'Confident' Suns have the Blazers on the ropes

Steve Nash and the Suns have the Blazers on the ropes.

PHOENIX -- You get the feeling that if the Suns jumped from an airplane without a parachute, they'd expect to land smack in the middle of somebody's backyard pool. And maybe have Jessica Simpson waiting there to hand them a cold drink.

They're the guys who put the Lamborghini and the yacht on the credit card, then go out to buy the lottery ticket.

"We're confident," said Grant Hill.

Confident enough to practically fall out of bed in the biggest game of their season and somehow still not wind up sprawled out on the floor.

"We're very confident," said Jared Dudley.

The only way the Trail Blazers might have hit the Suns harder at the start of Game 5 was if Tiger Woods teed them up on a par 5 and pulled out that large Nike driver.

Four minutes into the game, the Blazers had taken eight shots and made every single one. Six minutes into the game, the Blazers had scored on 10 consecutive possessions.

"We take the first timeout and get a stat sheet and it says (they have) 100 percent shooting. What can you say?"

If you're the Suns, you say: What, me worry?

They've never seen a whole they think is too deep to climb out from? They've never seen a lead the figure they can't erase.

"You have to know who you are and be true to who you are," said Dudley. "Who we are is a team that can put a lot of points on the board."

It's part offensive talent, part faith and part dogged determination to stick with the up-tempo philosophy that has made them the most entertaining bunch in the NBA and carried them so far in this season when they keep surprising and exceeding expectations.

"It wasn't what we desired coming out of the gates," said Steve Nash. "But I think they made some shots -- I think they made every shot -- and you know it's never going to be like that and we didn't quite have a rhythm yet. I personally wasn't really concerned.

"They were making everything, so it made it feel like we were running uphill. But I felt that we had to think of this thing as long-term and think of it as the stock market. We're not day traders. We want to be very conservative and long-term in our investment in transition. You've got to stick with it from start to finish and can't think: 'Oh, this isn't working. We've got to walk the ball up and try to get a good shot.' Let's keep the tempo going to our pace and I think that's how we got it back to a point at the end of the quarter."

Indeed, they had, wiping out Portland's 23-9 early advantage and turning it into a landslide 107-88 win in the other direction.

It is certainly a curious series, the only one in the Western Conference where the higher seed is actually leading at this point. The Suns three wins have all been blowouts, coming by an average margin of 22.3 points. They have, in fact, matched LeBron James and the revered Cavaliers as the only clubs with three double-digit wins so far in the playoffs.

What's more, this was the 12th time this season that the Suns had rallied from double-digits for a comeback win and it keeps reinforcing the mantra that it's what the Suns themselves do that matters. They want to act, no react. They want to play their own high-octane, scrambling transition game and get you sucked into the jet-wash.

"I thought we fell into their tempo," admitted Blazers coach Nate McMillan.

It is so easy to succumb to the temptation to play with the Suns and so easy to get burned.

This one was about reserves Channing Frye (20 points, eight rebounds) and Dudley (19 points, 5-for-9 on 3-pointers) regaining their absent offense. It was about the Phoenix bench outscoring the Portland bench 55-23. It was about the Suns recommitting themselves to the backboards for a 41-29 command.

But mostly this one -- and in truth all of them -- is about the Suns commitment to a style and a philosophy that doesn't allow them to worry about the wall that someone has erected in front of them, only see it as an opportunity to jump higher.

"NBA games are such long games," said Gentry. "Our guys were great. They didn't panic at all."

Ho-hum, they barely flinched when the Blazers landed their early haymaker.

"We didn't think they were going to blow us out," Hill said. "It was the way they were beating us. The hit shots by the people we wanted to take shots. If they beat us, then we shake their hand and move on.

"But you can't just scrap everything that's been working after three minutes, though I'm sure people thought about that. You don't scrap it. Stick to it and be confident it will work and it did.

"Offensively we hadn't quite found our rhythm...It's the playoffs. It's the NBA. It seems like you've seen it all in this series and you saw a little bit more out there at the beginning of the game."

You saw the unflappable Suns as the bombs fell and the bullets whizzed by, wearing tuxedos and sipping martinis. Stirred, not shaken.

With series tied, Lakers take heart in past playoff stumbles

Pau Gasol and Co. aren't stressing too much after dropping their last two playoff games.

LOS ANGELES -- Competition freak Kobe Bryant was asked Monday if part of him relishes the challenge of the Lakers having their backs against the wall, and with a harrumph he answered, "Who said our backs are against the wall? It's a 2-2 series. What the hell is going on around here?"

As if he didn't know.

The Lakers are going on around here. The Lakers are always going on around here, exhilarating highs and demoralizing lows in a typical existence of wildly swerving emotions in the city that tracks them like no other, complete with breaking-news updates.

This just in: Panic in the streets!

The 2-0 advantage over the kids from Oklahoma City that once seemed insurmountable, the Thunder too inexperienced in the ways of the playoffs to beat the defending champions four times in five games, is suddenly gone. The Lakers had a bad couple nights at the Ford Center. Or at least that's how it went down in the record books. Back here, it practically started a run on water and canned goods.

Thus, a 2-2 series, but it looks worse than that. The Lakers couldn't put away a young team. They gave away a size advantage by jacking up 31 shots from behind the arc in Game 3. They got run out of the building in Game 4 as the Thunder dictated the tempo. And now Bryant is getting questions about growing old before our eyes and, as Kobe himself noted, Oklahoma City is playing with house money at this stage. The pressure is all on L.A.

If the Lakers aren't seeing it the same way, it's because they've been down this road of potholes before. Twice. In the last year.

In the 2009 first round, they wandered around in disinterested fashion, needing only five games to dispatch the Jazz but blowing leads along the way and looking like anything but a team capable of a title push. In the second round, against the Rockets without Yao Ming, the Lakers lost the opener at home and later eventually tied 2-2. A 40-point win in Game 5 seemed to restore order, until a 15-point Game 6 loss that forced L.A. all the way out on to a Game 7 ledge.

From that came a championship. The Lakers won the decider against Houston, were much sharper in beating the Nuggets in the conference finals, and ultimately handled the Magic to win the title. A regular season later, here they are again.

"I think we have the experience that we faced adversity before," All-Star Pau Gasol said. "We understand that this team [the Thunder] is playing really well and plays well at home. We had to face that last year and probably the year before, too."

Never has a history of underwhelming become such a source of confidence.

"The same thing happened to us," forward Lamar Odom said. "Houston in the second round. Right? Remember? Got our butts beat, convincingly. And they didn't have Yao. We were like, 'Damn.'

And now they're worried?

"Worried is the wrong word," Odom said. "Aware. Aware's the right word."

Said Gasol: "I'm not worried. I'm just with a lot of strength inside of me, just ready to play again in that Game 5. I think we need to regain ourselves, regain our confidence, regain our momentum in the series. We kind of lost it a little bit [Saturday]. It's just one game. It's 2-2. We still have home-court advantage. We're going to go home and do what we need to do."

The chance comes Tuesday night at Staples Center. A Lakers victory puts them back into control and the Thunder on the verge of elimination. An Oklahoma City victory becomes the latest worst-case scenario for the Lakers -- returning to the madness of the Ford Center on Friday night with their season, their title defense, their reputations on the line.

That, to answer Bryant's question, is what's going on around here.

Missing these special people, places as playoffs roll on

Not seeing Chris Paul in the postseason robs the playoffs of some sweetness.

 

Brandon Roy took us all by surprise, didn't he? 

Just eight days after undergoing surgery to repair a torn meniscusin his right knee, my man was on the Rose Garden court, helping hisBlazers win Game 4 to even up the series with the Suns. The Portlandcrowd was delirious as Roy's return was easily the most shocking andemotionally palpable moment of these young playoffs.

Beforethe playoffs began, I was miffed that I wasn't going to see Roy inaction. And, truthfully, although he's technically back, he's notreally "back." As an individual, Roy's one of the NBA's clutch, marqueeperformers. You want as many of those leading men in the playoffs aspossible. But based on Games 4 and 5, it doesn't seem like that's theRoy we'll see anytime soon.

It got me to thinking about a few other people and places that we're missing this spring ...

Chris Paul:It was CP -- not Roy -- that I really wished was balling in theseplayoffs. He's right there with Kobe, LeBron, D-Wade, Dwight Howard andMelo as a dude that I want participating in every postseason. Hisvirtuosity is doing us no good in street clothes. It seems that we allhave a short memory. As recently as this time last year -- after he hitus with a memorable "22.8 ppg-11.0 apg-5.5 rpg-2.8 spg" season -- CPwas a consensus pick as the game's best point guard. The year beforethat, he finished second to Kobe in MVP voting.

But after aninjury-derailed season, he's suddenly an afterthought as everyoneanoints Deron Williams the new king. Shoutout to Deron and hisincredible performances against Denver (and a stellar season), but inmy opinion, ain't nuttin' changed: CP is still the league's best pointguard. Last week, some friends and I had a "CP vs. Deron" argument onGMail.

My boy Tony summed it up best: "CP plays on a worsesquad, averages more points, assists, steals, rebounds, and typicallymore wins. He is a better leader, has a stronger personality -- he isthe coach of the Hornets. Deron plays in a system in Utah. In Nola,Chrissy is the system."

Amen.

Get healthy, CP, and get the Hornets back to the playoffs.

Andrew Bogut:This series is already a "series" -- but only because the Hawks turninto some different, terrible version of themselves on the road. IfBogut -- the second-best center in the league this season -- wasdropping in his customary 15 points, 10 boards and three blocks ...well, then this really would be a series.

A young Shaquille O'Neal:Man I miss the young, destructive, fear-inspiring, "Most Dominant Ever"Shaq of 2000-02. Dwight Howard was nailed to Orlando's bench because offoul trouble against Charlotte. Shaq is averaging 19.3 minutes a game,mostly because the Cavs obviously feel like they don't have much usefor him against Chicago. The reduced role is nothing new for the BigWitness Protection.

Shaq's last four postseason's have gone likethis: first-round ousters in '07 and '08; chilling on a couch in '09and now this reduced-role Shaq in 2010. Going even further back, Shaqdidn't average 20 ppg for the 2006 Heat championship run. In fact, hescored 30 or more only once during the '05 and '06 postseasons withMiami. Even the 2004 Shaq -- party to L.A.'s upset loss to Detroit inThe Finals -- was only periodically dominant.

I miss thatvintage Shaq we witnessed during the Lakers threepeat. Rememberwatching Dikembe Mutombo in slow-mo, grimacing as he ricocheted off thegreatest physical force in the game's history? Remember the Shaq teamsthat simply could not be stopped? Double-team, triple-team -- it didn'tmatter, Shaq was scoring. He'd ram dunks down the hoops' throat like hewas mad at it ... with two 270-pound, 7-footers draped on his back. Imiss that Shaq.

The Oracle Arena in Oakland: The 2007playoffs was a tease I could do without. Yeah, the Oklahoma City fanshave been getting down and putting even the best playoff crowds toshame the past week. But let us not forget the preposterous atmospherethat the Bay Area folks gave the overachieving 2007 Warriors. Itcombined the volume and delirium of OKC with an astuteness and hoopssophistication that comes from several generations of fans that hadbeen rooting for the Warriors since they came to the Bay Area back in1962. Plus, as is easily seen with Raider Nation -- folks in Oaklandare psycho. We need a good, competitive team in Oakland so we can getat least two games at the Oracle each postseason.

Steve Javie:A "Get well soon" to Javie, because -- be honest -- when Javie makes acall you don't like, you react with a little more anger ... and youlike it that way.

George Karl: And, finally, a super "Getwell soon" to coach Karl, who's been away from the team undergoingtreatment for throat cancer. The Nuggets obviously need him, but thisis also his fifth decade as part of the NBA family. He's coached 22seasons and missed the playoffs just three times. So, yeah, theplayoffs are a little weird without Karl, especially under thesecircumstances. We'll all be glad when he's back on the sidelines in amock turtleneck, flashing his trademark smirk.

 

Wizards' sale to Leonsis moves closer to completion

ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) -- The family of lateWashington Wizards owner Abe Pollin has agreed to the "major economicterms" of a deal to sell its stake in the NBA team to WashingtonCapitals owner Ted Leonsis.

Leonsis, a former AOL executive, and the Pollins ran into some snagsin talks this year. But in a statement Tuesday, Pollin's sons, Robertand James, said they and their mother, Irene, congratulate Leonsis onthis "near-final step in a long negotiation."

A person familiarwith the negotiations confirmed to The Associated Press last month thatthe two sides agreed to value the franchise and the arena at slightlymore than $550 million.

Pollin died at age 85 in November,setting in motion what was expected to be a smooth transfer of theWizards and the Verizon Center to Leonsis.

Pollin anointedLeonsis as his heir when the two became partners in 1999. Leonsis'group already owns 44 percent of the team and the arena, and was giventhe right to get the first chance to purchase the remaining 56 percent.

"It'snot a 'done, done' deal, but it's fairly close," Robert Pollin said ina telephone interview Tuesday. "A signed deal should be a matter ofdays."

The NBA Board of Governors will need to approve the sale,but Robert Pollin said, "There's really no question that they will.They know Ted. ... It's a foregone conclusion they will approve it."

A representative for Leonsis' group had no comment Tuesday.

AbePollin was the NBA's longest-tenured owner, having bought the BaltimoreBullets in 1964. He renamed his NBA team in 1997 because of the violentconnotation of the word "Bullets." A builder by trade, Pollinconstructed the Verizon Center, which helped revitalize Washington'sdowntown area.

Pollin previously sold Leonsis the NHL's Capitals in 1999, and the WNBA's Mystics in 2005.

"Obviously,very sad feelings about transitioning out of it, but compared to losingmy father, it's not the same category," Robert Pollin said. "It was hisproject for most of his adult life. I was 13 when we bought theBullets."

The Wizards are coming off consecutive last-placefinishes, including a 26-56 record in 2009-10, a season marred by thesuspension of star Gilbert Arenas for bringing guns into the lockerroom.

 

Rose says ankle feels fine, will play in Game 5

CLEVELAND (AP) -- Chicago Bulls guardDerrick Rose says his injured right ankle has improved and he will playin Game 5 against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Rose jammed his ankle in the first half of Game 4 on Sunday. He saidfollowing Tuesday's shootaround that rest, treatment and medication hasworked and that his ankle feels "fine." Rose, who underwent aprecautionary MRI, said he'll wear a brace as the Bulls, trailing 3-1in the series, try to fight off elimination.

Bulls forward Luol Deng will also play Tuesday night despite a sore knee and calf.

Rosesaid he slept with an immobilizing cast on his ankle. He's averaged25.8 points in the first four games of the first-round series. Deng isaveraging 17 points and 4.8 rebounds.

 

Former Bucks player Restani dies at 58

MILWAUKEE (AP) -- Former Bucks power forwardKevin Restani died in San Francisco after returning from Milwaukeewhere he had attended Game 3 between the Bucks and Atlanta Hawks onSaturday night. He was 58.

The Bucks didn't say how Restani died on Sunday night. While inMilwaukee, he had participated in the North American Association ofClub Athletic Directors basketball tournament.

Restani was playing for a team representing the Olympic Club of San Francisco.

The6-foot-9 Restani was nicknamed "Big Bird" by then Bucks play-by-playman Eddie Doucette and played in Milwaukee from 1974-79. He averagedsix points and 4.6 rebounds with the Bucks and played eight totalseasons in the NBA, making stops in Kansas City, San Antonio andCleveland.

 

Hill first-ever three-time NBA Sportsmanship Award winner

NEW YORK -- Grant Hill of the PhoenixSuns is the recipient of the Joe Dumars Trophy presented to the 2009-10NBA Sportsmanship Award winner, the NBA announced today.

A15-year veteran, Hill (Pacific) was one of six divisional winners,which included Atlanta's Al Horford (Southeast), Boston's Ray Allen(Atlantic), Cleveland's Antawn Jamison (Central), Denver's ChaunceyBillups (Northwest) and Houston's Luis Scola (Southwest).

Past NBA Sportsmanship Award winners

1995-96: Joe Dumars, Pistons (Inaugural award)	1996-97: Terrell Brandon, Cavs
1997-98: Avery Johnson, Spurs	1998-99: Hersey Hawkins, Sonics
1999-2000: Eric Snow, Sixers	2000-01: David Robinson, Spurs
2001-02: Steve Smith, Spurs	2002-03: Ray Allen, Sonics
2003-04: P.J. Brown, Hornets	2004-05: Grant Hill, Magic
2005-06: Elton Brown, Clippers	2006-07: Luol Deng, Bulls
2007-08: Grant Hill, Suns	2008-09: Chauncey Billups, Nuggets
2009-10: Grant Hill, Suns

Hill received 96 first-place votes (2,485 total points) of a possible 315.

Hill becomes the first three-time winner in the award's history (2004-05, 2007-08, 2009-10).

Forthe sixth consecutive year, NBA players voted on this award, witheleven points given for each first-place vote, nine points for eachsecond-place vote, seven points for third, five points for fourth,three points for fifth and one point for each sixth-place votereceived. Each team nominated one of its players for the award. FormerNBA players Mike Bantom, Mark Jackson, Tom "Satch" Sanders, Kenny Smithand Eric Snow then selected the six divisional winners.

The NBA will make a $10,000 donation on behalf of Hill to the WellCare Foundation.

TheNBA will also make a $5,000 donation to each of the divisional winner'scharities of choice: The Ferst Foundation on behalf of Horford; Ray ofHope Foundation on behalf of Allen; Hammer and Nails and ClevelandPolice Athletic League on behalf of Jamison; Porter-Billups LeadershipAcademy on behalf of Billups; Manu Ginobili Foundation on behalf ofScola.

The annual award reflects the ideals of sportsmanship --ethical behavior, fair play and integrity -- in amateur andprofessional basketball, a key focus of the league's NBA Cares programefforts. The trophy is named for former Detroit Pistons guard and Hallof Famer Joe Dumars, the award's first recipient.

2009-10 NBA SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD VOTING TOTALS

Player (Team) 1st-place votes 2nd-place votes 3rd-place votes 4th-place votes 5th-place votes 6th-place votes Points Grant Hill (Suns) 96 88 47 45 22 17 2485 Chauncey Billups (Nuggets) 79 48 64 53 35 36 2155 Ray Allen (Celtics) 48 72 63 37 43 52 1983 Antawn Jamison (Cavs) 45 43 67 72 53 35 1905 Al Horford (Hawks) 13 37 49 68 90 58 1487 Luis Scola (Rockets) 34 27 25 40 72 117 1325

Mieuli -- architect of Warriors' title team -- dies at 89

Franklin Mieuli (center, wearing hat) was instrumental in the Warriors arriving in Oakland.

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) -- Franklin Mieuli,whose deerstalker cap, substantial beard and casual style made him oneof the NBA's most colorful figures in his 24 years as owner of theGolden State Warriors, died Sunday. He was 89.

Mieuli died of natural causes in a San Francisco Bay Area hospital, the Warriors said in a statement.

Mieuliwas the principal owner of the Warriors from the time they moved to theBay Area in 1962 until he sold them in 1986. He won an NBA title withthe team in 1975, still the club's only championship in nearly ahalf-century in California.

"Franklin was truly one of theinnovators in our league, who was so proud of the Bay Area and hisability to maintain a team there," NBA commissioner David Stern said ina statement Sunday night. "I have always fondly remembered ... hiswarmth and his belief in the importance of sports to a community."

Leveraginghis way into sports ownership through a business producing Bay Areasports broadcasts, Mieuli also once owned a small percentage of the SanFrancisco Giants. He still had a five percent interest in the 49ers,purchased in 1954.

Mieuli was a fixture at Warriors games wellinto his 80s, wearing his distinctive hat and watching from hiscourtside seats at Oracle Arena. He became a beloved figure to fans whofondly remembered his ownership tenure with the long-struggling team,which has made the playoffs just once since 1994.

"He was one ofthe most unique and eccentric individuals that I have ever met, and I'mnot sure there will ever be anyone like him again," said Al Attles, theformer Warriors guard who coached Golden State to its sole title.

Mieuligrew up in San Jose and attended the University of Oregon. He became anadvertising executive for a San Francisco brewery which, at hisinstigation, began sponsoring 49ers radio broadcasts.

Thatassociation with 49ers founders Tony and Vic Morabito led to hispurchase of an interest in the team. He also founded a radio productioncompany, Franklin Mieuli Associates, which produced the broadcasts ofthe Giants after they moved to San Francisco from New York in 1958.

In1962, Mieuli headed a group of Bay Area investors, who along withDiners Club bought the Philadelphia Warriors and moved them to SanFrancisco. After one year of disappointing attendance, Diners Club andseveral investors wanted out, even threatening to fold the team.

Mieulibought the shares of all who wished to sell and kept the team in theBay Area. With no suitable playing venue in San Francisco, Mieulieventually moved the club to the Oakland Coliseum Arena and changed itsname to the Golden State Warriors in 1971, initially playing a handfulof home games in San Diego as well.

While Mieuli never had thefinancial resources of many NBA owners, he kept the Warriorscompetitive for much of his tenure. They reached the playoffs 10 timesbetween 1962 and 1977, advancing to three NBA finals.

Thehighlight of Mieuli's ownership was the 1974-75 season. Led by Hall ofFame forward Rick Barry and Jamaal Wilkes, the underdog Warriors wonthe NBA title, sweeping the heavily favored Washington Bullets in fourgames.

"He always called me his prodigal son after I had left theWarriors to go to the ABA," said Barry, who played four seasons in theABA before returning to the Warriors in 1972. "He vowed to doeverything in his power to get me back. Thank goodness he did, becausewithout his perseverance, I would never have had the opportunity toreturn to the Warriors and experience an NBA championship."

Inaddition to his NBA title ring, Mieuli had a fistful of Super Bowlrings from the 49ers, often wearing one ring from each team in public.Mieuli played an instrumental role in Eddie DeBartolo's purchase of the49ers, leading to their halcyon days in the 1980s.

Besides thedifferences in bank balances, what really set Mieuli apart from otherNBA owners was his lifestyle. The free-spirited Bay Area native wasmore likely to travel by motorcycle than by limousine, and by the 1960she had shed his suits and ties for dungarees and colorful shirts,making him distinctive among the buttoned-up businessmen at leaguemeetings.

After the Warriors won the title, he put the trophy inthe back seat of his sports car for a year, taking it out whenever hevisited a public place so the fans could see it up close.

"FranklinMieuli was one of the most colorful and passionate individuals I haveever met and basketball fans in Northern California certainly owe adebt of gratitude to him for helping establish NBA basketball in theBay Area," Warriors owner Chris Cohan said. "I don't think anyone willever forget the 1975 championship team and the excitement that Franklinand that group of underdogs brought to fans of all ages."

Mieulieventually sold the Warriors to Jim Fitzgerald, reportedly for lessthan $20 million. Cohan is exploring another sale of the club, whichwas judged to be worth $315 million by Forbes magazine late last year.

Beyondprofessional sports, Mieuli's company, still a thriving concern,produced the English language radio broadcasts from the 1960 WinterOlympics in Squaw Valley, Calif.

Mieuli is survived by hislongtime female partner Blake Green, son Peter Mieuli, daughter HollyBuchanan and seven grandchildren.

 

Mavericks' Dampier fined for criticizing officials

NEW YORK -- Dallas Mavericks' center ErickDampier has been fined $35,000 for publicly criticizing game officials,it was announced today by Stu Jackson, NBA Executive Vice President,Basketball Operations.

Dampier was fined for comments made to the media following theMavericks' 94-90 loss to the San Antonio Spurs in Game 3 of the EasternConference first round on April 23.

Hawks' team bus in accident, no injuries reported

MILWAUKEE (AP) -- A car collided with theAtlanta Hawks' bus as the team was leaving a shootaround session indowntown Milwaukee early Monday afternoon. A team spokesman says no onewas injured.

Hawks spokesman Arthur Triche says the accident happened around12:30 p.m. Monday as the team was leaving the Bradley Center. Trichesays the side of the bus received "quite a jolt" in the accident, andair bags deployed on the car that hit the bus, but everyone was OK.

TheMilwaukee Journal Sentinel reported the incident on its Web site Mondayafternoon, displaying a photograph of a white car with significantfront-end damage and a dent in the side of the bus.

The Hawksplay the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 4 of a first-round playoff seriesMonday night. Atlanta holds a 2-1 edge in the series.

 

Bulls' Rose, Deng banged up for Game 5

CHICAGO (AP) -- Chicago's Derrick Rosemissed practiced Monday to have an MRI performed on his right ankle andLuol Deng sat out with a sore knee.

The results of the MRI were not immediately released by the Bulls.Both Rose and Deng are expected to play in Cleveland on Tuesday nightwhen the Cavaliers try to wrap up the playoff series they lead 3-1.

Bulls coach Vinny Del Negro says Rose was limping and sore. The ankle has bothered the point guard since preseason.

DelNegro says Deng is suffering from a sore knee and calf. He says hethink both will be ready to play and the Bulls need them to play "at ahigh level."

 

Teammates jokingly nickname Howard 'Foul on You'

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- Move over Superman, a new nickname is catching on for Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard.

You can call him "Foul on You."

"That's my new nickname.They've been killing me all day calling me 'Foul on You,"' Howard saidof his teammates after shootaround Monday before their playoff gameagainst Charlotte. "So I've accepted by new role."

The teasingstems from the four-time All-Star being called for 16 fouls in thefirst three games against the Bobcats, who have used three centers tofrustrate him.

Howard fouled out with 3:32 left in Game 3 onSaturday, but the Magic still rallied to win to take a 3-0 series leaddespite Howard playing just over 82 of a possible 144 minutes.

"Myteammates say when we wrestle I shouldn't use 100 percent of mystrength. They said I should use 50 or 40 percent," said Howard,smiling. "So that's been the main focus today, using 40 percent of mystrength to hold guys off."

Coach Stan Van Gundy was a littlemore serious, knowing the Magic can't afford Howard sitting on thebench later in the playoffs. He showed Howard video on Sunday of hisfrustration elbows and shoves that have put him in chronic foul trouble.

"Wewatched I think nine clips, maybe 10 clips, just trying to get anunderstanding of what's going and what their strategy is in the wholething," Van Gundy said. "He's a very smart guy, but you're in verydifficult, very physical situations out there. He's got to take a lotof hits and a lot of grabbing and holding. Obviously, he has to handlethat in the right way."

Maybe levity will help. As teammates andothers shouted "Foul on You" at the end of Monday morning's workout,Howard raised his arm and clenched his fist to mimic a referee's foulsignal.

Forward Mickael Pietrus then walked by with some advice.

"Maybe you need your own whistle," he said.

Earlier,Howard indicated he was going to walk back to their nearby hotelbecause he might be whistled for a foul on the team bus.

"It'sbeen frustrating, but everything happens for a reason. That's the onlyway I look at it," said Howard, who has 18 blocks in the series. "Maybethis situation has to happen for me and my teammates. We're justlooking at all the positive things that can come out of this situation."