2008 NBA Playoffs

[AUSTIN316]

Bulls F Noah arrested on drug charge

May 25, 2008

GAINESVILLE, Florida (Ticker) -- Chicago Bulls forward Joakim Noah was arrested early Sunday morning on charges of marijuana possession and having an open alcohol container.

Noah was stopped at approximately 1:50 a.m. when an officer saw him on a sidewalk carrying a plastic cup containing an "amber-colored" liquid, according to a Gainesville police report.

The report stated that Noah, 23, placed his beverage down on the sidewalk when approached by police.

A subsequent investigation revealed that the beverage was alcoholic, a violation of city law. After Noah was taken to the police station, police found a marijuana cigarette in his pocket.

Noah was released after signing an order for a June court date. The New York native could potentially face up to six months in jail.

The Bulls did not immediately respond when contacted by PA SportsTicker for a reaction to Noah's arrest.

Noah helped lead the University of Florida to consecutive national championships before being selected ninth overall in the NBA draft last June.

The 6-11 Noah averaged 6.6 points and 5.6 rebounds in 74 games as a rookie this past season. He was benched for two games in January after clashing with assistant coach Ron Adams.

[AUSTIN316]

Ginobili leads Spurs to Game 3 win over Lakers
05/26/2008 | 11:32 AM
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(Updated) SAN ANTONIO - The San Antonio Spurs opened another big lead over the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday night. This time, they kept it.

Manu Ginobili broke out of his scoring slump with 30 points off the bench and the Spurs beat the Lakers 103-84 in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals.

Tim Duncan had 22 points, 21 rebounds and five assists, and Tony Parker added 20 points for the Spurs, who remained unbeaten at home this postseason and avoided falling into an 0-3 hole, which no NBA team has ever overcome.

The Lakers lead the series 2-1. Game 4 is Tuesday in San Antonio.

The Spurs squandered a 20-point lead to lose Game 1 in Los Angeles and the Lakers routed them in Game 2.

Kobe Bryant led the Lakers with 30 points and Paul Gasol scored 15. Lamar Odom struggled all night, finishing 2-of-11 from the field for seven points. But he had six of the Lakers' 13 assists and 11 rebounds.

The Lakers also struggled at the free throw line, going just 8-of-17.

On Sunday, the Spurs got a lead midway through the second quarter and never looked back, despite a late surge from Bryant.

Up 69-57 entering the fourth, the Spurs opened with a 12-4 run, and Parker's layup gave them a 20-point lead with a little over 8 minutes to play.

Then Bryant did what Bryant does: almost single-handedly pulled his team out of the hole. He hit four 3-pointers over the course of less than 2 1/2 minutes and his last one brought the Lakers within 88-76 with 5 minutes to play.

But the Lakers would get no closer, not when the Spurs' title defense would be all but ruined with a Game 3 loss.

Duncan answered with a three-point play to put the Spurs back up by 15 and not long after Brent Barry's steal that resulted in a three-point play for Ginobili made it 97-78 with 3:26 to go.

Reserve Jordan Farmar scored 10 points for the Lakers.

In the first half, Parker was penetrating the paint, but Ginobili was the big key for the Spurs. He had 22 points at the break — more than the 17 he scored in Games 1 and 2 combined. And whether or not his injured left ankle was bothering him, he didn't need it to explode to the basket because he hit 3 after 3.

After Bryant's driving dunk past Duncan with 4:57 left in the first quarter put the Lakers up 15-8, Ginobili hit back-to-back 3s from the same spot on the wing to get the Spurs within a point.

He didn't stop in the second quarter.

His 3 4 1/2 minutes in put the Spurs up 33-30, then he got to the rim about 30 seconds later and was fouled. His free throw made it 36-32.

The Lakers struggled in the second quarter — turning the ball over early in the period on a shot-clock violation, missing free throws and shooting 7-of-17 from the field — and the Spurs pulled away.

Ginobili hit his fifth 3 of the night as the shot clock expired with less than a minute left in the first half. The Spurs outscored the Lakers 28-15 in the second quarter for a 49-39 lead at the break.

Odom was 1-of-7 from the field in the first half and guard Derek Fisher was scoreless.

Odom didn't fare any better in the third, and Gasol and Bryant combined for just 10 points as Spurs' defender Bruce Bowen continued to hound this year's league MVP.

Ginobili cooled in the third quarter — when the Spurs went up by as many as 13 — just as Duncan got hot. Duncan's two jump shots with less than two minutes to play, plus Ginobili's drive that showed he can still get to the rim, gave the Spurs a 12-point lead heading into the fourth.

Notes:@ The Spurs last lost at home on April 9 to Phoenix . San Antonio eliminated the Suns in the first round in five games. ... Fisher got a technical foul with 4:45 left in the third quarter just after teammate Vladimir Radmanovic hit a layup to bring the Lakers within eight. ... In a dig at Bryant, the crowd chanted "M-V-P" when Duncan went to the line late in the fourth quarter. ... Ginobili got a standing ovation from the crowd when he went to the bench with 2:56 to play. ... Fisher finished with two points on 1-of-4 shooting. ... The Spurs hit 10 3s, the Lakers hit six. - AP

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AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) - Antonio McDyess refused to let the Detroit Pistons get pushed to the brink of elimination.
si.com

McDyess had his best game of the playoffs, scoring 21 points and grabbing 16 rebounds to lift Detroit to a 94-75 series-evening win Monday night in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals.

''He did everything,'' Pistons coach Flip Saunders said.

Game 5 is Wednesday night in Boston, then the Pistons will host Game 6 on Saturday night.

Boston's Big Three shot awfully as did most of the Celtics, but the NBA's top-seeded team stayed competitive for much of the game thanks to a stark disparity in free throws.

Kevin Garnett , Paul Pierce and Ray Allen combined to miss their first seven shots and finished 11-for-38 from the field.

Garnett and Pierce both scored 16 points and Allen had 11.

''They bumped us off spots and were more physical and aggressive all night,'' Celtics coach Doc Rivers said. ''Usually the winner is the team that was more aggressive.

''They had a no-layup rule and that's why we made it to the line so much.''

McDyess led the Pistons' balanced attack.

''He's really comfortable right now,'' Rivers said. ''We have to get him out of his comfort zone.''

Richard Hamilton had 20 points, Rasheed Wallace scored 14, Chauncey Billups added 10 and reserve Jason Maxiell filled in for teammates in foul trouble by scoring 14 points and playing tough defense - especially against Garnett.

''I thought he bodied him and didn't give him anything easy,'' Saunders said.

Detroit scored the first 10 points of the game and started the second quarter with an 11-2 run, but led just 43-39 at halftime.

The Celtics stayed in the game by making 17 of 20 free throws in the first half while Detroit was 5-for-9.

Boston had more points from the line (32) than from the field early in the fourth quarter when it pulled within 67-62.

''We didn't play well, but we hung in there by getting to the foul line,'' Rivers said. ''Then, we just couldn't make plays.''

The Pistons built some nine-point leads, but they could not put the Celtics away.

Billups essentially sealed the win with a 3-pointer with just under 3 minutes left, making some forget the offensive struggles he had much of the game on his sore right hamstring.

Detroit improved to 5-0 in games following losses in the playoffs and the Celtics fell to 1-7 on the road and 0-6 when trailing after three quarters.

''No one likes it, the way our team personality is,'' said Saunders, referring to the Pistons' penchant to play their best when down or doubted.

Boston reserve James Posey scored 11 points and Kendrick Perkins , who fouled out, had 10.

The Pistons attacked Boston at both ends of the court as they got off to a strong start.

They led 10-0 thanks to McDyess' eight points and swarming defense that led to Boston missing its first four shots and later having more turnovers (3) than points (2).

''We put a lot of emphasis on the start because that team is so good when they get on top,'' Billups said. ''We didn't want to let them do that again.''

Detroit led 18-6 after Billups joined the rest of the starters in the scoring column, then he went about 35 minutes without a field goal.

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McDyess powers Pistons vs Celtics; series tied 2-2
05/27/2008 | 11:46 AM

Email this | Email the Editor | Print | Digg this | Add to del.icio.us (Updated 12:20 p.m.) AUBURN HILLS, Mich. - Antonio McDyess refused to let the Detroit Pistons get pushed to the brink of elimination.

McDyess had his best game of the playoffs, scoring 21 points and grabbing 16 rebounds to lift Detroit to a 94-75 series-evening win Monday night in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals.

"He did everything," Pistons coach Flip Saunders said.

Game 5 is Wednesday night in Boston, then the Pistons will host Game 6 on Friday night.

Boston's Big Three shot awfully as did most of the Celtics, but the NBA's top-seeded team stayed competitive for much of the game thanks to a stark disparity in free throws.

Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen combined to miss their first seven shots and finished 11-for-38 from the field.

Garnett and Pierce both scored 16 points and Allen had 11.

"They bumped us off spots and were more physical and aggressive all night," Celtics coach Doc Rivers said. "Usually the winner is the team that was more aggressive.

"They had a no-layup rule and that's why we made it to the line so much."

McDyess led the Pistons' balanced attack.

"He's really comfortable right now," Rivers said. "We have to get him out of his comfort zone."

Richard Hamilton had 20 points, Rasheed Wallace scored 14, Chauncey Billups added 10 and reserve Jason Maxiell filled in for teammates in foul trouble by scoring 14 points and playing tough defense — especially against Garnett.

"I thought he bodied him and didn't give him anything easy," Saunders said.

Detroit scored the first 10 points of the game and started the second quarter with an 11-2 run, but led just 43-39 at halftime.

The Celtics stayed in the game by making 17 of 20 free throws in the first half while Detroit was 5-for-9.

Boston had more points from the line (32) than from the field early in the fourth quarter when it pulled within 67-62.

"We didn't play well, but we hung in there by getting to the foul line," Rivers said. "Then, we just couldn't make plays."

The Pistons built some nine-point leads, but they could not put the Celtics away.

Billups essentially sealed the win with a 3-pointer with just under 3 minutes left, making some forget the offensive struggles he had much of the game on his sore right hamstring.

Detroit improved to 5-0 in games following losses in the playoffs and the Celtics fell to 1-7 on the road and 0-6 when trailing after three quarters.

"No one likes it, the way our team personality is," said Saunders, referring to the Pistons' penchant to play their best when down or doubted.

Boston reserve James Posey scored 11 points and Kendrick Perkins, who fouled out, had 10.

The Pistons attacked Boston at both ends of the court as they got off to a strong start.

They led 10-0 thanks to McDyess' eight points and swarming defense that led to Boston missing its first four shots and later having more turnovers (3) than points (2).

"We put a lot of emphasis on the start because that team is so good when they get on top," Billups said. "We didn't want to let them do that again."

Detroit led 18-6 after Billups joined the rest of the starters in the scoring column, then he went about 35 minutes without a field goal. - AP

[AUSTIN316]

Lakers' Odom may be too timid for star status

May 27, 2008

(C) 2008 PA SPORTSTICKER, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
---------------------------------------------------

By Anthony Olivieri PA SportsTicker Pro Basketball Editor

The real Lamar Odom did not show up against the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday night. But sometimes, even Odom doesn't know who that is.

One of the most versatile players in the league, the 28-year-old Odom never has been known for his scoring prowess. But in the Los Angeles Lakers' 103-84 Game Three loss to the Spurs, the 6-10 forward played below his standards.

Odom, for his part, admitted as much.

"There's no way I can play like that for us to be successful," said Odom, who scored seven points on just 2-of-11 shooting. "I'll take the blame on that. I know I can play better than that."

Pau Gasol, who along with league Most Valuable Player Kobe Bryant make up Los Angeles' star trio, didn't fare much better. Odom and Gasol were a combined 9-for-29 from the field.

"I think they weren't decisive enough on what they wanted to get done," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. "They had their opportunities and missed some layups and things just didn't go well."

Ironically, that has been Odom's calling card for his entire career - he doesn't know who he wants to be.

Is Odom a do-it-all player who can - all in one game - be a volume scorer, graceful passer and ferocious rebounder? Or is he the passive sidekick who can't be relied upon in the clutch?

No one - not even Odom - seems to know. But for the sake of argument, consider all the facts.

If talent were the only barometer, Odom would be one of the top five players in the NBA every season. At 6-10, he can handle the ball and pass like a point guard and post up and rebound like a forward.

But a great player is more than just the sum of his own parts.

As such, Bryant has been the best player in the NBA for several seasons - a moniker which was validated by his first league MVP Award this campaign. The two-time scoring champion has the most talent in the league, which only is surpassed by his will to be the game's alpha dog.

Odom's lower tenor doesn't mean he's not interested in succeeding, but suggests his competitive fire most likely will never match his skill level. To be fair, only few - i.e. Bryant and Michael Jordan - can be known for both.

But Odom, who averaged 14.2 points, 10.6 rebounds and 3.5 assists this season, seems to sorely lack a killer instinct.

He can best be described as a willing follower but, ironically, that has worked out well for him with the Lakers this season.

Odom has been placed in the perfect situation, allowing Bryant to be the team's most dominant personality in literally every phase.

On the court, Bryant takes the most shots, the important shots and the shots from the media, allowing Odom to do his thing in the background. In that role, he is praised for his good games while his sub-standard performances go largely unnoticed.

But this is the postseason and, the closer we get to the NBA Finals, everything is more highly scrutinized - no matter who you are. So, when Odom throws up a stinker in the Western Conference finals, it's likely to be noticed.

Sunday's sub-par game happened to coincide with a blowout loss for the Lakers, who cruised to two straight home wins to start the best-of-seven matchup with the Spurs.

Bryant, who scored 30 points in Sunday's loss, didn't want to place any blame on his supporting cast's lack of offensive firepower. Instead, it was about their effort on the other end of the court.

"If we can't get stops, it doesn't matter," Bryant said. "We had a point there where we cut it to 12 or nine, and we couldn't get stops. So, whether I go off for a 20-point quarter or 15-point quarter, we still have to get stops."

Bryant, remember, now is the softer, more teammate-friendly superstar who no longer scowls at his teammates much less puts them down in the press. But his comments were striking for those who can read between the lines.

It was Bryant's reference to his personal 15- or 20-point quarters which was most eye-opening. He mentioned it as if those were days past, when he had to carry the Lakers to victory on his back.

And he didn't want to revisit those times again.

With the emergence of its bench, the acquisition of Gasol and the contributions of Odom, Los Angeles had become much more of a team, earning the top seed in the tough Western Conference and Bryant his first MVP in what wasn't his best statistical season.

But Odom's style isn't new to those who have followed his career.

In the postgame show after the Lakers' Game Two victory, TNT analyst Kenny Smith recalled watching fellow Queens, New York-native Odom play since the current Laker was a little child.

Smith, who was sitting beside Bryant on the show's set, said that Odom was always one of the most talented players on the court but never averaged more than 20.0 points per game even in middle school.

Bryant defended his teammate, saying that Odom has the ability to be a lead scorer but needs the confidence to follow through on his talents.

And that's where Odom differs from every other sidekick left in these playoffs, including San Antonio's Manu Ginobili, who put on a dazzling performance Sunday with 30 points on 9-of-15 shooting.

Ginobili and Tony Parker in San Antonio, Detroit's Richard Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince or Paul Pierce and Ray Allen in Boston are not their team's most celebrated stars - but each have confidence in themselves in the clutch.

Bryant, luckily, also has Gasol and his host of improving bench players to fall back on.

But there is going to come a time when Los Angeles is going to need Odom - one of its key cogs - to come through and show up when it matters most.

[AUSTIN316]

Lakers' Odom may be too timid for star status

May 27, 2008

(C) 2008 PA SPORTSTICKER, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
---------------------------------------------------

By Anthony Olivieri PA SportsTicker Pro Basketball Editor

The real Lamar Odom did not show up against the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday night. But sometimes, even Odom doesn't know who that is.

One of the most versatile players in the league, the 28-year-old Odom never has been known for his scoring prowess. But in the Los Angeles Lakers' 103-84 Game Three loss to the Spurs, the 6-10 forward played below his standards.

Odom, for his part, admitted as much.

"There's no way I can play like that for us to be successful," said Odom, who scored seven points on just 2-of-11 shooting. "I'll take the blame on that. I know I can play better than that."

Pau Gasol, who along with league Most Valuable Player Kobe Bryant make up Los Angeles' star trio, didn't fare much better. Odom and Gasol were a combined 9-for-29 from the field.

"I think they weren't decisive enough on what they wanted to get done," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. "They had their opportunities and missed some layups and things just didn't go well."

Ironically, that has been Odom's calling card for his entire career - he doesn't know who he wants to be.

Is Odom a do-it-all player who can - all in one game - be a volume scorer, graceful passer and ferocious rebounder? Or is he the passive sidekick who can't be relied upon in the clutch?

No one - not even Odom - seems to know. But for the sake of argument, consider all the facts.

If talent were the only barometer, Odom would be one of the top five players in the NBA every season. At 6-10, he can handle the ball and pass like a point guard and post up and rebound like a forward.

But a great player is more than just the sum of his own parts.

As such, Bryant has been the best player in the NBA for several seasons - a moniker which was validated by his first league MVP Award this campaign. The two-time scoring champion has the most talent in the league, which only is surpassed by his will to be the game's alpha dog.

Odom's lower tenor doesn't mean he's not interested in succeeding, but suggests his competitive fire most likely will never match his skill level. To be fair, only few - i.e. Bryant and Michael Jordan - can be known for both.

But Odom, who averaged 14.2 points, 10.6 rebounds and 3.5 assists this season, seems to sorely lack a killer instinct.

He can best be described as a willing follower but, ironically, that has worked out well for him with the Lakers this season.

Odom has been placed in the perfect situation, allowing Bryant to be the team's most dominant personality in literally every phase.

On the court, Bryant takes the most shots, the important shots and the shots from the media, allowing Odom to do his thing in the background. In that role, he is praised for his good games while his sub-standard performances go largely unnoticed.

But this is the postseason and, the closer we get to the NBA Finals, everything is more highly scrutinized - no matter who you are. So, when Odom throws up a stinker in the Western Conference finals, it's likely to be noticed.

Sunday's sub-par game happened to coincide with a blowout loss for the Lakers, who cruised to two straight home wins to start the best-of-seven matchup with the Spurs.

Bryant, who scored 30 points in Sunday's loss, didn't want to place any blame on his supporting cast's lack of offensive firepower. Instead, it was about their effort on the other end of the court.

"If we can't get stops, it doesn't matter," Bryant said. "We had a point there where we cut it to 12 or nine, and we couldn't get stops. So, whether I go off for a 20-point quarter or 15-point quarter, we still have to get stops."

Bryant, remember, now is the softer, more teammate-friendly superstar who no longer scowls at his teammates much less puts them down in the press. But his comments were striking for those who can read between the lines.

It was Bryant's reference to his personal 15- or 20-point quarters which was most eye-opening. He mentioned it as if those were days past, when he had to carry the Lakers to victory on his back.

And he didn't want to revisit those times again.

With the emergence of its bench, the acquisition of Gasol and the contributions of Odom, Los Angeles had become much more of a team, earning the top seed in the tough Western Conference and Bryant his first MVP in what wasn't his best statistical season.

But Odom's style isn't new to those who have followed his career.

In the postgame show after the Lakers' Game Two victory, TNT analyst Kenny Smith recalled watching fellow Queens, New York-native Odom play since the current Laker was a little child.

Smith, who was sitting beside Bryant on the show's set, said that Odom was always one of the most talented players on the court but never averaged more than 20.0 points per game even in middle school.

Bryant defended his teammate, saying that Odom has the ability to be a lead scorer but needs the confidence to follow through on his talents.

And that's where Odom differs from every other sidekick left in these playoffs, including San Antonio's Manu Ginobili, who put on a dazzling performance Sunday with 30 points on 9-of-15 shooting.

Ginobili and Tony Parker in San Antonio, Detroit's Richard Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince or Paul Pierce and Ray Allen in Boston are not their team's most celebrated stars - but each have confidence in themselves in the clutch.

Bryant, luckily, also has Gasol and his host of improving bench players to fall back on.

But there is going to come a time when Los Angeles is going to need Odom - one of its key cogs - to come through and show up when it matters most.

[AUSTIN316]

Monson: Time for Sloan to give the Jazz clue on his future
By Gordon Monson
Tribune Columnist

Article Last Updated: 05/25/2008 03:04:07 AM MDT

Every year at this time, Jerry Sloan puts a thousand miles of mountains and prairie and planted crop between him and his job. He rolls on down Route 242 in Southern Illinois, cutting through a million acres of soybeans and corn, past dilapidated barns, rusted-out tractors, and places of business like Don's Liquor Hut and Huck's Food and Fuel, until he arrives home.
There, he sits awhile and takes stock of his life, in and out of basketball. And he decides whether he should return for another season at the helm of the Jazz. The decision is left to him, a lifetime achievement bonus, a ritual earned by way of 21 years of coaching the Jazz.
It might be time, though, for Sloan to alter that ritual.
It's worked out fine that way for more than a decade now, Sloan rocking in a chair on the back porch, huddling up with a bunch of old friends named Snook and Scooter and Beezer, who don't have a full set of teeth between them, and always deciding to come back.
He almost bagged the whole thing a few years ago, after the Jazz lost 56 games in 2005.
It wasn't the losing that wore him out, it was what caused the losing: players not readily conforming to his notion of team basketball.
"I often wonder how important basketball is to these guys," Sloan said, after that wretched episode. "Our biggest hurdle is getting people to play hard and compete.

We've had some problems with younger guys. They have a certain way they like to play. You try to teach them. Stockton and Malone had to learn it, too. But they loved to compete. It takes a lot of hard work to win. I know I'm hardheaded and stupid sometimes, but I thought we could win every night, if we worked at it. I'll never sit back and accept losing."
Man, how things have changed - and not changed - for the Jazz.
They do things Sloan's way again. And the winning is back. The competing is back.
Will Sloan be back?
Why wouldn't he be?
Well. He's enough of a contrarian, he turns head-on into the prevailing wind enough to leave the Jazz when he wants to and when everybody else least expects it.
Nobody sees him bailing now. If he does, we'll all pay tribute. And if he doesn't, no problem there. He's overseen a quick and impressive Jazz resurgence over the past two seasons. Although the Jazz faded a bit against the Lakers, their future is bright - with a young, talented, but yet-imperfect team loaded up for more winning next year.
Here's the complication: Sloan needs to give the Jazz some idea as to his coaching plans beyond just his annual sojourn back to the farm for his year-to-year soul-searching, the reason being that there are gifted coaching prospects who might want to know that timetable.
Jeff Hornacek is one of them.
Ty Corbin is another.
What's John Stockton doing nowadays?
Larry Miller has said he prefers Sloan's successor to have significant ties and some tradition with the club. He's also said longtime assistant Phil Johnson has first crack at it. But Johnson is older than Sloan, who is 66. Is that the fresh business direction the Jazz want to take in a couple of years, if that's what it will be?
Meanwhile, promising and knowledgeable guys like Hornacek and Corbin are interviewing for other head coaching jobs, including at Phoenix and Chicago.
Point is, it's time for Sloan to give Miller a strong indication regarding what his plan is. Not just for this season, but for good. Miller has said he'd like to know. That way the Jazz could bring Hornacek in as an assistant and head-coach-in-waiting, allowing him to soak in whatever's left for him to soak in about the current Jazz, and, more importantly, tether him to the team's future.
It makes sense.
But none of that can happen as long as Sloan plows by the seat of his pants each year.
There's no way any of the former Jazz players who might be candidates for the job would make any kind of aggressive move for it - out of respect for their venerable mentor. But, in the meantime, with no clear picture in Utah, they could be lured away.
Hornacek is interested. I know that because he recently acknowledged the fact straight to my face. He's never coached full time before, but he understands the Jazz tradition as well as anyone this side of Stockton and Malone, he's good with the media, and he knows the game. Anybody who can help Andrei Kirilenko straighten out his jumper has an undeniable gift as a hoops whisperer.
So, as Sloan heads back to the farm this time, as he clears another 50 acres and whittles away on the back porch, he should think things through a bit more thoroughly, enabling Miller to plan for his franchise's future in a way that could have powerful influences over the Jazz for a decade - or, if history repeats itself, decades - to come.

[AUSTIN316]

Pistons’ Billups can’t hide the painful truth

11:19 AM EDT on Monday, May 26, 2008

By KEVIN McNAMARA
Journal Sports Writer

BIRMINGHAM, Mich. — All of basketball is about to learn if the Detroit Pistons can win without Chauncey Billups at his best.

After masking how much his injured hamstring would limit him in the first two games of the Eastern Conference finals, the camouflage fell off in the Celtics’ 94-80 win in Game Three Saturday. Billups played only 26 minutes and made 1-of-6 shots to finish with six points and four assists. No longer does anyone need an answer as to whether or not Billups is hurt.

“The thing is, I don’t want to be talking about it,” Billups said after a light Pistons’ workout yesterday. “I don’t want it to be an issue. As much as it is, I don’t want it to be and keep talking about it. Still hurting or not, I still have to play better. I’ve still got to play through it. That’s exactly what I intend on doing.”

Billups missed two games in the second-round win over the Orlando Magic and appeared to reaggravate his hamstring in the Pistons’ Game Two win at Boston. He was powerless to stop the Celtics’ easy victory Saturday night.

“In that game, I thought I just didn’t really personally do a good job of leading, you know what I mean?” Billups said. “That’s not just shooting the ball and scoring the ball. I think just leading. When I can’t do the things that I’m accustomed to doing offensively, there have to be other ways to have presence out there, but I thought I waited too late yesterday to step up and lead in that way.”

Detroit coach Flip Saunders has played impressive rookie Rodney Stuckey in place of Billups, but the veteran says he needs to play to help his team win this series.

“At this juncture of the season, you can’t sit out,” he said. “I’m a leader of this team, and no matter what’s going on I feel like I’m better out there on the court.”

The best medicine

If Ray Allen appears a bit bleary-eyed these days, he has a good reason. It’s not his erratic jump shot or the pressure of playoff basketball. He simply does not get much sleep.

Allen said yesterday that, home or away, he’s not a big sleeper. Coming home after an exciting playoff game keeps Allen wired into the wee hours of the morning.

“I went to bed at probably five o’clock in the morning and that’s pretty consistent,” he said yesterday at the team’s hotel. “You turn the TV on and get wrapped up in the program. Your body is tired but mentally you’re wired.”

Allen admits he can sit and brood after a loss or smile after a win like Saturday night’s. But he doesn’t fall asleep.

“You sleep easier (after a win) but you still don’t go to sleep,” he said. “There’s something about going from a building that’s full of 20,000 people, especially a late game. You come back to the hotel and you’re just so wired. You get to the room at one-thirty, two o’clock and you can’t go to sleep. There’s so many thoughts in your mind.”

At home, Allen has one remedy to get him to bed. Laughing. He says that he read once where laughing can help you relax and lets you live longer. “Like George Burns and Bob Hope,” he said.

“I always have on my TiVo America’s Funniest Videos. I have about 10 episodes recorded,” he said. “I put them on just before I go to sleep,and I laugh hysterically for about 20 minutes before I go to sleep. It changes your whole mood.”

The high road

The Celtics were obviously thrilled with winning their first playoff road game Saturday night but they’re not set to revert to relying solely on their home-court advantage. They’d like another road win tonight that would push the Pistons to the brink of elimination.

“We got a road win, which is good, but, hey, we want to try to get another one. Detroit played well in our building so we can’t take this opportunity for granted,” said Paul Pierce. “There is no complacency with this team. It’s good to be up 2-1, but it’ll be even better to go up 3-1. We don’t want to come back to Detroit. We have a tremendous opportunity (today), so we can’t take it for granted.”

A learning experience

The Celtics’ bench continued to draw praise from both camps yesterday for its 23-point effort in Game Three. The addition to the mix was veteran guard Sam Cassell. He hadn’t gotten off the Celts’ bench for the previous four games but replaced Eddie House in the rotation and made two key shots, one a 3-pointer, in eight minutes of action.

Cassell, a 15-year veteran, says adjusting to bench time hasn’t been easy.

“I’m not used to not playing at this time of the year. This is all new to me,” he said. “I think I’ve been taking it pretty well. Five years ago it would be hell around here but five years ago I was playing 35-40 minutes.

Cassell said the difference in starting and coming off the bench has been more dramatic that he ever realized.

“I get out there and everyone is running 100 miles-an-hour. I was in the 40 lane,” he said. “You go up and down a few times, everything comes back. I’ve been a starter in this league for 13 years. When you make that transition from a starter to a reserve, wow, I never thought it would be that big of a deal but it’s a big difference. You get into the game and they throw you right into the fire and the fire is hot.”

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Lakers' Lamar Odom takes the blame for Game 3 loss
'I put this one on myself,' the powerless power forward says, and he reels off his statistics to prove his point. He says he will practice and do better in Game 4 against the Spurs.
May 26, 2008

SAN ANTONIO -- The media crowd pours into the cramped Lakers locker room, looking for the goat, braying for the bum, loaded for Lamar.

He calmly buttons his black-checked shirt and beats them to it.

"I put this one on myself," Lamar Odom announces. "I take the blame, totally, for this game."

The Lakers had just lost Sunday to the San Antonio Spurs in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals, a 103-84 whipping that doubled as a three-hour embarrassment for their powerless power forward.

Who calmly wipes the sweat from his bald head and keeps the heat on.

"There is no way I can play like that," he says. "I've got to play better than that."

A TV network asks him for a live interview, and he says sure.

"You were two for 11," the interviewer says.

"I also had five turnovers," he says.

A writer asks him whether he can describe what happened, and he says of course.

"I got to the free-throw line and didn't make free throws. . . . turned the ball over," he says. "That's not good enough. Especially on the road with this type of atmosphere, this type of intensity."

Another writer asks whether he can talk about what happens next, and he says certainly.

"I don't sleep tonight," Odom says. "I keep the TV off. I don't read the newspaper. I get out to practice tomorrow and get my butt to the free-throw line."

Yet another writer crosses the room and explains the entire conversation to Derek Fisher.

For the first time in this dreary postgame closet, somebody chuckles.

"There is no way on this good green earth that Lamar Odom cost us that game," Fisher says, smiling. "But you know something? That is why we keep growing as a team. Because everybody in here makes themselves accountable. Nobody points fingers, everybody looks at themselves."

Indeed, if the Lakers eventually win a championship, Odom's postgame confessional Sunday will rank as one of the important playoff moments.

If they don't, well, this awful loss will do all of the talking.

The Lakers had a chance to put the final crushing squeeze to the Spurs on Sunday, but they just didn't seem excited about squeezing.

The Lakers could have easily finished the Spurs on Sunday, but they didn't seem ready to finish.

A two-games-to-none lead could have easily led to the start of a sweep, but it was as if the Lakers just didn't have the energy for the dirty work.

Yes, the Spurs' Manu Ginobili finally got hot with 30 points, his bad ankle suddenly healed, a miracle on AT&T Center Parkway.

But how many times is that other guard, Fisher, going to score only two points with one assist in nearly 30 minutes?

"We couldn't bring the game to their level," Fisher says.

Sure, the Spurs' Tim Duncan was consistently tough with 21 rebounds, and Tony Parker found his legs with nine baskets, many on layups.

But how many times is Kobe Bryant going to shoot only one free throw, and have only one assist?

"They put us back on our heels and we weren't able to elevate our defensive energy to match the speed of their game," Bryant says.

When asked what caused the Lakers' troubles, their former teammate Robert Horry -- he still hasn't made a basket in this series -- was at least honest.

"It didn't have anything to do with us," he says.

So the Lakers lost a game, but not momentum, nothing that can't be taken back in Tuesday's Game 4.

A bigger question is, have they lost Odom?

And, if so, how can they find him again?

It is impossible to rip a guy who so badly rips himself.

But, with two lousy nights in the first three games of this series, Lamar Odom remains the embodiment of many Laker fans' fears.

When it comes to unfamiliar championship pressure situations, they worry that he will either become inert or try to do too much.

On Sunday, it was both.

The Lakers began the second quarter with a 24-21 lead.

Then Odom, um, er, took over.

Odom is called for a three-second violation. Odom misses a jump shot.

Odom holds the ball at the end of a 24-second violation. Odom fails to scramble for a rebound that is turned into a fastbreak Spurs layup.

Even then, the Lakers are still trading leads, until Odom gives up after blocking a Duncan shot, allowing Duncan to tip in the follow shot over him.

Then Odom misses two free throws, loses a dribble, misses a layup, then makes only one of two free throws.

"It definitely snowballed," Odom admits.

By the time the quarter ends, the Spurs lead, 49-39, and that is that.

By far, the Lakers' most impressive moment of the evening occurs when Odom takes blame for it afterward, yet another reason why he is perhaps the most beloved Laker in the locker room.

"This is reality, I'm a man, I have to accept it," he says.

But, by far, the Lakers' scariest moment is that, this late in the spring, Odom actually plays a game that requires such self-blame.

In saying that he needs to be better, Lamar Odom is honorably honest and admirably accountable.

He is also absolutely right.

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Hornacek was 'player-coach'
BULLS | Former guard used smarts to stay in league, says he shares similarities with Paxson

May 26, 2008

BY BRIAN HANLEY [e-mail]

Jeff Hornacek grew up idolizing the Bulls while starring for Lyons Township.

Now 45, Hornacek -- who had a 14-year NBA playing career -- spent about five hours Friday trying to convince Bulls general manager John Paxson that he'd be the right man to coach his hometown team.''I always felt I would coach someday,'' Hornacek said in a telephone interview after meeting with Paxson. ''I felt like my coaches looked at me as a coach on the floor, and I tried to take that responsibility. Before I got to the NBA, I probably never thought I'd coach in the league. Before then, I thought I'd probably end up coaching a college team.''

Paxson said he's interested in hearing how each candidate would employ the talent on the Bulls' roster. That the Bulls were ready to offer the job to former Suns coach Mike D'Antoni, who had little use for defense in Phoenix, came as a surprise, particularly because Bulls chairman Jerry Reinsdorf insists his next coach will be defensive-minded.

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

Hornacek, who said he thought his meeting with Paxson went well, believes he can strike the right balance between offense and defense, given the coaches he played for: Iowa State's Johnny Orr in college and Phoenix's Cotton Fitzsimmons and Utah's Jerry Sloan in the NBA.

''I've been blessed with having some great coaches,'' Hornacek said. ''With Cotton, we didn't have a lot of set plays. He was more about pushing the ball up the court and trusting you. He was very positive, very upbeat and just gave us great confidence. He would tell you taking an open 18-foot jumper early in the shot clock was just as good as a layup in the final seconds. Johnny Orr was a lot like that, too.''

Hornacek, whose No. 14 was retired by Utah, has been a special assistant with the team while working mostly with Jazz forward Andrei Kirilenko.

''Jerry Sloan is a great coach, and he's one of the best at getting guys to play to their potential,'' Hornacek said of the defensive-minded former Bulls guard. ''Jerry has a lot of half-court sets, he coaches just like he played.''

Hornacek, who also has interviewed with Suns general manager Steve Kerr for what likely would be an assistant-coach position, said playing ''smart'' is what kept him in the league.

''Steve Kerr, John Paxson and I are a lot alike; we didn't depend on our athleticism; we couldn't,'' Hornacek said. ''As players, we took advantage of what teams were giving. I was always a guy who was used to working harder than everybody else.''

Hornacek went from a walk-on at Iowa State to an All-Big Eight selection in 1986 and holds the school record for assists (665). He was a second-round pick of the Suns in '86 and twice helped Phoenix reach the Western Conference finals. An NBA All-Star in 1992, he spent his last six seasons in Utah, where he helped the Jazz make back-to-back NBA Finals appearances in 1997 and '98, losing to the Bulls each time.

Hornacek said he told Paxson he believes in practicing hard while still finding ways to make it fun for players.

''When I hear a guy say it's a job, then I know the thrill of playing in the NBA is not really there for him,'' Hornacek said. ''When I was playing, we had fun in practice.''

If Paxson were to hire him, Hornacek said he'd have no problem accepting a former NBA head coach as his top assistant.

''Pax and I talked about a number of guys I'd be comfortable working with,'' Hornacek said. ''It helps to have experience on your staff and to be able to really rely on a veteran guy as your head assistant.''

Hornacek said Paxson also asked him how he would use Memphis guard Derrick Rose or Kansas State forward Michael Beasley, the players Paxson will choose between should he keep the top pick in the June 26 draft.

Paxson met with Kings assistant Chuck Person on Saturday and will conduct more interviews this week at the NBA predraft camp in Orlando. Former Mavericks coach Avery Johnson said he expects to meet with Paxson soon, and Paxson also likely will meet with former Nuggets coach and Mount Prospect native Jeff Bzdelik and Rockets assistant Elston Turner.

''I know Pax is talking to a lot of people and will take time to narrow it down,'' said Hornacek, who would've pursued a coaching career earlier but put family first. He waited until his children -- sons Ryan and Tyler and daughter Abigail -- were old enough that the travel demanded by the job would not be as much of a problem for them or his wife, Stacey.

''Ryan is a junior in college,'' said Hornacek, whose parents and two brothers live in La Grange. ''[Abigail] is going to be a high school freshman. It would be a little tough on Tyler since he will be a high school senior next year. But I always knew I wanted to coach after my kids were old enough, and it's time.''

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Monday, May 26, 2008
Rob Parker
The buck stops at feet of Billups

AUBURN HILLS -- Sometimes, you have to put the onus on one player.

That time is now. That player is Chauncey Billups.

The best part about this notion is that Billups knows it. Billups, the Pistons' point guard and captain, knows he has to play better in order for the Pistons to not only win Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals, but also to advance to the NBA Finals for the third time in five seasons.

The Celtics grabbed the lead in this best-of-seven series, 2-1, with Billups being a non-factor in Game 3 on Saturday night.

"The game got away from us early and I didn't set up enough vocally," Billups said after practice Sunday afternoon. "Then when things weren't going right, I didn't do a good job of stepping in and leading them. When I can't do the things I'm accustomed to offensively, there has to be other ways to have a presence."
Back to Game 2 level

Simply put, Billups must do was he does -- lead the Pistons. It starts with him being aggressive, forcing his will early. Granted, Billups hasn't been totally healthy after injuring his right hamstring against the Magic in Game 3 of the second round. After resting nearly 10 days, Billups looked tentative in Game 1 vs. Boston.

In Game 2, Billups had 19 points, including a huge basket with 10 seconds to go to seal the victory. But in Game 3, Billups appeared to slip back to his passive mode from Game 1. Some believe Billups is still injured. Billups is tired of answering questions about it.

"I just don't want it to be an issue," Billups said. "And as much as it is, I don't want it to be. I don't want to keep talking about it. The bottom line is that I have to play better, we have to play better. Whether it's still hurt or not, I still have to play through it. That's what I intend on doing."

The Pistons have lost two games in this series. Billups wasn't aggressive in either game. In Game 1, he had just three shots in the first half and an 88-79 loss. In Game 3 on Saturday night, Billups had one shot in the first half en route to six points in an embarrassing 94-80 loss.

"Chauncey's the catalyst of our team," Richard Hamilton said. "I've been saying that since Day 1. He's the point guard that orchestrates our whole offense. He's important for us."
This guy is needed

And while the Pistons have been enjoying the emergence of backup rookie point guard Rodney Stuckey, who had 17 points off the bench Saturday, they still need Billups to do his part. The Pistons were able to eliminate the Magic without Billups in the final two games, but it seems nearly impossible to pull off the same feat against the Celtics.

"Stuckey's playing great right now and I'm proud of him," Billups said. "So we have to find ways to keep him aggressive. But I know that I have to play good for this team to win. I understand that."

Billups' teammates haven't given up on him. They expect him to be present tonight.

"I believe he's doing everything possible," Hamilton said. "Chaunce is Chaunce. "I feel as if he's one of the best point guards in the league. He's going out there and trying to do it."

The Pistons simply need Billups to be aggressive and lead his team to victory.

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Small ball not easy for Pistons to play
by A. Sherrod Blakely
Monday May 26, 2008, 1:19 AM

AUBURN HILLS -- The Detroit Pistons have a versatile roster, but they haven't spent a lot of time playing "small ball" until the playoffs.

While it has hurt the Pistons on the boards, playing a three-guard lineup helped them pull out a Game 2 win at Boston on Thursday, and kept Detroit from getting blown out in their 94-80 Game 3 loss on Saturday.

It remains to be seen how Detroit's smaller lineup will affect the Pistons in their Game 4 matchup with Boston tonight.

"It's tough, because we really haven't done it that much," said Tayshaun Prince, who slides over to the power forward position when Detroit goes with a three-guard set. "We've done it maybe seven, eight games out of the whole season."

Pistons coach Flip Saunders has gone with the smaller lineup to try and speed up the game, maybe force a few turnovers.

But more than anything else, he has gone with the three-guard setup because of Rodney Stuckey's emergence.

"We've got to play him, play him somewhere," Saunders said.

Playing Stuckey significant minutes as part of a three-guard lineup is a compromise of sorts for the Pistons, who have received inconsistent play from point guard Chauncey Billups.

After struggling in Detroit's Game 1 loss to Boston, Billups bounced back with a strong 19-point, seven-assist performance in Detroit's Game 2 win. In that game, Billups tweaked the right hamstring that has forced him to miss two games this postseason.

"The thing is I don't want to be talking about it," said Billups, who still receives lengthy treatment sessions with Arnie Kander, Detroit's strength and conditioning coach. "The bottom line is I've got to play better, we've got to play better, and whether it's hurting, still hurting or not, I've still got to play better. I've still got to play through it. That's exactly what I intend on doing."

There's a good chance he'll be doing it with at least two other guards on the floor.

Billups finds fault: Billups isn't blaming his sore right hamstring for his poor performance in Detroit's Game 3 loss. He doesn't believe his 1-for-6 shooting performance was the primary culprit, either.

"I thought I just didn't really personally do a good job of leading," Billups said.

"That's not just shooting the ball and scoring the ball. I think just leading. I think the game got away from us early, and I think I didn't step up enough vocally when guys were missing coverages and when things (weren't) going right."

Pistons guard Richard Hamilton said Detroit's Game 3 loss had nothing to do with Billups' ability to lead.

"I believe he's doing everything possible," Hamilton said. "He's one of the best point guards in the league and he's going out there and trying to do it."

Quick hits: Since 2004, Detroit is 3-2 in playoff series in which they lost two of the first three games. Their most recent comeback from a 2-1 series deficit came in the first round of this year's playoffs, against Philadelphia. After losing two of the first three, Detroit bounced back to win three in a row and advance to the next round of the playoffs. ... James Posey came into Saturday's game having scored a total of five points in Games 1 and 2. On Saturday, he had seven of his 12 off the bench, in the first half. ... Boston's Sam Cassell saw his first action in the Eastern Conference finals on Saturday, finishing with five points in eight minutes.

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Saunders giving Tayshaun Prince a pass for Game 3 performance

By KRISTA JAHNKE • FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITEr • May 26, 2008

Flip Saunders is aware that forward Tayshaun Prince shot 2-for-11 and scored four points in Game 3. But considering his consistency and production throughout the playoffs -- as well as his defensive assignment against Boston -- he wasn't ready to get on him.

"If you tell me before the game that we're going to hold Paul Pierce to 11 points, I'd say, well, we're going to have a pretty good chance to win this game," Saunders said. "(Prince) might not be getting off, but when he's guarding Paul Pierce and he's limiting his offense, that's pretty good. Granted, was he doing things offensively? No, he struggled, as the whole team did."

Saunders also gave Prince a pass because he's often getting the ball in late-shot-clock situations and forced to take a tough shot.

"Five of his misses are shots he's getting because the other guys are trying to have him bail them out," Saunders said. "That's not fair to him, either."

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Rough going for Pistons

By Chris McCosky
The Detroit News / May 26, 2008

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. - Desperate? The Pistons?
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"Not at all, not one bit," said Richard Hamilton before practice yesterday. "We proved we could go into their home court and win and they proved they could come into our home court and win. That's it."

If it's not rough, it's not right for these Pistons, huh? Isn't that the motto? Well let's burst that myth right here and now. Chauncey Billups uttered that now infamous phrase in 2005 and maybe it was applicable then.

It's not now.

"For whatever reason, we're at our best when that happens," Billups said. "I don't like it, but it's just who we are."

Really? Let's review:

Things didn't get rough in the 64-win 2006 season until they played Cleveland in the conference semifinals. They survived that one but never got right and eventually lost to Miami in the conference finals.

Then last year, it didn't get rough until they went to Cleveland for Game 3 of the conference finals and again, they never got right.

Well, here they are, another year older at yet another crisis point in a conference finals. Trailing, 2-1, coming off an embarrassing home loss to the ever-confident Celtics, with Billups, their captain and offensive leader, playing at a diminished capacity because of nagging soreness in his right hamstring and/or because of the unrelenting pressure applied by the Celtics' defense.

Is it rough enough, yet?

"We realize we've got work to do," Tayshaun Prince said. "We keep putting ourselves in this position, so we've got to find a way to get out of it."

The math is pretty simple at this point, but the numbers come out ugly for the Pistons either way. Win Game 4 tonight and it's a best-of-three series with two of those games in Boston; lose and it's all but over.

"The one thing this series has proven is that the team that can sustain their energy over the course of the game will win," coach Flip Saunders said. "We can't have anything less than all-out, throw-your-bodies-on-the-floor type energy - point-blank.

"At some point you throw out Xs and Os and it becomes about exerting your will."

Also, at some point for the Pistons, it has to be about not spotting the Celtics an early lead.

"It's about coming out early and setting the tone - same old, same old," Hamilton said. "We didn't beat Philly when they came out, 8-0, to start the game. We didn't beat Orlando when they came out, 8-0, and we aren't going to beat Boston when they come out, 11-0."

The Celtics led, 8-0, in Game 1, 10-4 in Game 2, and 11-0 in Game 3.

"My philosophy has always been to win the first three minutes and last three minutes of every quarter," Saunders said. "If you win those 24 minutes, you have a good chance of winning the game.

"We are getting off to such bad starts, then all of a sudden one guy thinks, 'I have to get us going,' and we start doing things one-on-one. That's out of character for us and then it just snowballs."
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It doesn't help that the guy who usually steers the ship through trouble waters - Billups - has been rendered ineffective. Not only has he not been providing an offensive push, but he hasn't been able to manage the flow of the Pistons' offense like he typically does.

"I thought I just didn't personally do a good job of leading," Billups said. "And that's not just shooting the ball and scoring the ball, it's just leading. The game got away from us early and I think I didn't step up enough vocally when guys were missing coverages and things weren't going right.

"When I can't do the things I'm accustomed to doing offensively, there has to be other ways to have a presence out there. I always do add a presence and I think I waited too late [Saturday night] to step up and lead in that way."

Saunders said he will keep an eye on Billups early in Game 4. The team has played more forcefully and effectively when rookie Rodney Stuckey has been on the floor.

"[Billups] will be on a short leash as far as making sure he can do the things [physically] that he can do," Saunders said. "At this point, you throw everything out there. You lay it all on the line."

Here's what none of the Pistons want to believe, though there is evidence to support it: The Celtics are simply quicker and more powerful in too many key positions and they are choking the Pistons' offense.

The Celtics, playing off the adrenaline of their Game 7 win against Cleveland, limited the Pistons to 79 points in Game 1. They said the effects of the previous series caught up with them in Game 2 when the Pistons scored 103 points. But since, coach Doc Rivers has allowed his team to rest between games (the Celtics didn't practice again yesterday), and with fresher legs they suffocated the Pistons again in Game 3.

"They are quicker at some positions," Saunders said. "But if that's the case, then we have to make quicker decisions. When you play against quicker teams you can't hold the ball and wait. That gives them an opportunity to get into their [ball] denial positions and whatever else. We have to make quicker decisions."

Hamilton isn't buying that. When asked why they could move the ball in Game 2 and not at all in Game 3, Hamilton said, "We could have easily done it in Game 3, but we didn't. It's just paying attention to detail and knowing what got us that win in Game 2. We can't get a win then all of a sudden say, 'OK, we're going to play another way.' "

It comes back to hitting first and getting an early lead.

"When you get down, 11-0, the natural instinct is for everybody to feel like, 'OK, we got to do it ourselves.' We can't do it ourselves," Hamilton said. "They load up so much on the strong side, they won't allow you to do it [one on one].

"They have never had to play from behind. We're playing from behind the whole game."

There's a lot on the Pistons' plates entering Game 4, and not much of it looks too good at this point. But, like they say, they've been here before.

"We will come back. We have no alternative," Saunders said. "We have to come back strong. We blew a golden opportunity. These guys always say they like it tough, well, they should really be in love with it right now."

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Spurs' Barry relishes rare strong playoff game

Web Posted: 05/26/2008 12:33 AM CDT

By Mike Monroe
Express-News

Brent Barry, wide open at the top of the 3-point arc midway through the fourth quarter Sunday, held his right arm aloft, hoping to catch the eye of Fabricio Oberto.

Always looking for open teammates, Oberto hooked a pass out to Barry. Then Oberto turned to watch Barry's quick-release shot slide through the net to give the Spurs a 20-point lead. The Spurs would protect the lead this time, winning Game 3 of the Western Conference finals 103-84 over the Lakers.

Barry always knows when his shot feels right, and he held his right arm aloft for an instant, until the shot settled in the net. Then, he turned, pumped his first, and let out a yell.

After a frustrating playoff run that began with worries about a lingering calf injury, Barry made no apologies for his atypical show of emotion in the Spurs' first victory of the series.

“I'm not normally like that,” he said, “but I think our team needs that sometimes. I think we need to realize the situation. It's not a desperate situation, but we need to realize where we are. We're in the Western Conference finals against a team that wants to take something from us very badly. I don't think we're quite ready to give that up.

“If we show some of that emotion and play with some of that emotion and bring some of that fire and help get the crowd going, so be it. It's not our nature. I don't think a lot of our guys are made up that way, but for a game, at least, it was a good feeling.”

For Barry, what felt best was making a big contribution in a game the Spurs desperately needed. He got his earliest call of the series, entering with 3:12 remaining in the first quarter. He scored only six points, both on 3-pointers, but added four assists in 21 minutes and 21 seconds.

“I thought Brent was really valuable,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “He really makes the offense tick. Good passer, reads the situations very well, and I thought he played a fine game for us tonight.”

Popovich said he had decided during the day between games to give Barry a bigger role, but he never shared his plan with the 36-year-old shooting guard.

“I'm just like everybody else over there: ready to go in and play, and if the opportunity is there, try to help us out,” Barry said. “It's a mind-set you have to have this time of year, whether it's Ime (Udoka), Fin (Michael Finley), Jacque (Vaughn) or me.

“Who knows what he's thinking? And I don't think Coach does either, and if we all don't know what each other is thinking, then great. If we're all screwed up and we can all deal with that, then let's go ahead and do it.”

Barry's contributions Sunday included some outstanding work at the defensive end. Isolated on a switch against Lamar Odom in the second quarter, he forced the ball out of Odom's hand and recovered it before it went out of bounds. Then, he tracked down a rebound of an Odom miss and fired a long bounce pass to Tony Parker for a layin that gave the Spurs a 27-26 lead.

Finally, he took a charge from Ronny Turiaf, the Lakers' 6-foot-10, 250 pound power forward.

“Two defensive plays in one short stretch of minutes?” said Barry, never mistaken for a Bruce Bowen-like defensive stopper. “Call the Guinness Book (of Records).

“It's good. All those little things that we can do are going to add up to bigger things. We've been talking about that as the bench. We're kind of the others over there, and we're trying to get the job done.”