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Prince comes to the rescue for Pistons

Sun, 11 May 2008 09:31 EDT

Richard Hamilton scored 32 points and Hedo Turkoglu missed a layup with time running out as the Detroit Pistons defeated the Orlando Magic 90-89 on Saturday to take a 3-1 lead in their Eastern Conference semifinal series.

Tayshaun Prince scored 17 for Detroit, including an 11-foot runner for the go-ahead basket with 8.9 seconds left. Rasheed Wallace had 16 points and eight rebounds. Antonio McDyess had eight points and 14 rebounds.

Orlando squandered a 15-point lead in the third quarter. After Prince's basket, Turkoglu's layup from the left side of the lane was no good and didn't draw a foul, and Dwight Howard's putback was also off the mark.

"From a coaching standpoint, we've had three end-of-the-game possessions in this series. And we haven't gotten a very good shot on any possession," Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said.

"So you've got to lay that on me."

The Pistons, the first team to win on the road in the second round, can clinch the series when it returns to Detroit on Tuesday.

Wallace likes the Pistons' chances if they continue with their trademark style of basketball.

"We just played `D' -- that's what we do," said Wallace. "It was a physical game on both sides of the ball. That is our style; we like being physical. We just wish we could do that more often."

The Pistons won despite playing without All-Star point guard Chauncey Billups, held out after straining his hamstring in Thursday's game.

Turkoglu scored 20 for Orlando and three players added 15 points -- Rashard Lewis, Maurice Evans and Jameer Nelson.

The Pistons held Howard in check all game, forcing several turnovers on Magic passes inside and largely preventing the All-Star from getting the ball near the rim.

They double-teamed and banged him around but didn't commit many fouls on the 59 percent free throw shooter.

Howard shot only two free throws, making both. He finished with eight points and 12 rebounds.

Detroit climbed out of a 55-44 halftime deficit with a 15-0 run over nearly seven minutes in the third quarter to tie it at 63.

McDyess and Hamilton each scored four in the run and Lindsey Hunter, activated because of Billups' injury, hit a 3-pointer.

The Magic missed eight straight shots and committed two turnovers in the span.

Pistons rookie Rodney Stuckey made his first playoff start in place of Billups, but Hunter took over the ballhandling duties much of the time with Stuckey on the bench in foul trouble.

Hunter rarely appeared in the regular season, playing a career-low 24 games and spending 46 on the inactive list in his 15th pro year. He looked rusty early but finished with eight points and three assists.

Billups is third on Detroit's career playoff scoring list and was averaging 15.8 points and 5.7 assists this postseason. In the end, the Pistons didn't need him.

DETROIT: Prince 7-14 2-2 17, McDyess 4-8 0-0 8, Wallace 7-15 2-2 16, Stuckey 2-7 2-2 6, Hamilton 12-24 8-9 32, Hunter 3-6 0-0 8, Hayes 1-3 0-0 3, Maxiell 0-1 0-0 0, Dixon 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 36-79 14-15 90. ORLANDO: Turkoglu 7-14 4-5 20, Lewis 6-13 1-2 15, Howard 3-12 2-2 8, Nelson 6-14 2-6 15, Evans 6-11 0-0 15, Bogans 2-3 2-2 6, Dooling 2-4 0-0 6, Gortat 2-2 0-0 4. Totals 34-73 11-17 89.

Detroit	21	23	26	20	--	90
Orlando	27	28	15	19	--	89

3-Point Goals--Detroit 4-13 (Hunter 2-3, Hayes 1-2, Prince 1-3, Stuckey 0-1, Wallace 0-4), Orlando 10-18 (Evans 3-6, Dooling 2-2, Turkoglu 2-3, Lewis 2-4, Nelson 1-3). Fouled Out--Dooling. Rebounds--Detroit 46 (McDyess 14), Orlando 43 (Howard 12). Assists--Detroit 18 (Prince 5), Orlando 13 (Nelson 6). Total Fouls--Detroit 23, Orlando 19. Technicals--McDyess, Dooling, Howard. Att.--17,519 (17,519).

Cavs roll past Celtics

Sun, 11 May 2008 09:31 EDT

The shots didn't drop again for LeBron James, but it hardly mattered. The rest of the Cleveland Cavaliers made most of theirs.

James scored 21 points on another off-shooting night, but Delonte West scored 21, Joe Smith had 17 and the Cavaliers raced to a large, early lead in Game 3 in a 108-84 victory Saturday night against the road-challenged Boston Celtics to pull within 2-1 in their playoff series.

West, who spent three seasons wearing Celtic green and white, carried the scoring load for the Cavaliers, who are attempting to become the 14th team in NBA history to come back from an 0-2 deficit and win a best-of-7 series.

They've had practice at it.

Last year, the Cavaliers lost the first two games of the Eastern Conference finals to Detroit before beating the Pistons four in a row to advance to the finals for the first time. After dropping Games 1 and 2 in Boston, Cleveland needed James (8-of-42 in the losses) to shoot his way out of a slump.

James was only 5-of-16 from the floor, but his teammates stepped it up, going a combined 32-of-54 (59 percent) to tighten the second-round series. Cleveland roared to a 32-13 lead after one quarter, led by 17 at half, 16 after three and easily withstood a few Boston counter punches.

The Celtics remain lost on the road, and Game 4 is Monday night in Cleveland.

They've yet to win outside of Massachusetts during this postseason, not an encouraging sign for a team with its sights on a 17th league title. The Celtics went 0-3 in Atlanta during the first round as the Hawks averaged 100.7 points and shot 47.6 percent in three home games.

Kevin Garnett scored 17 points, Paul Pierce 14 and Ray Allen 10 as Boston's Big 3 of superstars combined for 41 points.

But the trio was no match for Cleveland's Fab Four of West, Wally Szczerbiak, Smith and Ben Wallace -- all acquired in deals at the Feb. 21 trading deadline -- who totaled 63 points, 20 rebounds and six 3-pointers. West made four 3s, Smith went 7 of 8 and Wallace, who wasn't expected to play because of an inner ear infection, gave Cleveland an inside presence while guarding Garnett.

The Cavs played a nearly flawless first quarter. They shot 65 percent (13 of 20), had 11 assists on those field goals and didn't commit a turnover. Beyond that, Cleveland didn't rely on James to carry them, as six other Cavs combined for 27 of the club's 32 points.

At halftime, James only had seven points but the Cavs were shooting 66 percent (19 of 29) and moving the ball on offense, something coach Mike Brown has insisted is key if his team plans to advance past the league's best defensive squad.

Cleveland maintained its double-digit lead throughout the second half, and closed out a game it had to have. No team has ever overcome an 0-3 deficit, something the Cavs don't have to worry about now.

BOSTON: Pierce 3-8 6-6 14, Garnett 8-13 1-2 17, Perkins 4-8 4-6 12, Rondo 3-10 1-2 7, R.Allen 4-12 2-2 10, Cassell 0-6 1-2 1, Posey 4-6 0-0 11, Powe 3-6 0-0 6, T.Allen 0-0 0-0 0, P.Brown 1-1 2-2 4, House 0-3 0-0 0, Davis 0-1 2-2 2. Totals 30-74 19-24 84. CLEVELAND: James 5-16 8-12 21, Wallace 4-6 1-4 9, Ilgauskas 5-10 2-2 12, West 7-11 3-3 21, Szczerbiak 4-10 6-7 16, Varejao 2-3 1-1 5, Smith 7-8 3-4 17, Gibson 1-2 0-0 3, Dw.Jones 0-1 0-0 0, Pavlovic 2-2 0-0 4, D.Brown 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 37-69 24-33 108.

Boston	13	22	28	21	--	84
Cleveland	32	20	27	29	--	108

3-Point Goals--Boston 5-16 (Posey 3-5, Pierce 2-5, House 0-1, R.Allen 0-5), Cleveland 10-19 (West 4-6, James 3-5, Szczerbiak 2-6, Gibson 1-2). Fouled Out--None. Rebounds--Boston 41 (Garnett 9), Cleveland 49 (Wallace 9). Assists--Boston 18 (Pierce 5), Cleveland 29 (James 8). Total Fouls--Boston 27, Cleveland 21. Technicals--Posey, Boston Coach Rivers, Varejao. Flagrant Fouls_Posey. Att.--20,562 (20,562).

Knicks set to hire D'Antoni

Sun, 11 May 2008 09:27 EDT

Mike D'Antoni is set to become coach of the New York Knicks, bringing his entertaining offensive style from the Phoenix Suns to a team coming off one of the worst seasons in its history.

A person within the NBA told The Associated Press on Saturday that the Suns coach has accepted an offer from the Knicks. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because no official announcement had been made.

D'Antoni had two years left on his contract. Suns owner Robert Sarver wouldn't confirm that D'Antoni had taken the New York job, but said, "Mike called me this morning to thank me, so I figured this was up."

The offer is reportedly for $24 million over four years, making him one of the league's highest-paid coaches. The Chicago Bulls also interviewed D'Antoni for their coaching job.

D'Antoni led the Suns to a 55-27 record last season and was coach of the year in 2005. He replaces Isiah Thomas, who was fired in April after the Knicks went 23-59, tying the franchise record for losses in a season.

D'Antoni had a 232-96 regular-season record the past four years. He becomes the Knicks' sixth coach since the 2002-03 season.

Elsewhere

DETROIT: Point guard Chauncey Billups missed Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against Orlando on Saturday due to an injury. Coach Flip Saunders says Billups wouldn't be effective because of a sore hamstring.

HOUSTON: Forward Shane Battier and point guard Rafer Alston had minor surgical procedures to repair injuries that occurred late in the season.

Battier had arthroscopic surgery to remove bone spurs in his left ankle. Alston's surgery repaired ligament and tendon damage in his right ankle. Both are expected to be ready when training camp opens in the fall.

LOS ANGELES: The Lakers haven't won a postseason game in Utah in nearly 20 years, losing seven consecutive games since winning May 15, 1988.

UTAH: Today's game is the first Sunday home game for the Jazz in nearly seven years, creating a conflict for much of Utah's Mormon fan base, including owner Larry Miller, who's skipping the game.

Gasol content to sing duet

Sun, 11 May 2008 09:26 EDT

Pau Gasol, the Lakers center, was explaining the other day why he is highly motivated to finish off the Utah Jazz in the second round of the NBA playoffs. "I'm supposed to go to the opera next week," he said.

Gasol was invited to a performance of Tosca by a fellow Spaniard, Placido Domingo, the general director of the Los Angeles Opera. He has never met Domingo nor been introduced to opera.

"I'm looking forward to it," said Gasol, who has changed the culture of the Lakers since coming from Memphis in a Feb. 1 trade.

Before his arrival, the Lakers were a libretto in need of a score. Kobe Bryant, the team's star guard, had butted egos with center Shaquille O'Neal, their inability to peacefully coexist the poison that destroyed a budding dynasty after four trips to the finals and three titles in five seasons.

Three years after O'Neal was traded to Miami, Bryant seemed intent on leaving, his trade demands threatening to cut down the 2007-08 season before its start. Now there seems no question that Bryant will finish his career with the Lakers.

When Bryant received the most valuable player award, between wins in Games 1 and 2 of this best-of-7 series, he singled out the Gasol trade as a main factor behind his success and the swift ascension of the Lakers.

Bryant communicates with Gasol in Spanish on the court, but that is not why they have clicked. Their collaboration works because they are so fluent in basketball that neither one has to say much to the other.

Gasol was the league's rookie of the year with Memphis in the 2001-2002 season and Spain's MVP during its title run at the 2006 world championship. He has to think back to his teen years to remember the last time he was not his team's focal point.

The transition from playing the lead in Memphis to being Bryant's stage partner has not been as difficult as people think. In Memphis, the 7-foot Gasol commanded the spotlight and the Grizzlies did not win a playoff game in 12 tries. That was hard. Doing whatever it takes to win is easy.

"I'm smart enough to know what my role is on this team," Gasol said. "Be a passer, be a facilitator and defend."

He is averaging 19.9 points, 4.4 assists, 8.1 rebounds and 40.1 minutes in seven postseason games as the Lakers are 6-1.

Gasol, 27, wants to see and do everything. John Black, Lakers' VP for public relations, knows his way around the city as well as any concierge. After Gasol arrived, he picked Black's brain. "I've never had a player come in and ask about live theater and the symphony," Black said.

In April, Black asked Gasol if he wanted to see Eels play at the El Rey Theatre. Gasol had never heard of the band -- he was not even sure they were humans -- but he went. At Black's urging, Gasol also saw Rhett Miller, the lead singer of the Old 97's, perform an acoustic show.

"I didn't know anything about either of them, but I enjoyed it a lot," Gasol said. "I enjoy good music and art and culture, so it was a pleasure and an honor to be sitting there."

Jazz gets its home security, tops L.A.

Sat, 10 May 2008 08:29 EDT

Carlos Boozer broke out of his slump with 27 points and tied his career playoff-high with 20 rebounds, leading the Utah Jazz to a 104-99 victory over Los Angeles on Friday night, cutting the Lakers' lead in the series to 2-1.

It was the Lakers' first loss this postseason.

Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinal is Sunday at Utah.

The win made the home teams 11-0 in the four conference semifinal series.

Deron Williams had 18 points and 12 assists for Utah, which atoned for two miserable performances in Los Angeles by taking the lead early in the second quarter and hanging on to it the rest of the way.

Kobe Bryant scored 34 points for the Lakers, who got within three points with 3 minutes 22 seconds left but never caught the Jazz.

Utah improved to 4-1 in the playoffs at home, where the Jazz had the league's best mark in the regular season (37-4).

Utah's offense was stagnant in the first two games, but on Friday the Jazz started hitting from the outside and moving the ball around enough to clear the inside for the layups its offense is designed to create.

Utah went 39-for-78 from the field (50 percent) and overcame Los Angeles' advantage from the foul line. The Jazz took nine fewer free throws than the Lakers, but went 20-for-28 from the line and held off the late push by Bryant and the Lakers.

Los Angeles went on a 6-0 run to get within 95-92, then Boozer went to work. He hit a hook shot over Luke Walton in the lane to put Utah up 97-92, then Bryant lost the ball while falling and didn't get the foul call he wanted. The Jazz used 23 of the 24 seconds they had on the shot clock and Boozer made a shot over Lamar Odom.

After Bryant missed a 3-point attempt, the Jazz got the rebound and went to Boozer again for a 101-92 lead with 1:57 left.

Walton hit a 3-pointer with 1:08 left to get Los Angeles within 103-97, then Bryant made two from the line to get the Lakers within four.

The Jazz missed again at the other end, but the Lakers bobbled the ball, too, and Williams crashed to the floor for a loose ball and forced a jump ball. The guard didn't stand a chance against Lakers center Pau Gasol, but it ate up time and the Lakers turned it over again.

L.A. LAKERS: Radmanovic 3-7 0-0 8, Odom 3-3 6-8 13, Gasol 6-10 0-0 12, Fisher 3-6 6-7 13, Bryant 10-20 14-17 34, Farmar 0-6 0-0 0, Turiaf 4-5 0-1 8, Walton 3-6 4-4 11, Vujacic 0-3 0-0 0. Totals 32-66 30-37 99. UTAH: Kirilenko 5-9 2-2 12, Boozer 12-21 3-7 27, Okur 8-14 2-3 22, Williams 6-12 5-6 18, Brewer 1-5 4-6 6, Harpring 4-8 4-4 12, Millsap 1-3 0-0 2, Korver 2-5 0-0 5, Price 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 39-78 20-28 104.

L.A. Lakers	23	20	29	27	--	99
Utah	23	29	27	25	--	104

3-Point Goals--L.A. Lakers 5-23 (Radmanovic 2-6, Odom 1-1, Walton 1-2, Fisher 1-3, Vujacic 0-2, Farmar 0-3, Bryant 0-6), Utah 6-16 (Okur 4-7, Korver 1-3, Williams 1-4, Price 0-1, Kirilenko 0-1). Fouled Out--Kirilenko. Rebounds--L.A. Lakers 43 (Odom 12), Utah 45 (Boozer 20). Assists--L.A. Lakers 14 (Bryant 7), Utah 21 (Williams 12). Total Fouls--L.A. Lakers 23, Utah 28. Technicals--Utah Coach Sloan, Utah defensive three second. Att.--19,911 (19,911).

Today's games

• Pistons at Magic

TV: 5 p.m., ESPN

Detroit leads series 2-1

• Celtics at Cavaliers

TV: 8 p.m., ABC (Ch. 9)

Boston leads series 2-0

Strange what thoughts price at pump evoke

Sat, 10 May 2008 10:23 EDT

Noting the sports world:

• Earlier this week, I was pumping gas. I still had a quarter-tank when I started and yet the numbers soon blinked past $50. That was irritating. You know the feeling. But then I forgot about the annoyance when I saw the exact amount registered on the pump when it cut off automatically: $51.51.

That reminded me of Sam Mills, the former Panthers linebacker and assistant coach who wore No. 51 as a player here and remains the only Carolina player enshrined in the team's Hall of Honor. It has now been three years since Mills passed away at age 45 because of cancer. Sam would have loved watching Jon Beason play.

• Speaking of jersey numbers, do certain ones always remind you of certain athletes when you see the numbers pop up in a real-life situation? I think of Roger Staubach when I see 12, Jake Delhomme when I see 17 and Steve Smith when I see 89. E-mail me with your examples of this happening in the real world -- the more specific, the better. I'll publish some of the best.

• I'm sorry to see Bernie Bickerstaff, the former coach and general manager of the Charlotte Bobcats, leave the organization. Bickerstaff was classy, smart and honest. He knew his team was undermanned in the three seasons he coached the Bobcats, but he certainly coaxed more effort out of his players than Sam Vincent did.

Bickerstaff also had a gift for extreme analogies. Asked once about a substitution in which he took out one underqualified Bobcat and put in another equally underqualified one, Bickerstaff said of himself: "They say a drowning man will grab a razor blade."

• I hope the NFL's "Spygate" saga has a little more juice left in it. I still don't think the Patriots were punished enough for their illegal videotaping of opposing coaches' sideline signals.

Former Patriots video assistant Matt Walsh is scheduled to meet with NFL officials Tuesday to talk about the eight videotapes he has handed over to the league. The tapes apparently show the systematic way the Patriots abused the league's videotaping rules for years (Walsh, now a whistle-blower, was once part of the taping).

From media reports, it appears there is no "smoking gun" in the Walsh tapes. But despite some opinions to the contrary, I think they should be enough to make the Patriots forfeit another high draft pick in 2009.

• LeBron James is 8-for-42 in two playoff games against the Boston Celtics entering Game 3 of the Cleveland-Boston series tonight. Meanwhile, a 78-year-old legally blind man from northwest Iowa bowled a perfect game a week ago. This guy could give LeBron some advice.

• Get your boiled peanuts here -- the big race at Darlington is tonight. I'm so glad NASCAR didn't yank its signature series out of Darlington entirely. When you go to that track, you feel the ghosts of NASCAR walking alongside you.

Bickerstaff will only be appreciated in absence

Fri, 09 May 2008 08:28 EDT

I don't pretend to be an expert on many things; you don't want me looking under the hood of your car or fixing your pipes.

But after covering the Charlotte Hornets and Charlotte Bobcats, each from Day One, and helping to cover the Carolina Panthers, I know expansion. So I know Bernie Bickerstaff got it.

He understood that successful expansion is about investing playing time on young talent, guarding your salary cap and refusing the temptation of shortcuts.

The Panthers didn't get it, which is why they created a mirage by reaching the NFC Championship Game their second season. To get there, they squandered millions in precious salary-cap room on veterans in the backside of their careers. That mistake plagued them for years.

Bickerstaff, departing the Bobcats after initially serving as coach and general manager, shunned shortcuts. He left the franchise stronger.

The public didn't appreciate that.

Those first three seasons, people kept asking me why this retread was coaching the team. They wanted somebody younger and fresher, I guess because in these Web-driven, instant-gratification times, if you're not new you're not happening.

Sam Vincent was new as new gets. How'd that turn out?

Bickerstaff did two jobs -- he was coach/general manager until last summer -- with wisdom and restraint.

As coach, he prodded a team of limited ability to consistently play above its talent. He did that by demanding they be accountable to each other. When Kareem Rush bucked that agenda, he was booted off the island.

As general manager, he found a gem off the clearance rack by taking Gerald Wallace in the expansion draft. Then he used salary-cap room to trade up to No. 2 and draft Emeka Okafor.

His vigilance in guarding cap room is the primary reason Jason Richardson is here. The Golden State Warriors, facing millions in luxury tax and needing to re-sign players, had to reduce payroll. The Bobcats were one of the few teams with the cap room to absorb Richardson's contract.

Sure, he made mistakes. He should have given up the fifth and 13th picks in 2005 to draft former Wake Forest point guard Chris Paul.

But at least that was an honest mistake. This idea he drafted Raymond Felton and Sean May because they were Tar Heels is a joke. Bickerstaff is such a contrarian, he would have tossed a marketing guy out of his office for suggesting where a player went to school is the best reason to draft him.

Bickerstaff spent most of the winter scouting, as Michael Jordan and Rod Higgins took charge of the front office. I don't blame Jordan for wanting people he knows and trusts working for him.

But I believe the most loyal thing an employee can do is warn his boss he's about to make a major mistake.

With Bickerstaff gone, I wonder who's left over there to do that. IN MY OPINION Rick

Bonnell

Source says Bickerstaff is leaving Bobcats

Fri, 09 May 2008 06:44 EDT

Bernie Bickerstaff, the original architect of the Charlotte Bobcats' basketball operation, is leaving the franchise, the Charlotte Observer has learned.

Bickerstaff served the team's first three seasons as both coach and general manager/president of basketball operations. After the 2006-07 season, he stepped down, taking the title of executive vice president. In that role, Bickerstaff scouted extensively in preparation for the 2008 draft and acted as an adviser to managing partner Michael Jordan.

Bickerstaff could not be reached for comment Thursday, but a source with extensive knowledge of the situation confirmed that Bickerstaff is leaving. It was unclear whether he'll work for the team through next month's draft.

It was initially unclear whether Bickerstaff, 63, is interested in continuing his career in basketball. Reports out of New York have speculated he might be a good fit for the Knicks' front office or coaching staff.

Bickerstaff has spent more than 30 years in the NBA as a coach, assistant coach or player-personnel executive.

His record as a head coach with Seattle, Denver, Washington and Charlotte is 415-517. He successfully turned around Seattle and Denver from struggling franchises to playoff teams.

The Bobcats went 18-64 in 2004-05, their inaugural season, followed by 26-56 and 33-49 in Bickerstaff's final two seasons.

Bickerstaff's Hits and Misses

Fri, 09 May 2008 06:43 EDT

The Observer's Rick Bonnell examines the highs and lows of Bernie Bickerstaff's tenure with the Charlotte Bobcats.

THE HITS

GRABBING GERALD WALLACE IN THE EXPANSION DRAFT: Wallace could be the best expansion-draft player chosen by the past seven NBA newcomers. The other contenders: Dell Curry with the then-Charlotte Hornets and Scott Skiles with the Orlando Magic.

TRADING UP TO PICK EMEKA OKAFOR IN THE 2004 DRAFT: He took some players off the Los Angeles Clippers' roster (they were assembling cap room, trying to sign Kobe Bryant) to move up from fourth to second. That was the difference in the Bobcats drafting Okafor or Stanford forward Josh Childress.

SIGNING MATT CARROLL: They found a player in the developmental league who ended up a sixth man/part-time starter. The definition of something-for-nothing.

THE MISSES

CHOOSING NOT TO TRADE UP IN 2005: Bickerstaff could have traded the fifth and 13th picks to Portland for the third pick -- presumably Chris Paul. Bickerstaff tried instead to trade No. 5 and a future first (the one the Bobcats later used to draft Jared Dudley), but the Trail Blazers wouldn't bite.

STICKING BY KAREEM RUSH: Bickerstaff gave Rush chance after chance as this team's shooting guard. Rush's attitude became such a downer in the locker room, Bickerstaff finally cut him late in the Bobcats' second season.

Bickerstaff leaving Bobcats, source says

Thu, 08 May 2008 14:36 EDT

Bernie Bickerstaff, the original architect of the Charlotte Bobcats' basketball operation, is leaving the franchise, The Charlotte Observer has learned.

Bickerstaff served the team's first three seasons as both coach and general manager/president of basketball operations. After the 2006-07 season, he stepped down from both jobs, taking the title of executive vice president. In that role, Bickerstaff scouted extensively in preparation for the 2008 draft and acted as an advisor to managing partner Michael Jordan.

The Bobcats shook up their coaching staff this month, firing Sam Vincent after one season and quickly replacing Vincent with Hall of Fame coach Larry Brown. Brown's hiring adds cost to a team that has lost tens of millions over the past few years, and staff reductions have been commonplace for the Bobcats.

It was initially unclear whether Bickerstaff, 63, is interesting in continuing his career in basketball. Reports out of New York have speculated Bickerstaff might be a good fit for the Knicks' front office or coaching staff, working with new team president Donnie Walsh. Walsh has yet to hire a head coach.

Rod Higgins succeeded Bickerstaff as Bobcats general manager and continues in that position.

Bickerstaff has spent more than 30 years in the NBA as a coach, assistant coach or player-personnel executive, His record as a head coach, with Seattle, Denver, Washington and Charlotte, is 415-517. He successfully turned around Seattle and Denver from struggling franchises to playoff teams.

Bickerstaff was hired by Ed Tapscott, the team's original president, on the reasoning that a single voice, with extensive experience, could best oversee both jobs to establish a building plan of slow, steady growth.

Bickerstaff's best two personnel moves were acquiring Gerald Wallace in the expansion draft and trading up to the second pick of the 2004 rookie draft, to acquire Emeka Okafor. Those two have been key members of the Bobcats' core.

If Bickerstaff had a miss in his player-personnel calls, it was probably choosing not to trade up in the 2005 draft. Bickerstaff could have consolidated the fifth and 13th picks to obtain Portland's third pick.

That would have given the Bobcats either Chris Paul or Deron Williams, two of the best young point guards in the NBA. Instead, the Bobcats chose Raymond Felton fifth and Sean May 13th.

A source familiar with that situation said Bickerstaff pursued an alternative deal with Portland, looking to trade the fifth pick and a future first-rounder (the pick Toronto owed them that eventually became Jared Dudley last spring) for No. 3. The Trail Blazers considered that option, then ultimately dealt the third pick to Utah, which selected Williams.

As Bobcats coach, Bickerstaff made his players accountable to each other, on the logic that no one on an expansion team should get away with being a prima donna or slacker. Bickerstaff made the difficult decision to cut shooting guard Kareem Rush late in the team's second season, after determining Rush's attitude was a problem in the locker room.

Bickerstaff's Charlotte teams were often complimented by opponents for how hard they played night-in and night-out.

Bickerstaff was effectively last of the key players in the Bobcats' original management team. Tapscott was replaced as president by Fred Whitfield and chief marketing officer Chris Weiller was replaced by Greg Economou.

Magic hot at home in Game 3

Thu, 08 May 2008 06:44 EDT

The Orlando Magic won't be swept by the Detroit Pistons again. Rashard Lewis made sure of it Wednesday.

Lewis scored a career playoff-high 33 points and the Magic broke down the Pistons' stout defense in a 111-86 victory. Detroit leads the Eastern Conference semifinals 2-1, but it might have to play without All-Star point guard Chauncey Billups.

The Pistons lost Billups just four minutes into the game when he drove to the basket and got tangled up with Orlando's Jameer Nelson. Nelson's leg caught Billups' foot, and the Pistons guard fell hard to the court with a strained right hamstring.

Billups, Detroit's steady floor leader and clutch 3-point threat, was averaging 17.5 points in the postseason and had 28 against the Magic in Game 2.

Pistons coach Flip Saunders said the team hoped Billups would be able to play in Game 4 on Saturday in Orlando, but would re-evaluate him today.

"I'm concerned because he's our quarterback; he runs our team," Saunders said. "You saw our first two games. He's been a huge part of why we've been successful."

Richard Hamilton scored 24 points for Detroit and Tayshaun Prince had 22, while Rasheed Wallace scored 11 points on 4-of-15 shooting. With Billups out, rookie Rodney Stuckey stepped up big for the Pistons, scoring 19 points.

Dwight Howard had 20 points and 12 rebounds for Orlando, and Nelson and Hedo Turkoglu both scored 18.

The Magic had lost nine straight playoff games to the Pistons, tied for the fourth-longest streak in NBA history. That dated to 2003, when Detroit rallied from a 3-1 deficit to advance.

Immediately after Billups was injured, Orlando went on an 18-4 run in under six minutes to take a 24-6 lead, by far its largest of the series.

The Pistons drew within 73-69 at the end of the third quarter despite going nearly four minutes without a field goal.

Two stars struggling in the series for both teams -- Orlando's Lewis and Detroit's Hamilton -- found their stroke in the first half. Lewis scored 12 of Orlando's last 14 points before halftime, while Hamilton scored 10 on a handful of jumpers in the second quarter.

"I made my first couple and really felt like I was going to have it going tonight," said Lewis, who came to the Magic in a trade with Seattle. "I know my 3 ball hasn't been falling this whole series."

Detroit failed to score a field goal in the opening 4:27 of the fourth quarter until Hamilton made a layup. By then the Magic was ahead 87-73, and the Pistons would get no closer.

DETROIT: Prince 8-14 6-6 22, Maxiell 0-2 0-2 0, Wallace 4-15 2-4 11, Billups 1-1 0-0 2, Hamilton 10-20 4-5 24, Stuckey 5-13 9-9 19, McDyess 0-2 0-0 0, Afflalo 2-4 0-0 4, Ratliff 0-1 0-0 0, Herrmann 1-3 1-2 4, Hayes 0-2 0-0 0, Johnson 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 31-77 22-28 86. ORLANDO: Turkoglu 7-18 1-2 18, Lewis 11-15 6-8 33, Howard 8-13 4-7 20, Nelson 7-14 3-3 18, Evans 2-4 1-2 5, Bogans 1-5 0-0 3, Arroyo 0-0 0-0 0, Gortat 1-1 0-0 2, Dooling 4-6 1-1 10, Garrity 0-1 0-0 0, Augustine 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 42-78 16-23 111.

Detroit	16	26	27	17	--	86
Orlando	30	24	19	38	--	111

3-Point Goals--Detroit 2-10 (Herrmann 1-1, Wallace 1-4, Hayes 0-1, Prince 0-2, Hamilton 0-2), Orlando 11-24 (Lewis 5-6, Turkoglu 3-5, Dooling 1-2, Bogans 1-5, Nelson 1-5, Evans 0-1). Fouled Out--None. Rebounds--Detroit 43 (Prince 7), Orlando 52 (Howard 12). Assists--Detroit 12 (Hamilton, Prince 3), Orlando 18 (Turkoglu 6). Total Fouls--Detroit 20, Orlando 23. Technicals--Orlando defensive three second. Att.--17,519 (17,519).

Anthony pulled over for speeding

Thu, 08 May 2008 02:05 EDT

Nuggets All-Star Carmelo Anthony has been ticketed for speeding, three weeks after he was cited on a charge of driving under the influence.

Police said Anthony was pulled over Saturday for driving 60 mph in a 45-mph zone.

The 23-year-old was arrested on a DUI charge in Denver on April 14. He is scheduled to be in court June 5 on the DUI charge.

Police said Anthony does not have to appear in court on the speeding ticket if he mails in the $130 fine. -- Associated Press

Elsewhere

ATLANTA:Billy Knight will resign as general manager of the Hawks in July, despite leading the team to its first playoff appearance in nine years.

• Forward Marvin Williams was suspended one game without pay for committing a flagrant foul, penalty two against Boston's Rajon Rondo during the Hawks' Game 7 playoff loss. Williams will serve the suspension in his first game next season.

HOUSTON: Guard Tracy McGrady could need three months to recover after operations on his knee and shoulder.

INDIANA: The Pacers promoted David Morway to general manager.

L.A. LAKERS: Center Andrew Bynum might undergo exploratory arthroscopic surgery on his injured left knee if there is no significant improvement in the next three to four weeks.

NEW JERSEY: Forward Richard Jefferson was charged with assault, accused of grabbing a man by the throat in a Minneapolis club Jan. 27.

Jefferson was in town with the team when, according to reports, he got angry after being asked to leave a private party.

SEATTLE: A trial that likely will determine whether the SuperSonics will play in Seattle or Oklahoma City next season will begin June 16 as scheduled.

ALSO: The NBA will stage an event in India for the first time this summer, conducting one of its Basketball without Borders camps in New Delhi.

The league also announced it will return to Turkey and South Africa to run camps, which the league began in 2001.

-- Observer News Services

Celtics up for Cavs

Wed, 07 May 2008 06:39 EDT

The game couldn't have been uglier, but it also maybe couldn't have been more winnable for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

In part one of what could be a slugfest NBA Eastern Conference semifinal series, the Cavaliers scrapped with the favored Boston Celtics, keeping themselves in contention to steal a road victory until the end. But for as much as they did right to put themselves there, they couldn't finish.

In the end, LeBron James ended a subpar night by faltering while the Celtics' veterans made some huge plays to take a 1-0 series lead with a 76-72 victory Tuesday night.

James scored 12 points on 2-of-18 shots from the floor, the worst shooting night of his career. Even worse for the Cavaliers, he was unable to finish or draw a foul on three drives late in the game.

Meanwhile, Kevin Garnett, who finished one slot ahead of James in the NBA Most Valuable Player voting, made two huge hoops in the stretch run that put the Celtics over the top. Garnett, who finished with 28 points and eight rebounds, made a jumper to tie the score with 1 minute, 17 seconds left and then a spinning layup with 21.4 seconds left that put the Celtics ahead for good.

On the pivotal play, he was being guarded by Joe Smith and not the Cavs' top post defender, Ben Wallace, because Cavs coach Mike Brown had made a substitution to get a better offensive team on the floor, and there was no dead ball for him to switch back. Brown said after the game he was expecting the Celtics to call a timeout, which they did not.

"This was two heavyweights body punching each other," Garnett said. "No finesse, no jabs, an all-out beatdown defensive fight."

In all, the Cavs had a terrible offensive game against the NBA's top-ranked field-goal percentage defense. They shot 31 percent, their lowest in a playoff game. James was at the center of it. He scored two points in the second half.

James also had a playoff career-high 10 turnovers and was 0-for-6 on 3-pointers.

"You have to give a lot of credit to their defense; they are a very good shrink-the-floor team," James said. "I missed a lot of shots that I can usually make. A few layups I know I can make; a few pull-ups I know I can make."

The Celtics did not perform any sort of special defensive voodoo on James; they just did what they do best. They stayed very close to their individual men and attempted to form a mini-zone near James when he had the ball.

The antidote for that is James' ability to create off the dribble and to draw double-teams. But two second-half offensive fouls seemed to strip him of his aggressiveness for a time, and he started dribbling more instead of attacking.

That prompted his teammates to stop moving as much. Double-teamed when he came off screens, James also wasn't as effective as usual in finding open teammates because the Celtics were sticking close to them.

Some of the Celtics' stars were in the same jittery boat as James. Paul Pierce found trouble getting shooting room against the Cavs' physical defense. He shot 2-of-14 for four points. But he did draw two offensive fouls on James in the third quarter that served as a significant contribution.

Ray Allen had trouble getting free from his defender to get open looks and when he did get a rare one, he didn't convert. He missed all four shots and was held scoreless.

CLEVELAND: James 2-18 8-10 12, Wallace 1-3 2-2 4, Ilgauskas 8-18 6-6 22, West 2-10 0-0 4, Szczerbiak 5-14 1-1 13, Gibson 2-6 2-2 7, Varejao 0-1 1-2 1, Smith 1-2 0-0 2, Pavlovic 2-3 2-3 7. Totals 23-75 22-26 72. BOSTON: Pierce 2-14 0-0 4, Garnett 13-22 2-2 28, Perkins 3-4 1-2 7, Rondo 5-8 5-6 15, R.Allen 0-4 0-0 0, Posey 2-4 2-2 8, T.Allen 0-0 0-0 0, Powe 0-3 1-2 1, Cassell 4-8 3-4 13, P.Brown 0-1 0-0 0, Davis 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 29-68 14-18 76.

Cleveland	15	22	15	20	--	72
Boston	25	16	12	23	--	76

3-Point Goals--Cleveland 4-18 (Szczerbiak 2-5, Pavlovic 1-1, Gibson 1-3, West 0-3, James 0-6), Boston 4-14 (Cassell 2-4, Posey 2-4, Pierce 0-3, R.Allen 0-3). Fouled Out--None. Rebounds--Cleveland 49 (Ilgauskas 12), Boston 50 (Perkins 12). Assists--Cleveland 19 (James 9), Boston 18 (Rondo 6). Total Fouls--Cleveland 21, Boston 20. Technical-Boston defensive three second. Flagrant Foul-Cassell. Att.--18,624 (18,624).

Bryant named league MVP

Wed, 07 May 2008 06:31 EDT

Finally, an MVP award for Kobe Bryant.

Regarded as the NBA's best player for several years but never its most valuable, Bryant got the honor at last on Tuesday after leading the Los Angeles Lakers to the best record in the Western Conference.

He entered the season as the league's two-time reigning scoring champion. He had finished as high as third in the MVP voting twice -- after the 2002-03 season, when he averaged 30 points for the first time, and last year when Dallas' Dirk Nowitzki won.

Bryant got 82 first-place votes and 1,105 points in the media vote. He was followed by New Orleans' Chris Paul (28 and 889), Boston's Kevin Garnett (15, 670) and Cleveland's LeBron James (1, 438).

Bryant will receive the trophy tonight from Commissioner David Stern before the Lakers face Utah in Game 2 of their conference semifinal. The Lakers won the opener.

Elsewhere

COACHES: The Dallas Mavericks and Rick Carlisle are inching closer to an agreement that would make him the team's new coach. While no deal is done, Carlisle said both sides continue to discuss the options.

• Phoenix coach Mike D'Antoni has met with the New York Knicks and Chicago Bulls and is waiting for either to offer him its coaching job, which could happen in the next 48 hours, according to a person with knowledge of the situation. D'Antoni hasn't ruled out the Knicks despite the better short-term prospects presented by the Bulls' roster, the person said.

DETROIT: The NBA admitted Chauncey Billups' 3-pointer at the end of the third quarter of Monday's Detroit-Orlando playoff game should not have counted, but said referees weren't allowed to review instant replay to determine that.

The basket gave Detroit a 78-76 lead in its 100-93 win.

ORLANDO: The Magic's flight from Detroit to Orlando, Fla., was diverted because of a mechanical problem late Monday.

Team spokesman Joel Glass said the plane landed in Cincinnati as a precaution. No one was injured, the plane was serviced and the team spent the night in Cincinnati.

NBA Notes | Report: Suns' D'Antoni wants to lead Bulls

Tue, 06 May 2008 08:17 EDT

Mike D'Antoni has told John Paxson he wants to be the Chicago Bulls' next coach, according to sources.

Whether Paxson has the same wish remains to be seen after the Bulls' general manager spent time with the Suns' coach in Phoenix.

D'Antoni has two years and $8.5 million remaining on his Suns deal, one reason Phoenix general manager Steve Kerr initially said he wouldn't fire the former coach of the year. -- Chicago Tribune

Elsewhere

ATLANTA: Michael Gearon Jr., one of the Hawks' eight owners, said the group would take a few days to savor this season before evaluating what would be best for the next, including whether to bring back coach Mike Woodson.

LOS ANGELES LAKERS: The NBA has scheduled a news conference for today at a Los Angeles hotel, where Kobe Bryant is expected to be named most valuable player. -- OBSERVER NEWS SERVICES