Cold day? Read here to warm the cockles of your heart

CHARLES KRUPA/AP PHOTO

Boston Celtics guard Ray Allen lands in the stands while chasing a loose ball during Game 5 against the Cleveland Cavaliers in Boston. This might have been Allen's most visible moment of the series.

You think Ray Allen will show up for the Eastern Conference final?

After one of the great disappearing acts of recent times, the Celtics better hope their best three-point shooter finds a way out of whatever slump’s engulfed him or they’re going to have a short stay in the series against the Pistons.

Funny thing was, the Cavs didn’t do anything to make him a non-factor, no double-teams, no special defensive schemes, they just guarded him closely, didn’t give him space to shoot and watched him disintegrate.

All I know is this: The Pistons are an exponentially better defensive team than Cleveland is and it’s not going to get any easier for Allen, or even Kevin Garnett, to get going in this series.

Throughout the first two series – Altanta and Cleveland – there was a sneaking suspicion that the Celtics were playing with fire, hoping to ride their emotion and intensity to wins at home and hoping – just hoping – someone would take control of a road game.

The Pistons are old and experienced and tough, they’ve been though this kind of series for five years in a row and the Celtics, for all their yelling and screaming and gesticulating, had better simply play if they want to win.

I don’t know if there’s a Beantown switch that can be pulled, I get the feeling there isn’t, which is why I can see Detroit taking out Boston in six games.

-

I’m told not only is John Lucas likely to get an interview in Chicago (Cleveland reported this on the weekend) but Lucas is also in line to chat with Phoenix about that job opening.

What I’m sort of surprised about, given the breadth of their searches, is that neither the Suns nor the Bulls have thought about approaching Toronto about any of its three assistants, all of whom, I’d say, have as much chance at being a successful NBA head coach as some of the guys (Elston Turner? Tyrone Corbin? Bryan Shaw?) No disrespect to those guys (and I’ve always thought ex-Raptor Corbin would be a head coach some day) but surely teams would at least have an interest in the Toronto guys?

And I know all three would listen if someone called. And I’m sure the Raptors would give them permission to be interviewed if it came up.

But, before anyone gets up in arms about what this might mean to Lucas’s off-season training sessions and whether or not Bargnani will get some help this summer, let’s let the interview process play out and see if Lucas lands one of these jobs. I’d say it’s a long, long, long shot that he’s a head coach in either Chicago or Phoenix next year.

-

You check out Candace Parker’s debut Saturday? I did and came away hugely impressed.

That’s what 34-12-8 will do to a casual fan.

I have no idea how many, if any, WNBA fans there are out there (I would hope there’d be more than a few) but if you’re not, give a game a shot. It’s not the NBA so don’t go in with any preconceived notion but watch and I bet you’re entertained.

I don’t consider myself a huge WBNA supporter but women’s pro sports is entirely ignored in these parts and that’s a shame.

-

Here’s one from the mail:

Q: You talked about how players are now given workout regimens for the o off-season and are visited by staff. Just wondering if you know how long this has been going on. It's relatively recent, isn't it? I remember Bill Laimbeer famously and proudly never did anything in the off-season. Do you think it's getting out of hand? Or do the salaries now justify the year-round scrutiny?

Guy M, Vancouver

A: It is relatively recent, probably a decade old, maybe a little bit longer.

It’s not really out of hand for the very reason you suggest. Teams make such a financial investment in these players – and one mistake can set a franchise back a year or so – they need to know that the “employees” are doing everything they need to do to remain in shape.

Another thing to consider: Training camps are so short – about a week before teams start playing exhibition games – that there’s really no time for a guy to “work himself into shape” as there was back in the day.

Sam fondly reminds us about eleventy times a year that his coaches had about three weeks of practice before the pre-season began to work guys; he’s got about seven days only three of them – in a collectively bargained arrangement – can include two practices in a day.

-

This is borrowed (well, lifted) from Ross Siler’s end-of-the-season Utah Jazz wrap-up in the Salt Lake City Tribute. The whole blog’s too long and irrelevant in these parts to link but check this out:

"(Jerry) Sloan and (Deron) Williams both talked about the need for leadership and toughness. Williams suggested that for as much as Houston and the Lakers complained about the Jazz's physical play, the team could have been even tougher in denying easy layups.

"I think Matt Harpring said we need to sign Hoffa [Rafael Araujo] for a 1-hour contract," Williams joked.

-

I see a glimpse of Sam Cassell talking to Damon Jones at the end of the Celtics-Cavs series and all I can think is: Is there ever a moment of silence? And how would either know what the other was saying since neither of them are ever quiet.

-

Once more into the mail:

Q: Do you think that NBA players (or any pro athletes, for that matter) pay attention to their fantasy pool popularity/performance? I remember in Arenas' blog he told his fans to not drop him yet when he was re-habbing. So just wondering, if fantasy pools would affect the psyche/confidence of a player? Probably not, but just a fun one! (instead of trade talk!!)

Felix T, Loughbrough

A: I don’t think fantasy popularity has an impact on anything a player does but, believe me, everyone in the NBA knows about fantasy leagues and some players actually take part.

And if they don’t take part in basketball fantasy leagues, a huge majority of them are in some kind of NFL pool.

-

Is there a better way to end a long weekend than a Game 7? Get the yardwork done, the newspaper work out of the way, the Little League baseball practice over with and relax on the sofa with Chris Paul and Manu Ginobili.

The head says the Spurs should prevail – big-game experience and all – but the heart would love to see the Hornets pull it out. And I’m not sure we can ever doubt Paul’s ability to take over a game.

Comments

[Roger]

Doug says: "Funny thing was, the Cavs didn’t do anything to make him a non-factor, no double-teams, no special defensive schemes, they just guarded him closely, didn’t give him space to shoot and watched him disintegrate."
Doc Rivers says: ""[Allen] had a couple of open shots but they were few and far between," said Celtics coach Doc Rivers following Game 7. "They trapped him every time he had the ball. You know all he did? He made the next pass" (from ESPN.com).

Blogger's note: The next time a coach says something like "he was horribly passive every time he had the ball and when he shot his open looks he looked like a 50-year-old sportswriter hoisting one up" I'll be as shocked as anyone.

[bballer]

doc, mike brown and woodson needs to learn how to run offenses. they have no clue how to utilize the strenghts of their players. rumours are that rjeff and mwills will be traded to denver for carmelo and camby on draft day. this will also put pressure on lawrence frank who has no real leadership skills as a coach. bird has stated that indy are looking to make more changes to improve their team and so is riley. that will truly put more pressure on colangelo. next year will be even more competitive and difficult to make the playoffs in the east. which team who didn't make the playoffs last year in the east has the best chances to make the playoffs next year, through the draft or trades, based on the leadership qualities and the vision of the gm they currently have in that position? or in other words, who is the most talented gm of a team that did not make the playoffs in the east last year and why?

Blogger's note: That's a tough one to answer really quickly but I'll try. I would bet dollars to donuts that, given no Jason Kidd distraction for five months of a season, that Rod Thorn will give the Nets everything they need to contend for the playoffs again and, as funny as this may sound given their record last year, a Knicks team under Donnie Walsh and Mike D'Antoni is not to be trifled with. Not sure they can make the playoffs but they'll be a challenger.
I'll have a better grasp on teams like Chicago when they hire a new coach and Milwaukee when they make their first deal although I am not a big Scott Skiles fan.
Miami would, of course, be an easy choice if they stay in the top two in the draft but that's also a team with a rookie head coach.

[Aaron]

Hello Doug,

I also forsee Detroit winning if Ray Allen doesn't get his sh*t together. Personally, there is something about his body language that rubs me the wrong way. No matter how many shots he missed he not only looks extremly confident but it hardly looks like he is interested in the game, completly contrasting the body language of KG or PP, or any other celtic.

I really hope that Boston takes out Detroit. Detroit is an annoying team to watch, and (along with the spurs) they're the last group of guys that I want to see win a championship. KG going up against either Kobe or Paul will be a wicked finals.

As for the raps, WHAT IS THE DEAL with these new rumours about Jose getting traded instead of tj?
Fans will be outraged if that happens...

One question, I would like to note that I love Bargnani more than anyone in Toronto, I love his style and I do see a lot of improvement in the near future. BUT, I'm not sure if I see that improvement coming with him playing centre, it seems that he would thrive with the more freedom as a PF, a spot which Bosh unanimously owns on this team.
What can be done about this predicament?

Blogger's note: More instruction, more time, more work, more effort.

[petro]

All I know... the more I watch the playoffs and as the conference finals are approaching... the more clearly I see how very far the Raps are from being contenders. Doug... wouldn't you agree???
Blogger's note: I don't know, I don't think it's as far as you might think. With a couple of the right moves and a few breaks a gap can be closed pretty quickly.

[Tim]

I still believe TJ's got alot of talent, if he can get back that slow-fast thing that he did well earlier in the season and finishes better on his drives, but if Colangelo's finding no takers willing to give up anything substantial, what do you think the chances are he gives TJ up (away?!) along with some other parts for an expiring contract or two (say, Snow and Joe Smith) to play limited minutes and simply looks to next season as a chance for internal improvement, knowing a lot of money's coming off the books next summer? Probably risky as we'd be life or death to make the playoffs, and fans are already a bit frustrated.

[bballer]

i guess you have no confidence in larry bird and jim o'brien. they only missed the playoffs by one game and will have a full pre-season with ronald murray @ point and 60 games with jermaine and their draft pick. i really think the east will have more depth with teams like indy, nj, miami, milwaukee (how can you not love scott skiles?), chitown, charlotte and the newly formed knicks. wow, the east will be deep, with run 'n' gun teams in ny, indy, toronto and miami.

[Uncle Zeke]

Wow Doug it must just kill you to be forced to complement either the Pistons or the Celtics. All your pre-season predictions for the EC blowing up in your face- of course you'd never admit to it.

Anyways, while Detroit's defence is very good it is not exponentially better than Clevelands. Cleveland has been playing some of the best team defence in the NBA in the playoffs over the past 2-3 years.

I love how you can't understand why Toronto's assistants are getting no love as head coaching candidates!!! What a joke!!! Hmmm... ya I can't understand why assistants from a storied franchise like the Raptors who have been stuck in mediocrity and are learning from one of the best in Sam Mitchell (ha!!) wouldn't merit consideration...

To your point about the Raptors being a couple moves from the title, please- have a little more respect for your readers instead of continually patronizing them... The Raptors are closer to being out of the playoffs next year then making the second round- let alone winning the title. Chicago, NJ, Milwaukee and NY are all teams that will be making moves and could overtake TO next year. Atlanta and Philly are on the rise and have already overtaken the team. Where's the optimism for TO- Garbajosa returning?

Blogger's note: I don't care about your stats, Detroit's defence -- top to bottom -- is exponentially better than Cleveland's.
I admitted a bad call on Boston months ago, I guess you forgot to read and rip that day.
If Elston Turner and John Lucas can get interviews, why can't Alex English, who's only one of the top offensive players of all time; Mike Evans, who's been a head coach in the NBA; and Jay Triano, whose been an assistant for half a decade, get the same? I guess when you're a GM you can ignore them to.
Why would i have to patronize readers? Someone asked my opinion and I gave it; you may not agree -- and, quite frankly, I really don't care if you do.

[GM]

Aaron says he's hearing rumours of Jose being traded instead of TJ? What can you tell us, Doug? That would be a tough pill to swallow.

Meanwhile, game 7 is just underway. I see Dick "Look at me" Bevetta is reffing so that means a Spurs win.

[Ellie]

I saw the fourth quarter of Parker's game (I was traveling in the US) and was totally blown away. She was fantastic.

I wish WNBA games were easier to come by up here for those of us who are cable-challenged. That said, their current campaign that puts negative stereotypes in the mouths of the athletes is complete ass. Why not focus on the positive?

Blogger's note: She was outstanding, is outstanding and may go down as one of, if not the, greatest players ever.