// First of all, the draft lottery was NOT fixed. NBA commissioner David Stern would be committing a felony if he rigged the lottery, and the guy does not want to be using soap on a rope for 15-to-20 years. OK? So lay off the conspiracy theories. Your time would be better spent perusing our first Mock Draft, now that the order is known. Is Stern’s idea of limiting the Olympics to players 23 and younger a good one? Hell no! It is idiocy in
// After hanging around for a half, the Boston Celtics disappeared in the second half of their Eastern Conference finals opener vs. the Miami Heat. Before we vault Miami into the NBA Finals, however, let’s remember that the Celtics have had some stinkers in each of their first two playoff rounds and have bounced back rather nicely. The Celtics have the experience and character to get back in their series with the Heat, but there are a number of things
If you haven’t seen this video yet, prepare yourself for 5 minutes of pure entertainment.
// Frank Vogel made a major mistake last night, IMHO. I compliment him for everything he has accomplished this season, I admire his youthful enthusiasm, but I question his wisdom today — the day after Indiana’s season ended in a Game 6 loss at home in which the Pacers never fully took advantage of the big-man advantage they had with Udonis Haslem out serving a one-game suspension. With exactly 3 minutes left in the first quarter, Vogel subbed out David West,
The relationship between Shaquille O’Neal and Dwight Howard runs hot and cold, and to even describe it as lukewarm would be a bit of a stretch. Remember, part of the reason Howard wanted to be traded to the Nets over the Lakers was because he didn’t want to follow in Shaq’s footprints, and he doesn’t want to play second fiddle to anyone, even if it is Kobe Bryant. But in the months since the trade deadline passed, Howard now feels the Lakers
// If Dexter Pittman had done what he did to Lance Stephenson on the street instead of on the basketball court, he’d be facing felony assault charges. As it is, Pittman’s cheap shot in the waning moments of Miami’s Game 5 beatdown of the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday night is certain to earn him a multiple-game suspension. (On the Artest scale, this one is worthy of a 10-game suspension, IMHO, because of the degree of premeditation). If you haven’t seen the foul
// The Los Angeles Lakers are 7 1/2 point underdogs tonight for Game 5 at Oklahoma City, which means Vegas respects them about as much as they respected the Clippers in the past week — not much. Me? I do not dispense gambling advice, and for all I know this will be an epic crash-and-burn night — especially if Pau Gasol goes soft, Kobe Bryant goes cold or Metta World Peace throws the ball to Steve Blake on the final play. But
// It was completely uncharacteristic for Dwyane Wade to snap at his coach the way he did last night. Part of Spoelstra’s job is to remind his players to get back on defense instead of admiring their bricks while the ball is in mid-air, and that seems to be one of the key things that precipitated the public clash between player and coach. As inexcusable as Wade’s outburst was (you don’t show up your coach like that, ever), what about looking