May 26, 2012

Click the play button below to listen to an interview I did this morning on Sirius XM’s Mad Dog radio, discussing the merits of Mike Woodson over Phil Jackson, the ongoing Dwight Howard saga in Orlando and what its next chapter will be, and previews of Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals between Boston and Philadelphia and Game 1 of the Western Conference finals between San Antonio and Oklahoma City.

Amarillo Slim at the 1974 World Series of Poker

I told this story last week, and it is worth re-telling for those of you who may have missed it.

I have a publicist colleague, Jimmy Shapiro, who once tried to get a sponsor to pay my $10,000 buy-in for the main event at the World Series of Poker. I was going to write about in for their online blog.

He came very close, but ultimately couldn’t get the 10K.

But Jimmy tried, and I will forever be indebted to him for giving it his best shot.

I was in Las Vegas anyway that summer (2008) covering Team USA training camp, and one night I ended up going over to the big room at the Rio with Mike Wise of the Washington Post, and we both played in a $220 buy-in “second-chance” tournament that they hold every night during the main event. I finished 18th and cashed moderately, my greatest poker achievement ever.

Anyway, Jimmy is working for Bovada now (Twitter is @BovadaLV), and he has e-mailed me some interesting odds relating to the NBA playoffs. Here they are:

Odds to win 2012 NBA Championship

San Antonio Spurs                13/10

Miami Heat                                3/2

Oklahoma City Thunder    17/4

Boston Celtics                        12/1

Series Price

Boston Celtics (Series Prices)    4/1        (+400)

Miami Heat (Series Prices)         1/6        (-600)

Exact Series Result     

Boston Celtics  4-0                    50/1      (+5000)

Boston Celtics  4-1                    35/1      (+3500)

Boston Celtics  4-2                    10/1      (+1000)

Boston Celtics  4-3                    15/1      (+1500)

Miami Heat 4-0                          9/2        (+450)

Miami Heat 4-1                          17/10    (+170)

Miami Heat 4-2                          4/1        (+400)

Miami Heat 4-3                          29/10    (+290)

Total Games in Series

4                      11/2      (+550)

5                      3/2        (+150)

6                      5/2        (+250)

7                      11/5      (+220)

Where Will the Series be Decided?   

TDBankGarden, Boston                                 10/17    (-170)

AmericanAirlines Arena, Miami               7/5        (+140)

Player Props

Average 3rd Round Points Per Game – Paul Pierce

Over/Under                                18½

Average 3rd Round Points Per Game – Brandon Bass

Over/Under                                12

Average 3rd Round Points Per Game – Kevin Garnett

Over/Under                                17½

Average 3rd Round Assists Per Game – Rajon Rondo

Over/Under                                12½

Average 3rd Round Points Per Game – Rajon Rondo 

Over/Under                                14½

Will Rajon Rondo Record a Triple Double vs. the Miami Heat?

Yes                  10/11    (-110)

No                    10/11    (-110)

Average 3rd Round Points Per Game – LeBron James           

Over/Under                                30

Average 3rd Round Rebounds Per Game – LeBron James

Over/Under                                9½

Average 3rd Round Assists Per Game – LeBron James

Over/Under                                6

Will Lebron James Record a Triple Double vs. the Boston Celtics?

Yes                  2/1        (+200)

No                    1/3        (-300)

Highest 1 Game Point Total in 3rd Round – LeBron James

Over/Under                                35.5

Average 3rd Round Points Per Game – Dwyane Wade           

Over/Under                                25½

Average 3rd Round Rebounds and Assists Per Game – Dwyane Wade

Over/Under                                9

Highest 1 Game Point Total in 3rd Round – Dwyane Wade

Over/Under                                30.5

Additional Props

Who will win the NBA 2012 NBA Championship

Eastern Conference Team           20/27    ( -135)

Western Conference Team          21/20    (+105)

Will any Player be suspended during the Eastern Conference Finals?

Yes                  6/1

No                    1/10

Lowest single team total during the Eastern Conference Finals?

Over / Under                              73.5

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich provided a one-liner that will follow this series the rest of the way, and will continue following the Spurs franchise into the next days, weeks and, well, maybe even years – although Popovich would settle for about a month.

By then, the NBA champion will be determined, and if it is to be the Spurs – who certainly are the favorites right now – then Game 1 of the Western Conference finals will undoubtedly be a focal point.

That’s because the Spurs overcame a gallant effort by the Oklahoma City Thunder to take a 1-0 lead in the series with a 101-98 victory Sunday night. (Boxscore here).

The Thunder battled evenly for a half, asserted themselves throughout the third and early in the fourth period and were playing confident, free-flowing basketball. They entered the last quarter with a nine-point lead and it seemed Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, James Harden and a strong group of role players was coming of age.

In growing up, the young team with its core players all 23 or younger, was poised to end the Spurs 18-game winning streak, steal home court advantage and take a giant step towards advancing to the NBA Finals.

But then Popovich addressed the situation. He was unhappy because the Spurs had not played with the same passion or energy of the Thunder. He asked the players if they thought winning was going to be easy. He reminded them that each round was more difficult.

And then he uttered a line that will become a permanent part of Spurs lore, “I want some nasty.”

And he got it – well, as much nasty as a nice group of guys like the Spurs can muster. A minute into the fourth quarter, the Spurs began playing their regular game.

They trailed 73-64 with 11:19 left. They responded with nine consecutive points. And get this – four by Gary Neal, three by Tiago Splitter and two by Tony Parker. They took control of the game. They disrupted the OKC offense. They stifled Durant, who had 27 points in the game but was 0-of-2 from the field in the fourth period.

And after three periods of difficult, grinding basketball, the Spurs breezed to the victory, which was more convincing than the final three-point margin suggested. San Antonio was nine points ahead with 22.1 seconds left but OKC made several desperation shots. But the outcome was never in doubt at the end.

After the game, Popovich was able to laugh at himself for “I Want Some Nasty,” which has all sorts of commercial possibilities – Hip Hop, Country & Western, Heavy Metal, Triple-X rated and, very importantly from a cultural perspective, Jersey Shore.

“The heat of the game, stuff comes up,” Popovich said, laughing. “It was like . . . I thought it was a great question for a lot of reasons. I thought we were playing unconfidently, kind of on our heels. So I talked to them about they’ve got to get a little bit uglier.”

For the Spurs, the final result was pretty. After scoring only 16 points in the third quarter, they had 39 in the fourth. Manu Ginobili won the battle of excellent sixth men, leading the Spurs with 26 points on 9-of-14 shooting.

James Harden, the sixth man award winner this season, had 19 points but shot only 7-of-17 from the field. Russell Westbrook was even worse — 7-of-21 and 17 points.

The Thunder settled for a lot of wild shots early and seemed intent on challenging the Spurs at the basket. Several times, they tried to dunk over players guarding the basket, and they were never successful. But they still played well enough to be in control of the game early in the fourth quarter, although ultimately they fell short.

They will get another chance in Game 2 on Tuesday night, but the task is a monumental one. The Spurs have now won 19 consecutive games, including nine at home, and have not lost a game since April 11.

The Thunder looked for the bright side after the game.

“We knew going into this game that they were going to play their style of game,” OKC head coach Scott Brooks said. “They’re a very good basketball team. They’re playing the best basketball in the league. And we were right there.”

While that’s true, the Thunder built a 8-1 record in the first two rounds with victories over the Mavericks and Lakers – two teams that have won the last three titles – by playing clutch basketball and having strong fourth quarter performances.

That wasn’t the case Sunday. If they are going to avoid a 2-0 deficit, they’re going to have to steal a page out of Gregg Popovich’s playbook and play much nastier on Tuesday.

Jan Hubbard has written about basketball since 1976 and worked in the NBA league office for eight years in between media stints. Follow him on Twitter at @whyhub.

Want to take a small gamble on the NBA playoffs? For as little as $2, you can have action on the players still playing. in the conference finals.

That’s the beauty of fantasy sports.

Even if you could give a damn who wins tonight’s game, you can have a rooting interest in who plays well by signing up for DraftStreet.com and playing in their two-day NBA playoff fantasy leagues.

(You can play in daily baseball leagues, too, if that is a sport that interests you. Or golf.)

Many of you have been playing in our fantasy freerolls each week, and for others this is new. Here’s how it works: You start with an imaginary salary cap of $100,000, and you have to pick eight players — two centers, two forwards, two guards and two utility players. Each player has a salary assigned to him, so multiple entrants can have the same players on their teams.

From your eight players, you receive 2 points for every steal or blocked shot, 1.5 points for every assist, 1.25 points for every rebound and 1 point for every point your players score.

You lose a half-point more every missed shot, and you lose 1 point for every turnover.

Sound easy? It is.

To join up, click here to register. The minimum deposit is only $10.

DraftStreet runs fantasy contests, which are considered a game of skill, not a game of chance, and thus is legal for all Americans (and Canadians) unless you live in Arizona, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, Montana, Vermont or Puerto Rico.

Chris Sheridan is putting $100 into play each week.

Here is an update on the teams he has in action:

SATURDAY-SUNDAY

Team 1 ($11): A quarter of a point! Also known as 0.25. That’s all that kept Sheridan out of the money as he finished ninth out of 75 players — a league in which the top 8 got paid. Lineup was Kevin Durant, Many Ginobili, Rajon Rondo, Tony Parker, Serge Ibaka, Boris Diaw, Spencer Hawes and Kendrick Perkins. If Sheridan had taken Brandon Bass (25.5 points) over Diaw (18 points), he would have finished fifth and cashed for $50.

Team 2 ($11): Finished 57th with a Thunder-laden team of Durant, Westbrook, Serge Ibaka, James Harden, Nazr Mohammed, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ryan Hollins.

SUNDAY-MONDAY:

Team 1 ($11): Parker, Duncan, Harden Kendrick Perkins, Nazr Mohammed, Danny Green, LeBron James, Mario Chalmers. Stands in 26th place.

Team 2 ($11): Ibaka, Diaw, Perkins, James, Rondo, Shane Battier, Garnett, Joel Anthony. Stands 43rd out of 50.

Again, to join in the action, click here to register. And good luck.

Just finished watching Game 1 - Spurs r amazing. They had nothing 1st half, couldn't get into anything. Played all 48 and prevailed.

about 14 hours ago via TweetDeckReplyRetweetFavorite

@Lockedonsports

David Locke

I mean, can anybody beat the Spurs? They sweep the Jazz, sweep the Clippers, and now go up 1-0 to the Thunder. Ginobili led the Spurs with 26 points, and the Spurs were just their usual selves, playing great basketball on both sides. I’ve been screaming Spurs winning the NBA Championship since March, and I’m feeling even more confident with every win they accumulate throughout the playoffs. I stand by my prediction; Spurs beat the Thunder in six, and beat the Celtics in seven. Yes, I see the Celtics making the Championship; However, that just may be a product of wishful thinking.

Just 48 hours after Rondo finished off the stubborn, pesky eighth-seeded Philadelphia 76ers in Game 7 of a series that was borderline unwatchable for those without a rooting interest, those same time-tested and battle-proven Boston Celtics will be rolling into the arena just south of the South Beach causeway, the scene of the infamous “Yes We Did” celebration in the summer of 2010.

Doesn’t that seem like ages ago?

Awaiting the men in green are the Heat, who no longer have a Big Three of their own because Chris Bosh has an abdominal injury for which a prognosis has not been given. The Heat did a little staggering of their own in their previous series, falling behind the Indiana Pacers 2-1 before finding the moxie and self-confidence to oust those purveyors of “smashmouth basketball” who ended up getting their own mouths and heads smashed as things got ugly in Game 5.

Miami is a huge favorite to put an end to Boston’s Big Three era, and with good reason. The Celtics are battered and bruised, without their best perimeter defender, Avery Bradley, without a decent center, and with Ray Allen looking like a shell of his former self (except when he summoned two huge fourth-quarter shots when they were needed most Saturday night in Game 7.) Rondo also had a pair of daggers in the closeout win over the Sixers, and you have to wonder whether he has emptied his bullet chamber. (The smart guess is no).

LeBron James has been brilliant throughout this postseason after winning his third MVP award, and he was brilliant in last year’s Eastern Conference finals when the Heat took down the Bulls in 5 games.

Except nobody really remembers that, because the memory LeBron sent us into last summer with was a string of fourth quarter failures in the championship series against Dallas.

Here are the five factors that will have the biggest impact on which of these two teams emerges from the East to take on the Spurs or the Thunder for the championship. (Click here for the Five Factors column on the San Antonio-Oklahoma City series.)

1. The Rondo Factor. Is it a stretch to say this guy can win a game all by himself? He has been the MVP of the playoffs in the East, going for three triple-doubles in the Celtics’ 13 postseason games to raise his career total to nine, tying him with Wilt Chamberlain for fourth-most in NBA playoff history. As noted above, he is the best player in the Celtics, yet he is the player opponents most often dare to shoot, the player who crashes the boards instead of getting back on defense, the player with the uncanny knack for getting into the paint and wreaking havoc, either by finding an open teammate or finding a way to score. He is averaging 12.2 assists in the postseason, but also 3.8 turnovers. The Heat is a team that thrives in transition, and Rondo’s ability to protect the ball and dictate the tempo of the game will be crucial.
2. The Bosh Factor. If he was healthy, Chris Bosh would be the one defending Kevin Garnett, who was looking unusually spry over the early part of the playoffs but seemed to be running out of juice in the latter half of the series against the Sixers. So the task of defending KG will fall to Joel Anthony and Udonis Haslem, who will be drawn away from the basket because of the need to respect Garnett’s perimeter game. This will help negate Miami’s size advantage, which is no small matter when you consider that the Celtics were the NBA’s worst rebounding team in the regular season. The Heat showed in Games 4, 5 and 6 against Indiana that they can make up for Bosh’s point production if both James and Wade have their offense in gear, but if one of them is having an off night there will be an opportunity for Boston to keep the score low and keep themselves in the mix.
3. The Tempo Factor. If Miami is allowed to run, they will run away with this series. It’s that simple. James is next to impossible to defend in the open court, and the Heat will look for every opportunity to create transition points rather than getting bogged down in halfcourt sets that make them look more ordinary than otherworldly. Even if you count Ray Allen out of the equation when listing each team’s best offensive weapons, the Celtics still have three guys who can score the ball with consistency — Rondo, Paul Pierce and Garnett. The Heat have only two, James and Wade. And if Boston can keep the scores in the 70s and 80s, they can uglify this series to the point where they can compete.
4. The Dinosaur Factor: The Celtics looked washed up and finished at this time last year when they were ousted by the Heat in five games, and the storyline throughout this entire season has been whether this is the end of the road for Boston’s aging core. General manager Danny Ainge was ready to break them up at the trading deadline, with deals in place to send Ray Allen to Memphis (Allen even got a call from coach Doc Rivers saying he had been traded) and Pierce to the Nets. But the team stayed intact, hunkered down and finished the regular season with a second wind, then outlasted two postseason opponents who had no one with the talent level of James or Wade. History tells us that teams past their prime eventually crash and burn, and most expect a flameout from the Celtics. But dinosaurs can be stubborn when facing extinction, and no group of oldtimers plays with as much intensity as the Celtics.
5. The Wade Factor: Somebody has to guard him, and that somebody was going to be Avery Bradley until his shoulder kept popping out if its socket (it hurts just to type that) and he underwent season-ending surgery. Allen is too old and gimpy to handle the job, which means someone from the threesome of Rondo, Keyon Dooling and Mickael Pietrus will be assigned the task of trying to contain a superstar who came to life following his Game 3 meltdown in Indiana when he cursed at his coach, closing the series with games of 30, 28 and 41 points. If the Celtics can get enough scoring out of Pierce to offset James’ production, the Celtics’ ability to contain Wade will be paramount. The more shots the Heat gets from players other than James and Wade, the better the Celtics’ chances.

PREDICTIONS: 

 SHERIDAN: Heat in 7.

HUBBARD: Heat in 7.

HEISLER: Heat in 6.

BERNUCCA: Heat in 5.

HAMILTON: Heat in 6.

PERKINS: Heat in 5.

ZAGORIA: Heat in 6.

PARK: Heat in 6.

There was predictable backlash, mostly from Hornets fans who disagreed with my premise that making the playoffs – no matter how short your stay – is always better than intentionally stinking up the joint for several years in a misguided effort to get lucky through the draft and become a contender before all those lottery picks come due for max contracts.

To reinforce my point, I present the Philadelphia 76ers.

The 76ers broke out of the gate to a surprising 20-9 start this season. Approaching the All-Star break, they were one of the four or five best teams in the league. They appeared to be on pace for a division title and a high seed.

But the Sixers began to unravel in a stretch of injuries and inconsistency. They lost 21 of their next 32 games to fall to 31-30. With one week left in the season, they were clinging to the Eastern Conference’s eighth seed and had five games remaining, all on the road. There were more than a few observers who felt the Sixers would be better served by missing the playoffs and getting into the draft lottery rather than being obliterated by Chicago or Miami in the first round.

However, a funny thing happened en route to a predictable early playoff elimination. It was Memorial Day Weekend, and the Sixers were still playing.

In fact, Philadelphia was four minutes away from stunning the Boston Celtics in TD Garden in Game 7 and reaching the Eastern Conference finals.

“The game could have gone either way,” Celtics coach Doc Rivers said. “I felt going into this game it would go down to the wire. This team is hard to get away from. They never let up on the pressure because they have so many guys. They keep attacking.”

Good thing they didn’t tank, huh?

Sixers coach Doug Collins believes every playoff game is worth 10 regular-season games in terms of experience. His team played 13 playoff games, which equates to nearly two seasons of basketball education crammed into one month for his young, talented team.

“I learned a lot,” said Sixers guard Jrue Holiday, who is all of 21 years old and nearly tripled his postseason experience.

What did the Hornets learn this season? How to play spoiler? How to look like you’re trying when you’re really not? How to wait until next year, and the year after, and the year after that?

Yes, we all know the Sixers caught a couple of huge breaks against the Chicago Bulls, who lost Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah to injuries. Those breaks were no different from the break the Memphis Grizzlies caught last year when they faced the San Antonio Spurs and Manu Ginobili’s busted elbow.

And yes, a matchup with the Celtics was a somewhat favorable one for the Sixers, given their advantages of youth and speed. That was no different from the Golden State Warriors drawing the Dallas Mavericks and their huge expectations in the first round five years ago.

The Sixers were four games over .500 in the regular season. And they were four minutes away from playing for the right to go to the NBA Finals.

“The Sixers are a pain in the ass,” Rivers said. “They are a tough basketball team. I don’t think people gave them their respect all year. They are difficult to play against. That is a well-coached and well-prepared team. They play extremely hard.”

This is why you keep grinding, even when it looks like your season is falling apart. This is why you always play to win, no matter what the odds.

This is why you don’t tank.

This postseason run offers no guarantees for the Sixers. They are not assured of making the playoffs next season, let alone putting together another deep run. They still need more size, better shooting and a stud scorer who might come in handy in the last four minutes of a Game 7 on the road.

But what the Sixers no longer need is playoff experience. They have seven rotation players 25 or younger who now will settle for nothing less than playing for the game’s highest stakes for the rest of their careers.

Good thing they didn’t tank, huh?

The draft lottery is Wednesday. Good luck, Hornets fans.

TRIVIA: Which two teams have the longest current run of reaching the conference semifinals? Answer below.

THE END OF CIVILIZATION AS WE KNOW IT: Thursday’s editions of the Register Citizen in Connecticut ran a story on Game 6 between Boston and Philadelphia that included a subhead that read, “Sixers tie it up again as series shifts to Boston.” Which was fine, except “shifts” was missing the F. (Thanks, Deadspin.)

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: Los Angeles Lakers forward Metta World Peace, making his second straight appearance in this space and trying to take the heat off coach Mike Brown:

“Mike wasn’t out there guarding Kevin (Durant). That was me. Kevin scored on me. Mike didn’t miss that 3-point shot. I missed it. Mike didn’t come into camp out of shape. Wait … he did come in out of shape. Mike is a fat ass.”

LINE OF THE WEEK: LeBron James, Miami at Indiana, May 20: 44 minutes, 14-27 FGs, 12-16 FTs, six offensive rebounds, 18 total rebounds, nine assists, two steals, two blocks, five turnovers, 40 points in a 101-93 win. With the Heat facing a 3-1 deficit, James did it all in a thoroughly dominant performance that temporarily silenced his detractors.

LINE OF THE WEAK: Ray Allen, Boston at Philadelphia, May 23: 26 minutes, 4-11 FGs, 1-5 3-pointers, 0-0 FTs, three rebounds, zero assists, zero steals, zero blocks, three turnovers, six fouls, nine points in a 92-85 loss. The bone spurs were clearly affecting Allen’s shot – and his ability to stay in front of anyone on defense. He was briefly benched in the fourth quarter in favor of Marquis Daniels.

GAME OF THE WEEK: Oklahoma City at San Antonio, May 27. We won’t insult the East by saying this is the opener of the de facto NBA Finals. But it will be a better series, and TNT has it. The teams are a combined 16-1 in the playoffs, and virtually everyone in each team’s management knows each other.

TRILLION WATCH: We now have a tie for the top lack of effort in the postseason as Miami Heat forward Juwan Howard – pressed into “action” by Udonis Haslem’s suspension – registered a 4 trillion in Thursday’s clincher at Indiana. That matches the 4 trillion by Boston’s Ryan Hollins on May 4. Troy Murphy and Andrew Goudelock of the Lakers and Marquis Daniels and E’Twaun Moore of the Celtics also had trillions this week.

TWO MINUTES: The Heat lost their first two games after All-Star forward Chris Bosh went down with an abdominal strain and appeared to be in trouble, with LeBron James playing major minutes at power forward and a limited Dwyane Wade engaging in a highly visible shouting match with coach Erik Spoelstra, who ordered his team to take a day off prior to Game 4 vs. the Pacers, somewhat of a risky move given Miami’s must-win situation. But James became assertive, Wade had his knee drained and the two played perhaps their best collective basketball since becoming teammates. Over the next three games – all wins to close out the series – James averaged 32.3 points, 11.3 rebounds and 8.0 assists while shooting 55 percent from the field and Wade averaged 33.0 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists while shooting nearly 62 percent. They accounted for 61 percent of the Heat’s points, 46 percent of their rebounds and 54 percent of their assists. That is some heavy lifting. “Chris Bosh is an awesome basketball player, but when he goes down, that just means more touches for LeBron and Wade,” Pacers coach Frank Vogel said. “That’s not exactly an advantage.” … Since the NBA expanded to a best-of-seven in the opening round in 2003, four teams have swept the first and second rounds – the Heat in 2005, the Cavaliers in 2009, the Magic in 2010 and the Spurs this year. Each of the previous three lost in the conference finals. … Shaquille O’Neal was smart to turn down the chance to possibly become GM of the Magic. TV is a much better place for O’Neal, who was a notorious offseason slouch as a player, often coming to training camp overweight and out of shape. (Who can ever forget Kobe Bryant calling him “fat” on the eve of one of their seasons together?) GMs never really stop working; they spend most of their days on the phones, scouring waiver wires, watching their teams - often traveling to do so – and looking for new talent in college and overseas. It is a job that requires energy and attention to detail, neither of which have been strong points for O’Neal. … After averaging 21.4 points on 41 percent shooting with 7.0 rebounds vs. Orlando, Indiana forward Danny Granger plummeted to 13.3 points on under 38 percent shooting with 4.5 rebounds vs. Miami. His incessant trash-talking throughout the conference semifinals seemed to fire up the Heat more than himself. He was the prime culprit as  the Pacers appeared to get too caught up in maintaining their reputation of playing “smashmouth basketball,” which did produce their deepest playoff run in seven years but backfired against Miami. … Suns forward Josh Childress hasn’t exactly lived up to the five-year, $33 million deal he signed two years ago upon returning from Greece. After averaging double figures in his first four seasons in Atlanta, Childress has had trouble cracking the rotation in Phoenix, averaging 5.0 points in 54 games last season and just 2.9 points in 34 games this season. However, he did set an NBA record for most minutes without a made free throw. Childress played 491 minutes and was 0-of-2, missing both in a Feb. 1 win at New Orleans. He only has three years and $21 million left on his deal. Amnesty? … In this year’s playoffs, Oklahoma City’s Kevin Durant is 3-of-4 on potential tying or winning shots in the final three seconds. Orlando’s Glen Davis is 1-of-2. Everybody else is 0-of-24. … Here’s an obvious sign that Bryant imploring his teammates to step up during the postseason should not be ignored by Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak as he plots the team’s future course: The Lakers are 10-3 when Bryant scores 40 points in a playoff game but were 0-2 this postseason. Kupchak’s best bet may be to ignore conventional wisdom and move Pau Gasol – not for another high-priced star but for a package of solid younger players that will deepen the rotation and give him more flexibility against the salary cap and luxury tax going forward. The Lakers could plug in Jordan Hill at power forward if they fortify point guard, small forward and their frontcourt depth. … When Indiana’s David West opened the scoring with a jumper 22 seconds into Game 6, it marked the first lead for the Pacers in 65 minutes, 42 seconds. … The Sixers fell just shy of becoming the second eighth seed to reach the conference finals since the NBA went to a 16-team playoff format in 1984. Their seven wins tied last year’s Grizzlies for the second-most in one postseason by an eighth seed. In 1999 – another postseason following a lockout-shortened campaign – the Knicks won 12 games and remain the only eighth seed to reach the Finals.

Trivia Answer: Boston and the LA Lakers with five. … Happy 55th Birthday, David Greenwood. … How many bye weeks do the Spurs get?

Chris Bernucca is a regular contributor to SheridanHoops.com. His columns appear Wednesday and Sunday. You can follow him on Twitter.

Rather than Andrew Toney squeezing the life out of the opposition, this time the Sixers collectively did it to themselves.

The Celtics were there to be taken.

Through the bulk of three periods, they struggled with their shots and had a hard time keeping up with the younger, deeper and more athletic Sixers. Unfortunately for those in Philadelphia, Doug Collins’ team simply refused to accept their offer.

As poorly as the Celts shot with everything on the line, the Sixers shot worse.

As solid as Philadelphia’s defense was for the first three periods when Boston scored just 55 points, it cracked wide open  in the fourth, surrendering 30 points–especially after go-to guy Paul Pierce fouled out with 4:16 left — the moment when folks inside the Garden had to be wondering if it was all going to come apart for the home team.

Instead, Rondo came to their rescue, scoring nine straight points. The Sixers continued to misfire and turn the ball over in critical situations.  And when Rondo buried a 3-pointer to beat the shot clock with 2:10 remaining to push it to 78-68, Philadelphia’s fate was sealed once and for all.

Yes, it had been a marvelous run which captivated Philadelphians, even though no one for a moment had any illusions it could lead to the ultimate prize; an NBA championship. And as proud as Collins and the Sixers’ new ownership are feeling right now, the reality is they’re nowhere closer to a ring and we’re nowhere closer to a parade than before.

Unless GM Rod Thorn can work miracles in the trade and free agent market to unearth a legit big man who can rebound and defend the paint, a small forward who can knock down the 15-18 footer with regularity yet also go to the hole, and a couple of pure shooters who can shred a zone, the Sixers figure to be in for a struggle. Not only will it be tough for them to climb the conference ladder, but many of the teams surrounding them—namely the Knicks and Brooklyn-bound Nets—figure to get better.

So how should long-suffering Sixers fans—myself among them when I’m not on the job—react to this?

Before we start going giving our hearts back to the Phillies, what should we take of it all?  Was this postseason just a freak of nature, brought about by the injuries to Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah in the Bulls’ series, followed by exploiting an aging Celtics team operating with future Hall of Famers Pierce and Ray Allen clearly hampered by injuries?

Or is it a hint of the promise guards Jrue Holiday and Evan Turner can deliver once they expand their repertoires?  Was the solid performance rookie 2^nd round pick Lavoy Allen showed in containing Kevin Garnett–vaulting him above first round pick Nicola Vucevic in the rotation– an indicator he can be a contributing factor going forward? And what about the way soon-to-be free agents Lou Williams—who’s expected to out opt of his current deal—and Spencer Hawes came up small, for the most part, in the  series?

Will they be back?  Do folks in Philly want them back?

Those crucial decisions—along with what do with Andre Iguodala and Elton Brand –will be made in due time, then thoroughly debated. It figures to be an intriguing offseason for the Sixers, who own the No. 15 pick in the draft—barring any trades—along with two second-round picks.

Thorn and the brain trust must weigh their postseason accomplishments, and the way the Wells Fargo Center came alive in the process, against the reality of the situation. Can the current crop take this team further? Or are they doomed to be just one of many teams that can put on a good show, but aren’t really close to being best in show?

After all, LeBron James can brag about the trips he makes to the conference and NBA Finals all he wants. But unless he can finally capture  the ring, they’ll be empty boasts.  The Sixers, ring-less since 1983—the year after that momentous Game 7 win in Boston which remains the only time they captured a Game 7 on the road—still seem miles away from ending that drought.

Of course, they’ve got plenty of company locally. The litany is all too familiar to Philadelphia fans. No Super Bowls—and only two appearances in the big game—for the Eagles. The Flyers are now going on 37 years since their last drink from the Stanley Cup.

They appear to have a bright future, with a myriad of young players who only figure to get better as they mature—much like Holiday, Turner, Thaddeus Young and other Sixers.  But who can predict what that will mean in the NHL, where the Cup this year will be decided between the No. 6 seed in the East, the Devils, and No. 8 in the West, the Kings.

As for the Phillies, maybe it will be a different story with Ryan Howard and Chase Utley due back someday—though nobody will say quite when—and a starting rotation than can shut anyone down, especially in a short postseason series.  Then again, maybe not.

On this Memorial Day weekend, Philadelphia fans will wake up today thinking what might’ve been had a few shots fallen for a team that frankly, surpassed all expectations. But if they’re honest with themselves they’ll concede that even beating the hated Celtics—a tradition born when those great Boston teams of the ’60’s would not only beat them, but proceed to rub their noses in it, Red Auerbach lighting up his victory cigar on the bench as soon as he felt the game was in the bag—would only cover up their blemishes.

The Sixers are still a long ways from being a legit contender.  And unless Dwight Howard suddenly decides he wants to play here and forces a deal, or Anthony Davis slips to No. 15 in the draft, the transformation won’t be happening any time soon. They should be lauded for all they did this year.

But by no means should you assume they’ll be able to use that as a stepping stone to loftier heights next year.

Now the networks can breathe a sigh of relief, with four of the NBA’s heavyweights—the Heat, Celtics, Spurs and Thunder—fighting it out for the crown. The Sixers, yes, they were a nice story; a little team that almost could. But fortunately, for the rest of the hoops world, couldn’t.

In Philadelphia, we’re used to that. One professional sports championship in 28-years-and counting. Sadly, it’s become our mantra.

Even sadder, it’s anyone’s guess how much longer the count will go on.

Jon Marks has covered the Philadelphia 76ers from the days of Dr. J and his teammate, Joe Bryant (best known no as Kobe’s dad). He has won awards from the Pro Basketball Writer’s Association and North Jersey Press Club.  His other claim to fame is driving Rick Mahorn to a playoff game after missing the team bus. Follow him on Twitter.

Congrats to @JLin7 on hopefully getting the Trademark on "LINSANITY" It shouldn't belong to anyone else!

May 25, 2012 9:58 pm via webReplyRetweetFavorite

@stevenovak20

Steve Novak

Finally. Jeremy Lin’s trademark “Linsanity” is official. Although it was short-lived, the combination of Lin’s success and good health, it was alarmingly trendy at the time. The reasons for the “Linsanity” were obvious; he came out of virtually nowhere, he was a Harvard graduate, he played for New York, he was the first successful Asian-American star in the NBA, and he played exceptionally well, amongst other reasons. As much as “Tebowing” caught the NFL by storm, “Linsanity” caught the NBA just as much. Lest we not forget, we have not seen the end of Jeremy Lin just yet. In announcing Friday that coach Mike Woodson was signing long-term with the Knicks, GM Glen Grunwald said he fully expected Lin, a restricted free agent, to be back with the Knicks next season.