2008 NBA Playoffs

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HARRIS ON GUARD
NET KEEPS EYE ON DRAFT, DEALS
By FRED KERBER
New York Post

May 23, 2008 -- Nets point guard Devin Harris knows better than to discount trade rumors.

"You never know. Obviously, I've been a big part of rumors, as well, so you never know what's going to happen until it actually happens," Harris said yesterday.

Harris, who was part of a health-and-fitness clinic for first- and third-graders from Wayne (NJ) at the Nets New Jersey Nets ' East Rutherford facility, heard his name in trade talks for the longest time in Dallas. Good thing he didn't ignore those.

So Harris is paying attention to recent talk involving a possible deal that would bring Carmelo Anthony to the Nets. While Harris doesn't dismiss anything, he sees the Nets doing more "retooling" than detonating.

"I heard some rumors. I'm curious. You've got to figure we're going to do something, whether it's a big monster deal or changing some of our role players," Harris said. "I think it's more retooling, but it is the NBA, things happen every summer."

Harris knows the Nets need help - hardly a news flash - and sees the draft as an avenue for that help to arrive with the Nets picking 10th and 21st. He's not overly familiar with the collegians, but two big-man names have his attention: UCLA's Kevin Love and LSU forward Anthony Randolph.

"They say Love might be around at that [No. 10] pick. He's a great player and obviously there's something we need to address in the post, and there's [Randolph] from LSU," Harris said. "Obviously, that's a project at 6-10, but hopefully he can develop some things as well. And at 21, there's always some under-the-radar picks."

While that 21st pick came from Dallas in the Jason Kidd Jason Kidd trade, Harris, of course, was the main acquisition for the Nets. Former Mavs coach Avery Johnson, who was notoriously hard on Harris and kept him reined in, has been telling all who will listen what a great relationship they had as he distances himself from the trade for Kidd. Harris just smiled, although he admitted he and Johnson did get closer at the end of his stay with the Mavs.

"I heard a couple comments: 'I should have given Devin the ball a little bit sooner [to develop him faster].' It's good to know, but there's not a lot we can do now," Harris said. "Obviously we were close and it's just his way of showing some allegiance to me.

"I don't think he was a big contributor to the trade talk when it was going on. . . . We got pretty close. We didn't always see eye to eye. He was a little harder on me than I think he should have been, but the last part of my third year into my fourth we had developed a close relationship."

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Draft Watch: Is Mayo the No. 2 pick?

By Chad Ford
ESPN.com

Updated: May 23, 2008, 4:32 AM ET

CHICAGO -- The debate continues to rage in Chicago Bulls country about the No. 1 pick.

I spoke with John Paxson on Thursday and you can listen to the entire interview here on the podcast.

Paxson was adamant that the Bulls haven't made up their minds and won't decide what to do until they see both Michael Beasley or Derrick Rose work out. So whomever you put atop your mock draft, you have a 50 percent chance of saying "I told you so" to someone.

But after talking to Paxson, I think the theoretical guy he's describing -- the player who is a leader, who makes people better, has great character and can be a franchise player -- sounds like Rose. Paxson denied this on the interview, but more and more people in the league seem to be coming to the conclusion that this is Rose's pick to lose.

If the Bulls take Rose No. 1, that leads to an interesting scenario with the Heat at No. 2. Sources say the Heat want Rose, too, but if he's not on the board, a source familiar with the Heat's thinking told me that the team is interested in O.J. Mayo and think he might be a great fit in the backcourt with Dwyane Wade.

I'm not sure why the Heat are shying away from Beasley, as he would be a good fit in Miami. But I see why Miami likes Mayo. While Rose is a pure point guard, his lack of a jump shot would make him a somewhat less than ideal fit alongside Wade. Yes, the Heat would have the most athletic backcourt in the league, but without much outside shooting.

Mayo, on the other hand, is an excellent shooter with deep range. He also has enough point guard skills to run a team like Miami, especially with Wade, a combo guard, also handling the ball a lot. Mayo's basketball IQ and age (he'll be 21 in November) also make him a little more NBA-ready than Rose right now.

For several years NBA teams have ranked Mayo as the top prospect in his draft class. After a shaky start for USC, he came on strong at the end of the season. And he has looked awesome in his Chicago workouts with Tim Grover.

If the Heat decide Mayo's the guy, they may be able to swing a deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Seattle Supersonics or Memphis Grizzlies that would give them both Mayo and an extra piece of the puzzle. I think all three teams would give up something significant for the chance to move up and draft Beasley.

• I've gotten quite a bit of feedback from NBA GMs on our first mock draft of the year -- enough that I'll be making some adjustments on Monday.

Here's a sneak preview of one of the things I'm hearing:

Everyone is telling me that I have DeAndre Jordan too low. While there were several sources disputing the rumor that Jordan has a top-five commitment (the word now is that he's supposed to be working out for the Grizzlies at No. 5, the New York Knicks at No. 6, the Charlotte Bobcats at No. 9 and the Indiana Pacers at No. 11), everyone said they'd be shocked if Jordan were to slip out of the top 10 on draft night. Currently we have him at No. 14 to Golden State, but that will probably change.

"He's just too big and too talented to slip that far," one GM said. "There are a lot of risks with him, but big guys with that talent just don't slip that far."

• The first round of invites for the Orlando predraft camp went out on Thursday. I am still compiling the list of who was invited and who wasn't and will get it to you when I have it. More interesting was the physical-only invite list, which we have.

Each year the NBA invites a select group of players to Orlando for physicals. Normally this group just goes through some testing (height, weight, vertical jump, strength training), a medical physical and some light drills. This list is usually the first indication of the players the league thinks are the best in the draft.

A league source told me that there are 12 players on the list at the moment: Beasley, Rose, Mayo, Brook Lopez, Jerryd Bayless, Danilo Gallinari, Anthony Randolph, Eric Gordon, Jordan, Kevin Love, Russell Westbrook and D.J. Augustin. That also happens to be our Top 12 in our Top 100.

Among the names to be left off the list so far are Joe Alexander, Kosta Koufos, Marreese Speights, Donte Greene and Darrell Arthur. But the league has been known, in the past, to offer more spots as we get closer to the camp.

• Trade rumors keep coming hot and heavy, though most of them are aren't worth repeating.

But here's one intriguing one I heard today: The Cleveland Cavaliers could trade Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Anderson Varejao and the No. 19 pick to Indiana for Jermaine O'Neal.

It's an interesting idea, but when I called team sources to find out if there was any truth to it, they shot it down as bogus.

Still, I'd watch both teams closely. I think the Pacers will move O'Neal this summer if they can, and I think the Cavs are definitely going to try and strengthen the supporting cast this summer for LeBron's sake. A healthy O'Neal could be a big boon for the Cavs, and head coach Mike Brown, formerly with the Pacers, should know how to get the best out of hi

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Monson: What big summer plans do you have for the Jazz?
By Gordon Monson
Tribune Columnist
Article Last Updated: 05/23/2008 03:33:56 AM MDT

Let's say you're Kevin O'Connor and, with the permission of Jerry Sloan and Larry Miller, you have the power to change the Jazz's future during this offseason. What would you do? Something bold? Something brash? Something big? Or nothing at all? Here are a few considerations:
* Trade Carlos Boozer.
Many, including Boozer himself, were disappointed in his playoff performance, which fell off dramatically at the offensive end. Think about the success the Jazz may have seen against the Lakers had the All-Star power forward actually played the way he did a postseason ago. It could have made the difference. On the other hand, his defense was not good, and never has been.
But the "trade Boozer" notion has less to do with any of that and more to do with the option he can exercise at the end of next season to become an unrestricted free agent. Boozer can walk away from the Jazz and sign with whichever club he chooses, according to the terms of his contract. Rumor is that the Miami Heat are preliminarily making him a priority target.
Considering Boozer has a home in south Florida, and his child's health condition reportedly is aggravated by altitude, and remembering the way Boozer deserted the Cleveland Cavs to sign his current deal with the Jazz, is a trade the best way to protect themselves from any such scenario?

Boozer is too valuable a commodity to let jump ship with the only benefit back being more room under the salary cap. Conversely, if the Jazz were to attempt to trade him, any club wanting Boozer and willing to deal would have to worry about the same thing, namely: Can they re-sign him? Would that concern de-value Boozer, thereby not making the trade worthwhile?
It's notable - or is it, given his dubious track record? - that Boozer was so adamant that Deron Williams wouldn't be going anywhere, when questions about the point guard's future were put to Boozer on Saturday. Will the Williams-Boozer combo, then, become the long-term Jazz core, in the pattern of the Stockton-Malone duo of a generation earlier?
The most likely scenario is that Boozer will opt out of his contract and then re-sign with the Jazz. He can get max money that way, and avoid having to take less money with some other club. Most teams could not absorb a $13 million salary without blowing their cap space to smithereens.
One other option is for the Jazz to sign Boozer and then trade him.
* Understand that the Lakers will be around for a long time and deal for and with it.
The Jazz might want to study the Lakers and figure out what they have to have to beat that team. Easy to say, tough to do. Will Boozer always struggle against the longer Lakers? If so, that should figure in. How can they best position themselves to not get eliminated by L.A. every postseason for the next five years?
* Dump a boatload of cash on Williams and ride that wave.
The gifted point guard is clearly the key to the Jazz's future, and everybody knows it. Williams said recently that he would meet with his agent in coming weeks and try to work something out with the Jazz before he gets into his summer schedule of competing for Team USA at the Olympics.
The Jazz can't offer him an extension until July 1.
Williams could extend for five years at maximum money, gaining the security of a long deal, or he could do what LeBron James did and sign for fewer years, with less security, but then become an unrestricted free agent earlier, and hold out the possibility of grubbing even more cash at that time.
Best guess here is Williams will split the difference, extending for four years and allow himself a measure of flexibility to boot.
* Trade Andrei Kirilenko.
It has to happen - if not this year, next. Kirilenko is a max guy. Williams will be a max guy. If Boozer stays, he might be a max guy. The Jazz would be maxed out. On top of that, players such as Ronnie Brewer, who is in a similar situation as Williams, only a year behind and not quite as valuable, will have to be paid more.
Miller has said he is not interested in shelling out for the luxury tax - unless it would nearly guarantee him a title, and with the salaries where they are and where they will be in the near future, the financials add up too drastically to make much sense.
Kirilenko may be worth $7 million per season. He's definitely not worth the nearly $15 million he'll make next year. And, of course, therein is the trouble in getting rid of him. No other team wants to overpay a role player for another three seasons - Kirilenko will make $50 million over that span - even if he can benefit that team in some way.
Trading Kirilenko does create a major on-the-court problem in that he is the team's best defender. The Jazz are already a marginal defensive club, so where does that leave them without Kirilenko? A trade makes even more sense if the Jazz could unload AK and his salary, and gain in return a great defender. Good luck on that one.
* Obtain a forceful interior defensive presence.
O'Connor is painfully aware. When reminded of this glaring need, his response, paraphrased, went like this: "Go find me that guy."

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Pistons Prove Six Is Still Greater Than Three

By Chris Sheridan
ESPN.com

BOSTON -- Somewhere, perhaps back home in Akron, perhaps in the back of a limo with Jay-Z, LeBron James had to be thinking to himself: "I told you so."

It was only four days earlier that James exited the 2008 playoffs with some parting words of wisdom for the Boston Celtics, warning them that the Detroit Pistons team they were about to face probably takes more pride in winning on the road than they do in defending their home court.

In Game 2, the Pistons showed why James may have a future side career in prophesy.

Getting solid if not spectacular all-around efforts from each member of their starting five along with rookie Rodney Stuckey, the Pistons overcame the Celtics on a night when Boston's big three played better together than they had in any of their previous 15 postseason games.

All five starters, led by Richard Hamilton's 25, reached double figures and contributed to a defensive effort that gave the Detroit Pistons a 103-97 victory Thursday night that evened the Eastern Conference semifinals at one game apiece.

"In Game 1, we let one slip away because we didn't play with the intensity we needed," Hamilton said. "Tonight, it was like: 'OK guys, all year long we say we care about each other, so now when we go out there, don't leave anybody hanging.' I thought we did a great job of not leaving anybody hanging, not just on offense but on defense."

Still, it was the offense that came through in the final minute when the Pistons needed to make plays to maintain their comfort zone that was in danger of being squeezed.

With Detroit ahead 96-92, the Pistons got the Celtics to bite on a switch, leaving Hamilton isolated against Kevin Garnett beyond the 3-point line near the home bench. Hamilton's eyes lit up, and his swift feet carried him right past Garnett as he drove toward the free-throw line and tossed up a 12-foot floater that swished through.

Pierce answered with a driving shot that made it a four-point game again, and James Posey blocked a short jumper by Tayshaun Prince, sending the ball out of bounds with less than 3 seconds remaining on the shot clock and 18.7 on the game clock.

But when they came out of the ensuing timeout, the Pistons managed to confuse Garnett in the lane and got him to turn his back to Billups, who darted inside, caught what was practically a handoff inbounds pass from Prince and converted a reverse layup that upped the lead from four to six.

Game over.

"When it came down to hitting shots, they made their shots and we made ours, but it was like running uphill in sand at that point. We never could turn that corner. When we needed stops, man, we just couldn't get that one stop to get us over the hump," Garnett said.

So the Celtics' aura of home invincibility is now gone, gone despite the 26 points they got from Pierce, the 25 they got from Ray Allen and the 24 they got from Garnett. This was their first loss in 10 home playoff games, and they now bring their less-than-intimidating 0-6 road mark to Auburn Hills for Games 3 and 4 over the holiday weekend.

The question that needs to be asked now is this: If the Celtics, with their top three guys playing at near peak efficiency, couldn't beat the Pistons when they had six players in top form, how many members of the Detroit team need to be removed from the success equation in order for the Celtics to have a shot before we're all back here next Wednesday?

"You know, usually when we shoot basically 49 percent and score 97 points, we win games. Tonight our defense just wasn't as good as it's been," Boston coach Doc Rivers said.

What was striking about the Pistons' side of the box score was the balance. Hamilton was 7-for-16 from the field and 10-for-12 from the line, and Billups went 5-for-10 from the field and 7-for-8 from the line despite clearly playing at less than 100 percent as he recovers from a hamstring injury. He was backed up admirably by Stuckey, the confident rookie from Eastern Washington who coach Flip Saunders credited with steadying the ship when the Celtics were making their biggest push late in the third quarter and early in the fourth.

Antonio McDyess had 15 points and eight rebounds, Prince had 14 and eight, and Rasheed Wallace contributed 13 points and 10 rebounds to keep from being dominated on the stat sheet as he was in Game 1 by the player he was defending, Garnett.

Pierce said Stuckey's 13 points, three assists and two steals made him the x-factor, and that performance came on a night when the Celtics didn't have an x-factor other than Allen finding some aggression and getting his offense untracked.

Whether that carries over -- and whether Allen's offense can be enough to overcome what appears to be a deeper, more experienced team, will be just one of the many things Celtics fans need to look for as they get their hopes up for the next two games.

But if the Pistons can keep getting these kinds of contributions from so many key players, they may be more than the Celtics can handle.

Yes, the big three finally played well together. But the Pistons had a big six.

No matter how you do the math, that's a sizeable advantage for a team that just took over the momentum in the series.

stonecold316

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Pistons steal win on Celtics home floor

Agence France-Presse
First Posted 11:49:00 05/23/2008
www.inquirer.net

BOSTON, Massachusetts -- The Detroit Pistons dealt the Boston Celtics their first home defeat of the National Basketball Association playoffs on Thursday with a 103-97 triumph.

Richard Hamilton scored 25 points for the Pistons, who evened the best-of-seven Eastern Conference finals series at one game apiece. The winner of the series advances to the NBA Finals.

Chauncey Billups chipped in 19 points for the Pistons, who host game three on Saturday.

The Celtics, who trailed for the first time heading into the fourth quarter at home this postseason, cut their deficit to two points on Ray Allen's jumper with 4:36 left, but they could get no closer.

Allen broke out of a slump, scoring 25 points on 9-of-16 shooting for the Celtics.

Now the pressure is on the Celtics to do what they haven't yet done this postseason, which is win on the road.

They are now 9-1 at home, but have lost all six of their road games spanning two series against Atlanta and Cleveland.

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Pistons steal win on Celtics home floor

Agence France-Presse
First Posted 11:49:00 05/23/2008
www.inquirer.net

BOSTON, Massachusetts -- The Detroit Pistons dealt the Boston Celtics their first home defeat of the National Basketball Association playoffs on Thursday with a 103-97 triumph.

Richard Hamilton scored 25 points for the Pistons, who evened the best-of-seven Eastern Conference finals series at one game apiece. The winner of the series advances to the NBA Finals.

Chauncey Billups chipped in 19 points for the Pistons, who host game three on Saturday.

The Celtics, who trailed for the first time heading into the fourth quarter at home this postseason, cut their deficit to two points on Ray Allen's jumper with 4:36 left, but they could get no closer.

Allen broke out of a slump, scoring 25 points on 9-of-16 shooting for the Celtics.

Now the pressure is on the Celtics to do what they haven't yet done this postseason, which is win on the road.

They are now 9-1 at home, but have lost all six of their road games spanning two series against Atlanta and Cleveland.

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Ginobili feels pain of losses in L.A.

Web Posted: 05/24/2008 01:00 AM CDT

By Mike Monroe
Express-News

LOS ANGELES — Behind closed doors inside Staples Center in the hours before Game 2 of the NBA's Western Conference finals, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich huddled with his assistants and kicked around a nearly unthinkable notion.

Did they dare tell Manu Ginobili he would not play against the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday? Might the Spurs actually be better off by allowing Ginobili to get some rest to avoid more pressure on his jammed left ankle?

Ultimately, the coaches chose to bring Ginobili off the bench, rather than start him as they had in the final five games of the Spurs' semifinal triumph over the New Orleans Hornets.

Popovich said he and his staff fretted about the fatigue Ginobili had been fighting since playing more than 41 minutes with all-out effort in Game 7 in New Orleans on Monday.

“We knew (fatigue) would catch up this game, not last game,” Popovich said. “We thought our last game was our best shot to get something here, to just dig down and go after it. Obviously, we didn't get that done.”

Judging from the stunned look on Ginobili's face when he learned of the pregame consideration given to “shutting him down,” it was a good thing the coaches didn't go through with it. Popovich may have had a fight on his hands trying to deliver the decision.

“I didn't even know,” said the ultra-competitive Argentine guard when told. “I couldn't have agreed.

“I know I played terrible, but I believe I can perform better, really help the team and be more me.”

Ginobili certainly wasn't the usual Ginobili on Friday. He missed 6 of 8 shots, all four of his 3-point attempts, grabbed only two rebounds and committed two turnovers.

It was such an atypically bad performance that Popovich sounded as if he rued the decision to play him as much as he did — 23 minutes and 25 seconds.

“You know, we wanted to take Manu out earlier, and then he made a mistake and made two good moves in a row,” Popovich said. “And then I got excited again. ‘Is this a run? Am I going to take him out now?' Or he would have already been out.

“It was perfect timing at about the time we were going to pull him. He made a drive, or he made a shot, or he did something and we stuck with him for another two minutes, or whatever it was. Then, we pulled the plug on him.”

Ginobili, of course, insisted he felt better Friday than he had in Wednesday's game.

“I'm not taking it like the ankle is limiting me,” Ginobili said. “I am just playing bad. I've got to step up and do things better. I've got to be more aggressive. That's it. I've got to forget the ankle. It's not an issue now.

“I was just not aggressive enough. I did not make anything happen. So it's something I'm going to work on and come strong in Game 3.”

Ginobili tried to assume a much-too-large portion of blame for the Spurs' awful Game 2 performance, but his teammates rose to his defense.

“We're going to have to find a way to get contributions from a lot of different people,” Tim Duncan said. “Obviously, I'm going to have to shoot the ball better than I did in this game. I've got to be more aggressive than I was. Tony (Parker), the same. And we're going to have to get Manu going hard again.”

Ginobili, though, kept pointing the finger of blame at himself.

“That's the way I'm built,” he said. “I blame myself. I think that if I could have played at least OK these last two games it could have been 1-1. I am tough on myself, so I felt responsible.

“Game 3 is going to be a good test for me.”

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Commentary: Blazers aren’t only team ready to deal

Friday, May 23, 2008
By Brian Hendrickson Columbian Staff Writer

So you’re convinced the Portland Trail Blazers need to trade their first-round draft pick, eh?

Well, don’t make alternate plans for draft day just yet.

There is no doubt the Blazers will shop the No. 13 pick before the draft is held next month, exploring whether they can use it to acquire a veteran rather than continue assembling teams that never seem to age. It certainly seems to be Portland’s wisest option.

But just as the Blazers have built themselves into a position in which draft picks are no longer necessary to build a better future, timing may not be on their side. There may be too many teams looking to shop their picks this summer, and not enough teams looking to acquire them.

Yes, the NBA could face a bear market for draft picks this year. And the flood of available selections could make it difficult for the Blazers to get more value in a trade than they could by using the pick itself.

Draft picks are commodities whose values wax and wane like any limited resource in a free-market system. If demand exceeds the supply, the value generally rises. If supply reigns, the value falls.

And on Tuesday, Blazers general manager Kevin Pritchard acknowledged that the league’s older, successful teams may not be ready to start the rebuilding process just yet, which could leave a shortfall in the demand for picks.

“Teams are still in that arms race and they think that they can get to that championship,” Pritchard said following the lottery. “I think we’re about a year away from teams really realizing where they are.”

At the same time, reports from other NBA cities suggest there may be a glut of lottery teams who are interested in shopping their picks, including Minnesota (No. 3 pick), Seattle (No. 4), New York (No. 5), the L.A. Clippers (No. 7), Milwaukee (No. Cool, Charlotte (No. 9) and New Jersey (No. 10).

Even Miami president Pat Riley indicated immediately after the Heat landed the No. 2 overall selection that he would shop that coveted pick — where either Michael Beasley or Derrick Rose will be available — over the next month.

That’s nine of 14 lottery teams possibly interested in a trade — a lot of potential supply higher on the draft board than the Blazers sit, which could directly affect the value of the 13th pick if fewer teams show an interest in moving up.

And right now, there don’t appear to be many.

Teams like Dallas, Phoenix and Los Angeles already swung major trades during the year for more experience and talent in preparation for a championship run. They will likely continue fine tuning rather than start adding youth this summer.

Young teams like Utah, New Orleans and Orlando have recently matured into contenders. And while established teams like San Antonio, Detroit and Boston are aging, they have also proved in this year’s playoffs that there is still usable mileage on the parts they have.

Do any of those teams sound like they are ready to start trading veterans for draft picks?

Now think about what Pritchard predicted will determine the value of the 13th pick: “It depends on how many teams around the league are truly trying to get young and get better with their youth and go with the youth movement. If there are more of those teams, the competition heats up for the 13th pick.”

With that in mind, even a casual glance at the league suggests the Blazers may not have a great deal of leverage.

But keep in mind, even NBA personnel are still getting a feel for other teams’ true interest levels. They probably will not have a strong sense of the landscape until at least next week’s draft camp in Orlando.

But there is potential for a bear market among traders this year. And while the Blazers appear interested in shopping their draft pick, the competition may limit their options.

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Villanueva knows trade is possibility
By CHARLES F. GARDNER
[e-mail]
Posted: May 23, 2008

Not a thing has gone according to plan for Milwaukee Bucks forward Charlie Villanueva since his arrival two years ago in a trade with Toronto.

So it's not surprising when Villanueva says that he is ready for anything that happens this summer, including another trade.

"There are going to be some changes; it's a no-brainer," Villanueva said in a phone interview from his New York home. "I'm starting to hear the same rumors I heard when I was in Toronto.

"I can't control that."

The 23-year-old Villanueva referred to various rumors that he would be included in a deal this summer on the heels of the Bucks' miserable 26-56 campaign last season. The franchise has a new general manager in John Hammond and a new coach in Scott Skiles, and standing pat is not an option.

Franchise star Michael Redd and others on the roster are also the subject of trade speculation, so Villanueva is hardly alone in wondering about his future in Milwaukee.

Villanueva was a backup at the start of last season and eventually expressed his unhappiness over the situation, although he was careful not to criticize rookie starter Yi Jianlian. When Yi suffered an injury in early February and began to wear down physically, Villanueva moved into the starting lineup at power forward.

And he was impressive with 16 points and 16 rebounds in his first start on Feb. 5 at Memphis and kept his starting role the rest of the way.

The former Connecticut star wound up starting 31 games in 76 appearances, while averaging 11.7 points and 6.1 rebounds.

In 2006, Villanueva was coming off a solid rookie year with the Raptors when he was blindsided by being dealt to the Bucks in exchange for point guard T.J. Ford.

"It's not the easiest feeling, but I'm more prepared for it now," Villanueva said. "Is it realistic I'll be back? I don't know. There are a lot of uncertainties."

Villanueva and Bucks guard Mo Williams returned earlier this week from South Korea, where they took part in an NBA-sponsored program for the top 40 high-school age players in that country. The program also was sponsored by the Korean Basketball League.

"We had a draft, and I was a GM and coached a team," Villanueva said. "We had a 1-2 record, but we ended up beating Mo's team. There was a lot of trash-talking involved. It was actually fun."

But now Villanueva has returned from Seoul and will be subject to the whims of real general managers. The 6-foot-11 player has one year left on his rookie contract and will not turn 24 until August. His explosive offensive ability means the Bucks will have some interested parties should they decide to make a deal.

"That's all I ask, to get a fair shot," Villanueva said. "I think at the beginning of last year, that wasn't the case. When I became a starter, you could see the numbers increase dramatically."

Yi was named the starter in training camp last fall and it was clear the Bucks wanted to make a strong commitment to the Chinese star after spending most of the summer trying to sign him to a contract.

There were reports that club owner Herb Kohl had guaranteed Yi a certain amount of minutes, but former general manager Larry Harris said no such promise was made.

"I have no animosity toward Yi," Villanueva said. "I want to see Yi be successful. I just felt I wasn't given that (a fair shot), and it definitely bothered me."

Villanueva also was hampered early in the season because he was returning from shoulder surgery for a torn labrum, a procedure performed in March 2007.

"Last year the whole summer I was rehabbing," Villanueva said. "Now I can play basketball, lift weights. I can improve. I have the whole summer, and I know I can get better, a lot stronger and be in shape when season 4 gets under way."

Villanueva was the seventh overall pick in the 2005 draft and averaged 13.0 points and 6.4 rebounds as a rookie with the Raptors. He played just 39 games and started 17 in his initial season with the Bucks in 2006-'07, when he was sidelined first by an elbow injury and later an ankle sprain and the right shoulder injury.

"Really, this is my third year coming up," he said. "The second year I don't count. The last 30 to 40 games last year, I played really strong. If I can build on that, I should be fine."

Villanueva likes the changes the Bucks have made, including the hiring of Kelvin Sampson as an assistant coach. Villanueva was a 19-year-old who played under Sampson on the U.S. Under-21 team in 2004. The U.S. squad, which also included Chris Paul, Sean May and Adam Morrison, went undefeated and won a World Juniors title in a tournament held in Nova Scotia.

"My experience with Coach Sampson was great," Villanueva said. "We had this immediate bond, and I liked the way he coached."

Villanueva said he talked with fellow Connecticut Huskies Ben Gordon and Luol Deng of the Chicago Bulls, and both gave positive reviews of Skiles.

"They say he's a good coach," Villanueva said. "I think he's a very defensive-minded coach; he's a tough coach.

"It's exciting for him to be with the Bucks. He has won before, and we'll see what he can do this year"

Wherever Villanueva winds up, with the Bucks or on another team, he wants to win. He has not been part of a playoff team in his first three seasons and admits he gets envious when he watches the games on TNT and ESPN at this time of year.

"I can't be having losing seasons for the rest of my career," he said.

[AUSTIN316]

Johnson likes Bulls better now
No. 1 pick may have helped change mind

BULLS BITS BY K.C. JOHNSON
May 24, 2008

The Bulls' No. 1 pick might have an impact on the roster and on general manager John Paxson's coaching search as well.

Avery Johnson, the former Mavericks coach, is back in the Bulls' mix after showing little interest in rescheduling a May 7 interview Paxson canceled for personal reasons.

Johnson, owed $12 million by the Mavericks, has hinted at taking a year off. But a source close to Johnson said the Bulls' job is the only one he would consider, particularly now that the franchise owns the top pick in the June 26 NBA draft.

Johnson's May 7 interview was to take place near his residence in Houston. After Paxson's cancellation, Johnson's camp watched the Bulls pursue Mike D'Antoni over the May 9 weekend and have engaged in sporadic contact since.

On Friday, dialogue resumed in earnest. Where Johnson ranks on Paxson's list of preferred candidates is unknown.

"I'll know when I sit down with somebody and talk philosophy if there's a connection there," Paxson said earlier this week. "I've been open-minded since the D'Antoni thing went by the wayside. I remain open-minded."

Former Jazz star Jeff Hornacek interviewed with Paxson on Friday. Kings assistant Chuck Person is scheduled to talk on Saturday. Jazz assistant Tyrone Corbin, former Minnesota coach Dwane Casey and Lakers assistants Brian Shaw and Kurt Rambis interviewed over the last week.

Top dog
Asked Wednesday if consensus top picks Derrick Rose and Michael Beasley are players who immediately can lead a franchise, Paxson preached caution.

"I don't like throwing that out there," he said. "It's just not fair. At this point, they've had one year of college. Both had phenomenal years. Rose doesn't have to score to make an impact on the game. Beasley in a very tough, physical conference as a freshman averaged 26 points a game. That's incredibly impressive. But they'll need time."

[AUSTIN316]

Johnson likes Bulls better now
No. 1 pick may have helped change mind

BULLS BITS BY K.C. JOHNSON
May 24, 2008

The Bulls' No. 1 pick might have an impact on the roster and on general manager John Paxson's coaching search as well.

Avery Johnson, the former Mavericks coach, is back in the Bulls' mix after showing little interest in rescheduling a May 7 interview Paxson canceled for personal reasons.

Johnson, owed $12 million by the Mavericks, has hinted at taking a year off. But a source close to Johnson said the Bulls' job is the only one he would consider, particularly now that the franchise owns the top pick in the June 26 NBA draft.

Johnson's May 7 interview was to take place near his residence in Houston. After Paxson's cancellation, Johnson's camp watched the Bulls pursue Mike D'Antoni over the May 9 weekend and have engaged in sporadic contact since.

On Friday, dialogue resumed in earnest. Where Johnson ranks on Paxson's list of preferred candidates is unknown.

"I'll know when I sit down with somebody and talk philosophy if there's a connection there," Paxson said earlier this week. "I've been open-minded since the D'Antoni thing went by the wayside. I remain open-minded."

Former Jazz star Jeff Hornacek interviewed with Paxson on Friday. Kings assistant Chuck Person is scheduled to talk on Saturday. Jazz assistant Tyrone Corbin, former Minnesota coach Dwane Casey and Lakers assistants Brian Shaw and Kurt Rambis interviewed over the last week.

Top dog
Asked Wednesday if consensus top picks Derrick Rose and Michael Beasley are players who immediately can lead a franchise, Paxson preached caution.

"I don't like throwing that out there," he said. "It's just not fair. At this point, they've had one year of college. Both had phenomenal years. Rose doesn't have to score to make an impact on the game. Beasley in a very tough, physical conference as a freshman averaged 26 points a game. That's incredibly impressive. But they'll need time."

[AUSTIN316]

Forward thinking as Bulls ponder draft
By Mike McGraw | Daily Herald Staff

Published: 5/24/2008 12:12 AM | Updated: 5/24/2008 12:29 AM

Should the Bulls decide that Michael Beasley is the best choice for No. 1 pick of the draft, there are a couple of issues that need to be addressed inside the boardroom:

• The first is whether the team still needs an upgrade at point guard. That was considered a priority when the season ended and the Bulls appeared destined for the No. 9 pick.

• The second is what happens to Drew Gooden and Tyrus Thomas when Beasley steps on board as the Bulls' new power forward.

Beasley has been described by Bulls general manager John Paxson as an "effortless scorer." The 6-foot-9 Baltimore native posted better numbers during his freshman season at Kansas State (26.2 points, 12.4 rebounds) than Kevin Durant did for Texas the previous year.

"I think Beasley's really multidimensional," Paxson said. "He can play both inside-out. He's got terrific hands and just an innate ability to score the ball. Those guys are obviously very valued in our league."

Beasley can score in the post, handle the ball and even toss in a 3-point basket once in awhile. So how will he do in the NBA?

One scout projected him as an "elbow player," someone who typically starts at the corner of the foul line and then can either drop in a jumper or drive to the hoop. The NBA's best elbow player is Dirk Nowitzki, who has the height to shoot over the top of most any defender and also can drift back to the 3-point line.

Two other elbow all-stars are Utah's Carlos Boozer and New Orleans' David West, who both play with one of the league's elite point guards.

So it seems logical to assume that adding a more natural point guard to the Bulls' lineup would help Beasley's development. Trading for a good one wouldn't be easy.

Golden State's Baron Davis is a potential trade candidate, and he can carry a team when healthy. But Davis, 29, isn't always healthy. He played in all 82 games last season but missed at least 15 the previous five years.

Plus, Davis makes $17.1 million next season, then can become an unrestricted free agent. The risk is he will either leave town or revisit his injury issues.

Toronto figures to move either Jose Calderon or, more likely, T.J. Ford this summer. It probably would take Kirk Hinrich or Ben Gordon to pry Calderon away from the Raptors and even then the salaries may not match without the Bulls taking an extra player.

The Bulls might be able to get Ford in exchange for Andres Nocioni, who would seem to fit well on Toronto's roster. Gooden for Ford also could work, though that would mean the Bulls taking on roughly $18 million in salary commitments since Gooden is in the final year of his contract while Ford has three seasons left.

Ford has played very well when healthy, but he missed the entire 2004-05 season with a neck injury, then skipped another 31 games last year after taking a hard fall caused by a flagrant foul from Atlanta's Al Horford.

The other obvious option is Memphis guard Kyle Lowry, who often outplayed rookie Mike Conley last season. Lowry certainly is expendable, but he makes just $1.2 million next season, which makes it tough to match salaries unless a package of players are traded.

Would the Grizzlies be interested in either Gordon or Hinrich, plus Thomas, for Lowry, Mike Miller and Hakim Warrick? Tough to say, and Gordon has to agree to any trade since he's a restricted free agent.

Another path is to simply stick with the current lineup. If Beasley becomes a dangerous scorer in the NBA, a nice scenario would be to surround him with spot-up shooters such as Gordon, Hinrich and Luol Deng.

Thinking up new destinations for Gooden or Thomas is difficult because the Bulls' backcourt already is crowded, then they have Deng and Nocioni at small forward. The best trade scenario would bring the Bulls another center in return, and those are not easily acquired.

One thing that doesn't appear likely is trading the top pick, unless Miami decided to dangle Dwyane Wade or something similarly extreme.

"I'm not going to be picking up the phone for a while," Paxson said. "If people have ideas, then I'm sure they'll share them. In this position, it's got to be pretty darn good to consider."

[AUSTIN316]

Reinsdorf believes focus on 'D' scared D'Antoni

May 24, 2008

FROM SUN-TIMES STAFF REPORTS

Bulls chairman Jerry Reinsdorf said today on WMVP-AM (1000) he believes one of the main reasons that conversations with Mike D'Antoni didn't continue was D'Antoni might have been scared off by Reinsdorf's mandate on playing better defense.

Reinsdorf, appearing on the "Waddle and Silvy Show," said if conversations continued he might have made D'Antoni an offer.

"The Knicks told him they loved him, and they rushed him like you rush for a fraternity, and we hadn't made up our minds," Reinsdorf said. "Is that indecisive? It may be, but this is a pretty important hire. This is a very important hire, particularly the way the Lottery worked out [with the Bulls getting the first draft pick]. I think it's only appropriate that we take our time. He said there was no rush, by the way. Then the next morning he went to the Knicks."

Reinsdorf said his reservation about D'Antoni was "defense."

"The third thing [during the conversation] was the one knock on you is your teams don't play defense," Reinsdorf explained, recounting his interview with D'Antoni. "He said 'We haven't played much defense with the Suns because of the personnel we had. I did not think this team could defend.'

"He had some specific things to say about certain players," Reinsdorf said, then continuing on what D'Antoni said: "'So I decided the only way we were going to win here in Phoenix was to outscore the other guys. With your personnel, we would play defense. I would probably hire a defensive assistant.'"

Reinsdorf beleives what he next told D'Antoni sealed the deal for the Knicks.

"'If you come to Chicago, the only way I see this wouldn't work out would be if we didn't play defense the way you say we're going to play defense,'" Reinsdorf said. "And then I think that scared him. I think that was the closer for the Knicks."

Reinsdorf said it wasn't being indecisive as much as being careful.

"We hadn't decided we wanted Mike D'Antoni to coach the Bulls, so how could we have moved any faster?" he said. "John Paxson told me on Tuesday of that week that [D'Antoni] was someone he had definite interest in and liked him. I told John I was going to be in Phoenix that coming weekend for a family function, and if you want me to, I'll talk to him.

"We got together on a Friday afternoon. I asked him a lot of questions. I was doing serious due diligence. I told him we'd get back in touch with him. The following morning, I talked to Paxson and said 'I'd like to talk to him one more time.' So John called Mike at 9:30 Arizona time that Saturday and said Jerry is going to call you this afternoon.' Mike said 'Fine.' I called him at 10 a.m. and left a message, and then I heard 10:45 over the Internet that he had gone to the Knicks. So obviously he had made his decision to go to the Knicks when he was talking to John Paxson. I think if we had continued our discussions, we probably would have made him an offer."

Reinsdorf didn't say much about Avery Johnson, who said earlier on the station that he's interested in coaching the Bulls.

Talking about his first-place White Sox, who have won eight games in a row, Reinsdorf is cautiously optimistic.

"It's way too early in the season to be ecstatic, but you obviously can't be unhappy when you're in first place," he said. "I can think of 8-10 games we should have won that we didn't win and hope that it doesn't come back to bite us at the end of the year."

Reinsdorf said this year's team is better in some respects than the 2005 World Champion White Sox.

"I think this is a better team, but that doesn't mean this team will necessarily win the World Series," Reinsdorf said. "I think we have more depth on this team."

Reinsdorf dismissed recent Sox controversies, including Ozzie Guillen's profanity-laced tirade and blow-up sex dolls in the Sox clubhouse, as media-driven non-stories. Reinsdorf said he and Sox general manager Ken Williams resigned themselves to the fact Guillen would be outspoken before they hired the manager.

"Ozzie is a wonderful, wonderful guy and a great manager," Reinsdorf said. "People come up to me a lot and say, 'What do you think of what Ozzie said?' I don't care what Ozzie says as long as the players like playing for Ozzie, then I'm fine with him."

When asked about Guillen's frequent musings about leaving the game, Reinsdorf said: "Don't you understand that he's playing with you. He's not serious about anything. You guys don't understand. The more you take him seriously, the more he's going to tweak you and play with you."

As fas as the sex dolls, Reinsdorf said it was much ado about nothing and took a shot at the Sun-Times, implying there was hypocrisy in reporting the incident.

"It was dumb, but it was meaningless," he said. "There are a lot worse things than that that go on in a clubhouse. All it was was silliness. It was a bunch of young kids having a little fun. Big deal."

[AUSTIN316]

Series shifts to Detroit, focus remains on Celtics
by A. Sherrod Blakely
Saturday May 24, 2008, 12:15 AM

BOSTON -- Heading into the Eastern Conference finals, there was a lot of talk about the Boston Celtics and their unblemished record at home.

That wall of invincibility no longer exists following Detroit's 103-97 Game 2 win Thursday night.

And although the Pistons have been impressive at home throughout the playoffs, the focus of this series still remains on the Celtics.

Instead of attention being paid to Boston's still-impressive home mark, the focus now shifts toward its 0-for-the-playoffs road record heading into Game 3 at The Palace.

Celtics coach Doc Rivers has been peppered with questions in recent days regarding his team's 0-6 road record.

"We don't look at things as far as getting our first (road) playoff win," Rivers said. "We just look at adjustments as far as a basketball team. The other stuff will take care of itself. We can't go out and say, 'Guys, this is what's going to happen for us to win a road game.' We're going to go out, we're going to watch film, we're going to make some adjustments, (as) will they, and then we're going to go out and play a basketball game."

Pistons forward Tayshaun Prince isn't giving any thought to the struggles Boston has experienced on the road in back-to-back seven-game series against Atlanta and Cleveland, respectively.

"What we have to worry about is they're coming in our arena where they won in the regular season, and we've got to be prepared," Prince said. "You know, we can't worry about what happened in their first two series on the road. We've got to take care of business."

And lately, that's exactly what Detroit has done at The Palace in the playoffs.

Following a 90-86 Game 1 loss to Philadelphia in the first round, Detroit has reeled off five consecutive home wins with an average margin of victory of 13 points per game.

The Pistons are excited about being home with the series tied at 1-1.

But as the Celtics proved in Game 2, playing at home doesn't guarantee success.

"We've got to come in knowing that just because we're playing at home doesn't mean anything," Saunders said. "We've got to have the same focus, and what we've got to hope is the adrenaline of our crowd is going to help us play with even more energy than we've been able to play with on the road."

The Palace crowd indeed will be energized, but the effect of that sometimes works against the home team.

Often visiting players come into big road games with an us-against-the-world mentality, a mindset that's only fueled by 22,000-plus fans cheering on the home team, while jeering them at every opportune moment.

"You know, the great thing about Detroit and their crowd, they're probably going to allow you to feel that way, anyway," Rivers said. "They have a tough crowd, and it'll be a great atmosphere. Having said that, I just think when you get on the road that's how you feel anyway, you really do. You're with your travel party that comes along with you. Other than that, there's nobody pulling for you, and it's kind of nice in some way."

Especially if the Celtics can achieve what has alluded them throughout the playoffs -- a road win.

The Pistons have heard the criticisms levied against Rivers and his Celtics team for their struggles on the road. However, the fact that Boston was the best road team in the NBA during the regular season (31-10) is reason enough for Detroit not to take the Celtics for granted.

"We can't get overconfident," Pistons forward Antonio McDyess said. "We know we need to protect our home court now. We know they're going to feel like their backs are against the wall, they need to come out and get a win. They're going to come out and play hard."

[AUSTIN316]

Saturday, May 24, 2008
Game 3: Celtics vs. Pistons
What rookie Stuckey doesn't know won't hurt him
Pressure? What pressure?
Joanne C. Gerstner / The Detroit News

AUBURN HILLS -- The excuses all are lined up for Pistons rookie guard Rodney Stuckey.

It's his first time in the playoffs, and it would be easy to succumb to the stress.

He could make some critical turnovers and say he was nervous.

Or he could play less aggressively, hesitant to make a mistake in a tight game.

Ditch the alibis and excuses. Stuckey doesn't want them.

He's played well in the playoffs, and he expects more of the same against the Celtics in tonight's Game 3 at The Palace.

"These guys (his teammates) trust and believe in me, and I want to continue playing in a way that earns that trust," Stuckey said. "It's not about how much I play, or when I play, it's about what I do when I am out there. I can't be afraid of making mistakes, I can't be afraid of what's ahead in the playoffs.

"Every game is another opportunity for me to show what I'm learning and how I can help this team."

Stuckey, the No. 15 overall pick in last year's draft, no longer is flying under the NBA's radar. He's drawn rave reviews and amplified attention for ably starting two games during the Magic series, taking over when Chauncey Billups was sidelined because of a strained hamstring.

Stuckey has been coming off the bench during the Eastern Conference finals, averaging 11 points, 1.5 assists and 1.5 steals over 20 minutes.

For the playoffs, Stuckey is averaging 7.8 points, 3.4 assists and two rebounds in 21.8 minutes.

He's a very confident guy, but not to the point of obnoxious, youthful thingyiness.

Stuckey, 22, is sure he's the man for the task at hand, and that he has the right guys backing him up.

"The good thing about Stuckey is that he listens to the veterans and goes out and does what he does," Pistons starting power forward Antonio McDyess said. "He attacks the basket. He's not afraid. He plays like he's at the park."
Just play

But Stuckey couldn't be further from hooping at a neighborhood park in his native Washington state.

He's trying to succeed as the glare is becoming increasingly bright, thanks to high expectations, fans and the media.

Every mistake is dissected, and every weakness probed by a tough and experienced opponent.

McDyess said Stuckey's youth could be his ultimate saving grace, as he might not totally realize the stakes of playing for an NBA championship.

McDyess is in the fifth playoff run of his 12-year career, desperately wanting to win his first championship.

Stuckey is, well, just playing because he's having fun in his first postseason chase.

"If he knew the consequences and what would have happened if he messed up, it would be on his mind and he wouldn't play as well as he is," McDyess said.

Stuckey laughed when told of McDyess' analysis, and wholeheartedly agreed.

"For sure -- it is probably good that I don't know what I am getting into," Stuckey said. "But every time I do get into something, I'm trying to learn from it. The thing I want to do the most is control my turnovers. It doesn't matter what I do in other parts of the game if I'm turning the ball over. That's the control, the calm I need to have out here."

Stuckey has done a good job protecting possessions, with only two turnovers against the Celtics. He's only averaging 1.4 during the postseason.

Pistons coach Flip Saunders wants Stuckey to continue his aggressiveness. He can change the dynamic of the offense, thanks to his driving ability and strength.

A few national broadcasters went as far as to compare Stuckey's abilities to Heat star Dwyane Wade -- an interesting thought.

"You don't want to put that label on somebody," Pistons coach Flip Saunders said. "He's a little bit different in that Stuckey is more of a point guard. Dwyane plays off the ball but he's like that because he's 6-5, he's big, he's athletic, he's dynamic, and that's a lot like what (Rodney) is."
Coming back

Stuckey does admit, despite the confident veneer, there have been moments his spirits have wavered.

He was unsettled at the start of the season, thanks to breaking his non-shooting hand in the Pistons' last exhibition game Oct. 24. Stuckey underwent surgery, inserting pins into his left hand, and had to sit out and heal until Dec. 21.

Stuckey was a little scared when he came back, wondering how fragile his hand would be.

"I didn't know what could happen, I had to learn to trust my hand again and get back into being me," Stuckey said. "I'd never been injured like that before, so it was a whole new thing for me to experience. Once I played a couple of weeks and felt better, I knew I'd be OK.

"So it was like, it's now time for me to really start playing for real now."

And Stuckey is realizing quickly this is all for real now.

"You notice the stakes are higher and that everybody is fighting for everything now," Stuckey said. "But that's good. That's the way I like it. I want to be out there too, fighting with my teammates. There's no time f