Mark Cuban won't 'beg' for fans after Dallas Mavericks' meltdown

Updated: April 26, 2011, 9:06 PM ETBy Jeff Caplan
ESPNDallas.com
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DALLAS -- Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said watching his team melt down in the fourth quarter of Game 4 in Portland wasn't as painful afterward as he figured it would be, and he invited fans skeptical of the franchise's playoff history to feel free to jump off the bandwagon.
"Anybody who wants to quit on us, quit on us," Cuban said while working out on the step machine prior to Monday's Game 5 at the American Airlines Center. "We're going to keep busting our ass. We're not going to beg them. They can do what they want to do. That's why they call them fans and that's why they call everybody else talk-radio junkies."
The Mavs are one of three teams in NBA history to compile 11 consecutive seasons of 50 or more wins, but are the only one not to win multiple championships. The franchise is seeking its first title.
However, Cuban scoffed at the notion that the Mavs carry substantial "emotional baggage" from playoff failures since the 2006 NBA Finals.
Dallas had a chance to seize a 3-1 lead in its first-round series against the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday, but collapsed after leading by 23 points with 1:16 to go in the third quarter and lost 84-82 to tie the series.
It was an ominous defeat for a franchise that has suffered its share, including the infamous Game 3 debacle in the 2006 Finals to the Miami Heat. Less than seven minutes away from taking a 3-0 lead, Dallas coughed up a 13-point cushion and lost four consecutive games.
Back then, Dwyane Wade did the damage. Saturday night it was Portland guard Brandon Roy, who scored 18 points in the remarkable fourth quarter, including the game-winner with 39.2 seconds to play. Cuban left his seat behind the bench soon after, but he said he didn't leave out of disgust, but rather a full bladder after drinking several Diet Cokes.
"Trust me, emotions didn't have anything to do with it," Cuban said. "You can ask the lady who was feeding me Cokes."
Cuban said Saturday's flame out was just one game and that his team can rebound.
"Obviously, we hate losing any game," Cuban said. "Last I checked it was just one game. They're a good team. We're a good team. It's a seven-game series. That's why we play all the games."
Cuban referenced Game 5 last season against the San Antonio Spurs, a game the Mavs won 103-81 to close the series to 3-2 and talk focused on the Mavs taking momentum in Game 6 at San Antonio. Instead, the Spurs broke out a big lead and eventually won by 10 to eliminate the Mavs.
He then referenced Game 7 of the 2006 semifinals against the Spurs when the Mavs blew a double-digit lead and even fell behind. But, a Manu Ginobili foul on Dirk Nowitzki for a three-point play forced overtime and Dallas won the series. They would then beat Phoenix in the Western Conference finals and advance to the franchise's only NBA Finals.
"You go back to Game 7 in San Antonio, we blew a 20-point lead and they took the lead," Cuban said. "If not for a call going our way, we wouldn't have made it to the Finals. The other night, that call on Dirk, if it goes the other way it's a different game.
"That's just the way the game goes. We'll come back and we'll play hard."
Cuban was referring to a play with 2:16 remaining and the Mavs leading by six points. Nowitzki drove the lane and made a layup, but the officials ruled that Portland forward Gerald Wallace drew a charge. Wallace's feet were clearly outside the restricted area, but Cuban contends that Wallace's feet were not set.
"Once you go up, the guy can't step in front of you," Cuban said. "It's a tough call, though, so it's not a shock that somebody missed it because it's a very tough call."
Cuban said he has submitted the play to the league office to be reviewed. He joked that the typical response from the NBA in such instances was, "Neh-neh-neh-neh-neh."
Jeff Caplan covers the Mavericks for ESPNDallas.com.
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2011 NBA playoffs: Los Angeles Lakers rookie Derrick Caracter arrested

Updated: April 26, 2011, 10:08 AM ETvar ESPN_GLOBALS = {"videoPlayers":{"story09":{"src":"http://assets.espn.go.com/espnvideo/mpf32/prod/r_3_2_0_15/ESPN_Player.swf","height":324,"width":576,"adminOver":"3805638","localSite":"losangeles","autostart":"false","playerType":"story09"}}}espn.video.embeded.play();
NEW ORLEANS -- Authorities say Los Angeles Lakers forward Derrick Caracter was arrested in New Orleans, accused of public drunkenness and shoving a cashier at a pancake restaurant.
Police said the 22-year-old player was arrested early Sunday and booked into jail on charges of battery, public drunkenness and resisting arrest. They say Caracter allegedly grabbed and shoved the cashier at an International House of Pancakes after he was refused service and became belligerent. The woman wasn't injured.

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Police initially said the cashier was pregnant, but later said that was an error.
Authorities say Caracter was freed later Sunday morning on $1,000 bond
Lakers spokesman John Black said the team was looking into the allegations. The Lakers declined to make Caracter available to the media after Monday's workout at their training complex in El Segundo, Calif.
The Lakers drafted Caracter in the second round last summer out of UTEP. He played just one season for the Miners after transferring from Louisville, which dismissed the former surefire high-school prospect following numerous clashes with coach Rick Pitino and his staff.
The Lakers picked Caracter in the second round last summer, and the power forward played sparingly as a rookie, averaging 2.0 points and 1.1 rebounds in 41 games. He was assigned to the D-League's Bakersfield Jam twice during the regular season, but returned to Los Angeles before the playoffs.
Caracter hasn't played for the Lakers in their first four postseason games against the Hornets, and he wasn't likely to play any significant role in Los Angeles' postseason run.
His arrest comes with the club in the middle of a tough matchup with New Orleans, which evened the series at 2-2 on Sunday night heading to Game 5 in Los Angeles on Tuesday.

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

Amare Stoudemire, Carmelo Anthony support New York Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni

Updated: April 26, 2011, 7:24 AM ETBy Chris Sheridan
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GREENBURGH, N.Y. -- Amare Stoudemire gave a strong endorsement Monday for retaining Mike D'Antoni as coach of the New York Knicks, while Carmelo Anthony wasn't quite as declarative but still offered praise for D'Antoni's job performance.
D'Antoni has one year remaining on his four-year contract, and team president Donnie Walsh also is entering the final season of his deal if the Knicks pick up his option.
Neither man spoke publicly Monday, a day after the Knicks were swept by the Boston Celtics in the first round of the playoffs.
But Stoudemire said he wants them back.
"Oh, absolutely. Absolutely," Stoudemire said. "Donnie has done a phenomenal job. He's one of the main reasons why I'm here in New York. He turned the Knicks' franchise around. Coach D'Antoni is the reason why we had the winning record and had a chance to do something special in the playoffs if it wasn't for a few injuries. And so I definitely think both those guys will be back next season."
Anthony is ready to support the two if they make it back.
"I support whatever decision that they make," Anthony said. "If Mike is here, I've got his back 100 percent. If Donnie is here, I've got his back 100 percent. So I support all the decisions."
One of the most pressing decisions the Knicks need to make by Friday is whether to pick up the $14.2 million option on Chauncey Billups' contract or pay him a $3.7 million buyout. Billups said he wants to return to New York next season, in part to atone for the postseason failure that was partly attributable to his knee injury and to Stoudemire's back injury.
Amid the wreckage of a first-round sweep by the Celtics, priority No. 1 is too obvious to ignore any longer: Mike D'Antoni has to go, writes Stephen A. Smith. Story
• Knicks blog | ESPN New York
"Getting swept in the first round, I don't do this," Billups said. "We're on the move, and it's how fast can we get that elevator up?"
Stoudemire said he would like to see the Knicks add an additional center in the offseason, while Anthony said the team does not necessarily need a third star player and would be best served in the short term by having an entire season together.
The Knicks went 14-14 to close the regular season (including a six-game losing streak and a seven-game winning streak) after acquiring Anthony and Billups from the Denver Nuggets, finishing 42-40 for the franchise's first winning record in 10 years.
And while Anthony didn't go overboard with praise in speaking about D'Antoni, he did offer support.
"I can only speak on since when I got here," he said. "Due to the circumstances, we came a long way since I first got here. With the expectations being so high so quickly, for us to lose some games and take a step backward, and then close out the regular season winning the way we did, you have to take your hat off to Mike for being able to handle a situation like that -- losing damn near his whole team, having to start off fresh with something new. He lost four key components to his team."
"They had something rolling here, and for him to have to take on another challenge of getting everybody on the same page since we got here, I think it took a lot. I respect that from him," Anthony said.
Anthony said he expects to have input along with Stoudemire on the team's offseason personnel moves. He believes the Knicks should be a 50-plus win team for the foreseeable future and should set a goal for next season of finishing with the best record in the Eastern Conference.
He also said players from opposing teams have told him they want to come to New York.
"You just hear it. You'll be playing against guys, and everybody wants to play in New York now, especially with the excitement we brought back to the city," Anthony said. "A lot of players [have said] 'Man, I need to get there, I need to get there.' We'll see what happens with that, though."
Chris Sheridan covers the NBA for ESPN.com.
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Report: NBA players union has enough votes to decertify

The NBA players' union already has enough votes from its members to decertify, should it decide to follow the strategy used by the NFL players' union, CBSSports.com reported, citing unnamed sources.
The NBA is facing the possibility of a lockout when the collective bargaining agreement between the union and the owners expires on June 30.
The NBA owners and NBPA are negotiating a new collective bargaining agreement, with the possibility of a lockout looming. ESPN.com Topics has all of the latest news, along with history of the NBA's labor situation. Topics Page »
But a U.S. District Court judge's decision to grant an injunction ending the NFL lockout -- casting aside the league's argument that the NFL union's decision to decertify was a sham -- may have given the NBA players' union an important precedent -- should the ruling stand.
"This is a victory for all professional sports' unions," Gabe Feldman, head of the Sports Law Center at Tulane University, told CBSSports.com. "If the case stands up on appeal, it gives player unions a significant, though costly, weapon to use as leverage in labor negotiations."
In the event of an NBA lockout, the union could do what the NFL union did -- decertify, then file an antitrust lawsuit against the NBA anywhere the league does business. That would include Minnesota, where U.S. District Judge Susan Richard Nelson heard arguments from the NFL and its union, then issued an opinion Monday ordering an end to the lockout.
The NFL has filed a notice of appeal of Nelson's decision with the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis.
Billy Hunter, the NBA union's executive director, told Sports Illustrated that the decision was "a great ruling for the players," but only the first step in a lengthy battle.
"What it does is put pressure on us to sit down and settle this," Hunter told SI. "We just want a fair deal."
Last week, NBA commissioner David Stern said he is eager to intensify talks with the union to avoid a lockout and court fight. At the league's recent owners' meetings, Stern said the NBA was planning to present a revised proposal to the union soon.
The NBA and its union remain divided on key issues; the league's owners want to replace the current soft salary cap and luxury tax system with a hard salary cap, as well as reduce the length of guaranteed contracts.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

NBA playoffs 2011: Bad blood between Dallas Mavericks, Portland Trail Blazers

Updated: April 26, 2011, 3:38 PM ETBy Jeff Caplan
ESPNDallas.com
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DALLAS -- The bad blood is flowing as the Dallas Mavericks and Portland Trail Blazers head into Game 6 of their Western Conference playoff series.
And it's not Dirk Nowitzki vs. LaMarcus Aldridge. Forget about Brandon Roy vs. the entire Mavericks team. The unpleasantries happened between Brian Cardinal vs. Patty Mills -- two players who've played less than seven minutes combined in this heated first-round series.
Mills and his Blazers teammates took exception to a hard screen that the 6-foot-8, 240-pound Cardinal set at midcourt with about 12 seconds left in Dallas' 93-82 Game 5 victory Monday night. The pick sent the 6-foot, 170-pound Mills careening to the sideline.
With both clubs having emptied the benches, Dallas inbounded under its own basket looking to run out the final 18.1 seconds. The Blazers employed full-court pressure. As J.J. Barea raced upcourt, Cardinal blindsided the seldom-used Mills with a hard, legal screen -- and Mills crashed to the floor.
When time expired some Blazers players were barking, but Cardinal said Tuesday he doesn't understand why.
"They were mad," Cardinal said. "I don't know if they were yelling at me or yelling at their own teammates for not calling out the screen."
Had the Blazers not pressured full court as though the game hung in the balance, Cardinal, who has played 1:53 in the series, said he would have had no reason to set the strong pick.
"No, I'm going to be standing on the court waiting for the clock to run out and the buzzer to sound," Cardinal said. "If they would have stolen the ball from [Barea], they would have ran down and scored a layup. They're playing the game of basketball just like I am. If Patty or if they're mad, they should be mad at Earl [Barron] or Nicolas [Batum] or whoever else was in the game. They should have called out that screen."
Still, Mills, who checked in for the first time in the game with 53.4 seconds to play, took exception. Mills alleged that Barea and Cardinal plotted the pick.
"I didn't see it," Mills told The Oregonian. "I didn't know anyone was there, but I was wondering why Barea was pushing the ball hard up the court. But I found out why. He set it up [with Cardinal]. He set it up.
"At that point in the game, I don't know ... I don't know if you do that when you are up that much."
Barea rushed upcourt because of the Blazers' full-court defense, which included Mills, Armon Johnson and Batum tightly contesting Barea's inbounds pass. Barea got the ball to Corey Brewer, who quickly flipped it back to Barea when Mills picked him up.
Barea got to midcourt, where Cardinal stopped Mills cold with about two seconds to spare before an eight-second backcourt violation.
"I wasn't trying to hurt him, just playing hard, smart basketball. That's what they were doing," Cardinal said. "I'm just kind of surprised that they're so mad about it. They picked up J.J. full-court and they're going to double team him and they're playing hard, they're playing aggressive, you know, just like I am. They say there was no time on the clock or the game's over, but yet they're going to play hard, full court and press?"
Blazers guard Wesley Matthews said he won't forget it.
"I know it's the playoffs and everything, but come on," Matthews told The Oregonian. "With four seconds left in the game? But that's cool. I'm not going to forget it, that's for sure."
Cardinal was asked if he thought the crowd at the Rose Garden for Game 6 might not forget it either.
"Oh, no. Shoot, no," Cardinal said. "You know, it doesn't matter to me. I've played a total of what two minutes this series? If they're worried about me and my screens ..."
Cardinal didn't finish the sentence, unlike his game-ending screen.
Jeff Caplan covers the Mavericks for ESPNDallas.com.
Follow Jeff Caplan on Twitter: @espn_caplan
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2011 NBA playoffs: Los Angeles Lakers' Ron Artest wins league's citizenship award

Updated: April 26, 2011, 10:29 PM ETBy Dave McMenamin
ESPNLosAngeles.com
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EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- Los Angeles Lakers forwards Lamar Odom and Ron Artest were friends growing up in Queens, N.Y., as children and both are now recipients of two of the NBA's coveted annual awards.

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Artest was named the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award winner on Tuesday, exactly one week after Odom was named the league's Sixth Man of the Year Award winner.
"I think it's great recognition that the NBA sees what I've been doing outside of basketball," Artest said after Lakers shootaround Tuesday in preparation of Game 5 of their first-round series with the New Orleans Hornets. "I'm definitely grateful for the award.
"It's something that's not on people's minds as far as me getting a citizenship award, but it was something that I wanted and I'm definitely happy I got it."
The citizenship award is presented annually by the Professional Basketball Writers Association and is named for the second commissioner of the league. It honors an NBA player or coach for outstanding service and dedication to the community.
"I feel like I've been doing a lot of work over the years, a lot of charity work, just giving back to the communities," Artest said. "This award ranks up there with Defensive Player of the Year, to me, as one of the most important individual awards I've ever gotten."
Artest was named the league's top defender following the 2003-04 season, about six months before the event that would go on to shape the rest of his career.
The award represents a remarkable turnaround for Artest since Nov. 2004 when he received the longest suspension in NBA history stemming from his involvement at the brawl at the Palace at Auburn Hills between the Detroit Pistons and Indiana Pacers that spilled into the stands.
"I don't have a comment on that," Artest said when asked about the change in his reputation since the Pistons-Pacers fight.
However, Artest did say he wouldn't have believed it had someone told him he'd win the award a few years ago.
"I don't think it would have happened a couple years ago. But it was something I always wanted, kind of under the covers, people not knowing the whole Ron Artest, but just a part," Artest said. "But you've got to have good timing. You have to be in the right place at the right time. Things have to happen, and it worked out perfectly for me at this point where I'm at in my career right now."
Artest is being recognized for his work in raising awareness for mental health issues which included him raffling off his 2010 championship ring to amass more than $650,000 that was distributed to various mental health charities.
"That was the greatest thing I've ever done in my life outside of being married and having my kids," Artest said. "That was the biggest thing I've ever done, just getting that message out there. I see a big difference. I even see a couple more celebrities coming forward and speaking on issues they have and not being afraid. It's good."
Artest is also a member of the Mental Health in Schools Act Task Force, working with Congresswoman Grace Napolitano (Calif.) to generate government support for the cause.
Artest has put particular focus into working with youth.
"It's important because a lot of kids right here at home in America are not doing well," Artest said. "I want to see those kids have an opportunity to succeed. Whether they're on drugs or abused or lack confidence or are being bullied, cyber bullying or family issues and environment and a lot of things going on ... We try to help out and bring awareness."
Lakers coach Phil Jackson was impressed with Artest's dedication to his causes.
"It's deserving," said Jackson. "He goes out to visit schools and kids and registers the importance of using counseling to its best advantage in troubling times for kids in their developmental years that they certainly have resources that they can use and he encourages that. I think that's very important."
The award was voted on by the approximate 150 writers in the PBWA and will be presented to Artest on Tuesday night prior to Game 5.
Members nominate players and coaches and vote for the award. The finalists for the award this season were Artest, Marcus Camby of the Portland Trail Blazers, Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic and Kyle Korver of the Chicago Bulls.
The J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award has been handed out annually since the 1974-75 NBA season and is named after Kennedy, the league's commissioner from 1963-75. Sacramento Kings center Samuel Dalembert received the award last season to recognize his efforts to provide relief to victims of the devastating earthquake in his native Haiti.
Artest joins Magic Johnson (1992) and Michael Cooper (1986) as the only Lakers to win the award.
"You're just giving people the opportunity to have opportunity, that's it," Artest said when asked to sum up the message behind his charitable work. "If they're not mentally stable, you never know where some people are going to end up. You never know what potential they would have had in their life -- what potential that could have been reached, what goals that could have been reached. So, you want to just help give opportunity to people that deserve an opportunity."
Dave McMenamin covers the Lakers for ESPNLosAngeles.com. Information from ESPNLosAngeles.com's Brian Kamenetzky was used in this report.
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Report: Houston Rockets add Kevin McHale to big interview list

Kevin McHale will join a long list of cadidates interviewing for the Houston Rockets coaching job, Yahoo! Sports reported Thursday.
A Hall of Famer as a player, McHale coached the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2005 and from 2008-09. He also served as the team's general manager.
Former Rockets guard Sam Cassell, as well as former Oklahoma and Indiana coach Kelvin Sampson, will also interview, KRIV-TV in Houston reported Tuesday.
The Rockets requested permission to interview Mavericks assistant coach Dwane Casey, sources close told ESPN.com's Marc Stein last Thursday.
The Houston Chronicle reported in Thursday's editions that the Rockets already have established contact with two other high-profile available coaches -- Mike Woodson and former Cavaliers coach/current ESPN NBA analyst Mike Brown -- and have interviews scheduled next week with former Mavericks assistant Mario Elie (now with Sacramento) and current Rockets assistant Jack Sikma.
Sources told ESPN.com that the Rockets will not rush their search, however, to allow for the possibility that candidates not currently available -- such as Orlando's Stan Van Gundy -- could suddenly hit the market as Adelman did, depending on what happens in the playoffs.
Other assistants whose teams are still in the playoffs, such as Boston's Lawrence Frank and San Antonio's Mike Budenholzer, also are expected to draw interest from the Rockets.
The Chronicle reported that Houston also has interest in longtime Lakers assistant Brian Shaw if Shaw is not chosen by Los Angeles to replace the outgoing Phil Jackson.
The Rockets announced April 18 that they had "mutually agreed to part ways" with Rick Adelman, whose contract expires in June.

Sacramento shows NBA its $10M 'down payment' for Kings

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Mayor Kevin Johnson, business leaders and fans have done all they could in the past few months to prevent the Sacramento Kings from relocating to Anaheim.
The final and perhaps most critical step came Tuesday, when the corporate community handed NBA representatives deposits on more than $10 million in sponsorship pledges for the Kings to stay at least another year.
"Today is another historic day in Sacramento," Johnson said. "The NBA had said to Sacramento, 'Show me the money.' And today, we're doing just that. We're making a down payment on the future of the Sacramento Kings and this being their permanent home."

All of the NBA's small-market teams, unless they are smart and lucky, end up like Sacramento. It's a problem that's about to shut down the league, writes Bill Simmons. Column
Now the decision is out of the city's control.
The NBA relocation committee headed by Clay Bennett -- who moved the Seattle SuperSonics to Oklahoma City three years ago as owner -- will issue a final report to commissioner David Stern later this week. Then Kings owners Joe and Gavin Maloof will finally decide the franchise's fate.
The Maloofs have until Monday to file a relocation request to the league, which fellow owners would have to approve by a majority vote. The Maloofs remain undecided.
Sacramento has used the two extensions from the original March 1 deadline to rally the business community and convince owners that Sacramento remains a viable NBA city. Johnson, a former NBA All-Star, has been at the center of that effort.
He promised additional revenue for the Kings from area businesses in a desperate pitch to NBA owners earlier this month in New York. The league first sent Bennett and league counsel Harvey Benjamin to Sacramento on a fact-finding mission last week, and the two dispatched additional representatives to verify the mayor's claims.
Chris Granger, the NBA's executive vice president who heads the Team Marketing & Business Operations division, was among those from the league who met with Johnson and some 30 business leaders at Golden 1 Credit Union in Sacramento.
Among the businesses represented were local branches of McDonald's, AT&T, Anheuser-Busch, Jiffy Lube and Wells Fargo. All of those in attendance said the NBA representatives left impressed.
"Three weeks ago many of us were thinking that there's not a chance that we're going to keep the Sacramento Kings here in Sacramento. They're going to move to Anaheim," said Matt Mahood, president of the Sacramento Metro Chamber of Commerce. "But there was just this little crack, this little opening that the mayor saw to take advantage of.

“
The NBA had said to Sacramento, 'Show me the money.' And today, we're doing just that. We're making a down payment on the future of the Sacramento Kings and this being their permanent home.
” -- Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson

"And he called us to rally the business community to demonstrate the kind of corporate support that we have here that it takes to keep the NBA franchise. And we put the call out to the business community, and they answered the call loud and clear. They have put their money where their mouth is."
There are still major details that remain unsettled.
The primary reason the Maloofs have explored relocation -- several failed efforts to build a new arena in Sacramento -- won't be answered by the deadline. A feasibility study for a new arena in Sacramento isn't scheduled to be completed until the end of May, and there has always been a divide between Kings fans and the broader public on how to finance a facility.
There were already a half-dozen protesters standing a few feet away while Johnson and business leaders met at the credit union, expressing their concern over public time -- and dollars -- spent on a private sports team. They held signs that read "We need education not recreation" and "If we don't work, they don't play."
"Politicians have more serious things to worry about. We need to invest the kind of time and energy on more important things like education and jobs," said Keon Johnson, one of those on hand to protest.
Four California lawmakers, including the leader of the state Senate, sent a letter to Stern on Tuesday pledging to work with local leaders over the next year to try to build a sports and performing arts complex to replace the Kings' arena.
Senate president pro tem Darrell Steinberg, a Democrat from Sacramento, said he would use his clout to make sure his district gets its share of state bond money that could go to build the complex.
Johnson's efforts have been concentrated on keeping the Kings for at least another year to allow for the time to approve a plan to build a new facility. For now, he waits, only hoping to have another opportunity to approve a plan for a new Kings arena.
"The moment we get word," the mayor said, "if we're lucky enough -- and this is not to be presumptuous -- but if we're lucky enough to be given another year in Sacramento, then we have to immediately start our new campaign for an entertainment and sports complex."
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

Sacramento Kings likely to stay, not move to Anaheim's Honda Center, according to report

Updated: April 23, 2011, 1:35 PM ET

It looks like the Sacramento Kings won't become the Anaheim Royals after all -- at least not next season.

Despite speculation that the Kings had all but packed their bags for Southern California, the NBA now believes the team will remain in Sacramento next season, the Los Angeles Times reported Friday, citing league executives.

However, the Kings' long-term future in Sacramento remains uncertain beyond 2011-12, the Times reported, citing league executives.

NBA spokesman Tim Frank told the Sacramento Bee he had no comment on the Los Angeles Times' report.

Meanwhile, Kings co-owner Joe Maloof says his family is still deciding whether to move the franchise to Anaheim or stay in California's capital city.

Maloof told The Associated Press on Friday that no decision has been made and he's "as anxious as anybody" to find out if Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson can deliver on his promise for more sponsorship support and finally finance a plan for a new arena.

Johnson was wrapping up two days of meetings with NBA relocation committee chairman and Oklahoma City Thunder owner Clay Bennett and other league officials in Sacramento.

"We await the results of the fact-finding visit that the NBA made to Sacramento the past two days," the Kings said Friday night in a statement. "We have not made a decision with regards to relocation filing, and will not make that decision until we have more information from the NBA."

Anaheim's mayor, Tom Tait, released a statement: "The NBA looks favorably on our city, our arena, and our fans. We are not going to comment on unconfirmed reports."

At the NBA Board of Governors meetings last week in New York, the NBA granted the Kings an extension until May 2 to file paperwork requesting a relocation to Anaheim.

Johnson attended the April 14-15 meetings in New York, as well, to make a desperate pitch to keep the Kings in Sacramento, and he persuaded the league to dispatch a fact-finding team to Sacramento.

Johnson believes he made another splash when they arrived. He presented $9.2 million -- up from the $7 million he initially cited last week -- in commitments for new advertising, ticket purchases and other financial support from regional businesses and other backers to prevent the team from moving to Anaheim.

Johnson, during a news conference Friday night in Sacramento, said, "We actually have a shot to win this game."

But he also cautioned: "I don't think we're at a point where we can declare victory at all. I think our job is to keep fighting."

The Kings likely won't make a long-term commitment to staying in Sacramento without a new arena.

After years of failed efforts to replace outdated Power Balance Pavilion, formerly called Arco Arena, Sacramento officials are using the extra time before the Maloof's relocation application deadline to show the NBA that they can finally agree on a plan to finance a new facility.

A new arena feasibility plan -- the major sticking point in past efforts -- won't be completed until a few weeks after the relocation deadline. A majority approval by owners would be needed to approve the move, and political leaders in Sacramento believe there's still time to convince the NBA the Kings shouldn't leave.

"I don't think they have made up their minds," city councilman Rob Fong said.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

2011 NBA playoffs: Coach Monty Williams of New Orleans Hornets asks NBA about officiating

NEW ORLEANS -- Hornets coach Monty Williams says he put in calls to NBA headquarters to ask why game officials were allowing Lakers big men to stand in the paint under the New Orleans basket for more than 3 seconds and aggressively bump defenders out of the way.

Williams says he has spoken to NBA Vice President Stu Jackson in particular about the way Los Angeles center Andrew Bynum slammed his shoulder into Emeka Okafor's chest to gain position for easy dunks in Game 3.

Williams says league officials were "gracious" and agreed with some of his criticism.

However, Williams also stresses that the officiating was by no means the reason for Hornets losses in Games 2 and 3 of the first-round series. He chalks that up to turnovers and poor rebounding.

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

2011 NBA Playoffs: Chicago Bulls' Derrick Rose (ankle) feels better, plays in Game 5

Updated: April 26, 2011, 10:45 PM ETBy Nick Friedell
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DEERFIELD, Ill. -- Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose didn't participate in the morning shootaround Tuesday, but returned to the lineup for Game 5 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals.

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Rose started on Tuesday and showed no noticeable limp early. He scored a team-leading 25 points in 30 minutes as the Bulls closed out the series with a 116-89 win.

He said Tuesday morning he had more motion in his sprained left ankle.

"It feels totally different," said Rose, who had declared Monday that he'd "definitely" play. "Where [Monday] it was a little stiff, today I've got more motion in it. I know the excitement from the game is going to make everything feel all right."

The Bulls initially listed Rose as questionable because of the injury he suffered Saturday in the Game 4 loss to the Indiana Pacers.

"He's feeling better," Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said after shootaround. "We'll see how he is before the game. He didn't go through practice, but he's doing some shooting now."

Rose was shooting free throws when the media was let in after the shootaround, and he was wearing an extra brace on his sprained left ankle. He said he may not need a painkilling injection before the game.

"I really don't know," Rose said. "I really don't need it right now. I really don't like shots, but we will have to see.

"I know when I'm out there, I'm not going to think about it. I'm just going to play the game, and I should be able to knock down some shots today."

Before leaving Saturday's game with 1:02 remaining in the first quarter, Rose had seven points. He finished with 15 and was just 1-for-9 from 3-point range. He was 3-for-16 from the field in the final three quarters as the Bulls lost 89-84.

Rose said it's important to close out the series.

"Definitely this game is big because it's our next game, but getting rest, it means a lot," Rose said. "We could definitely use it.

"It's very important [to get off to a strong start]. If anything, I think that if we come out tonight and be aggressive, I think that it should take care of everything. We haven't jumped on them yet, and when we did, we only were up four or six points. So I think if we get a nice cushion, we should be good."

Nick Friedell covers the Bulls for ESPNChicago.com and ESPN 1000.

2011 NBA Playoffs: Miami Heat sticking with starting lineup despite struggles

MIAMI -- Despite the Miami Heat's slow first-quarter starts and the underperformance of their starting unit, coach Erik Spolestra will field the same lineup at tipoff of Game 5 against the Philadelphia 76ers Wednesday night.

"I don't see a need to [change] right now," Spoelstra said. "We can change what we need to within ourselves and do it with a better motor and better athleticism and better awareness to start the game."

Miami leads Philadelphia 3-1 in the best-of-seven series. Yet the 76ers have outmatched the Heat in the first quarter in three of the four games.

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The Heat's starting lineup -- point guard Mike Bibby and center Zydrunas Ilgauskas along with LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh -- has been outscored by 29 points in the series during 60 minutes of overall playing time, most of it coming in the first quarter.

"That lineup is not our most energetic lineup," Wade said. "Obviously, when Joel [Anthony] comes into the game and, at times, with [Mario Chalmers] coming into the game, a lot of times that's our best defensive, lively and energetic lineup. The starting unit is not that kind of lineup and we understand that, but we do have to start off better."

On Sunday afternoon in Game 4, Philadelphia jumped to a 20-6 lead in the first quarter, after which Spoelstra inserted Chalmers and Anthony for Bibby and Ilgauskas. With them, the Heat outscored the 76ers 41-26 in the remainder of the first half.

At practice Tuesday, Spoelstra was quick to remind the media that the unit, including Chalmers and Ilgauskas, performed up to par in the Heat's 94-73 win in Game 2.

"In Game 2, it wasn't an issue," Spoesltra said. "I'm not going to overreact to it right now or overanalyze. I can change that rotation immediate into the game, so a lot of that is so overstated. We have faith in them and what they provide."

Spoelstra has said in the past that Bibby, who shot 45.5 percent from 3-point range during the regular season, and Ilgauskas, a proficient mid-range shooter, provide the Heat with more offensive punch and perimeter threats.

In the regular season, the five-man unit with Bibby and Ilgauskas performed well, outscoring opponents 99-90 in just 48 minutes of floor time together.

"It opens up the floor a little bit because you have shooters," Ilgauskas said. "We've been successful spacing the floor."

On Sunday, Ilgauskas scored only one point in 10 minutes, while Bibby failed to score in 14 minutes, going 0 for 6 from the field, including 0 for 4 from 3-point range.

"A lot of people will look at their scoring, but we'll take those same shots that Mike Bibby got [in Game 4] and the guys got," Wade said. "Well take them again next game."

Kevin Arnovitz covers the NBA for ESPN.com.

Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant will play in Game 5

Updated: April 26, 2011, 10:51 PM ETBy Dave McMenamin
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EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant played in Game 5 of the team's first-round series against the New Orleans Hornets on Tuesday.

Lakers coach Phil Jackson made the announcement prior to tip-off.

"I think the questionable thing is, how well can he play? Can he help his team when he's on the floor? Do we stay with him if he doesn't help the team because he can be a liability on the defensive end? Will they attack him? All of those things are part of the picture and I'm going to have to make some decisions around that as the game goes on," Jackson said.

Jackson said Bryant would play about the same amount of minutes he did in Game 4, which was 36.

Bryant still hasn't had his sprained left ankle further examined through X-rays or an MRI, according to Jackson.

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"If he knows that it's just a minor injury, if he knows his body that well, yeah, I think it's OK," Jackson said.

"It's something I think he can live with and we can."

The Lakers training staff evaluated Bryant at Staples Center prior to the game.

Bryant was limited at shootaround and Jackson was unsure of what capacity the back-to-back Finals MVP would be at come tip-off.

"He came out on the court and did some things with the ball, but it wasn't like a shootaround. It was more of a comfort zone," Jackson said.

When asked if Bryant ever explored further diagnostic tests on the ankle on Monday evening, Jackson said, "Not that I'm aware."

Bryant did not speak to reporters, but teammate Ron Artest downplayed the impact Bryant's ankle will have on his game.

"He's going to be fine. Kobe's Kobe," Artest said. "It's not even an issue because Kobe's Kobe. He's going to come and play."

If Bryant is limited, it could provide an ample opportunity for four-time All-Star Pau Gasol to get his game going. Gasol is averaging just 12.3 points and 6.3 rebounds in the series, down from his regular season marks of 18.8 points and 10.2 rebounds.

"Everybody is going to have to step up and perform," Jackson said. "It's important for us."

Dave McMenamin covers the Lakers for ESPNLosAngeles.com.

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J-Rich, Magic force Game 6 by crushing Hawks

The Magic bench had scored just 69 points through the first four games against the Hawks, but after leading by 20-plus points for most of the game, the bench racked up 49 points and nine assists Tuesday.

ORLANDO, Fla. -- The Orlando Magic aren't ready for their season to end just yet.

Facing their first opening round postseason exit since 2007, the Magic blew out the Atlanta Hawks 101-76 on Tuesday night.

Jason Richardson scored 17 points and J.J. Redick added 14 off the bench to lead the Magic.

The Magic bench had scored just 69 points through the first four games against the Hawks, but after leading by 20-plus points for most of the game, the bench racked up 49 points and nine assists Tuesday.

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The win trims Atlanta's series' lead to 3-2 and keeps alive the Magic's hopes of becoming the ninth team in NBA history to win a playoff series after trailing 3-1. If they can win Game 6 Thursday in Atlanta, they would host a decisive Game 7 on Saturday.

Magic center Dwight Howard battled foul trouble throughout the night and had just one field goal, finishing with eight points and eight rebounds. Orlando didn't need his offense, though, as it broke out of a series-long shooting funk with 11 3-pointers.

"We're a good shooting team," Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said. "This is more of us than what we showed in the first four games...This isn't an aberration. We've been doing this for four years. The first four games were the aberration."

Josh Smith scored 22 points to lead Atlanta, which shot below 40 percent for just the second time this series.

The Magic cruised in the second half, allowing Howard to log his first extended rest of the series in the fourth quarter as their lead crept above 30 points.

In a short turnaround following his team's loss in Game 4, Van Gundy preached patience over panic to his team. It paid off in a big way as Orlando was unselfish in its half court sets and passed the ball to free up its shooters.

That allowed the Magic to push the pace and keep the game up-tempo. The Hawks have won every game with the Magic this season in which it kept them under 90 points.

For the second straight game the Magic's bench got some production led by Redick. It also got 11 points from Ryan Anderson and nine from Gilbert Arenas, who had erupted for 20 in Game 4.

The Hawks couldn't miss in the first four games, but were cold throughout Tuesday. They shot a series-low 36 percent overall and 25 percent from beyond the arc.

The Magic finished at just 41 percent, but hit 42 percent of their attempts from 3.

"The law of averages is eventually going to even out," Redick said. "We didn't shoot amazing tonight, but we shot very well."

But more importantly they held Atlanta sixth-man Jamal Crawford, who came in averaging a team-best 24 points, to just eight on 2 of 8 shooting.

"They had a good run," Crawford said. "They were making shots. They came out with a nothing-to-lose-type attitude. You could sense it and you have to tip your hat to them."

The Magic were able to coast based on what they did much earlier in the game.

Orlando put together easily its best half of the series in building a 58-35 halftime lead.

Everyone was involved as the Magic, who led by as many as 24 points in the half, moved the ball in the half court to open up great looks from the perimeter. Following another cold start, Orlando picked things up in the second quarter and finished the half shooting 45 percent and 46 percent from beyond the arc (6 for 13).

Richardson had 12 by the break.

Smith paced Atlanta with 11 first-half points, but the Hawks struggled on offense, going 13 for 38 (34 percent) -- making just two 3s. They also had eight turnovers that led to nine of Orlando's points.

The Magic were leading 10-8 when Howard picked up his second personal foul of the night with 5:40 left in the first, but Orlando closed with a 16-5 run without him. Redick had the hot hand, going 5 for 5 in the period and scoring the Magic's last 11 points.

Atlanta was just 3 for 19 in the first quarter.

Hawks coach Larry Drew said though they would have liked to close out the series Tuesday, he doesn't think his team has was rattled by the lopsided night.

"We're in a situation where we still feel good about ourselves," Drew said. "We'll go back home. We still have an opportunity. Our fans are gonna be behind us, just as they're fans were behind them. So we're gonna put this game behind us as fast as we can."

Likewise, Van Gundy said everyone in the Magic's locker room knew Tuesday night was just the first step in a long road back.

"I think our guys have the right mindset right now," he said. "I don't think there'll be any celebrating. I don't think we'll even celebrate five or 10 minutes... We know what we're capable of and we're going to have to bring that same thing."

Game notes
The Magic set a playoff franchise record for fewest turnovers in a game with six. ... Tuesday marked just the second time in the series that the Hawks didn't hold a double-digit lead at some point during the first half.

Copyright by STATS LLC and The Associated Press

Rose helps Bulls move on, eliminate Pacers in 5

The Bulls led by as many as 14 points in the first half and never trailed. This is the first halftime lead they've held all series. And looking forward - in each of the first 4 games of the series, the Pacers have led in the 4th quarter. Obviously in 3 of those 4 games they blew their lead and lost the game.

CHICAGO -- Derrick Rose scored 25 points, Luol Deng added 24 and the Chicago Bulls finally played like a top seed, knocking off the Indiana Pacers 116-89 in Game 5 to wrap up their first-round playoff series Tuesday night.

The top-seeded Bulls can breathe a little easier after getting a dominant performance by their MVP candidate and an emphatic win that came on the heels of four dramatic games.

They can also turn their attention to the Eastern Conference semifinals, where they'll meet Atlanta or Orlando.

Rose seemed just fine after spraining his left ankle in Game 4, hitting 8 of 17 shots. He dominated in the early going and came up big in the third after the Pacers pulled within four. He scored 10 points over the final six minutes, and Chicago ended the quarter on a 23-8 run to blow the game open.

The Bulls hit 14 of 31 3-pointers, including five by Keith Bogans (15 points) and three each by Deng and Rose. Deng also had seven assists and six rebounds.

Joakim Noah added 14 points and eight rebounds, and the Bulls won a playoff series for the first time since they swept Miami in the first round in 2007 even though Carlos Boozer scored just two.

Danny Granger scored 20 for the Pacers. Tyler Hansbrough added 14 points and 11 rebounds, but the Pacers trailed the entire way and committed 21 turnovers.

The Pacers had just scored seven straight to pull within 61-57 midway through the third when Rose and the Bulls put them away.

Taj Gibson actually started the barrage with a 19-footer. Then, Rose went to work.

He hit a 3-pointer, blocked Hibbert down low, and hit another 3. Then, he stole the ball from Nick Collison and got fouled on the break, hitting 1 of 2 free throws to make it 70-57 with 4:32 left in the quarter.

Rose nailed another 3 two minutes later to make it 75-60, and Bogans buried two more as the lead hit 82-65 with 42 seconds left.

Things took a nasty turn in the closing seconds when Josh McRoberts threw an elbow at Noah and got ejected.

The two were starting to run the other way after a missed 3-pointer by Rose. McRoberts swung his right elbow at Noah and missed, but he got called for the flagrant foul 2 and got tossed.

Noah hit both free throws with 2.5 seconds left to make it 84-65.

The series win is another big step for a rebuilt team that leaped into the championship picture, igniting the fan base in a way not seen since Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen were leading the way.

How they got here is well documented:

• The firing of coach Vinny Del Negro and hiring of Tom Thibodeau after back-to-back 41-win seasons and first-round exits;

• The roster overhaul that brought in Boozer and a deep rotation after LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh joined in Miami;

• The continued climb of Rose from Rookie of the Year to All-Star to possible MVP.

Where they go from here remains to be seen. This much is certain, though. Anything less than a deep run would be a disappointment, and the Bulls can exhale for now.

The Pacers, meanwhile, can take some satisfaction knowing that they improved in the latter half of the season after interim coach Frank Vogel replaced Jim O'Brien, then pushed the Bulls before bowing out.

Game notes
Noah's grandfather Zacharie Noah received a nice ovation when he was shown on the video screen after the first quarter. The elder Noah, a former pro soccer player, lives in Cameroon and was watching his grandson in person for the first time since he entered the NBA. ... The Rev. Jesse Jackson had a baseline seat.

Copyright by STATS LLC and The Associated Press

Nikitović:''Idemo u Vršac da pobedimo''

Košarkaši Crvene zvezde u 9.kolu Superlige gostuju u Vršcu, ekipi Hemofarma. Trener crveno-belih Saša Nikitovic želi pobedu.
Trener košarkaša Crvene zvezde Saša Nikitovic izjavio je danas da njegova ekipa ide u goste Hemofarmu sa ambicijom da ostvari pobedu u 9. kolu, bez obzira što Vršcani konkurišu za finale Superlige Srbije.

"Iskoristili smo pauzu u prvenstvu da dobro treniramo, a igraci su imali dan i po odmora zbog Uskrsa. Nije nam lako pao poraz od OKK Beograda u prethodnoj utakmici, ali nastavljamo takmicenje sa istim ambicijama. Idemo u Vršac da odigramo što bolje i pokušamo da ostvarimo pobedu", rekao je Nikitovic a preneo sajt kluba.
"Za rivala imamo ekipu koja svojom pozicijom na tabeli pokazuje da je pretedent za finale Superlige", dodao je trener crveno-belih.
Hemofarm se posle osam odigranih utakmica nalazi na drugoj poziciji sa šest pobeda i dva poraza, dok je Crvena zvezda cetvrta sa cetiri pobede i isto toliko poraza. Prvi je Partizan sa šest pobeda i jednim porazom, uz mec manje od rivala
Hemofarm i Crvena zvezda sastace se sutra u Vršcu, u 19.00.

Hit izgubio dobijeno, serija se vraća u Majami

Sjajnim finišom Filadelfija izbegla čišćenje, smanjila na 3:1, pa će Majami morati da polufinale overi kod kuće.

Majami je vodio sa 82:76, svi su mislili da je gotovo, ne i košarkaši Siksersa. Holidej i Vilijams su ubacili trojke, gost nije uspeo u poslednjih 95 sekundi da postigne poene, pa je Filadelfija serijom 10:0 stigla do pobede u finišu, 86:82.
Možda im se vratila činjenica da su imali dvocifrenu prednost u prvom meču, i da su ispustili pobedu u finišu.
Odigrali su veoma srčano i zaslužili da smanje rezultat. Vilijams i Tarner su postigli po 17 poena za domaće, na drugoj strani Lebron Džejms 31, Vejd 22, Boš 12.
U toku je meč između Bostona i Njujorka, Seltiksi su na putu da počiste Nikse i stignu do polufinala. Tokom noći Atlanta dočekuje Orlando, a Hornetsi Lejkerse.