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[Monta Ellis #11]

Sources: Chris Bosh back for Game 5

BOSTON -- With the Eastern Conference finals headed for a tense finish, the Miami Heat appear ready to try to get their missing All-Star on the floor.

According to multiple sources, the Heat are hoping to activate Chris Bosh for Tuesday's Game 5 if he doesn't suffer a setback in workouts over the next two days. Bosh declined to discuss his status following the Heat's 93-91 overtime loss to the Boston Celtics on Sunday, which tied the series at 2-2.

Bosh has missed three weeks and nine playoff games since going down with an abdominal strain in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Indiana Pacers. The Heat have not put an official timetable on his return but it is believed they were targeting a three-week window for a return if he didn't have setbacks in his rehab.

He has been doing on-court workouts for the past week and got on the floor with teammates during practices while the Heat were in Boston. Typically players who return from abdominal strains take awhile to return to full strength and Bosh could be playing on a minute restriction when he comes back.

The Heat have been scrambling without him, starting three different centers in his place and even using LeBron James at center for stretches. The Celtics have taken advantage as Kevin Garnett has averaged 20.5 points and 10.8 rebounds in the four games.


http://espn.go.com/nba/playoffs/2012...ording-sources

[Reise]

Trail Blazers hire Neil Olshey as general manager after Olshey shuns Clippers

The Trail Blazers on Monday hired Neil Olshey as their general manager, The Oregonian has learned, three days after the former Los Angeles Clippers executive was reported to have reached an agreement to stay with the Clippers.

The Blazers swept in Monday after contract negotiations with the Clippers broke down, and the team was waiting for a signed agreement with Olshey late Monday afternoon. The Blazers will introduce Olshey as their new general manager in a Tuesday afternoon press conference, according to a source close to the Blazers.

Olshey, 47, has been the Clippers vice president of basketball operations since March 2010 and has worked for the Clippers in varying roles for the past nine years. He is most known as the man who helped engineer the Clippers' trade for All-Star guard Chris Paul last season.

He comes to Portland in perhaps the most fluid time in the franchise's history. The team needs a head coach, a starting point guard and a starting center, and the franchise owns several assets -- most notably the No. 6 and No. 11 picks in the June 28 draft -- as well as salary cap flexibility to make widespread changes.

Olshey twice interviewed for the position -- once in summer 2011, then again in late May with owner Paul Allen in London. He replaces Rich Cho, who was fired in May 2011, 10 months into his tenure.


Izvor: http://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/in...general_m.html

[T-Snell]

Sources: Raptors shopping pick for forward



The Toronto Raptors know exactly what they want out of the 2012 NBA draft:

An established, athletic wing man.

And that's why the Raptors have already made it known to rival teams that their lottery pick on June 28 -- No. 8 overall -- is available to a trade partner that can provide the elite small forward they seek, according to sources close to the situation.

With a slew of league execs having converged on Chicago this week for the NBA's annual pre-draft camp, sources told ESPN.com that the Raptors have at least two known trade targets: Memphis swingman Rudy Gay and Philadelphia's Andre Iguodala.

The Raptors, sources said, are prepared to part with their lottery pick in this month's draft at least partly because they have a lottery pick on the way. Lithuanian star Jonas Valanciunas, selected No. 5 overall by Toronto in the 2011 draft, is poised to join the Raptors next season after the young 7-footer quickly established himself as one of the most exciting big men in Europe.

Yet it remains to be seen whether Toronto can manufacture the other assets needed to go with the No. 8 to tempt Memphis or Philly or any other team that surfaces with a top swingman available. Veteran point guard Jose Calderon (who possesses an expiring contract in 2012-13) and young big man Ed Davis are among the players that the Raptors would conceivably be willing to put into a trade package.

As ESPN.com reported Sunday, Toronto also plans to be a determined suitor in free agency for Phoenix Suns point guard Steve Nash, hoping to bring Canada's former Olympic basketball captain and newly installed general manager of the senior national team back to home soil.

But if the Raptors decide, in the end, not to make a draft-night deal and keep the pick, they're expected to focus on the top guards that could be available at No. 8. Sources say that Toronto is intrigued by Syracuse's Dion Walters, UConn's Jeremy Lamb and Weber State's Damian Lillard.



http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/pos...ck-for-forward

[ЕлБиЏеј]

Blazers Insider: Coaching search should extend beyond Kaleb Canales

I don't know Neil Olshey at all, so I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt and take him at his word that he is going to conduct a legitimate and fair process to find a head coach for the Trail Blazers.

But one certainly has to worry whether the new general manager has already decided Kaleb Canales is his man after listening to Olshey during his introductory news conference on Tuesday.

Olshey all but drooled on Canales while he was on the podium. He called him "my guy" and the "in-house favorite." He added that "I don't see anyone bringing more to the table than Kaleb Canales." This was moments after Olshey paused a meet-and-greet with employees to make a bee-line at Canales to give him a bear hug.

Apparently, shagging basketballs at a Tim Grgurich camp forms tight bonds.

Later in his news conference, Olshey twice brought up Canales unsolicited. He said Canales does not need to interview for the coaching vacancy. "His work speaks for itself."

And when talking about his vision for the franchise, Olshey apparently isn't far-sighted, as he again zeroed in on Canales, saying "he has already proven he has the ability to execute that vision. So, what you have to weigh is the risk/reward of, if you go outside the organization and someone tells you what you want to hear in the interview, then runs off and works contrary to what we are trying to accomplish. You are setting yourself back instead of moving forward. So, like I said, Kaleb has set the bar high for anybody who would like to compete for the coaching job."

Can you imagine anybody wanting to apply for the job after they heard this?

Steve Kauffman, a prominent agent who represents Golden State assistant Michael Malone wondered aloud Tuesday night: "Does Malone really have any kind of chance in this search?"

This reeks of the slimy underbelly of NBA politics these days, with agent Warren LeGarie positioning both of his clients -- Olshey and Canales -- for a big payday. Other qualified candidates be damned if they aren't in position to scratch the back of a fellow LeGarie client.

I really don't know whether Canales is a good coach. I can say he is energetic, enthusiastic and seems to work hard. And I remember veteran Joel Przybilla saying Canales was prepared and organized when he took over for McMillan for the final 23 games. But I also remember some pretty horrible team defense, although it's difficult to judge good or bad those 23 games because the roster had been so depleted by trades and injuries.

But I do know this: At least one NBA head coach, Monty Williams, says the Blazers are making a mistake if they don't consider Malone. Full disclosure: Williams and Malone are both represented by Kauffman.

But Malone is highly regarded by more than just Kauffman clients. This winter, NBA general managers voted Malone as the league's No. 1 assistant, and it wasn't even close.

He has been an NBA assistant for 11 seasons, including one under Williams, five in Cleveland under Mike Brown and four in New York under Jeff Van Gundy. Malone was so good that in Cleveland, Brown often had Malone diagram the plays during timeouts -- including instances in the NBA finals.

"Mike is more than qualified to take that job and to do what is right for that organization," Williams said Wednesday. "He was really good here. His preparation and his ability to coach in certain situations -- I mean, he was a finals coach -- and he has an attention to detail. He is a diligent cat."

What about Canales, who was on the same staff as Williams in Portland?

"Kaleb is a hard-working guy and has great relationship skills," Williams said. "But that's all I'm going to say about that."

Malone is noted as a defensive coach, with the philosophy that good defense leads to better offense.

"Defense is a foundational thing for Mike," Williams said. "And his mind is ahead of most people's."

Malone has already interviewed with Charlotte, but he has told Kauffman that he has great interest in Portland. He likes the city and wants to raise his family here, and he can see that the roster has potential to win quickly. But the Blazers have yet to call.

"Whoever decides to pull the trigger on him being a head coach is going to be a very fortunate organization," said Golden State head coach Mark Jackson. "His future is extremely bright."

The point here is not to politick for Malone. The point is that Olshey shouldn't make this a LeGarie-exclusive search, and shouldn't have practically offered and signed Canales to a contract on Tuesday.

I know at least one person on the Blazers' basketball operations staff thinks Indiana assistant Brian Shaw should get a look because he is a sharp basketball mind who has an even temperament. And as a former NBA player, Shaw theoretically can relate to his players in a way others can't.

And don't forget that Jerry Sloan has publicly said he is open to returning to coaching, and that Mike D'Antoni and his free-flowing offense is available.

But according to Olshey on Tuesday, Canales showed so much during the Blazers' 8-15 finish that he is the front-runner. Olshey said the Blazers played harder and with more "pop" under Canales. To me, that's an indictment of the players more than Canales pumping up the team. And keep in mind, much of that "pop" was the likes of J.J. Hickson, Jonny Flynn, Hasheem Thabeet, Luke Babbitt and Nolan Smith trying to prove they are NBA-worthy. They were getting their shot because the Blazers had become a lost cause. Of course they were going to play hard.

When Olshey was hired, I thought one of the black marks on his resume was his hiring of Vinny Del Negro as coach of the Clippers. Not only did he hire him, but he gave him a contract extension after a season in which Del Negro's most notable coaching attribute was to shout and stomp his foot to distract an opponent shooting nearby.

Maybe Olshey can pull off a big trade like he did with Chris Paul, and maybe he can find talent in a draft like he did with Eric Bledsoe, and maybe he can sell players on Portland like he did with Chauncey Billups and the Clippers.

But after Tuesday's lovefest, I'm beginning to wonder if he has an eye for coaching, or better yet, the foresight to look past clients of his agent.

http://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/in...tend_beyo.html

[Monta Ellis #11]

If Derrick Rose hadn’t gotten hurt, Bulls would have faced Thunder

Now that the Heat has again revealed itself as beatable, if not beaten, I thought it might be fun to take part in some alternate history. Fun in a cruel sort of way.

What if Derrick Rose hadn’t torn a knee ligament in Game 1 of the Bulls’ first-round series against Philadelphia? Would Chicago be considering parade routes right now?

As I said: cruel. When Rose fell to the floor in pain on that star-crossed April afternoon, it was one of the darker chapters in Chicago sports history, a history with the working title of “Darkness.’’

But after watching the aging Celtics win Tuesday and push Miami to the brink of elimination in the Eastern Conference finals, most Bulls fans have to be thinking the same thing: Getting to the NBA Finals would’ve been a fait accompli for a team with a healthy Rose.

But would it have been?

If Stephen King can write a novel about changing the outcome of the Kennedy assassination and call it 11/22/63, I can write “4/28/12.’’

Before I lay out the Bulls’ rampage through the conference playoffs, let’s try to maintain some perspective. Remember, Rose collected nagging injuries this season the way some wedding gifts collect dust. He missed 27 of the Bulls’ 66 regular-season games. Let’s also remember that the Bulls looked more worn down than most teams after a season of playing every game as if it were the last.

Now let’s suspend reality.

With Rose (and not a poor-shooting C.J. Watson) in the lineup, the Bulls have a clear and ever-present danger at point guard in their first-round series against Philadelphia. The team’s strut from having the league’s best regular-season record remains intact, and the idea of its best player going down with a knee injury seems unduly alarmist. The Bulls beat the unremarkable 76ers in five games. With Rose taking the ball up the court, Joakim Noah doesn’t sprain his ankle.

Evan Turner says Philly got robbed, and nobody notices.

In the second round against Boston, Rose goes against Rajon Rondo in a fantastic matchup. But Rondo is not Rose. After a season of nagging injuries, D-Rose somehow gets stronger as the series goes on and wears down Rondo.

When the Bulls come calling on the Celtics in the second round, Noah makes sure 36-year-old Kevin Garnett doesn’t get his 20 points and 10 rebounds. Also in my alternate reality, Carlos Boozer plays defense in the postseason. And gas is $1.25 a gallon.

The Bulls win in six games and speed up the aging process for the Celtics.

Soooooo … Bulls-Heat in the conference finals — what everybody has been waiting on for months.

Something is fundamentally wrong with the Heat. LeBron James and Dwyane Wade are two of the most talented players in the world, but they don’t play up to their talents together. They’re just asking to be beaten.

But Rose is worn down. He went through toe, back, groin and foot injuries during the season. The only thing that can heal him is time. But he soldiers on. It doesn’t hurt that Miami’s Mario Chalmers is a level or two down from Rondo. It’s about the only thing that doesn’t hurt for Rose.

The Bulls win in seven. Luol Deng steps up, his aching wrist be damned. Coach Tom Thibodeau’s gravelly voice finally gives out for good, and for the rest of the playoffs, he communicates with hand signals and his left eyebrow.

LeBron talks about a career change, “maybe something related to The Hunger Games.’’

And now it’s on to the Finals for the Bulls. Chicago is trying to reacquaint itself with how to act. It has been 14 years since Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen led the Bulls to a sixth title.

And therein lies the problem. You generally need more than one star to win an NBA championship. Rose is the answer for Russell Westbrook, but the Bulls have no answer for Kevin Durant. That’s OK; nobody does.

Oklahoma City wins in seven. Rose walks away feeling older than Keith Richards.

But there’s a vibe that can’t be ignored. It’s that this Bulls team, with a superstar only four years into his career, a fine supporting cast and excellent depth is positioned to win an NBA title soon.

It doesn’t hurt that the Bulls make a major move in the offseason by signing … I won’t tell you which player. I’m saving it for the alternate-reality sequel.

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/baske...d-thunder.html

[Monta Ellis #11]

Orlando Magic’s GM and Coach Search Heating Up

The Orlando Magic are expected to put together a list of finalists for their general manager position by next weekend, according to sources close to the situation.

Former New Orleans Hornets general manager Jeff Bower, San Antonio Spurs assistant general manager Dennis Lindsey, former Portland Trail Blazers vice president of basketball operations Tom Penn and Oklahoma City Thunder assistant general manager Troy Weaver are all under consideration.

Sources also revealed that they have all been asked to consider Golden State Warriors assistant coach Mike Malone and Magic assistant coach Steve Clifford in their search for a head coach.

Bower is the perceived favorite since he is the only candidate with experience at the position.

Regardless of who gets the GM job, Malone is expected to be the frontrunner for the head coaching position.

The Magic fired general manager Otis Smith and head coach Stan Van Gundy on May 22nd.

With those leadership roles vacant the Magic are at a standstill with All-Star center Dwight Howard, who will be a free agent at the end of the 2012-13 season and is rumored to want out before then.

http://www.hoopsworld.com/orlando-ma...rch-heating-up

[Monta Ellis #11]

Eric Gordon Open to Hornets Return

Eric Gordon’s hometown fans may want him back in Indianapolis.

It doesn’t mean the shooting guard will be switching teams next season.

During a break at Saturday’s annual Indiana-Kentucky boys All-Star game in Indianapolis, Gordon told The Associated Press that he would like his next NBA city to be a long-term destination — even if he winds up staying in New Orleans.

“I do like New Orleans,” he said. “It’s a pretty good city with good fans and it’s a good organization.”

Gordon, the key piece for New Orleans in the deal that sent All-Star guard Chris Paul to the Los Angeles Clippers, is scheduled to become a restricted free agent July 1, giving the Hornets and new owner Tom Benson the option to match any offer Gordon gets.

“They’ve got all the cards,” Gordon said. “But I wouldn’t mind (going back).”


http://www.hoopsworld.com/eric-gordo...hornets-return

[Урош94]

Brandon Bass Expects To Be Back





Извор

[Monta Ellis #11]

Spurs’ Duncan faces summer of decision


Gregg Popovich’s first order of business, in those heady days after the 1997 NBA draft, was to go to the beach.

He boarded a flight to St. Croix in the Virgin Islands to meet 21-year-old Tim Duncan, the life-altering big man the Spurs had just made the No. 1 pick.

Duncan was already a luminary in his own right, a consensus national player of the year at Wake Forest. Popovich was an anonymous grunt, already under fire as he prepared to open his first full season as an NBA head coach.

Instinctively, Popovich knew the best sales gimmick, when it came to dealing with his new star player, was no gimmick at all.

“Players have a b.s. antenna,” Popovich said. “They know real quick if you’re for real or not.”

Popovich’s no-nonsense personality immediately endeared him to Duncan, setting the foundation for a 15-season, long-term relationship between coach and franchise player.

It is that relationship, in large part, that kept Duncan from fleeing to Orlando via free agency in 2000. It will come into play again in the coming days or weeks, when Popovich and Duncan reconvene, their connection at a crossroads once more.

The question, hanging in the air thick as island humidity: Does Duncan, now 36, want to keep playing or not?

SPUR FOR LIFE

Duncan’s contract is set to expire July 1, making him an unrestricted free agent. He and the team both acknowledge his impending free agency to be but a technicality.

If Duncan, the centerpiece of four NBA championship teams, chooses to continue his Hall of Fame-bound career, it will be in San Antonio.

“I don’t see him not having a future with the franchise,” Popovich said.

In the wake of the Spurs’ Game 6 ouster by Oklahoma City in the Western Conference finals, Duncan said he had not yet begun the process that will lead to a decision about his future.

“I haven’t even thought about it, and I really don’t care,” Duncan said. “I’ll figure it out when it happens.”

In considering his options, Duncan is sure to draw advice from across the league, some public and some private, some solicited and some not.

Hall of Famer Charles Barkley offered his two cents on national television, during TNT’s coverage of Game 6 from Oklahoma City.

“I hope Tim Duncan retires,” Barkley said. “He is the greatest power forward ever, but he is obviously slowing down. I want to remember him as a great player.”

FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH

Those close to him say Duncan is unlikely to take Barkley’s counsel seriously.

Duncan is coming off a season of rejuvenation, in which he averaged 15.4 points, nine rebounds and 1.5 blocks in a carefully monitored, career-low 28.2 minutes per game.

In terms of efficiency, Duncan’s numbers were nearly identical to those from his 2005-06 campaign, when he was 29.

One longtime league executive who saw Duncan play in February said he thought the Spurs’ big man had two or three more productive seasons left in him.

“He’s moving like he did seven years ago,” said Spurs forward Stephen Jackson, who won a title with Duncan in 2003, perhaps with some hyperbole.

Not all aging big men are created equal.

Shaquille O’Neal (17.8 and 8.4) and Hakeem Olajuwon (18.9 and 9.6) made significant point and rebound contributions for Phoenix and Houston, respectively, at 36.

However, David Robinson (12.2 and 8.3) had clearly slowed down in 2001-02 because of back trouble and he retired the following year.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, a player whose game — like Duncan’s — was not predicated on dizzying athleticism, averaged 21.5 points as a 36-year-old in 1983-84, and would see his scoring increase for two seasons after that.

“The good thing about Tim, his love for the game doesn’t go anywhere,” Jackson said. “The older he gets, the more he dedicates himself to the game.”

ALL THINGS CONSIDERED

In the weeks to come, Duncan — who was on the salary books for $21.1 million last season — must decide whether an inevitable pay cut will make the wear-and-tear of another 82-game NBA campaign worth his while.

Robinson, for example, made $20 million total in his final two seasons in San Antonio, albeit in a different era.

After playing at least the past three seasons with chronic knee soreness, Duncan must also decide if the rigorous workout program and stringent dietary regimen necessary to keep his body in fighting shape is worth the effort.

As Duncan’s 15th NBA season was winding down, Popovich was often asked to reminisce about their time together.

He often answered by flashing back to a day on the beach in St. Croix, 15 years earlier.

“I wanted to know who he was,” Popovich said. “I wanted to know who I was going to be coaching, what the positive and negatives are going to be. I wanted him to know what I was thinking, and how I wanted to run things, and if we were going to have any discussions about it, let’s start now.

“I didn’t want to waste any time.”

As an unheralded coach of a 20-win team, Popovich knew the future of a franchise — and perhaps his own career — was riding on that meeting.

“You just have to be yourself,” Popovich said he told himself then. “If he doesn’t like you, screw it, he doesn’t like you. But you can’t fake it and do something to make somebody like you.”

Even now, Popovich remains grateful for the outcome of that first introduction with Duncan, and the professional lifetime the two have shared because of it.

“Every time I walk around the house, once a month, I tell my wife, ‘Say thank you, Tim,’?” Popovich said.

In the weeks to come, after proper pause for reflection, the Spurs’ coach and franchise player will meet for another no-nonsense conversation.

Once again, the future of a franchise will be riding on it.

No matter what Duncan decides, Popovich’s reaction is likely to be the same:

Thank you, Tim.

http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursna...r-of-decision/

[Monta Ellis #11]

Splitsville in Boston?

Celtics face uncertainty after Game 7 loss to Heat


Doc Rivers had tears in his eyes. Rajon Rondo insisted more could have been done, even after he put up another triple-double. Ray Allen said he has years left in his legs.

The season is over for the Boston Celtics.

Only time will tell if this run of Celtics basketball is over as well.

LeBron James had 31 points and 12 rebounds, Chris Bosh hit a career-best three 3-pointers - the last sparking the run that put it away - and the Miami Heat won their second straight Eastern Conference title by beating the Celtics 101-88 in Game 7 on Saturday night.

So one ''Big Three'' - the one from Miami - is headed to an NBA finals matchup with Oklahoma City.

The other ''Big Three'' - the one from Boston, where it's technically been a ''Big Four'' - is headed into an offseason of uncertainty.

''It's tough. Everything's going so fast right now to think about it,'' Celtics forward Paul Pierce said. ''I'm more disappointed about the loss. It's tough to think about it, especially when you didn't accomplish your goal to win the championship. There are a lot of emotions right now.''

Miami opens the title series in Oklahoma City on Tuesday night. The Heat got there by outscoring Boston 28-15 in the fourth quarter, with the ''Big Three'' of Wade, Bosh and James scoring every Miami point.

''We decided to come together and play together for a reason,'' Wade said.

Wade scored 23 points, Bosh finished with 19 and Shane Battier added 12 for the Heat.

Rondo finished with 22 points, 14 assists and 10 rebounds for Boston, which got 19 points from Pierce in what might be the last game of the ''Big Four'' era for the Celtics. Boston took out its starters with 28.3 seconds left. By then, workers already had a rope around the perimeter of the court, preparing for the East trophy presentation.

''Give them credit,'' Rondo said. ''They spread the points out as a team tonight. Give them credit. They played great tonight as a team and we just came up short.''

James and Rivers - who teared up often postgame - shared a long embrace when it was all over. Before coming to Miami for Game 7, Rivers had packed for Oklahoma City, a trip he won't make, set to now spend his time seeing if James can win that first title.

''I told him to go do it,'' Rivers said.

Boston battled injuries all season, all the way to the end. Allen said he'll need surgery soon to repair bone chips in his right ankle. Pierce has been playing through a sprained knee ligament.

It all hurt. Nothing hurt more than the final buzzer Saturday night.

''It's probably the worst feeling that we feel, in our lives, in our careers,'' Allen said. ''There's nothing you can do about it. There's one team that wins that last game. We want to be that team every year. We've been through a lot. We've won a lot of games. At the end of every season, it always feels like it's it.

''This one hit me hard,'' Allen continued. ''We wanted it so bad.''

Down by seven at the half and eight early in the third quarter, Miami started clawing back. An 8-0 run tied it at 59-all, capped by Wade hitting a jumper, and then the fun really started. There were six lead changes and five more ties in the final 7 minutes of the third. Bosh scored with 29 seconds left for the last of those ties, and it was 73-all going into the fourth.

Six games decided nothing, and nothing was decided in Game 7 until the very last moments, neither team yielding much of anything. Battier's 3-pointer with 8:06 left in the third cut Boston's lead at the time to 59-57.

And back and forth they went.

For the next 13 minutes, a span of 46 dizzying, unbelievable possessions, neither team led by more than two points.

That finally changed when Bosh his third 3-pointer with 7:17 left. James made a runner on the next Miami trip, and suddenly the Heat had their biggest lead of the night to that point, 88-82 with 6:54 remaining.

They were on their way.

''He was big time - every shot, every defensive play, every rebound - we missed him,'' James said of Bosh. ''We're just happy to have him back at the right time. If it wasn't for him and the rest of the guys that stepped up, we don't win this game.''

Said Heat coach Erik Spoelstra: ''Our most important player.''

James made a 3-pointer - it went into the books as a 30-footer, as he leaped from atop one of the Eastern Conference finals stickers on the floor - as the shot clock was expiring with just under 6 minutes left, making it 91-84.

''Backbreaker,'' Rivers said.

Even mistakes were going Miami's way, as James lost a behind-the-back dribble, only to have the ball skip right into Battier's hands.

Bosh scored from inside the lane to end that possession. Wade scored on the next one, the lead was 95-86 with 3:23 left, Boston called time and the building was simply rocking. James did plenty of talking on the Heat bench in that stoppage, clearly saying the word ''Finish'' at one point.

They listened. A three-point play by Wade with 2:53 left all but sealed it, the Heat were up 12, and Oklahoma City beckoned.

''We had nothing left,'' Rivers said. ''That's how it felt, as a coach. ... But overall, I don't know if I've ever had a group like this.''

Brandon Bass scored 16, Allen finished with 15 and Kevin Garnett scored 14 for the Celtics, who know next season could bring big changes.

A team that was under .500 at the All-Star break almost made the NBA finals.

Almost.

''One game away on the road, banged up. ... I don't know if we could have gotten any more from the group,'' Rivers said.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/celtics...JqsnKoI968vLYF

[Monta Ellis #11]

Report: Ray Allen leaning Heat, Clippers if he leaves Celtics

It could happen, but it just doesn’t feel to me like Ray Allen will return to the Celtics.

Things are changing there. Avery Bradley stole his starting job and he is not giving it up. The Celtics (even if they bring back Kevin Garnett) are going to start to transition to the future. Would Allen come off the bench? Bottom line is a lot of other teams will court Allen with offers of more run and more money and he may listen.

Which teams? Glad you asked. From a report at ESPNNewYork.com.

"If the Celtics don’t pan out for Allen, Sports Illustrated’s NBA writer Chris Mannix was told that the Knicks and Heat are at the top of his list. But a source very familiar with Allen’s situation told ESPNNewYork.com that the Heat, as well as potentially the Clippers, will be more attractive to the five-time All-Star in the offseason because they’re top teams that can offer more than the veteran’s minimum of $1.4 million. That will likely be the Knicks’ spending limit for free agents."

The Knicks need shooters who can space the floor, so you can see why even an older Allen is attractive. You may have noticed Tuesday night, the Heat could use some consistent outside shooting. The Clippers have more money and both started and gave big minutes to Randy Foye at the two, that is an up and coming team with a hole at the two.

Ray Allen has options. The Celtics may be at the top of his wish list. But he has options.

http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.c...ltics/related/

[Monta Ellis #11]

Dallas Mavericks hope to lure Deron Williams back home


Unfortunately for the Dallas Mavericks, Brooklyn Nets point guard Deron Williams won't be renegotiating his contract with his longtime agent, Tommy Thomas.

Otherwise, Williams could be wearing a Mavericks uniform.

Thomas was Williams' high school coach at The Colony from 1999-02, has watched Williams mature into being one of the game's best players and has been a major influence in his life for many years. Thomas also was Williams' agent, via Houston-based McClaren Sports, when he became the third overall pick of the 2005 NBA Draft by the Utah Jazz.

Williams becomes the NBA's hottest free agent July 1, and Thomas said "I would love to see him" sign with the Mavericks. However, Thomas' contract with Williams ends June 30, and Williams' new agent, Jeff Schwartz, will be handling negotiations with whichever team Williams decides to play.

"We want him to make the best decision for him and his family, wherever that is and wherever God leads him," Thomas said Tuesday. "I told him the other day, 'Hey, I let God do all the heavy lifting in my life, so you've just got to pray about it and then see what path God has for you and then be committed to wherever He takes you.'

"That's the advice I gave him a couple of Saturdays ago."

Asked if he advised Williams not to go on live TV -- a la LeBron James -- to announce the decision about his basketball future, Thomas said: "That's his new guy's deal now. I'm out of that part. All I do is pray for him and wish him well."

The Mavericks are hopeful that Williams, an All-Star the past three seasons, will return home and sign a long-term contract with them. So, too, is Thomas.

"He'll look good in any uniform as long as you're the guy sitting on that bench trying to coach him," Thomas said. "He makes you look an awful lot smarter.

"I just saw him the other day and talked to him, and he's got a lot to think about. Hopefully, he'll weigh it all out and make the right one for him and his family."

Thomas posted an impressive 90-8 record during the three years Williams played for him at The Colony. He knows a chance to win an NBA title likely will weigh heavily in Williams' decision as much as the chance to become financially secure.

"Deron's always been about winning, so I'm sure that's first and foremost in his mind," Thomas said. "He's already had a great career and made great money.

"Again, the money is important, obviously, to take care of his family. But he's also a competitive guy."

That competitiveness might lead Williams to sign with the Mavericks, who captured their first NBA title a year ago Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Thomas admits whoever winds up winning the Deron Williams Sweepstakes will have an outstanding player with a high basketball IQ.

"He's earned everything that he's gotten," Thomas said. "Clearly when he was in high school, and even since when I've been around him, his work ethic and willingness to try to get better is just unparalleled.

"All the success that he's had -- he's a talented player, he's a talented athlete -- has been achieved through hard work."

Be it with the Mavericks, Nets or elsewhere, Thomas believes Williams will continue to have success.

"He's been great to me and we're wishing him the best, for sure," Thomas said. "We're certainly praying for him to let God drive that decision and just let it be the one he's supposed to make."

http://www.star-telegram.com/2012/06...e-to-lure.html

[Monta Ellis #11]

Sloan one of three finalists for Charlotte head coach job

ESPN reported Monday night that Jerry Sloan is one of three finalists for the Charlotte Bobcats' head coaching job.

Citing league sources, ESPN said Indiana assistant Brian Shaw and Los Angeles Lakers assistant Quin Snyder are also being considered as replacements for Paul Silas, who was fired after a 7-59 season.

Sloan, Snyder and Shaw will meet with Charlotte owner Michael Jordan "in the next week or so," according to the ESPN report. Bobcat executives Rod Higgins and Rich Cho are also involved in the decision-making process.

Sloan, 70, resigned midway through the 2010-11 season after 23 years as head coach of the Utah Jazz. Inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009, Sloan is the only one of the Bobcat finalists with head coaching experience.

Sloan, Shaw and Snyder were chosen from a field of interviewees that included Hall of Famer Patrick Ewing, former Portland coach Nate McMillan, Golden State assistant Michael Malone, Cleveland assistant Nate Tibbetts, Charlotte assistant Stephen Silas, Memphis assistant Dave Joerger and St. John's University assistant Mike Dunlap.


http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/blogsja...-espn.html.csp

[Monta Ellis #11]

NBA: 76er Lou Williams opts out, becomes free agent

Combo guard Lou Williams opted out of his deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, becoming a free agent in this upcoming NBA off-season, Williams' agent told Deep Sixers blogger John Mitchell of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Williams, who was the team's leading scorer in the 2011-12 regular season despite coming off the bench, declined a $6.4 million player option in order to test the free agency waters.

He averaged a career-best 14.9 points in 26.16 minutes per game this past season, making 40.7 percent of his shots, along with 2.4 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 0.8 steals.

His numbers took a hit during the 76ers' playoff runs against the Chicago Bulls and the Boston Celtics however, falling to 11.5 points over 27.33 minutes, on 35.2 percent shooting with 2.1 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.0 steals. That was still good enough to be the team's third best scorer in the post-season though.

Williams was a second round draft pick by the 76ers in the 2005 Draft, making the direct leap from high school to the pros.

It is likely that the offense-challenged Philadelphia franchise will try to re-sign him, though other teams looking for a dynamic sixth man off the bench could also be interested in the 6'1" spitfire.

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story...mes-free-agent

[Monta Ellis #11]

Report: Heat, Knicks, Clippers on Jamal Crawford’s radar

Jamal Crawford is not returning to Portland last year. That turned out to be a failed experiment.

So where does the former Sixth Man of the Year — who has put up pretty pedestrian numbers the last couple seasons — want to play next? Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio reports some rumors on that.

"Teams said to be on his radar include the Heat, Clippers, Kings, Knicks and Cavaliers."

If you look at that list, the question becomes does he want to get paid or does he want to contend.

With the Heat, he could provide scoring off the bench but they can only offer the mini mid-level at most ($3 million, and he made $5 million last year). Plus, Crawford would be relegated to more spot-up shooting, something he did at a 35.2 percent clip last season.

The Kicks could use the scoring, too, but they can offer less (because they will have to use their mid-level on Jeremy Lin or another point guard. And again, the ball would likely be in his hands less (hello ‘Melo!) and 48.1 percent of his offense came from isolation as the pick-and-roll ball handler last season.

The Clippers could offer a full mid-level ($5 million), and they need a two guard. However, what they really need is not scoring but defense out of their two guard. Not sure about the fit.

The Kings could pay but not sure they need another wing player. The Cavs could use him and they have cap space.

It’s going to be interesting to see where he lands.


http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.c...awfords-radar/