- Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News: "When the team was in the locker room before the game, there was nothing on the board. No matchup details. No scouting about Phoenix's best plays. Just words from the coach about how much fight the Mavericks have left in them. Clearly, they responded. They outworked Phoenix, which is basically dead in the playoff race even if its magic number for elimination is one. Rick Carlisle got the best out of the Mavericks when they needed it. Now comes the hard part -- doing it again and again. If you've been watching the last six months, you've noticed that's not easy for this team."
- Bob Finnan of The News-Herald: "Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson attended Sunday's game. LeBron James was excited about the presence of the only player in league history to average a triple-double for an entire season. 'Any time a legend comes to see our team play, someone like Oscar who laid down the foundation and is arguably the greatest player to ever play this game, it's an honor,' James said. James said he doesn't pay much attention to triple-doubles. 'I don't deal with individual statistics,' James said. 'I try to win games and do whatever needs to be done --- rebounding, assists or scoring. That's what I do.'"
- Sekou Smith of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: "If this is some sort of sick belated April Fools' prank Hawks, it's not funny. Three straight losses, now? I know, it was three straight to playoff bound teams playing at a much higher level than the Hawks could as presently constituted (despite all the chatter to the contrary a healthy Marvin Williams would help). But not now. Not with everything (namely the fourth spot and the home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs that come with it) on the line. It's one of the more deflating stretches I've seen out of these Hawks this season. And there have been others. Check the standings, though, and you'll realize that now is hardly the time to start a tailspin. Not even a glorious late Sunday morning brunch with the fam and neighbors at Highland Bakery could erase the stain of what I've seen from these Hawks the past week."
- Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald: "There still are some issues that make him apprehensive, but it's pretty much official. Danny Ainge has a man crush. 'I love our team,' said the Celtics 'president of a team that is managing to hold on to the second seed in the Eastern Conference despite significant injuries. 'I mean, there are all sorts of question marks as far as health and what's going to happen. Those are always the variables and the uncertainties with every team. But I really like our team. When we're healthy and we're playing, I love what we can be. Ainge remains confident that Kevin Garnett's sore right knee will be better by the postseason, which is important because top conference foes Cleveland and Orlando have improved this year. 'Absolutely they're better,' Ainge said, 'but I think we're better, too. I definitely think we're better. If we're healthy, I think we're significantly better.'"
- Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel: "I wrote a column in Sunday's Orlando Sentinel about how the NBA is a better game than college basketball and, good grief, you'd have thought I'd written a column calling for the abolishment of Girl Scout cookies. The emails flooded in from sports fans who vehemently disagreed with me, telling me essentially that NBA players don't care whether they win or lose because they make too much money. In most cases, I don't believe this to be true, but there are certainly some glaring recent examples of multi-millionaire superstars (see Tracy McGrady and Allen Iverson) who have caused controversy by packing in the season due to mysterious medical ailments. It is clear to me after reading my emails following the 'NBA is better than college basketball' column that the NBA still has a huge image problem in this country. Even though most of the league's superstars -- guys like LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard -- are dedicated, hard-working athletes, the league still has a reputation as a haven for lazy, spoiled prima donnas. For crying out loud, the juiced-up performers in Wrestlemania 25 have a better reputation than most NBA players."
- Chris Dempsey of The Denver Post: "My guess is Allen Iverson doesn't retire. No athlete wants their exit dictated to them, and Iverson's ailing back and hard-line stance against being a reserve have forced Detroit to shut him down for the remainder of the season. But he has a lot to give to the league that has given so much to him, and I hope he sees past this episode enough to take it. He could teach a nine-week course to younger players on how a professional carries himself in the league, how to overcome off-court mistakes and thrive; how to play hard every night – even if he didn't always like practice. And at the very least, doesn't he deserve one more league-wide ovation? One last time for the fans that so adore him to show their appreciation? He does. And he'll get it. He always got as many or more cheers in every opposing arena than the home team's players. And that, my friends, is telling. He can leave in style. Here's hoping he lets the sands slip through the hourglass with grace."
- Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer: "To the generation who grew up on Spike Lee's Nike commercials, it must be the shoes. No, Phil Jackson describes, it was the hands. No, James Worthy adds, it was the drive. It was all of the above, making Michael Jordan the transcendent basketball player of this, and possibly any, generation. Jordan is expected to be named today as a first-ballot inductee into the Basketball Hall of Fame. Jordan was exceedingly athletic. Others were just as athletic. Jordan was highly skilled. Others, just as skilled. The difference between all the Reggie Millers and Clyde Drexlers, and the guy who won six NBA titles with the Chicago Bulls, two Olympic gold medals with Team USA and the 1982 NCAA title with North Carolina, is a seemingly unbreakable sense of drive and confidence."
- Michael Lee of The Washington Post: "Brendan Haywood's return never carried the same 'will he/won't he' mystery as Gilbert Arenas's, and it was much more understated. Instead of an announcement to a reporter via text message, Haywood had a quiet, hotel room conversation in Memphis with Wizards interim coach Ed Tapscott -- which Tapscott initially interpreted as an April Fools' Day joke. But in his first three games of the season, Haywood has given his team a reminder of what's been missing all season, averaging 10.7 points, 8 rebounds, 1.3 blocks with two double-doubles. 'I can't tell you how much more competent we feel when he's on the floor,' Tapscott said of Haywood. ... Ha
ywood said the Wizards should easily take any position from fifth and above next season. 'For us, it comes down to health. It always has,' Haywood said. 'It's never been a question, 'Can we play?' It's, 'Can we play healthy?' If Gilbert Arenas is healthy, I think we can go out there and compete with anyone in the league. He's not even at full speed and he's getting double-digit assists every night.'" - Mike Wells of The Indianapolis Star: "Is the league's Most Improved Player award next for Indiana Pacers forward Danny Granger? A case could be made for the Pacers' $60 million player. 'I should be in the running, but I'm sure I'll get looked over,' Granger said. 'They'll probably give it to somebody else.' The Pacers media relations staff plans to help Granger win the award. The Pacers plan to send a letter from team president Larry Bird to media members who vote for the award explaining why Granger should be considered."
- Shannon Ryan of the Chicago Tribune: "Tyler Hansbrough's phone won't stop ringing. But he sure wishes it would. The North Carolina senior said he has received so many prank phone calls that he has changed his cell phone number at least five times. Hansbrough doesn't understand it. 'Some people need better things to do than call a college kid at 2 or 3 in the morning,' he said. Hansbrough said it is 'just part of the game' and it doesn't bother him. But Hansbrough knows he's targeted by fans, those who love him and those who don't. ... 'People will say I'm overrated whether I win or not,' he said."
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