- Kevin Ding of The Orange County Register: "If Jerry Buss isn't here -- and daughter Jeanie, an increasingly prominent face for the organization, isn't scheduled to come either -- who accepts the Larry O'Brien Trophy? But easily superseding Buss not being here is the fact his team is here for perhaps an entire week beginning with Game 3 of the NBA Finals tonight … and feeling quite good despite landing in a torrential downpour Monday. They have two good reasons: 1. It's 2-0, Lakers. 2. The Lakers are a great road team. One of the NBA's best ever. The Lakers became the first team in league history to snap two other teams' streaks of at least 12 consecutive home victories in the same season by winning regular-season games in Cleveland (23-gamer ended in February) and Houston (12-gamer ended in March). The Lakers added to that in the postseason by winning in Denver, brushing aside the Nuggets' 16-game home winning streak that dated to the regular season. So it would be fitting for the Lakers to be crowned away from their home court. It's understandable that fans back home would prefer to be a part of it, but anyone who has seen these celebrations first-hand a few times can appreciate how meaningful it is for a small group of guys to win a championship on the road."
- Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel: "The Orlando Magic are back at the only place they finally might find order and comfort, playing the first NBA Finals at Amway Arena since 1995, roughly the time 16-year-old Kobe Bryant permanently applied his game face. The Magic know this is surely a special occasion for revelers, but unfortunately, survival trumps sentiment tonight. They've no doubt been followed to Orlando from Los Angeles by the Lakers, who are here to provide all the discomforts of home. Watching the Lakers celebrate a 15th title this week, rolling around on Orlando's parquet, certainly would be the most awkward moment in a series of awkward moments for the Magic. The Lakers haven't allowed the Magic to be the Magic much at all in taking a 2-0 lead. They've had them on the run since this whole thing started, creating chaos. The Magic have been scrambling to find other ways to play, and with other players playing different positions, causing realignment of X's as well as O's. Hard to play the NBA Finals on the fly, but it's reality."
- Bruce Arthur of the National Post: "It's really not very complicated. It's not that the Magic are missing too many threes -- they are at .340 for the first two games, versus .364 in the post-season as a whole. They just need somebody -- Pietrus, Alston, Nelson, anybody -- to make shots. It's a collective confidence thing, maybe. It's the defence, perhaps. Whatever the reason, it's what will or will not make this a series. Orlando defended better in Game 2, ran a cleaner version of its offence, made shots when they had to, and generally had a very good chance to make this a series. And they still do. All season, the Magic have won games by hanging around, and then unleashing a three-point-fueled barrage to tip the game. Maybe when they get home, the shots will start to fall."
- Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-sentinel: "Pat Williams still remembers what it was like three years ago, when the Heat owned Florida and had Orlando in a state of despair. 'No,' the Magic senior vice president said, 'there was no one up here rooting for Miami. There was none of that. We were sitting here going, 'Dallas, what are you doing? How in the world did you screw this up? You had this thing won.' ' Instead, the Heat rallied from an 0-2 deficit in the 2006 NBA Finals against the Mavericks to win the race for the state's first NBA championship. Now, the Magic finds itself in a similar position, down 0-2 to the Lakers in the 2009 NBA Finals, as the best-of-seven series shifts Tuesday night to Central Florida and Amway Arena. 'I'm sure there are not more than three Heat fans in Orlando, and we're still trying to get them to leave,' Williams cracked. 'You think we were rooting for Miami? Do you think Florida State fans are rejoicing that the Gators got to the football championship game?' Point taken. The question now is whether Orlando has seized control of the state's NBA fortunes and future."
- Peter Vecsey of the New York Post: "A fairly smooth rotation of Rafer Alston and Anthony Johnson in three victorious rounds abruptly became an impaired mutation the moment Jameer Nelson, sidelined since mid-February due to right shoulder surgery, became Brick to My Lou's understudy. Supposedly this was not a rushed decision. Supposedly Stan Van Gundy actually consulted with his suave staff and other trusted court connoisseurs before determining it'd be a swell idea to conduct an experiment in the championship chamber to find out whether Nelson can compete after not playing a lick in any of the previous three series. Just what the Lakers needed, another distinct advantage beside home court, head coach and experience at every position exempting center where Raggedy Andy Bynum (has he ever committed a smart foul?) repeatedly gives L.A. a battery boost each time he's obliged to squat."
- Jerry Zgoda of the Minneapolis Star Tribune: "Here's my take on the situation, and it's only my opinion based on my instincts and nothing else: I considered the first two meetings a courtesy call by David Kahn. I presumed Kahn doesn't want to be seen as the guy who summarily dismissed a Minnesota basketball playing legend and the guy who led the Wolves basketball operations for 14 years. When it went to Monday's third meeting, I started to have my doubts and thought Kevin McHale will return -- and he still certainly might -- but I'll stick to my initial instincts: I just can't see a guy hired to lead the franchise anew with fresh eyes taking on a fellow who casts such a long shadow in the organization, who is used to picking up the telephone and calling owner Glen Taylor anytime he wants something done. If Kahn is going to remake the franchise, you'd think he'd want to start with his own stamp on the organization by picking his own coach. If McHale does not return, then who will coach the Wolves? Well, Sam Mitchell certainly is a possibility. Avery Johnson or Jeff Van Gundy perhaps could be convinced to come back to coaching, but it'd take some persuasion and a lot of money. Boston assistant Tom Thibodeau, a Wolves assistant so long ago, is perhaps the league's top assistant coach candidate."
- Ross Siler of The Salt Lake Tribune: "He's only 22, but Kyrylo Fesenko's time in Utah has been characterized by ups and downs. He showed up with blond hair to the Rocky Mountain Revue last July and struggled on the court in the summer league. He found structure off the court with the help of Russ and Terri Ridge, who started out as Fesenko
9;s drivers but stepped in almost as surrogate parents. Fesenko had a handful of impressive games, including a 12-point, 11-rebound effort against Houston on Dec. 27. According to a league source, though, Fesenko's exit interview with the Jazz did not go well. He apparently was asked by general manager Kevin O'Connor and Jerry Sloan to explain some of the updates on his Facebook page. There are those more Facebook savvy than myself, but one of the posts in question concerned being happy to be in Los Angeles during the playoffs because it was such a good city in which to go out. At the same time, there's no disputing that Fesenko is a better player now than when he first arrived in Utah. We'll see in the coming week whether that progress has been enough for the Jazz to be encouraged to bring back Fesenko." - Sam Amick of the Sacramento Bee: "While Kenny Natt's successor hasn't been named, the Kings' predraft workouts continued Monday before a quaint media audience and with Geoff Petrie undeniably in charge. The team's basketball president directed the six players on hand, looking spry and more than mobile enough to navigate the moving prospects while evaluating their talents. After visiting seven teams before coming to Sacramento, the session's uniqueness wasn't lost on Louisville swingman Terrence Williams. 'It's very unique (to have an executive running a workout), because the GM is running it like he's an assistant coach or an intern,' Williams said. '(Usually), you see the GMs in a pretty $10,000 suit … twirling their wedding band around and watching us and having conversation on the side. This is the first time I'd seen something like that.' Added North Carolina shooting guard Wayne Ellington, who also took part in the workout: 'I think it's definitely unique. Usually you have one of the assistant coaches running the workout and everybody else is watching, so it was good. It was hands-on.' "
- Nick Hut of the Northwest Herald: "The last time Chase Budinger was in town to work out for the Bulls, the team practically had to restrain him from any activity. Budinger, an athletic swingman from Arizona, showed up two weeks ago with an ankle injury. During a conversation, Bulls general manager Gar Forman spoke with Budinger about the importance of toughness in a college prospect's profile. Budinger then walked into the trainer's room and all but demanded to be taped up so he could perform for the Bulls. 'I was like, 'Come tape me. I'm going to fight through it,' ' Budinger said. 'Then their athletic trainer said, 'We're not going to let you go.' ' Budinger was back in town Monday, working out for the Bulls along with several other draft prospects. Budinger has heard scouts view him as a player with elite athleticism and physical tools, but questions about his toughness. To overcome those questions, he said, he planned to work out for about 20 teams. He is expected to be drafted anywhere from the late teens to the mid 20s in the first round."
- A. Sherrod Blakely of Booth Newspapers: "Earl Clark is considered one of the best small forwards in this draft class because at his size and versatility, there's no other player in the draft quite like him. But the biggest knock against him -- consistency -- is why there are varying opinions as to where he might be selected. Once considered a top-10 lock, there are some mock drafts that see the 21-year-old slipping into the late teens. A fall of that magnitude is highly unlikely, especially with the Pistons sitting on the No. 15 overall pick. Drafting Clark by no means would solve the many problems that contributed to Detroit's first losing season in nearly a decade. But when you're coming off a season like that, adding a player of Clark's skillset in the middle of the first round might be too good an opportunity to pass on."
Sort comments by: Most Recent | First Posted
Comments that include profanity, or personal attacks, or antisocial behavior such as "spamming" or "trolling," or other inappropriate comments or material will be removed from the site. We will take steps to block users who violate any of our terms of use. You are fully responsible for the content that you post.
TRUEHOOP CONTRIBUTORS
Henry AbbottTrueHoop ESPN Archive |
J.A. AdandeTrueHoop ESPN Archive |
Kevin ArnovitzTrueHoop ESPN Archive |
Chris BroussardTrueHoop ESPN Archive |
Chad FordTrueHoop ESPN Archive |
John HollingerTrueHoop ESPN Archive |
Chris SheridanTrueHoop ESPN Archive |
Marc SteinTrueHoop ESPN Archive |
