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"We beat ourselves," he said before the Suns’ practice Sunday at the AT&T Center. "We made two crucial mistakes against a veteran, championship team. I mean, those guys played out of their (expletive). Michael Finley, who didn’t shoot well all night, hit a (expletive) shot, and Tim Duncan hit a 3. You can’t make mistakes like that and leave it to chance, especially in this building."

Saturday’s 117-115 double-overtime loss in Game 1 put the Suns in an early hole in this best-of-seven first-round series, but it also convinced them that they can eliminate the defending-champion Spurs, as odd as that seems. [AZCentral]

The Milwaukee Bucks planned to introduce new coach Scott Skiles on Monday afternoon, a person with knowledge of the hiring told The Associated Press. The person, who requested anonymity because the deal had not yet been announced, said the team was to make the announcement at a 5 p.m. EDT news conference.

The move, which would come less than a week after the firing of Larry Krystkowiak, was first reported by The New York Post on its Web site.

The 44-year-old Skiles will bring extensive NBA head coaching experience and a disciplinarian approach to Milwaukee -- something the Bucks didn't necessarily get from their two previous coaches, Krystkowiak and Terry Stotts.

Skiles, a close friend of Krystkowiak, was fired by Chicago in December after making the playoffs in three of his first four seasons as the Bulls' head coach. Skiles also coached three seasons in Phoenix.

Krystkowiak, who was fired Thursday, was a first-time NBA head coach when he replaced Stotts near the end of the 2006-2007 season. Stotts had only 1 1/2 seasons of NBA head coaching experience in Atlanta.

In announcing Krystkowiak's firing last week, new Bucks general manager John Hammond said experience wasn't necessarily a prerequisite for the team's next head coach. But Hammond insisted that the Bucks had to get tougher -- and toughness has been Skiles' trademark characteristic, both as a player and as a coach.

Skiles originally was taken by the Bucks out of Michigan State in the first round of the 1986 NBA draft and played 10 seasons with Milwaukee, Indiana, Orlando, Washington and Philadelphia.

Can we end all this now, please?

Stop pretending, or demanding, there's some great debate here?

What there is, is a clear and obvious choice.

Kobe Bryant is your league MVP.

Got that? There is no monster controversy. No great injustice to be done, unless Kobe is inexplicably stiffed.

All these people down on Kobe have run out of excuses to turn away.

Make his teammates better - check. Have to win the division - check. Absolutely must finish with the best record in the West - check.

He is not simply the most talented player in the NBA, he is its most valuable. Not just the greatest show, the player who gives you the best chance to win.

He has enjoyed a career season. Led a Lakers team many weren't sure could make the playoffs to the best record in the most competitive conference in NBA history.

Yet every time you hear about some supposed poll, it's really, really close. Could come down to those second- and third-place votes. Might not be decided until the convention.

What a crock. His critics are searching for some justification to not give him an award he has plainly earned.

The problem is many voters - I do not have a vote - simply do not like Kobe. They think he's spoiled or a ball hog or calculating or arrogant. Hold animosity from Denver. Resent him personally.

Hey, it's not a popularity contest. It's an award for being the NBA's Most Valuable Player. You don't have to invite him to the backyard barbecue, just recognize his achievement.

Early on when the talk of Kobe and the MVP started to heat up, his detractors started championing LeBron James. James had all these gaudy numbers to support the pretext.

Of course, to truly be an MVP, you must be on an excellent team. Should be on one of the top teams.

James' Cavaliers fell 20 games back of Boston in the weak East, and there went that campaign.

Then the main challenge over the second half of the season emerged as New Orleans point guard Chris Paul.

Paul has enjoyed a truly marvelous season. He's averaged 21.1 points, and led the league in assists (11.6 per game) and steals (2.73).

And he gets all these bonus points because the Hornets went from 39 victories to this year's 50-plus.

The theory here is, Paul has less talent to work with than Kobe, which although might be true, it isn't that significant.

Peja Stojakovic, David West and Tyson Chandler aren't exactly three guys drudged up from the local playground.

It should be noted that last season Stojakovic played in only 13 games and West 52, so credit for that dramatic turnaround doesn't go solely to Paul.

And as to that unequal talent, Stojakovic has appeared in three All-Star games and West one. Kobe has a single teammate who has appeared in one All-Star game, Gasol.

Kobe's numbers need no explaining. His 28.3 points per game were second-best in the league. He added 6.3 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 1.9 blocks. And really, who would you most want to take the game-winning shot as time expired?

You want to hand out bonus points, Kobe deserves plenty for playing much of the second half with a finger that needs surgery. He sucked it up and kept playing. That's what MVPs do.

What we can agree on is, this is not a lifetime achievement award. This isn't John Wayne winning an Oscar for "True Grit."

Kobe remains the most talented player in the game, but has never been MVP. You don't get the award for a body of work, though it's best to have something significant to legitimize your resume. This is Paul's third year.

Kobe has enjoyed a tremendous career, but deserves the award based simply on this season.

By Brian Windhorst
Beacon Journal sportswriter

Published on Tuesday, Apr 15, 2008

PHILADELPHIA: The Most Valuable Player ballots are due at the NBA office in New York by Thursday afternoon. LeBron James doesn't have an official vote, but he's got a pretty strong opinion.

He is in the mix and one of his best friends in the league, Chris Paul, has an excellent chance of winning it in what is expected to be a very close race. Yet James, as he has done numerous times in his career, is deferring to Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant. He didn't take long to think about it, either.

''I'd give it to Kobe,'' James said. ''What he's done this whole year, to carry that team to the No. 1 team in the West right now. He's playing his best basketball all around. I've watched him the whole year. I saw it last summer when I played with him with USA Basketball and the sacrifices he's made for the team and he's done that with the Lakers.''

Various polls done around the country have Bryant and Paul in a dead heat for the award with James coming in third or fourth. Two years ago, James finished second in the voting. Last year, he finished fifth. Bryant hasn't won the award in his 12 years in the league, but this appears to be his best shot.

''I've been quoted millions of times saying Kobe is the best player in our league for the last five years,'' James said. ''He hasn't received the MVP. This is his year I think.''

James is completing the best regular season of his career. He has a chance to become just the third player in history to average 30 points, seven rebounds and seven assists in a season. The other two, Oscar Robertson and Michael Jordan, won MVPs in those seasons. But the Cavs are on pace to win their fewest games in three seasons and that plays a role.

''For me as an individual, if you look at the numbers, this is the best I've played in my career and this is the best I've felt,'' James said. ''Team success plays a big part in what the MVP is all about, so there it is.''

Dribbles

• In recent games, there has been a little increase in squabbling between Cavs players both on the court and in the huddle, including a rather intense exchange between James and Anderson Varejao in the second half against the Miami Heat on Sunday. Not to mention other players who have been frustrated with constantly changing levels of playing time.

Cavs coach Mike Brown said he is concerned a bit about the team chemistry.

''You always worry about that,'' Brown said. ''It's tough when you have so many new bodies. Chemistry you can't force, it has to come. Hopefully it clicks sooner than later.''

• Successful St. Joseph's coach Phil Martelli was in the locker-room area before the game to see former players Delonte West and Dwayne Jones, who starred for the Hawks. It was the Cavs' first and only visit to the Wachovia Center this season.

LeBron James' pull

WKYC (Channel 3) reporter Chris Tye gave his audience a unique story about the allure of LeBron James on Sunday's newscasts.

Tye told the story of a group of high school seniors from the tiny village of Natulo, Alaska, who came to Cleveland on their senior trip just to see LeBron James and the Cavaliers play.

The teens, who live 300 miles from the Russian border, had their choice of cities to visit. Their goal? Meeting James.

They watched Sunday's game and will attend Wednesday's game against the Detroit Pistons.

Brian Windhorst can be reached at bwindhor@thebeaconjournal.com. Read his blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/cavs/. Sportswriter George Thomas contributed to this report.

PHILADELPHIA: The Most Valuable Player ballots are due at the NBA office in New York by Thursday afternoon. LeBron James doesn't have an official vote, but he's got a pretty strong opinion.

He is in the mix and one of his best friends in the league, Chris Paul, has an excellent chance of winning it in what is expected to be a very close race. Yet James, as he has done numerous times in his career, is deferring to Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant. He didn't take long to think about it, either.

''I'd give it to Kobe,'' James said. ''What he's done this whole year, to carry that team to the No. 1 team in the West right now. He's playing his best basketball all around. I've watched him the whole year. I saw it last summer when I played with him with USA Basketball and the sacrifices he's made for the team and he's done that with the Lakers.''

Various polls done around the country have Bryant and Paul in a dead heat for the award with James coming in third or fourth. Two years ago, James finished second in the voting. Last year, he finished fifth. Bryant hasn't won the award in his 12 years in the league, but this appears to be his best shot.

''I've been quoted millions of times saying Kobe is the best player in our league for the last five years,'' James said. ''He hasn't received the MVP. This is his year I think.''

James is completing the best regular season of his career. He has a chance to become just the third player in history to average 30 points, seven rebounds and seven assists in a season. The other two, Oscar Robertson and Michael Jordan, won MVPs in those seasons. But the Cavs are on pace to win their fewest games in three seasons and that plays a role.

''For me as an individual, if you look at the numbers, this is the best I've played in my career and this is the best I've felt,'' James said. ''Team success plays a big part in what the MVP is all about, so there it is.''

Dribbles

• In recent games, there has been a little increase in squabbling between Cavs players both on the court and in the huddle, including a rather intense exchange between James and Anderson Varejao in the second half against the Miami Heat on Sunday. Not to mention other players who have been frustrated with constantly changing levels of playing time.

Cavs coach Mike Brown said he is concerned a bit about the team chemistry.

''You always worry about that,'' Brown said. ''It's tough when you have so many new bodies. Chemistry you can't force, it has to come. Hopefully it clicks sooner than later.''

• Successful St. Joseph's coach Phil Martelli was in the locker-room area before the game to see former players Delonte West and Dwayne Jones, who starred for the Hawks. It was the Cavs' first and only visit to the Wachovia Center this season.

LeBron James' pull

WKYC (Channel 3) reporter Chris Tye gave his audience a unique story about the allure of LeBron James on Sunday's newscasts.

Tye told the story of a group of high school seniors from the tiny village of Natulo, Alaska, who came to Cleveland on their senior trip just to see LeBron James and the Cavaliers play.

Scott Skiles has verbally accepted an offer from the Milwaukee Bucks to be their new head coach, the New York Post reported Monday, citing a league source.

Skiles

Skiles, who was thought to be a candidate for the New York Knicks' vacancy, would replace Larry Krystkowiak in Milwaukee. The Bucks fired Krystkowiak on Thursday, one day after finishing 26-56 in his one full season as coach.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel characterized Skiles' hiring as imminent, saying the team and coach were making significant progress in contract negotiations. "The search is continuing. We're making progress and our goal, as stated before, is to react quickly," new Bucks general manager John Hammond told the newspaper Sunday, adding, "We will not discuss individual names of candidates at this time."

Hammond is attempting to mold the Bucks, one of the NBA's worst defensive teams, into a championship contender.

"The bottom line on this decision is that this is a results-driven league," Hammond said last week, when Krystkowiak's firing was announced. "Sometimes it comes down to wins and losses. Once again, the man that Larry was and the effort he put forth had little to do with the decision."

Skiles was fired by the Chicago Bulls last December after telling management he thought the team needed "a new voice." He was 165-172 during his time in Chicago, which began in November 2003 when he replaced Bill Cartwright.

The Bucks drafted Skiles in the first round of the 1986 draft, but he played only 13 games that season because of a neck injury. He played 10 seasons in the NBA.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

Washington guard Gilbert Arenas is expected to play in Game 2 of the Wizards' series against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday night despite a sprained right wrist.

Arenas

Arenas scored 24 points in the opener but apparently hurt his wrist in the fourth quarter while fouling LeBron James. Arenas was already slowed by a surgically repaired knee.

He participated in Monday's shootaround with a wrap on his wrist. Arenas spent several minutes after the workout launching long shots, trying to win money from teammates betting he'd miss.

"He seems to be ready to go," Wizards coach Eddie Jordan.

Arenas, who missed 69 games during the regular season after having surgery on his left knee, did not speak to the media following the shootaround.

Arenas came off the bench in Game 1 with 3:24 left in the first quarter. One of the NBA's deadliest outside shooters, he ended the period by dropping a 35-footer in the final second, draining the shot with a flick of his wrist over an unsuspecting Delonte West.

Arenas followed that shot with a pair of 3s early in the second quarter as the Wizards built an 11-point lead they couldn't hold.

West knows he can't give Arenas any room to shoot.

"Once he steps in the gym, I don't think there is any shot that's out of his range," West said.

Arenas made 8-of-16 shots in Game 1. Jordan doesn't plan to start Arenas anytime soon, but that could change if the Wizards fall behind 2-0 in the best-of-seven series.

Cleveland and Washington are meeting in the opening round for the third straight year. The Cavaliers won in six games two years ago and swept the Wizards in four straight last year.

Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press

NEW YORK, April 21, 2008 – Manu Ginobili of the San Antonio Spurs is the winner of the NBA Sixth Man Award presented by Kia Motors as the league’s best player in a reserve role for the 2007-08 season, the NBA announced today.

Ginobili received 615 out of a possible 620 points, including 123 of a possible 124 first-place votes, from a panel of 124 sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada. Leandro Barbosa of the Phoenix Suns finished second with 283 points and Jason Terry of the Dallas Mavericks finished third with 44 points.

In order to be eligible for this award, players had to have come off the bench in more games than they started. Players were awarded five points for each first-place vote, three points for each second-place vote and one point for each third-place vote.

As part of its support of the NBA Sixth Man Award, Kia Motors will donate a brand-new 2009 Kia Borrego seven-passenger SUV on behalf of Ginobili to Roy Maas’ Youth Alternatives of San Antonio which is committed to caring for children in crisis. Each winner of the four year-end awards presented by Kia Motors will receive a Borrego on behalf of the player’s charity of choice.

A sixth man in 51-of-74 games played this season, Ginobili led the Spurs in scoring with a career-high average of 19.5 points to go along with 4.8 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.47 steals. He increased his scoring nearly 6.0 points over his career average entering this season (13.7 ppg). He is also the only player in the NBA to average at least 17 points in under 32.0 minutes per game.

Ginobili is the only player in the NBA ranked in the top 31 for points per game (31st), steals (16th), assists (28th), three-point field goals made (156, 16th), three-point field goal percentage (.401, 28th), free throws made (380, 16th) and free throw percentage (.860, 16th).

By Brian Windhorst
Beacon Journal sportswriter

Published on Monday, Apr 21, 2008

INDEPENDENCE: The playoffs have officially started and so has the posturing.

Cavaliers coach Mike Brown, usually rather bland in his interviews, was aggressive Sunday in trying to send a strong message to the Washington Wizards and the officials working the rest of this series.

Wizards coach Eddie Jordan told the media after the Cavs' Game 1 victory that he wanted his team to be very physical in defending the basket, a tactic that was obvious at times when various Wizards hammered LeBron James on drives.

Brown seized on both and challenged officials to take notice — not only to protect James, but also to prevent any more skirmishes.

''Washington has come out and said they're fouling (James) when he gets in the paint,'' Brown said. ''So that is something you hope the officials take a look at when he drives the basketball. If that is the case, don't make it be a real hard foul and let things get out of hand. If he gets bumped, call it a foul.''

James got 14 free throws Saturday but Brown felt he was due more and the battering he took put him in peril. James reacted to several hard fouls by smashing Andray Blatche, who sent him to the floor twice, with an elbow.

James said Sunday that he expects more hard fouls as the series goes on but he doesn't plan on changing his game plan, either.

''There's a difference between a
foul and a LeBron foul, and I think we all notice that,'' James said. ''If that's their game plan, I have to continue to get back up.''

All season long, Brown has complained that James doesn't get enough fouls called by officials because his size and strength can obscure contact. Over the years, many coaches have used that plea, especially with centers like Shaquille O'Neal and Yao Ming.

It is also commonplace for coaches to try to set a tone with the officials via the media early in the playoffs. Brown is following suit, and also promising that his team will not back down from the challenges the physical play brings.

''LeBron knows he is going to get hit and unless he gets absolutely clobbered, he's not getting the foul,'' Brown said. ''I don't know what to do in this case. He's got to keep going to the rim and hopefully they'll see that. We have to make sure we protect ourselves. We just can't do anything over the top that will hurt our team.''

Arenas misses practice

After Game 1, James reminded the media that because of his size, when he gets fouled, he isn't the only one feeling the collision. ''Don't ever think I'm the only one that feels the contact,'' James said.

Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas can attest to that. He missed practice with a sprained right wrist Sunday, an injury he suffered after wrapping up James in the closing seconds of Game 1. The Wizards did not announce his status for tonight's game.

No league action

A league source said Sunday there were no plans in the works to issue any fines or suspensions from the NBA office after the on-court confrontations Saturday, or any upgrades on fouls called or not called. Technical fouls, which James, Brendan Haywood and Antawn Jamison all received, have their own automatic fines.

Dribbles

A limited number of tickets have been made available for tonight's game at http://www.cavs.com or 800-4NBA-TIX. . . . The Cavs are 6-0 all-time in series when they win Game 1, including 3-0 against the Wizards. . . . In 34 career playoff games, James is averaging 27.4 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. No player in NBA history with at least 20 playoff games has ever averaged even 25 points, seven rebounds and six assists.

Brian Windhorst can be reached at bwindhor@thebeaconjournal.com. Read his blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/cavs/

INDEPENDENCE: The playoffs have officially started and so has the posturing.

Cavaliers coach Mike Brown, usually rather bland in his interviews, was aggressive Sunday in trying to send a strong message to the Washington Wizards and the officials working the rest of this series.

Wizards coach Eddie Jordan told the media after the Cavs' Game 1 victory that he wanted his team to be very physical in defending the basket, a tactic that was obvious at times when various Wizards hammered LeBron James on drives.

Brown seized on both and challenged officials to take notice — not only to protect James, but also to prevent any more skirmishes.

''Washington has come out and said they're fouling (James) when he gets in the paint,'' Brown said. ''So that is something you hope the officials take a look at when he drives the basketball. If that is the case, don't make it be a real hard foul and let things get out of hand. If he gets bumped, call it a foul.''

James got 14 free throws Saturday but Brown felt he was due more and the battering he took put him in peril. James reacted to several hard fouls by smashing Andray Blatche, who sent him to the floor twice, with an elbow.

James said Sunday that he expects more hard fouls as the series goes on but he doesn't plan on changing his game plan, either.

''There's a difference between a
foul and a LeBron foul, and I think we all notice that,'' James said. ''If that's their game plan, I have to continue to get back up.''

All season long, Brown has complained that James doesn't get enough fouls called by officials because his size and strength can obscure contact. Over the years, many coaches have used that plea, especially with centers like Shaquille O'Neal and Yao Ming.

It is also commonplace for coaches to try to set a tone with the officials via the media early in the playoffs. Brown is following suit, and also promising that his team will not back down from the challenges the physical play brings.

''LeBron knows he is going to get hit and unless he gets absolutely clobbered, he's not getting the foul,'' Brown said. ''I don't know what to do in this case. He's got to keep going to the rim and hopefully they'll see that. We have to make sure we protect ourselves. We just can't do anything over the top that will hurt our team.''

Arenas misses practice

After Game 1, James reminded the media that because of his size, when he gets fouled, he isn't the only one feeling the collision. ''Don't ever think I'm the only one that feels the contact,'' James said.

Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas can attest to that. He missed practice with a sprained right wrist Sunday, an injury he suffered after wrapping up James in the closing seconds of Game 1. The Wizards did not announce his status for tonight's game.

It feels blasphemous to even think it, much less say it aloud, but these Lakers, Kobe and Pau's Lakers that is, just might end up being better than Kobe and Shaq's dysfunctional, but brilliant bunches of the early 2000s.

It's still very, very early. And this Denver Nuggets team the Lakers easily dispatched 128-114 Sunday afternoon in Game 1 of their best-of-seven first-round playoff series seemed like it could implode at any moment.

But every time you watch Gasol play, and the way the Lakers play with him, and the way Kobe plays with him, when it all really gets rolling, and especially when the other team doesn't bother to play much defense, you can't help but think it.

These Lakers, Kobe and Pau's Lakers, could end up being better than any of those Diesel-powered teams.

"Pau is a great, great basketball player and this is the perfect offense for him," said Lakers forward Luke Walton, who is one of just three Lakers who played with both O'Neal and Gasol.

"When we get everyone involved, and (Pau) is in the middle, finishing plays and making passes, we are a very tough team to beat."

The triangle offense, in simplistic terms, is designed to create spacing, open passing lanes, and easy jump shots. Gasol excels at all three of these skills, which is exactly why the Lakers have wanted to trade for him for the past two years.

Sunday afternoon, Gasol had his best game as a Laker, dropping 36 points, grabbing 16 rebounds and most importantly, dishing out eight assists.

"I think this offense has freed him up a little bit and showcased more of what he can do instead of being in the post all the time," Bryant said of the Lakers Spanish acquisition.

The Lakers, during the Shaq-Kobe era, ran the triangle offense, but like they are now. During the 2004 NBA Finals, their last dance before that dynasty fell, the triangle was so ineffective the Lakers dumbed it down, then largely abandoned it.

But now with Gasol in the middle, it looks elegant. Simple even.

Sunday, he had the Denver Nuggets chasing the ball around the court, franticly trying to catch up. By the end, they were so frustrated, Allen Iverson blew up at a referee and got himself ejected, Anthony Carter was slamming Bryant into the basket support and Kenyon Martin was jawing with him during breaks in the action.

They tried to make adjustments. Coach George Karl called some zone defenses, tried the 6-foot-9 Martin on the 6-foot-6 Bryant, then the ultra-quick J.R. Smith on him. But nothing worked.

The Lakers were just too good. Too fast, too smooth, to smart.

After the game, Karl came into the interview room looking ragged. He wore a simple, team issued long-sleeve t-shirt, then, half-heartedly tried to claim this was just one game.

"I don't think anybody in our lockeroom is deflated," he said, not seeming entirely convinced of his own words. "I think it's good we have two days to put some pieces together and study the film."

In other words, figure out just how and why and what the Lakers did to beat them so easily.

"I don't think it was Gasol," Karl said. "I think the film will show the L.A. Lakers tore us up," Karl said. "I think Coby Karl could've scored the baskets."

The other thing, and it's a big thing actually, is that Kobe and Pau's Lakers actually seem to dig each other. Their elegant, team-oriented, ball-sharing approach on the court has created a happy lockeroom.

Players on the bench cheer for those in the game, spend half their post-game interviews lauding the play of their teammates and celebrating their shared achievements.

Gasol has the perfect temperament for this club. He's happy to be Kobe's running mate and let Bryant hear the M-V-P chants.

And with Odom, who was actually being criticized last year for not being selfish enough, as the No. 3 option, a rather harmonious pecking order has been created.

"We're actually a very close team," Odom said. "This is a team where one day on the plane, I might have a conversation with Ira Newble, the next day might be Sasha, the next day might be Pau. We try not to get segregated at all."

The Lakers of the Shaq-Kobe years were anything but. In fact, they were defined so entirely by their discord you wondered if they began to need the "creative tension" in order to rev the engines up.

Phil Jackson had to be in full Zen-master mode just to keep things to a war of snippy words and glowering looks.

To some extent, Bryant still needs that dynamic to get himself into rhythm and his competitive fire lit. But now that energy is directed outward, at opponents, at referees - he led the league in technical fouls after all - and even the occasional slight by the media.

Sunday, Bryant began the game in a woeful shooting slump, missing nine of the first 10 shots he took. At first, he tried to stay poised to correct the problem. But then he looked up and was still just 5 for 20 from the floor.

It wasn't until Carter slammed him into the basketball support midway through the third quarter that Bryant found his touch. And from there, he proceeded to jaw with Martin loud enough to draw a technical foul during an exchange at the free-throw line late in the third.

"Just a healthy conversation," Bryant joked, when asked what he and Martin were talking about.

And about whether the chippyness of Sunday's second half would color the rest of the series with angry subplots, Bryant said:

"Hopefully," he said with a laugh, then turned serious.

"It's playoff basketball, this is when the game is most fun. Guys want to win and they're going to commit hard fouls, play physical, talk a little trash. "

After chasing the Lakers around Sunday afternoon, that's all the Nuggets had left. They got frustrated, lost their cool and all but threw their hands up by the end.

These Lakers are really good.

It's early, so don't say it too loudly just yet, but they might end up being great.

April 20 -- Gilbert Arenas proved he is still dangerous, even while playing on a surgically repaired left knee, by scoring 24 points in the Wizards' 93-86 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday. Now he'll have to show that he can perform with a sprained right wrist as well.

Arenas, who is expected to play Monday night in Game 2 of the best-of-seven first-round series, injured the wrist when he fouled LeBron James with 21 seconds remaining in Game 1.

Before the Wizards practiced Sunday morning, Arenas took a couple of jump shots that missed everything. He started fidgeting with the wrist while calling team athletic trainer Eric Waters over to take a look.

Arenas did not practice on Sunday, after coming off the bench on Saturday to hit 8 of 16 shots in just under 28 minutes. He did not mention the wrist during his postgame news conference and did not speak to the media on Sunday.

If Arenas is limited in any way Monday night, the Wizards will face an even greater challenge as they attempt to even the series and steal home-court advantage from the Cavaliers, who have beaten Washington seven straight times in the playoffs.

The Wizards did plenty of things right in Game 1 and held a two-point lead with 4:38 to play but lost because they missed 11 straight shots late in the game.

They also couldn't stop James from scoring four points on drives to the basket late in the fourth quarter.

'We had the game pretty much where we wanted it, and then we let it get away from us,' said Wizards all-star forward Caron Butler, who was held to 14 points on 5-of-10 shooting in just over 40 minutes. 'If we just continue to come out with that same energy we had, we'll be okay. I don't think we're going to have another drought like we had. Play the same type of game, do a few things better, and we'll be fine.'

Before practice Sunday, Coach Eddie Jordan danced around a question about starting Arenas on Monday.

"What time is it right now?" Jordan asked. "As far as right now, at this minute, he's still coming off the bench but it could change two or three times before game time."

Starting Arenas may help the Wizards get off to a better start in Game 2 -- Washington made just one of its first seven shots and managed 10 points in the first six minutes in Game 1 -- but other drastic changes may not be necessary.

The Wizards know they aren't going to shut down James, who finished with 32 points on 12-of-19 shooting Saturday and is averaging 32.5 points in 11 career playoff games against Washington, but they do feel that they can be better offensively.

DeShawn Stevenson, Darius Songaila and Roger Mason Jr. shot a combined 2-of-19 Saturday afternoon, and Butler learned that he has to adapt to the defensive strategy Cleveland Coach Mike Brown has employed on him.

For much of the game, slow-footed Wally Szczerbiak was assigned to Butler. But when Butler received the ball in one of his sweet spots -- such as on the wing where he likes to either take a jump shot or penetrate, or on the block where he likes to post up -- the Cavaliers often sent a second defender to force the ball out of his hands.

Striking the right mix of looking for his own offense and moving the basketball will be crucial for Butler as the series continues.

"It was a big adjustment because it was the first time back to live action," said Butler, who missed the final three games of the regular season with a bruised right knee. "And they were playing me a little different. They were redding me [running a second defender at him] on cuts and doubling on all of the [isolations] I get, so I just have to be a facilitator for the most part. But at the same time, I have to look for ways to assert myself into the offense and find my rhythm."

The other matchup the Wizards must exploit is Antawn Jamison against Ben Wallace. Jamison estimated that Wallace, who is not as quick laterally as he used to be and does not like to leave the paint defensively, was assigned to him about 70 percent of the time in Game 1. As a result, Jamison got just about any shot he wanted.

He finished with 24 points and a career-playoff-high 19 rebounds, but made 10 of 24 shots and only one of eight three-point attempts. Many of the shots were wide open.

"Of the 24 I took, maybe four or five of them were tough shots, but the rest of them were in the flow, shots I normally take," Jamison said. "On a couple of those threes I could've drove to the basket, so I have to be more patient with that. But those were good shots. I just need to make them."

Getting more efficient offensive production will be a major key for the Wizards, who won only 10 games during the regular season when they scored fewer than 100 points. Meantime, the Cavaliers won only nine games in regulation when they allowed at least 100 points.

James understands that the Wizards are capable of breaking out in Game

“It’s over. It’s over,” screamed Kenny Smith as Vince Carter looked into the television camera and slashed his throat.

It was February of 2000. Carter, the NBA’s newest phenomenon, had just won the Slam Dunk contest by dunking his entire forearm. And Toronto, thanks to the athletic swing, was back on the NBA map. At that moment, Carter could’ve run for mayor of the T-dot or prime minister of Canada. And he’d have won.

That was the pinnacle, the peak of his success. From then on, it was downhill. He soon split his team and organization by requesting time-off during the playoffs to attend his college graduation. And rumours of his mother lurking around Air Canada Centre like Joe Simpson or Lynn Spears became legendary.

Toronto, however, missed the warning signs. After all, the city was in love. Unlike Isiah Thomas, Damon Stoudamire, and Tracy McGrady, Carter had committed long-term to the Raptors by signing a ‘max’ contract. For years, he’d be the face of Toronto, a human symbol of the big smoke like Skydome or the CN Tower.

Well, not exactly. In the fall of 2005, Carter requested a trade. His reasons for wanting out were never clear, but his lack of urgency on-court was clearer than a teenager’s face post Pro Active. Before Christmas, Toronto wrapped Carter in a bow and gave him to New Jersey.

The Raptors quickly became the league laughingstock, while Carter quickly found his way in the swamps of Jersey. Then came the revelation that he didn’t always try with Toronto.

“In years past, no,” said Carter, acquired by the New Jersey Nets on Dec 17. “I was fortunate to have the talent … you get spoiled when you’re able to do a lot of things. You see that you don’t have to work at it.” (ESPN)

The Raptors struggled. In 2006, new saviour Bryan Colangelo arrived. The spiffy GM imported his ‘Euros’ and, with Chris Bosh leading, Toronto qualified for the 2007 playoffs.

Of course, they’d meet Carter and New Jersey first round. During Toronto’s home games, fans chanted, “VC sucks” like a pack of drunken soccer hooligans. Fair or not, the Nets easily handled the Raptors in five games. Still, those chants were something.

Clip 1: Pre-game ...



Clip 2: During the game ....



Clip 3: Even after a game one loss? ...



Clip 4: A television station drops a top ten ...



Clip 5: But then he did go after the new prodigal son ...



What do you think of these clips. Is Toronto guilty of hate? Get at us in the comment box below with your thoughts.

Andre Miller scored 20 points and Willie Green had a career playoff-high 17, helping the Philadelphia 76ers stun the Detroit Pistons 90-86 Sunday in Game 1 of their first-round series.

The Eastern Conference's second-seeded team was expected to beat the seventh-seeded Sixers by double digits and did lead by 15 midway through the third quarter.

But Philadelphia refused to follow the script.

After the Sixers trailed 62-47, Green made two baskets to start a 10-0 run that sparked a comeback.

Miller gave Philadelphia a lead midway through the fourth quarter for the first time since late in the first.

After Chauncey Billups missed three of four free throws and a layup in 2-plus minutes late in the game, he made two from the line to pull the Pistons within one with 45 seconds left.

Detroit's Jason Maxiell drew a charge on the ensuing possession, giving the home team a chance to avoid an upset.

The Pistons set up a play that created an open shot for Tayshaun Prince, but his jumper was short. After Andre Iguodala made one of two free throws with 11 seconds left, Rasheed Wallace missed a shot near the basket that would have tied it at 88.

Iguodala then made two free throws with 7 seconds left to seal the win.

Wallace had 24 points, nine rebounds and matched a franchise playoff record with seven blocks.

Both teams will get two days off before Detroit hosts Game 2 on Wednesday night.

Iguodala finished with 16 points after a slow start, reserve Reggie Evans had 11 points and 14 rebounds and Thaddeus Young scored 10 for the Sixers.

Billups scored 14, Richard Hamilton had 13 points on 5-of-17 shooting, Maxiell contributed 12 points and a career playoff-high 11 rebounds and Prince added 12.

The Sixers started and closed strong despite being the least-experienced team in the playoffs, matching up with a team that trails only the San Antonio Spurs in combined playoff games.

Philadelphia led by six points early in the game, but Detroit scored the last 11 points of the first quarter and held the Sixers scoreless for 5-plus minutes. That drought spilled into the second and included a cold stretch in which they made just 2-of-21 shots.

Wallace's 3-pointer midway through the second quarter capped a 23-6 run and gave the Pistons an 11-point lead.

The Sixers scored the first eight points of the second half and Detroit missed its first six shots before going on an 11-2 run to lead by 15.

The Pistons might've relaxed, joking with former teammate Flip Murray in the stands during timeouts, and Philadelphia made them pay for it.

Notes:@ Bob Lainer and Ben Wallace also blocked seven shots in the playoffs for the Pistons. ... The Pistons started the playoffs with 678 games of experience to Philadelphia's 95. ... Wallace was called for a technical in the first half, complaining about a call against teammate Prince. He had 12 technicals during the regular season, his fewest since he played for Philadelphia coach Maurice Cheers during the 2002-03 season in Portland. ... Theo Ratliff, a former Sixer, made his first playoff appearance for the Pistons since 1997 and had two blocks in his first 2 minutes.

Since I’m at the game tonight, the best way for me to cover the action will be to run my typical series of stream-of-consciousness observations. Let’s skip the rest of the preamble and head straight towards my deep thoughts.

Pre-Game


While I’m walking past the VIP parking lot on my way into the game, the passenger window of the next car in line reveals Boston Lenny Clarke, who frantically waves someone over the car to chat with him. For those unaware, Lenny is an actor/comedian who looks a lot like Shelley Winters but isn’t quite as funny. Lenny also has a reputation for starring in television series that get cancelled soon thereafter his joining the cast (call it the “Ted McGinley Syndrome”). Considering this little reputational nuance, I’m wondering how wise it was for the Celtics to roll out the red carpet to this walking bad luck charm.


The Atlanta Hawks Media Guide introduces Head Coach Mike Woodson’s biography with the following paragraph: “It is quite an accomplishment for any sports team to participate in postseason action, and for the Atlanta Hawks and Head Coach Mike Woodson, the journey has sometimes been a long and difficult one.” Hmmm. Happy to be here, blah blah blah. After reading that little summary of the Hawks’ postseason berth, I’m officially thinking sweep.


Game time. The place is electric and crowd is beyond amped, filled with a Boston crowd that hasn’t witnessed a Celtics playoff squad with a legitimate chance at winning the title in well over twenty years. Let the games begin.

First Quarter


Less than four minutes in, the Celtics are up 8-2. Kendrick Perkins is due at the line following Atlanta’s first “calm down timeout”. The Hawks look scared, taking ill-advised shots against heavy defensive pressure. During the timeout, the scoreboard shows the score of the Detroit loss to Philadelphia. The crowd strongly approves of this result.


Rajon Rondo’s line with five minutes left: 6 points, 3 rebounds and 4 assists. Mike Bibby, meanwhile has 0 points and 1 technical foul called for barking at the ref on his way into the second timeout. Rondo’s defense against the veteran Bibby has been stifling thus far.


After a bad pass from Leon Powe, Rondo pulls one of his “throw the ball 100 mph against the nearest opponent so that it bounces out of bounds.” The opponent in question is Mike Bibby, who is having a worse day than the German Swim Team.


Red Sox players Mike Lowell, Dustin Pedroia and Davis Ortiz are shown on the Jumbotron sitting front row courtside. Out of uniform, rather than the reigning American League Rookie of the Year, Pedroia looks like the kid brother in charge of rounding up beers and girls under threat of noogies and ridicule.


At the end of the quarter, the Celtics get sloppy on defense and let the Hawks back into the game. With two seconds left, Rondo hits an incredible shot from behind the backboard after drawing a foul but the refs don’t give him the continuation. Regardless, the floor general is hotter than Gisele Bucnhen sitting on the surface of the sun. Score at the end of the first quarter: Celtics 29, Hawks 21.

Second Quarter


The second unit has allowed the Hawks to reach within two with ten left to play when Garnett comes into the game and immediately knocks down a jumper and returns The Force to its proper equilibrium.


Before being replaced by Rondo halfway through the quarter, Sam Cassell has led the Celtics back to an 11 point lead. This is where Boston’s depth is hard to beat.


Kevin Garnett picks up his third foul with 4:04 remaining. This is the best news that the Hawks have received all night.


At 3:39, Rondo draws a charge on Bibby, continuing to frustrate the veteran.

At 3:08, Al Horford draws a foul, hit’s the shot and converts the And 1. It’s not an original thought but I’ll remind everyone at this time that Al Horford is a smart, tough, savvy player who plays far beyond his limited rookie experience. He’s also playing a large role in keeping the Hawks in this game.


After a Joe Johnson three, James Posey responds seconds later with his own three, then grabs the rebound on the next defensive possession. This reminds me of the words of his former coach Pat Riley offered earlier this season in the bowels of this very building. After a drubbing by the Celtics, when asked to reflect on the loss of James Posey (due to salary cap considerations), Riley said, “James Posey is a big shot, big play, big time player.” True, that.


End of half, Celtics 49, Hawks 40. The Hawks are impressing with this unexpected heanging around act of theirs. The second half, of course, will be the far more revealing of the two.

Third Quarter


In the Hawks’ second possession, after Atlanta keeps the ball after back-to-back offensive rebounds, Celtics Assistant Coach and resident defensive guru looks like he’s going to rush the floor with a baseball bat for a little extra “coaching”.


At 7:47, Rondo in transition feeds Ray Allen with a perfect pass to behind the arc. Swish, followed by Atlanta’s first “calm down timeout” of the second half.


Three minutes left in the quarter and the Celtics are up by 14. A fair amount of misses on open looks and a lack of boxing out by the Celtics are the primary reasons that the game is within reach.


After an airball by Rondo, he knocks down a three, a jumper and a sick runner across the lane to bring the lead to 18 by the end of the quarter (Celtics 73, Hawks 55). Don’t look now but Lenny Clarke is getting ready to sing.

(P.S. Yes, that was a fat lady joke.)

Fourth Quarter


At 9:10, the Celtics get called for their fourth team foul (compared to Atlanta‘s one team foul). During the shots, Sam Cassell takes the time to explain to one of the refs what Dr. Naismith meant by the concept of fouls in his design of the game.

With seven minutes left to go, Sam Cassell nails a dagger three and brings the lead to 21. The crowd is happy and relaxed.


Just when the crowd seems to be getting a little sleepy, Leon Powe wakes them up with a jam against double coverage, including Josh Smith. I’m pretty sure Leon Powe could muscle a slam through a truck full of fast drying concrete. This from a guy who couldn’t get on the floor at the beginning of the season. Now he’s clearly an important (if unheralded outside of Boston) part of the rotation.


Instead of the fat lady singing, Doc Rivers officially signifies the win by replacing Kevin Garnett with Glen “Big Baby” Davis with 3:26 remaining and the Celtics up by 22. Garbage time has officially begun. The rest of the game will be on cruise control.


Final score: Celtics 104, Hawks 81.


In summary, the game pretty much went according to script. Atlanta showed some spunk and their athleticism bought them some time but at the end of the day, the played just well enough to lose by 20 against the team with the best record in the league on their home court. There’s no reason to expect any materially different result in Game 2 but, as snaky former Red Sox Manager Jimy Williams used to say, That’s why they play the games. Until Wednesday evening…

credit

Washington at Cleveland, 7:00 pm ET -- The AP reports: LeBron James endured a physical pounding in Cleveland’s 93-86 win in the series opener, an intense game that at times resembled a rugged version of two-handed backyard touch football. Beginning with a shot across the face from Andray Blatche—a blow he later retaliated by throwing an elbow into the forward’s chin—James was a marked man. The Wizards hacked and whacked him... Sunday was spent working on adjustments as the teams prepared for Monday’s Game 2. Before hitting the practice floor, the Wizards lamented missing open shots down the stretch. They carried a four-point lead into the fourth quarter but then went 4-of-20 in the period and misfired on 10 straight shots in the final 4:38... Gilbert Arenas didn’t practice Sunday because of a sprained right wrist, but he’s expected to play in Game 2...

Utah at Houston, 9:30 PM ET -- The AP reports: Without Yao Ming, Carlos Boozer had 20 points and 16 rebounds and the Jazz scored 50 points in the paint. And without Yao anchoring the offense, the Rockets seemed out of sync and tentative. They shot 37 percent, including several misses from close range... The scoring burden now falls on Tracy McGrady, and he couldn’t handle it Saturday. He scored 20 points, but none in the fourth quarter, when he was double-teamed. He finished 7-for-21 from the field and 1-of-5 from 3-point range... Point guard Bobby Jackson added to the Rockets’ struggles, going 3-for-15 from the field. Jackson is filling in for Rafer Alston, who strained his right hamstring April 13. Alston will sit out Game 2, but said Sunday he was aiming to return for Game 3 in Utah on Thursday... If the Jazz need to do one thing better on Monday night, Carlos Boozer points to offensive rebounds. The Rockets grabbed 18 and scored 23 second-chance points, while the Jazz had only 13 offensive boards and 14 second-chance points.

Ex-NBA player Patterson facing lawsuit

Former NBA forward Ruben Patterson is being sued by a home-building company in Ohio for an alleged property violation, his attorney says.

Patterson's attorney, Peter Burrell ,said while the Fertec construction firm in Hamilton County is suing the former pro athlete for allegedly parking in a driveway on its property, he believes the lawsuit represents a larger agenda, The Cincinnati Enquirer reported Sunday.

Burrell contends Fertec, which sued for unspecified damages in August 2007, is trying to make up for declining real estate sales.

"I think what's really going on is Fertec was using this because the real estate market was so down," Burrell told the Enquirer.

Fertec alleges that by parking in a driveway near his home, Patterson caused the property's value to decline.

The lawsuit marked the most recent troubles for Patterson.

After being convicted in 2001 of attempted rape of a 24-year-old nanny, Patterson then reportedly failed to register as a sex offender when he moved to Hamilton County in November 2006.

After a standout career at the University of Cincinnati, Patterson played for the Los Angeles Lakers, Seattle SuperSonics, Portland Trail Blazers, Denver Nuggets, Milkwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Clippers, for whom he last played in 2007.



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