Odds & Ends: Mavericks, Terry, Anthony, Spurs
Tonight at the American Airlines Center, the Mavericks will look to stave off a first round sweep at the hands of the Thunder. Barring a miracle turnaround and subsequent deep playoff run, things figure to look rather different in Dallas next season. Here’s more on the Mavs and other notes from around the league..
- Guard Jason Terry is worried that tonight’s game could be his last wearing a Mavericks uniform, writes Jeff Caplan of ESPNDallas.com. Terry will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season and reportedly won’t take a discount to remain in Dallas.
- If the Mavericks don’t land Deron Williams this summer, then the team’s mission to clear cap space will be a disaster, writes Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com.
- Howard Beck of the New York Times opines that the Knicks can only go so far with a Carmelo Anthony-centric offense. Beck also adds that Phil Jackson would demand a much more team-oriented game if he were coaching in New York, though that seems unlikely to come to fruition.
- As the Spurs and the Jazz do battle in their first round series, Brian T. Smith of The Salt Lake Tribune points out that the two franchises have emulated each other quite a bit over the years.
Atlantic Rumors: Woodson, Sixers, Allen
It was a huge night for Atlantic Division teams, as the Celtics turned back an undermanned Hawks team in overtime and the Sixers took a 2-1 series lead on the top-seeded Bulls. The Knicks, meanwhile, are staring down an offseason of question marks and decisions for GM Glen Grunwald as they try to avoid being swept by the Heat in Game 4 on Sunday.
- If Mike Woodson returns to coach the Knicks next season, he'll be under greater pressure to win, as Frank Isola of the New York Daily News writes, also noting that Woodson wants to see Carmelo Anthony step up his conditioning this summer.
- The Sixers are bringing legend Julius Erving back as a "strategic advisor" to the team, a part-time role that will function like an ad-hoc consultancy and will include input on personnel, as John Finger of CSNPhilly.com explains.
- Andy Jasner of ESPNChicago.com looks back at the path Lavoy Allen took from late second round pick last June to key contributor for the Sixers in the playoffs.
Pacific Notes: Lee, Fields, Odom, Kobe, Fisher
Tonight, the Lakers look to take a commanding 3-0 lead on the Nuggets, while the Clippers await the first home playoff game of the Chris Paul/Blake Griffin era tomorrow. Here's what's happening off the court in the Pacific:
- Warriors big man David Lee might have been selected as a finalist for the U.S. Olympic team had it not been for his recent surgery to repair an abdominal muscle, Chris Tomasson of Fox Sports Florida notes.
- Marcus Thompson II of the Bay Area News Group believes restricted free agent Landry Fields could be a fit for the Warriors if they don't bring back Brandon Rush or Dorell Wright.
- The Suns should pursue Lamar Odom despite the risks, argues Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic. Odom thrived under Suns coach Alvin Gentry when both were with the Clippers, and last season's Sixth Man of the Year should be available for a reasonable price, Coro contends.
- Kobe Bryant, one of the league's fiercest competitors, might have to work harder to shield his softer side in the next round of the playoffs if the Lakers match up with former teammate Derek Fisher and the Thunder, Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com observes. “I’d be a little torn,” Bryant said.“I’ve always wanted to see him do well, I’m always pulling for him and so forth. But at the same time, being great friends, somebody has to win and I’d rather it be me.”
Knicks Notes: Jackson, Carmelo, Injuries, Novak
When I asked Hoops Rumors readers earlier this week whether the Heat would finish off the Knicks in four games, over 64% of poll respondents predicted a sweep. Last night, Miami took another step toward sending New York home early, handing the Knicks their 13th consecutive postseason loss. Let's catch up on the latest out of New York, where the situation looks bleak for the hometown team:
- Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports believes the best move the Knicks could make this offseason involves luring Phil Jackson to New York. With no salary limitations in play, the Knicks should offer three years and $40MM+, says Wojnarowski. The Yahoo! scribe adds that the Zen Master "isn't enthralled" with the Knicks' roster, though that doesn't necessarily mean he'd rule out the job.
- Carmelo Anthony's performance in this series will rekindle discussion about whether the Knicks can win a championship with 'Melo leading the way, writes George Willis of the New York Post.
- Jeremy Lin and Amare Stoudemire don't look like good bets to return for Game Four on Sunday. Lin says he's still too sore and not in good enough condition for game action, while Mike Woodson downplayed the likelihood of Amare being ready.
- Steve Novak, who will become an unrestricted free agent this summer, has failed to impress in the playoffs, as Mark Hale of the New York Post writes. After going scoreless in Game Three, Novak has just nine points in the series, and his free agent stock could be taking a hit.
Knicks Notes: Lin, Chandler, Stoudemire
- Al Ianazzonne of Newsday says that Jeremy Lin played a game of full court three-on-three after Wednesday's practice and showed some expected rust. Coach Mike Woodson said that any potential return of Lin during the series would hinge on how he feels after doing some running tomorrow and what the doctors say.
- Ian Begley of ESPN New York reports that Tyson Chandler is "close to 100%" heading into Thursday night's game at Madison Square Garden. Chandler had been recovering from flu-like symptoms over the last five days.
- In his first public appearance since leaving the American Airlines Arena on Monday night, Amare Stoudemire told reporters that there's a "great chance" he'll return for Game 4 on Sunday, immediately adding that he's "not totally sure yet" (according to Adam Zagoria of Zagsblog.com).
- Chandler is the first player in Knicks history to win the Defensive Player of the Year award. Jared Zwerling of ESPN New York writes about how former Knick Charles Oakley played an instrumental role in shaping Chandler's mindset defensively. The two had been teammates on the Bulls, when Chandler was still a young prospect and Oakley was nearing retirement.
Tyson Chandler Wins Defensive Player Of The Year
WEDNESDAY, 2:32pm: Chandler officially received the Defensive Player of the Year award today at a press conference in New York. Serge Ibaka, Dwight Howard, LeBron James, and Kevin Garnett finished second through fifth, respectively, in the voting. Chandler barely edged out the Thunder big man, with 311 points to Ibaka's 294.
TUESDAY, 8:10pm: Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports reports that Knicks center Tyson Chandler will be named the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year for the 2011/12 season. Chandler is expected to be presented the award on Thursday at Madison Square Garden, prior to the Knicks taking on the Miami Heat in game three of their playoff series.
In December, Chandler signed a four-year contract with the Knicks worth approximately $55.4MM, as part of a sign-and-trade involving Chandler's former team, the Dallas Mavericks. The signing has paid off immensely for New York, as he has averaged 11.3 PPG, 9.9 RPG, and 1.4 BPG and anchoring their defense.
This is Chandler's first Defensive Player of the Year award. Previously, Dwight Howard had won it three years in a row.
Poll: Will The Heat Sweep The Knicks?
After a dominant performance in Game One, the Heat took a 2-0 lead over the Knicks on Monday, prompting an outburst of frustration that will sideline Amare Stoudemire for Game Three. Stoudemire spoke to reporters about his injured hand today, saying there's a "great chance" he'll be back on Sunday, though reports earlier today suggested Amare could miss the entire series.
Of course, whether or not Stoudemire plays again this season may depend on how long the series lasts. With the Knicks in disarray, Chris Perkins of Sheridan Hoops writes that winning the series in even five games would be a disappointment for Miami. The other three series in the East are all tied at a game apiece, so the Heat could benefit from the extra rest if they can finish the Knicks off quickly.
What do you think? Will Carmelo Anthony and the Knicks bounce back from the fire-extinguisher incident to make a series of it? Or will the Heat finish off New York in four?
Will the Heat sweep the Knicks?
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Yes 62% (271)
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No, but they'll win the series 30% (129)
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No, and the Knicks will win the series 8% (35)
Total votes: 435
Knicks Notes: Stoudemire, Carmelo, Billups
We'll have to wait one more day to continue the Heat/Knicks series, which resumes at Madison Square Garden on Thursday night. In the meantime, Amare Stoudemire's ill-advised punch to a fire extinguisher continues to be the talk of New York, with his status for the rest of the series up in the air. Here's the latest on Stoudemire and the Knicks:
- A source tells Chris Broussard of ESPN.com that "half of [Stoudemire's] hand was just hanging off" in the immediate aftermath of the incident. Paramedics were called in because there was a belief that Stoudemire may have punctured an artery.
- Stoudemire underwent surgery that will likely keep him out of action for the series, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post. Stoudemire be reassessed after Game Four, assuming the Heat don't sweep, but returning to face Miami is a long shot for the veteran forward.
- ESPN.com's Israel Gutierrez argues that the Stoudemire-Carmelo Anthony pairing isn't working, and says the Knicks should have used their amnesty clause to release Amare rather than Chauncey Billups. Stoudemire's contract is "the most undesirable in the NBA," in Gutierrez's opinion.
- The Knicks' decision to waive Bill Walker in favor of Dan Gadzuric seems to have backfired, writes Berman.
Knicks Notes: Stoudemire, Playoffs, Carmelo
The biggest story to come out of last night's Knicks/Heat contest didn't materialize on the court, where Miami took a 2-0 lead in the series. It happened on the way to the locker room after the game, when Amare Stoudemire took out his frustrations on a fire extinguisher, resulting in a lot of blood, a few stitches, and derisive pun-heavy headlines from the New York papers. Our Tuesday morning Knicks updates revolve around Stoudemire's lapse in judgment, so let's round them up in one place:
- Stoudemire is "almost certain" to miss Game Three in New York, and could be out for the entire series with a hand laceration, a source tells Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com.
- The injury is the latest low point in an agonizing, up-and-down Knicks season, writes Ken Berger of CBSSports.com.
- Carmelo Anthony tells Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports that he still believes he and Stoudemire can thrive alongside one another when both are healthy. The Knicks are just a .500 team since pairing the two stars, who are slated to earn a combined $40MM+ in each of the next three seasons.
Jeremy Lin Hopes To Return This Season
Knicks guard Jeremy Lin said at Sunday's praetice that he thinks coming back for New York's first round series against Miami is a realistic possibility, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post. During Saturday's Game One loss, the Knicks lost guard Iman Shumpert to a torn ACL, and had starting point guard Baron Davis suffer a minor back injury. The team is in desperate need of back court assistance.
On March 31, the Knicks announced Lin would undergo knee surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee. The timetable for recovery was between four and six weeks, so for Lin to return by the end of his team's first round series wouldn't be a total shock, but before today's comments it wasn't expected.
In his one game against the Heat earlier this season, Lin went 1-11 from the field in one of the worst outings of his short career.