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HoopIdea wants to #StopTheFlop. To spotlight the biggest fakers, we present Flop of the Night. You can help us separate the pretenders from the defenders -- details below:

Mario Chalmers, who made three of four 3-pointers in Game 6, is becoming the Miami Heat's version of Lakers championship era Derek Fisher. Disruptive defense, spot up shooting ... and, of course, flopping. Chalmers has even mastered Fisher's ability to draw fouls by driving headlong into traffic and tossing the ball toward the basket.

Last night, he drew an offensive foul (video) on a moving screen from Roy Hibbert with Fisher's typical flair for the dramatic.

Working the play-by-play, ESPN's Mike Breen points out that the referee on the scene got the call right, but Jeff Van Gundy was still annoyed by Chalmers' act and suggested a flopping rule similar to the NHL's restriction on "Embellishment":

Breen: Well, Hibbert was clearly moving. You can say that he flopped, but that’s a foul.

Jeff Van Gundy: You see that’s where my flop rule will come into play. If you flop, even if you were fouled -- which he was -- you’re not gettin’ it!

Maybe Chalmers would "get it" in Jeff Van Gundy's world, but his theatrical reaction and the discussion it sparked was enough for him to get our Flop of the Night.

When you see an egregious flop that deserves proper recognition, send us a link to the video so we can consider it for Flop of the Night. Here's how to make your submission:

• Alert HoopIdea to super flops with the Twitter hashtag #FlopOfTheNight (follow us on Twitter here).
• Use the #FlopOfTheNight hashtag in Daily Dime Live.
• E-mail us at hoopidea@gmail.com

HoopIdea wants to #StopTheFlop. To spotlight the biggest fakers, we present Flop of the Night. You can help us separate the pretenders from the defenders -- details below:

Paul Pierce is one of the most expressive players in the NBA. Whether he's yelling as he yanks down a rebound or making this face on a drive to the hoop, Pierce has a way of making it so even the fans in the nosebleeds can feel his pain.

Sometimes, it seems as though Pierce has built ways to embellish contact into the fabric of his game. Here he draws an and-one foul on a jumpshot over Evan Turner (Video). A close-up replay shows Turner isn't even touching him. But from the wide angle view (and the view of the official), thanks to wiggling extremities, it looks like Pierce is taking a punch to the gut as he releases the shot.

Perhaps that herky-jerky style that so flummoxes defenders can have the same effect on the officials.

Twitter also spotted another potential Flop of the Night from Pierce in Game 6, so we might as well show you that one too.

Watch Pierce's legs (Video) go limp during this blocking foul on Lavoy Allen. The bump is there, but it's almost entirely incidental. Still, Pierce's legs buckle like ancient pillars in an catastrophic earthquake.

Also worth noting: Ryan Hollins and Rajon Rondo's smiles as they pick Pierce back up.

Even without the acting, Pierce would likely have gotten this call, so it doesn't win Flop of the Night. But it does merit recognition and the attention of aspiring thespians everywhere.

When you see an egregious flop that deserves proper recognition, send us a link to the video so we can consider it for Flop of the Night. Here's how to make your submission:

• Alert HoopIdea to super flops with the Twitter hashtag #FlopOfTheNight (follow us on Twitter here).
• Use the #FlopOfTheNight hashtag in Daily Dime Live.
• E-mail us at hoopidea@gmail.com

HoopIdea wants to #StopTheFlop. To spotlight the biggest fakers, we present Flop of the Night. You can help us separate the pretenders from the defenders -- details below:

On this edition of Flop of the Night we go back to Friday and Game 3 of Lakers-Thunder to give James Harden special recognition for this improbable flop of Lakers guard Steve Blake (video).

Here's what flopping expert Shane Battier said about noted Luis Scola: “The more hair you have, the better. My boy Luis Scola, he’s got that long hair and when it gets sweaty and he starts flopping and flailing, it looks like he’s getting murdered out there.”

New theory: James Harden’s enormous beard acts in much the same way.

Harden has a history of playoff flops -- this one against the Dallas Mavericks had Jeff Van Gundy and Mike Breen chuckling -- but the audacity of this acting job is truly admirable.

Midway through the fourth quarter, Blake finds himself trailing Harden around a ball screen. That's where Harden wants to keep Blake, so he blatantly hooks him with his off arm to prevent Blake from getting back in good defensive position.

Then, perhaps sensing that foul is about be called on him, Harden suddenly lurches forward and throws his arms -- and beard -- in the air, while Blake remains absolutely stationary. What's so amazing is that usually a flop comes in reaction to something the other player does, whether or not the contact is genuine. But here, Blake is just a prop in Harden’s performance.

It’s worth noting that the referee who made the call had a terrible angle on what actually happened. He just saw Harden’s reaction and gave him the benefit of the doubt. This is exactly the kind of flop that an instant remote review system could set straight in a matter of moments.

When you see an egregious flop that deserves proper recognition, send us a link to the video so we can consider it for Flop of the Night. Here's how to make your submission:

• Alert HoopIdea to super flops with the Twitter hashtag #FlopOfTheNight (follow us on Twitter here).
• Use the #FlopOfTheNight hashtag in Daily Dime Live.
• E-mail us at hoopidea@gmail.com

HoopIdea wants to #StopTheFlop. To spotlight the biggest fakers, we present Flop of the Night. You can help us separate the pretenders from the defenders -- details below:

It was a rough night of flopping for Manu Ginobili. First, he was unable to inspire the referees to tweet -- though Twitter was noisy enough -- when he flailed on a first quarter 3-point attempt (Video).

It was the type of call Ginobili is famous for getting -- which might be why he couldn't sell it this time. As Eric Bledsoe reached in, Ginobili ripped the ball to his shot pocket and struck a distorted pose, like he wanted to shoot the ball but forgot how.

The officials' response: Silence.

Later in the game, Ginobili was even burned by one of his old tricks (Video) when Caron Butler drew a charge by stepping into Manu's path as he released a kickout pass. This sneaky play -- where the defender takes the charge after the driving player has already passed off -- is a pet peeve of many fans and has even shown up in a HoopIdea Five for Friday care of @ShotDrJr.

By the time Manu makes contact with Butler -- who appears to still be moving when he gets the call -- he has almost entirely stopped his forward momentum. But that doesn't stop Butler from flying backward and earning the call instead of flying out to the 3-point line to close out Kawhi Leonard. And that's your Flop of the Night.

When you see an egregious flop that deserves proper recognition, send us a link to the video so we can consider it for Flop of the Night. Here's how to make your submission:

• Alert HoopIdea to super flops with the Twitter hashtag #FlopOfTheNight (follow us on Twitter here).
• Use the #FlopOfTheNight hashtag in Daily Dime Live.
• E-mail us at hoopidea@gmail.com

HoopIdea wants to #StopTheFlop. To spotlight the biggest fakers, we present Flop of the Night. You can help us separate the pretenders from the defenders -- details below:

Even before the Pacers and Heat took the floor in Game 1 of their second round series, we knew that flopping would be a topic. Indiana head coach Frank Vogel's comments about the Heat's habit of flopping -- and the $15,000 fine that followed -- assured as much.

Right on cue, Mike Miller earned his first Flop of The Night by toppling over on the expectation of contact from David West. Watch the video. Miller actually leans into the bump from West -- his plan here is to draw the charge so he needs to ensure at least some contact is made.

The set up is almost as unbelievable as Miller's actual fall, which lasts just under seven seconds. That's an exaggeration, of course, but it's fair to say Miller tips over in slow-motion, rather than falls. Instead of moving his feet to regain his balance, Miller, obviously intent on drawing a call, lets the kind of contact he would normally shrug off knock him to the ground.

Miller's tumble was met with silent whistles.

As Mike Tirico put it while calling the game on ABC, "You could say Frank Vogel's $15,000 paid off, at least for one play."

Runner up: LeBron James takes a shot to the throat, or so it appears.

When you see an egregious flop that deserves proper recognition, send us a link to the video so we can consider it for Flop of the Night. Here's how to make your submission:

• Alert HoopIdea to super flops with the Twitter hashtag #FlopOfTheNight (follow us on Twitter here).
• Use the #FlopOfTheNight hashtag in Daily Dime Live.
• E-mail us at hoopidea@gmail.com

HoopIdea wants to #StopTheFlop. To spotlight the biggest fakers, we present Flop of the Night. You can help us separate the pretenders from the defenders -- details below.

The Mavericks, the oldest team in the league, pulled all the old man maneuvers out of their bag of tricks to keep up with the young and talented Oklahoma City Thunder Thunder on Thursday.

With the season slipping away, Jason Terry had to try something. So as he dribbled the ball across the court, James Harden on his hip, Terry laid down a flop that contains all the classic elements you would expect from such a seasoned veteran.

Note the subtle headwhip, the way he flings out his left arm as though Harden just stuck him with a cattle prod, how he suddenly loses control of his left foot, dragging it behind him as he tumbles to the hardwood.

Was there a trip wire on the court? Did James Harden's beard exerts mystical gravitational forces that caused Terry to lose his balance?

In technique, this actually looks a lot like an egregious soccer flop, or "dive." But there are no yellow cards for simulating a foul in the NBA.

On the contrary, even though watching Harden reveals he couldn't have possibly fouled Terry, the veteran got the call -- even if the Thunder got the game.

When you see an egregious flop that deserves proper recognition, send us a link to the video so we can consider it for Flop of the Night. Here's how to make your submission:

• Alert HoopIdea to super flops with the Twitter hashtag #FlopOfTheNight (follow us on Twitter here).
• Use the #FlopOfTheNight hashtag in Daily Dime Live.
• E-mail us at hoopidea@gmail.com

HoopIdea wants to #StopTheFlop. To spotlight the biggest fakers, we present Flop of the Night. You can help us separate the pretenders from the defenders -- details below.

We're going to single out Chris Paul and Reggie Evans here, but really, today this is a team award. The crowd in Memphis quickly caught on to the Clippers' now notorious reputation for flopping. SI's Chris Mannix captured the mood by tweeting that the Clippers were "flopping all over the place."

Though there are other instances we could mention, let's focus on video of two hysterically unconvincing flops from Paul and Evans, who have each won this award previously.

What's so incredible about these flops is that they occurred on back-to-back plays. So just as the telecast cut back from a replay of Evans flopping to the ground after running into Marc Gasol, we saw Chris Paul on this fastbreak flop, crumpling to the ground in anticipation of contact as Quincy Pondexter completely avoids Paul and dishes to Tony Allen.

It should be noted that O.J. Mayo, who epitomized the Grizzlies' relentless and cagey effort in Game 2, seemed to respond to the Clippers' flopping tactics by flopping right back. By the end of the game, as the Clippers pressured the ball all over the court in a desperate attempt to create turnovers, Mayo and Mike Conley were giving as good as they got.

Thankfully, the referees let 'em play a bit inside the Grind House. There's no love lost between these two teams, and the combination of bruising play and frequent flopping makes the officials' jobs all the more difficult.

When you see an egregious flop that deserves proper recognition, send us a link to the video so we can consider it for Flop of the Night. Here's how to make your submission:

• Alert HoopIdea to super flops with the Twitter hashtag #FlopOfTheNight (follow us on Twitter here).
• Use the #FlopOfTheNight hashtag in Daily Dime Live.
• E-mail us at hoopidea@gmail.com

HoopIdea wants to #StopTheFlop. To spotlight the biggest fakers, we present Flop of the Night. You can help us separate the pretenders from the defenders -- details below.

Atlanta's star forward Josh Smith has one of the unique skill sets in the NBA. He dominates the glass and protects the rim like a center and can handle the ball like a point guard.

He's also becoming a champion flopper.

Before hurting his knee (all best wishes for a healthy Josh Smith in Game 3) in Tuesday night's loss to the Boston Celtics, Smith dove like a stuntman as Brandon Bass attempted to box him out.

You have to respect Smith's willingness to go to the ground. He looks like someone who, eager to join a dance circle, starts doing the worm but forgets how it goes halfway to the ground.

Check the slow-motion replay and you'll see Smith using his excellent athleticism not to sky for a rebound, but to buck and actually leap forward and out of bounds. He lands at the referee's feet, and gets the call.

Everyone knows that players flop for charges and on scoring attempts. But there is no time when there's more contact in an NBA game than during the scrums under the rim, which makes it the perfect time to try and sell a flop, as Smith does masterfully on this play.

Keep your eye peeled for more rebound flops as the playoffs go on, we've already had two this week.

And thanks to Michael Pina for pointing this one out!

When you see an egregious flop that deserves proper recognition, send us a link to the video so we can consider it for Flop of the Night. Here's how to make your submission:

• Alert HoopIdea to super flops with the Twitter hashtag #FlopOfTheNight (follow us on Twitter here).
• Use the #FlopOfTheNight hashtag in Daily Dime Live.
• E-mail us at hoopidea@gmail.com

HoopIdea wants to #StopTheFlop. To spotlight the biggest fakers, we present Flop of the Night. You can help us separate the pretenders from the defenders -- details below:

Poor Derek Fisher.

Flopping in the playoffs is supposed to be his thing! But Monday night, Dirk Nowitzki showed Fisher a thing or two by convincing officials that the 6-foot guard actually chucked Dirk out of bounds in pursuit of a fourth quarter rebound.

Here he is pulling the same trick in last year's Finals.

Nowitzki is a master at drawing contact when looking to score and a master of conjuring the appearance of contact when he's going for a rebound.

With just three minutes remaining in Monday night's game, Fisher's foul put Nowitzki on the line for two shots to bring Dallas within one point of the Thunder. Of course, the Thunder went on to prevail thanks to eight straight free throws of their own, but moments like these show how flopping threatens the outcome of important games.

There's very little downside for Dirk to flop in that situation, no negative recourse other than that it might take him out of the play for a moment or two. But if he gets the call and can make the free throws, his team is two points closer to stealing home court advantage. As much as we respect the gamesmanship and skill of a player like Nowitzki, do we really want the most important games of the season decided this way?

When you see an egregious flop that deserves proper recognition, send us a link to the video so we can consider it for Flop of the Night. Here's how to make your submission:

• Alert HoopIdea to super flops with the Twitter hashtag #FlopOfTheNight (follow us on Twitter here).
• Use the #FlopOfTheNight hashtag in Daily Dime Live.
• E-mail us at hoopidea@gmail.com

HoopIdea wants to #StopTheFlop. To spotlight the biggest fakers, we present Flop of the Night. You can help us separate the pretenders from the defenders -- details below:

Well it finally happened. Danny Granger has the honor: He's the first Flop of the Night recipient to cause a classic NBA quasi-brawl.

You could see this one coming. A series of tough calls off the ball had Larry Sanders fuming before Danny Granger finally put him over the edge.

As Sanders chased Roy Hibbert across the paint, Granger slid in to set a cross-screen, which is supposed to be still. On the replay, you can see Granger's is moving into Sanders' path (and it seems like you can hear Sanders yell "he moved!" after the whistle). And when Granger finds contact, he goes down immediately, prompting Sanders' disqualification (it was sixth foul) and, eventually, his ejection.

Does this look like our usual theatrical flops? No, Granger definitely takes some contact. But this one gets the award because it spotlights just how advantageous falling down can be. Granger is out of position the whole way, but because he ends up on his back, he winns a whistle and an ejection.

It's also an important lesson for Sanders, who was doing his best to play tough defense against a bigger opponent: in the NBA, it can be better to flop on contact than it is to fight through it.

For his part, Sanders does seem to understand that it's better to act like you want to fight than actually tangle with David West.

When you see an egregious flop that deserves proper recognition, send us a link to the video so we can consider it for Flop of the Night. Here's how to make your submission:

• Alert HoopIdea to super flops with the Twitter hashtag #FlopOfTheNight (follow us on Twitter here).
• Use the #FlopOfTheNight hashtag in Daily Dime Live.
• E-mail us at hoopidea@gmail.com

HoopIdea wants to #StopTheFlop. To spotlight the biggest fakers, we present Flop of the Night. You can help us separate the pretenders from the defenders -- details below:

Chants of "Beat LA!" careened from the rafters of the Pepsi Center in Denver. A two-point game hung in the balance as two point guards, Chris Paul and Andre Miller, readied themselves for the final minute of action.

What transpired next was one of the great sequences in flop history. An epic flop-off between Paul and Miller the likes of which we may never see again (until the playoffs, at least). It starts with Chris Paul, who was voted Most Floppy Player by the TrueHoop Network. As Paul works off a ball screen, Arron Affalo slides to cut him off, somehow sending Paul flying. Though Paul didn't get the call, he did keep his dribble even as he embraced the floor.

Not to be outdone, and with his Nuggets in desperate need of another possession, Andre Miller went for a classic "stop and flop." Attempting to draw an offensive foul on Paul, Miller acts as though the bit of contact Paul makes with him is equivalent to bring trucked by Adrian Peterson.

Not only did referee Zach Zarba not buy Miller's flop, he then whistled Miller for reaching (from his seat on the hardwood), sending Paul to the line for the game-clinching freethrows.

In an ironic twist, replay suggests Paul was already losing the ball when Miller stuck his arm out, which would have likely given the Nuggets a layup to tie the game.

When you see an egregious flop that deserves proper recognition, send us a link to the video so we can consider it for Flop of the Night. Here's how to make your submission:

• Alert HoopIdea to super flops with the Twitter hashtag #FlopOfTheNight (follow us on Twitter here).
• Use the #FlopOfTheNight hashtag in Daily Dime Live.
• E-mail us at hoopidea@gmail.com

Remember this scene on February 28^th?

The Maloofs and mayor Kevin Johnson had just returned from Orlando, Florida with a newly agreed upon arena deal hammered out. At All-Star Weekend, David Stern and the NBA sat in a room with the owners of the Kings and the Mayor of Sacramento and came to an agreement. The deal allowed the Kings to stay in Sacramento after a year of serious doubt that compromise could ever be in place.

This scene is the opposite of what you saw from Warriors fans during Chris Mullin’s jersey ceremony in which the fans showed their displeasure with the direction of the team and the failed promise of playoffs. This was a city congratulating the owners of their favorite franchise on finally doing what’s right in this situation and keeping the direction of the franchise firmly planted in Sacramento. This was a fan base rejoicing that they wouldn’t be treated like Seattle. They would get to keep the team they love with their own public funds.

They were happy to pay their fair share.

Joe and Gavin Maloof stand at halfcourt, basking in the warm wave of cheers, applause and elation that gently ran from the highest of upper deck seats, down to the floor in which many basketball battles have been fought. Watch the video. Watch them enjoy the moment. Look at them soak up the praise that should have been going to Kevin Johnson, AEG, and David Stern more than it should have reached a family of seemingly incompetent businessmen who tried to weasel their way out of a town that was desperate to keep their business.

“At the end of the day, it’s all about this,” Gavin Maloof exclaimed as he ran his hand under the “Sacramento” on his shirt. “Thank you for all you do. Thank you for the love you’ve shown our family. We still love you, we’ve always loved you, and we always will love you. Thank you!”

Those were the words from a man whose family tried to move the team to Anaheim without many of the team’s employees knowing if they’d have jobs in the next couple of months. Fast forward a month from this celebration of Kings basketball staying in Sacramento, and those awkward words from the Maloof family now look like the same pathetic lies everyone assumes have been spewed during much of the arena process.

This week, the NBA Board of Governors meeting is being held and part of that meeting will be the Maloofs trying to convince the board that the deal they agreed to at All-Star Weekend has major concerns and potential delays that could derail the 2015-16 expected debut of a new downtown arena in Sacramento. And if that happens, they’d like the team to be allowed to move to Anaheim, the place that tried to capitalize on a disorganized and failed money grab of the Kings’ owners less than a year ago.

Here’s the problem with these claimed delays and issues potentially blocking the needed opening of the new arena in Sacramento: it appears that the Maloofs are the ones trying to cause such delays.

Aaron Bruski from Pro Basketball Talk breaks down the current break down in the Maloofs operating on good faith:

The Maloofs’ attorney, Scott Zolke, followed Rose’s statements by issuing a letter to Sacramento assistant city manager John Dangberg, providing specific legal notice to the city about issues the family had with anything and everything. In fact, if you wanted to derail an arena project you would want to start a checklist using the items on that list. From the timing of environmental reviews to the ability of arena opposition groups to delay the process or stop it in its tracks – items that could have been discussed behind closed doors were now floating around in an increasingly hostile public domain.

The city responded to this first initial red flag, explaining to the lawyer that he had compiled information for his complaint from six-month old estimates from the city manager’s office that had since been publicly updated. The 88-page letter went on to address the numerous issues raised by the Maloofs, but made one key point: “It is critical that all parties are pulling in the same direction.”

If it wasn’t clear after Rose’s newspaper run, it became abundantly clear where the Maloofs stood following their April 2 response to the 88-page letter, when they admonished the city for not responding to its concerns over an arena opposition group.

During the lockout, there was an issue of both parties not operating in “good faith.” The owners seemed to fire at the Players’ Union that they weren’t willing to deal in good faith and it was causing the negotiation process to never get off the ground. The Union felt it was the NBA who was in fact not operating in good faith. It was basically a he said, he said kind of circular argument that got nowhere.

If you wanted an example of not operating in good faith then look no further than what the Maloofs are doing here. I get the motivation. Sacramento is a very small market, especially when lined up side-by-side with the city of Anaheim. The television contract alone would help the Maloofs recover the assumed loss of wealth from their alleged failed business ventures over the past few years.

When you’re bad at business, you need to find a way to get good at it and improving the market in which your business is based is a good way to start. The problem is they’re trying to move into a market that doesn’t really need a third team. Most major markets don’t even have two teams, let alone a third.

The Maloofs are saturated in bad faith dealings right now because just a month and a half ago, they emerged from the negotiations with the NBA and Kevin Johnson saying that this was a “fair deal.” Now, they appear to be looking to get any little loophole they can find to weasel out of a handshake deal that gave the Maloofs a chance to repair what their word means to the public and the consumer.

Kevin Johnson has always been good at what he does. He was an excellent NBA player who climbed mountaintops on the hardwood floor to provide legendary highlights and probably would have made the Basketball Hall of Fame if injuries didn’t derail his career. He’s also been a very good mayor in Sacramento, succeeding in areas that most figured he never could – like building a downtown arena.

To beat Kevin Johnson at something, you have to be at the top of your game. That’s how it’s been his entire life. He’s just often better than the people he faces off against. The Maloofs are not at the top of their game, especially when it comes to the dealings with this team. They helped build a franchise up and then through horrendous decisions and a lack of savvy in their field, they let it crumble down.

Mayor Johnson is not taking to the poor business and unethical tactics the Maloofs are employing right now. He’s fired back to their concerns and scheming as they try to plead with the Board of Governors to ignore the facts and just give them what they want with a letter to the family, explaining the city’s position. You can read the entire letter at Sactown Royalty, but here is a long excerpt that is essential to understanding what is going on right now:

Third, and most critically, under no circumstances will the City make material adjustments to the current terms of the deal. Put simply, we have done our part.

We are 100% committed to moving forward under the framework laid out in the term sheet.

And there should be no expectation in tomorrow’s conversation that this deal is subject to further negotiation.

In light of these facts, the ball is in your court.

Our community stands ready to support the Kings and do our part to bring a state-of-the-art entertainment and sports complex to our downtown.

We look forward to the thousands of jobs, millions in new visitors, and billions in new revenues such a facility promises for our community.

We take you at your word that you are committed to Sacramento as you've said repeatedly in recent weeks.

The best - and only - way to demonstrate that commitment is to honor the "fair deal" as all other parties have done. Your handshake is your handshake. Your promise is your promise.

Given all that the people of Sacramento have endured and achieved on your behalf, we deserve nothing less than a partner who will work with the city in good faith and as a true partner.

It’s now seemingly up to David Stern to keep firm on his work from All-Star Weekend. That weekend they came to an agreement that was suitable for every side involved. Now the Maloofs are claiming it’s not good enough and essentially that what Stern has done for them isn’t acceptable moving forward. I would like nothing more than for Stern to either convince the Maloofs that this deal is going to move forward as agreed upon or figure out how to get an ownership group that knows how to run a business, especially in good faith, to purchase the franchise.

The Maloofs’ proclaimed “fair deal” is now in question for no reason at all. Once again, their word appears to have no value in any form and their handshake is nothing more than the cold, clammy embrace of lying and bad faith. Mayor Johnson is going to meet with the Maloofs and the NBA once again, to figure out how to make this situation work.

It’s time for David Stern to put his foot down and show that a handshake is actually worth some good faith. After all, it’s all about Sacramento at the end of the day. The Maloofs said so themselves.

• You might remember yesterday that John Hollinger (Insider) was discussing Tyson Chandler as a potential Defensive Player of the Year winner. Over at Hardwood Paroxysm, Steve Von Horn did some digging into just how good Tyson Chandler is and how much he means to the Knicks. This may surprise you but it starts with defense.
• USA Today has a fascinating account about the Gilbert Arenas gun incident that happened in the Wizards' locker room. The account comes from Gilbert Arenas himself, so it should be a pretty credible source. He's opening up about the entire incident.
• Steve Nash, Jason Kidd and Andre Miller probably don't have a lot of time left in this league. They're the veteran distributors in this league that excel at getting the ball to their teammates in spots that simply the scoring process. Brett Koremenos at NBA Playbook has a fantastic breakdown of how Rajon Rondo will be able to keep the demise of the distributor from growing.
• There are few blogs that do a post-game recap quite like Seth Rosenthal at Posting and Toasting. I recommend reading every single one of them.
• I'm not sure how worried you were about Kobe Bryant being amnestied but you definitely don't have to worry anymore.
• Ryan Weisert has a smart correlation between the decline of the traditional NBA center and the downfall of the modern rock star. Including this comparions: "Hakeem Olajuwon/Roger Daltry - Both are underrated/overlooked because of the quality of their competition. Both were undeniably talented and had great longevity. Both are still contributing in their respective fields today. Hakeem is the must-see guy for any NBA player looking to develop a post game. Roger Daltry and the Who still tour and play the intro to all the CSI’s."
• I bet you didn't think there were three positive things about New Jersey Nets basketball. Well... you're probably right. But Devin Kharpertian is trying to find some positives.
• Ian Levy at Hickory High looks into the value of clutch within a team concept. Pretty interesting finds that the first three quarters of a basketball game appear to be determined by your overall talent and skill, but the fourth quarter seems to be a chance out-perform your level of talent. If one guy is taking over at the end of games and succeeding, it's possible that he's not just carrying his own talent through the experience. He may be carrying his entire team's talent. Maybe a player really is putting the entire team on his back?
• Not basketball related but I am crushed that the existence of the Brontosauras appears to be a farce.
• Boston and Atlanta are both good at defending the pick-and-roll and Orlando runs A LOT of pick-and-roll plays. But there is a weakness in Atlanta's PnR defense that Boston doesn't seem to have. According to Nate Drexler, it's a big reason why Orlando would much rather face Atlanta in the first round.
• Remember when Ricky Rubio and Jeremy Lin were the talk of the town? Steve McPherson and Netw3rk (everybody's favorite tweeter) talk about the rise and fall of both players.
• The meaningful minutes for young players in Utah are helping to accelerate the learning process.
• And FYI: HoopSpeak Live will have Sports Illustrated's Lee Jenkins and Ball Don't Lie's Dan Devine on today at 3pm ET. Come check out the show.

HoopIdea wants to #StopTheFlop. To spotlight the biggest fakers, we present Flop of the Night. You can help us separate the pretenders from the defenders -- details below:

Congratulations to or first repeat winner (or is it repeat offender?)!

There's no question Griffin's exciting, attacking style earns him plenty of legitimate bumps and bruises. But he's also earned his reputations for acting. Here he flops after hitting himself in the face following Chris Paul's game-winning layup.

This reverse angle is just the best because you can see that after untangling himself from Kendrick Perkins and managing to whack himself in the forehead, Griffin actually leaves his feet to sell this flop.

It's sort of genius. The officials always keep an eye on noted tough guy Kendrick Perkins, and if Griffin can embellish the contact enough to draw a foul in that situation, he gives his team the chance to go up by two possessions with under ten seconds to play.

Fortunately for everyone, that's not how the game was decided.

Nice work by ESPN's Arash Markazi to spot it!

When you see an egregious flop that deserves proper recognition, send us a link to the video so we can consider it for Flop of the Night. Here's how to make your submission:

• Alert HoopIdea to super flops with the Twitter hashtag #FlopOfTheNight (follow us on Twitter here).
• Use the #FlopOfTheNight hashtag in Daily Dime Live.
• E-mail us at hoopidea@gmail.com