- Getting away from the drama, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich was named the NBA’s coach of the year for a third time: “Some coaches would try to brush off the disappointment of letting a title slip through their fingers and refuse to acknowledge the elephant in the room. Gregg Popovich took it head on, embraced the heartache, and in a career full of masterful coaching performances, delivered perhaps his finest effort in season No. 18. ”The way we lost in the finals wasn’t an ordinary loss, it was pretty devastating,” Popovich said on Tuesday after being named NBA coach of the year. ”We decided that we needed to just face that right off the bat at the beginning of the season and get it out of the way. Don’t blame it on the basketball gods or bad fortune or anything like that, the Miami Heat beat us and won the championship and that’s that.” Popovich joined Don Nelson and Pat Riley as the only coaches in league history to take home the Red Auerbach trophy three times in their career. ”They’re on the hood of my car,” Popovich cracked. ”One, two, three, right on the car, the way players do license plates. … I’ve got three of those right on the hood.””
- The Utah Jazz could bring in a legendary European coach: “That’s because the Utah Jazz, I’m told, are on that very short list of teams that will give bona fide consideration to breaking basketball’s Euro barrier on the X’s and O’s side by hiring a new head coach who wasn’t reared in North America. NBA coaching sources say that the Jazz will take a legit look at Italian legend Ettore Messina now that they’re on the hunt for a replacement for Ty Corbin, who was informed Monday after three-plus seasons as Jerry Sloan’s successor that he would not be offered a new contract. The immediate focus, in terms of replacements, centered on San Antonio Spurs assistant coach Jim Boylen. And rightfully so, given Boylen’s longstanding ties to Jazz general manager Dennis Lindsey … along with the seal of approval that comes when you’re hired by Gregg Popovich to help fill the void created by the departures of Mike Budenholzer and Brett Brown to head-coaching gigs in Atlanta and Philadelphia, respectively.”
- The Cleveland Cavaliers are expected to make Kyrie Irving a max-contract offer: ““Again, this goes along with the hypothetical,” he said. “I can tell you this, and this is a really, really big focus for our organization moving forward: You’re either all the way in or you’re all the way out. And there’s no in-between. You declare a side. I’m all the way in. “This is where I want to be. It’s the organization I believe in. That’s how I see it. Rumors and all of those other things have nothing to do with me.” He said he’s not going to campaign for the Cavs’ job when he does meet with the owners. “I’m not running for mayor,” he said. If he is retained, Griffin will have his hands full this summer — The Cavs are expected to make a maximum contract extension offer to guard Kyrie Irving. “Those discussions are set to take place post-July 1, that’s when they’re going to take place,” Griffin said.”
- Chris Paul is banged up with a hamstring injury: “”He won’t do much,” coach Doc Rivers said Tuesday. “He may do a little tomorrow but nothing today. We’re not doing anything today anyway, but I don’t need him doing anything.” Paul injured his right hamstring late in the first half of the Clippers’ 109-105 Game 1 loss on Saturday and received round-the-clock treatment heading into Game 2, when he played 27 minutes and had 12 points and 10 assists in a 138-98 blowout of the Warriors. Rivers had thought the two days between games would be most beneficial to J.J. Redick and Jamal Crawford, who missed time heading into the postseason, but he now says no one needs the time off more than Paul, whose right hamstring was wrapped during Monday’s game. “The hamstring, yes, he needs [time off] because I think he’s doing everything he can with it, to be honest,” Rivers said. “The two days are huge for us and him. It’s funny: We go into the series talking about J.J. and Jamal and we left the game last night thinking we need two days for CP. So these two days will be good for him.””
- Nene gets outstanding praise from his teammates: “”I told him, whatever’s going to happen, do not jump. Do not foul. As a matter of fact move away because people are just going to bounce off you,” Gortat said.”I told him he could guard Noah where he’s running on the outside and I can take (Carlos) Boozer or Taj Gibson inside. That’s what we did. Nene was just outstanding.” It was such a comprehensive domination of the Bulls, and Noah, that undoubtedly coach Tom Thibodeau will change their coverage on Nene. “When you have a similar teams you start thinking better what you’re supposed to do,” Nene said. “That little detail, that’s what I think was the difference. Two teams who can play in the post, who can shoot outside, have defenders. We made a lot of shots around the basket that gave us confidence. Gave us that little space.” “Playoffs, especially after the first game, it’s about detail. It’s about planning. They’ll bring a new plan. We need to stay on our plan. Maintain our aggressiveness.””
Ben Baroff is a basketball journalist who blogs for SheridanHoops.com. Follow him on Twitter here.
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