This is White's second stint with Austin. On Dec. 16, he was assigned to the Toros where he appeared in three games, averaging 15.3 points and 2.7 rebounds, before being recalled to the Spurs on December 26.

Including White, there have been eight players assigned nine times from NBA teams to their affiliates this season. Following is the complete list of assigned players up to now during 2006-07:

Player NBA Team NBA D-League Team

Ryan Hollins Charlotte Bobcats Fort Worth Flyers

Bobby Jones Philadelphia 76ers Fort Worth Flyers

Louis Williams Philadelphia 76ers Fort Worth Flyers

Julius Hodge Denver Nuggets Colorado 14ers

Pops Mensah-Bonsu Dallas Mavericks Fort Worth Flyers

Martynas Andriuskevicius Chicago Bulls Dakota Wizards

James White San Antonio Spurs Austin Toros (twice)

Maurice Ager Dallas Mavericks Fort Worth Flyers

Two teams with identical records battle tonight, as the Utah Jazz visit the San Antonio Spurs tonight at the AT&T Center.

This is second meeting of the season between the clubs. On November 29th, Carlos Boozer scored 23 points and grabbed 16 rebounds to lead the Jazz to an 83-75 home victory over the San Antonio Spurs.

Utah has lost 14 straight after winning its last two at San Antonio. The last time the Jazz won in San Antonio was on February 28, 1999.

The Jazz go for their third straight win. Boozer posted 26 points and 10 rebounds, as Utah downed the disappointing Los Angeles Clippers, 102-92, on Tuesday at EnergySolutions Arena.

Mehmet Okur posted 24 points and 11 rebounds in the win over the Clippers for the Jazz, who have won two straight and six of their last nine games overall. Deron Williams ended with 21 points and seven assists in the victory.

Utah is 9-6 on the road this season. The Jazz return home to host Portland on Saturday and Philadelphia next Wednesday.

San Antonio plays the middle contest of a three-game homestand. On Tuesday, Michael Redd scored 36 points to lead the Milwaukee Bucks to a 114-107 victory over a Spurs team that was hit hard by a holiday bug, and sat three players, including Manu Ginobili, with the stomach flu.

Tim Duncan led the Spurs with 25 points and 12 rebounds in the loss to Milwaukee, while Tony Parker scored 24 and tallied 10 assists in defeat. In addition to Ginobili, the Spurs were also missing Matt Bonner and Brent Barry. All three players were suffering from a stomach flu.

The Spurs are 10-5 at home this season. They are scheduled to host the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday.

Dallas (7-4) has won seven straight since opening the season with four consecutive losses, including the 97-91 loss to the Spurs (10-2) on Nov. 2.

``I think we were just trying to find ourselves a bit,'' reserve Austin Croshere said of the team's problems to start the season. ``Early, we were waiting for things to happen, and now we're making things happen. We've definitely been the aggressors the last seven games.''

This is the longest winning streak for Dallas since a 13-game run from Jan. 14-Feb. 9.

The Mavericks routed the Washington Wizards 107-80 on Tuesday. Dirk Nowitzki scored 30 points while Jason Terry and Devin Harris each added 18, helping Dallas break open a game that was tied at halftime.

Terry went 4-for-9 from 3-point range, while Greg Buckner and Croshere were a combined 6 of 11 from beyond the arc.

''(Assistant coach) Joe Prunty was laughing because we shot better from the 3 than we did from the 2,'' coach Avery Johnson said. ``We know that will not work all season, but we had a stretch where we made quite a few of them.''

The Mavericks have kept on winning despite being held under 40 percent shooting from the field in the last two games.

Poor shooting helped cost them a win against the Spurs in the opener. Dallas shot 43.2 percent that night, including several key misses during a 6:13 scoreless stretch in the fourth quarter.

Spurs guard Tony Parker expects to see a better effort out of Dallas this time around.

``It's going to be a great game because they are going to be motivated after what happened the first game of the season,'' Parker said. ``They are ... playing a little bit better than early in the season, so it's going to be a good test for us.''

Parker had 17 points in San Antonio's 106-86 blowout of the Miami Heat on Wednesday. Tim Duncan led the team with 19 points and Manu Ginobili added 17.

The Spurs led 57-38 by halftime against a Heat team playing without Shaquille O'Neal. San Antonio took advantage, outrebounding the Heat 43-34 on the night.

``A win is a win,'' Parker said. ``Obviously Miami is not the same team without Shaq, but we still have to play and I thought tonight was a great win for the whole team.''

The Spurs, who begin a three-game road trip after Friday's game, are undefeated on the road, but 4-2 at home this season.

San Antonio and Dallas met in last season's Western conference semifinals, with the Mavericks eliminating the Spurs in seven games.

``It's not the same as the playoffs last season,'' Ginobili said. ``The only thing that will make us forget is to have a great season and play them again.''

The Texas rivals split four regular-season meetings in 2005-06, but San Antonio has won seven of the last 10.

If memory serves me right, this is the first time in more than two decades that there are two franchises marking their first trip to the NBA Finals. Today, the Heat and the Mavericks are going to battle for Game 1 in their quest for their first ever NBA title. Here is the breakdown of this exciting match-up:

Frontcourt Shaquille O’Neal will certainly be slowed down by the big bodies of centers Erick Dampier and DeSagana Diop but will still dominate in the paint. Heat power forward Udonis Haslem will have a hard time trying to contain All-Star Dirk Nowitzki who is close to impossible to stop with his array of moves. Miami’s rebounding will also suffer once Nowitzki decides to play the outside drawing Haslem out. In the small forward position, Antoine Walker and Josh Howard will just cancel each other out on offense but Howard will contribute more with his defense and rebounding. Advantage: Dallas

Backcourt Dallas guard Devin Harris will have first dibs on Dwayne Wade who is averaging a terrific 26 points and 6 assists in the playoffs. However, I see Coach Avery Johnson switching Howard on Wade for better coverage especially in the latter quarters. At the point guard spot, Heat guard Jason Williams will be unable to stop Jason Terry who has emerged as the Mavericks’ second-leading scorer. Look for Pat Riley to bring in Gary Payton early if Williams cannot rein in Terry. Advantage: Even

Bench The Mavericks are the deepest team in the league. They wore down the Spurs and the Suns by using their flexibility and athleticism creating numerous mismatches. A prime example is how the Mavericks forced the Spurs to play with a smaller line-up resulting in more rebounds and inside points. The Mavs have the likes of Jerry Stackhouse, Marquis Daniels, Erick Dampier and Keith Van Horn on the bench. The Heat also have a good supporting cast (Alonzo Mourning, Gary Payton and James Posey) but they simply cannot match Dallas one for one. Advantage: Dallas

Experience During championship situations, experience is a very important quality. Games are sometimes decided by just a few plays. The Heat will be banking on Shaq who has already three rings and the only one among three players in this series with Finals experience (the other one being Payton and Van Horn). The playoff experience of Walker and Mourning should come in handy during crunch time. Advantage: Heat

Coaching Pat Riley has four championship rings under his belt in 8 Finals appearances while Avery Johnson is a newbie coach with championship experience (as a player of the San Antonio Spurs). However, Riley cannot take Johnson, who won Coach of the Year honors in his first year lightly. Johnson also has an impressive record (76-24) and is the architect of Dallas’ amazing post-season breakthrough. Advantage: Even

With Dallas’ home court advantage and tremendous bench depth, I see the Mavericks closing this series in 7. For the Heat to win, Shaq must stay out of foul trouble and dominate the paint at both ends of the floor. The Heat also need to make Nowitzki work on the defensive end and play him close to get him out of his rhythm.

Over the years, the Spurs have used a good number of their draft choices on players who play overseas.  Currently San Antonio holds the rights to five prospects, all of whom have played internationally in the last year.

While not all of these players will be on the Spurs roster next season, there’s a good chance that more than one of them may be donning the silver and black in November.

Let’s take a look at the five prospects:

Luis Scola

Scola is currently the most highly regarded of the Spurs’ overseas prospects.  Many scouts consider him the best power forward in Europe.  A great back to the basket scorer, Scola has an array of post moves that he utilizes on the low block.  The 6-foot-9 Argentinean also has a decent jumper and is improving in regards to rebounding and passing.  His greatest asset is the energy he brings to the court and his relentlessness.  Scola’s buyout with his current club reportedly has been reduced, but still may be a stumbling block in bringing him to San Antonio.

Ian Mahinmi

Last year’s first round draft pick, Mahinmi is a 19-year-old bigman from France.  Listed at 6-foot-10 when drafted, he has grown in both height and basketball skill over the last year.  Although he is still very raw, his great athleticism and defense-oriented style would make him a good fit in San Antonio.  The question with Mahinmi is how long before he is ready for the NBA.  We’ll have a better idea of that after he plays for the Spurs in the Rocky Mountain Revue in July.

Robertas Javtokas

Javtokas was selected by the Spurs in the 2001 NBA draft.  Less than a year after he was drafted, Javtokas suffered horrendous injuries in a motorcycle crash.  Since then however, the 6-foot-10 Lithuanian center has recovered from his injuries and is now one of the best pivots in Europe.  Currently a free agent, Javtokas is said to be deciding on either coming to the Spurs or signing with a team in Israel for next season.

Viktor Sanikidze

This 6-foot-9 small forward is a bit of a mystery man for the Spurs.  Picked in the second round of the 2004 draft, Sanikidze has been injured most of the time since then.  He spent a lot of time this year in San Antonio rehabbing.  At the time of the draft, the Spurs were very excited about Sanikidze’s potential.  Like Mahinmi, Sanikidze is also expected to play in the Rocky Mountain Revue for the Spurs. 

Sergei Karaulov

Of the five prospects, Karaulov is the long shot to ever see the NBA.  While he’s got great size at 7-foot-1, he has not seen much playing time overseas. And when he has played, his numbers haven’t anything to write to San Antonio about.  He played on the Spurs summer league team last year, but didn’t do much.  The good news is that at 24-years-old, he still has time to improve.

Lieberthal was batting .297 with no homers and seven RBI when he was hit on his left knee by a pitch from Atlanta's John Thomson on May 4. He was placed on the DL the following day with a contusion on his left knee.

Lieberthal played in two rehab games at Double-A Reading, going 1-for-6 with two RBI. He caught nine innings in the two games.

Ruiz hit .143 with no homers and an RBI in 14 games with the Phillies.

Its seven-game series against Dallas was that good; its margin of defeat was that narrow.

The concern in San Antonio is the team doesn't have the athleticism to match up with the Mavericks or Suns. Hooey, said coach Gregg Popovich.

"I listen to how athletic Dallas was and how we couldn't handle it, and it just makes me smile," he said. "If you win, there's all kinds of things you did well. If you lose, there's got to be reasons why you lost.

"So if they're more athletic, I need to figure out how much more to win by a point. How much more athletic is that?"

So what's next?

Guard Nick Van Exel said he will retire. Popovich has to decide whether Beno Udrih is the answer at point guard behind Tony Parker. Greater lengths have to be taken to keep Tim Duncan fresh. The team has to decide whether to re-sign center Nazr Mohammed (unlikely) or trade center Rasho Nesterovic (practically impossible, with three years at $23.8 million remaining). And another push will be made for Argentinean forward Luis Scola.

Yes, age is a concern for the NBA's oldest roster, with Robert Horry 36 and Bruce Bowen 35, but Parker is only 24 and Manu Ginobili 28. (Duncan is 30, but with plenty of Olympic-induced wear.)

The window might be closing, but one more layup from Ginobili or one more tip-in from Duncan and the Spurs might have gone into next season talking about a three-peat.

_Cavaliers: Cleveland, by contrast, needs an upgrade, an unexpected upgrade.

When Damon Jones, Donyell Marshall, Larry Hughes and Alan Henderson were added last summer, the concern was getting into the playoffs for the first time in eight seasons. But by closing within one game of the Eastern Conference finals, Cleveland is now playing at another level, one that might require a more significant talent infusion.

To that end, with Marshall and the emergence of Anderson Varejao, it will be interesting to see how high the Cavs are willing to go with free-agent power forward Drew Gooden. And is Ronald Murray actually worth the full mid-level exception?

In a bid to upgrade, don't discount a trade of underutilized center Zydrunas Ilgauskas. And one gets the sense that Cleveland doesn't know if Hughes truly is the answer in the backcourt.

Nonetheless, the playing field has changed. With LeBron James ' continued growth, don't understate Cleveland emerging as the favorite in the Central Division.

_Clippers: Like Cleveland, Los Angeles made an unexpected jump, also within one victory of the conference finals.

Unlike the Cavaliers, the Clippers seem to have all the pieces they need.

The question is how many they retain.

Free-agent point guard Sam Cassell, at 36, wants two more years at something close to the past season's $6.2 million. Then there is forward Vladimir Radmanovic, whose free agency is compounded by his lack of Bird rights, meaning the Clippers can offer no more than the $5 million mid-level exception. Also up for negotiation is an extension for center Chris Kaman.

Beyond such contract issues is the upcoming final year on the contract of coach Mike Dunleavy, which would seem like the easiest of decisions for owner Donald Sterling. Cleveland just took care of coach Mike Brown.

Factor in the need to find more playing time for guard Shaun Livingston and the acceptance of a sixth-man role by Corey Maggette, and Elgin Baylor will have to live up to his Executive of the Year laurels.

With the Cavs and Clippers, the issues are about getting to the next level. With the Spurs, it's about keeping it together for one more title run, when, hopefully, the seeding structure won't prove as cruel.

WagerWeb.com Contributing Writer

For the third consecutive year, the team with the worst record in basketball did not win the NBA Draft Lottery. Despite a record of 21-61, the Portland Trail Blazers slipped to the fourth selection for the 2006 draft. This was not a huge surprise, given Portland only had a 25% chance of winning the top pick.

Trail Blazers President Steve Patterson did not seem shaken by his team's drop in the order, hinting to the fact that last year’s fourth selection, Wake Forest point guard Chris Paul, was the overwhelming NBA Rookie of the Year for the Hornets.

"You may find a player with as big an impact at No. 4 or even No. 6 as you may at No. 1," Patterson said.

Meanwhile, the team that did beat the odds and claimed the first overall pick was the Toronto Raptors, despite only an 8.8% chance of winning. General Manager Bryan Colangelo, recently hired away from the Phoenix Suns, was excited about the first pick and said it is a sign of things to come for the downtrodden Raptors.

"For us to have this kind of luck is a symbol of a reversal of fortune going forward," Colangelo said. "We have our work cut out. This will help."

The biggest loser in the lottery had to be a team that wasn't in it: the New York Knicks. After posting their worst record (23-59) in 20 years, the Knicks weren't a factor Tuesday night. Why? Because in the 2005 off season, Isiah Thomas dealt the rights to New York's No. 1 pick in 2006 to the Chicago Bulls for underachieving center Eddy Curry.

The 6’-11” Curry had been diagnosed with heart problems, which is why the Bulls were looking to deal him. In New York, Curry averaged fewer than 26 minutes per game in 2005-06, and less than one block and six rebounds per outing. He also was rarely on the court during crunch time due to his weak defense.

Thus, the lottery's biggest winners had to be the young, up-and-coming Bulls, who ended up with the second overall pick. The Bulls were 41-41 this season and earned the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs, where they pushed the second-seeded Heat to the limit in the opening round. The Bulls already have one of the best young backcourts in the league with Ben Gordon and Kirk Hinrich, and will look to add a front-court impact player in this year’s draft.

"We made the deal, and we're lucky we got in the lottery," said John Paxson, the Bulls' Executive Vice President.

As for the players vying for to be taken No. 1 overall, there does not appear to be a clear-cut choice. Gonzaga forward Adam Morrison, Texas power forward/center LaMarcus Aldridge, LSU forward Tyrus Thomas and Italian power forward Andrea Bargnani are considered the top candidates.

Aldridge, who reaffirmed his stock in the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16 with a 26-point, 13-rebound performance against West Virginia, could be the slight favorite for the Raptors. Toronto also likes Bargnani, who is considered a prospect in the mold of Dirk Nowitzki.

The Raptors' Colangelo would not comment on which way the team is leaning.

"Right now we've got a month to go, and we'll see what comes our way and see what we can dig up," Colangelo said. "I think there are about five or six names that could be there. We need a one [point guard] or a five [center]."

This year’s draft may be as much about the players not in it as those who are available. With the NBA's new collective bargaining agreement, this will be the first year that high school seniors won't be eligible for the draft. That eliminated Greg Oden, a 7-foot prep phenom bound for Ohio State this fall, who would have been a lock for the first pick.

Another big man who will not be on the draft board this year is Joakim Noah, the Most Outstanding Player of the 2006 NCAA Final Four. Noah led the Florida Gators to a surprise NCAA title, but decided not to strike while the iron was hot and come back to Gainesville for a run at another championship.

Those are two names most GMs would have rated at the top of their boards this year.

So maybe there is no true big winner of the 2006 lottery. The big winner in the NBA could be the team with that lucky ping-pong ball in 2007.

The Suns just won’t die. After pulling off a three-game comeback against the Los Angeles Lakers, the Suns won a wild one Tuesday night to take a 3-2 games advantage over the Clippers. Shawn Marion was absolutely gigantic in the Suns’ 125-118 double overtime victory, with 36 points and a mind-blowing 20 rebounds. The league’s MVP, Steve Nash, also chipped in with 17 points and 13 assists. This series has been to the Suns’ liking, with at least one team scoring 100 points in four of the five games. The Clippers travel back to Los Angeles Thursday, and look for the Clippers to try to slow the pace down and feed the ball to their big man, Elton Brand. He has also been huge in this series, averaging 30 points per game and 10.4 rebounds. Take the Clippers in game six, Phoenix in game seven.

Eastern Conference

#1 Pistons vs. #4 Cleveland

To me, this is the biggest shock of the playoffs. Not because the Cavaliers even have a slim chance of upsetting the Pistons and winning the series, because they don’t. No, this has been a huge shock because of the way they have played, and the fact that this series will now go six games. Don’t get me started on Lebron, because I think he is turning into one of the greatest ever, right before our eyes. Mr. James recorded his second triple-double of the playoffs in game three with 21 points, 10 assists and 10 boards, and almost repeated the feat in game four. As great as he is and will be, this cannot last. The Pistons will return home for game five with a huge chip on their shoulders. This is a championship team and will prove it Wednesday night. The Pistons are not giving up too many points for game five at -10.5, because of the last two losses. Therefore, take Detroit in game five with a comeback and to win the series in six.

#2 Heat vs. #3 Nets

This one had the makings of a great series, but looks can often be very deceiving. After being blown out 100-88 in game one, the Heat came surging back to win four in a row, including two in New Jersey. The Heat closed out the series Tuesday night 106-105 in game five. The story of the series was not Shaq or Dwane Wade, but the supporting cast. Antoine Walker was electric for the Heat in games four and five, putting up 20 and 23 points in the two victories. Udonis Haslem was also a key factor in game four, with 20 points and 11 rebounds. Shaq is just not getting the calls and is consistently in foul trouble, but if this supporting cast can continue to play at a high level, the Heat will be a force to reckon with in the Conference Finals.

Well, there you have it. It has been a wild, wild week in the NBA, but if you play your cards right, there is money to be made. Overall, taking the points has been a smart decision, with most of the games coming down to the wire. Make sure to check back next week, because I will have a complete analysis of the Eastern and Western Conference Finals.

The victory Monday gave the Mavericks a 3-1 lead in their best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal with the Spurs, the defending NBA champions. Game Five in the series is scheduled for Wednesday in San Antonio.

The Mavericks scored the first 4 points of overtime but San Antonio was still within 1 point when Terry hit a jumper with 1:42 to play that put Dallas ahead 119-116. After San Antonio missed on the other end, Devin Harris scored on a lay up 34 seconds later for a 121-116 Dallas lead. A Terry jump shot with 38 seconds left kept the Spurs at length.

Terry`s 32-point effort was backed by 28 points from Dirk Nowitzki while Jerry Stackhouse finished with 26 points.

Tony Parker paced the Spurs with 33 points and Tim Duncan chipped in 31 points and 13 rebounds.

The Dallas Mavericks can look back at their Game 1 loss as an opportunity squandered. While the San Antonio Spurs can point to their victory in the series opener as the moment Tim Duncan rediscovered his playoff form.

Despite being the team with more rest following their first-round sweep of Memphis, the Mavs struggled down the stretch in their 87-85 loss to the Spurs in the series opener after leading most of the game. San Antonio wrapped up their first-round series in Sacramento 36 hours prior to Game 1.

Dallas failed to make a basket over the final 4:08, scored only 13 fourth-quarter points and had just 12 second-half field goals. The Mavs also missed six free throws over the final two quarters and leading scorer Dirk Nowitzki did not take the final shot as their final possession ended with Jerry Stackhouse's contested 3-point attempt from the left corner that fell short.

"Somehow, if I had a little more on it, then maybe we'd have a different feeling right now," said Stackhouse, who led Dallas with 24 points. "We came in here with the right attitude, right energy, but we let them take the game."

Nowitzki one of the favorite players by many sports betting fans finished with 20 points in 8-for-20 shooting; but had only two points and four shots in the fourth quarter. "There wasn't any rust," said Nowitzki, who was guarded by Bruce Bowen and former teammate Michael Finley for much of the game. "We played well enough to win the game, but didn't."

While the Mavs look for offensive answers down the stretch, the Spurs turned to an old standby for offense early in Game 1. Duncan exploited Mavs coach Avery Johnson's decision to not double-team the three-time NBA Finals MVP, scoring 20 of his 31 points in the first half and having his way with DeSagana Diop, Erick Dampier and DJ Mbenga.

"Timmy was awesome," said Tony Parker, who was not surprised with Johnson's decision. "A lot of people have been doing that lately because they thought he couldn’t score any more. That's a big mistake. When he plays like that, it makes it easy for everybody."

Johnson did not say if he would go back to double-teaming Duncan in Game 2, but defended his big men, saying, "They have got a tough matchup with Tim Duncan. Duncan is a whole other entity in his own. He has three championships."

WagerWeb.com Contributing Writer

The second round of the 2006 NBA playoffs has the chance to be one of the closest and best rounds in recent history. Three of the four series should go at least six games, with the fourth including “King James” and the powerhouse Detroit Pistons. Not to blow my own horn, but only a Phoenix comeback against the Lakers kept my first round predictions from going 8-0. So here we go, get the number of your local sportsbook handy, and lets check out the Conference Semifinals  Championship.

Western Conference

#1 Spurs vs. #4 Mavericks

This is really #1 vs. #2, but by now we all know the storyline behind the division rule, so I’ll skip that argument. This is truly a series to make some money if you are looking to gamble. The Spurs pulled out of game one 87-85, while being favored by 5 points. If I were a gambling man, and that I am, I would absolutely take the team getting points in each game. This series is destined to go seven and in a close fashion. Don’t think Game One was a fluke. I would even be inclined to take Dallas straight up in Game Two. Tim Duncan looked like the old Timmy, scoring 31 points and grabbing 13 boards, but this type of play might not last with his recent injury trouble. In summation, I still like the Spurs’ bench with Michael Finley, and I still like the Spurs to take the series in seven.

#2 Suns vs. #6 Clippers

OK Phoenix. You ruined my bid for a perfect first round, but you guys are going down in round two. The Suns are favored by 6 points for Monday’s Game One, which I think is terribly inflated. The Clippers are a much more complete team than the Lakers. If Phoenix struggled with the one-man show of the Lakers, what are they going to do against Elton Brand and company, which includes veteran star Sam Cassell. Cassell was brought in for just this reason: to win playoff games. Cassell averaged 15 points and five assists per game in the series against the Nuggets and is a proven winner. The Suns expelled way too much energy in the first round, with their three-game comeback against the Lakers. If you are about sports betting, do yourself a favor and put your money on the Clippers in game one. This series will be another nail biter; Clippers in six.

Eastern Conference

#1 Pistons vs. #4 Cleveland

Here we have the only easy series to predict. The Pistons are the overwhelming favorite to win it all, and they look like it too. They blew out the Cavaliers in game one, 113-86. This series could turn out to be a slaughter. Lebron was held to only 22 points and averaged less than 20 points per game during the regular season against the Pistons. You get the feeling that the only way the Cavaliers can win a game in this series is to have Lebron go absolutely nuts, which won’t happen against a defense like Detroit’s. With this series, I don’t care how many points the Pistons are favored by; take the Pistons and they will cover the spread. They only covered the spread by 17 points on Sunday. This series will not be close, especially if the pistons go 15 for 22 from three point land again. Pistons in five.

#2 Heat vs. #3 Nets

This is another incredibly hard series to predict, but it’s what I get paid for. Both of these teams really struggled in the first round against inferior opponents. Shaq showed flashes of brilliance in the Heat series but also showed his age. But Shaq is still Shaq and still leads the league in field goal percentage at 60%, which will help the Heat to step up in this series. Shaq also upped his rebounds from 9.2 to 10.8 in the first round, which should continue to give Miami second chance points. Even with this, I think the five points the Heat are giving up in Game One might be too many. Vince Carter increased his points average by more than five in the first round all the way up to 29.2 per,  Game and I think the Nets could shock the Heat with a Game One victory. Take the points and take the Nets in this series. Nets in seven.

WagerWeb.com Contributing Writer

Once upon time, the Nets wasted draft picks on stiffs like Yinka Dare. Players with modest talent such as Chris Morris had the gall to write “trade me” on their sneakers. Players with more talent but not nearly as much as they thought, like Stephon Marbury, wrote “All Alone” on their ankle tape. And throughout all this, fans and New York media alike responded with Derrick Coleman-like enthusiasm: “whoop-de-damn doo.”

Then after the 1999-00 season, Rod Thorn took over a Nets team that desperately needed someone with his professionalism and player evaluation skills. Rod Thorn’s first major move was to select Kenyon Martin as the number one pick in the draft. While Martin suffered through an injury-plagued first season, by his second season he was a major defensive presence and a huge part of their running offense.

In 1984, Rod Thorn made what was clearly his best draft pick while GM of the Bulls, selecting Michael Jordan. However, in 2001, after having one full season to evaluate the Nets’ needs, Rod Thorn had what would have to be considered the best off-season of his career. The Nets drafted Eddie Griffin and then turned around and dealt him for three picks which they turned into Richard Jefferson, Jason Collins, and Brandon Armstrong.

Richard Jefferson turned into one of the Nets’ brightest stars. A great athlete who plays outstanding defense, Jefferson is also one of the league’s most efficient scorers, getting 19.5 points on fewer than 13 shots a night. Jason Collins doesn’t wow you if you look at the stat sheet, but he does so many little things when he is on the court, he is well respected by his teammates and considered a winner throughout the league. Brandon Armstrong, a reported sharp-shooter who can’t shoot, offered less of an impact.

But it was Thorn’s trade that off-season that really turned things around. Thorn traded talented but selfish potential superstar Stephon Marbury for an older Jason Kidd. Kidd instantly energized the franchise, guaranteeing a winning record the year he joined the franchise. Kenyon Martin, Kerry Kittles, and Keith Van Horn immediately improved their game and Jefferson and Collins’ NBA initiation couldn’t have gone smoother with Jason Kidd leading the charge. The reenergized franchise made it to the NBA Finals in both 2002 and 2003, ultimately losing to more talented Western Conference foes (Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs). 

Thorn made a couple of errors along the way in his quest to find a bona fide center. He traded Keith Van Horn for a miscast Dikeme Mutombo, who never fit in with the Nets running style, and then signed Alonzo Mourning to a terrible 4-year, 20-million-dollar contract only to see him miss most of the season due to his kidney ailment. However, the Nets look like they have finally found their center in Nenad Krstic whom they drafted in 2002 and stashed in Europe for a couple of years to develop his game. Krstic has become an offensive force for the current Nets, averaging 13.5 points per game on a better than 50% FG percentage.

Thorn also saved the Nets’ organization when they were in danger of sliding back into the abyss. Faced with demands from ownership to cut costs, Thorn shipped off Kenyon Martin, Kerry Kittles, and Lucious Harris. Fans were outraged, but Denver is now stuck with Martin’s bloated contract, and Kerry Kittles is semi-retired after playing only 11 games last year. Thorn made the correct choice in Richard Jefferson over Kenyon Martin, and then made another great move by stealing Vince Carter from Toronto for the incredible bargain price of Eric Williams, Aaron Williams, Alonzo Mourning (who refused to suit up for Toronto), and a couple of harmless draft picks.

The Nets start their series against the Miami Heat equipped with three superstars acquired by Thorn and a budding fourth in Krstic, also drafted by Thorn. While you could quibble with his bench choices that backfired this year (Mark Jackson and Jeff McInnis), the Nets are surely thrilled to have this Thorn on their side.

WagerWeb.com Contributing Writer

It is a catastrophe that in professional sports, a non-winning record can set the table for a legitimate shot at a world title.

In baseball, it has come close (see 2005 San Diego Padres, 1973 NY Mets). In the NFL, only two .500 teams have made the playoffs since 1991 (1991 NYJ, 2004 STL). In the NBA, however, it has been the norm to find teams with a losing record compete in late April and into May.

Below, a table of the number of .500 win percentage teams, the number of first round games they have won, and the number of series they have gone on to win.

Courtesy: Basketball-Reference.com

Parody just hasn’t existed in the NBA playoffs. These 15 teams in the last 10 years have combined to win just 12 playoff games and have never advanced. In 2004, four teams in the East had the shot and surely one could pull off the upset? Not even the four vs. five could do it.

The last time a team with a losing record entered the playoffs and won a Series was 1988. Then, the Seattle Supersonics boasted a 39-43 record as the 7-seed and made it all the way to the conference finals. They upset both Dallas and Houston, before being swept by Pat Riley’s Los Angeles Lakers.  Since Seattle, a total of 31 teams have entered the playoffs with a record at or below .500. And these teams are 0-31 in playoff series.

So, how good of a chance do Milwaukee (40-42), Chicago (41-41) and Indiana (41-41) have this year?  I’m not going to say “none,” because that’s why they play the game—but let’s delve into these match-ups.

(1) Detroit vs. (8) Milwaukee

One-seeds haven’t lost since 1999. But there was a technicality about that year: First, 1999 was the NBA lockout year, and only 50 regular season games were played. Second, three other teams had the same 33-17 record, but Miami won by a tiebreaker.

In a full 82-game season, it was the 1994 Denver Nuggets who upset the top-seeded Supersonics to advance to the second round.

With Flip Saunders at the helm, we’ve seen the Pistons play looser offensively, but still maintaining impressive defense—leading them to their best regular season record ever (64-18). Don’t worry about the nonsense concerning Ben Wallace not getting along with Flip: This team is focused when it comes to the playoffs.

Having said this, Milwaukee has their hands full. Let’s just look at player vs. player matchups.

Billups will substitute size for speed and can dominate Ford. Hamilton is a workhorse. Prince is undoubtedly better than Simmons. And I’ll just point out the experience from the front court to suffice my argument for the Wallaces.

To make matters worse, the only type of success they had against Detroit was when they played Toni Kukoc at the three. Kukoc is already banged up and will miss the first game, so his health will be a definite factor.

Prediction: Pistons in a sweep

(2) Miami vs. (7) Chicago

 Chicago is the hottest of the East’s bottom-3, finishing 12-2 in their final 14 to slip into the show. They had a similar run in the final month of the season last year, winning 15 of their last 19 games. The Bulls’ only win against the Heat in the regular season came back on April 15 when the Heat rested most of their stars.

In the playoffs, it comes down to defense and though the “Baby Bulls” are young, they do buckle down, leading the NBA for the second straight season in defensive field-goal percentage (.426).

Offensively, the Bulls’ patented “drive-and-kick” out game has given opposing teams a hard time. Ben Gordon ranks 2nd in the Eastern Conference, hitting 43.9-percent from 3-point land, and point-guard Kirk Hinrich has shot 42.9-percent from behind the arc in his last five games.  

Although the Heat have been locked into the No. 2 spot since basically January, I don’t see them having trouble kicking into high gear. Even when the Bulls shut down Wade in their meetings this year (12.3 ppg), the Heat have found a way to win.

The Bulls have no answer for Shaq, who had 14 points and 6 rebounds in just 20 minutes of action on April 15.

Prediction: Heat in 5

(3) New Jersey vs. (6) Indiana

This might very well be the best shot for a team at the .500 mark in the regular season to win a Series. The Nets came from the weak Atlantic Division that sent no other teams beside themselves to the playoffs. The two teams have similar defensive work ethics, as they are 5^th and 6^th in points allowed, respectively, in the NBA. The interesting thing about this series is the way they view each other: New Jersey Nets players have said the Pacers are a good transition and look to slow it down, while Indiana players have said the exact same thing about the Nets! Wow, this should be a fun series to watch!

Jermaine O’Neal looks to be healthy into the playoffs, having played 30-plus minutes in his final 11 regular season games, but I don’t foresee him being the difference. The difference must come from the defense side of the ball, in particular, the ability to stop Vince Carter.

Peja Stojakovic and Stephen Jackson must play top-notch to pull the upset.

I have a feeling this series will go seven. The Nets were 29-12 at home, fourth-best home record in the Eastern conference, so that’s the way I lean.

Prediction: Nets in 7

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WagerWeb.com Contributing Writer

Well, this counts for everything but the National Basketball Association. The first problem we had this post-season was the division rule, which will leave the Spurs to play the Mavericks in the second round, all due to a technicality of being in the same division. This rule alone should constitute uproar from the fans and needs to be addressed immediately. Now, we have another significance issue.

We have the fact that the MVP Award is announced and decided before the NBA playoffs are over. It is decided on before the first round is even over! What’s the result? It was announced Wednesday that Steve Nash will win his second straight MVP Award.

Now I am not arguing that Nash is not worthy of his second MVP. Actually Nash supporters are going to say that he had a better statistical year this season than last season, when he was the clear choice for MVP. Sure, Nash upped his points from 15.5 per game last year to 18.8 per this year, but last year was last year. More importantly, Kobe Bryant and Lebron James were not in the playoffs last year and did not come even close to the caliber of seasons they each had this year.  What I am arguing is that other players are just more deserving of the award.

On Wednesday night, Nash got posterized like no one has ever seen before. Who was the player that abused Nash so horribly, you ask? Oh it was Kobe Bryant, another top candidate for MVP and someone more worthy of the honor than Nash. More than just making Nash look like a fool on national television, Bryant’s dunk in the fourth quarter sealed the victory for the Lakers over the Suns. This now leads us back to our issue at hand.

The Suns might not make it out of the first round of the playoffs. After the Lakers’ 93-90 victory Wednesday night, the series is even at one game a piece. Now, the Lakers are heading back to Los Angeles with home-court advantage and control of the series. By the way the Lakers are 27-14 at home this year and we all know Kobe is going to turn it up a notch for the home crowd. If this round is the last stop for the Suns, where does that leave Nash? At home with his MVP trophy, even after he couldn’t beat the seventh-seeded Lakers in the opening round. Remember way back when Charles Barkley was actually one of the first MVPs not to win the NBA Championship? That was in 1993 and seems like ages ago now. Back then the MVP committee got things right, and even more ironic is that Barkley won the award while playing for the Suns, Nash’s current team.

More over, if the Suns do in fact lose to the Lakers in the first round, the case grows even stronger that Kobe is the MVP. Do I have to read the laundry list of accomplishments to you? The man scored 35 points per game during the regular season, not to mention getting an overachieving Lakers team back into the playoffs with a record of 45-37. And now he might get them into the second round as a seventh seed. Without Kobe, this team would already be planning for the Draft Lottery.

And what about Lebron James? The Cleveland Cavs are the fourth seed in the East. Let me repeat, the Cleveland Cavs are the fourth seed in the East. Don’t forget that the Cavs also won 50 games this year. This is an achievement in itself. Let’s not forget Lebron’s playoff debut; he only scored a triple double against the Wizards. This is exactly why the playoffs have to count toward the MVP voting, because the playoffs are where legends are made.

Don’t get me wrong, Nash is a nice player who had a nice season. But aren’t MVPs supposed to be spectacular players who have spectacular seasons. Before you answer that question, answer this one. If you take Kobe away from the Lakers and Nash away from the Suns, which team suffers more? The answer to that is your 2006 MVP. I’ll give you a little hint. It’s not Steve Nash.

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WagerWeb.com Contributing Writer

Both the NBA and the NHL close out the first round of their playoffs. In baseball, you’ve got the Orioles and the Blue Jays, matching up in what has to be one of the biggest questions of the baseball season. One of these teams might hang on to challenge the Yankees and Red Sox, but probably not both, making this early season tilt a little more interesting.

*All times Eastern.

Monday, May 1

NFL Europe, Berlin at Rhein (3 p.m., NFL Network)

Stop arguing about who your team drafted and check in on the sport’s minor league with this mid-afternoon match-up. Though NFL Europe might not get the attention of its big brother, the league offers a good chance to figure out which back-up players might break through come the fall.

Tuesday, May 2

Yankees at Red Sox (7:05 p.m., DirecTV, regional)

Every Yankees versus Red Sox match-up gets covered like a playoff game in Boston and New York, so expect tempers to flare in this tilt. The Sox have had the early season advantage, but that’s nothing new, as the Sox always have a division lead in the Summer – the question is whether they can hold it in the Fall.

Wednesday, May 3

Boxing (9 p.m. ESPN2)

Sharmba Mitchell takes on Jose Luis Cruz in a 10-round welterweight tilt. Cruz plays the role of the fighter on the way up, taking on former two-time champion Mitchell, who wants one more shot at the gold. Mitchell was knocked out in the sixth round in his last fight, but that was against Floyd Mayweather – one of the best in the division – so he’s aiming to prove that was a fluke and knock Cruz off the ladder of contention.

Thursday, May 4

Wachovia Open (4 p.m., USA)

A Tiger-less field should leave this one pretty wide open. Vijay Singh attempts to repeat as champion, a title he took last year in a three-way playoff with Sergio Garcia and Jim Furyk.

Friday, May 5

College Volleyball (Midnight, ESPN2)

Catch the men’s semifinal of the NCAA men’s volleyball tournament. This might be your last chance to see some of your favorite players before they turn pro and head out on the lucrative men’s volleyball tour.

Saturday, May 6

Kentucky Derby (6 p.m., NBC)

Horse racing only matters three times a year to the average fan, but the Kentucky captures the best of the sport. Because it’s the first Triple Crown race, every Derby winner stands the chance of being the first horse to bring home racing’s most elusive prize since Affirmed in 1978.

Sunday, May 7

Premier League Soccer (5 p.m., FOXESP)

Two of the big powers in the Premiership face off as Newcastle battles Chelsea in an attempt to cut into Chelsea’s overall lead in the standings. Chelsea did just fall in the FA Cup semifinal, but their big lead in the regular season standings makes clinching the title almost inevitable.

Daniel Kline’s book “50 Things Every Guy Should Know How To Do” is available in bookstores nationwide. He can be reached at dan@notastep.com.

Maybe he meant to say the San Antonio Spurs.

After a blowout victory in the opener, San Antonio seeks a 2-0 lead over a Kings team that will be without Artest when the teams meet at the AT&T Center on Tuesday.

Artest was suspended one game by the NBA on Monday for hitting Spurs guard Manu Ginobili in the head with his forearm in the Kings' 122-88 loss in the series opener Saturday. The loss was Sacramento's worst in the playoffs in team history, and aggravated the volatile Artest in the process.

Artest, whose list of career suspensions includes the longest in NBA history at 73 games for his role in the 2004 brawl in Detroit, may have been retaliating for an elbow to the mouth he took from Ginobili on the game's opening possession Saturday.

The cut inside Artest's upper lip required three stitches and seemed to alter his usually tenacious play on the defensive end. He finished with 16 points on 7-of-21 shooting and two rebounds.

Tony Parker and the rest of the Spurs took full advantage, as Parker scored 23 of his 25 points in an overpowering first half to help San Antonio to a 73-39 lead at intermission.

The Spurs, NBA Finals winners in 1999, 2003 and 2005, have become the NBA's most efficient franchise. Built around star Tim Duncan, they have an incredible set of complementary players. They won't overwhelm you, but they will beat you.

"San Antonio's a team that, when everybody plays thinks 'Well, we should have beat them,'" said former NBA head coach Kevin Loughery. "They play such a grind-out game. They don't allow second shots. Their team defense is outstanding. But also as individual defenders, they are outstanding. (Tony) Parker's good, (Manu) Ginobili's good, (Bruce) Bowen's all-league, (Tim) Duncan's all-league. They control the clock; they're deep on the bench."

If the Spurs have an Achilles ‘heel, it's their free throw shooting. Other than steals, free throw shooting is the only major statistical category that they trail their opponents in. Tim Duncan (.629) routinely gets to the line, especially in crucial fourth quarter situations, but can hurt his team with his inconsistency.

Sportsbook odds have San Antonio as the series favorite, but the Kings will show what they can really do and why they are in the post-season. The turning point in what seemed like a lost season came with a Jan. 25 trade that sent Peja Stojakovic to the Pacers in exchange for defensive-stopper Ron Artest. Almost instantly, the identity of the then 18-24 Kings changed.

Sacramento went from allowing opponents 100.2 points per game prior to the deal to limiting teams to 94.0 points per game in their last 39 games. Before Artest, the Kings allowed opponents to shoot .461 from the field. After Artest, the Kings defense has improved to a stingy .444.

"They added a player in the mix that's everything Sacramento wasn't when we played them in the playoffs," the Lakers' Kobe Bryant told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel after a recent Lakers loss to the Kings. "The guy plays defense first, and now Sacramento has become much more aggressive on defense."

It just won't be a perfect creation.

The playoff-bound Chicago Bulls saw to that Monday night by overcoming what had been a 16-point deficit early in the third quarter and defeating the Magic 116-112 in overtime in the final game of the season at the TD Waterhouse Centre.

The Magic, who were eliminated from postseason contention Sunday when the Bulls won at Miami, seemed well on their way to tying the franchise record of nine wins in a row and posting their 13th consecutive victory at home. But the Bulls rallied to register their ninth victory in 10 games since losing at home to the Magic three weeks ago.

"They deserved the win," Magic coach Brian Hill said after his team's first loss at home since an 89-84 setback to the Houston Rockets on Feb. 26. "They played hard. They made big shots when they needed them. And it probably wasn't one of our better offensive efforts from the standpoint of getting real good ball movement and taking care of the basketball."

The Spurs took a 19-point lead into the fourth quarter and led by as many as 36 points, allowing basketball team San Antonio to rest its starters as the playoffs draw near.

Deron Williams with 18 points led the scoring for Utah, which has lost two straight games.

In Orlando, Florida, Kirk Hinrich's 26 points, including eight in overtime, helped the Chicago Bulls edge the Magic, 116-112, and extended their wining streak to five.

The Bulls are now tied for sixth place with the Milwaukee Bucks and the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference. Chicago hosts Toronto on Wednesday in its regular-season finale.

At Milwaukee, the Bucks beat the Detroit Pistons, 113-93. The victory gave the Bucks a shot at the fifth seed in their regular-season finale at Washington later Tuesday.