AP Photo/Michael Goulding, Pool

By Paul Gotham

Brief notes on the second round of the playoffs.

Eastern Conference

Celtics vs. Cavs

Cleveland grabbed the  one-game advantage. Is it a case of too little, too late for the Cs? Doc Rivers waited until now to call out Rasheed Wallace’s defense. It’s not like we didn’t see this coming. On the offensive end Rajon Rondo is going to need some help if the Celtics stand a chance. Does Boston have a scheme for LeBron? Was the elbow injury a case of gamesmanship by the Akron Hammer?

Hawks vs. Magic

The Hawks offer plenty of foul opportunities for Dwight Howard. Rashard Lewis will need to step up his game for the Magic. Vince Coleman will have to think about putting in some effort when closing out on Atlanta’s shooters. We will find out how good Jameer Nelson actually is. The Hawks struggled to contain Brandon Jennings in round one. Can Nelson take advantage. Al Horford vs. Howard in the paint? That should be a great match-up to watch.

Western Conference

Spurs vs. Suns

A little trivia for you. Who is arguably the best power forward in the history of the league? And on which team does he play? This same team has one of the top five point guards in the league, and this guy is coming off the bench. This team also has maybe the best triple threat guy in the league. Confused?

If Tim Duncan is not the best forward to ever play in the NBA, then who trumps him? How many point guards are there currently in the league better than Tony Parker? Can anyone question Manu Ginobili’s heart? Add to the mix George Hill, and the Spurs look dangerous.

Three years ago a David Stern interpretation of players leaving the bench area slowed the Suns. Since then Steve Nash and company have lost their way.

It will be interesting to watch how both teams try to dictate tempo.

Utah vs. Los Angeles

Jerry Sloan and crew will seek to avoid a third consecutive elimination from the playoffs at the hands of Phil Jackson and his followers. Many are suggesting Kobe has lost a step. He may be playing possum. Pau Gasol looked occasionally dominant as the Lakers took game one. Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer can shoulder the bulk of the load, but Utah will need more performances like the one they got from Paul Milsap.

Got a take on the NBA playoffs? Post them here.

Ezra Shaw/NBAE/Getty Images

by Patrick ‘Rey’ Reynell

Some have said that the Internet is one of the greatest contributions to society in the past century. Sometimes I worry that the Internet, for all the advantages it has given us, does more to reveal our skewed priorities rather than advance us.

Most mornings I visit a common news site. I usually visit CNN because from there I can link directly to SI.com. CNN usually has a column to the right called “NewsPulse,” which lists the five most popular stories. One would hope those top five issues would be relevant.

Not this morning. Not many mornings.

The third most popular headline today read “Jenna Jameson says she wants Tito Ortiz back.” The most popular? “Kim Kardashian: I didn’t cause plane stench.”

Wow. One story about a prescription drug-addicted porn star and another that I can only humorously assume alludes to celebrity flatulence. I didn’t click on it to find out if that was truly the case or not; regardless, something definitely stinks.

As it does with the news, the Internet also reveals our priorities when it comes to sports.

Take this link as an example. Did you notice it on ESPN.com? Did you read it and share it? Don’t worry if you didn’t since ESPN didn’t give us much of a chance. It stayed at the bottom of the headlines for only a few hours one day.

Better than its competitor over at SI.com that didn’t, in my observation, feature the story at all. One reason for it not lasting might have been because a certain Steeler stealing headlines after frolicking with underage co-eds in Georgia.

This morning I desired the score of one game: game 6 of the Utah-Denver first round series. So from CNN, I clicked over to SI.com where The featured stories included the Lakers closing out the Thunder, Tiger missing the cut, and the Mosley-Mayweather fight.

Fair enough.

The top stories over to the right included the Hawks forcing a game 7, the Mets winning their eighth straight, and the Penguins taking game 1 against the 1-seed slaying Montreal Canadiens. Then there was an article about Chris Bosh posting something irrelevant on Twitter and another story about some football player named Brett Favre.

No Jazz-Nuggets? I knew they played having watched the first quarter on ESPN2.

Next I journeyed over to ESPN.com with much the same headlines, except throw in a Tim Tebow article/video and a blurb about Avery Johnson interviewing for the New Orleans Hornets job. Yes, that’s interviewing.

So where was the Utah-Denver recap? I had to access the scoreboard at the top of each site to read the recap.

Actually, it feels like sports online media reported very little throughout that whole series with the exception of game 1 when Carmelo Anthony scored 42 points.

What’s the point? I think we’re missing what will eventually become one of the greatest players in NBA history: Deron Williams. I stress players and not just scorers.

Most were obsessed with the Lakers-Thunder series. It entailed two prolific scoring threats and a young, energetic team in Oklahoma City.

But was that series really ever in question? The Lakers, with two healthy seven-footers, dominated the paint throughout save for stopping Russell Westbrook.

Dwayne Wade and LeBron James put up some monster numbers as well in their respective series; that’s to be expected. Paul Pierce wowed us another time with his patented seventeen-footer from the elbow to win.

However, Deron Williams is on pace to not only come close or, dare I say, surpass John Stockton in playoff assists, but he’s doing it by scoring 21 points a game as well (Stockton’s playoff ppg is 13.1 having only averaged over 20 once). While closing out Denver, Williams became one of only three others since 1992 to average 25 points and 10 assists in a playoff series. And keep in mind that he’s doing this with some key injuries on the Jazz’s roster.

Yet very little is said about Deron Williams and the impact he has. It took John Stockton seven seasons to play in forty playoff games, while Williams has already reached that mark in just his fifth. Stockton’s playoff assist average is just over 10 a game, while Williams creeps ever closer with each series at 9.7.

Have we become more about the stories than the performances? Are we just a sports fraternity obsessed with scoring and the tastiest and sometimes salacious headlines?

I for one surely hope not for the sake of players like Deron Williams. Obviously, his extraordinary play will never be overlooked in the grand scheme of things. Nonetheless, I think accrediting great performances should not require a point total or appealing storyline.

If the Internet represents our subconscious desires, then where do we as sports fans place the value of great players now-a-days? Worse yet, where do the desires of the ones who report it to us lie?

Use the Internet for what you wish: entertainment, education, your own existential plights. In regards to sports, be careful not to judge or rank based on headlines and popularity because you might be missing out on a Carl Nicks storyline or Deron Williams performance.

For some reason, I don’t think neither is too concerned with what we or the webmasters think anyway.

By Paul Gotham

Eastern Conference

Bulls vs. Cavs

Maybe the Bulls could show as much spirit on the court as their coach, Vinny Del Negro, and GM, John Paxson, show off the court. I missed the announcement of “Joakim Rules.” Maybe Vinny should consult with Joe Girardi.  It’s kind of nice how the Bulls positioned themselves to be the Cavs’ appetizer. Chicago won 10 of its last 14 to get in the playoffs. Can Derrick Rose continue getting to the basket now that it is the playoffs, and teams will actually play defense? Can Shaq get in stride after a layoff? Does Shaq still have a stride? LeBron should be plenty rested.

Heat vs. Celtics

As far as seeds and numbers go, Miami winning would fall into the category of an upset. How many would be surprised if the Heat took this series? Does it matter any more that Boston swept the season series? The Cs have dropped eight of 13. Of course, it’s not like the Heat have anyone beyond D-Wade that they can actually count on from night to night. Do you hear that Michael Beasley and Jermaine O’Neal?

Hawks vs. Bucks

Has the potential to be the best first round series. Milwaukee will go without Andrew Bogut, but do not discount Scott Skiles and his ability to motivate the Bucks. Don’t forget, the Bucks have John Salmons who has the reputation for playing big in the playoffs. Salmons will need a great performance to thwart the Hawks.

Anyone looking for Marvin Williams will find him in Atlanta’s lineup. Jamal Crawford and Joe Johnson average 33 a game. Skiles’s defense should shrink those numbers.

Magic vs. Bobcats

Maybe the Vince Carter acquisition wasn’t such a bad idea after all. “Vinsanity” is averaging 16.6. More importantly, the “Iso King” is not disrupting Orlando’s offensive flow. Jason Williams is getting a second chance and making good on it. His presence along with Jameer Nelson’s make the Magic a contender. Congratulations to the Bobcats for qualifying for the playoffs.

Western Conference

Lakers vs. Thunder

You know things are not right with Lakers when Phil Jackson has to resort to mind games in the first round of the playoffs. Just when Kevin Durant showed maturity beyond his years, he goes and reacts to Jackson’s gibes. It will be interesting to see how many shots Durant takes in the first game or two of this series. He averages 20 shots per game.  What is there to not like about the Thunder’s roster: James Harden, Jeff Green, Nick Collison, and Eric Maynor. They have a good, young lineup. They are just not ready to win this series.  How much of LA’s success in the long run depends on Andrew Bynum’s Achilles’ tendon?

Nuggets vs. Jazz

Denver has lost their way since George Karl’s bout with cancer has taken him off the sidelines.  Carlos Boozer is a game time decision. Both lineups pack plenty of talent. Which team will get the most mileage out of their gas?

Mavericks vs. Spurs

Oh, the intrigue. Dallas looked ready for a title run after acquiring Caron Butler. Dallas has lost just seven games since getting Butler on February 16th. Does anyone want to play the Spurs in the playoffs? How much playoff experience do the Spurs have? Tony Parker is back in the lineup.

Suns vs. Blazers

Probably the most entertaining series. There will be plenty of scoring. Portland without Brandon Roy does not bode for the Blazers making any noise in the playoffs.

Splinters

Remember when Rey questioned Boston’s acquisition of Rasheed Wallace? If you don’t, click here. Bill Simmons added his commentary on the Celtics picking up Wallace. Read it here. Rey saw the smoke months ago.

Cheers to Lionel Hollins for showing Kenyon Martin how it’s done.

Give us your take on the NBA playoffs.

By Paul Gotham

A Kermit And A Kunnert Are Better Than A Pain In The Foot

Looking to recapture the magic that led them to 1977 NBA title, Portland general manager, Stu Inman, sent the disgruntled Bill Walton south to San Diego. In return, the Clippers shuffled the embattled Kermit Washington along with Kevin Kunnert.

Since leading Blazermania over the Philadelphia 76ers in the ’77 series, Walton has been more a lightning rod of controversy than MVP center. Portland seemed poised for back-to-back titles when Walton went down with an injury.  Portland streaked to a 50-10 record to open the ’77-’78 season. Then, Walton’s problems began.  Ultimately, Walton broke his foot in the conference semi-finals and Dr. Jack Ramsay’s squad lost to the Seattle Super Sonics.

Walton spent last season on the shelf. While on the sidelines, Big Red asserted malpractice by the Portland medical staff. The riff caused Walton to request the trade.

Washington seemed to find a home if not some solace in San Diego after the Punch. The American University product scored 11.3 ppg and grabbed 9.8 boards last season for the Clippers who finished fifth in the Pacific with a record of 43-39.

Kunnert scored 6.5 and grabbed 7 rebounds per game. The two will have big shoes to fill if the Blazers are to return to the championship.

Injuries have riddled the Blazers since that title season. All-Star point guard, Lionel Hollins, played 64 games last season – many of those at less than 100%. Maurice Lucas played 69 contests. Again, many of those the All-Star played injured. Beyond those maladies, team glue, Bobby Gross, suited up for just 53 matches during the ’78-’79 campaign.

Adding insult to …well…injury, Mychal Thompson might be lost for the season due to a broken leg suffered during last season’s playoffs.

Dayton alum Jimmy Paxson should get plenty of time on the court during his rookie season.

Suns Rising In The West?

Losing to Seattle in last season’s conference final 4-3 was one thing. The way Phoenix lost was another thing. Leading the series 3-2 with home-court advantage, the Suns looked ready to vault into the finals. Then came the 106-105 loss in game 6. Seattle took the epic series with the 114-110 win in game 7.

Walter Davis, Paul Westphal, and Alvan Adams all return to lead John MacLeod’s Suns. Could an entire season of Truck Robinson be just the ingredient Phoenix needs in the paint?

The Utah Jazz?

Yeah, it may take a while to get used to this one. Do you think the Mormons will take to playing Louie Armstrong and The Preservation Hall Band during time outs and half time? How will ‘Pistol’ Pete survive away from the bayou?

The Breaks Of The Game is worth the read.

Got some NBA splinters? Share ‘em here.

Courtesy of NBA.com

By Paul Gotham

The mysterious Chicago Bulls

Two years ago the Chicago Bulls seemed ready to make a run at the Eastern Conference crown. Third-year coach, Scott Skiles (he took over during the 03-04campaign) guided the Bulls to their first playoff series win in nine seasons. Led by young guns Ben Gordon, Luol Deng, and Kirk Hinrich the Baby Bulls swept the reigning champs, Miami, before falling to Detroit 4-2 in a hard-fought series.

The future seemed  to favor Chicago. Gordon, Hinrich, Deng along with Andres Nocioni and Ben Wallace prepared for the 07-08 season.

Then, discontent between Wallace and Skiles surfaced. The Baby Bulls started slowly, 9-16. Management showed Skiles the door, and Chicago earned a ping pong ball for the draft lottery.

Despite injuries to Deng and Nocioni the Bulls finished 08-09 at .500. Rookie Derrick Rose led an upstart crew against a hobbled Boston Celtics in an epic first-round series. Few professionals find solace in moral victories. Taking the reigning champs to overtime in four of seven contests lends hope to the future of the United Center denizens.

Chicago added James Johnson (Wake Forest) and Taj Gibson (USC) through the draft. Gone is Gordon. Long gone is Wallace (if he was ever truly there). The East is getting stronger. Where will the Bulls fit?

Anybody have room for a 16 / 10 guy?

The Utah Jazz matched Portland’s offer for Paul Millsap. Are the Jazz ready to part ways with Carlos Boozer? Two years ago Boozer and Deron Williams seemed like the perfect pick-and-roll successors to John Stockton and Karl Malone.

Courtesy of NBA.com

Now the Jazz appear ready to window shop.

Miami looks like the best suitor. Dwyane Wade has expressed concerns over floundering through the upcoming season without another viable option in the lineup. Boozer averaged 16 points and 10 boards for the Jazz last season. Can the Alaskan native handle the near tropics?

Talkin’ ’bout PRACtice?

It’s August. The NBA season opens in two and half months. For the first time in 14 years, Allen Iverson is unsure which uniform he will put on this season.

The Clippers, Heat, and Grizzlies have all shown interest. Yet, Iverson still hasn’t found a dotted line to autograph. At 34 years old and #16 on the all-time scoring list, will Iverson consider playing in Europe?

Got some splinters to share? Post them here and let’s discuss.