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|  | | Are Ray Allen and Mark Jackson gonna meet up in the playoffs? Could be... |
We'd like to thank the Portland Trail Blazers, the best team that money can buy that has won only half their games in the past month, for losing to Dallas right after we proclaim them again the best team other than the Lakers. But we ask you: Which team is No. 2 in the league? Judging by the early replies on our Power Rankings, nobody knows.
One more thing on the Blazers. They outrebounded Dallas 59-37, and still lost by 11. "How you get outrebounded like that and win, I have no idea,"
Mavericks coach Don Nelson said. "It amazes me." Us, too.
Wednesday night is a huge night in the Eastern Conference. The top spot and No. 1 seed remains up for grabs (and remember, the Heat and Pacers meet soon), the No. 8 spot can change and No. 6 certainly isn't safe (and remember, the Bucks and Magic meet on Monday) and the 4, 5 and 6 seeds can all change places with the winner hosting a round. Frankly, only the Knicks with the third seed appear safe to keep their spot, and after Wednesday the Atlantic race could even be down to one game again.
While many rip the Eastern Conference for being average this season and producing no dominant team or even one that supposedly has a shot at the Lakers, we disagree. Are the Blazers, Jazz, Suns and Spurs that much better than the top East teams? No way! And remember, the East has but one horrendous squad, the West has three. We write this to point out that all is not always what it seems to be. The East is very exciting right now, and that's what people are watching. Who wants to the see the Lakers go for 68 wins now?
Anyway, here's a little quick Wednesday Around The Rim. As always, if you wanna vent your feelings on Around The Rim or anything NBA, just click here and e-mail us.
In Heroes and Goats, again, nice effort out of Portland. Scottie Pippen was selected as the Goat of the night, and it's not just because he couldn't hit a shot or pass the ball, or apparently, play D. If you're a leader and you have championship rings, you'd better make sure losses like this don't happen. By the way, the boxscore says G.Grant started at power forward for Portland vs. Dallas. We really doubt Gary Grant is now playing the four spot. Hello, Brian ... In Chicago, Matt Maloney made five of six threes in a win over Jersey. Wow, that's really exciting. ... With injuries killing them, the Nets gave 35 or more minutes to Elliot Perry, Johnny Newman and Jamie Feick on Tuesday. ... We say this over and over again about young Jason Williams, but he blew that game for the Kings. Sure, he had nice numbers on the outside (17 points, 9 assists, 7-for-11 FG), but his eight turnovers were deadly and at critical times. ... Would you rather see the Mavs in the playoffs or the Sonics? Sorry, Sonics fans, but this Dallas team is exciting and playing really well. Here's some more. Enjoy.
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Heroes ...
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 David Robinson
Spurs
Had 26 and 14 in key OT win in tough place
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 Dirk Nowitzki
Mavs
Engineered upset of Blazers with 21, 14 and 4
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 Larry Hughes
Warriors
Repeat hero from Monday had 28 in yet another win
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... and Goats
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 Scottie Pippen
Blazers
Shoots 1-for-6, 5 points in loss at Dallas; Will the losing stop?
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 Tyrone Nesby
Clips
If anyone noticed, Ty shot 4-for-16 in loss to Suns
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 Chris Gatling
Nuggets
Mr. Instant Offense missed six of eight shots in losss to Rockets
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Just some rumblings
Knicks backup point guard Chris Childs says he's probably not going to exercise a clause in his contract which allows him to become a free agent after the season. Gee, wonder why? Childs, who is paid better than plenty of good starting point guards, has two years left on an outrageous deal worth $4.6 million next year and $5.2 mil the next season, and would get a fraction of that on the open market. Has he helped the Knicks this year? Sure, but he's no stud. Not like the Knicks thought after that half-season in Jersey.
Nice to see the Blazers following up that win in Utah with something special. Yeah, we know a loss in Dallas isn't as bad as it was, say, a few months ago, but still. If you're the second-best team in the league (though they haven't looked it), you need to enter the playoffs hotter than this. The sixth-seeded Wolves are waiting.
On the Dallas loss, the coach has it figured out. "We really didn't have it physically," Portland coach Mike
Dunleavy said. "You can tell by the way we shot our free throws.
We're normally a good free-throw shooting team. We also made some
mental mistakes that allowed them to jump out at us."
Mavs owner Mark Cuban isn't nearly as controlling as rich Redskins chief Daniel Snyder, but Cuban might throw some big bucks around this summer. The Mavs are 26-18 since the break, including the Dennis Rodman fiasco. If you get a good center and point guard in Dallas, to go with small forward Michael Finley, power forward Dirk Nowitzki and usable players Shawn Bradley (backup center), Steve Nash (backup guard), Cedric Ceballos (sixth man) and Erick Strickland (maybe a starting shooting guard) the Mavs would win more than half their games. Heck, as it is they just might win half this year. Maybe you luck out in the lottery and get a big man who can step right in...
Now that Michael Heisley's purchase of the woeful Grizzlies is complete, look for big changes, reports say. But other than coach Lionel Hollins and overrated GM Stu Jackson, what can be done? The starting lineup isn't that bad. The backcourt has been a surprise, and Michael Dickerson and Mike Bibby will get better. Shareef Abdur-Rahim should be an All-Star. Othella Harrington may be more suited to a backup role, but he wasn't terrible. Bryant Reeves was terrible, but good luck finding a taker for him. The problem is Dennis Scott is the best player off the bench. Not a lot of options here, especially when nobody wants to play in Vancouver.
So B.J. Armstrong finally retired, or will in a week. Man, was he still around? Hmmm, you're on a 17-win team, you don't play much, you don't play well, they don't want you back next year. Seems like an obvious decision.
"I feel good about the decision," Armstrong said. "It's time."
Armstrong's 11-year career includes three championships, but it also includes three
knee operations. He has had two operations on his left knee, including one just before
this season.
"It's needed," Armstrong said of his retirement. "I just can't go out there and endure
the day-to-day grind. "I knew this day was coming, and I just think it's time, so I'm more comfortable with
it."
Well as long as he's comfortable with it, we are. Now if only the Bulls could convince Randy Brown, Will Perdue, and others to do the same.
By the way, those voting for the Rookie of the Year have to turn in their ballots by Sunday. Think Steve Francis and Elton Brand don't know that?
You may not have noticed, since he never really played much, but Pervis Ellison, once the NBA's top pick, is soon to be out of work. People now refer to Pervis more as the guy with the interesting hair than anything else. Or they just don't refer to him.
Assuming he doesn't suit up again in the final week, Ellison
will have played in only 193 out of a possible 460
games for Boston in six years. He earned $13.2
million in that span, including $2.75 million this season. He was
hobbled by bad knees, by a fractured toe (after
dropping a table on it), by a bad back, and by an
ankle injury. He missed the entire lockout year while
rehabilitating from surgery.
He refuses to look back, and you can understand why.
"Obviously, you can't do stuff like that or it'd drive you crazy," he said. "You
just decide to move on and do the best you can do."
And the ongoing criticism?
"I have a family," he said. "When the day is over and I go home, that is my
gratification. But this is the real world, and you have real issues and you have to
deal with it. Of course it hurts. What helps me is my family."
Funny thing is, Ellison will almost definitely find work next season. To that, we say collectively, good for him. While things have absolutely fallen apart in Beantown with this brutal team, Ellison has actually, by all accounts, been a good guy and tried to be a leader. He's been vocal this season in trying to get the younger guys to play harder. Problem is, it didn't seem to work.
In Toronto, they don't know what to think of the Raptors. They've beaten the best in the league, they've lost to the among the worst. They run off five straight wins, then lose five straight. Their current three-game streak was built on patsies. Still, you think they don't have a shot in the playoffs? In this conference?
By the way, that inaugural playoff berth can be wrapped up on Wednesday.
Golden State (19-59), which has won consecutive
games for the first time since late-February, would
have to drop its last four to tie the 63-loss record set
by the 1964-65 team and equaled by the 1997-98
squad. That's something they're working to prevent. But after a season like this, don't put anything past them.
"We don't want to be the worst team in the league
and we don't want to have the worst record in
franchise history," said Mark Davis, who had a season-high
in points (25) and was two points shy of his career high in
his third start for injured Donyell Marshall. "I don't
want to be a loser."
How many people looked in the Warriors boxscore on Wednesday and wondered which Davis that was scoring 25 with 12 boards on the Grizz. C'mon, admit it.
Meet the Camby man
Try to imagine how it would feel to step onto the floor at Madison Square Garden to the cheers of 19,763 fans -- all of them screaming and stomping for you. Until March 14, Marcus Camby couldn't describe such a feeling. Now he can.
On that night, against Houston, Camby appeared in his first game after being sidelined for 16 games, the result of a strained ligament in his right knee. And when his name was announced, the Garden crowd showed Camby what he had missed, and how they had missed him.
"I couldn't believe they stood and cheered when I checked into the game," Camby said. "The support I've gotten from the fans has been incredible."
And to show that appreciation for their support, Camby is hosting a free reception for the New York faithful at the Park Avenue Country Club on Sunday, April 16. He hopes to meet and shake hands with as many people as possible.
Since returning to active duty, Camby has led or co-led the Knicks in rebounding five times. He leads the Knicks in blocked shots, averaging 1.91 a game -- 13th in the league -- and is second on the team with 7.8 rebounds per game. It hasn't just been Patrick Ewing in the past month. Having the 6-11 forward from UMass healthy as New York jockeys for playoff positioning is essential to the Knicks' success.
"He's made huge contributions to the team," New York coach Jeff Van Gundy said. "The magnitude of the consistency aspect, certainly, is what you're always looking for. Consistency and durability are what set players apart."
Camby's quickness and energy are what set him apart. He's the Knicks' energizer off the bench, lending his athletic ability to both sides of the court. Camby collected his 500th career shot block earlier this season.
"He gives us is a big lift when he comes in the game," said Knicks assistant coach Don Chaney. "He roams around the basket, gets offensive rebounds. You never know where he's going to be on the floor."
As the postseason approaches, the Knicks will need Camby to bring the same playoff intensity he did last year when Ewing was out and New York made it through the East. In 20 postseason games a year ago, he averaged 10.4 points and 7.7 rebounds, shot .566 from the field and had an especially big series against the Pacers, leading New York in rebounding in five of the six games.
Camby has not had any further problems with his knee and feels he will be at 100 percent come the playoffs. And having gone through the Knicks' run to the NBA Finals a year ago, he's well aware of the anticipation level of those Garden fans.
"Oh yeah, expectations are going to be high," said Camby, who added with a smile, "But it wouldn't be New York if they weren't."
A few milestones
Atlanta's Dikembe Mutombo is 87 minutes from 25,000.
Cleveland's Danny Ferry is 67 minutes from 15,000.
Dallas' Robert Pack is 10 steals from 500.
Denver's Bryant Stith is 18 points from 5,000.
Denver's Nick Van Exel is six steals from 500.
Indiana's Derrick McKey is 12 points from 10,000.
Indiana's Reggie Miller is three free throws from 5,000 and 95 minutes from 35,000.
Los Angeles Lakers' Ron Harper is 26 minutes from 30,000.
Miami's Pat Riley is three wins from 1,000.
Milwaukee's Danny Manning is six games from 750.
New York's Andrew Lang is five games from 750.
Portland's Brian Grant is 103 minutes from 10,000.
San Antonio's Tim Duncan is 47 rebounds from 2,500 and six blocked shots from 500.
San Antonio's David Robinson is seven blocked shots from 2,500.
Seattle's Horace Grant is one blocked shot from 1,000.
Seattle's Chuck Person is seven games from 950.
Utah's Karl Malone is 98 points from 31,000.
Anniversaries
Five Years Ago Wednesday...April 11, 1995
Dallas (15) and Houston (13) combined to set an NBA record for the most three-point field goals made in a game with 28, during the Mavericks' 156-147 double-overtime road victory, breaking the previous record of 23 set during the 1993-94 season by Miami and the Los Angeles Clippers. The Mavericks and Rockets also set NBA records for most three-point field goal attempts (64) in a game and combined for the most points scored in overtime (46). Rookie Jason Kidd hit a team-record eight three-pointers to lead Dallas, while Kenny Smith paced Houston with five.
Five Years Ago Wednesday...April 12, 1995
Golden State set an NBA record by knocking down 17 three-pointers in 30 attempts, breaking the mark of 16 previously held by Sacramento, during a 123-109 road triumph at Minnesota. Chris Mullin led the Warriors' barrage from behind the arc by hitting 6-of-9 three-point attempts.
Five Years Ago Thursday...April 13, 1995
John Starks attempted his 565th three-pointer of the season, an NBA record, in a 110-100 Knicks victory at home against Milwaukee. Starks finished the season with 611 attempts.
25 Years Ago Thursday...April 13, 1975
Larry McNeill of the KC-Omaha Kings shot 12-for-12 from the field, setting an NBA Playoff record for most field goals without a miss, in a 102-95 triumph over Chicago in Game 2 of the Western Conference Semifinals.
15 Years Ago Friday...April 14, 1985
Isiah Thomas of Detroit finished the season with 1,123 assists to break Kevin Porter's mark of 1,099 set in 1979. Thomas' record would last only three years before it was surpassed by John Stockton.
April 14, 1985
Mark Eaton of Utah concluded the 1984-85 season with 456 blocked shots for an average of 5.56 bpg, both NBA records.
April 14, 1985
Moses Malone won his fifth straight rebounding title, an NBA record that was matched by Dennis Rodman.
Five Years Ago Saturday...April 15, 1995
Miami's Glen Rice made 20-of-27 field goal attempts, including seven three-pointers, and finished the game with a franchise-record 56 points, leading the Heat to a 123-117 home victory over Orlando.
April 15, 1995
Tom Chambers of Utah scored 15 points in the Jazz's 105-83 triumph over the visiting Los Angeles Clippers, becoming the 20th player in NBA history to surpass 20,000 career points. With teammate Karl Malone having reached the 20,000 point plateau against Cleveland on January 20, 1995, Utah became the first team in NBA history to have two players reach 20,000 career points during the same season.
35 Years Ago Saturday...April 15, 1965
John Havlicek's steal might be the most famous play in NBA history. It came with five seconds left and the Boston Celtics clinging to a precarious 110-109 lead over the 76ers in Game 7 of the 1965 Eastern Conference Finals. As Philadelphia's Hal Greer got set to inbound the ball from the baseline under his own basket, Havlicek peeked over his shoulder. Anticipating a lob pass, Havlicek tipped the ball to teammate Sam Jones who dribbled out the clock as the fans at Boston Garden - and Celtics broadcaster Johnny Most - went into a frenzy. "Havlicek stole the ball! It's all over! It's all over!" bellowed Most as the Celtics won en route to their seventh of eight consecutive NBA titles.
Five Years Ago Next Monday...April 17, 1995
Buck Williams of Portland grabbed 12 rebounds during the Blazers' 97-93 road victory at Seattle, becoming the eighth NBA player to reach 12,000 rebounds and 15,000 points in a career.
Quote of the Night
" "The sky's the limit. We don't have any playoffs in our future this year, but
we hope we can take this into next season. We're beating playoff
teams who are jockeying for position. These are some good tests for
us."
-- Mike Finley of the Mavs.
Quote of the Night, Part II
"It's important for us to play well because these are the guys
we are going to have for a while. In order for us
to be successful in the future, we all have to play together, want
to win, and sacrifice."
-- Steve Francis.
Quote of the Night, Part III
"I just welcomed the team back from wherever. They really dug down deep, you know we've
went in that hole we've dug quite often this season. We showed a
lot of concentration, made a lot of stops and got back in the game.
I'm just thrilled to get it done."
-- Spurs coach
Gregg Popovich
Eric Karabell is ESPN.com's NBA editor.
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ALSO SEE
Around The Rim, April 10
NBA Playoff Push, April 12
NBA Power Rankings, April 11
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