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Phil Jackson says he’d take Bill Russell over Michael Jordan to start his team (Video) [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: May 23, 2013, 6:40 pm] NBA coaching legend Phil Jackson is something of an authority on what it takes to win championships, but he typically hasn't weighed in on the more contentious basketball topics about which players are best or give their teams the best chance to win. In promoting his new book "Eleven Rings: The Soul of Success," Jackson has switched up his approach and made some stronger statements on these debates. For instance, he's directly compared Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant for the first time ever, adding to an argument that probably won't stop even after science allows us to pit their clones against each other in hand-to-hand combat. However, that does not mean Jackson believes that Jordan is the best player ever to serve as the centerpiece of a championship team. In a new interview with Time.com, Jackson gives that edge to Boston Celtics great Bill Russell. As transcribed by Ben Golliver of The Point Forward: âIn my estimation, the guy that has to be there would be Bill Russell. He has won 11 championships as a player,â Jackson said in an interview with Time. âThatâs really the idea of what excellence is, when you win championships.â [...] Jackson dodged when asked to select between Jordan and Lakers guard Kobe Bryant, whom he coached to five titles between 2000 and 2010. âI would flip a coin,â he said. âWhichever one came up heads or tails, Iâd take that person. They were that good.â Jackson's argument is pretty simple: Russell beats Jordan in championships, 11-6, so that must mean he's more likely to win with this hypothetical team not bound by the limits of the space-time continuum. There are several complicating factors here, including the difficulty of comparing players across very different eras or the interplay of each legend and his teammates. Whatever the case, Jackson is giving Russell credit for his career, which doesn't easily fit into the binaries occupied by Jordan, Kobe, LeBron James, and other scorers. In a way, winning this debate has Marvel at the LeBron James game-winner on the Phantom Cam (Video) [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: May 23, 2013, 5:05 pm] In the immediate aftermath of Wednesday night's bonkers Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals between the Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers, discussion has focused on the failings of Pacers head coach for not having center Roy Hibbert in the game to protect the rim on LeBron James's game-winning, buzzer-beating lay-up. Analysis has covered how LeBron was able to finish so easily, various alternate realities in which Vogel did put Hibbert on the floor, and the Pacers' own reaction to the situation. Even those who have provided some explanation of Vogel's decision-making process â or at least argued that he was choosing between a bunch of insufficient options â have discussed the issue in terms of how Indiana was to contend with the Heat in this scenario. This approach makes a great deal of sense, because Hibbert is one of the NBA's top defenders and just recently stonewalled Carmelo Anthony on a dunk attempt. Yet, while digging into the Pacers' side of the play is eminently reasonable, it also ignores the most readily apparent fact of the game-winner, which is that LeBron James did something really incredible. Thankfully, we have the NBA's Phantom Cam to help us focus on LeBron's exploits. The clip is bereft of context â it's entirely LeBron making his move. The lack of perspective communicates the visceral experience: James catches, turns, dribbles, explodes, and finishes. No Pacers can stop him, because he is a unique basketball force. This angle is obviously just one view of the play, and everyone who has explained the larger context of the Pacers' decision has touched on many important aspects of the moment. Yet, in stating LeBron's ability to make this basket as a given, we're ignoring just how ridiculous these abilities are. With 2.2 seconds on the clock, LeBron is likely the only player in the NBA who could and would choose to turn and drive with enough time to get an open lane to the hoop (even if the man himself doesn't think it's that special). It's an The 10-man rotation, starring dissections and defenses of Frank Vogel’s decision [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: May 23, 2013, 2:55 pm] A look around the league and the Web that covers it. It's also important to note that the rotation order and starting nods aren't always listed in order of importance. That's for you, dear reader, to figure out. C: The Point Forward, 8 Points, 9 Seconds and SB Nation. Rob Mahoney, Brett Koremenos and Mike Prada all come to the defense of Indiana Pacers coach Frank Vogel â or, at least, explain the reasoning for his decision-making for removing Roy Hibbert for the Miami Heat's last two offensive possessions of Game 1, including LeBron James' game-winner. PF: TrueHoop. Kevin Arnovitz considers several other options Vogel had that would have kept Hibbert on the floor for those fateful final 2.2 seconds. SF: Miami Herald and SB Nation. Amid all the parsing, picking and probing of the Pacers coach and his choice, Dan LeBatard and Paul Flannery would like us to stop second-guessing for a second and just appreciate how remarkable and ridiculous LeBron's game-winning finish really was. SG: The Oklahoman. After donating $1 million to tornado relief and recovery efforts, Kevin Durant also donated his time, visiting with storm victims in Moore, Okla. Darnell Mayberry went with him. The result is stirring. PG: The Brooklyn Game. Four-and-a-half minutes of Deron Williams crossing dudes up this season? Don't mind if I do. (Also, the clip's split into pre- and post-platelet-rich-plasma therapy on the Brooklyn Nets point guard's balky ankles. He seems to have more fluidity and bounce in the latter half to me, but that might just be my mind playing tricks on me â what do you think?) 6th: Truth About It. On one hand, the Washington Wizards scored a big win when they moved up to the No. 3 pick in Tuesday's 2013 NBA draft lottery, seemingly improving their chances of getting another difference-maker to add to the extremely exciting backcourt of John Wall and Bradley Beal. On the other hand, they're the Wizards, which means they're a pretty good bet to make a draft pick that is #S The Dallas Mavericks could be one of many teams that might look to dump its draft picks [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: May 23, 2013, 1:40 pm] Youâre going to see a whole heck of a lot of this over the next few weeks, leading up to the NBA draft on June 27. The Dallas Mavericks did not plan to be and are not happy to be in the lower 14 picks of the draft, due to their first playoff absence in 12 years, and though the team has a fantastic front office and scouting staff (complete with myriad analytic plans they donât let anyone in on), this is a thin draft and the Mavericks have their eyes set on bigger and better things than their 13th pick in next monthâs draft. Like Dwight Howard, the free agent center that is looking to embark on a tour of suitors this summer that weâre all already annoyed with. In order to clear up more cap space (the 13th pick is set to make $1.7 million next year) to sign Dwight, the Mavericks are reportedly considering shopping their first rounder. From Eddie Sefko at the Dallas Morning News discussed one option on Thursday: [Dallas owes] the Oklahoma City Thunder a first-round pick before 2018. That pick is protected through the first 20 picks of the draft. But if the Mavericks donât convey it by 2017, the Thunder gets the pick no matter when it is in the 2018 draft. The Mavericks are drafting 13th this year, which means it wonât go to OKC. But what if they went to the Thunder and said, weâll give you that pick to complete the roundabout set of trades that ended up giving Oklahoma City the Mavericksâ pick (it went through the Lakers and Rockets). The Mavericks could get back a future second rounder and maybe a spare part off the OKC roster like the expiring contract of Ronnie Brewer. The problem with this scenario is that itâs illegal for the Thunder to deal Brewer, a free agent on July 1, in the weeks leading up to the draft or on draft night. On top of that, the Thunder has its own payroll considerations to make. Remember, this is the team that dealt James Harden prior to the season in order to avoid the luxury tax, and rumors abound that they might pass on re Kelly Tripucka frighteningly debuts the Charlotte Hornets’ ‘new’ uniform in 1988 (Video) [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: May 23, 2013, 12:50 pm] With news jumping out of the bag about the Charlotte Bobcats officially deciding to lose their original team name and glom onto the suddenly available âHornetsâ nickname for their franchise in 2014-15, Ben Eagle at Sports Illustratedâs The Point Forward took the next natural step and mused aloud as to whether or not Michael Jordan-owned franchise will go for the full teal reveal. Then Ben found a video along those revealing lines. It features former Hornets forward Kelly Tripucka modeling the old Charlotte Hornetsâ (and now New Orleans Pelicans, because this is all very confusing) team colors and uniform at a 1988 press conference that is, well, somewhat horrifying. Watch: I donât know where to start. The unfurling of the uniform at the 14-second mark should not have been applauded. The odd touch that uniform designer Alexander Julian gave the Hornet forward at the 34-second mark was somewhat off-putting, and as Trey Kerby noted, Tripuckaâs gushing over his being âinto light blues, like this team, and purples and the mauvesâ should get you laughing in your cubicles. Even if this video is mostly NSFW. Especially when Kelly spins the mini-basketball. (On a more personal note, my parents are big fans of Notre Dame basketball. Kelly Tripucka was a member of Notre Dameâs basketball team in 1980, the year I was born. Iâm sure heâs probably a super sweet guy, but I really hope I wasnât named after Kelly Tripucka.) NBA Draft: DJ Stephens records the highest vertical leap ever measured by the NBA [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: May 23, 2013, 12:19 pm] It's workout time for lottery teams, and the stories of draft-prospect magic are beginning to trickle in. Take, for instance, DJ Stephens of the University of Memphis, who recorded a 46-inch vertical, according to Chad Ford. Performed while working out for the Brooklyn Nets, the leap is the highest ever recorded by the NBA. Here's a shot of Stephens goofing around earlier this season, for perspective's sake: He also lit up the arena during Memphis' brief NCAA tournament run. The previous leap record belonged to Kenny Gregory, who jumped 45.5 inches way back in 2001. Earlier this draft season, Shane Larkin hit 44 inches. Outside the NBA, though, things get weird: Kevin Bania apparently leaped 64 inches from a standing start (see the video here). Michael Jordan and LeBron James are both in the 44-inch range. Now, in many ways, the vertical leap in the NBA draft is the equivalent of the 40-yard-dash time in the NFL draft: a nice handy benchmark, but not indicative in and of itself as a barometer for future success. For instance, Michael Wilson, a fellow Memphis alum, could dunk on a 12-foot-rim ... but he did it for the Harlem Globetrotters. Stephens isn't a lottery pick; indeed, he's no guarantee to get drafted at all. He averaged less than eight points and seven rebounds this year in Memphis, though his blocks were something to behold. The NBA doesn't really have room for projects, but Stephens has gotten himself some impressive positive press, and at this time of year, any positive press is golden. He may have just leaped his way onto an NBA roster. The NBA releases its All-NBA Teams, and familiar faces abound. And rebound! [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: May 23, 2013, 11:55 am] The NBA has released its last awards of the 2012-13 season, doling out nods for the league’s All-NBA teams on Thursday afternoon. Los Angeles was well represented as Chris Paul and Kobe Bryant lined the backcourt of the First Team, with Kevin Durant and league MVP LeBron James at the forwards. Tim Duncan, in a surprising but deserved (if inaccurate) vote, finishes that crew off with his first All-NBA nod at the center position. Which is weird, because this is the first time in years that Duncan (who moved over to play with Tiago Splitter in the San Antonio Spurs lineup this season) hasn’t been playing starting center on a routine basis. New York’s Carmelo Anthony and Clippers forward Blake Griffin head up the forwards list on the Second Team, with Memphis defensive stalwart Marc Gasol at center. San Antonio’s Tony Parker and Oklahoma City guard head up that backcourt, in a voting pool lousy with brilliant All-NBA-worthy guards. Los Angeles’ Dwight Howard (who received 17 first place votes at center) tops of the Third Team, with Golden State All-Star David Lee and Indiana all-around demon Paul George at the forwards. Miami’s Dwyane Wade and James Harden man the guard spots. This sounds about right, really. David Lee as a forward on the third team seems slightly off because of his defensive woes, I would have gone with Zach Randolph or LaMarcus Aldridge in that instance, but Lee is a terrific player and this is not a terrible oversight. And it’s both unfortunate and encouraging that so many great NBA centers (Joakim Noah, Brook Lopez, Roy Hibbert and technically Chris Bosh) could not make the top three teams because of the fine centers ranked above them. As was the case with the Jordan Crawford (Jamal Crawford?) vote for Sixth Man of the Year, and Mike James’ (LeBron James?) vote for MVP, there were some drop-down menu selection screwups from the sportswriters. Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic is a darn good John Calipari reveals that the Cavaliers have scouted a lot of Kentucky games, if you know what I mean [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: May 23, 2013, 10:55 am] Heâs not wrong, but there is always a motive behind anything Kentucky basketball coach John Calipari says that appears on the verge of being self-congratulatory. So when he points out, following the Cleveland Cavaliersâ lottery âwin,â that Cavs general manager Chris Grant was a regular at Kentucky games throughout the season, heâs not only giving Grant credit for his doggedness and scouting hustle in prepping to possibly pick Kentucky center Nerlens Noel, heâs also pointing out that the GM behind a rebuilding team with a terrible record likely to get a top pick decided to head to Kentucky over and over and over again. And why? Because Kentucky has top overall pick-like players, and will every year. And hey kids, if you want to be a top overall pick in the NBA draft, come to Kentucky for the year! Just suggestinâ things, John is. Hereâs Calipariâs quote from his conversation with the Cleveland Plain-Dealerâs Mary Schmitt-Boyer, as tipped to us by Pro Basketball Talk: "They haven't made mistakes,'' Calipari said in a telephone interview on Wednesday, one day after the Cavs won the lottery to earn the No. 1 pick for the second time in three years. "If they pick him, in all likelihood, history tells you something: It's not a mistake, which means it's good for my kid. "Chris Grant has been in our building more than any other GM. That's no disrespect to any other GM. That's just a fact. He and his staff are very thorough in what they've done. That's why I say I hope he gets drafted by them.'' To Calipariâs credit, heâs basically come clean about his current gig. The NBA banned its teams from drafting high schoolers in 2005, which forced all manner of potential top NBA picks into a yearâs worth of indentured servitude at the CBS moneymaker of their choice. Kentucky hasnât been shy about being up front in preparing its top recruits for the NBA, even if that just meant a lone season as a Wildcat for each blue chip prospect. Nerlens Noel is such Celtics minority owner gives Pope Francis ‘The Pope’ jersey during Vatican visit (Photos) [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: May 23, 2013, 10:00 am] James Pallotta traveled to the Vatican on Wednesday in his role as president of the Italian soccer club A.S. Roma, which will take on rival side Lazio in the Coppa Italia final this weekend. Delegations from the two clubs visited St. Peter's Square during Pope Francis' daily general audience as part of a peace initiative, presenting "Papa Francesco" with jerseys from each side, while Serie A President Maurizio Beretta gave the soccer-loving Argentine Pope a football and a small replica of the Italian Cup. But the Boston-born businessman is also part of the ownership group that runs the Boston Celtics, so Pallotta brought along a home-white Celtics jersey â with "THE POPE" on the back above the No. 1 â to present, as well. How did the Pope respond? OK, cool. He smiled. He digs it! FOX Sports was worried he might not, because it just had his generic title rather than his specific name. But it looks like you got all worried for nothing, FOX Sports. No "epic fail" at the Vatican here. Whew! (Nobody should've worried, anyway. As "The State" taught us many years ago, the Pope-a, he's a so nice-a.) Celtics devotees surely know that No. 1 has long since been retired by the Green in honor of Walter Brown, the team's founder and first owner. So long as Pope Francis doesn't try to check into the Celtics' next home game rocking the retired kit, though, we're betting neither Brown's descendants nor the NBA will mind too much. Pallotta, who was raised Catholic, called meeting the Pope "one of the most emotional experiences in my life," Pallotta said, according to The New Age. We're sure it meant a lot to the Pope, too, considering the last NBA-connected visitor to Vatican City was a little ... off. Pallotta's presentation came less than a week after the Dalai Lama donned a Pelicans hat during a visit to New Orleans to show appreciation for his hosts while on a speaking tour. Here's hoping this doesn't start NBA teams scampering to lock down the support of religious leaders The Miami Heat haven’t played their best basketball game yet, which is frightening [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: May 23, 2013, 9:10 am] Much of the noise emanating from the Miami Heatâs Game 1 win over the Indiana Pacers had to do with Pacer coach Frank Vogelâs curious removal of perhaps the best defender on the court, for either team, for two crucial defensive possessions in overtime. That noise is the correct noise. Itâs true that the Miami Heat space the floor expertly, and that LeBron James is just as adept at dishing to an open (ish) Ray Allen or Chris Bosh as he is at covering 24 feet in 2.2 seconds, but thatâs not the point. The point is for Chris Bosh or Ray Allen to take the shot. Fabulous options, both, but far better options for the Pacers in that instance than LeBron James and an uncontested lay-up. Hibbert guarded Chris Bosh expertly on the possessions that preceded that embarrassing run for Vogel, and while the centerâs presence canât be counted on to call off a Heat score as a certainty or cinch, it certainly would have given Miami a far tougher look than it had. Throughout the dogged 52 minutes and 38 seconds of basketball that worked itself into a sweat before Hibbertâs benching, the Heat had about as tough a look as it could handle. Itâs true that the Bucks played Miami well at times and Chicago had a good chance to win in two of the contests beyond its Game 1 win in the conference semis, but Indiana managed to play the best basketball of any team weâve seen take Miami in since winter only because their style can be counted on. To a game, Chicago may have played Miami better in its regular and postseason victories over Miami, but Indiana gets the nod because it knows it can improve and be right there with a team theyâve split a 2-2 regular and postseason series with. What weâre discounting though, in the midst of all this Thursday morning coach-cracking, is the defending championsâ ability to improve. As Miami has proven over the last 12 months, theyâre still a team on the make. They may have won the title last year and peeled off 27 wins in a row this s Shane Battier and Norris Cole go below the belt on Roy Hibbert and David West (Videos) [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: May 23, 2013, 8:10 am] The ending of Game 1 probably left quite a number of Indiana Pacers fans feeling like they'd been on the business end of a low blow. Well, at least they had a couple of frontcourt stars to share the pain â namely, center Roy Hibbert (thanks to Miami Heat forward Shane Battier): ... and power forward David West (thanks to Heat guard Norris Cole): Credit Heat coach Erik Spoelstra for recognizing a play that worked early in the game, then circling back to it later. That's some smart coaching, sports fans. Now, for the moment of truth. Which "midsection" shot was worse â Battier's Tiger Knee on Hibbert or Cole's "Nature Boy" homage on West? Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below, and please avoid giving out any shots to the midsection on your way there. Thanks in advance. Videos via sky2847 and OUOutreach. The difference between Roy Hibbert playing and Roy Hibbert sitting, summed up (Photo) [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: May 23, 2013, 7:20 am] You can understand the logic behind Frank Vogel subbing Roy Hibbert out twice in the final 11 seconds of Game 1. He wanted a faster, nimbler group of Indiana Pacers to be able to switch the multiple screens that could (and did) come on late Miami Heat possessions and for his team to be able to "force a challenged jump shot." He knew Heat coach Erik Spoelstra would run actions designed to make the plodding 7-foot-2 Hibbert move, chase a smaller and quicker Heat player around, and increase the likelihood of a coverage breakdown creating open look for a good shooter somewhere. If Paul George again makes a pivotal misstep and overplays LeBron James off the inbounds pass, the MVP probably gets to the rim anyway. If Hibbert's drawn away by Chris Bosh, he might not be close enough to contest James' go-ahead or game-winning drives anyway. Even if he was, James might still have drawn the foul or finished anyway. There are arguments to be made; you can understand the logic. And then someone puts together a side-by-side like this, and all logic goes out the window: On the right: Hibbert's massive block erasing a Carmelo Anthony dunk in the fourth quarter of the Pacers' Game 6 semifinals win over the New York Knicks. On the left: James' wide-open path to the basket. Something's missing, huh? Hat-tips to @WhereIsHibbert and @exhoopsprguy. LeBron James saves Miami in Game 1, nailing a game-winner in a thrilling overtime finish (Video) [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: May 22, 2013, 10:25 pm] If only the Indiana Pacers employed a lengthy, defensive-minded center that could patrol the paint down the stretch of close games. Wait, what? Indiana Pacers coach Frank Vogel shockingly decided to remove all-world defender Roy Hibbert from his lineup in his teamâs two most crucial possessions of the season on Wednesday night, and the Miami Heat took advantage while winning Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals. Two different times, down the stretch of overtime, Heat MVP LeBron James slashed to the rim for easy lay-ins, as Hibbert could only look on from the bench while Vogel went with reserve wing Sam Young to âcounterâ Miamiâs small lineup. After Pacer All-Star Paul George tied the game following Jamesâ first slash with three clutch free throws to hand the Pacers a one-point lead, LeBron James responded with the spin move and game-winning lay-up over ⦠Sam Young. And not over Roy Hibbert, considered by just about everyone else in the NBA (save for his own coach, at least on this Wednesday night) to be the most important part of the NBAâs best defense in 2012-13. Miami showed some rust in Game 1, as it did during the teamâs second round matchup with the Chicago Bulls after an eight day layoff earlier this month, but the seven day layoff between their conquest of the Bulls and this pairing with Indiana was entirely different. Indiana is working with the same lineup theyâve known since last October, and they match up terrifically with a Heat team they topped in two out of three regular season meetings. The Pacers had their breaks in this Game 1 near-win â Paul George hit a ridiculously lucky game-tying three-pointer to send the contest into overtime, and George was fouled late in overtime to tie the game once again before Jamesâ game-winner â but the near-even score should be considered a statement, and not a fluke. Indiana is just the sort of team to play Miami to a veritable draw, even while in Florida. Here's George game-saving shot to Report: Carmelo Anthony has partially torn labrum in left shoulder, may need offseason surgery [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: May 22, 2013, 7:55 pm] A magnetic resonance imaging scan of Carmelo Anthony's ailing left shoulder revealed a partially torn labrum that could require offseason surgery that would shelve the New York Knicks' All-Star forward for months, Frank Isola of the New York Daily News reported Wednesday. Knicks fans looking for an explanation for Anthony's decline in shooting percentages from regular season (44.9 percent from the floor, 37.9 percent from 3-point range) to postseason (40.6 and 29.8, respectively) might point toward the bum shoulder, which Isola reports has caused "chronic pain" for the league's leading scorer ever since he initially injured it late in the third quarter of the Knicks' April 14 win over the Indiana Pacers: Anthony re-aggravated the injury early in the fourth quarter of Game 5 of the Knicks' opening-round series against the Boston Celtics, when Celtics center Kevin Garnett grabbed Anthony's left arm on a screen: (As if Knicks fans needed another reason to curse the name "Kevin Garnett.") Anthony also appeared to further re-aggravate it in the Knicks' Game 6 victory after bumping into Boston guard Avery Bradley: Anthony later said he felt his "shoulder popping out of the socket, which is common for someone suffering from a torn labrum," according to Isola. The Knicks have yet to officially announce the injury or give any medical update on Anthony following the MRI. At the Knicks' exit interviews following the team's six-game second-round loss to the Pacers, Anthony acknowledged that the shoulder gave him trouble throughout the playoffs, according to ESPN New York's Ian Begley: "I don't think it's any major damage," Anthony said Monday after meeting with the Knicks' coaching staff for exit interviews. "But we'll see. We'll find that out shortly." [...] "It was bothering me since it happened," Anthony said. "To be able to play with that and get through the pain, it just came a point where you just try not to think about it. That's where I was at mentally." Isola repo Jerry Stackhouse details his NBA fighting history in ESPN interview (Video) [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: May 22, 2013, 6:20 pm] Since the infamous "Malice in the Palace" brawl in Detroit in 2004, the NBA has done whatever it can to avoid any perception as a league that condones or tolerates fighting. Suspensions for relatively minor tussles have increased in length and flagrant fouls have become more common to stop players from crossing any lines of safety. It's an understandable goal that mostly seems to be working. It's also possible that these efforts have ignored separate but related issues. In an interview with Dan Le Batard and Bomani Jones on ESPN's "Dan Le Batard Is Highly Questionable" on Wednesday, 18-year NBA veteran Jerry Stackhouse detailed the stories beyond a few of his many fights as a pro. Some took place off the court, some on. All were events that the league likely wishes never happened. Yet, despite the NBA's institutional aversion to fighting, Stackhouse presents these events as normal and sometimes even cathartic moments in the life of a professional athlete. For instance, Stack references the time Kirk Snyder thanked him for fighting him (Bomani: "He told you that he needed to bleed?") and a tussle with Christian Laettner on a flight that managed not to interrupt their close friendship. To hear Stackhouse put it, these fights involved players needing to blow off steam, not a bunch of thugs trying to hurt each other because they know no other way of interaction. That doesn't mean fighting should be condoned â it just suggests that it's a symptom of something else. In stamping out fighting, the league can't ignore the role it serves as an emotional outlet. What the alternative should be is unclear, because we don't know enough about the specifics. Yet, if the goal is to improve the league's image and keep players safe, a focused approach to stopping fighting might not be the answer. The solution has to be holistically minded. Dwyane Wade planned out all his outfits for the playoffs ahead of time [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: May 22, 2013, 5:10 pm] Miami Heat star Dwyane Wade is well known for his garish sense of style, arriving at various high-profile games in everything from hot pink pants to Dwayne Wayne-ish flip-up glasses. Last week, Wade received criticism (read: lots of jokes on Twitter) for arriving to Game 4 of the Miami Heat's series against the Chicago Bulls in a suit with pants that went well above the high-water trend and towards something akin to capri pants. The look emphasized just how bold Wade is willing to be to make a fashion statement. Given that the Heat take the postseason very seriously, it's easy to wonder how Wade has the time to seek out these off-the-beaten-path looks in the midst of the most important portion of the basketball year. The answer, naturally, is that he and his stylist picked out all his outfits for the playoffs ahead of time. From a Business Insider transcript of an ESPN Radio interview with Calyann Barnett, said stylist (via TBJ): "Before the playoffs even started we went through all of his looks, straight through the finals," said Barnett. "And every look is set already...and I already know what he will wear for the next game and the Finals." When asked what Wade looks for in an outfit, Barnett confirmed what many of us already knew. That is, Wade wants to be different, saying "he loves to have fun, loves to try new things." This is smart planning, because important NBA players have their hands full with responsibilities at this time of year and need to find various ways to make their lives more convenient. (LeBron James selected his MVP outfit well before the announcement.) Picking out gameday clothes ahead of time is one way to do that, although it's unclear if Wade and Barnett expected each series to go seven games and have carried over outfits from one series to the next. I hope someone is keeping a calendar â this could get very confusing. Yet, while this plan makes sense on a practical level, it's also necessary to note that Wade's style is worth talking ab The 12-man rotation, starring the 25th anniversary of Larry, ‘Nique and ‘The Duel’ [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: May 22, 2013, 4:15 pm] A look around the league and the Web that covers it. It's also important to note that the rotation order and starting nods aren't always listed in order of importance. That's for you, dear reader, to figure out. Also, that's not a typo â we're going two deeper today. C: Hawks.com. "Twenty-five years ago on May 22, 1988, two Hall of Famers staged what is widely considered to be the greatest one-on-one battle in NBA Playoff history." In celebration of that momentous mano-y-mano showdown, Micah Hart goes in-depth and all-out with an oral history that features recollections of the battle as remembered by combatants Larry Bird and Dominique Wilkins, their teammates, the people who covered it and more. Very good, very fun, very well done. PF: Sports Illustrated. Lee Jenkins spent a week with the Memphis Grizzlies during the second round of this year's playoffs for a story that, among other things, introduced us to Buckets, Quincy Pondexter's Husky puppy. It offers a pretty interesting perspective at what the day-to-day operation of a playoff team looks like, and is well worth your time. SF: Pro Hoops History. Before he was the definition of a ref-hating homer who makes Boston Celtics broadcasts either must-see TV or borderline-unwatchable, depending on your rooting interest, Tommy Heinsohn was a dynamic scorer and inveterate gunner who attempted nearly as many shots per minute as Wilt Chamberlain and Elgin Baylor. Curtis Harris takes a closer look at the playing career of the Celtics legend, one of the newest enshrinees in Harris' self-styled Hall of Fame. SG: TrueHoop. Kevin Arnovitz bids farewell to ousted Los Angeles Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro, "the happy warrior" who was likable enough to get along but too much of a "schematic lightweight" to get the Clippers where they need to go. PG: 20 Second Timeout. As David Friedman sees it, Lionel Hollins' decision to roll with a lineup that didn't include Tayshaun Prince, Ed Davis or Austin Daye to spark a Memphis come Rockets general manager Daryl Morey shares some of his favorite draft interview quips via Twitter [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: May 22, 2013, 2:10 pm] Tuesday nightâs draft lottery was typical â both a spectacle and spectacularly boring, and you get the feeling that Houston Rocket general manager Daryl Morey was more than happy to sit it out. Not only did Moreyâs Rockets make the playoffs this season for the first time since 2009, but for once Morey doesnât have a battalion of draft picks heâs hoarding. After owning three draft picks in the 2012 NBA draft, Morey happily sent each of his 2013 first rounders elsewhere via trade. And though heâll be interviewing prospects for Houstonâs No. 34 selection in next monthâs draft, the playoff berth and iffy talent level have Morey in a good mood. As evidenced by his Twitter feed, on Wednesday afternoon. Check these out: Best draft interview answers ever part 1: player, can you pass a drug test? [grabs table] TODAY?!? â Daryl Morey (@dmorey) May 22, 2013 More best answers: "anyone who is projected ahead of U that U think U R better than?" ALL OF THEM "Have you ever seen them play?" NEVER â Daryl Morey (@dmorey) May 22, 2013 Best answers: "When did U know there might be an issue?" I was carrying [stolen item] 4someone else-knew something up when we got 2pawn shop â Daryl Morey (@dmorey) May 22, 2013 More best answers: "who is your agent?" I don't have an agent. "Who is advising you?" [gives name] "Who is that?" My agent. â Daryl Morey (@dmorey) May 22, 2013 Now, we donât want to get into rampant speculation about who these Marcus Williams draft interviewees might be, so weâll err on the side of tact. Happily (I think?) this could be the tip of the iceberg with stories like these, which would go back to when Morey was working in the Boston Celticsâ front office. Weâll let you know if Daryl decides to grace us with any more of them. Former Sun Richard Dumas: Nancy Reagan’s ‘Just Say No’ campaign ‘got me interested’ in cocaine [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: May 22, 2013, 1:35 pm] In the spring of 1993, Richard Dumas appeared to be the sort of dynamic young talent prepped to finally put the Phoenix Suns over the top. The franchise was the NBAâs latest hot thing, basking in the popularity of the southwestern suburb boom, falling behind MVP Charles Barkley and appearing set to dethrone a weary Chicago Bulls club in the Finals. The Suns lost in six to the three-time champs, but with Michael Jordan retiring the next fall and a wide-open NBA landscape about to hit, Dumas figured to be the wing element needed to support Barkley on his way to a first NBA championship. Instead, as was the case throughout his childhood and college career, Dumasâ cocaine use got in the way of him contributing to the Suns. Heâd miss the entire 1993-94 season, and be out of the NBA by 1996 as a result. In a must-read feature, the Arizona Republicâs Paul Coro recently caught up with the since-recovered Dumas in his hometown of Tulsa: His grades were fine. He never got in a fight. Dumasâ energy outlet was petty crime, busting windows and stealing candy from stores. His idle time turned him to drugs and alcohol. He said he tried alcohol at age 5 and marijuana at age 9. He blames his increased drug use, including cocaine, on former first lady Nancy Reagan. âShe said âJust say no,â so it got me interested,â Dumas said of the slogan that came out when he was 17. âIt brought it to the forefront. We didnât have any big drug problem until Nancy said to say no to drugs. Nobody knew about half of it. Now theyâre showing it on TV about what it does.â Dumas is fidgety and scattered at times in conversation but exudes an overall calm. He said he has been clean for so many years that he does not recall when he took his last drug hit. âHe turned out to be a good kid until he got in trouble,â said Ted Hooks, 59, a Tulsa neighbor and friend of Dumasâ grandfather. Before you dismiss the addict for blaming others or possibly making things political, one has Russell Westbrook, Thunder visit tornado victims at Oklahoma children’s hospital [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: May 22, 2013, 12:55 pm] If you're like me or my friend Trey Kerby, this photo of Russell Westbrook high-fiving a young victim of the tornado that devastated Oklahoma City and Moore, Okla., on Monday filled your heart to bursting, and also made you want to know a little bit more about the injured Oklahoma City Thunder point guard's new friend. First off: The little guy is Grayson Ketchie. He's 3 years old, he's the big brother of a 6-month-old named Brayden and, based on the company he keeps, appears to be a boss. On Monday afternoon, the brothers were at a day care facility destroyed by the storm; while Brayden came out unscathed, Grayson did sustain some injuries, which landed him in the Children's Hospital at OU Medical Center. And that's where Westbrook and several of his Thunder colleagues come into the story, according to Nick Gallo of the Thunder's official website: [...] the Ketchieâs story has a happy ending. Both of their children will be okay, and as they were recovering, they were one of the many families the Thunder visited at the Childrenâs Hospital the day after the tragic storm. Russell Westbrook, Jeremy Lamb, Hasheem Thabeet, DeAndre Liggins and Head Coach Scott Brooks all met with families recovering from the horrific tornado in the PICU. The highlight of the day was when Westbrook, despite being in a wheelchair as he recovers from his torn right meniscus, played with Grayson, exchanged high-fives and blew bubbles. âHe played with Grayson so wonderfully,â [mother Janna] Ketchie said. âItâs so awesome. Theyâre great guys⦠Itâs amazing to see that heâs a professional basketball player who we know from nobody and heâs blowing bubbles with my son to make my son feel better. Itâs amazing.â [...] âItâs tough to come in here and be with the families when their child is in pain, but itâs also good to see them smile and have a sense of enjoyment after the disaster yesterday,â Westbrook said. Hit the jump for footage of the Thunder players visiting |