pistons, from The AP: “For the first time in nearly three decades, Joe Dumars won’t play a major role in shaping the future of the Detroit Pistons. Dumars stepped down as Detroit’s president of basketball operations Monday, a day after the Pistons lost their home finale and fell to 29-52 with one game remaining in the season. Detroit will miss the postseason for a fifth consecutive year. “It’s time to turn the page on a wonderful chapter and begin writing a new one,” Dumars said in a statement. “I’ve had the pleasure of working with some great people throughout the last 29 years as both a player and executive, and I’m proud of our accomplishments. Tom Gores and ownership is committed to winning and they will continue to move the franchise forward.” Gores took over as owner in 2011, with the team clearly in a rebuilding mode, but expectations were higher this season after the Pistons signed Josh Smith and traded for Brandon Jennings. The new-look roster flopped, and now somebody else will be in charge of the next effort to bring Detroit back to the postseason.”
James Park is the chief blogger of Sheridan Hoops. Follow him on twitter @SheridanBlog.
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