Rockets' Brooks NBA's Most Improved by necessity

Aaron Brooks is averaging 19.8 ppg this season for the Rockets.

His is the candidacy that never should have been, the positive recognition his own Rockets never would have wanted, the consideration that came faster than anyone could have imagined.

Of course it did. Speed. Aaron Brooks. Package deal.

Not like this, though. Yao Ming got hurt. Tracy McGrady got hurt. Or stayed hurt. Carl Landry got traded. Houston remained respectable.

Instant Kia Most Improved Player.

Not merely a leading candidate, and the deserving candidate, Brooks is the most unique of the possibilities in a field doused with unique. He is the point guard running an offense that lost its offense, a 25-year-old who developed as a leader in a battlefield promotion out of necessity.

In short, this amount of improvement has been forced on him. Fate spent months playing tetherball with the Rockets' emotions, from hearty finish last season to bad news on the Yao injury to the relief of finally getting away from the McGrady saga. But this has all lined up to where they'll leave 2009-10 with a lot of reasons to feel good despite missing the playoffs. An undermanned team is 41-39 and at worst will finish .500, as if many people outside the locker room would have believed that on opening night. Houston is set up nicely for next season and beyond, Yao's health willing, and they've got a starring point guard out of the deal.

That the last part might not have happened if it had been business as usual is impossible to avoid.

"He had to grow up fast," said Landry, a candidate himself and a teammate before going to the Kings in the Feb. 20 deal that included Kevin Martin going to Houston and McGrady to New York.

Some are born to Most Improved, others have Most Improved thrust upon them.

"Being consistent, being able to play point guard, being able to run the show," Landry said of Brooks' greatest strides. "His rookie year, his sophomore year, a lot of veterans were in his ear about being more of a floor general and how he didn't always do good at it. This year, he's become a leader."

Such an intangible is impossible to measure, but it is obviously valuable. It's especially valuable for the Rockets, a team of mostly good guys who in the past have lacked the player who would take control behind the scenes. Brooks keeping that role next season, when the landscape will undoubtedly shift again with the scheduled return of Yao, becomes a major boost to the chances of climbing back into the playoffs.

The part that is possible to measure is that Brooks has gone from 8.8 points his first two pro seasons and 11.2 in 2008-09 to 19.8 this season in becoming the leading scorer among players who have spent the entire season with Houston. He has gone from 2.5 and 3.0 assists, respectively, to 5.3. His shooting percentage has gone from 40.6 and 40.4 to 43.2.

"It's not anything that's been a goal in terms of trying to win the award," Brooks said. "I've improved every year. At least, I think that's the case, and I'm pretty sure the team feels that way based on the moves they've made. I plan to continue improving each year I'm in the league. Every year I've made a jump in something I've done. This is my third year and I've made the biggest jump because I got the time and responsibility. This season was a real big step up the ladder for me. That's something I've done before. Did it going from junior high into high school and I did it again going to college. I had to take my game to the next level and I did. There are not too many players in the league right now who started out averaging only five points a game in their freshman year in college. For me, most of my career has been about improving and taking the next step. That's why I don't look at this season as any extra special. It's a continuation of the work I've put in ever since I've been playing."

Winning will require emerging from a crowded and varied field. Andrew Bogut of the Bucks, Chris Kaman of the Clippers, Josh Smith of the Hawks and Gerald Wallace of the Bobcats will probably get votes, but the award calls for the salute to go to "an up-and-coming player who has made a dramatic improvement from the previous season or seasons. It is not intended to be given to a player who has made a 'comeback.'" Kaman is in his seventh season and in a successful comeback from injuries, Smith his sixth and Wallace his ninth. So much for up-and-coming. Bogut is in his fifth. At some point, youth becomes a judgment call.

Kevin Durant of the Thunder will probably get votes. Let the great debate begin. Or let it continue, because this intriguing conversation has been coming for a while. Durant averaged 25.3 points a game last season. Maybe he's already lapped up-and-coming. But he has made such impressive gains in his third season -- better discipline to his offensive game to challenge for the scoring title, better defense to set a tone for the Oklahoma City turnaround, better leadership -- that kicking down the door for superstar status is impossible to ignore.

Brook Lopez of the Nets and Danilo Gallinari of the Knicks may get votes. But players are supposed to make major strides from the rookie to second seasons, and lottery picks are supposed to be showing signs of becoming something special. That will hurt their candidacy.

That leaves a group of Brooks, Landry, Corey Brewer of the Timberwolves, Marc Gasol of the Grizzlies, George Hill of the Spurs and Joakim Noah of the Bulls as the more-traditional fits. The broadcasters and writers who regularly cover the NBA will vote for three players in order of preference, with five points awarded for a first-place selection, three for second and one for third.

Mavs' attention-avoiding Nelson worthy of top exec honor

Donnie Nelson has been the man behind the scenes in Dallas' rejuvination this season.

DALLAS -- Donnie Nelson wanted no part of the conversation, almost pleading not to be the subject. Decked out in a John Deere cap, western button down, Wranglers and cowboy boots, the general manager of the Dallas Mavericks doesn't wear recognition well.

You'd be hard pressed to find a suit and tie in his closet. So if Nelson is named Executive of the Year in a few weeks, that's probably where he'll stash the award.

"I really don't want it," Nelson groused. "I shun that. I don't like credit. I'm allergic to it. The worst part of my job besides cutting players is microphones and cameras."

Nelson, 47, has spent the last dozen years in Dallas largely out of the spotlight, rising from the ranks of assistant coach to president of basketball operations/general manager. He's been in on every critical personnel decision during that time, as the Mavericks have risen from laughingstock to only the fourth NBA franchise to ever post 10 consecutive 50-win seasons.

"Donnie has built something and continues to enhance it in a fashion that everybody looks to," Oklahoma City general manager Sam Presti said. "They continually do it year after year in creative ways. They've done a job that I think everyone looks at Donnie as one of the best in the league."

Nelson's competition for Executive of the Year figures to be stiff, with the likely contenders being Presti, John Hammond (Milwaukee), Kevin O'Connor (Utah) and Danny Ferry (Cleveland). Denver's Mark Warkentien won it last season. The award, which debuted in 1973, is sponsored by the Sporting News and recognized by the NBA. All 30 teams vote and ballots are due Thursday.

This season may be Nelson's finest work. The Mavs appeared to be stuck in a rut after last season, a sixth seed in the Western Conference that was getting older and not better. Dirk Nowitzki was still at the top of his game, but there were plenty of questions on the roster.

Nelson had the charge from owner Mark Cuban to keep the nucleus intact, while adding athleticism and depth. The first order of business was re-signing free agent Jason Kidd for three years at $25 million. From there it gets interesting.

Nelson used Jerry Stackhouse's expiring contract, along with several fringe veterans, to secure Shawn Marion in a four-team trade. The four-time All-Star forward, signed for five years for $39 million, has emerged as Dallas' defensive stopper, especially against the league's elite scorers.

The most exciting addition to the roster may be rookie guard Roddy Beaubois, a late first-round pick acquired in a pre-arranged deal with the Thunder that also netted a future second-round pick. The native of Guadeloupe has become a sensation in Dallas and is on the verge of being the first rookie to shoot at least 50 percent from the floor, 40 percent from 3-point range and 80 percent from the free-throw line.

"Roddy is all Donnie," Cuban said. "He found him, he buried him, he promised him and he got him. It's all Donnie."

As much as those moves kept Dallas competitive, the big bang came during the All-Star break. Nelson and the Mavericks were able to move disgruntled forward Josh Howard in a blockbuster deal that landed All-Star swingman Caron Butler and center Brendan Haywood.

Shortly after the trade, Dallas won 13 straight and heads into the final night of the season with the inside track on the No. 2 seed in the West. Nelson also re-acquired former fan favorite Eduardo Najera in a deal with New Jersey that saved the team $4.7 million.

Cuban admitted to nearly blowing up the team, which was struggling throughout January, before the Butler trade. But the Mavericks stayed the course, much as they've done for the past decade. Cuban said Nelson's greatest move is probably trading for Jason Terry in 2004 after Steve Nash left via free agency.

History may disagree from a strictly basketball perspective. As an assistant in the late 1990s, Donnie Nelson helped engineer the deal that brought a relatively unknown German (Nowitzki) and unheralded Canadian (Nash) to Dallas.

Nelson does have plenty of assets to work with -- namely Cuban's wallet -- but building a winner isn't just about money.

"Donnie's work ethic is at the top of the list," said Chicago assistant coach Bernie Bickerstaff, a former general manager and longtime front-office executive. "That's what you've got to do, you've got to work hard. You've got to continue to strive to put the pieces together. You've got to do your due diligence. They have courage, and I think that's important, and they have that core to fit pieces around.

"They're winning basketball games. That's the barometer."

Cuban admits that the secret to success starts with the "big ole double-Ds -- Donnie and Dirk. I write the checks, but it's a team process. Donnie finds them." Nelson, naturally, would rather talk about the work done by Cuban, Carlisle and the front office.

"Donnie is not one to take credit," Cuban said. "No one here does anything for individual awards. We've been doing this long enough, and everybody has gotten their share, it doesn't really matter."

Nelson doesn't argue.

"This is really a result of a lot of people," Nelson said. "I don't think any one guy should get credit for what the entire staff works on. We made more right decisions than not, but we've also been extremely fortunate. Ultimately, Mark signs off on everything we do or decide not to do. I take things to him and they get approved or don't get approved. In a lot of respects, I'm a basketball custodian."

In cowboy boots.

Ferry on Cleveland's title drought, Duke haters and Shaq

Adding Shaquille O'Neal (right) was one of the big moves by Cavs GM Danny Ferry last summer.

Cleveland general manager Danny Ferry wound up second last season in the balloting for NBA Executive of the Year, finishing with seven votes from the 30-member panel of team execs to nine for Denver's Mark Warkentien. Now Ferry has a great shot at capturing the award that his father Bob won in 1979 and 1982 as GM of the Washington Bullets.

For the second consecutive season, the Cavaliers have the best overall record, following up on their 66-16 mark in 2008-09 with a 61-20 season heading into Wednesday's finale at Atlanta. The last team to get sole possession of the league's top record in back-to-back seasons was the Chicago Bulls in 1995-96 (72-10) and 1996-97 (69-13). Only nine franchises have put 60-victory seasons back-to-back (done 18 times) and only five teams in the past 35 years could claim the league's best home record in consecutive seasons.

Ferry didn't just let last season's success ride, either. He aggressively made over a Cavs club that lost in the Eastern Conference finals to Orlando, acquiring Shaquille O'Neal, Anthony Parker, Jamario Moon and Leon Powe in the offseason. In February, Ferry added Antawn Jamison to the mix and he even managed to bring back Zydrunas Ilgauskas after using him in the Jamison deal. The reconfigured Cavs enter the 2010 postseason "consumed" -- that's Ferry's word -- by the goal of winning the franchise's first NBA title and Cleveland's first major sports championship in 46 years.

I spoke to Ferry Monday about that ambition, along with the championship itch he got scratched indirectly last week as an alumnus of Duke University:

NBA.com: You were in Indianpolis for Duke's victory over Butler a week ago. Pretty nice to have a job where you can claim that sort of thing as a "work day."

Danny Ferry: Every time I go watch a basketball game with good players it's work-related. But I didn't have my pen and paper out.

NBA.com: You couldn't have held them anyway, what with the pom-pons.

DF: [Laughing] Exactly.

NBA.com: You got to two Final Fours with Duke, but under Mike Krzyzewski, that school only started winning NCAA titles two years after you graduated. How does it compare, what you felt as a player there vs. watching from the stands now?

DF: It's definitely different than being out there. But it's something I enjoy following. I take a lot of pride that I played there, and played for Coach. And I was part of getting everything started. Johnny Dawkins' class, Mark Alarie's class really got it started. I got to sit with Johnny at the [championship] game, and it's something that all of us who were there the first five, seven years that Coach was starting take a lot of pride in all the success that's happened there since.

NBA.com: Do you run into the "Duke haters," or are people more discreet than that?

DF: No, it's fine. It's all part of it. It makes it fun. There's an anti-Carolina sentiment, there's an anti-Duke sentiment. When teams have had a great deal of success, there's going to be that. I have no problem with it.

NBA.com: So now you're looking to generate some anti-Cavaliers sentiment.

DF: Sure, that would be great. There's always going to be a large group that loves you and a large group that hates you even more. The Bulls were able to create that with all the success they had.

NBA.com: Where do you see your team now on the brink of the 2010 playoffs, compared to the past few years?

DF: Hopefully we've learned something every year. We certainly respect that it's a big challenge. With this particular team and roster, they've done a great job. We can play different ways. We have size, we have length, we shoot the ball and we have a great player. We'll be defined by how well we defend, and hopefully we can make the big shot somewhere.

NBA.com: Your coaches have decided to sit LeBron down the stretch and, not surprising, your team has taken three straight losses. Are you OK with that balance between resting players vs. maintaining or building momentum?

DF: Every decision you make, there is no exact right answer. This is based on where you are as a team, where your guys' bodies are, and you make the best decisions you can and you move on. I'm confident that if we defend, we'll build that momentum. We certainly have momentum from winning 60-plus games for the year. At some level, we'll have momentum because the guys who have a bump, a bruise, etc., will be feeling better. You can't tell me we don't have momentum when we've won 60-some games.

NBA.com: What is different about this season's Cavaliers squad?

DF: One, LeBron has continued to grow and get better. He's so much a better player than he was three, four years ago. He's worked hard, he's improved his skills, he's matured as a player and a leader. That's an important place to get better. Along with that, this particular team, I have more length. We should be able to find ways to score better than any team we've had. But again, you go back to what our identity needs to be: With our length and athletic ability, you'd hope we would be able to defend, because that will give us the best chance to win.

NBA.com: How satisfied are you with how the deal for Jamison worked out?

DF: He brings us a dimension we were lacking. There are not many teams that have won championships in recent that have not had that [power forward]: You look at Rasheed [Wallace] when he was in Detroit, Robert Horry in L.A., [Toni] Kukoc or [Horace] Grant in Chicago. The versatility that Antawn brings us really makes us a tougher opponent, especially in a playoff series where matchups are so important. Whether he makes a shot or misses a shot, they're going to guard him. He rebounds at a high level and just generally has been great to have with us.

NBA.com: Was it difficult to smooth things over with Zydrunas Ilgauskas after you traded him?

DF: It was a hard decision to trade him -- he's been so important to our franchise and so important to our team on the court and in the locker room. The type of person he is, that's who you want in a pro. We had no certainty, by any means, that he was going to be available to come back or that he'd want to. So it was an emotional thing. But I think he was personally invested here from his family's standpoint. He was personally invested in the success that we've had through the years. And he wanted to continue to be a part of it this year. It's fantastic to have him back.

NBA.com: Delonte West is an important player for you, but he also is a fragile player based on his bipolar disorder and off-court incident. Is it uncomfortable for your team to have so much riding on someone who can be such an unknown?

DF: Delonte's doing well. We'll continue to support him. On the court he's done a really nice job, especially as the year has gone on. It's been great to see him really emerge as the important player he is for our team. We're supporting Delonte. Hopefully, we put him in a position to succeed and our team in a position to succeed, and we'll balance all those things.

NBA.com: Talk about Shaq and how that has worked out.

DF: He was cleared to practice [Monday] for the first time [since tearing a thumb ligament six weeks earlier]. He's done a great job with his rehab. He's done a great job of staying in good shape. He'll hopefully be a big factor for us as the playoffs unfold and he gets his basketball feel.

NBA.com: Working Jameer Nelson back into the rotation was tricky enough last spring for Orlando. How does that compare to working Shaquille O'Neal back into the middle of things for the Cavaliers at a time when most coaches don't like to be fiddling with things?

DF: Everything is going to be a challenge. But when you're talking about throwing Shaq out there, that's a challenge we want to take. He can be a force. We'll get him back and get him involved. We had the whole year, minus the last few weeks, where he was an important part of our team. I think we can work him back to being a real factor for us.

NBA.com: You're satisfied with the acquisition overall?

DF: He has done a really nice job this year. Before he got hurt, he was playing really good basketball. Teams and seasons are fragile based on injuries, and we're just lucky that he's able to come back for the playoffs. Because I know our chances are better with him than without him.

NBA.com: How has your organization been able to separate the pressures and questions about LeBron James and his future from your day-to-day business this season?

DF: The goal of winning the championship has to consume us. Obviously LeBron's situtation this summer is important. But our priority has been this season and this year. That's most respectful to everyone on our team. LeBron did a great thing at the beginning of the year where he stopped talking about it. The first week of the season, it was something that LeBron answered. After that, it was kind of, "I've got to focus on this year and my teammates now." That was the right thing and he stuck to it. We started playing well and racking up wins pretty quickly when we started focusing on right now.

NBA.com: Are you happy with Mike Brown's performance and growth in the job?

DF: Mike's done a great job. He's built an identity as a defensive team. He works as hard as or harder than any coach in the NBA in my opinion. He's done a really nice job.

NBA.com: Every GM wants to improve his team, win more games and chase a championship. It's said that Danny Ferry has to stay busy to do all that -- and to impress LeBron James, too.

DF: I've got to stay busy because my owner wants to win. He's pushing us. I've got to stay busy because LeBron and Mike Brown and Mo Williams, they all want to win. I'm trying to put them in the best position they can be. Lastly, northeast Ohio badly wants to win a championship and we want to bring that to them. All those things, that's just me doing my job.

NBA.com: How busy is an NBA GM during the season?

DF: First of all, it's basketball. You've got to make sure you don't take yourself too seriously. It's something we're all fortunate to work in and be a part of a team. But it is a lot of work. I'm fortunate to work with really good people, which makes it a lot more fun and makes the challenge not as big.

NBA.com: How are you better now than when you were hired five years ago?

DF: Ahhh ... I think experience can be important. As an organization, we've tried to build an identity. Again, I work with good people who all help me move different things forward. And our owner has put us in an unbelievable position to do so. From our practice facility to our offices, from what we're able to spend to put a great product on the basetkball court to day-to-day life, it's certainly one of the top places to get up and go to work in the morning in the NBA.

NBA.com: What surprised you around the league this season?

DF: Just looking at teams, I think [coach] Scott Skiles and [GM] John Hammond did a great job in Milwaukee, with the adversity they had in losing [Michael] Redd. I didn't walk into the season expecting the Bucks to do what they've done. Oklahoma City as well -- the big step they took this year was impressive.

NBA.com: The Lakers are the defending champions, but your team is the No. 1 seed overall and considered by many the favorites to win the title this spring. Do you like being the hunted?

DF: We want to be here and I want us to be talked about as a team that can win it. Certainly we've been that the last few years. Now we need to be consumed with doing it.

Picking the season's best sure to upset some

Don't be surprised if you see LeBron James taking home another MVP in a few weeks.

It is late autumn in the NBA season, when the leaves have fallen and we know, more or less, what is what. It is late autumn in the NBA season, and it is time to make our choices for the best of the best in a regular season that is almost done. It is late autumn in the NBA season. The playoffs are upon us. We must choose.

There are, as always, several legitimate candidates for all of the league's superlatives. To pick one does not mean you are dissing the others. Everything gets factored in. Numbers matter. Performance in big games matters. Winning and losing matters. The names in each category appear in order of votes received. And, thanks -- seriously -- to the PR staffs around the league that made their cases for their respective guys. I wasn't ignoring you, but at some point you can't be spun anymore. It makes you dizzy.

As always, my yearly caveat: These awards have to make sense only to me, not you. It's my ballot. When and if you get a ballot, you can pick who you like, and I'll have to accept it. Please, don't send me some algorthim that "proves" Serge Ibaka is a better center than Dwight Howard. But, feel free to present your own choices for any of these awards, and your reasons why, to daldridgetnt@gmail.com.

Most Valuable Player

THE WINNER: LeBron James, Cavaliers.

THE RUNNERS-UP: Dwight Howard, Magic; Kobe Bryant, Lakers; Kevin Durant, Thunder; Dirk Nowitzki, Mavericks.

THE REASON: The logical place to start, it seems, would be to ask why wouldn't you give the MVP to James? In what way has he not proven himself superior to the league's elite? Do you really think he couldn't overtake Durant for the scoring title if that was important to him? Haven't his Cavs swept Kobe's Lakers? He's sixth in the league in assists. Let that sink in as it is repeated: James is sixth in the league in assists. Sixth. He's averaging more dimes per game than the following very good point guards: Russell Westbrook, Baron Davis, Stephen Curry, Tyreke Evans, Devin Harris, Chauncey Billups, Brandon Jennings, Andre Miller and Aaron Brooks. All of them. (The next-highest forward on the assists per game list, Philly's Andre Iguodala, averages almost three fewer per game.)

For a variety of reasons, LeBron James is the easy pick as MVP.

Gregory Shamus/NBAE via Getty Images

He leads the league this season in triple doubles (five).

He is ranked as the league's most efficient player: the good stuff minus the bad stuff. OK, here's the formula: ((points+rebounds+assists+steals+blocks) - ((field goal attempts-field goals made) + (free throw attempts-free throws made) + turnovers)). James's 32.4 efficiency rating is almost five points greater than second-place Kevin Durant's.

No, James is not a better defensive player than Howard, but they have a perfectly good award for the top defensive player, and Howard will certainly get it. But James isn't a bad defender, not anymore.

No, James hasn't made as many game-winning shots this season as Kobe. But the Cavs haven't had to win as many games at the buzzer as the Lakers, with a point differential almost two points greater than L.A.'s. LeBron has usually been on the bench dancing when Bryant has had to bail the Lakers out.

As ever, the notion of "valuable" means different things to different people; to me, it isn't just talent, or intellligence, or toughness, or leadership. It's all of those things. Do you ever think the Cavs are out of a game when James is in the game? Do you think the Cavs can even contend for a championship without him? How many games would Cleveland win without James? A lot less, it says here, than the Lakers would without Kobe, or the Magic would without Howard, or the Nuggets would without Melo. His detractors will say that LBJ is all media and league hype. They're allowed to believe that. I'll stick with my lying eyes.

Rookie of the Year

THE WINNER: Tyreke Evans, Sacramento.

THE RUNNERS-UP: Stephen Curry, Golden State; Brandon Jennings, Milwaukee; Darren Collison, New Orleans; DeJuan Blair, San Antonio.

It was close, but the Kings' Tyreke Evans gets our Rookie of the Year vote.

Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images

THE REASON: A close call. Really close. Jennings scored 55 the second week of the season, but he went into a shooting tailspin that he's only come out of in the last month. He's been terrific running the Bucks, but they've won not only because of him, obviously, but because they had Andrew Bogut and John Salmons as well.

Evans came on strong in December and January, bringing his 6-foot-6 frame into the paint night after night, getting to the rim with impunity and keeping the young Kings on the periphery of the playoffs for a couple of months. He played great with Beno Udrih, on the ball, off the ball, whatever Paul Westphal needed. By the All-Star break, Evans looked like a ROY shoo-in. Then Curry went crazy, posting five 30-point, 10-assist games, becoming just the third rookie to do so; the others were, um, Oscar Robertson and Michael Jordan. His shooting percentage, from the floor and the line, is still at historic highs for a rookie.

But the Kings and Warriors are losing at about the same clip. A big clip. Neither is impacting his team in the wins category. Curry's better at assists, but not by much; Evans is better at scoring; he leads all rookies at better than 20 points per game. Curry is better in steals; he's actually fourth overall, behind Rajon Rondo, teammate Monta Ellis and Chris Paul; Evans is better in rebounds.

The pick here is Evans, by a hair. If the Warriors were better, the guess here is that Curry wouldn't have been asked to do as much. If the Kings were better, the guess here is that Evans would be just as integral to the team as he is now. It's a feeling, not pythagorean theory. You want to pick Curry, that's fine.

Sixth Man of the Year

THE WINNER: Jamal Crawford, Hawks

THE RUNNERS-UP: Jason Terry, Dallas; J.R. Smith, Denver; Anderson Varejao, Cleveland.

Jamal Crawford has come through in plenty of big moments for the Hawks.

Scott Cunningham/NBAE via Getty Images

THE REASON: Crawford has been as important to the Hawks this season as any of their starters. He's the top-scoring reserve in the league at 18 a game, the highest average off the bench for someone who didn't start a single game since Ricky Pierce's 23 a game in 1989-90. At the end of games, it's Crawford with the ball in his hands just as much as Joe Johnson or Mike Bibby, and the fact that the Hawks stole him fair and square from Golden State makes his production all that much more impressive and important.

Terry hasn't been quite as good this season as last in Dallas, when he won the Sixth; he's almost three points a game off from last year's 19.6 (though his assists are up). The Mavericks weren't exactly on fire when they pulled off the league's best deal, getting Caron Butler and Brendan Haywood and DeShawn Stevenson from the Wizards. Part of the reason they struggled is they couldn't get consistent play at the two guard spot, where Terry had been starting earlier. Smith has become more than a productive reserve for the Nuggets; he's hardwired into Denver's DNA now, Denver couldn't win without him if it tried. He will never be a high-percentage shooter; Smith is feast or famine every night, capable of shooting Denver in or out.

Varejao is the best big men not starting in the league at the moment. He's still one of the league's best low-post defenders and he's almost always on the floor at crunch time because of it, and he's become a very efficient offensive player, no longer someone the Cavs avoid throwing the ball to when it matters.

But Crawford, who's posted double figures off the bench in 24 straight games and 73 out of 79 games so far, for a team that's won 50 games for the first time in 12 years, has to be the winner.

Defensive Player of the Year

THE WINNER: Dwight Howard, Orlando

THE RUNNERS-UP: Josh Smith, Atlanta; Andrew Bogut, Milwaukee; Anderson Varejao, Cleveland, Brendan Haywood, Dallas.

THE REASON: Howard leads the league in rebounding, by a lot (13.2 boards, almost one and a half ahead of the next closest, Memphis' Zach Randolph). Howard leads the league in defensive rebounds, by a lot (778, 70 more than New York's David Lee). Howard leads the league in blocks, by a lot (2.75, with Bogut's 2.54 next). Howard literally ends possessions, where men end possessions -- in the paint -- and who knows how many more he ends in the minds of those who don't challenge Orlando in the middle, who settle for perimeter jumpers, all because Superman is patrolling the lawn?

Dwight Howard is the guy who often halts a possession right at the hoop.

Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images

"There's some really, really good perimeter defenders in the league, who definitely deserve consideration," Orlando coach Stan Van Gundy said last month. "I just don't think, because of their position, that they can impact as any plays at the defensive end of the floor as he can. He can impact virtually every play that happens at that end. You combine that with his rebounding, and not giving people second chances. Matt Barnes is a good rebounder. Jameer (Nelson) is a good rebounder for his size, but really, other than that, he's the only other guy we put out there that you would even call a good rebounder, and we're first in the league (now tied, with Cleveland) in defensive rebound percentage. Why? Because of one guy."

No argument here. And that's why Howard is the easy call here, despite Smith's incredible versatility (third in the league in blocks, yet more than capable of snuffing out your team's best perimeter option), Bogut's improved mobility and range, which, along with Jennings' ballhawking out front, was key to Milwaukee's much improved team D, and Varejao, who really gives his teammates the freedom to freelance because of his still-imposing abilities in the paint. You could add Dallas' Shawn Marion, who's had a great season locking up the west's best, Utah's Andrei Kirilenko, out of his basketball coma, Boston's Rajon Rondo and L.A.'s Ron Artest, who can still get just about everyone off their game with his upper body strength.

Most Improved Player

THE WINNER: Aaron Brooks, Houston

THE RUNNERS-UP: Joakim Noah, Chicago, Marc Gasol, Memphis, Gerald Wallace, Charlotte.

Aaron Brooks has taken on the big challenges he faced in Houston.

David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images

THE REASON: Brooks has dramatically raised his game in his third season, increasing his scoring by more than eight points a game, improving his shooting both inside and beyond the 3-point line, raising his assists by a lot and his rebounds by a little. And he did most of this heavy lifting before the Rockets picked up Kevin Martin at the trade deadline, without a healthy Yao Ming or Tracy McGrady, and with non-offensive offensive options throughout the roster.

I say this all the time -- a player shouldn't get Most Improved just because circumstances have increased that players' minutes. The guy who's Most Improved should actually be a better basketball player from one season to the next. That's what Noah and Gasol did in getting in better shape, which led to both of them being able to stay on the floor longer and produce more. Wallace has become a more consistent player at both ends of the floor, leading the Bobcats' perimeter defense while still putting up numbers at the other end, which led to a much-deserved All-Star appearance.

Nor can someone be MIP who was expected to be good in the first place. The Bucks took Bogut first overall in 2007 because he was supposed to eventually be a great player, which he was this year. Ditto Durant, who was the second pick after Greg Oden because the Thunder saw him as a potential franchise player. Which is exactly what he's become. People will vote for him for MIP. They will be wrong.

Coach of the Year

THE WINNER: Jerry Sloan, Utah

THE RUNNERS-UP: Scott Skiles, Milwaukee; Mike Woodson, Atlanta, Scott Brooks, Oklahoma City, Nate McMillan, Portland, Alvin Gentry, Phoenix.

Jerry Sloan gets our vote for masterfully handling the Carlos Boozer situation.

Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE/Getty Images

THE REASON: This category may have the most number of deserving candidates. A legit case can be made for Skiles, who has piloted the Bucks back to the playoffs; for Woodson, who has guided the Hawks to their best record in a dozen years despite inexplicably being left to dangle in a lame duck year; for Brooks, who has surrounded Durant with defensive principles and responsibilities, and got a young team to almost never play young; for McMillan, who has continued to get maximum effort and production from player after player despite a rasher of injuries to every center walking, and a midseason trade for Marcus Camby; and for Gentry, who has coaxed a 50-win season out of a Suns team no one thought would come close to anything like that.

But the pick here, again, is Sloan. It has been Sloan many times over the years, for he has, incredibly and ridiculously, never been given the award. It is Sloan this year because, dealt an incredibly difficult hand -- like coaching Carlos Boozer, who didn't especially want to be in Utah playing for the Jazz, who didn't especially want him -- did what may be his best job in 22 seasons. He told Boozer, I'll coach, you play. We'll have no problems.

They've had no problems -- not that we'd know about it, anyway, such is the juice that Sloan still has, with general manager Kevin O'Connor solidly behind him, just as Utah's ownership is solidly behind O'Connor. Sloan-O'Connor-Greg Miller, no space between them. That allows Sloan to coach his team. It allows him to continue to seek a simple truth for his players: compete to the best of your ability. If you win, that's great. If you lose, that's acceptable, if the other team is better and you did your best. The Jazz always seem to compete against the game of basketball as much as their opponents. And so Sloan overcomes injuries, and trades, and Andrei Kirilenko figures out a way to play for him again, and the Jazz win 50 again, like that happens every season.

All-NBA

Which it usually does, under

FIRST TEAM

G: Dwyane Wade, Miami

G: Kobe Bryant, L.A. Lakers

F: LeBron James, Cleveland

F: Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City

C: Dwight Howard, Orlando

SECOND TEAM

G: Deron Williams, Utah

G: Steve Nash, Phoenix

F: Carmelo Anthony, Denver

F: Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas

C: Andrew Bogut, Milwaukee

THIRD TEAM

G: Jason Kidd, Dallas

G: Joe Johnson, Atlanta

F: Amare Stoudemire, Phoenix

F: Pau Gasol, L.A. Lakers

C: Tim Duncan, San Antonio

The All-Depthcharge team

Could Charlotte's Wallace made one of these teams? Sure. So could have Atlanta center Al Horford, and his teammate, Smith, and Boston's Paul Pierce, and Utah's Boozer, and Denver's Chauncey Billups, and Portland's Brandon Roy. There are always more guys than spots. That's what keeps talk radio, and the comment boards on every hoop website, and bartenders from South Beach to South Cen

Players who flew under the radar! (Okay, under the sonar! Go with the joke, will you?)

In other words, they were good; their teams stunk, and they'd never get any recognition otherwise:

G: Monta Ellis, Golden State

G: Chris Paul, New Orleans

F: Andre Iguodala, Philadelphia

F: Danny Granger, Indiana

C: David Lee, New York

Dribbles

After Muhammad Ali regained the world heavyweight title for a second time, he fought Earnie Shavers, an aging but still dangerous guy with a big right hand, in 1977. By this time, Ali was far removed from his days as the Impossible Target, too fleet of foot to be hit, too quick with his hands to be threatened. By the time he fought Shavers, Ali had been a pro for 16 years, had been in a couple dozen huge fights, and had begun to win with guile and smarts instead of great skill.

In the second round, Shavers came over the top with one of those big rights, and caught Ali flush against the head. Ali was knocked woozy. But he had enough remaining functioning brain cells to lay it on thick, wobbling back to his corner as if exaggerating the impact of the punch. Shavers hesitated; was Ali really hurt, or playing possum? Those few seconds gave Ali enough time to clear his head and get out of the round safely; he eventually tricked and conned his way into the 15th round, when he threw together enough punches from memory to win the decision.

My eyes tell me the Lakers are Ali, circa 1977, a champion that's not firing on all cylinders, pretending to be better than they really are entering the playoffs.

Are my eyes deceiving me? Are the Lakers playing possum?

The Lakers have hardly looked like the dominating team we thought they'd be.

Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images

"I think we're aware," Pau Gasol said to me last week, "of our potential, our experience and our quality. So it's on us to be out there and compete and give our very best. And I think we'll be capable of delivering at the right time. Once we get going and once we feel the spotlight, the lights are on, it's gonna be a little different. We believe in ourselves. We believe in our chance. We're going to pursue it as hard as possible."

I know what these Lakers, with or without Andrew Bynum, are capable of. Without Bynum or Kobe Bryant, sitting out the first of consecutive games for playoff maintenance, they looked awful in the first half Thursday against the Nuggets, a team that has no fear going elbow to elbow with Los Angeles. And then, like the proverbial light came on, the Lakers roared back, erasing a 15-point deficit like that and almost pulling out the road win.

Almost.

This was about 12 hours after Bryant, at shootaround, had said that he wasn't surprised that the team's focus had come and gone recently -- even though these Lakers are a veteran bunch.

"I think it's because it's a veteran group that it hasn't been there," Bryant said. "I've been on teams that had a great deal of veterans -- myself, Brian (Shaw), Rick Fox, Shaq, Robert Horry. I mean, it was worse than this group. It really was. Because you have so much experience, you've been through so many wars, you've been through so many battles, and you know what the pressure cooker is really like. So I think if you look at young teams -- Oklahoma (City) and all these teams -- these boys are up and ready to go every single day. The older you get, you tend to step in and out of that zone more often."

So, maybe, the Lakers have just been bored down the stretch, realizing they weren't going to catch Cleveland for the top record, and have just been in cruise control.

"All season, it's been about repeating as champions," Derek Fisher said. "As the season has shortened, it doesn't seem like we've kept an ability to find a purpose for today, to play a certain way. That does require you to be more efficient in terms of your execution, offensively and defensively, because at times the natural adrenaline that comes from playing in big games, the passion and certain things that kind of comes naturally, hasn't been there, I think, in a lot of situations for us."

Two things give you pause before accepting that version of reality, though.

One, from yapping around, there seems to be a little uncertainty that this group is listening to Phil Jackson as strongly as some of his other championship incarnations. (Indeed, if you watched Thursday on TNT, you heard those exact words -- "you're not listening to me!" -- come out of Phil's mouth during a timeout.) Given that Bryant, Derek Fisher, Gasol and Lamar Odom would have no reason to doubt Jackson's word, that leads a reasonable person to wonder if everything is jake with Ron Artest. Defensively, he looks fine. But is he that "flow guy" in the triangle that Trevor Ariza became in the playoffs last season?

Fisher said that the Lakers, nearing Game 80, still had no discernable identity this season.

"It's a little more frustrating for us, because of what we've experienced and what we've been through," he said. "Sometimes it puts a little more of a rigidity on our perspective. Often times we have to remember that we're a team full of guys that haven't been here before, don't quite know what it takes to be the best again and again and again. A hundred times in a season, you've got to figure out how to be the best. That's a difficult thing to do. We still have a relatively young team in terms of age and championship experience."

If you look at the Lakers' roster, 11 of 12 players were on the team last season -- the team that beat Orlando 4-1 to win the title. D.J. Mbenga was on that team. Adam Morrison was on that team. Josh Powell was on that team. Luke Walton and Shannon Brown and Jordan Farmar were on that team. The only player who wasn't on that team was Ron Artest. I don't know if that's who Fisher was talking about, but there isn't anybody else who doesn't hasn't been there before.

Two, it doesn't sound like the Lakers are expecting Bynum back any time soon. Two MRIs have shown no tear in Bynum's strained Achilles', but Jackson said there is no timetable for Bynum's return (and my NBA-TV colleague Kevin McHale, having limped through much of the second half of his career on bad wheels, isn't very optimistic that Bynum will be able to get back in the flow at any time the rest of this season).

Can the Lakers win without Bynum? Sure. Did they get throttled in the Finals two years ago by the more physical Celtics without Bynum? Have the Cavs and Magic loaded up on seemingly every big man east of the Mississippi so that they'd have an armada of bigs to bang, and bang, and bang with the Lakers? Same answers.

Given all this, and given that Kobe still has a jacked up finger and knee, I asked Gasol, would you ever go to Jackson and ask that the ball come through you more in the playoffs?

And Gasol looked like he'd been asked if he'd sample a lye chaser.

"I wouldn't say that," Gasol said. "Kobe has had to play through a lot of stuff this year. He has done a tremendous job on just toughing it out and just being out there, being a leader for us. So you've got to give him a lot of credit. He's still, every single game, he's out there and he takes up that role. We have a great coaching staff and they recognize what's going on, and they make the right decisions for us."

It is about now that a smart person would point out that the Lakers entered last postseason with a lot of these same questions, and went through most of their conference semifinal against Houston, and half of the Western finals against Denver, looking like they were ready to be had -- only to storm back strong in the games that mattered, and win the west, then bamboozled the Magic in five. Bryant is still a killer; he hasn't forgotten how to dominate. Fisher and Bynum and Odom have been through a lot of wars. Jackson is an absurd 209-91 (.697) in the postseason. Maybe the 7-foot-1 Bynum will come back and provide the Lakers with the post presence that, along with the 7-foot Gasol and the 6-11 Odom, makes them impossible to match up with.

They are the Lakers, after all.

Right?

Top O' the World, Ma!

(Last week's ranking in brackets)

1) Cleveland [1] (61-20): Gearing down during final week of regular season is understandable ... as long as it works.

2) Orlando [2] (57-23): This just may be the team to beat in either conference.

3) L.A. Lakers [3] (56-24): Either they know something we don't know, or they look very, very vulnerable.

4) Phoenix [4] (52-28): Home-court in first round is for the taking: Beat Denver at home Tuesday and the Jazz in SLC Wednesday.

5) Utah [5] (52-28): Haven't had a winning record on the road since 2001.

6) Denver [6] (52-28): KMart back, but how effective will he be for playoffs?

7) Atlanta [7] (51-29): Think it's safe to say Jamal Crawford is a shoo-in for Sixth Man.

8) Dallas [8] (53-27): Mavs will need a healthy Shawn Marion (strained oblique) if they want to handle the Melos and B Roys of the west in the playoffs.

9) Oklahoma City [9] (49-31): Does Russell Westbrook look a little run down to you?

10) Boston [10] (50-30): May be the worst-looking 50-win team going into the playoffs in history.

11) San Antonio [11] (49-31): Getting Ginobili extension another feather in owner Peter Holt's cap, which is full of feathers, if you didn't know already.

12) Portland [12] (49-31): Oh, boy: Roy says after game Sunday that knee "didn't feel right at all." Not good. Not good at all.

13) Milwaukee [13] (45-35): Hoping Chicago doesn't make playoffs; Bucks own Bulls' first-rounder, protected through 10.

14) Miami [14] (45-35): Riles says on the TV Friday that "we're going to try" to add free agents to surround Wade. Try? That's comforting.

15) Charlotte [15] (43-37): Jax said he wanted to come to town and lead Bobcats to playoffs. He, and Larry Brown, have done just that.

Team of the Week

(4/4/10-4/11/10)

Dallas (3-0): Righting the ship just in time after a rough patch. Mavs have won six of eight and have their fate in their own hands after locking up the Southwest Division title with a win in Portland on Friday.

Team of the Weak

New Orleans (0-2): Losers of five straight overall, and out of the playoffs, this is a franchise with a lot of decisions to make in the offseason: who will be making the decisions in ownership, who will be the coach, who will be the GM, how much money can be spent acquiring players and how to improve the talent level around Chris Paul.

Nobody Asked Me, But ...

Did I really miss anything by not going to the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament this year?

I usually try to get down to Portsmouth for a couple of days of the tournament, which used to unearth gems like Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman, and still gave guys like Sacramento's Jon Brockman and Memphis' DeMarre Carroll their days in the sun last year. But the PIT annually struggles to get top college senior talent to play, and this year, well, stuff got in the way. So I have to rely on the kindness of crusty personnel types I trust to give me the skinny.

University of California guard Jerome Randle, the Pac-10 Player of the Year, won tournament MVP honors with 41 points and 26 assists in three games. He "can really play," one of the guys texted, "but he's tiny."

Rider guard Ryan Thompson, the younger brother of Kings forward Jason Thompson, had a huge first game with 37 points, and, for what it's worth, shot 57 percent from the floor in three games. "He played better than he did when I saw him during the year," one veteran scout texted. "But no Scottie Pippens discovered!"

Several of the scouts independently offered that there may have been one potential first-rounder in the pack: Alabama guard Mikhail Torrance, who averaged 17.3 points in three games and may have elevated his draft status with solid performances. "Mikhail Torrance is VERY, VERY good," texted a personnel boss. "Might be their first 1st rounder in a damn long time." (The last one, as far as I could tell, was Gerald Wallace, in 2001.)

Among the others who may have helped themselves, according to the scouts, were Texas A&M guard Donald Sloan, Louisiana-Lafayette forward Tyren Johnson, Western Kentucky guard A.J. Slaughter, Iowa State swingman Marquis Gilstrap, Michigan State swingman Raymar Morgan,Tulsa guard Ben Uzoh, North Carolina forward Deon Thompson and California small forward Patrick Christopher.

Busy week for the personnel types, who had to shuttle back between Virginia and Portland (no easy connection between the two, trust me), where the Nike Hoops Summit took place on Saturday. And, no, can't give you a report, as the Summit is comprised of U.S. and international players that are college-bound. One of them, though, will be the first pick in the 2011 Draft. I suspect you already probably know who that is.

... And Nobody Asked You, Either

You goin' to the Hall? Take the A Train. From Ollie Illacotti:

Dennis Rodman in the HOF is an interesting debate. However, not mentioning Artis Gilmore as yet another year goes by of him getting snubbed is disappointing to say the least. As a prominent member of the basketball media and potential voter you have the power to change this. Does Artis Gilmore have to die tragically like DJ to get into the HOF? Artis Gilmore's stats far surpass those who have been elected ahead of him. Is he constantly ignored because his best years were in the ABA? It sure doesn't seem to hurt those whose main accomplishments were in NCAA, WNBA, and overseas.

I agree with you, Ollie. So does my colleague Steve Aschburner, who penned this great piece asking that same question a couple of months ago. As Steve wrote, Gilmore is the only player in the top 35 in scoring in league history who isn't (or won't eventually be) in the Hall at the moment. The Train got Jacksonville University to the 1971 NCAA title game, led the Kentucky Colonels to the 1974-75 ABA title and to the '73 Finals, led the ABA in rebounds in each of his five seasons in that league, and was the anchor of several outstanding Chicago Bulls and San Antonio Spurs teams in the late 1970s and early '80s after the merger. And he was a six-time NBA All-Star, too.

A Las Vegas expansion team would please me. From Isaac Bond:

With all this 2010 free-agency hoopla that will likely sputter save perhaps a few flares, it seems every fan is hyped on getting LeBron, Wade, and or Bosh on their squad. But I read journalists talking about what kind of moves would be best for the game, which presumably is best for the fans. These three players, along with the other talent in the free-agent pool, have helped the NBA recover from its dip in popularity since the player who still doesn't appear in video games retired. I know I'd love to see Bosh in Miami with Wade, even though I'm a Raptors fan, but my question is this: where do you think all these elite free agents should go if they based their decisions solely on what would generate and please fans?

I'm not sure there's a monolithic "fan" point of view, Isaac. You may not mind Bosh going to the Heat, but I suspect a lot of Raptors fans would. So it's a hard question to answer. Both big- and small-market cities need playoff contenders. In my opinion, it would be good for the league if most of the free agents, including LeBron, stayed where they are. They've built up brand identification and loyalty in those cities. But the NBA also needs representative teams in New York, Philly, Chicago and D.C. A perfect match: most, if not all, of the free agents stay put, and a bunch of big-market teams make some blockbusters. Maybe the Knicks could do a sign-and-trade with the Lakers for David Lee (Andrew Bynum?) and sign Carlos Boozer. Would the bargain-hunting Hornets give up young Darren Collison to the Wizards for high-scoring, low-salaried Andray Blatche? And if the Timberwolves can get an Evan Turner to shore up their nucleus, and the Nets can start their rebuilding in earnest with the first pick? That would be fine, too.

He's a little left (coast) leaning. From Michael Bergmann:

I've been following the NBA for about five years now and I've got trouble understanding the playoff rankings. Why does the NBA not simply put the best 16 teams on the court and lets them play each other. To put the best eight teams out of each conference into the playoffs doesn't improve the quality and the only reason that I can see is that there would be a higher chance of derbys (The reason that the teams would have to travel too much doesn't count anymore). If this rule would have been there (lastseason): Phoenix (46 wins) would have been in the playoffs and not Chicago (41) or Detroit (39). The same thing this year. Memphis and Houston are both better than Toronto and Chicago. So why is the NBA not changing this rule?

Many share your view, Michael. I'm afraid I don't. Awarding playoff spots strictly based on record would create logistical issues, even if you don't believe it. Under your scenario, you'd have to get rid of divisions (and conferences, for that matter); otherwise you'd have an imbalanced seeding format, with nine Western Conference teams making the playoffs, but only seven Eastern Conference teams. And that wouldn't work. So, under the "Top 16" format, Cleveland (the top seed) would play Houston (No. 16) in the first round. And the Lakers (No. 2) would play ... Charlotte (No. 15). Now, it's true that the first round is spread out, and everybody charters these days, so, no, travel would not be punitive. But it still wouldn't be fair for some teams to have to fly all the way across the country that early in the playoffs, while others didn't. Not to mention very expensive. All you're asking a team to do in the current system is be one of the top eight teams in a 15-team conference. No question, that's harder out West. But that's the cost of doing business in the big city.

MVP Watch

(4/4/10-4/11/10)

LeBron James (19 ppg, 6 rpg, 13 apg, .385 FG, .900 FT): Played in only one game this week; after the Cavs had clinched home-court throughout the playoffs,coach Mike Brown opted to rest James the rest of the regular season. Understandable; "rest vs. rust" would not seem to be much of an argument here.

Dwight Howard (21.3 ppg, 12 rpg, 3.3 rpg): Stan Van Gundy thinks the "national media" is too hard on Superman. Maybe there have been critiques here and there, but not aware of any conspiracy among us NMs against Howard, considering he's going to get plenty of MVP votes and is a mortal lock for all-NBA first team, all-NBA first defensive team and a second straight Defensive Player of the Year award --honors all selected by the Notorious NM.

Kobe Bryant (20 ppg, 4 apg, 2 apg, .348 FG, .333 FT): Also played in just one game this week, with his finger and knee giving him problems. Which begs the question(s): given his injuries, and that he can't grip the ball the way he'd like, don't you have to make Kobe beat you from the field if you're playing the Lakers in the playoffs? Shouldn't the game plan to keep him off the line and stay at home as much as possible on the other Lakers, taking away his ability to impact the game with double-digit assists?

Kevin Durant (38.3 ppg, 9.3 rpg, 3.8 apg, .450 FG, .944 FT): However this turns out for OKC, Durant is going to get a lot of attention in the next week -- from Ron Artest, or Shawn Marion, or Kenyon Martin -- on the biggest stage there is.

Dirk Nowtizki (33.7 ppg, 8.7 rpg, 0.67 apg, .552 FG, 1,000 FT): The Diggler is finishing with a flourish: 40 and 39 points on back-to-back nights at Portland and Sacramento, as the Mavs go to the whip hand in trying to secure second place. And he hasn't missed a free throw in two weeks, working on a streak of 68 consecutive free throws, breaking his own team record.

Dropped out: Carmelo Anthony.

By The Numbers

21 -- Points per game for Chicago Stags guard Max Zaslofsky in the 1947-48 season, when Zaslofsky led the NBA in scoring average at the age of 22 years, 105 days. Oklahoma City's Kevin Durant, 21 years and 195 days old this morning, would become, according to the league, the youngest player in league history to lead the league in scoring if he maintains his current edge (30.1 ppg to 29.7) over LeBron James.

34 -- Victories needed by Houston's Rick Adelman to break into the top 10 all-time in coaching victories. Adelman became the 11th coach in league history to win 900 games last week, and will likely pass Dick Motta (935 career wins) to get into the top 10 next season.

105 -- Career triple-doubles for Jason Kidd after Saturday's 11 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds against the Kings. At this pace, it would take Kidd another three seasons or so before he threatened Magic Johnson's 138 career triple-doubles, second on the all-time list to Oscar Robertson's 181.

I'm Feelin' ...

1) Good for the league for admitting its officials missed a last-second foul by Utah's C.J. Miles on the Thunder's Kevin Durant at the end of Utah's 140-139 overtime win on Wednesday. No one expects perfection; only an acknowledgement of an obvious mistake. That was an obvious mistake.

2) Conversely, credit to ref Zach Zarba for not swallowing the whistle Sunday when Kobe clearly fouled Martell Webster in the final seconds of a tie game at Staples, giving Webster three free throws with 3.1 to play. Conspiracy believers, please take note: Kobe was called for a game-losing foul. At home.

3) Give the Bulls credit for not folding after a brutal loss Friday to the Nets, in which there was "miscommunication" about how much playing time the still-recovering Joakim Noah could have, and winning the game they had to have in convincing fashion Sunday in Toronto.

4) Excuse me for a minute.

John Wall, John Wall, John Wall, John Wall. Evan Turner, Evan Turner, Evan Turner, Evan Turner. DeMarcus Cousins, DeMarcus Cousins, DeMarcus Cousins, DeMarcus Cousins. Derrick Favors, Derrick Favors, Derrick Favors, Derrick Favors.

Now that each of those talented underclassmen has officially declared for the Draft, I can finally type their names in this space. Welcome, fellas. Enjoy the top five.

5) Praying for you, George Karl. Glad to hear you're done with chemo and radiation.

6) I have had many issues with Hornets owner George Shinn over the years, dating to his dealings with Charlotte before he moved the Hornets to the Big Easy. But when he could have tried to weasel his way out of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, Shinn did the right thing and brought the Hornets back to their (new) hometown. He is continuing to do the right thing by selling the majority of the team to Gary Chouest, a local businessman who appears ready to do what it takes to keep the Hornets in New Orleans, while Shinn continues battling prostate cancer. All the best to him and his family.

7) And boom goes the dynamite. C'mon, implosions are always cool (see?) And, see. And, see?

Not Feelin' ...

1) Mamba, missing two at the line? In crunch? Seriously?

2) Nuggets lost their composure Saturday night against the Spurs. They've got to adjust to what they consider poor officiating and physical play. The playoffs will likely have a little of both. Somebody -- I'm looking at you, Chauncey Billups -- needs to get the guys in line before the weekend. (In a related story, after J.R. Smith drove around the prostrate body of teammate Carmelo Anthony, seemingly oblivious in his hunt for two more points, Chauncey Billups asked him the only possible question worth asking: "What were you thinking?")

3) Ah, Thunder. You finally played young on Sunday night, at the worst possible time, in losing to the Warriors. That might be costly, unless you come right back Monday night in Portland and take care of business.

4) Prayers to all the people of Poland, who lost their president, Lech Kaczynski, and 96 others when the president's plane crashed in western Russia on Saturday. Orlando's Marcin Gortat, a Pole, sent heartfelt Tweets out all weekend to his countrymen.

5) Um, if true, this doesn't sound good.

6) I'm TiVoing "Basketball Wives," Shaunie O'Neal's new reality show. I don't feel good about this, 'cause I like Shaunie and Shaq. But I will watch.

7) Did you get the feeling, watching Tiger's post-Masters interview on CBS, that he hasn't really changed much at all, despite pleading to the world over the last month that he was a new, and improved man, who had rearranged his priorities, and that winning or losing one golf tournament wasn't going to define him anymore?

Tweet of the Week

Enjoying a laugh wit 1 of the most powerful Man in the world. Not bad 4 a kid from Robbins.
--Miami's Dwyane Wade (@dwadeofficial), Saturday, 11 a.m., detailing a moment with President Obama during a recent visit to D.C.

They Said It

"I think he knows where his body is right now and where he should take it. You can't say. We're all hoping it could happen."
-- Kim Van Deraa, George Karl's life partner, on the increasingly unlikely chance that Karl will be healthy enough to return to the bench during the playoffs. Karl completed his chemotherapy treatments for neck and throat cancer last week, but faces weeks of recovery to let his body heal before doctors can determine how effective the radiation and chemo were in reducing or eliminating the tumor on his neck.

"They're grown men. They have to make their own decisions. They have to listen to what their bodies are telling them and make that call. But it's something I won't talk to them about."
-- Kobe Bryant, saying he's okay if LeBron James and Dwyane Wade decide not to play on the U.S. team at the World Championships in Turkey in late August.

"As an athlete, everyone always holds your hand. Nobody has been holding my hand the last few years. I do for myself. I challenged myself. I did something. I do the bills now. I wash dishes. Laundry. I'm the nanny."
-- Former player Kenny Anderson, in a very good read in the Miami Herald, discussing both how he burned through a fortune as a player, but how he is hanging in there, well enough to graduate at the end of this month with his college degree, at age 39.

After early cold spell, Crawford warms to sixth man role

Jamal Crawford will get his first taste of postseason play after nine seasons in the NBA.

In his first game in his new role, the NBA's best sixth man felt like a 10th man. Jamal Crawford spent his 14 minutes on the floor running away from the ball. When he had it, he passed off. When the Hawks looked for him, he looked away. He took three shots, none particularly memorable.

And if you thought he was confused, the Hawks were completely baffled. Their new teammate, they later discovered, was afraid of ruining the chemistry of a team that had grown up together without him. Plus, it wasn't in his personality to be demanding. He wanted to fit in, and tried to do that by not standing out.

Joe Johnson wasn't having any of it.

"I told him we needed him to shoot," said Johnson. "That's why we got him. He was holding back. Jamal's a good guy and he didn't want to upset anyone."

That's all Crawford needed to hear. He adapted to the role and surroundings much easier after that game and quickly became among the most efficient in the league off the bench. It has been a good fit, for the Hawks, and for Crawford, who discovered how badly they needed each other.

"When we got him," said Rick Sund, the Hawks' general manager, "I went to his home in Seattle and really talked to him, explaining not only the benefits for the Hawks, but for him as well for being a sixth man. Sometimes, you don't know how a player will react in that situation. Not everyone has the ability to accept this role. That's what I wanted to find out about Jamal."

What Sund discovered that day was how badly Crawford wanted to be with a winning team. After all, he hadn't sniffed the playoffs in his nine-year career, which was spent with teams in transition. Crawford was willing to try anything, in exchange for a chance to play in late spring.

"We did as much homework with his personality and who he is as a player and person," said Sund. "Everyone I talked to gave me positive feedback. Isiah Thomas, who had him in New York, told me Jamal would be a pleasure to have around. He's just a real positive guy. When he doesn't play well, he's accountable. There was no downside with his personality. I knew it would work."

Sund did have a reason to worry. The nucleus of the Hawks had been a work in progress for the last three years, and suddenly, the Hawks were adding another scorer. How would Johnson, the first option, deal with that, especially in a contract year? What about Josh Smith, the most mercurial of Hawks? And Marvin Williams, the sensitive and underachieving forward whose minutes would be most affected by Crawford?

It was easy for all to accept because of Crawford's gracious personality, which was perfect for the locker room, and because Crawford delivered. His ball-handling and shooting (18 points a game, tops among sixth men) gave the Hawks another weapon, and he also brought the willingness to take the big shot, something the Hawks lacked in abundance last season.

"When people ask about Jamal," Sund said, "I always go back to the talk I had with him, how he said, `If that's what will help the Hawks, I'm all for it.' He has given us a boost, and there's also a tremendous confidence level he has, the coach has with him, and his teammates have with him. Everybody's comfortable."

Crawford isn't the runaway choice for best sixth man; several others carried weight with their teams and produced when called off the bench:

Jason Terry, Mavericks: Along with Manu Ginobili, he defined the sixth man role over the last half-decade. Terry 's numbers are down slightly from last year, when he won the award, but his value to the Mavericks remains unchanged. Terry brings better ballhandling and passing than Crawford but less scoring.

Manu Ginobili, Spurs: He was pressed into starter's duty this season but that shouldn't diminish the impact he had. The task for Ginobili was to stay healthy and play at a high level here at middle age. Mission accomplished. After the All-Star break, Ginobili had a string of big performances and elevated the Spurs in the wake of Tony Parker's injury. For his effort, he earned a 3-year contract extension.

Anderson Varejao, Cavaliers: Lots of energy, hustle and defense coming off the bench for the Cavs, who benefited from their frisky big man while Shaquille O'Neal missed time with injury and Zydrunas Ilgauskas was lost for a month during the post-trading deadline.

Lamar Odom, Lakers: After Kobe Bryant, no one has more responsibility than Odom. He gets 10 rebounds a night, creates mismatch headaches for other teams, handles the ball, shoots the occasional 3-pointer and provides defense. And he has the perfect ego/temperament for the role.

J.R. Smith, Nuggets: He averages 15 points in 27 minutes, among the highest ratios in the league. His shooting is streaky (41 percent) but doesn't turn shy after a handful of misses. Dogged by maturity issues in the past, Smith helped the Nuggets emerge as a tough team to defend and a nice compliment for Carmelo Anthony.

Carl Landry, Kings: One of the season's revelations, Landry became a threat on the glass and around the basket for both the Rockets and Kings and was the key to a big mid-season trade that sent Kevin Martin to Houston. The Kings probably gained some in the process, adding a younger player with tremendous upside. Landry averaged 17 points and 6 rebounds and is the right piece for a rebuilding franchise.

Kevin Love, Timberwolves: Like Ginobili, he started more games than most genuine sixth-men but, in a perfect world, that's his role for Minnesota. He's the Wolves' top rebounder and second-leading scorer, and if they ever get good, K-Love's value to the team will only increase. Very clever around the court, which offsets his lack of athleticism and strength.

Lakers, Wolves, Knicks to participate in NBA Europe Live

NEW YORK -- The Los Angeles Lakers, Minnesota Timberwolves, and New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association, and Regal FC Barcelona (FCB) and AJ Milano from Euroleague Basketball, will play a series of preseason games this October as part of NBA Europe Live presented by EA SPORTS"!, the NBA, the Euroleague, and EA SPORTS announced today. Barcelona, London, Milan, and Paris will host the games.

"NBA Europe Live and the return of NBA teams to Europe for a fifth consecutive year is a testament to our ongoing commitment to grow the game of basketball and engage our fans in the region," said NBA Commissioner David Stern. "Through the support of our partners, including EA SPORTS, the game continues to grow and thrive in Europe, and fans in four cities will be able to witness first hand the exciting brands of basketball of both the NBA and the Euroleague."

Following the 2010 Europe Live Tour, 54 games featuring 23 NBA teams will have been played in 18 cities in Europe since 1988. The sold out 2009 tour was televised in 209 countries and territories and was supported by 18 marketing and promotional partners.

"We are pleased to continue this partnership with the NBA and are proud of our role in helping to present the world's best basketball across Europe," said Peter Moore, President, EA SPORTS. "As the popularity of this event and the sport grows in Europe, it becomes the ultimate platform to support NBA basketball and the globalization of our NBA LIVE videogame. NBA Europe Live presented by EA SPORTS has become a pillar of our basketball business and is a great way for fans to experience these exciting games and NBA LIVE in some of the world's best cities."

"For a fifth consecutive year, Euroleague Basketball and the National Basketball Association team up to offer fans in Europe the best basketball has to offer; some of the world's most prominent basketball teams battling it out in some exciting preseason games," said Euroleague Basketball CEO Jordi Bertomeu. "We are very happy to have entered this fifth season with the NBA and hope to continue developing the sport of basketball globally through such exciting collaborations and events."

2010 NBA Europe Live Schedule

Game Date City Arena Knicks vs. Armani Jeans Milano Oct. 3 Milan Mediolanum Forum Lakers vs. Timberwolves Oct. 4 London The O2 Knicks vs. Timberwolves Oct. 6 Paris Palais Omnisports Paris Bercy Lakers vs. Regal FC Barcelona Oct. 7 Barcelona Palau Sant Jordi

Inaugural presenting partner since 2006, EA SPORTS will activate together with a range of local partners to bring the game closer to fans through a series of free interactive fan events in each host city, with details to be announced. adidas will also return as a Pan European partner of NBA Europe Live for the fifth consecutive year and will utilize the tour to launch the company's new rights as of October 2010 to commercialize on-court uniforms and apparel in Europe.

NBA Europe Live 2010 will tip off on Oct. 3, when the New York Knicks take on Armani Jeans Milano at the Mediolanum Forum in Milan, Italy. AJ Milano, the most titled basketball team in Italy with 25 Italian Championships, four Italian Cups and three European Champions Cups, is the former team of Knicks forward Danilo Gallinari (2006-08) and Knicks Head Coach Mike D'Antoni (1978-90). D'Antoni is the team's all-time leading scorer and went on to coach the team for four seasons (1990-94) winning the Korac Cup in 1993.

The O2 in London, England, will host NBA teams for the fourth consecutive year, when the 2008-09 NBA Champion Los Angeles Lakers play the Minnesota Timberwolves on Oct. 4. The Timberwolves, who played in London in 2007, will take on the Lakers, who will be making their first trip internationally since 1991, when they played games in Paris, France.

The French capital will host the Knicks and Timberwolves for their second contest on Oct.6 at the Palais Omnisports Paris Bercy. This will be the ninth game to feature an NBA team in Paris since 1991. The Knicks last played in Europe in 1990 in Barcelona.

The NBA Europe Live tour will conclude at the Palau Sant Jordi in Barcelona, Spain, when the Los Angeles Lakers take on Regal FC Barcelona on Oct. 7. The Lakers' Pau Gasol, a two-time Most Valuable Player with FCB, will return to play against his former team. Renowned as one of the most formidable teams in European basketball history, FCB, who recently qualified for the 2010 Euroleague Final Four, counts five European titles, 15 Spanish League titles, and 20 Spanish National Cup titles among its accomplishments.

In addition to the on-court action during NBA Europe Live 2010, the NBA will also conduct a variety of community events and programs in Barcelona, London, Milan and Paris as part of its NBA Cares initiative. Since 2005, the NBA family has helped create and build more than 465 places where children and families can live, learn or play around the world, including 16 in Europe as part of NBA Europe Live.

Barkley picks Cavaliers to win NBA title

NEW YORK (AP) -- Charles Barkley wonders if the Cleveland Cavaliers are resting LeBron James too much, but doesn't see anything stopping them from winning their first NBA title.

Not a banged-up Kobe Bryant and the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers. And certainly not the aging Boston Celtics, who the Hall of Famer believes have too much mileage on their legs to mount a real threat.

"When you get older and people say, 'When we get healthy,"' Barkley said Tuesday during a conference call. "Older people die, they don't get healthier."

Cleveland and Boston could meet in the second round, and Barkley sees the Cavaliers advancing.

"I think the Cavaliers are going to win the whole thing," he said.

Barkley and fellow TNT analysts Kevin McHale and Doug Collins all agree that a potential Cleveland-Orlando matchup would make a terrific Eastern Conference final, with the winner likely meeting the Lakers for the championship.

But they aren't ready to guarantee Los Angeles a third straight trip to the NBA finals.

"The Lakers appear to be the team to beat (in the West), but they've got a lot of question marks right now," Collins said, listing Bryant's condition, their depth if Andrew Bynum isn't healthy, and their ability to defend quick point guards.

McHale said he would be less surprised than others if the Lakers weren't in the finals, especially after getting a look at Bryant's broken right index finger when the reigning NBA finals MVP appeared recently on the NBA TV studio show that features McHale. The injury has caused Bryant to shoot poorly late in the season.

"His finger looks just as bad as it did during the All-Star game. I was surprised it didn't look a lot better," McHale said. "That thing is really, really looking bad. The swelling hasn't gone down. It still looks really, really funky."

Fear of injuries is part of the reason Cavaliers coach Mike Brown has rested James the last three games with home-court advantage throughout the NBA finals already secured. He may consider playing the league's MVP Wednesday in the season finale against Atlanta, when Shaquille O'Neal is expected to return from his thumb injury.

Barkley thinks James probably should play. He felt it was a mistake that he, Kevin Johnson and Dan Majerle rested so much after Phoenix wrapped everything up in 1993. The Suns were rusty when they opened the playoffs against the Lakers and immediately fell into a 2-0 hole at home, forcing them to play more games than necessary before eventually reaching the finals.

"I'm a little surprised they've rested LeBron as much as possible," Barkley said. "It's not like he's 39 years old, so I think Cleveland has to really be careful."

The Celtics once looked like the biggest threat to Cleveland, but have struggled over the second half of the season and don't defend nearly as well as they did while winning the 2008 championship.

"You can see they're not the same. The energy level is not the same," Barkley said.

"I think the Celtics went for it, they won a championship, and now they're just an older team. Kevin Garnett is one of my favorite players. You can just tell he's not the same player."

The postseason opens Saturday, and TNT begins its coverage with three games Sunday.

Kings' Evans finishes season with ejection vs. Lakers

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Tyreke Evans remarkable rookie season has ended with his ejection from the Kings' game against the Los Angeles Lakers.

He was tossed in the third quarter Tuesday night by referee Derek Richardson, who whistled back-to-back technical fouls when Evans apparently said something to him.

Evans had just hit consecutive layups to pull Sacramento within 67-66 of the Lakers, and apparently was angry about a foul not being called.

Evans is the NBA's leading candidate for the rookie of the year award, entering the game averaging 20.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5.8 assists. Oscar Robertson, Michael Jordan and LeBron James are the only other NBA rookies to average a 20-5-5.

Nelson plans to be back next season for Warriors

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) -- Now that he's the winningest coach in NBA history, Don Nelson has a new project planned for his final go as Golden State's coach next season: turning Andris Biedrins into a decent free-throw shooter.

With an underhand shot, no less. Nelson insists Biedrins will do it this time after previous suggestions of such a change.

Biedrins, sidelined the last 23 games following March 10 surgery to repair a small tear of an abdominal muscle and 48 total, made just 4 of 25 from the line this season -- and Nelson says he was less aggressive going to the basket to avoid having to shoot free throws.

Nelson reiterated before Tuesday night's final home game against the Jazz he would return next season to fulfill the final year of his contract for the Warriors, and general manager Larry Riley said that would be the case barring any unforeseen circumstances.

Arena that brought NBA to Orlando bids farewell

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) -- There are no NBA championship banners hanging from the rafters. No lasting pre-game traditions, no spectacular gadgets or gizmos.

Just Magic memories.

After 21 seasons as the only home the Orlando Magic have ever known, Amway Arena's run is almost over. Orlando hosts the Philadelphia 76ers in the last regular-season game Wednesday night in a place that housed two NBA finals and plenty of historic moments.

Many not even for the home team.

The arena saw Ervin "Magic" Johnson return to win the 1992 All-Star Game's Most Valuable Player award after his stunning retirement and admission that he was HIV positive. The facility is also where Phil Jackson won an unprecedented 10th title as coach, and the site of Orlando point guard Scott Skiles' record-setting 30 assists game.

Formerly the TD Waterhouse Centre, the Orlando Arena and even more briefly the arena in Orlando, it will always simply be known as "The O-Rena" for many.

With the Magic preparing to move into the sparkling new Amway Center next year, those who made the old arena's most celebrated moments recalled their fondest memories.

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Pat Williams considers the arena's groundbreaking one of the most crucial elements to the franchise's birth, and one of the biggest thrills in his 42 years in the NBA.

The Magic co-founder and senior vice president remembers when many thought the idea of an NBA team in Orlando was a joke. Miami was more glamorous. Tampa was bigger, and other cities bidding around the county were seemingly better markets.

But not everybody could provide an arena.

Williams helped energize Orlando residents. City officials took to the idea, and the entire community rallied around the proposal. The building, publicly funded at a cost of more than $100 million, soon became reality.

The arena's lasting legacy will likely be that it helped bring the NBA to Orlando. Construction began in January 1987, three months before the league approved the expansion franchise along with Miami, Charlotte and Minnesota.

"The arena was the key to getting the team," Williams said. "There had to be a building. She was our saving grace."

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On Dec. 30, 1990, Skiles knew early on he would leave a mark.

Then Orlando's point guard, Skiles turned to teammate Jeff Turner during a timeout in the first quarter against Denver and made a prediction that drew laughs.

"I told Jeff, 'I'm going to set a record tonight.' I had like eight assists or something right out of the gate. I said it jokingly, but it ended up coming true," said Skiles, now Milwaukee's coach.

He went on to break the record of 29 set in 1978 by Kevin Porter of the New Jersey Nets. Skiles' milestone still stands.

"No offense, but I'll be glad the day it's broken because I get kind of tired of talking about it some times," Skiles said. "It's one of those things where it all came together in one night."

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Perhaps no figure in the arena loomed larger in those early days than Shaquille O'Neal.

After being drafted No. 1 overall by Orlando in 1992, he first powered the Magic to prominence by leading them to the 1995 finals. O'Neal helped create many of the first marquee highlights in his four years in Orlando.

O'Neal's fondest memory -- "My banner" for the 1995 Eastern Conference title -- will move a few blocks south next year to the Magic's new arena.

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Tracy McGrady had some of the most remarkable highlights at the arena, but he had to think hard about his favorite.

Scoring an arena-record 62 points against Washington on March, 10, 2004?

"Could have had 75 if I made my free throws," he said.

Kicking the ball into the stands?

"That was fun," he recalled, chuckling.

Getting his 10,000th point?

"I'll always remember that," McGrady said.

But none he would consider better than the 2002-03 season, when he had a league-leading 32.1 points per game.

"What I really miss is that one year, every night, just the 'M-V-P' chants," he said. "Just the feeling that I was getting every night on the court, hearing the crowd chant 'M-V-P.' That was a special season. I don't know how I did it, but that stands out to me."

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Some memories the Magic will be glad to leave behind.

Sure, Nick Anderson stealing the ball from Michael Jordan in the 1995 Eastern Conference semifinals propelled Orlando to its first finals and still sticks in the minds of fans. But so does Anderson's four missed free throws against the Houston Rockets at the end of Game 1 in that year's finals, a collapse that started a series sweep.

There was also Dwight Howard's 40 points and 14 rebounds in the Game 6 win that eliminated Cleveland in last season's Eastern Conference finals. But Howard also missed a pair of free throws at the end of Game 4 against the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA finals, when just one make would have given the Magic a four-point lead and likely evened the series.

Derek Fisher then nailed a 3-pointer that forced overtime, the Lakers took the game and eventually the title.

"The good and the bad," Howard said, "will always stay with me."

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One of the most touching moments in the arena's history belongs to a different Magic.

Magic Johnson came out of retirement after leading he was HIV positive to play in the 1992 All-Star Game in Orlando. Johnson's showdowns with Isiah Thomas and Michael Jordan stirred the crowd, drawing tears from fans and winning MVP honors.

"It was in all ways magical," NBA commissioner David Stern recalled last year. "I smile every time I think about it."

Lakers coach Phil Jackson even considers it his favorite moment at the arena. That might surprise some considering Jackson won his record 10th title as a coach last year at the arena, passing Celtics legend Red Auerbach.

Jackson said earlier this year when he walked in the arena that his main thought was about the Magic "franchise and its history and the All-Star Game they had here a number of years ago."

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The dull and dreary structure with a 17,519-seat capacity was solid but no engineering marvel when it opened.

The concession stands have since become insufficient. The restrooms are far too scarce, and most modern amenities -- including many moneymaking luxury suites -- are missing.

That's a big reason Orlando is heading to a new arena.

City officials are hearing redevelopment plans for the old arena, and some have introduced ideas to turn the facility into a performing arts center. However, it seems likely the structure will eventually be sold and demolished.

The Magic have a chance to make one lasting memory.

Howard already has a commercial airing in Orlando where he stands in the new arena talking about his dreams to raise his first banner there -- a title that could be won in the old building this June.

The Magic enter the playoffs with the Eastern Conference's No. 2 seed, and Howard said there's nothing he wants more than to close down the building with a championship celebration.

"We've had a great ride here," Howard said. "It's not over yet."

Curry's father won't vote for Rookie of the Year

NEW YORK (AP) -- The NBA has taken away Charlotte Bobcats broadcaster Dell Curry's rookie of the year vote because his son is among the leading candidates for the award.

Curry's son, Stephen Curry, is averaging 17.2 points and 5.9 assists per game for Golden State. He and Kings guard Tyreke Evans, who is averaging 20.3 points and 5.8 assists, are considered the front-runners to be top rookie.

NBA spokesman Tim Frank says Dell Curry will be allowed to vote for all the other postseason awards, but the league did not want to put him in an awkward position with the rookie award.

The New York Times first reported the NBA's decision regarding Curry's vote.

Curry played 16 seasons in the NBA with five teams.

Franks says the league will replace Curry with another voter who covers the Bobcats, but has not picked a replacement yet.

Boozers leaves game after straining muscle in ribcage

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) -- Utah Jazz forward Carlos Boozer strained a muscle in his right ribcage after playing all 12 minutes of the first quarter against the Golden State Warriors.

Boozer was taken to the locker room at the start of the second quarter for X-rays, then the Jazz announced midway through the third period he would not return because of a muscle strain.

Boozer had five points and four rebounds before departing.

Garnett returns to Celtics' lineup

CHICAGO (AP) -- Kevin Garnett was back in the Boston Celtics' lineup against the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday after missing a game to get some rest.

Backup guard Tony Allen, however, was sick and missed the game.

Coach Doc Rivers says he plans to monitor Garnett's minutes after resting him against Milwaukee on Saturday night. He also considered giving Paul Pierce the night off, but "he wanted to play."

The fourth-place Celtics had dropped five of eight and needed to win their remaining two games to stay in the running for the third seed in the Eastern Conference.