Good morning, maybe DeJuan Blair will kick Donald Sterling in the head
We may have that mixed up. Here’s Tuesday’s NBA newsletter!
Good morning, let’s basketball. Hold up, no. Let’s chihuahua.
IMPORTANT: Forget the playoffs: the Mavericks found the most talented dog of the American South. Genuflect, if you please.
Okay, now let’s basketball.
WE’RE DONE HERE: Miami buried Rufus. Charlotte got swept 4-0; when the franchise reappears in a few months, the Bobcats will be the dead. Long live the Hornets! Free Hugo!
But hey, Kemba Walker got some experience and a sweet highlight out of all of this.
REPEAT AVOIDED: The end of Game 4 for Dallas and San Antonio was strikingly similar to the end of Game 3. But in this one, the Mavericks couldn’t get the magical make in the closing seconds. And so the Spurs held on to even the series after a grueling defensive battle that saw Dallas score just 36 in the first half. Series is tied 2-2.
EVEN THE HAWKS: Atlanta led 61-40 at halftime and held on to win 107-97. Roy Hibbert had 0 points, 0 rebounds and four fouls in 12 minutes. WHAT THE EVERLASTING HECK? Not even Chris Copeland could save Indy. Not even Chris Copeland.
Larry Bird has moved on from disbelieving angst to simmering ennui. A fan sitting near an NBA TV microphone was a bit more vociferous in his criticism as the Hawks ran up the lead.
TONIGHT: The thing about all these extended series is that it means there’s still three games like every night.
Wizards at Bulls, 8 p.m. ET, TNT | Washington leads 3-1
Grizzlies at Thunder, 9 p.m. ET, NBA TV (!) | Series tied 2-2
Warriors at Clippers*, 10:30 p.m. ET, TNT | Series tied 2-2
* Maybe. See below.
Things should come to a head on the Donald Sterling today. Adam Silver will speak to the media at 2 p.m. ET, apparently to reveal that yes, the voice on the tape is Sterling. He’s also expected to levy his punishment.
Kevin Johnson, representing the players’ union, is scheduled to address the media at 3 p.m. Late Monday he laid out what appear to the union’s demands for the punishment of Sterling: suspension, massive fine and turn the operations of the team over to a family member or member of the executive team.
After those pressers wrap up, all eyes will be on 1) the Clippers players, who have reportedly been considering a louder form of protest and 2) the crowd. Mark Jackson on Monday said fans shouldn’t show up to the game in order to protest Sterling; Doc Rivers disagreed and encouraged them to support the players. I suspect the latter will happen, though they may all be wearing black.
Rockets owner Leslie Alexander talked about swords and making all of the Clippers free agents to get Sterling to sell. I’m with Les.
Okay, let’s basketball some more.
1.7 SECONDS OF VINSANITY: Brilliant breakdown of Vince Carter’s winning Game 4 shot by Mavs Moneyball’s Tim Cato.
IF KEVIN HARLAN WANTS TO DESTROY MY SWEATER: Kevin Harlan rags on an unwitting Portlander for his satorial choice.
STRAIGHT OUTTA HOGWARTS: Mike Prada on the awesome young Wizards leading Washington in the playoffs.
SPEAKING OF KG: I hope he gets Drake back for this one.
RUNNING ON FUMES: Dane Carbaugh from Portland on the exhausting nature of Rockets-Blazers.
REMEMBERING DR. JACK: Dave Deckard on Jack Ramsay’s Portland legacy. Ramsay died at age 89 on Sunday. Voodoo Doughnut also memorialized him, because of course. And here’s a young Erik Spoelstra with the good doc.
AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT: The New Yorker goes long on the search for and capture of El Chapo. Thrilling reading.
Happy Tuesday. See you next time.
