15 Darts at the NBA Board

- The Season's Over -

May 31, 2007

- Some guy named Kobe Bryant has either developed a split personality, or he’s just bored with sitting around and not being in the postseason limelight. First he says he wants to be traded, then he doesn’t want to be traded, then he definitely wants to be traded, then, well, he definitely does not want to be traded. Yahoo! Sports’ Adrian Wojnarowski has more on Kobe’s cry for help.

- And Bill Simmons mucked around in ESPN’s Trade Machine to come up with seven deals involving Bryant that could work salary wise.

Deron Williams has arrived

- Well, the Utah Jazz have finally been eliminated, but the future is bright. Deron Williams > Chris Paul.

- True Hoop gives it the old college try in attempting to drum up some interest in Tim Duncan, the San Antonio Spurs, and the NBA Finals. Considering the subject, I’d say he’s done a damn fine job, too.

- With so much misguided hate flowing about Detroit these days, Shannon Shelton has a nice piece in today’s Detroit Free Press about a chapel service at the Palace of Auburn Hills open both to members of the Pistons and their opponents before the game. Tayshaun Prince and Chauncey Billups are both regular attendees.

- Those Cortisone and Novocaine shots in Larry Hughes’ tore-up foot aren’t really working.

- The sun came up this morning, my cat is still shedding all over the place, and the Memphis Grizzlies have a new head coach! Marc Iavaroni comes to Memphis via the Phoenix Suns, and by all accounts he’s a solid hire who should provide some leadership stability to the constantly-in-flux Grizz. Now let’s see him develop all that young talent…

- Rasheed Wallace just wants a bagel, maybe some cereal.

- Some lively discussion going on about what the Atlanta Hawks should do with the third-overall pick in the upcoming NBA draft here, here, and here.

There are two saviors in this photo, not one

- Another writer who thinks Lebron James is the only player/team capable of “saving the playoffs.” Lebron is an exciting player, and non-Pistons fans are naturally tired of their domination in the East, but does anyone really believe a Cavs/Spurs Finals will be all that thrilling? If the Cavs advance, the outcome of the NBA Finals will not be in question. At all. Period. San Antonio would win in four or five. Definitely. Detroit would be a much tougher out, without question, and isn’t that what fans want? A competitive series?

- Okay, don’t quote me on this tomorrow if I’m wrong, but do quote me if I’m right. Here’s my prediction for tonight’s colossal Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals: Uneasiness pervades the Palace for the first 5 – 6 minutes of the game, when the Pistons miss a few easy jumpers, the Cavs hit a few, and Lebron gets a dunk in transition. Chris Webber gets in early foul trouble (again), Antonio McDyess replaces him and promptly hits three or four shots. Rasheed Wallace closes out the second quarter with two three-pointers and a post-up bucket, and the Pistons take a 8 – 10 point lead into the half. The crowd is feeling much better. The basket suddenly seems smaller for Daniel “Smirk” Gibson and Drew Gooden, and those shots that were falling in Cleveland aren’t falling in Auburn Hills. The Cavs make a late charge, but the Pistons win by 10.

- Some movement in the Boston Celtics’ coaching and front-office ranks.

- Allan Houston? Huh… I was always thought he was just a bad actor, but apparently he used to play professional basketball–and wants to do it again, if you can believe it.

- The chic attire for NBA playoff games this year have been team-branded shirts handed out at the door (think the positive “We Believe!” for Golden State, the negative “Beat Detroit!” in Cleveland). It looks pretty great on TV when 90% of the arena is adorned in the same color, but here’s a good idea for the Pistons (or, okay, Cavs if they advance) when they face the Spurs at home: pass out these fantastic “No Ginobili” shirts from Detroit Bad Boys.

- So who was that poor soul immortalized on national television (and later YouTube) as the recipient of Rasheed Wallace’s smelly, sweaty jersey in the face after the Pistons’ loss in Game 4? Detroit’s rookie point guard Will Blalock, who says he’ll try to get a lunch out of ‘Sheed for the embarassment. Something tells us, though, that it might not be a good time to ask.