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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.